Sanatan Dharma | 8. Param Dharma Part - 2 | Sri Vinod Babaji Maharaj

 

In previous article, we have discussed about the ultimate aim of human birth. There are many paths described in the scriptures about how to realize one’s relationship with God. These spiritual paths can be broadly classified as Nirguna Upasana path and Saguna Upasana path.

[Shakti means power and Shaktimān means the powerful. Just like fire and its ability to burn are one and inseparable, Shakti and Shaktimān are one and inseparable. But due to transcendental quality of God, His Shakti can take a separate form. In fact, the appearance, divine qualities, names and pastimes of God are the functions of His Shakti. When Shakti remains inactive, God does not have any form, name, etc. Just like a dicot seed that looks like one piece while its seed coat is intact. As soon as it is removed, we find two identical halves of the same seed.]

1. Nirguna Upasana path: When Shakti and Shaktimān remain as one and Shakti is inactive, God remains in a state that is nameless, formless, the primary source of light and the sum total of all consciousness. In this state, He is called Nirguna Brahmå. The spiritual path in which the sadhaks meditate on oneness with Nirguna Brahmå are called Nirguna Upasana path.
2. Saguna Upasana path: When Shakti becomes active, Shaktimān manifests in different transcendental forms with specific names, divine qualities, pastimes, etc. Shakti also manifests in different forms. For example, Mother Sita is Shakti of Sri Rāma, Radharani is Shakti of Krishna, Parvati is Shakti of Shiva and so on.

The spiritual paths can be classified according to different processes or mechanisms to attain God known as various Yogas. Yoga means meeting or attainment. The process through which a Jivatma can attain God is called a Yoga.

KARMA YOGA

Every creature is continuously engaged in actions. Any conscious entity cannot remain without engaging in action. All actions are motivated by necessity. The primary necessity of a Jivatma is to achieve happiness. When the Jivatma performs actions with the desire to achieve worldly pleasures, the actions bind him to the cycle of birth and death. But when the same actions are performed with the desire to please God, the actions become a process to break free from the cycle of birth and death, that is, Karma Yoga.

There are two kinds of misconceptions about Karma Yoga. The first misconception is that some people say, “Stay in Grihastha Ashrama (householder life) and take care of your family. This is Karma Yoga.” No, it is not as simple as that. The difference is in intentions. If the actions are performed with the ego ‘I am taking care of my family’, then it is not Karma Yoga. The sadhak of Karma Yoga thinks, ‘God has given me the role of a householder and it is my duty as His servant to follow the duties of a householder as per the instructions of the scriptures. The family members do not belong to me but God. I too belong to God. God is the real protector and nurturer of the whole universe. I merely need to fulfil my duty and surrender to God’s will.’ In this way, he performs the same actions with a desire to please God and surrenders to God’s will regarding the outcome of his actions.

“Yo na hṛiṣhyati na dveṣhṭi na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati,
Śhubhāśhubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 12.17)

Meaning: Those who neither rejoice in mundane pleasures nor despair in worldly sorrows, who neither lament for any loss nor hanker for any gain, who renounce both good and evil deeds, such persons who are full of devotion are very dear to Me.

The second misconception is that Karma Yoga means leaving all worldly actions and performing only devotional activities. It is not necessary to leave home and family, become a renunciate and perform only devotional service to please God. In Bhagavat Geeta (5.2), Krishna says,

“Sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaśh cha niḥśhreyasa-karāvubhau,
Tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśhiṣhyate.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 5.02)

Meaning: Both the path of karma sannyās (renunciation of actions) and karma yoga (working in devotion) lead to the supreme goal. But karma yoga is superior to karma sannyās.

Since it is more difficult to perform all worldly actions without ego than renouncing worldly actions, Karma Yoga is said to be superior to Karma sannyās. The sadhak can remain in his home, stay with his family, earn through his job and even engage in social welfare activities but the sadhak must remember that in order to transform his worldly actions into Karma Yoga, he must surrender to God’s will and do everything with the intention of pleasing God.

“Yat karoṣhi yad aśhnāsi yaj juhoṣhi dadāsi yat,
Yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣhva mad-arpaṇam.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 9.27)

Meaning: Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you give as charity, and whatever austerities you perform, O son of Kunti, do them as an offering to Me.

Eating food is also a part of bhajan. Most people eat food to please their taste buds. Such food is often unnecessary or even harmful for one’s health. This is not how one must eat.

One must eat nutritious Sattvik food free from Anna doshas as oblation to the body one is residing in because through this body, we need to do bhajan. He must think that God is residing in the heart and chant Harinaam while offering the food into the mouth as oblation. This is a kind of Yagna (sacrificial ritual). This is why, many Sadhus observe ‘Mauna’ (vow of silence) while eating (or partaking Prasadam).

A person must always offer food to God before partaking it. When Prasadam is accepted in the above mentioned way, the body gets cleansed of Rajasik and Tamasik energies and as a result, the mind gets cleansed of materialistic inclinations. Gradually, the mind and the body become Sattvik in nature which helps in the progress of Bhakti. In this way, eating food can also become Karma Yoga.

Charity can also become a part of bhajan. According to Bhagavat Geeta (17.20-22), charity can be of Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik in nature. But it can also be Nirguna, that is, an act of devotional service, if the giver thinks, ‘God has bestowed upon me these things. Who am I to give anything? Everything belongs to God and He wants to give this object (food, clothes, money, etc) to His devotees through me. I am only the medium.’ In this way, charity becomes Karma Yoga.

Therefore, whatever one does can become Karma Yoga if the intention is to please God. Even Tapasya (austerities) can become a cause for pride if the sadhak thinks, ‘I am doing so much Tapasya. Such harsh austerities are not doable by ordinary people.’ The sadhak must think, ‘Whatever Japa, austerity, reading scriptures, etc I am doing, it is only to please God. If God is not pleased with my bhajan, all my Japa and austerity are useless! Therefore, God, please be pleased with me.’ In this way, the sadhak can attain God through his actions.

It should be noted that in Bhakti Yoga also, a devotee performs all actions for the pleasure of God. But the difference between Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga is that in Karma Yoga, Karma (actions) is the most important instrument for pleasing God, while in Bhakti Yoga, devotional services like chanting Harinaam is the most important instrument for pleasing God.

The sadhaks of Karma Yoga knows that there is the Supersoul which is omnipresent in all living beings but they are not interested in knowing the true nature of God. They are only interested in pleasing God through their actions. Since Shuddha Bhakti is not their goal, sometimes they might get entangled in the desire for the eight divine powers (Astha-Sidhis), etc. But with the mercy of enlightened Sadhus, they can also progress towards Bhakti Yoga.

GYAN YOGA

Gyan means knowledge of the Truth. Gyan Yoga implies Nirguna Upasana path. The process in which a sadhak attains oneness with God through knowledge of Self is called Gyan Yoga.

In this path, the sadhak meditates upon the oneness of the Jivatma with God. Just like the illusion of a snake in a piece of rope, the body and the material world are considered absolutely fake. In fact, everything that has a name and form is considered just an illusion. Even the forms of Guru and God are considered as created through Maya, while the formless and eternally blissful Super consciousness is considered the true nature of Brahmå.

In this path, Guru is just a mediator between the Jivatma and Brahmå. The Jivatma is none other than Brahmå who has accepted Maya to play as multiple entities in multiple forms, known as the material world. Brahmå Himself accepts a form to come as Guru and enlightens the Jivatma on the path of Self-knowledge. On perfection of this spiritual path, the Jivatma and Guru both become one with Brahmå, as there is simply no other entity except Brahmå. This path is an authentic path described in Vedas and other scriptures like Yoga Vashishtha, but the philosophy of Aveda (oneness) is rejected by followers of Bhakti Yoga. It will be further discussed below.

BHAKTI YOGA

The word Bhakti is derived from the Sanskrit root “Bhaja”, meaning “to serve”. There is a servant (the Jivatma) and one who is served (God).

Bhakti Yoga is based on the philosophy of Achintya Vedāveda (Achintya = that which cannot be comprehended through the material intellect; Vedāveda = that which is both singular and dual at the same time). According to this philosophy, the Jivatma is a fragment of God. [The material world is a creation of God’s Bahirangā (external) Māyā Shakti. The abodes beyond the material realm are the works of Chit (internal/transcendental) Shakti.] Since it consists of both the conscious part of God and the Maya Shakti, it is known as Tatasthā (marginal) Shakti. Therefore, elementwise i.e., in tatva, it is one with God but functionally, it is a servant of God.

When the Jivatma deluded by Maya takes shelter at the lotus feet of Guru (who is indifferent from God), he starts engaging in devotional services. In this way, when his heart is purified of Maya, he realizes his Pārshad Swarupa (eternal form) in God’s own abode and serves Him eternally. Thus, there is eternal duality in the relationship between God and Jivatma. Both God and Jivatma relish each other’s divine and eternal love. This path is called Bhakti Yoga.

In Srimad Bhagvad Geeta, Krishna describes both Gyan Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. But he clearly states:

“Puruṣhaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tvananyayā,
Yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 8.22)

Meaning: The Supreme Divine Personality is greater than all that exists. Although He is all-pervading and all living beings are situated in Him, yet He can be known only through devotion.

“Bhaktyā tvananyayā śhakya aham evaṁ-vidho ’rjuna,
Jñātuṁ draṣhṭuṁ cha tattvena praveṣhṭuṁ cha parantapa.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 11.54)

Meaning: O Arjun, by unalloyed devotion alone can I be known as I am, standing before you. In this way, one can know, see and enter into union with Me.

Similar verses can be found throughout Srimad Bhagvad Geeta and other scriptures too. Krishna has Himself established the superiority of Bhakti Yoga above all other paths. In the above verse (and the previous verses 11.52-53), Krishna says His two-armed personal form is extremely rare to behold to even celestial beings through any kind of austerity or pious activities, implying that His personal form is not a work of Maya but transcendental in nature. Hence, the path Saguna Upasana and duality is confirmed in Bhagavat Geeta.

But in the next chapter, He says:

“Ye tvakṣharam anirdeśhyam avyaktaṁ paryupāsate,
Sarvatra-gam achintyañcha kūṭa-stham achalandhruvam.
Sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ,
Te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratā.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 12.3-4)

Meaning: But those who worship the formless aspect of the Absolute Truth—the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the all-pervading, the unthinkable, the unchanging, the eternal, and the immoveable—by restraining their senses and being even-minded everywhere, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all beings, also attain Me.

Although the path of singular Nirguna Brahmå Upasana is an authentic path formulated in Vedas, Srimad Bhagvad Geeta states:

“Mām cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate,
Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 14.26)

Meaning: Those who serve Me with unalloyed devotion rise above the three modes of material nature and come to the level of the Brahmå.

Here, Krishna says that even to realize Nirguna Brahmå, one needs to take shelter in Bhakti Devi. When the sadhak of Nirguna Brahmå does not do so, instead develops an ego ‘I am Brahmå’, he becomes stone-hearted and lacks compassion for all beings. When he sees someone suffering from miseries, he frowns and says, “Why are you crying? You are Brahmå. You are eternally blissful. When there is no other entity except Brahmå, whatsoever you cry for?” But a devotee is not like this. As he progresses through the path of Bhakti, he becomes more and more compassionate towards the sufferings of all living beings and prays to God for their welfare. Such compassion really pleases God. This is also a reason why Bhakti Yoga is superior than Gyan Yoga.

In the above-mentioned verse, it seems that Bhakti leads to Self-knowledge and oneness with Nirguna Brahmå. Hence, can it be concluded that Gyan Yoga is superior to Bhakti Yoga?

The answer to that is Krishna describes Gyani (one who is established in Self-knowledge) as:

“Teṣhāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśhiṣhyate,
Priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa cha mama priyaḥ.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 7.17)

Meaning: Amongst these, I consider them to be the highest, who worship Me with knowledge, and are steadfastly and exclusively devoted to Me. I am very dear to them and they are very dear to Me.

In this verse, it is clearly mentioned that there is a devotee and the one to whom he is devoted (God). To be dear, there has to be two people, one who loves and another who is loved. Duality and Bhakti are clearly indicated here.

Furthermore, in the concluding 18^th chapter, Krishna says:

Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati,
Samaḥ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām.
(Bhagavat Geeta 18.54)

Meaning: One situated in the transcendental Brahman realization becomes mentally serene, neither grieving nor desiring. Being equitably disposed toward all living beings, such a yogi attains supreme devotion unto Me.

Here, Param Bhakti means Shuddha Bhakti or Prem Bhakti. Even those who are established in the blissful state of oneness with Nirguna Brahmå are attracted by the transcendental qualities of Saguna Brahmå, Rāma and Krishna.

Therefore, it must be understood that Krishna is saying that even those who want Sāyujya Mukti (union with God) need to take shelter in Bhakti. On perfection, they become ‘Prasannātmā’, that is, established in the eternally blissful state of Brahmå. And, ‘na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati’, means they neither suffer from any miseries nor want any material gain. What else does a sadhak want? Whether this state is the highest goal of spirituality?

No. There is something beyond that. Those who are content with this state of oneness with Brahmå can remain there. But, by the mercy of God, sometimes even such highly spiritual personalities established in Brahmå are attracted towards the transcendental qualities of Saguna Brahmå. Then, they take shelter in Shuddha Bhakti to reach an even higher state of spirituality where they can personally see the transcendental form of God, understand His qualities of Bhakta Vātsalya (protective love towards His devotees) and relish His eternal pastimes of divine love. This is the path for those who progress into Bhakti Yoga on perfection of Gyan Yoga.

Those who take shelter in Bhakti Yoga from the beginning do not have to first establish themselves in Brahmå. They directly take shelter in Shuddha Bhakti and on perfection, realize their eternal spiritual form and go to eternal pastimes of God in His own abode.

“Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaśh chāsmi tattvataḥ,
Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśhate tad-anantaram.”
(Bhagavat Geeta 18.55)

Meaning: Only by loving devotion to Me does one come to know who I am in Truth. Then, having come to know Me, My devotee enters into full consciousness of Me.

Here, entering into full consciousness of God means knowing and relishing God’s form, qualities, pastimes, abode, and associates. In other words, understanding God with His Sandhini, Samvit and Hladini Shakti is possible only through taking shelter in Shuddha Bhakti.

So, these are some of the main paths to realize the ultimate aim of spirituality. Other than the Vedic paths of spirituality, there are also Vyabhichāri paths (digressed from Vedic path) like Tantra path, Aghori path, etc. These paths are also authentic paths but they are very difficult and targeted towards acutely Tāmasik natured sadhaks. In present day, it is very difficult to find authentic Acharyas of such paths. Most so-called practitioners of these paths have digressed from the actual science of the path and portray them in wrong manner.

However, in Kaliyuga, scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam repeatedly emphasis on chanting Harinaam as the sole way of freeing oneself from the cycle of birth and death. Scriptures like Brihad Naradiya purana, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta also says same thing as:

harer nāma harer nāma, harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva, nāsty eva gatir anyathā

Meaning: In this Kali Yuga, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.

Only Harinaam can give true Bhakti of God.