Differences in Moksha, Vaikunt and BrahmaJyoti

[Guest guest]

Hey,

 

I'm a bit confused, when someone attains Moksha, they merge with god right? If so, do they stop becoming a separate entitiy and thus actually become god himself? Or do they not actually merge but merely goto BrahmaJyoti and reside there? I have heard that one can easily fall from this light/brahmajyoti and get bored there. Is this true? Is moksha separate from bhramajyoti? Or is it the same thing? Surely if you are liberated why would you get bored/fall from it.

 

Also what is Vaikunt in relation to these? Is this also moksha? If one attains Vaikunt will he/she stay there for enternity? will they be happy? or still have human feelings but be free from birth and death?

[Guest guest]

Moksa = liberation

 

Brahmajyoti = white light

 

Vaikuntha = abode of Narayana in the Karanaloka, realm of the Gods. As in "In my Father's house, there are many mansions"

 

 

Depends on how evolved your consciousness is. People can attain moksa which corresponds to freedom from suffering, liberation from material existence for small amount of time or long amount of time.

 

Say like some people had a NDE and they felt all peaceful. That peace is

a freedom or liberation from ordinary consciousness. Yet it was temporary peace because they came back into world of duality. However the moksa

albeit temporary usually changes their consciousness for the better: more

peaceful, more loving person.

 

The Brahmajyoti = Brahma = brahman + jyoti = light. Brahman is one of three aspects of God, the aspect of God everywhere in everything. Some say it is the dazzling effulgence coming from tip of His toes, like a radiance or halo.

Is like you are approaching God and on the way there even is so cool and nice. Like if you are driving down to Florida from NYC suddenly you see palm trees and you smell the salt water of the ocean, the weather is getting warmer, you feel more happy yea! Still you are not at your destination Usually people with NDE report that they go through a tunnel [up the spine or chakras] and then they see the white light [the sahasrara chakra]. But then come back down again etc

as mentioned above.

 

Vaikuntha is one of the chakras or realms of consciousness even beyond the Brahmajyoti. It is one of the seven/fourteen chakras above the sahasrara.

[Guest guest]

thanks bruv, so what you are sayin gis vaikunt is better than brahmajyoti.

 

..and moksha is better than both? when one achieves moksha, we merge with god right? i/e the jiva/soul becomes god and they are one and the same and their is no difference, so potentially we have gone back to god, realised we are god and become god?

 

if one strives for moksha, but gets brahmajyoti or vaikunt, they still have to go back to the earth dont they then? i.e they almost reached moksha but didn't quite get there?

[Guest guest]

There are different degrees of moksa or liberation and they correspond with the different chakras. Liberated chakra level one is sahasrara or brahmajyoti. Then higher than that chakra of brahmajyoti is Vaikuntha realm. Some people think that there's others above that [Goloka Vrndavana, Braja Mandala] also but depends on your tradition. Once you get up there, it's all good stuff.

[Guest guest]

could you provide me a link to the definitions of these chakras? u say its all good stuff but is it though? what if you fall down again? which chakra is enternally good and do we still have human feelings in these chakras

 

why can't we just merge with god and become god himself? thats what it says in the gita right? that we MERGE with him?

[Guest guest]

"moksha = liberation; release from transmigration, samsara, the round of birth and deaths, which occur after karma has been resolved and realization of the Self has been attained." -- from Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism.

 

Each branch of Hinduism has different ways of attaining moksha. The spine has 14 currents in the sushumna that lead to the crown chakra or door of Brahman. So there are 14 different sampradayas or lineages that each have

different practices that they do to open the door of Brahma.

 

<<Can you provide me with a link?>>

One possibility is do a google search for:

"Himalayan Academy"

They have many free online books which might give you some information, available under "Publications" of their website.

 

<<You say it's all good stuff but is it though?>>

Good question. I feel that we should be very careful and mindful in spiritual life, just as we are in any important endeavor like as shopping for a car, buying a home, picking a doctor, getting engaged to be married, getting an education, being a good citizen and eco conscious, etc. Take your time, do your research; like any worthwhile endeavor, it's probably best not to rush into it and expect a good result from incomplete or haphazard preparation.

 

I say "it's all good stuff" cuz it's exciting and we're lucky to be alive when we can learn so many things so quickly at the click of a mouse. And whatever you sincerely put into it: for each step you take towards the Divine, the Divine takes nine steps towards you! So it can be very rewarding and fun. Also the Divine promises us that any progress on the path is never lost. If we are incomplete in our attainments, we pick up where we left off in our next life, and get all facility to pursue the path. That's what I mean by "It's all good stuff"; these upbeat positive aspects.

 

<<What if you fall down again?>>

Very good question. Like Jimi Hendrix sang, "Castles made of sand fall into the sea eventually." Therefore don't rush. Be enthusiastic; that's nice. Think about how many years it takes to do something really difficult like learn Sanskrit or become a doctor. Or think about all of the training that a structural engineer goes through to become educated and wise enough to look at any architect's plans and tell if they are safe or not. Phew!

 

That is how mindful and discerning you will need to become on the path. Many traditions have given cautions such as: "The spiritual path is like walking on a razor's edge" or "the spiritual path is like a bridge of hair over

an abyss of roaring fire." Therefore you want to first educate yourself not only what the best path is for you but how to be careful on the path.

 

<<Which chakra is eternally good and do we have feelings inside of these chakras?>>

The human being has seven chakras below the muladhara and seven above.

The lower chakras are lust, anger, and greed basically; jealousy, fear, malice, stuff like that. They are like negative numbers on a number line. They are actually hellish states of consciousness.

 

The muladhara chakra is like the zero on a number line. If you have stabilized your muladhara chakra you feel centered and peaceful, calm and secure. Mula means root. Then located above the muladhara chakra, like the positive numbers on a number line, are the higher chakras of reason, intelligence, kindness, feelings of brotherhood for all. The very highest chakras of all are the realms of Divine Love.

 

To never fall down from the realms of Divine Love means that you have no more lust, anger, or greed at the very least. So for most people to live 24/7 in the Realm of Divine Love is going to take a while. Throughout all of these stages you have feelings. The feelings below the muladhara are kind of gross and animalistic, then as you move up in consciousness your feelings and perceptions become more and more subtle and refined.

 

<<Why can't we just merge with God and become God Himself?>>

Because we are the jivas, sparks of God.

<....at's what it says in the Gita, we merge with God, right?>>

Right now we are in a food based body, the anna-maya kosha. Our real essence is the ananda-maya kosha or body of bliss. Our real essence is sat-chit-ananda. That essence is eternal, full of knowledge, and bliss.

 

We have that essence and so does God also. So that is how we are the same as God, our very essence is energy and God is energy. When all of our obscurations fall away, we will perceive ourselves as this pure energy all of the time. You might have some flashes and realizations of the fact that your essence is pure energy now.

 

We are different from God in that He has three features: Brahman, or the energy pervading everything everywhere, Param Atma or the Lord in the Heart, Bhagavan or the Lord in Divine Realm of Pure Love.

 

In each realm we merge with God in a different way. When we merge with God in Brahman realization, we realize that the same energy that flows throw all of life flows through us also. We feel happy and secure, no longer neurotic. We feel part of the same current or stream that connects all.

 

When we merge with God as Param Atma, then we feel like we are never ever alone. We realize that no matter where we are or what happens to us, that Someone is always as close to us as our own heart, always there, always hears us and cares about us, knows all of our troubles that no one else has seen. You might really even trip out on it like some of the saints in every tradition who attained this realization or merged with God in this way.

 

When we merge with God as Bhagavan, it is something like when you hug your best friend, or dad or mom, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew that you really care about. Or like when you hug your spouse when you get married. You are merging with them yet you each retain your individuality. For example, even in this world, when some people have a conjugal experience, they feel no separation between themselves and the other person. They don't know where one person begins and the other person ends. So it is this kind of a merging that can take place in Realm of Divine Love.

 

So there are certainly different types of merging that take place on the path. At the same time, until you are completely purified, it is more of a theoretical construct. However, as you engage in the purificatory practices, then you can get more direct perception of the veracity of these metaphysical truths, the spiritual laws of Physics.

 

The purification process is to follow the Yamas and Niyamas, restraints and practices. Almost every religion has similar core concepts of "praise God from Whom all blessings flow", "be kind", and "be honest" as practices, coupled with restraints like "don't kill", "don't be greedy", and "don't steal". These are some examples of a few of the Yamas and Niyamas, restraints and practices.

 

If you sincerely follow these Yamas and Niyamas you can make progress very rapidly. This is confirmed by studying the lives of all of the great rsis and saints in every world culture, who left us a record of their internal feelings and realizations via their oral history, writings, songs, poetry, and/or prayers.

[gramo 0]

Full enlightenment, complete and all-illumining enlightenment, is God Realization. But sometimes, when a seeker is in his highest meditation, he gets a kind of inner illumination or enlightenment, and for half an hour or an hour his whole being, his whole existence, is illumined. But then, after an hour or two, he becomes his same old self; he again becomes a victim to desire and undivine qualities. Enlightenment has taken place, but it is not the Transcendental Enlightenment which occurred in the case of the Buddha and other spiritual masters. That kind of all-fulfilling, all-illumining enlightenment is equivalent to God-realisation. God-realisation means constant and eternal enlightenment, Transcendental Enlightenment. When we get God-realisation, automatically infinite illumination takes place in our outer as well as our inner existence.

 

The enlightenment that is spoken of here in the West and also in Japan is only a temporary burst of light in the aspiring consciousness. After a short while it pales into insignificance, because there is no abiding reality in it. Abiding reality we will get only with constant, eternal and Transcendental Illumination, which is God-realization.

 

Sometimes when we speak of enlightenment, we mean that we have been in darkness about a particular subject for many years and now we have inner wisdom, or now that particular place in our consciousness is enlightened. But this is just a spark of the boundless illumination, and that little spark we cannot call God-realisation.

[gHari 0]

SrImad-BhAgavatam 1.2.11

--

Tirupati, April 26, 1974

 

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaM yaj jJAnam advayam

brahmeti paramAtmeti

bhagavAn iti zabdyate

[SB 1.2.11]

 

Translation: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, ParamAtmA or BhagavAn."

 

PrabhupAda: I will speak, then you translate.

 

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaM yaj jJAnam advayam

brahmeti paramAtmeti

bhagavAn iti zabdyate

[SB 1.2.11]

 

Yesterday we have been discussing the aim of life. That is described in the SrImad-BhAgavatam, that kAmasya nendriya-prItiH. KAma... LAbho jIveta yAvatA. The purpose of life is not sense gratification. KAmasya na indriya-prItiH. We have got this body and we have got some bodily demands, AhAra-nidrA-bhaya-maithuna, the bodily demands. We want to eat something, we want some resting place, we want to satisfy our senses, and we want to defend from dangers. These are bodily demands. But we should not be simply concerned with the bodily demands. Then we shall become on the level of animals. Our real demand is self-realization.

 

As it is stated in the Brahma-sUtra, athAto brahma jijJAsA, similarly, here it is advised,

 

kAmasya nendriya-prItir

lAbho jIveta yAvatA

jIvasya tattva-jijJAsA

nArtho yaz ceha karmabhiH

[SB 1.2.10]

 

This is very important verse for understanding the aim of life. JIvasya tattva-jijJAsA. Not that simply economic development for sense gratification. Tattva-jijJAsA. What is the value of life? That is the aim business. (aside:) Yes, you can translate. [break] ...to give you one example of SanAtana GosvAmI. SanAtana GosvAmI, he was minister in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah. Somehow or other, he came in contact with SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu and he decide to retire from government service and join the KRSNa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya MahAprabhu five hundred years ago. About them it is said by one learned scholar, tyaktvA tUrNam azeSa-maNDala-pati-zreNIM sadA tucchavat. Because they were ministers, their association was with aristocratic family, big, big men. But he decided, tyaktvA tUrNam azeSa-maNDala-pati-zreNIm. MaNDala-pati means leaders, social leaders, political leaders. So they gave up the company of the so-called aristocratic circle--tyaktvA tUrNam azeSa-maNDala-pati-zreNIM sadA tucchavat--as most insignificant. BhUtvA dIna-gaNezakau karuNayA kaupIna-kanthAzritau. Just to give real service to the mass of people, they became mendicants, kaupIna-kanthAzritau, or accepted the sannyAsa order. As SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu accepted sannyAsa order, all the AcAryas, RAmAnujAcArya, MadhvAcArya, ViSNusvAmI, they accepted for the greater benefit of the human society.

 

tyaktvA tUrNam azeSa-maNDala-pati-zreNIM sadA tucchavat

bhUtvA dIna-gaNezakau karuNayA kaupIna-kanthAzritau

gopI-bhAva-rasAmRtAbdhi-laharI-kallola-magnau muhur

vande rUpa-sanAtanau raghu-yugau zrI-jIva-gopAlakau

 

So they gave up this life of luxury, exuberance, but adopted sannyAsa order for greater benefit of the human society.

 

So when SanAtana GosvAmI approached SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu to become His disciple, he inquired from Him, tattva-jijJAsA. (to translator, MahAMza Swami:) Shall I stop here?

 

MahAMza Swami: (indistinct)

 

PrabhupAda: Who is the disciple? SanAtana GosvAmI. [break] So this SanAtana GosvAmI, when (he) approached Caitanya MahAprabhu... That is the system. We sometimes accept one guru. But why should we accept guru? What is the necessity of accepting guru? This is the necessity for tattva-jijJAsA, for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. Tad-vijJAnArthaM sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-pANiH zrotriyaM brahma-niSTham [MU 1.2.12]. This is the Vedic injunction. Simply if we remain engaged in the four activities of this material body, namely eating, sleeping, sex life, and defense, then we are animals. Our human life should be executed with the aim of life.

 

The aim of life is tattva-jijJAsA. That SanAtana GosvAmI did when he approached SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. He inquired from Him, ke Ami kene AmAya jAre tApa-traya: "My dear Lord, kindly let me know who am I and why I am put into the threefold miserable condition of life." Then one can say, "You are minister. You know what you are." Then he says, "No, actually I do not know what I am." GrAmya-vyavahAre paNDita tAi satya mAni: "Some neighborhood men, they call me I am very big man, I am very learned man, and when I study myself," ApanAra hitAhita kichui nA jAni, "I do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, where I have to go after leaving this body, why I am put into the tribulation of threefold miseries. I do not want to die. Why death is enforced upon me? I do not want to take birth. Why that is also enforced upon me? I do not want old age. Why it is enforced upon me? I do not want disease. Why it is enforced upon me? And what is the purpose of my coming in this material world, and where I shall go after my death? Or this is the finish?" There are so many things to inquire. That is called tattva-jijJAsA. This is called tattva-jijJAsA. JIvasya tattva-jijJAsA.

 

The BhAgavata recommends that in the human form of life, the only necessity is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That includes so many other things. The Absolute Truth is experienced by different persons from different angle of vision. That is explained here. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. That is the Absolute Truth--Brahman or Parabrahman--which is nondual. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaM yaj jJAnam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. Advayam means without any duality. When we say Brahman, impersonal Brahman, or when we speak ParamAtmA, or when we speak of BhagavAn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no difference between these three terms. Just like sunshine and the sun globe and the sun-god. According to Bhagavad-gItA, we have got the name of the predominating deity in the sun globe. ImaM vivasvate yogaM proktavAn aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. This is said in the Bhagavad-gItA. First of all KRSNa says, "Long, long ago, millions of years ago, I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gItA to VivasvAn." VivasvAn means the present predominating deity of the sun globe. Just like we have got a president, similarly, but he has got a particular name, similarly, the president of the sun globe is called SUrya, SUryadeva. But he has got a particular name.

 

So at the present moment, the predominating deity of the sun globe is called VivasvAn. So this VivasvAn or the sun-god and the sun globe and the sunshine, they are not different. All of them are light. Without light in the sun globe, how so much light is emanating? So therefore the inhabitants of the sun globe, their body is made of fire. Therefore everything is glowing. And we, from distant place, we see the sun globe also glowing. And the sunshine is also glowing. Similarly, Brahman, ParamAtmA and BhagavAn, they are one, the glowing or the light, but still, there is difference. What is that difference? If you remain in the sunshine... Every one of us, we remain in the sunshine. That does not mean that I am in the sun globe or I have seen the predominating deity, VivasvAn. Similarly, brahmeti paramAtmeti bhagavAn iti zabdyate [SB 1.2.11], you can realize the Absolute Truth in three features: Brahman, ParamAtmA... [break]... brahmeti paramAtmeti bhagavAn iti zabdyate. The same Absolute Truth is realized from three angles of vision. Those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by their own scholarship, eruditely... There are many philosophers. They are trying to find out what is the original source of everything. The scientists, they are also trying to find out the original source of everything. So somebody, say, for example, the scientists, they are finding original of everything as matter, chemical, chemical evolution, the modern theory of originality. But actually, if we study what is the position of chemical theory, the so-called scientists, they could not produce life from chemicals, although their theory is that from matter life comes.

 

This is against our Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge says, as it is said in the Brahma-sUtra, VedAnta-sUtra, that the original cause of the Absolute Truth is a living entity. It is not matter. Just like KRSNa says in the Bhagavad-gItA, ahaM sarvasya prabhavo mattaH sarvaM pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. That aham, KRSNa, is not a dead matter. He is the living entity, supreme living entity. And we also understand from UpaniSad, nityo nityAnAM cetanaz cetanAnAm (KaTha UpaniSad 2.2.13). The Absolute Truth is person, a living entity. He is the supreme living entity. Similarly, the original Absolute Truth is KRSNa. KRSNa says in the Bhagavad-gItA, mattaH parataraM nAnyat kiJcid asti dhanaJjaya [Bg. 7.7]. That is Absolute Truth. There is no more para-tattva, superior tattva. Here the question is vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. We want to know the Absolute Truth. And here is KRSNa, BhagavAn. BhagavAn is the Absolute Truth, KRSNa. BAlajI is Absolute Truth, BhagavAn, person. BrahmaNo 'haM pratiSThA. In the Bhagavad-gItA it is said, "The impersonal Brahman is situated on Me." Just like the sunshine. Although it is all-pervading throughout the universe, the light is there, but wherefrom the light is coming? The light is coming from KRSNa.

 

That is explained in the Brahma-saMhitA:

 

yasya prabhA prabhavato jagad-aNDa-koTi-

koTiSv azeSa-vasudhAdi-vibhUti-bhinnam

tad brahma niSkalam anantam azeSa-bhUtaM

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

[Bs. 5.40]

 

The Brahman effulgence is the bodily glowing of KRSNa. Yasya prabhA. When KRSNa expands His bodily effulgence, then everything generates. This material world has also come out of the brahmajyoti, or from the rays of the body of KRSNa. Therefore KRSNa says that brahmaNo 'haM pratiSThA. In another place KRSNa says that mayA tatam idaM sarvaM jagad avyakta-mUrtinA. His impersonal feature, the Brahman, feature, is expanded everywhere. SarvaM khalv idaM brahma. Mat-sthAni sarva-bhUtAni: [Bg. 9.4] "Everything is resting on my bodily effulgence, Brahman." NAhaM teSu avasthitaH: "But I am not there." This is tattva-jJAna. It is not that because everything is resting on Brahman, therefore everything should be worshiped. No. That is not.

 

So brahmeti paramAtmeti. If we try to understand the Absolute Truth, then we can approach only up to the impersonal feature. Just like if we simply want to come to the light, so we can see the sunshine is light. But if we want to study what is the sun globe and if we want to study what is the predominating deity in the sun globe, that is different thing. That is, simply coming to the light, sunshine, will not help you. You must have strength and process to go to the sun globe. The same example: One can understand impersonal Brahman by dint of his speculative knowledge, but he cannot understand ParamAtmA, who is situated in everyone's heart. IzvaraH sarva-bhUtAnAM hRd-deze 'rjuna tiS... [Bg. 18.61]. That is ParamAtmA feature. That ParamAtmA feature is also one fourth expansion of KRSNa's personal existence. And it is also stated in the Bhagavad-gItA,

 

athavA bahunaitena

kiM jJAtena tavArjuna

viSTabhyAham idaM kRtsnam

ekAMzena sthito jagat

[Bg. 10.42]

 

The ParamAtmA feature is one fourth part expansion of KRSNa's bodily expansion. (aside:) Shall I stop here? [break]

 

So BhagavAn is the ultimate Absolute Truth. Therefore KRSNa confirms it, mattaH parataraM nAnyat. You go, make progress. You understand the impersonal Brahman feature. You understand ParamAtmA feature by yogic process. By yogic... The yogis, they try to understand the ParamAtmA. IzvaraH sarva-bhUtAnAm [Bg. 18.61]. The ParamAtmA is sitting in everyone's heart. The yogis try to understand the ParamAtmA. And the jJAnIs, impersonalists, they try to understand the all-pervading feature of the Supreme Lord. But one who understands KRSNa, then he understands both the features, the ParamAtmA feature and Brahman feature. Therefore in the Vedas it is said, kasmin tu bhagavo vijJAte sarvam idaM vijJAtaM bhavati. If you simply understand KRSNa, then the Brahman feature and ParamAtmA feature will be automatically understood. You haven't got to understand Brahman and ParamAtmA separately. Simply by understanding KRSNa, you will understand both.

 

Another example is: just like if you see a mountain. Just like surrounding your this place, Tirupati, there are so many hills. From the distant place, your vision is not clear. You simply see something like cloudy, the same mountain. But if you make little further progress, you see the same mountain or hill greenish. And if you actually go in the same hill, you will find there are so many animals, so many men and so many houses. So object is the same, but from different angle vision, it appears differently. Similarly, unless one can understand KRSNa perfectly, he realizes the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirAkAra Brahman. Unless one understands KRSNa perfectly well, he cannot understand what is ParamAtmA, which is realized by yogic principles. But when you understand KRSNa, then you understand ParamAtmA and Brahman also. This is the verdict of the zAstra. Just like if you have got one lakh of rupees, your possession of few thousands of rupees or few hundred of rupees are already there.

 

Similarly, KRSNa says, janma karma me divyaM yo jAnAti tattvataH. The same thing, tattvataH. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. KRSNa says that "My appearance," ajo 'pi sann avyayAtmA, "how I appear, how I disappear, if anyone understands in truth..." Because we do not understand KRSNa in truth, therefore we consider KRSNa as ordinary human being. AvajAnanti mAM mUDhAH [Bg. 9.11]. MUDhAH means asses or rascals. They consider KRSNa as something of this material world. But He is not that. Therefore KRSNa says that janma karma me divyaM yo jAnAti tattvataH. If anyone understands KRSNa as Absolute Truth, then immediately his mission of life is complete. TyaktvA dehaM punar janma naiti mAm eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Therefore this is tattva-jJAna. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. This is tattva-jJAna. Try to understand KRSNa, what He is.

 

But that understanding, how it can be achieved, that is explained in the next verse:

 

tac chraddadhAnA munayo

jJAna-vairAgya-yuktayA

pazyanty Atmani cAtmAnaM

bhaktyA zruta-gRhItayA

[SB 1.2.12]

 

BhaktyA zruta-gRhItayA. You have to hear of KRSNa in devotion, bhaktyA, not as a nondevotee. A nondevotee cannot understand KRSNa. He has no scope. If a nondevotee interprets on the Bhagavad-gItA, he is simply wasting time of himself and others. Here it is clearly stated, bhaktyA zruta-gRhItayA. One has to become devotee and hear from the authorities. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a bhakta. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si sakhA ceti. And he heard from the Absolute Truth, KRSNa. Therefore he understood Bhagavad-gItA. So one who has not heard Bhagavad-gItA or about KRSNa and who is not a devotee, his speaking on Bhagavad-gItA is simply useless waste of time. Yes. [break]

 

So as it is stated here in the SrImad-BhAgavatam, pazyanty Atmani ca AtmAnam, this is paramAtma-darzana, Atmani. Or there is another verse in the Brahma-saMhitA, premAJjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. The same word, bhakti.

 

premAJjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaH sadaiva hRdayeSu vilokayanti

yaM zyAmasundaram acintya-guNa-svarUpaM

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

[Bs. 5.38]

 

So one has to learn the art of seeing the Absolute Truth in three features--as BhagavAn, as ParamAtmA and as impersonal Brahman. That prescription is given here. Tac chraddadhAnA munayaH. The ordinary person not. MunayaH. Those who are very much advanced in the process of thinking, munayaH, or great saintly persons... Tac chraddadhAnA munayo jJAna-vairAgya-yuktayA [SB 1.2.12]. JJAna and vairAgya--these two things are required. First of all, one must have sufficient knowledge and vairAgya, renunciation, detachment. Then he can see what is BhagavAn, what is ParamAtmA, and what is impersonal Brahman. It is a very long subject matter, but as it is stated here by VyAsadeva that pazyanty Atmani cAtmAnaM bhaktyA zruta-gRhItayA, through bhakti and zruti, by hearing the Vedic literature... Not whimsically, not by sentiment. One has to develop his dormant bhakti consciousness or KRSNa consciousness by thorough study of the Vedic literature. Then he can understand what is Brahman, what is ParamAtmA and what is BhagavAn. Otherwise it is not possible.

 

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gItA also, it is said, "The basic principle is bhakti." BhaktyA mAm abhijAnAti yAvAn yaz cAsmi tattvataH [Bg. 18.55]. One has to learn the Absolute Truth through bhakti. Bhakti is the principle. If you have got bhakti, then jJAna-vairAgya will automatically come. But if you remain only on the platform of jJAna-vairAgya, you may not develop bhakti. This is the process. That is also mentioned in the beginning of this chapter.

 

vAsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaH prayojitaH

janayaty Azu vairAgyaM

jJAnaM ca yad ahaitukam

[SB 1.2.7]

 

This is the... You must have complete knowledge, jJAnam and vairAgya, detachment. JJAna means detachment. If one is attached to the material activities, he is not a jJAnI, because he is in the bodily concept of life. Therefore he is not jJAnI. YasyAtma-buddhiH kuNape tri-dhAtuke [SB 10.84.13], sa eva go-kharaH: "If one is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than the cows and asses." This is the verdict of the zAstra. So you cannot understand the Absolute Truth on the platform of bodily concept of life. You must get yourself on the transcendental platform, and bhakti is the transcendental platform for the activities of the spirit soul.

 

brahma-bhUtaH prasannAtmA

na zocati na kAGkSati

samaH sarveSu bhUteSu

mad-bhaktiM labhate parAm

[Bg. 18.54]

 

You can attain bhakti when you are already Brahman realized person, or perfect brAhmaNa. Brahma jAnAtIti brAhmaNaH.

 

So when you have realized, when you are a brAhmaNa, when you have complete knowledge of Brahman, that is the beginning of bhakti life. Not that by bhakti one comes to the Brahman realization platform. One who has got complete understanding of Brahman, he can make progress to the bhakti platform.

 

brahma-bhUtaH prasannAtmA

na zocati na kAGkSati

samaH sarveSu bhUteSu

mad-bhaktiM labhate parAm

[Bg. 18.54]

 

After all these qualifications, making oneself brahma-bhUta [SB 4.30.20] and prasannAtmA, no more lamentation, no more hankering, always joyful, jubilant, blissful... This is the symptom for Brahman realization. Brahma-bhUtaH prasannAtmA na zocati na kAGkSati, samaH sarveSu bhUteSu [Bg. 18.54]. Then he can see on equal level to all living entities. SamaH sar... Then he can enter mad-bhaktiM labhate parAm.

 

So I do not wish to take much of your time, and the children are disturbing. It is a very great subject matter. So our this KRSNa consciousness movement is this expanding this bhakti cult on the basis of Vedic knowledge. It is not a sentimental thing. These European, American boys and girls who have joined us, they are not going on sentiments. They are being taught actual knowledge, zruti. BhaktyA zruta-gRhItayA. And therefore they are being fixed up. So our request is that this temple, BAlajI's temple, is the greatest temple in the world, and KRSNa's temple. For spreading KRSNa consciousness all over the world, the temple authorities should fully cooperate in spreading KRSNa knowledge.

 

Thank you very much. Hare KRSNa.

 

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja BSST