If God is everywhere, why doesn't He grant us His vision? What is the difference between karma and akarma? 03/04/2026

The satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj — to hear the complete discourse, watch the video above.

The Complete Discourse

O Vrindavanesvari, the nectar of love is complete within your lotus feet, O honeybee dwelling in the heart of the Lord, fulfill this burning. In this supreme coolness, my beloved, why now, why have you come with this love? Why now, why have you come? In this you have toiled much, O enchanter of the heart, I have explained this countless times. I have explained this countless times. My beloved, why now, why have you come? When new maidens rise up just as they do, this new confusion has been placed upon them. O Lord of Sri Hariidas, Shyama of the beautiful forest, with folded hands she becomes absorbed—whose rice pudding is this? Who has eaten it? O Lord of the beautiful forest, with folded hands she becomes absorbed—of whose rice pudding is this? Who has eaten it? My beloved, why now, why have you come? Hearing the melody of the flute, the forest echoes—O Hari, arrange the rasa, arrange the rasa! Hearing the melody of the flute in the forest, in grove after grove, with blooming circles, golden ornaments, the heart adorned with gems—O beloved, my dear one, in what supreme rasa the maidens are immersed, they are tasting that rasa.

Within that same rasa, the capacity to attach one's own heart is not present. Even great rishis and munis do not possess such capacity. Our people have been blessed with the opportunity to sit in that most sacred rasa ground, and the faculty for tasting the rasa of rasa has become manifest. This is an extremely rare rasa. Having known that "I am Brahman," what then? That was before, it is now, and it will be in the future. There is discussion of that as well. But mere knowledge does not suffice. To taste its essence—this is a difficult matter. There may be millions who know, but to taste it—this intimate divine play, this is a very difficult thing. There are many discussions of divine incarnations and divine leelas, but to attach one's heart to the sacred leela and bliss of Sri Radha Bihari Ji immersed in the supreme rasa of love—this is a very difficult matter. To proceed with ordinary devotion or to proceed by scriptural principles—among crores, among lakhs, perhaps one. But where even great deities, rishis, devotees, and the Lord's intimate companions and servants do not have entry, there—in that supreme rasa, one has been attracted. This comes not merely through singing, and from those supreme rasa-masters who reveal rasa to us, from those rasa-loving great souls who have taken us into their refuge alone. This rasa takes hold of the heart of the sadhak. At what time, in what condition it comes—the sadhak himself does not know. There is one state in which doing ceases completely, only being remains. A flood of humility comes into one's being. Nowhere is even a trace of ego, no ego-tendency at all. The divine leelas of the Lord become self-revealed.

In that, nowhere is there even a trace of one's own strength, no strength of sadhana, no strength of austerity. As long as any kind of strength remains, one does not even receive the blessing of singing these leelas. Even if by good fortune you do sing, you will not be able to hold it—it will slip away. The meanings of the verse will slip away. When you have such an experience that "I am not even worthy of singing this rasa," when the great masters have called this a deeply hidden rasa. We do not yet understand its glory, so we take it very lightly. Just as the singing is happening, instead of attaching our heart in listening, in the singing itself, we attach it elsewhere.

But if we continue singing taking refuge in grace, then every single letter becomes mantras that will immerse one in the rasa of love. What is their meaning? What is our capacity? For the great masters it is a rare rasa—what is its meaning, what is its essence. That is not merely word-meaning. That is its inner meaning. The mystery. That mystery reveals itself only through the grace of the acharya—through the sakhi-form acharyas, through their grace it is revealed. What is written is what is being seen. When it is being seen, capacity vanishes. Neither the capacity to speak remains, nor the capacity to think anything else.

Look—even Bihari, who is so supremely powerful, the Great Lord, stands with folded hands before our Sri Ji in silence, showing only humility. The humility where the Lord of infinite crores of universes, the supreme transcendent God, with folded hands, in silence, shows humility only in the service of His command—there is where our reaching is. If we could understand our own good fortune, understand it firmly—here, no strength of ours works. Here, only the grace of the acharya, only that Beloved is the acharya, that alone is the guru. Just as the singing happened—"Hearing the melody of the flute in the forest, Hari has arranged the rasa"—now the forest groves and secret groves of Vrindavan are shining in your eyes, and Bihari, the Great Lord, when He plays upon the flute, the supreme source of rasa that rests upon His lips—Harivansh Mahaprabhu said this because He Himself is that, so He describes it knowingly—"Go, O Radha, wise one, the treasure of your well-being; O Shyam, arrange the rasa on the banks of the Yamuna, river of Kalindi, among the ever-youthful assembly of gopis, in passion and color and great wonder, the flute resonates as the source of rasa, the blissful source of rasa." Rasa is that from which rasa manifests—what the Vedas call it—Raso vai sah, the essence is rasa. Rasam hyevayam labdhvanandi bhavati—one who attains that rasa becomes eternally blissful.

One becomes the form of bliss. That rasa which the Vedas call—it is manifesting from the flute. The source of rasa, the blissful flute. When the Beloved, with the flute residing upon His lips, plays it, then all the loving people, all the beautiful maidens of Braj, their hearts are taken away, and forgetting everything, renunciation and detachment—those whose reaching does not extend even there—an even higher state is present—"The women of Braj hearing the flute cry out, the householder forgot his household and friends." Through the grace of the flute alone, through that grace, direct vision of the fascinating Lord Krishna who removes human suffering—the flute sound that dissolves everything, the flute sound that awakens the intense longing for union with Sri Krishna, the flute sound that attracts into the rasa, the rasa in which the supreme ocean of knowledge, the Lord Shankara, takes the form of a gopi for a single night and gains entry—the flute sound that draws into that rasa.

That rasa of the Bansuri through the grace of Shri Ji—we who are lowly have the opportunity to attain it. This pad that is being spoken of is leela. The leela within this is very vast. Just as a mantra is very small, yet its power is such that it makes the presiding deity of the mantra subordinate to it. Just as an elephant goad is very small, yet it makes an elephant subordinate to its master. Similarly, the words used here—in Sri Kemal Ji, in Sri Chaturaashi Ji, and in other ras vanis—these appear as words for you to see, but all of this is an ocean of rasa. When this leela awakens in the chitta vritti, then this state occurs: hands joined, remaining silent, silently tasting the rasa. Where speech becomes heavy—Hari and Priya are not two; they are one supreme truth. For the nirguna, nirakar, as one worships the Lord, so the experience becomes.

For the saguna, sakar, the Lord has taken avatars and His leela is revealed. But this nirguna saguna Brahm that stands apart—the eternal vilasa of Priya and Preetam—this is different from all else. When the grace of the acharyas is there, then it will be understood. This is the eternal Bihari. From this comes the avatar. But His vilasa moves eternally and continuously. Oh, what fortune—the chitta has been joined to such upasana! Now we must gather whatever restlessness of mind we have, whatever vrittis exist within us, and with whatever capacity we possess, apply them to these two things.

The vani of Harivansh says—when the naam is flowing, or when the vani is being sung, even if it is not reaching your understanding, still listen to the words with full attention. These words will go into the heart and produce nirvikarta. Through this nirvikarta comes the capability to taste the rasa of the love of Priya and Preetam. So it is not that simply one who is nirvikarta will attain the experience of the lilas of Priya and Preetam. That is not so. But the nirvikarta here, through the grace of the acharya, allows entry into the leela.

It is not that anyone who is jitendriya or nirvikarta will gain entry into the leela and obtain the fortune of Shri Anga Seva. If it were so, this shloka would not be sung: "Ya Narada su agamyam"—why was it called unreachable for them? These are great beings of the rank of Ishvara. Through the acharya's grace, the forgetting of God's sovereignty becomes the utmost preciousness—"my Shyama, Shyam, this grace comes forth." In the state of nirvikarta, the blossoming of leela happens very quickly. Therefore this nirvikarta will bring about the leela. As you sing the leela more and more, all the heavy dualities will dissolve of themselves.

To the one who shows honor, I do not feel honored, and to the one who shows dishonor, I do not feel dishonored. So why is the effect of honor and dishonor not touching you? The sevak is saying: it is not touching me. To the one who shows honor—if someone honors me, we feel no joy, and if someone dishonors us greatly, we feel no sorrow. That is, I am not in these dualities of honor and dishonor, joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, enemy and friend, gain and loss, victory and defeat. That is, their effect is not upon me. Why? Why is the effect of these dualities not upon you?

Shri Harivansh speaks: Harivansh gira ras majh, magan sab paye. I remain absorbed in the vani at all times. The vani of Harivansh, the vani of Sri Chaturaashi Ji—I sing and contemplate it continuously. Through its effect, I feel no awareness of honor, nor of dishonor, nor of gain, nor of loss, nor of sorrow, nor of joy. None of these touch consciousness. Whether someone honors or dishonors me. Shri Harivansh gira ras sagar—this is an ocean of rasa. Majh means in the middle—we are not in the favorable or unfavorable. Just as a river has two banks, kul means bank, and rasa is in the middle, and on the banks on either side are favorability and unfavorability, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, honor and dishonor, blame and praise. We are not in their realm; we are in the middle.

In the rasa, these bank-dualities keep arising. But they cannot have any effect. One who sings continuously the vani and contemplates it and listens to it—this very vani quickly manifests the rasa of love. This is known through the guru's grace. First, be entirely ready to follow the command. Sing according to the rules. It is great fortune that you sit to sing the vani. Through this, Shri Ji will.. You consider—here through grace, everything happens. Very quickly the lilas of Priya and Preetam begin to manifest. These are the words of Sri Sadgurudev Ji.

Those who are siddha in rasa—these are their words. Vani singing, contemplation of vani, and entry into the lilas of vani—this very vani will bring it about. It is as if you are hearing it. What great fortune! The time of brahma muhurta and the listening to rasa-siddha pads, the discourse of Priya and Preetam, the discourse of siddhanta—now this is our auspiciousness, now this is our supreme welfare. We have the infinite grace of Priya and Preetam upon us.

Suni dhun murali ban baaje, Hari rasa racho kunj kunj dhruma bel praphullit mandal, kanchan manin khach. Hari rasa racho.

Nirat jug kishor jurati jan.

What a rain of grace falls upon one's own! Nirat jugal kishor—the divine couple dance.

And those resting at their feet drink this in. They are dancing. Consider—you are content in the dance born of maya. In the dance of maya, the ways and movements of maya steal the mind, and suddenly you think you have attained samadhi, that you are established in samadhi—such a state arises. And here the very form of love itself, Priya and Preetam, the Lord of infinite universes, and those tasting the rasa are resting at their feet—the servants are drinking it in, and the Lord is dancing. Those whose toe nails become revealed—when Shiva and great beings perceive them, they begin their tandava dance. That self-evident Bihari dances, dances in vilasa.

Wonderful music is playing. The sakhis are savoring its flavor. This happiness is not even a trace compared to Brahmananda. The happiness that is savored through the grace of Shri Dham Vrindavan and through the power of the feet of the rasik people—that is nowhere else, not even in samadhi. Because great masters like Shripad Prabhuddhananda attained these samadhis. Yet they too abandoned them and became established in the rasa samadhi of Vrindavan love.

nirtat jugal kishor juvti jan man mil rag kedaro machyo shri haridas ke Swami shyama kunj bihari neeke aaj pyaro lal nacho kunj bihari ni ke aa pyaro lal nacho suni dhun Murli ban baji hari raas racho
The divine couple and the young maidens unite in the Kedar raga through Sri Haridasji's Lord. Shyam, the enjoyer of Kunj Bihari, dances with His beloved. Listen to the flute's melody in the forest; the Lord creates the divine rasa.

Shripad Bodhananda Ji Maharaj is saying: if you have attained this supremely glorious, rasa-filled divine sports ground, then tenakar samasth ev bhagwat dharmop tenabhut. There is a flood of Sri Ji's grace, and a flood of our wickedness too—both are competing.

On one side, They are drawing us toward rasa. On the other side, we are going toward worldly pleasures. They are freeing us from bondage. We are binding ourselves further. When such help is being given, we should become free. But on one side there is a flood of our wickedness, and on the other side there is a flood of Laadli Ji's grace. Both are competing. Truly speaking, we are being defeated. Our mind, our senses, our consciousness are turning away from the Lord, and He is dragging us toward Him. It is only His grace, only His grace. If His grace were not there, truly I say—not once could anyone speak "Radha." Such is the overwhelming power of maya. Not one step could be taken toward the Lord. Such is maya's attraction. If they had not shown grace toward us, we would never have received this fortune. What a great thing we have received. Look, here we have obtained sadhana. If you begin to taste and savor the thing you have received, take pride in this: what precious thing have we been given? Every single word strikes the heart—where could we have reached such a place? It is as if we did not know; we have received a precious diamond. When a jeweler told its price, then we felt fortune. But we did not know what precious thing we had received unknowingly. Such are the gurus, the acharyas, the great masters—jewelers who tell us what precious thing we have received.

If such a jeweler had not come, we would have picked up ordinary glass and thrown away the diamond. Such is our intellect. It is just like that. "Having found the jewel, we did not recognize it and threw it away."
yah maya shri Krishna ki moho sab sansaar ratan ko phenk ke kanch utha lena.
This is maya, the enchantment of Sri Krishna—the world throws away jewels and picks up glass.

This is in our nature. But when the jeweler tells us, "Listen, this is a very precious thing you are getting in exchange for glass"—very precious—he says, "See, hear: what have you received? Where are you sitting? What have you received? What will be its fruit?" He is saying tenakar samasth ev bhagwat dharmo tenabhut. A great and rare thing has been attained.

Listen carefully. The one who gets to come to Vrindavan, who gets to stay in Vrindavan for some time—their fortune is assured. But in this shloka, it is said that the great fortune belongs to those who have received residence in Vrindavan and have resolved: "I will die in Vrindavan." Here tenakar samasth ev bhagwat dharmo tenata—the one who has resolved, tya dehant madhan vasto shri Vrindavan nishchayam—my body's end will be in this Vrindavan. With such a firm resolve, one's prarabdha is transformed. Just as from birth to death everything is written in our fate, it is said you will die in such a place. It is written in your prarabdha. Not for everyone is the connection with Dham, naam, rupa, and leela written in their prarabdha. Pay attention. There are two kinds of prarabdha: one is shubh prarabdha, one is ashubh prarabdha. Shubh prarabdha brings happiness from merit; ashubh prarabdha brings sorrow from sin. And all of it is under nature's control. But the Divine form—Dham, naam, rupa, leela—these are obtained through grace. This is not obtained from prarabdha. Without Sri Radhika's grace, entry into the heart is impossible, and without continuous residence—for those to whom the grace of Vrinda Vipin has not been given, no one can dwell there.

Until Laadli Ji's grace comes, this will not arise in the heart: that I will reside. Never mind dwelling—it will not even arise in the heart. If you have received residence, tya dehant madhan vasat shri Vrindavan nishchayam—if you resolve, "Now I will end my body's life in Vrindavan," then your prarabdha is reversed. Whatever was written that you would go to such a place and die—all of that is destroyed. It is destroyed by this resolve. What is obtained? What does the one obtain who accepts residence in Vrindavan after abandoning the body?

Then they say: samasth ev bhagwat dharme tena bhata—all the glory of devotional dharma will be self-revealed in them. Only through residence in Dham? What is called devotional dharma? To dedicate everything—through mind, speech, action, senses, ego, and the habits of countless births—everything being done to the Supreme Lord Narayana. To contemplate the Lord constantly. This is called devotional dharma. Bhagavat-dedicated action and Bhagavat-contemplation become natural through the grace of residence in Vrindavan Dham. Shripad is saying: the one who has made this decision—"I will abandon my body in Vrindavan"—he then says tenabhta sarwasmat purushartho param kaschit karasta krita—all four purusharthas and the param purushartha—five of them—come into their hands.

The four purusharthas are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. The fifth supreme purushartha is love. Have faith and confidence in this through Vrindavan's grace. What is written in the scriptures and what the great souls are saying is absolutely true, word for word. This is not merely a praise of benefits written to entice you, to create attachment and affection for a text. It is not like that. When praise of benefits has its proper form—it means: what is the fruit of what we are reading? When we write such praise, it awakens our interest in that text. Through doing this we gain so much and so much.

So this praise of benefits is not meant to create interest. Rather, this describes the actual supreme truth: that if one takes the vow of Vrindavan till death, of unbroken residence, all the dharmas of the Bhagavata awaken in their heart. All four purusharthas—dharma, artha, kama, and moksha—are attained, and the supreme purushartha comes into their hands: love. Even the great deities and Brahma himself bow at the feet of one in whom all the Bhagavata dharmas have awakened. They bow to one who dwells continuously in Vrindavan, in whom all the Bhagavata dharmas have awakened.

One who has become the master of all five purusharthas—artha, dharma, kama, moksha, and love—is bowed to by all the deities and Brahma himself. Simply by taking this vow: "Today I will live in Vrindavan and surrender this body to dust on this sacred land," this becomes something most blessed. You are not valuing it properly. You have gained something very great. You keep talking about knowledge and learning. Look at what the mind is actually attracted to. Look with real honesty. The mind does not stop through talk of knowledge and learning. Without one's own happiness, without divine happiness, the mind cannot settle.

And divine happiness comes through grace. Only a rare one understands: this quality does not come from practice, but from grace. Only if you receive grace does one become like this. There are great obstacles set up for these four purusharthas—dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Here they speak of the natural dwelling in Vrindavan to those whose hearts will be pure, to those who will be somewhat Bhagavata-natured. They speak of the heart—what is it like? They say: like barren land. In barren land, no matter how much fertilizer and water you add, no shoots will grow. In that barren land shoots do not grow, do not take root. For devotion to Hari, they say, such a heart is like barren land: no matter how much you explain, teach, educate it, it does not even want to understand, meaning no shoots of devotion will sprout. Such a person is of the corrupt path, devoted to the corrupt path. One commits wicked actions with steadfastness, and they are like that. One devoted to the corrupt path performs sinful actions with steadfastness.

This is purely a matter of the Dham's grace. With steadfastness, Shripad says in many ways: one who commits wicked actions steadfastly, whose heart is like barren land—listen to the inconceivable power of Vrinda's forest: even such a heart will have divine love awakened in it. This is purely the matter of the Dham's grace—the wonder of the Dham's grace. Some wander here out of self-interest, grasping their bhajan. And in one's own land devotion increases and decreases. In Vrindavan self-interest is transformed—bhajan is transformed. You are going there for self-interest; in Vrindavan it becomes bhajan. Do not blame us; we are taking the virtue. All dharmas are difficult to attain; the seed of devotion to Vrinda is rare indeed. When will I attain it? I am full of all defects.

I do not have even a trace of virtue. Whatever degradation exists is all within me. Therefore I am the most degraded. But in my heart, from living in Vrindavan, an aspiration has awakened—one that is very rare: in the radiant form of love-rasa with my beloved and my Beloved Lord, when will I adorn my beloved Laal with my own hands? When will I serve food? When will I serve at every moment? This is a blessing. I have faith that the dust of Shri Dham will fulfill this longing of mine. "When will I attain the seed of devotion to Vrinda?" This longing that has awakened in my heart—oh, blessed fortune! Blessed is that heart in which the longing to serve my beloved and beloved Lord has awakened. This awakens through the grace of the Dham, through the grace of bhakti-loving great souls. Service-feeling does not awaken otherwise; everything else—plenty of knowledge, knowledge in cities, plenty of discussion—but the feeling of service to the beloved's adornment is very rare.

If you have already received even a little service, do not lose it. This very practice, gradually, will carry you forward. Laal Ji Maharaj says: I have been practicing for many ages. O beloved, for your service I have practiced gradually—today I have attained the opportunity for your service. Bihari Ji Maharaj says: If you believe, then you will know. If you know, then you will be delighted. This service of the beloved in Vrindavan—when you establish the Divine Couple, or establish the name Radha—this is direct service. This very practice will give you entrance into your divine service. Whatever manifest service you are doing will carry you into divine service, into blissful service. Do not blame us, even if we have however many faults—we are not abandoning this. We are telling you the truth of our hearts.

Do not think that through four days of practice all defects are destroyed and one becomes great. Do not remain in delusion. You belong to whom—their maya extends to a very high level. Wherever you become proud, there maya will show you its power. Whoever has escaped from here has escaped through great humility. For the humble, maya becomes like a mother. Even a slight ego will certainly be obstructed by maya. Obstacles will come into their life. Ego is very bitter. Through this everyone is alive. Through this very ego, in this very ego, everyone thinks themselves happy.

This pride, this ego—when you offer it at the feet of the Lord, then you will know happiness. That is why you do not experience this happiness. Yesterday someone was speaking about knowledge, saying that when everything is Brahman—this is true—but then that person was heavily criticizing and denigrating many saints. It looked like this person's ruin was certain. What delusion of knowledge is this person wandering in? Sometimes we mistake ignorance for knowledge. It is like dreaming that we were asleep and now we have woken up. But they are still seeing in the dream, and thinking "now I am doing this action." Yet they are still seeing in the dream.

They have not yet awakened. And when they do awaken, they will understand that even that was a dream. Ignorance is like this. The fault of criticizing anyone is a sign of ignorance within. When there is Brahman everywhere in true knowledge, then there is no place for criticism or praise. If I am that same Brahman everywhere, then criticism and praise have no place at all. Without the grace of the guru, merely reading Vedanta does not make one wise. These are the great Vedantic saints you are listening to. They are saying: if you fault yourself, that is your ego speaking. If even a great saint speaks in terms of "I" and my qualities, do not worry about it. If you lack even a trace of virtue, not even a trace, do not worry. If you are even the lowest of the low, the most degraded of the degraded, do not worry. A rare thing will bloom in your heart—the rare longing for the nectar of love.

Come to Vrindavan, the place of rare bhakti and prema. Serve Vrindavan, and there will manifest a radiant bhakti marked by prema. You will become complete, a complete person. You will be fulfilled. The thirst of countless lifetimes will be quenched. If God is everywhere, why does He not show Himself to me? A very blessed state arises when you take in what is being said every day—you hear it: "Vaasudev sarvamiti, God Vasudeva is in all forms, Sri Krishna is present in all." So why do I not see Him? If God is everywhere, that is a beautiful thing. If you understand this, listen carefully. The scripture that the Lord spoke—"Yathaa maa prapadyate taastham bhajaamyam, mam vartamaan vartate manushya"—the Lord is saying here: "I am directly present in the world.

Not covered by illusion. Directly as I am, everything has become God. Just as a potter makes vessels—the potter is separate, the wheel is separate, the material they are made from is separate. But it is not like that here. Here the creator is God, the created is God, and what dissolves is also God. They merge into themselves. They expand from themselves. So why am I not seeing Him? When He is directly present, this is very beautiful. But even if you understand it, joy will come. Why do I not see Him?

The Lord is saying: In what form do you want to see God? You see yourself as a body and pursue what you desire for yourself. God is present to you in that very form. Have you ever wanted to see God as God? Ask yourself this question, and the answer will come to you. This is why He is not visible. God is everywhere, so why do I not see Him? He says: Everything has become God itself. But you have taken yourself to be a woman or a man or a body, and you pursue what you desire, what gives you pleasure—objects, status, position, things. Those very things are God presenting Himself before you in those forms.

You are looking at them. I need a watch. This watch is directly Sri Krishna. It was not there before, nor will it be after. In this moment, He is what He was before and what He will be after. He is there in between as well. The definite truth is: you do not have the vision to see Him. What you have is the familiarity with objects, people, and places. So whatever objects, people, and places are with you—they are Sri Krishna in those forms. But you have never accepted it as Sri Krishna. You have called it wife, husband, child, object, matter, house, a sight to see.

This is why God remains invisible to you even though He is before your eyes. We do not want to see our own form as God has expanded it. We do not want to see God's form as our own. We want what we desire. Whatever you desire, Hari comes to you in that form. Like this: when you hear about the influence of a great saint, it seems impossible—how can this be? So understand this: everything has become God. Whatever one becomes absorbed in thinking—to the extent they are absorbed, thinking "this should happen instead"—God, at that very moment, leaves that form and takes on the form they have envisioned. Now you are seeing it happen. Just now a microphone was placed here, and now something has appeared. This seems like a miracle. It is not a miracle—it is absorption.

What power do you have? But God is taking the form you are desiring. This is a very beautiful thing. Perhaps you have understood it. Just as a child wants a toy: even though the parents want to hold them in their arms, they step back and give them the toy. In the same way, the supremely merciful God—even though He gave you human birth to give Himself to you—you want toys. To play various games, so God comes in the forms of those toys. Listen: whatever behavior you are showing toward anyone today, you are showing it directly to God, not to anyone else.

If desires within us disappear, then God will never present themselves to you in the form of worldly pleasures and objects, will not assume artificial forms. They will be revealed in their Satchidanand form. Goswami Ji expressed this very thing in a doha:

ja na chah kabahu kachu tum san sahaj sneh bashu nirant tas sur sora ur nij geh
One who never desires anything, in whom natural love dwells constantly—in their heart God resides as their own home.

One who never desires anything—God dwells constantly in their heart, not in a hidden form, but manifested openly. Wherever they look:

jad chetan jag jeev jat sakal Ram main jani
The inert and conscious, the world and all beings—all are known as Rama.

God is very merciful. Those who have faith in God experience their grace. But God shows the same mercy to those who criticize God as to those who have faith. The misfortune of the jiva is that, bereft of attraction to God, they are caught in the attraction of worldly pleasures. So God manifests in the form of those pleasures. Because when the principle is "Vasudeva is everything"—the supreme truth principle is "What desire is, Vasudeva pervades; in all beings Vasudeva dwells, to Vasudeva I bow"—the misfortune of the jiva is that they are desiring. If they abandon the desire for pleasures, then everything is already God, already God.

If this comes into experience—this truth—and the jiva becomes liberated in life, if attraction to God becomes transformed into divine love, then this very thing becomes God. It will come into experience. When attraction to God is coming from a desire for pleasures, God is coming in the form of pleasures. God is coming as a person. God is coming as objects. We are projecting the tendencies of attachment and aversion onto God. This alone is God—the moving and non-moving world. When a devotee forgets everything in immersion in God, God too forgets everything and loves them with that same love. Just as Vidura's wife forgot herself in attraction to God—God too forgot themselves in love and attraction to Vidura's wife.

Vidura's wife was eating the peel, God was receiving the peel. "As one approaches me, I reward them accordingly"—from the most atheistic to the most faithful person, just as God shows affection, grace, and tenderness to the most devout, so too does God do the same for the most atheistic. It is not that the atheist will be reduced to ash. They will remain in the earth. Wind will reach them. Space will make room for them. All this is God's arrangement—how very merciful God is. If the jiva does not have ego-identification with the body but comes into attraction to God, then even now they will attain supreme bliss. This very satsang that is happening—it creates attraction toward God.

When God revealed, "I accept you in the way you approach me, I come into your experience in that very way." "As one approaches me, I reward them accordingly." Pay attention: today you are perceiving in the mood of son, the mood of wife, the mood of the world—God is giving you this experience, this worldly mood. And if now this mood departs from within—through the influence of bhajan and satsang—the divine mood comes, then in your wife you will see smiling Shri Krishna, in your son you will see smiling Shri Krishna. Just as Namdev Ji saw God Vitthala in a dog, saw God Vitthala in a corpse—then why is it that people cannot take refuge in this compassionate God?

When God is so merciful that they show grace even to the most atheistic, why do people not perform bhajan of God? Why do they not become exclusively devoted to Shri Krishna? Why do they not continuously worship Shri Krishna? Why are they wandering? When there is such a merciful God, why does everyone not perform bhajan? Then God is giving the answer: "Those who desire accomplishment through action worship the deities; the wise say that in the human world accomplishment through action is quickly achieved."—This desire is causing wandering. Pay attention: desire, aspiration—just pay attention. In the path of the spiritual good, the illusion of God-form, the illusion of Maya-form—people are walking the path of Maya.

Its recognition—in one word—you are on the path of Maya right now. Recognition of what desire? Desire for pleasures. Body comforts of various kinds, worldly desires—then you are a traveler of the path of Maya. Aspiration, aspiration—the traveler of the spiritual path. There is desire in both. Desire for bhajan of Shri God. Desire for the sight of God. Desire to be liberated from the world. Desire for service at the beloved's lotus feet. In both there is desire. Pay attention: one desire is supremely rare—that of spiritual aspiration. And one desire has infinite jivas trapped, flowing along in it. Only after that, God is saying, "Why cannot you come to my refuge?

"I am so compassionate, and still, why cannot you come to my refuge?" "Those who desire accomplishment through action worship the deities." By having this desire, they think, "If I do this action, I will achieve this accomplishment. I will get this fruit." That is why they worship the deities, because in the human world, by actions, fruit is obtained quickly, accomplishment is obtained. That is their understanding. Therefore, they do not come to my refuge. The power of doing—by actions, people worship the deities. In humans there is the power of doing. Pay attention: this very thing is what the Lord does not allow—it is a very subtle matter. This is something about which words do not come to the heart—the power of doing comes into being.

The Guru does this. In the power of doing, we keep forming relationships. We keep performing actions. Good and bad actions keep happening. We keep getting trapped, and by the grace power of being—by the Guru—we keep surrendering. This power of doing—in this new actions are happening. And in the human's inner consciousness, a firm conviction has settled: if I do this, I will get this fruit. If I do this, I will get this fruit. They desire worldly things. Therefore, they have faith in actions.

If I do this karma, then I will get this fruit. Even when the topic of attaining Bhagwan comes up, people have the same thought—that just as fruits come from actions, in the same way Bhagwan also comes from actions. It is possible to desire perishable objects and perform karma with a perishable body. But that karma done with a perishable body cannot grant you Bhagwan's attainment. This cannot happen, because how can something that has a beginning and end bring you the Infinite? This is something to pay close attention to. The body is in one place, it is perishable, limited actions have only just begun, and time keeps getting wasted.

Bhagwan is not a product of karma—it's not like we can perform karma and attain Bhagwan. Bhagwan is unchanging, eternal, complete. So in seeking Bhagwan, when karma fails and you become His, then Bhagwan's attainment happens. How many births have already passed and still you have not surrendered. Oh, now raise your hands and say, "I have surrendered, Govind, now accept me." But this body-identified one does not surrender. That is the only problem. Bhagwan is saying that devatas perform yajnas to fulfill their own desires; they cannot come to My refuge. Understand Bhagwan's simplicity—He is like a father.

A devata is a shopkeeper. It's like going to a shopkeeper to buy something. "Please give me some sweets. How much will it cost? How much?" He asks, "Are you hungry? I'll give you a full plate of puri." "Yes, how much will that be?" You'll get about one kilogram, that will be five hundred rupees. "No, I don't have money." "Then get out." Okay. But you went to your father. "I'm hungry." Does your father ask you to take out money? No, because you are his son. This is why we sometimes say in jest: you are such children! You go to Bhagwan and say, "We'll arrange an offering of eleven thousand rupees, do our work." How can you think like this? At Bhagwan's feet, Mahalakshmi keeps caressing and pressing His lotus feet to her heart, and you want to get work done by giving Him a few rupees?

Oh, approach your own father, your own Master! If you have a need, ask directly. Just as a child asks his father and it seems right to him—he gives it. Sometimes he doesn't give. "No, I won't give it. You have dirty thoughts. I'll give you money and you'll waste it on filth. I won't give it." Bhagwan is a father; devatas are shopkeepers. From a father, one asks with authority, and at a shop, you pay money and take things. Just as you pay the shopkeeper, so to get work done from devatas, you have to perform karma completely. Then that devata will give you the fruit according to your karma.

But Bhagwan has no such need. Bhagwan only needs you to consider Him as your own. "Master, it is only this—nothing else." There should be no one else in this. Then you will receive the supreme benefit right now. This is why Goswami Ji said: "Spoiled in countless births, reformed today through Ram—my Master, my Girdhar Gopal, no one else. This is the perfection to be attained, Bhagwan's attainment. In this, your sweat will not serve any purpose. That will only serve in surrendering. Keep going. Then when you have to surrender, saying, 'Master, I have surrendered,' then He will say, 'Become Mine.'"

Right here, the divine form of supreme good manifests in the path of bhakti. Another thing: tell the shopkeeper, "Give me a knife. I'll give you money, you give me the knife." But tell your father, "Give me a knife." He'll ask, "What do you need it for? What work will you do? Tell me first what you need." If you cannot prove the need, he will not give it to you. But the shopkeeper will not ask about the need; he'll just give you the knife. You can harm yourself with it. That's your concern. That's what a devata is. Our Bhagwan is not like this. If you ask and the need is proven, that's fine. If He feels that by suffering hardship, you will move toward Me, then He won't give it—suffering, hardship, moving toward Me, and your supreme good. But a devata doesn't work like this. If you have performed a selfish ritual, your benefit happens—the devata doesn't care about that. He'll give you the object, just as the shopkeeper gives it. A father always wants the welfare of his child. Just as Bhagwan always wants the welfare of those who come to His refuge. He is very gracious. Even if you ask Him, leave it up to Him—do as you wish, Master. The fruits born of karma manifest in the human world. Whatever realms of enjoyment exist, whatever objects of enjoyment there are—the human wants, "I will perform karma and enjoy these enjoyments." The compassionate Bhagwan does not allow this. You have been given a human body to attain Me, to be free while living. And yet you ask for things that will trap you again. This is why Bhagwan doesn't quickly listen to people's desires and wishes. So what do people do?

They don't take refuge in Bhagwan; they take refuge in devatas, because devatas don't care whether you will be blessed or not. They perform the ritual and the devata gives you the fruit. The mind becomes attached to karma-born fruits. Everyone has gotten it into their head: "If I do this, I will get this fruit, and I will enjoy that fruit and become happy." It doesn't work like that. No matter how much wealth you get, no matter what position you attain, you cannot be happy. You will be happy only when you attach your mind to Sachidananda. There is no other way to find happiness.

This has been discussed many times. The mind will find rest only when it joins with Sachidananda Prabhu. In nature, the mind can never find rest. So these people who are attached to the perishable fruits obtained through karma and the perishable fruits obtained through worshiping devatas—they remain attached to these things. They do not move toward Bhagwan. Bhagwan has said: if you must perform karma, then perform the karma that falls within your dharma. Offer it to Me, and even from this, your welfare will happen. Chhaturvarnya maya sthitam guna karma vibhagashah / Tasya kartaram api mam, viddhi akartaram avyayam / Nirmamo nirahankarah, nirmamah karma phalesu / Yo janaati tattvat eva, ya karmabandhane na lipyate / Bhagwan is saying: I have established the system of the four varnas.

Based on the karma of past births, I give birth to these four varnas. This is an arrangement made by me. It will not work in Kaliyug. Kalikal will break it down. It will weaken it. The influence of the age's dharma is such. The four varnas were created by me. According to the austerities, bhajan, sadhana, and karma of past births, one's birth in the varna system takes place accordingly. I am the creator of creation because from me comes Brahma, and from Brahma comes Manas and the Sattra form, and all the expansion of creation—I am the creator; I have made these four varnas. Although I, the imperishable Paramatma, am the source from which all these emerge, still I remain actionless. This is because I have no attachment to the fruits of karma. No karma can ever bind me.

In this way, whoever knows me through truth is never bound by actions. The emergence of the jiva in a varna happens according to the karma of past births. From the three gunas—sattva guna, rajo guna, and tamo guna—the entire creation has been made. So according to the inclination of these gunas, actions are formed. Whoever had very sattvic inclination and worshipped Bhagavan in the past is born in the first varna. Whoever has inclinations mixed with rajo guna and sattva guna is born in the second varna. Whoever has more rajo guna mixed with tamo guna is born in the third varna. And whoever has tamasic inclination is born in the fourth varna—all created by me.

According to karma and the sadhana of past births' austerities, if someone conducts themselves according to their own dharma, in the past the great ones did not abandon their own dharmas. They achieved perfection according to their own dharma. Now the influence of Kaliyug is growing in such a way that all the arrangements of dharma are breaking down. This is eternal. This is an eternal system. This is an ancient method. Do not take this dharma arrangement in any wrong way. Do not take it in a malicious sense. It is very sacred. Shri Bhagavan is saying that this division I have made according to karma.

When a younger brother bows at the feet of his elder brother, there is affection. He is maintaining a tradition. It is not that the elder brother has become so great that the younger one is humbling himself. No, it is an arrangement of dharma that the elder brother is touched at the feet regarding him as Bhagavan's form. When Bhagavan Himself performs leela in obedience to his command, when He takes avatars, see how when Lakshman Ji became the younger brother, what discipline was there—when Balaram Ji became the elder brother, Bhagavan touches his feet and speaks to him: "Father, Daau, Father." In this there is no fault of Arjun.

It seems to us that this is only with Subhadra Ji's permission. And when in the form of Lakshman, Bhagavan Himself performs the leela and shows it through the raising of His eyebrows. But the filth of Kaliyug is increasing to such an extent. The decline of dharma is happening. No one understands the arrangement of dharma anymore. Without the arrangement of dharma, good deeds are impossible. Very impossible. That is why everyone is drifting along. There is no concern. Only one thing remains: satisfy your senses. Get your belly full, wear fine clothes and fabric, indulge in whatever pleasures you want—that's all that remains. That is why desire for the highest state, liberation, and Bhagavan-bhav have become very rare. Shri Bhagavan is saying that if someone knows this secret of mine—that just as I perform actions but have no desire for the fruit, no karma can bind me—in the same way, no karma will be able to bind you either, if you perform your duties according to your dharma and dedicate them in Bhagavan-bhav. And as it is written: "Mukteshyahari krit karma purva muktasya bhunakti karmatas tasmat purvataram kritam—"

In past times the seekers for liberation acted in this very manner after understanding this. Therefore Arjun, you too perform only those actions that have always been performed by your ancestors, in the same way they did them. Mumukshata means my welfare, I should be liberated. This arises after thousands of births of pure sadhana. That is why it does not arise quickly in anyone's heart. Intense yearning that I should be liberated. It is very difficult. As long as you are content with any worldly pleasure, mumukshata will not awaken. There is dissatisfaction everywhere now. Now I must be liberated. Like a child who is not interested in playing any game anymore.

Only crying and crying. Then the mother will pick it up in her lap. Mumukshata—now I want to be liberated. Who wants to be liberated? Rare is the one. This mumukshata itself is most rare. Liberation and the attainment of Bhagavan. Mumukshata—I want to attain Bhagavan. I am fed up with the world, not fed up. The body has become old. Still not fed up. Death is drawing near, still not fed up. Till the last breath, if one becomes fed up, then Bhagavan's attainment will happen. At the last breath, if you speak "Radha," then Bhagavan's attainment will happen. On the way I saw a verse written—some learned one showed me. It was written like this: Bhagavan Shiv, Parvati, whoever worships by saying "Radha Radha," whoever does dandavat by saying "Radha Radha"—I was just shown the verse. He said it is a small worship item, "Radha Radha Radha," it has become so great.

Hari became pleased by it. How beautiful we have found the name Radha. Bhagavan says to Arjun: mumukshata, I want to be liberated, so how will I be liberated? Then He says: follow the path in which your great predecessors went. Purva-jan means great souls who have gone before. "Mahajano yen gata sa pantah"—the path in which the great souls have gone. Today everyone is creating their own new path. It did not happen like this before. Follow in the footsteps of the path that the gurus are taking. Today there is arbitrariness in great quantity. A great soul is rare, an acharya who carries forward the glory of the tradition.

If you follow your own mind according to your own inclination, there is never true spiritual welfare. The mind must be shaped according to spiritual welfare. To become accomplished, one must follow the path of the accomplished ones. Only then does one become siddh. Here, following one's own mind is happening excessively. Following the guru and scripture is very little.

If you perform your duties the way our ancestors and great souls have done, then you will become free. Your welfare will be achieved. Otherwise, it is only bondage. You are doing things to become free, but if you follow your own mind, then it is only bondage.

Just as the Lord gave an example before—He spoke of Janaka and others, of Manu and his desires—the Lord is speaking to the mumukshu, to one who wishes to be free from the world.

Pay great attention to this. One should follow the great souls who come through the acharya tradition. This tradition exists so that we make no mistakes. Let us not link ourselves to our own arbitrary wishes, but rather link ourselves to the acharya tradition. If you wish to follow bhakti in the mood of oneness, the primary guru is Bhagavan Shankaracharya Ji. If you wish to follow in the mood of friendship, there is the great Bhagavan Vallabhacharya Ji. The different moods that great souls such as Nibarakacharya Ji, Ramanujacharya Ji, Ramananda Ji, Ramanuja Acharya Ji, Shri Hit Acharya Ji, Shri Swami Haridasji, and Mahaprabhu Chaitanya have embodied—these great forms of Bhagavan have established the path. We must follow in the footsteps of these great souls, not arbitrarily. The Lord says that seekers should understand that in whatever path we are walking, we are becoming accomplished through the acharya tradition.

Let us link our mind to the worship that comes through the acharya tradition. Whatever bhava may be within us—shanta bhava, dasyam bhava, sakha bhava, vatsalya bhava—whichever bhava flows through us will lead us forward. Shanta bhava means the mood of liberation, becoming free. One who does not fulfill their duties and responsibilities, one who does not follow the great souls, cannot become accomplished, cannot become free. Such a one continues to act, but it is like someone who has been fasting for many days and a fault keeps growing—ego, the sense of "I." Such subtle matters will not burn the worldly one, will not affect them. For many days they take only water, yet according "tasmat shastram pramanam"—scripture is the authority—this has no significance. They boast, they criticize others. What knowledge is this? It is merely the devatva bhava, the mood of divinity. When one acts from the devatva bhava, one who abandons this duality and acts while remaining fixed in yoga—such a one is a karma yogi and attains Bhagavan.

What does it mean to act while remaining fixed in yoga? What is yoga? When your tongue is uttering "Radha Radha Radha," when you are performing actions, offer those actions to Bhagavan—that is karma yoga. You are acting while remaining fixed in yoga. Let go of the desire for the fruit and place it with Bhagavan. Perform your duties, chant Radhe Radhe, and you will become free. Believe this. Both doing and not doing actions are binding. Both are binding. If I think "I will not do this," in that very thought "I" am sustaining myself. If I think "I am doing," in that too "I" am sustaining myself. This is very subtle spirituality. Both are tendencies. It is not that "I do not perform action" and "I perform action"—both are tendencies. Nivritti is when duty and required actions are being performed, yet there is no desire for the fruit. Life is dedicated to Bhagavan, naam jap is flowing. This is nivritti.

There is no condition of complete nivritti such that "at this level, with these actions." Accept this right now, in this very moment. Whatever action you do, dedicate it to Bhagavan. As you perform actions, let the divine name, Radha Radha, flow within you. Keep remembering Bhagavan, the Lord.

Body, senses, mind—these are instruments of action and are separate from you. These are not me. They are not separate from the world; they are separate from us. The natural actions that occur through them are what bind us. If you do not dedicate them to Bhagavan or do not see their place in prakriti—this is very subtle. To see their place in prakriti and to dedicate them to Bhagavan are simple. Do dedicate them. If your actions are done for your own sake, out of your own sense, then it is not yoga—it is merely action. But if actions are done for Bhagavan's sake, or if all are seen as Bhagavan's form and actions are done for everyone's wellbeing, that is called yoga—that which is united with remembrance of Bhagavan.

See, it is through karma yoga that liberation comes. From karma comes bondage. What is karma? When actions occur through these aspects of prakriti—body, mind, senses—and they are done for one's own sake, saying "I am doing this"—that is bondage. But when it is for the Lord, when it is done for the Lord, then bondage is released. All actions are done only for the Lord. We have no connection to the actions themselves. Our connection is with the Lord. The actions are dedicated to the Lord. Yoga is eternally established as yoga. The Lord says: "What is action? What is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this matter. Therefore, I shall teach you the truth of action, knowing which you will be freed from the inauspicious, from that which brings you sorrow."

What is action? What is inaction? What is called action? What is called inaction? Common people consider the activities of body and senses to be action. If the activities of body and senses are stopped, they consider that inaction. But it is not so. Even if activities of body and senses are not happening, action is still occurring. Whatever happens through body, speech, and mind—all that is action.

It is said in the scriptures that no one, not even for a single second, can remain without performing action. If our tendency toward action appears sattvic, meaning "I am performing this action," then sattvic action—if the tendency is rajasic—becomes rajasic action, and if the tendency is tamasic—becomes tamasic action. These rajasic and tamasic qualities bind us, whereas sattvic tendency liberates us. Just as in a pure sattvic tendency, anger will never arise. For example, once some soldiers came, and in circumstances relating to food and provisions, they would remain in those circumstances, remembering Bhagavan while serving the nation. In our inner goal, we have onion and garlic. If there comes a situation where you are receiving food with onion and garlic, and you desire to eat sattvic food, then within you a complete rajasic and tamasic tendency has formed. You have not transcended the three gunas. The purpose of arranging sattvic food runs very deep. Food earned through dharma, prepared in sattvic vessels, in a sattvic kitchen, with a sattvic tendency while contemplating Bhagavan, and then offered to Bhagavan—only then is it sattvic food. The meaning is that if naam is flowing in your circumstances, and your bhava is toward serving the nation, these small matters will not corrupt your bhava. Secondly, as was mentioned, when mung dal is prepared with a great sattvic tendency, and roti is made that way, then anger will not arise within you.

Yet it is said that many sattvic people have been seen, and when anger comes to them, in that moment it becomes rajasic. They become rajasic. The meaning of rajas is desire. Desire means wanting. Wanting means "I wish this should happen." If it doesn't happen, anger will come. I want this to happen. When an obstacle comes, anger will arise. So in this, raga—and raga is rajas—rajas has come. Through contemplation alone, rajas has come. Like someone worshipping a deity. The word worship is very sattvic. But if the doer performs worldly desires for the fulfillment of desire, then by merely desiring, that becomes rajasic tendency. Now it will not take long for that rajasic tendency to become tamasic if bad company is found. They say to please the deity, some object—tamasic tendency is growing within them. Now they do not understand that She is the Mother. The Mother is never pleased by the sacrifice of anyone's child. If the doer has no desire for results, no attachment, no selfishness, then when they perform action, they will not be bound, and their Ishta Devata will be pleased very quickly.

Through sattvic conduct alone, through external action, the light of internal knowledge is not produced. In these matters, great scholars who know the scriptures become bewildered. The very action that is considered action can also be non-action, and can also be harmful action. The nature of karma changes according to the bhava of the doer. Just as explained above by Bhagavan, if you are worshipping a deity and the Mother gives you the bhava of sacrifice, then make sattvic offerings—lime fruit, coconut—make an offering, perform an aarti, worship with love, and call to the Mother tenderly, then you will become a vessel of Her grace and mercy. Rajasic—great luxuries and material goods. Tamasic—now these have come. As they said, that same action becomes action, becomes non-action, becomes harmful action, and people don't realize it. Great scholars become bewildered.

This is why Bhagavan is saying: what is true action? Why does it bind us? How does it bind us? How can we be free from it? I will examine this myself. If a person performs action while holding onto attachment, selfishness, and desire for results, they will be bound. Attachment, selfishness, and desire for results will bind them. Any action will bind them. But if they renounce attachment, selfishness, and desire for results through the vivek obtained from satsang, then while performing action, they will not be bound by action. Just as Bhagavan is saying: I desire nothing. I have nothing to obtain. Yet still, do I act according to dharma? When Bhagavan takes an incarnation, I perform actions. Bhagavan does not consider those actions as actions because there is no doer-ego, no desire for results, no attachment. If there is no ego-sense, no desire for results, no attachment, then while performing actions, actions are not happening. There is no binding. Like the example once told: the gopis went to have darshan of Rishi Durvasa, bringing heaps of pua and puri and pakora and kheer and fed him. After this, when they returned, they said, "Lord, when we were going, there was a flood in the Yamuna, and the Lord said I am celibate, so give way." The gopis asked how they would return. They were told, "Say that Durvasa has kept nothing on his tongue but the juice of durva grass, so let the way be made." They said, "But we just fed him kheer and pua and everything! How is it that he has kept nothing on his tongue but the juice of durva grass?" They realized this and said to the Yamuna, "The way was given." The Lord said this was it—the bhava of desirelessness, of non-attachment, of being the enjoyer without ego. They obtained the grace of the Lord. And by oath they said, "If Durvasa has kept nothing on his tongue but the juice of durva grass, then let the way be given." This is the bhava of the doer—the lila is in the Lord. In the Lord there is no desire for results. So though they obtained, they did not obtain. If the doer is unattached, then karma cannot bind them.

Every action can liberate or bind. If the doer is attached, then even refraining from action binds, because contemplation is happening within. The Lord speaks of two types of action: karma and akarmam. When action is performed with a sense of doership, attachment, and desire for results—that is karma. When action is performed having renounced the sense of doership, attachment, and desire for results—that is akarmam. Akarmam means no fruit is bound to it, no bondage will occur. From karma the soul becomes bound; from akarmam the soul becomes free. Renunciation of actions is not akarmam. The Lord has called the renunciation of actions done with delusion as tamasic. The renunciation of actions done out of fear of physical suffering, He has called rajasic. In tamasic and rajasic renunciation, even though actions are outwardly renounced, the connection to actions and the sense of doership remain.

The renunciation of the desire for results and attachment in actions is sattvic renunciation. Through this alone does one attain Bhagavan. Through this alone does one attain the state of liberation. Now we tell you in summary: whatever action you perform, let it be sanctioned by scripture, let it be dharmic. Through satsang, learn what is your dharma? What is your duty? And offer it to Bhagavan. Remember the naam. If your capacity is incomplete—to fully understand what is karma, what is akarmam, what is vikarmam—all of this will become clear. The naam is flowing.

You are performing actions according to dharma. The light of knowledge will dawn. You will become free. But if the naam is not flowing and there are only actions upon actions, as people say, "We perform actions, we do not do bhajan," then there is bondage of action, whether it is sattvic action, rajasic action, or tamasic action. You will remain in the kingdom of nature, because all three gunas belong to nature. If you gain even a little entry into the kingdom of the Supreme, you will become somewhat freed from birth and death. Therefore, great scholars themselves become deluded by this—not to speak of ordinary people. Even the knowers of scripture err in this matter.

Their intellect becomes confused in knowing the essence of karma and akarmam. If all actions become akarmam, then you become free. How does this happen? In two ways. One is through knowledge—understanding that this body, senses, mind, intellect, and so forth are not me. These belong to nature. Through nature, nature's actions alone are happening. The gunas act according to their nature. I am not the doer. I do not experience the fruits. This is a very lofty understanding. It will not come easily to everyone. But one thing is becoming clear to all: All of this belongs to Shri Bhagavan. We perform actions to follow the command of Shri Bhagavan, and we offer it all to Shri Bhagavan. Radhe Radhe—this is becoming clear. Offer it directly to Bhagavan. This is the state: "All actions unto Me." You will reach that state. No action of yours will bind you, because it has been offered to Bhagavan. Further, there is description of this. The Lord says: I shall now teach you about actions that bind the soul. The soul is bound by actions, so it must become free through actions.

There are two means of liberation: either through knowledge, or through bhakti—offering the sense of doership to Bhagavan. The Lord makes a promise and says: if you do this, you will become free from bondage. The Lord is teaching the art of performing actions. The Lord has created two paths: the path of engagement and the path of renunciation. Both paths involve performing actions. Both must perform actions. One becomes bound through action, and one becomes free through action. One who performs actions for oneself, acts with ego, acts from desire for enjoyment—that one becomes bound.

One who acts for Bhagavan, or for the happiness of others, acts in accordance with dharma, and offers that sense of doership to Bhagavan—that one becomes free. This is skill in action—this is the dexterity of karma yoga. The dexterity by which, even while performing actions, one does not become bound. The Lord inspires us to know the essence of action. What is the form of the truth of action—this discussion continues further. Glory to Shri Radha Vallabh Lal.

This text is taken from the automatic captions of a video—there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic discourse.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)