Prema: A Link Between the Lord and the Devotee

Acquaintance with the contents of the various Shastras or Vedas is not going to remove the screen in front of one’s mind. On one side of the screen is the jiva or the individual and on the other side is the Deva. On one side of the screen is the creation and on the other side is the basis for all that we see. The previous birth is not known to us. Also, the present birth is not permanent. Similarly, no one knows his future birth. Is there anyone who knows about the future? The human body is impermanent and transient, and the jiva, residing in the body, is indestructible. He is the permanent one and he is the Sadasiva and the one who is the sutradhari or the basis, of all that we see. It is his greatness that manifests in many different ways. I have been searching, I had searched in the past and I am still searching for one who can understand the basis of all these manifestations.

Pavitratma svarupas!

To understand and absorb the Vedanta into ourselves, all the three processes—Shravana, manana and Nidhidhyasana—are necessary. Just as the sun gives us the essence or the rasa of the sunshine, so also the Vedavani or the words that are contained in the Vedas give us the rasa or the essence in the Veda to all who are well versed in Vedas.

There is an alternative name of Aditya to one who is well versed in the Vedas. The Ritviks who have the strength of the Brahmanas have been making an attempt to understand this aspect of the Aditya. When we say that the Ritviks have the strength of the Brahmanas, the word Brahmanas means the mantras of the Veda; and the Ritviks, with the help of the mantras, have understood the aspect of Aditya. The statement Bharata Aditya tasyabha Aditya explains how the word Bharata is associated with the word Aditya. This Aditya has undertaken to give us the meaning of the word of the Veda.

The essence of the words of the Veda has been given to us in the aspect of Bharata by Aditya. The same Vedavani has been described by the name Vasu in the early years of its existence and later on when it grew a little older it got the name Rudra and when it became older, the same Vedavani was called Aditya. This Vedavani, in its later aspect of Aditya, has been giving out the rays of divine effulgence to the world. Just as the rays of the sun emerge from the sun spontaneously, so also the rays of the Vedavani emerge spontaneously in the form of divine effulgence.

There is no one who is the originator of either the form or the content of the Vedas. They are self-effulgent. Just as the sun’s rays are not created by anyone, so also the rays which come from the Vedavani and the names and forms which arise from Vedavani are spontaneous emissions of the Vedavani. They are not created by anyone. It is only in the context of the fact that the Vedavani is called by the names Vasu, Rudra, and Aditya in different stages that we should realise that these three names respectively represent Ida, Saraswati and Bharati. In this context, the kind of sound or the word that comes from the Vedavani is called Bharati and this Bharati has also been referred to as the consort of Bharata. In this context, Bharati has also been referred to as Dipti.

We have to understand that the kind of relationship existing between the rays of the sun and the sun itself is the same as that existing between Bharati and Bharata. Similarly, the relationship between the moon and the cool air that emanates from the moon is the same as that existing between Bharati and Bharata. The relationship between Bharati and Bharata is again like the relationship that exists between milk and the white color of the milk. You can convert milk into curd and curd into butter. But, in all these modifications, the milk still retains its color, namely the whiteness. Just as it is not possible to separate the pure white color from milk, although you can transform milk into curd or butter, the kind of relationship that exists between Bharati and Bharata is such that one cannot be separated from the other. Here the names Vasu, Aditya and Rudra are relevant. Agni is also an appropriate name for Bharata.

In this context, the Shruti has been telling us the different names of Ida, Saraswati and Bharati. In the very first stage of Vasu, Ida grants us grace. It also lays down the commandments. As Saraswati it teaches us. And finally as Bharati it confers the boon of self-realisation. While Ida and Saraswati give the first two steps, the end result is granted by Bharati. The final result of self-realization is an outcome of the commandment of Ida and the path laid down by Saraswati.

Since Ida is the place where the command is originating, it is also associated with the place of the heart by the Shruti. When we talk of the heart here, it does not represent the physical heart but it represents a place a little below the physical heart that is the spiritual heart. It is in accordance with the commandment that the heart begins to involve itself in a thinking process. Without accepting the preaching of Saraswati that is being given to you, you cannot move on to the next stage of realisation. Sometimes the head undertakes to decide about the destination even before Ida lays down the commandment. Whenever any person takes to the path decided by the head before he gets the command from the place of Ida, he will realise that the path he has chosen is not the right one and he will regret for the same at a later date.

In this context it is necessary for you to examine whether the thought generated in your head is proper and whether the action is in keeping with the command of the Ida. You must take sufficient time and make sure that the command comes from the place of your heart and only then think with your head, and finally get into action. Thus, it is necessary to give sufficient attention to the place of the heart, Ida and the commandments that come from it. Sometimes it is possible that you are guided by your excitement and emotion and undertake to read some books or do something, although the commandment is not coming from your Ida. This is not right. When you want to read a book or involve yourself in a sadhana, it is better to take some time and let the decision come from the Ida rather than make the decision in haste.

There is a small example for this. For several years many people have been reciting the shlokas in the Bhagavad Gita or a particular chapter of Ramayana as a matter of routine without giving any thought to the basis or the place from where they are getting the orders to undertake these activities. Such sadhakas sometimes go to elders and seek an upadesham. Truly, an individual who has been reciting Bhagavad Gita or Ramayana for fifteen years does not need any message or upadesham from another person. If you enquire this individual who is the author of the Bhagavad Gita, he will unhesitatingly reply that Lord Krishna directly gave it to Arjuna in the battlefield. If he really had faith in the Bhagavad Gita, which came from the Lord himself, then where is the need for him to go to a third person and ask for an upadesham? If he has no faith in what he knows to be the words of Lord Krishna, where is the guarantee that he will have any faith in the words of any other Guru? If the very words uttered by Krishna and which he was reciting for the past several years have not created any faith in him, the words which a Guru gives are sure to be forgotten in less than fifteen seconds.

Such situations will come for people who are unable to perceive and comprehend the orders that come from Ida. What is coming from the place of Ida is not being taken seriously by such people and they want to go directly to the third step of Aditya and experience the aspect of Bharata without starting from the orders of Ida. It is absolutely necessary for every individual to search his conscience. It is in this context it is said that one should essentially have faith in one’s own Atma or have self-confidence. Only when one develops self-confidence will he be able to develop peace of mind and experience the satisfaction or Ananda of the Atma; and then he will sacrifice everything else.

Experiencing Ananda and removal of sorrow are simultaneous events. Just as darkness automatically and simultaneously disappears as soon as you put on a light, sorrow disappears when Ananda comes, without any further attempt. Light and darkness are like the obverse and reverse of the same coin. These are one and the same and in fact two aspects of the same thing. In the same manner, Ida and Saraswati are one and the same thing. They are different aspects of the same thing. If we follow the commandments of Ida, we can realise Saraswati. In realising the aspects of Ida, Saraswati and Bharati the first step is to realise the importance of Ida and then, develop self-confidence. Such an effort will surely produce results.

In this sadhana marga are involved two steps, viz., the Vidhvamsaka or the removal of something, and the Vidhayaka, or the conscious effort of developing something. If a farmer wants to sow some seed in his land and get produce, the first thing he will have to do is to remove all the unwanted bushes and weeds, in the land. Thus, the first step is Vidhvamsaka or destroying the unwanted things. Then he would plough and water the land and make it ready for sowing the seeds. The land here is the kshetra which also stands for our heart. This heart is comparable to a land and the first thing that you have to do is to cleanse it and remove the impure thoughts which are already there. You must then plough that land with compassion and kindness and then fill it up with the waters of prema. Only after filling it with prema, you can sow the seed of the Lord’s name. If you sow the seed in such a clean place which is well prepared, it will sprout easily. Thus cleaning your heart is the first step and sowing the seed of the Lord’s name is the second step. Then, you can reap a good harvest.

It is in this context that the Gopikas prayed that the rain of prema should come down on the land and out of this rain of prema rivers of prema should flow. If our heart is devoid of prema, then the land is like a desert land. In such a land whatever seed you sow will not sprout at all. Therefore, the first step in your sadhana is to fill your heart with prema. Then, the world will appear as the embodiment of Brahman. The result of whatever sadhana man does is contained in one single word Bharata. This Bharata is in the form of Aditya. The Aditya or the sun of Bharata is moving in the sky of your heart. It would be very dark in the sky of your heart if this effulgence of Aditya is not there.

In fact, when we say Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, we are praying that this effulgent Aditya should lead us from darkness to light. The prayer Asato ma sad gamaya has for its basis, the Ida. We are praying that the thoughts generated in our head should not be allowed to go unchecked and they should be guided by Ida to go in the proper direction. In the prayer Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, it is Aditya that is present as the presiding deity and in the prayer Mrityor ma amritam gamaya, which means that we should be led from death to immortality, we have Saraswati as the presiding deity.

In this context, we have to examine what really death is. Normally, the process of breathing coming to a halt is regarded as death. There is, however, some deeper meaning here. Saraswati has, for her carrier, the Hamsa or the breath and the stoppage of breath would mean the absence of Saraswati, and thus Saraswati is regarded as one who can lead you on from death to immortality. The significance of addressing this prayer to Saraswati is that you are praying to Saraswati (who is present in your body in the form of Hamsa-vahini presiding over the process of breathing) that such breath should not enter another human body and again create the same trouble of being reborn. Thus, you are praying to Saraswati to lead you on from death to immortality.

Young Students!

You should therefore give Ida an important place in your heart and give it all the prominence in deciding your actions. Your heart contains such a sacred deity. Hence, do not fill your heart with unsacred ideas. You are able to speak because Saraswati is riding over your breath and such a sacred Goddess is the very basis for your speech. Do not make it unsacred by uttering unclean words. The seat of your thinking or buddhi is filled with Aditya and therefore this sacred aspect should be kept in mind and the unsacred thoughts kept away from you.

Many people think that their intellect or buddhi is in their head and they point to their head when they think that something has gone wrong. This is not correct. The intellect or buddhi is not there. In the head, there is only your brain but your intellect or power to think is not there. Buddhi or Intellect is associated with the internal instrument by the name Antah-karana. It has a connection with the brain. It is only when we recognise that the buddhi should be kept sacred that we will realise and enjoy the bliss of Aditya, who is the basis or the seat of intellect. This is why, in Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says that amongst all the human organs He represents, buddhi is the most important one.

After going through all these steps we learn that Bharata is synonymous with the most important aspect, namely Aditya. Through Bharata and buddhi we get the aspect of Aditya which is the same as Prajapati, which is only a combined aspect of Ida and Saraswati. This word Bharata has several meanings which have their origin in the words of the Veda. They are not meanings which are given by individuals’ fancies nor are they names given after Kings and warriors. To think that this word Bharata has trivial meanings or meanings related to some historical issues is wrong. The word Bharata has a Vedic origin and you should identify this with the aspect of Aditya where buddhi or our intellect resides.

We undertake several activities to achieve something or other in our daily life. In all these efforts, however, we do not recognise the purpose and hence they will end up in failure. Once, a rich person wanted to do some good act and therefore started to supply drinking water to the people in the city. He spent a lot of money and got a big water tank built in that city. That tank was beautifully designed and from the tank he laid out taps in all the streets in the city. He wanted such a sacred project to be inaugurated by some big political personality such as a Minister or a Governor. This person thought that because water is the basis of life, this inauguration should be done with a lot of publicity and pomp. He decided that this important person should open one tap first on a ceremonial occasion. In order that the particular tap to be inaugurated by the high dignitary should look good, he got it made out of silver. The Vedic scholars were invited to recite mantras on the occasion. He also arranged for some auspicious music on the occasion. He welcomed the Governor and requested him to open the tap amidst the auspicious music and chanting of the Veda mantras. The Governor opened the tap but not a drop of water flowed out of it. Everyone was surprised and began to enquire why water was not flowing even though a big tank was built and the tap was also made of silver and there was sacred music on the occasion. They ultimately found that there was no connection between the tap and the tank.

In the same manner, we have the big tank of God which is filled with His grace; we also have devotees in the form of taps but the connection between this tap and the tank which is God’s grace is missing. If there is no prema, how can the grace of the Lord flow? The pipe which connects the devotion of the devotee and the grace of God is the prema. God is always an embodiment of prema and if the devotee is filled with prema, then prema can establish the connection.

Unless you have all these three—namely the devotion of the devotees, God who is the embodiment of prema and the link of prema between the two—a connection cannot be established. God, who is the embodiment of prema, can be attained only by prema and not by any other method. Water mixes easily with water and oil mixes with oil, but oil cannot mix with water. Hatred is like the oil whereas prema is like fresh and clean water. Thus, we can mix pure water like prema in a devotee with the prema in the Lord. That is the only thing you can do. Prema is present in everyone. We should make an attempt to experience that prema.

There is an example for this which I had given once before. I am giving it once again. Suppose we put water in a cup and add sugar to the water. The sugar settles down at the bottom. When we take water from the surface, it will be tasteless; but if we take a spoon and mix the sugar which is at the bottom, then every drop of water will taste sweet.

In this analogy, our heart is the cup and divinity is like the sugar which is at the bottom of the cup of our heart. Our desires of the world are like the water on the surface of the cup. When we drink the water from the surface we do not find it sweet. Therefore, we have to use the spoon of buddhi and mix it by way of sadhana. As a result of this stirring, the divinity in the form of sugar which is at the bottom, will come up and get mixed with the worldly desires and then you will find that even the worldly desires will turn sweet. Those people whose sadhana cannot stir up the divine sugar will find the superficial water tasteless since all the taste of sugar is at the bottom.

The process of mixing the divine sugar and the worldly desires is called Yoga.

The path of Yoga is to control the desires of the mind. Alternatively, we may take the divine sugar which is at the bottom of the cup and make it flow in all the organs and this is also the path of Yoga. In this context, you should believe that this act of making divine sweetness flow into all the work you do is Yoga. The physical exertion which you put in with your limbs will give you physical health but whatever exertion is there in the heart and mind will result in spiritual health and a combination of the two is Yoga.