Invaluable teachings for seekers walking the path to attaining the Divine

Private conversation with Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj in Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj, Vrindavan. Seekers bring their questions about their life and sadhana, and Maharaj Ji resolves them.

Full Discourse

Pujyapad Shri Udiya Baba Ji Maharaj strengthens both the conduct and the spiritual practice of great souls' words. Therefore, they should be heard attentively and put into practice. Udiya Baba Ji Maharaj describes three paths to attaining the Divine: karmakanda, upasana-kanda and gyan-kanda. These are the three paths. The path of action, the path of karma yoga, the path of worship (upasana yoga), which is called bhakti yoga, and the path of knowledge (gyan yoga). Of these, in karmakanda the emphasis on rules remains throughout one's life. In upasana-kanda, the worship of love remains throughout one's life.

And in gyan-kanda, the emphasis is on reflection. "I am Brahman. All this is false. The truth is my own form, that I am. I am." Reflection at all times: rules in karmakanda, love in upasana-kanda, and discernment and reflection in gyan-kanda. One who misses reflection at any time falls down, and there is no one to lift him up and no one to save him. That is why the path of knowledge is like walking on the edge of a sword; there is no way to cross it safely.

The worshipper, the one on the path of bhakti, should not keep company with either of these two paths: neither with the karmakanda path nor with the gyan-kanda path. If one goes into the karmakanda path, one's loving bhakti will necessarily be obstructed by rules. Rules, rules, rules, rules, will obstruct it. And if one gets caught in the company of a gyani, it will swallow bhakti the way a python swallows its prey. Whose bhakti? Which bhakti? Where? When there is nothing but "I", whose bhakti is it?

The worshipper on the path of bhakti should protect himself from the karmakanda and gyan-kanda paths and strengthen his bhaav. When bhaav matures, it is like the seed of a banyan tree, which is as small as a grain of ajwain. When it sprouts, it puts out two leaves, then slowly, gradually, it becomes a vast tree, and then even an elephant cannot harm it. But if it is small, a goat may graze it up in one bite. Therefore, to strengthen his worship, the worshipper should keep himself safe from people of other faiths and other paths, and find the bhakti path, the chosen deity and a congenial mind. Where the rasa of bhajan is found, there one is without doubt; make love with such a one.

Bhakti increases faith. It is bhakti that gives love. Gyan makes reflection grow, and by practising it according to the rules of one's own self-form and karmakanda, one attains the state of desirelessness and reaches liberation.

Shri Ram and Shri Shyam have not the slightest difference between them. In the Ramavatar, the Lord Shri Hari established the main code of conduct: love is secondary and maryada is primary. But in the Shyama Avatar, in the Krishna Avatar, maryada is secondary and love is primary. This is the avatar of love of the Lord, Shri Krishna, whose leela and vilas in Braj exist only in love.

Here you will not find the shastric code of conduct, nor rules. If you look for these, you will not be able to recognise love at all. This is Braj. This is Vrindavan. This is a matter beyond Agam, Nigam and the Puranas. Where even Agam, Nigam and the Puranas cannot reach, here in Vrindavan a wondrous play of rasa is taking place. The rasa that the Vedas, saying "neti, neti", could not taste, that the lotus-born Brahma and Lord Umapati Shiva could not fully taste, from which even flowers of the forest are absent.. Therefore, the leela of Vrindavan is a mysterious leela; it is beyond the Vedas and beyond the Puranas, and it is possible even for great yogis and munis, for Narad, Shiva and Svayambhu. So do not try to see even the slightest trace of maryada in it.

Look at love. Love has its own maryada, and it does not let anyone else's maryada remain. Amaryad mel, surat, pas jaladh tarang, kim do tanu.. Here our Priya and Priyatam, intoxicated with joy, full of bliss and love, are playing in rasa. What Agam and Nigam merely point to, that place in Vrindavan appears as a wondrous new, ever-fresh nikunj, where the supreme rasa-tattva is being tasted in its full play. So if you wish to see the maryada-leela of Lord Shri Krishna Chandra, then Mathura is the place, and Dwarka is better than Mathura. But when you look at love, Mathura is better than Dwarka, Braj is better than Mathura, and Vrindavan is better than Braj. Only love, only love, in Shri Krishna's leela. This is understood only when mal, vikshep and avaran are destroyed.

There are three powers of ignorance: mal, vikshep and avaran. The removal of mal comes through performing auspicious actions. As much auspicious action as you do, as much scripture-based action as you do, your maya-mal will go on being destroyed. Egoism and possessiveness will go on wasting away. The attachment to wicked desires, the attachment to enjoyment, the attachment to the body, the possessiveness towards the body and its relatives: this is called mal, and it is burnt to ash. It must be done through the performance of auspicious actions. Without the performance of auspicious actions, mal is not destroyed.

Service at the Guru's feet, service to the Thakur, service to the samaj: through the body, many sins have been committed. When we engage the body in service, the body becomes sinless. So gradually the inner mal begins to be destroyed. Whatever we do has an effect within us. So the removal of mal comes through performing auspicious actions. What are auspicious actions? That which the scripture prescribes, "do this," is called an auspicious action. And that which the scripture says, "do not do this," is called an inauspicious action. And vikshep is this: being far from the devotion of the Lord.

Discipline, Obstacles, and the Three Kinds of Creation

The more you practise bhakti, the more you will become free from vikshep (distraction). Again and again, the pull of worldly enjoyments — the mind running restlessly toward pleasures — this is vikshep. This keeps one away from bhakti. And avaran (veiling), which is removed by pure knowledge of Brahman, is ego. It is removed by pure knowledge, the knowledge of the Self. Through self-knowledge the veil is removed; through bhakti the distraction is removed; and through the performance of auspicious action the impurity is removed. When these impurities, distraction and veiling are destroyed, pure love awakens in the heart, or pure understanding awakens in the heart.

The distraction that arises from prarabdh (the fruits of past action) troubles even accomplished siddhas throughout their lives. The new distractions will be destroyed, but the distraction arising from prarabdh keeps coming. One has to bear it carefully, all one's life. Among the great siddhas, one has cancer, another has some other ailment arising from prarabdh, and it keeps coming.

There are three kinds of creation. One is laukik (worldly) creation. One is alaukik (other-worldly) creation. And one is lokateet (beyond the worlds). That which is beyond both the worldly and the other-worldly — that which is the object of the senses, mind and intellect — is the worldly creation. "Wherever the mind goes, know that all of it is maya, brother" — this is the worldly creation. And that which is inaccessible to ordinary intellect and senses, such as Svarga-lok, Maha-lok, Jana-lok, Tapa-lok and Satya-lok, is the other-worldly creation. And beyond both these worlds and the worlds beyond, there is one lokateet creation.

Such as Saket Dham, Goloka Dham, Braj Dham and Kailash Dham — these are other-worldly. They are of the form of the Divine. Now in these, the other-worldly leela of the Lord also shines forth. For example, on the sixth day, slaying the mighty Putana. On the sixth day, as though the nights of many years were joined together at once, the Lord performed the leela through the whole night. All of this is other-worldly, all divine, and cannot be seen by the mind, intellect or senses. This other-worldly vision is what one attains. When the lokateet vision is attained, then one sees this — the spectacles of eternal vihar, the one who is enchanted by the Bihari, the worshipper of the Beloved, has to see what he is wanting: worldly, other-worldly, or lokateet. All of us are worshippers of the lokateet creation. That is, Priya and Priyatam and the sakhis are sporting in the nine-fold nitya nikunj. If we have access there, then we should not pay attention here. The talk of the creation, of the creation's affairs, is far away. Only Priya-Priyatam, the nitya nikunj, Vrindavan, all the sakhis, and the wondrous sport of Priya-Priyatam — the worship of these five is performed in all religions.

Worship through fire, worship through air, worship through space, worship of the formless form, worship according to Vedanta — worship through fire is called fire worship. On one hand there is that which is offered openly as swaha — yajna and the panchahuti and so on; and on the other hand there is the form of fire, its radiant form. In that radiant form, all the avatars are included. So in fire worship there are all the avatars of the Lord. And the second worship is of air — worship of the Wind-deity. Worship through the prana is called air worship. Restraining the air of the prana through pranayama, and in that moment remaining established in meditation on the Supreme Self.

Among these, the first worship is the best — of the Lord's form and so on. The prana resides in the air. When we purify the pranas and cleanse the prana air, the sushumna path opens, the path along which one moves, and through this the mental state of being absorbed in the form of the Lord continues naturally. And the third worship is of space. The word "space" — the sound of the name being spoken: Ram, Krishna, Hari, Radha — meditation on this very name, contemplation of it, and through hearing the naad (inner sound), the attainment of the Lord comes very quickly. Hearing the naad — "Radha, Radha, Radha" — this alone one hears, this alone one sees, this alone one contemplates. Contemplation of this alone brings about attainment of the Lord, very quickly. The fourth worship is of the formless. The fifth is in Vedanta: "I am Brahman."

Among these, the best worship is hearing the naad — the japa of the name. The second worship is the worship of the Lord's avatars such as Ram and Krishna. Then the third worship is purifying the air of the prana and, by restraining the mind-stuff, establishing oneself in the Supreme Self. The fourth worship is worship of the formless. The fifth worship is contemplating "Aham Brahmasmi" — I am Brahman.

In giving money in the world, you must certainly look for a worthy recipient. Otherwise your condition will become bad. It is not that by giving in charity your well-being will be assured. If your money goes to someone and he uses it in wicked conduct, then you too, becoming a sharer in the fruits of that, will meet with a bad condition.

If your given money is used in good deeds, then you too will be counted as a doer of those good deeds, and your well-being will be assured. But for giving food, or clothing, or medicine, worthiness is not looked at. Simply, if someone is hungry, get him food. If someone is trembling from the cold, offer him cloth. If someone is ill, and if God has arranged for you, then arrange for medicine. Bring the medicine and give it. In giving wealth, there is great need for careful consideration. If wealth is given to one who is not qualified, it will become harmful.

It will become inauspicious. The unqualified one also brings his own downfall, and he also brings down the giver of the wealth. If some Mahatma who has attained the Lord accepts something from you even once — food, clothing, medicine, anything at all — then understand for certain that your welfare has been accomplished. Whatever a householder has earned — money, goods, any material thing — if a Mahatma who has attained the Lord accepts it even once, then the supreme welfare of that householder is certain. Therefore a householder should see to it that he does not insult any living being that comes to his door. Who knows what level of great soul he may be.

He is behaving like a madman and looks like one. But he is a mahatma who has attained God. He used to stay right here on Raman Reti, naked and unclothed. Someone would leave khichdi, someone would leave rabri, and you too are receiving his blessings along with him. Blessed is his life, and how he used to savour Vrindavan. His name was Bhagwan Das. He was of a very strange kind, and no one could understand that he was a saint. He had come from Kashi. Darshan of such siddhas kept happening, but he neither spoke about spiritual matters nor gave discourses, and did nothing devotional at all. Someone would bring prasad and he would take it. He lay here, and the dogs gathered around him. There was a blanket, which someone draped over him today, and someone took it away in the morning. At night he lay like that on the open road. This was his nature, so how could one grasp him? From his outward condition he appeared to be an avadhut mahapurush, but whether he was absorbed in God within, or was simply mad, was very hard to tell. If you spoke with him you could understand, or if you looked once and met his gaze you could understand. He was an extraordinary mahapurush, yet a question kept rising within our minds: is he a mahapurush or not? Let God prove it to me.

Radha Raman's blessing came by good fortune. Pundarik Ji's grandfather, whose father was named Vibhuti Krishna, and whose grandfather was Pujya Shri Atul Krishna, was in sannyas. When we were in the sannyas order and dressed in that manner, we bowed at his feet, and he gestured. Vibhuti Krishna Ji, Pundarik Ji's father, was in his service. He gave us a basket and a garment blessed as Thakur Ji's prasad. At that time we were in sannyas dress. On our morning parikrama we put a small bowl (kuliya) in our kamandal and made a resolve: if he is a siddha purush, let him open the lid of our kamandal and take Radha Raman Ji's prasad. We came to Raman Reti with that resolve, joined to Radha Raman Ji. At that time we were not yet Radhavallabhis. Whoever came to the crossroads, came and went. He put his arm around our neck. We were completely alert, because we had seen that such people do strange things, and we did not know what leela he might begin. He had a strong, robust body, so we were fully on guard, thinking we could restrain him within two minutes, meaning hold him down, and he could not harm us. Just as his arm came near, we placed our hand close to the kamandal, holding it so that if he tried to strike, we could protect ourselves. He spoke in Oriya, and I could not understand what he said. Then he took our kamandal very gently, opened the lid, took out the bowl, licked it, and closed the lid. From that day on we bowed to him in our hearts, so that you would not be disturbed. No one could know that he was a siddha mahapurush. He behaved like a madman, so we should do this: if a madman comes to the door of a householder, and seems to be mad, we should bring him two rotis and some vegetables. No one should leave our door disappointed. This is atithi satkar.

Serving guests is a means to attain God. In a householder's home, no guest should be allowed to return empty-handed. Soft words, folded hands, water and a seat, anyone can offer these. "Radheshyam, please be seated, have some water." Whether you drink it or not is up to you. We have done three welcomes: we folded our hands, spoke sweet words, and asked about water. Now you are free of offence, because you have given him three forms of hospitality. The fourth is up to you: if you wish to give, give; if you do not wish to, do not give. Food, water, a seat and sweet words can be given to everyone. If anyone returns humiliated from a householder's door, he carries away that household's merit and leaves behind all his sins. We have read this in the Mahabharata too. A king went to a faqir and said, "I want to feed one lakh sannyasis." The mahatma gave him a bell and said, "When one lakh mahatmas have eaten, this bell will ring by itself. There is no need to count." Every day Radha's bhandara fed them. Several lakh sadhus ate, but the bell did not ring. The king asked, "Maharaj, you said the bell would ring when one lakh sadhus had eaten. Several lakh have eaten here, and the bell has not rung." So the bell will ring when the sadhus he has in mind have eaten. We are not talking about those who only wear the robe; we are talking about one lakh sadhus who have eaten. One day someone came running and said, "Maharaj, a mahatma of a new state is coming. He is naked, and his appearance is attractive." The faqir went near and looked. "Look," he said, "this is Sukhdev Ji Maharaj." He said, "He received the merit of feeding all the sants." That paramhans Sukhdev Ji took one morsel, and the bell rang ten times. That is, the benefit of feeding two lakh mahatmas came in one moment. By now they recognised him as Shri Sukhdev Ji. Otherwise, how would one understand a naked, madman-like state? When the Bhagwat describes this, people were throwing bricks at Sukhdev Ji, because he was in such a state. Therefore brahmanishtha mahatmas wander with an equal outlook. In whatever form Narayan may come to someone's door, one should never insult anyone. Pluck tulsi leaves and offer them for seven days. Only fresh ones are considered acceptable.

Bilva leaves are considered fresh for five days. Lotus flowers are considered fresh for three days, and other flowers for one day. This is very beneficial for those who do seva. Tulsi is considered new for seven days. Bilva leaves are considered new for five days. Lotus flowers are considered new for three days. Other flowers should be offered the same day they are picked. If you offer them by evening, they will be stale the next day. The four yugas and the three gunas keep showing their influence at all times. When good thoughts arise in the antahkaran, when there is interest in naam jap and dhyan, then understand that the influence of Satyug is present in our heart.

When a person's inclination is to act according to varnashram dharma, but their attention turns strongly to artha (wealth) and kama (pleasure), when there is no attentiveness, no interest in japa, and no reflection on the Lord, then know that the influence of Treta Yug is coming. When the tendencies of artha, dharma and varnashram give way to a special interest in kama and the like, and when the heart is filled with dissatisfaction, a desire to receive respect from others, a desire to show off, and envy, then understand that the influence of Dvapar is falling on our heart. When the heart has deceit, falsehood, drowsiness, sleep, violence, despondency, grief, delusion, fear and a sense of helplessness, then understand that the influence of Kali Yug is falling on our heart.

These keep affecting the antahkaran (inner mind) one after another. In the same way there are three gunas: sattva guna corresponds to Satyug, rajas guna to Treta and Dvapar, and tamas guna to Kali Yug. Where tamas is, Kali Yug itself is seated. Where rajas is, let us say that is Treta and Dvapar, and pure sattva is Satyug. Ganga water, Gurudev Bhagavan, Gita Ji, Ramayan Ji and the wondrous flute of Bhagavan: we should never have a doubting attitude toward these.

Ganga water is supremely pure. Oh, but now that is not Ganga water? No, that is not how it is. Gurudev is verily the Supreme Brahman. I speak a true thing: our intellect is not working. For us, our Gurudev, the Supreme Brahman, the Paramatma, has taken incarnation in the form of a Guru, for us, for everyone. We do not say it is an incarnation of Bhagavan. For us, do not raise questions.

guru pad kanj kripa sindhu nar rup hari mahamoham punj ja suvchan ravivkar nikar
The lotus feet of the Guru are an ocean of grace; he is Hari in human form; his sacred words are the rays of the sun that dispel the dense mass of great delusion.

That would be for us if we could see that my Gurudev is verily my beloved Ladli. Then what sadhana am I to do now, and whose realization am I to attain? That is certain, but we do not have such firm faith. We feel that Gurudev is a sadhak, or a very good sant, but the feeling does not come that the Guru is verily the Supreme Brahman, tasmai shri guruve namah (tasmai shri guruve namah, I bow to that Shri Guru). Bringing just this feeling is sadhana. When the beloved Ladli becomes visible in one's own Guru, and one feels "my Ladli is seated," then what else is there to realise?

This text is taken from the auto-generated subtitles of the video, so there may be word errors. For the authentic words, please listen to the video itself.

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)