Beyond the Coconut: Dissolving the Ego through Bhakti

In this insightful session, Yogashree Raghuram NV sheds light on Bhakti Sadhana that centers on the profound shift from a self-centered existence to one of selfless devotion, where the ultimate goal is the dissolution of the ego (Ahamkara). He distinguishes between mechanical rituals—which often stem from a desire for personal gain or fear of punishment—and true Bhakti, which is rooted in Anuraga (intense love) and Bhavana (pure feeling). Through relatable anecdotes, such as the elderly lady’s joyous pilgrimage to Rameswaram or the "barter" nature of human relationships, he illustrates how expectations and the "I" corrupt the joy of giving and serving. Ultimately, he emphasizes that the structure of a Puja or a ritual is merely a vessel for expressing love; without the internal elevation of consciousness and the surrender of the ego, the material acts remain as hollow as a fish living in the Ganga without ever experiencing its sanctity.

Speaker Bio: Yogashree Raghuram NV

Yogashree Raghuram NV is a globally recognized expert in yoga philosophy and spirituality. He is a Founding Member of SVYASA Yoga University in Bengaluru and serves as the Founder and Spiritual Guide of Yoga Bharati at VAYU USA. A prolific author, he has penned numerous influential works, including highly regarded commentaries on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and the Narada Bhakti Sutra. With decades of experience, Raghuramji is dedicated to making abstract spiritual concepts experiential and accessible, helping practitioners navigate the emotional and intellectual aspects of the yogic path

Transcript

Tempo: 120.0

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Prabhupada, everybody. Um good day wherever you are in the world time zones right now because I'm not aware of everywhere else time zones. Uh welcome back to part two of the Yogakulam uh webinar on bhakti. So I will just quickly uh reintroduce our speaker. Um we have Yogashri Nvi Rogaramji with us. He is the founder spiritual guide of Yoga Bhakti USA. He's been practicing yoga and spirituality since his childhood. Um he's the founder chairman of Bitcha, which is a nonprofit organization in Bengaluru. Um he's also a professor at Vayu USA and at SPASA in Bangalore. He is the founding member of SPASA and serves as the international coordinator for a senior yoga teacher for um SPSA Bengaluru. He has visited multiple countries over the last several years. He has done research projects. Um, some of his projects are in very unique places England, Germany, Turkey, Japan, China, and US. Um this is something that should be uh highlighted that he's worked with 300 yoga teachers in Turkey and uh they have been initiated into mantra and meditation, and his research is on the effects of yoga uh uh on breast cancer patients who have undergone radiotherapy or undergoing radiotherapy, and he has authored several books on uh Patanjali Yoga Sutras and Narat Bhakti Sutra among the many. Um, last time when we had Dhabu Ramji, he spoke about the anatomy of prema. So he talked about Bhakti Siddhanta, the philosophy of bhakti, um, which basically translates to prema in the most pure form. And he explained how it frees you, it does not bind you, and the difference between surrendering out of love and surrendering out of fear is so clear when you understand that anatomy. So today we are going to continue our journey. We have learned about the philosophy, we know the theory. Now we are going to go into the practical, which is about the sadhana. So, with that, I will uh give it to Ragaramji. If anybody has any questions, please uh put them in the chat and Srimalaji will uh lead us in a QA at the end. But if it is really urgent, then please raise your hand and I think Ragaramji will stop for you. Okay, Raghuramji, um over to you.

SPEAKER_03 2:38

Anyway, Srimala, would you like to go with some questions which are there?

unknown 2:44

No.

SPEAKER_02 2:47

Uh there are some questions, Ragaramji. Maybe um should we do you think we need to go um uh in preparation of that, Gauri?

SPEAKER_00 3:01

I think yeah, yes, if it is relevant to like uh recapping this a little bit, maybe one. I but I don't yeah, I don't want to lose valuable time. I've already lost five minutes ago.

SPEAKER_02 3:13

Yes, well, it's giving a few more minutes for people to join too. So um okay, Ragramdi, there was this one question. We could kind of look at it as a follow-up. So they're asking, how can you give examples of like a litmus test to see if the bhakti is true or not? For example, if it is like coming out of selfishness, how much of selfishness is considered reasonable? Like if bhakti is asking Bhagavan for something for themselves. Um, so we see in bhakti mat people um just believe that their god is the only one and they disrespect everybody else. I mean, all the other gods. Um, how do we overcome this um as a larger problem in the society? I thought that we can kind of set off, and then we'll ask the other questions later.

SPEAKER_03 4:03

Yeah, the simple answer that I could give is self and selfishness do not have any place in bhakti. And going to the God for the sake of any benefit, the self is important. God is not important, God is like a handyman that we work for, therefore, which we sit from one God to the another God. If somebody has a feeling for the God, and the feeling of love and surrender, if he has, any God does not matter, and there is nothing like superior or inferior, it's the only one. We perceive it differently. People perceive it in different ways. So we should never get into an argument or an idea saying that my God is better than your God, because first of all, God is not one of your possessions. My car is better than your car, my house is better than your house. Say my God is better than your God, God is not part of your possessions.

SPEAKER_02 5:16

Go ahead and start for today's session.

SPEAKER_03 5:20

So let me share. When people do not know about the philosophy of bhakti, three, four major problems happen that they think that it is not the love that's important, but it is your uh God becomes important. Second thing is that your God is important than the other gods. And second, another very important aspect is that people discriminate that your love for people for the world outside is different from the your love for God. Love is one and the same thing. This we mistake happens because we don't understand what love is. Therefore, that's why we have great importance given to this bhakti siddhantha. Because Siddhartha is basically that we have like other yoga, we make use of what we have to see that how we can reach the divinity, we can reach the self, uh the uh what is called as the consciousness, or we reach the ultimate Atma Paramatma that we reach, and for that we have the discipline ourselves to reach, that's what is Raj Yoga. The second thing is the activity that we do, bring in certain changes in the activity so that activity will take you in touch with the divinity, and the bhakti yoga, therefore, is the way that we have bhavana, that's what is basically roughly we translate English as feeling or emotion, that will take you to the divinity. Unfortunately, what happened? The emotions have been so much misunderstood that people look down upon emotions. Whereas every child is born with the one bhavana called as love. You can see the love sparkling sparkling in the eyes of a child. Not only the children, animals have love, plants love you. So therefore, and we have seen extensively what all the things that happen in the experience of love, it elevates you, elevates you to that level that you can see the divinity in the world outside. This is what is the benefit of the emotion called as love. In fact, the way that Bhakti Zidanta says that we are born with the love. Intellect is what the world gives us. Intellect belongs to the world outside. Bhavana belongs to us. So, therefore, make use of this bhavana to go back to the consciousness ourselves. That's what is the idea of bhakti. Now, what happens is that he says that our love, when it enriched or ennobled, that's what is bhakti. And why we need to enrich bhakti if love is something which is wonderful, we need to enrich it or ennoble it because love can easily be corrupted by our ego. What corrupts the love is evil, and that's what Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita also. Love when it is corrupted by ego, it becomes lust. Compassion, when it is corrupted by ego, becomes complaint. Similarly, appreciation, you see something and then you have wonderful appreciation. The moment it is corrupted by ego, whatever that you appreciate, you would like to have it, possess it. You look at the way, as long as that you have appreciation, it was wonderful, it was filling you with a nice feeling, you are elevated. But the moment possession starts, immediately that your suffering starts. How to acquire it, how to get it, and once you possess it, then what happens is it will not stop there. Further, it increases your desire to have more and more. This way, basically, that it degenerates. What degenerates our wonderful feeling, emotion, or the bhavana of love, compassion, appreciation, and all these things are equal. Therefore, the sadhana bhakti is not finding God, but surrender this ego or dissolve the seeddhu. Best way to do is to dissolve the seeddhu. All other paths are basically ego is there with which we do it, and finally at the end of it, you become Brahman. That's what all the other paths do. Whereas right from the beginning in Bhakti Yoga, the I becomes less and less important, and you become much more important. That's where basically the Bhakti Yoga becomes very important. But now, normally, what happens is in the Bhakti Sathana, why we need to have a sadhana is basically what happens is that when you want to practice this love in the world outside, prema in the world outside, immediately you give something out of prema, that is what the joy of prema is that in giving. But then next moment, ego comes up and corrupts saying that I gave you one, two, three. What do you give me? It becomes like a barter business. The same way out of love, you serve somebody, but then after that, you say ego comes up and says that I served you, now when do you serve me? Like this, the whole thing gets corrupted. You see, when you serve, you enjoyed the service because that you are in the state of love, you are in the state of compassion, but the moment ego comes up, that all that joy that was there is completely destroyed, and you start becoming negative about the whole thing. And you go around telling me people that look, I did so many things, and that will I didn't do anything. You did it because you want to do it, not because that we are expecting anything in return. That expectations come because of love, and moment expectation comes, misery starts. That's what is our experience in the world outside. And I want to surrender. It so happens that I want the other person to surrender. The same way other person also wants you to surrender. You see, if surrender is the idea that we want other to surrender to me, not that I want to surrender to somebody else. Husband wants wife to surrender, wife wants husband to surrender, husband uses his strength to make the wife to surrender, wife uses her tears to make the husband surrender. You see, this is an activity going on. Everywhere it is going on. The teacher wants the student to surrender, students also say, let me get an opportunity so that I will make the teacher to cry. See, this way that everybody wants other person to surrender because these are the two individuals, their clashing. That's the reason why we don't want individuals to surrender. So, therefore, people what they have adapted is that they have a dog or a cat, pet dog or a cat. The cat or a dog will surrender so that you are happy, you have a nice, wonderful dog or a pet cat. And then the cat will listen to you, whatever that you say, ask him to sit. He sits, get up, get up, and then eat food, eat food. So, all these things is you enjoy that. What you enjoy is not that what the cat is doing or the dog is doing, but you see that your authority is there, then you make the other person, other creature to surrender. But soon you realize that it is not the dog that he surrendered to you, that you surrender to the dog. Because it is sun or rain, or it is snow or anything like that. If the dog wants to go for a walk, you have to take for a walk. You cannot escape from that. I see who has done who? Though the leash is there in your hand, it is there in the neck of the dog. But ultimately, that you are being guided by the God dog, not that you are taking the dog for a walk. Way back, you know, a friend of mine I met. I was in a different city, I came, Bangalore, and then I met her on the way. I said, How are you? How are you? Everything is fine. How is your work going on? Because basically I was interested in her, she was interested in me. I asked her that where are you going? She said, I'm taking the dog for a walk. And then, of course, we continued to talk, but then the dog was not interested in us. Started pulling her. Pray, lady, she said, Ruku, I'll talk to you later. And then she went ahead. I was looking at her, wondering whether she is taking the dog for a walk or the dog taking her for a walk. This is what happens to us in the world outside. So, therefore, basically, that people want to surrender. That's why they go to the temples to surrender. Surrender means you just you offer your head, offer your ego. Ego is the head. But then people don't want to offer their ego. That head, that is the reason why. They prefer something looking like a head. That's what is the coconut, which has two eyes, and also it has a beard and all that, and then you break the coconut. Breaking the coconut is not the way that you surrender. Actually, you surrender break your head, but then that you don't want to do it. So that's how basically that people have reduced the whole path of bhakti, either going to the temple, breaking coconuts, or participating in some of these rituals. It has been reduced to that level. What is the purpose of doing all those things? What is out of outcome of all that? People did not look at it. Their anger, their jealousy, their hatred, their ego, it still continues with all these practices. Real idea is basically to see that how we surrender. That's why Narda gives us the Bhakti Sutras. The basis of yoga, as I said, is the willpower basis Raja Yoga, activity basis karma yoga, intelligent intellect base is the jnana yoga, bhavana base is the bhakti yoga. So, therefore, when you look at bhakti yoga, nardha gives us very beautiful aphorisms about the uh sadhana. In fact, how beautiful he says. They sang bhakti sadhana. You see, that sang is very important. Why that is sang is important. Gayanti acharya. Why it is important is saying, saying is actually prose. Prose means actually words, and words will are at the level of matter, whereas the same words when you put in the form of singing, gayanti, that means basically you add in the flavor to the whole thing. Simple words, but then they look extraordinary when the people sing. That's what you see in the bhajan. Basically, the simple words that they sing at the bajans are very simple, ordinary words, but then moment that you put them into the way of the music that is there, the the the system that is there, then you can see how melodious it is. The melody is coming from amaterial. So that means to say this singing is supposed to raise you, take you from the material to amaterial, and that's what is bhakti sadhana. Bhakti sadhana is taking you from the ordinary material level to the amateur level, higher than that, and this can only happen out of the emotions, like you know, singing is one of the emotions, anunaga is the love, and that is what will take us. So, therefore, essentially, anunaga is the core issue of all practices of yoga or bhaktioga, and not going to the temples rituals, and many people go to the temple rituals for the sake of palasiti. That means God will give you something, therefore, that you go. Especially, you can see that in the exam time that people will go to the God so that God will pass, or when any particular activity you take up, you go to the God, you do the puja so that God will favor you. It's not only in Indian culture. I've seen this happening in many other cultures also. The same thing. It is God is going to give you something. If that God is not capable of giving you something, then you that God is useless, or something like that, that He is not favoring you, He is partially. Somebody else He kills not to. When we bought our new car, we went to, we thought we let's go to the Ganesha temples, which is nearby our house. We went there. As we were going to the Ganesha temple, we realized that that was the exam season. The exam season, all the students will be in the Ganesha temple. So we said, if you stand there for eternity, we'll be standing. Let's go to another temple. So we drove for a little while and then went to Ahanumanji's temple. The priest was there, and then inside the temple, we went to the priest and did the puja there and asked the puja to pray priest to come out. He came out, he didn't know why he was coming out. Asked him to come out, and when he came out, he put the nice wonderful garland over new car and all those things, and then asked him, said, Do the puja for this car? Is that new car? I said, Yes. That he had a hearty laugh. He said, if it's a new car, Armanji cannot do anything. You shouldn't go to Ganesha. Ganesha is a person you should go to with a new car. See, even the pujari decides which card will do what kind of flavor. Examination, everybody, every pre-Pujavi knows it's a Ganesha who will pass you for the exam. Otherwise, if it is other things like Raslida and all that, Krishna will be good. See, this is what they decide. It is basically out of benefit that you get. Rituals and Palasitti, these are the things which people go for. And many times what happens is that rituals also they give the idea, the story they read. If you don't do this ritual, the God will punish you. God is there to punish you. How unfortunate it is. In fact, that is what is basically making people to surrender out of fear. God is there to punish you, God is waiting for you to do the mistakes so that He can punish you. In fact, this is there in many religions also the same way. The Jewish God is the most ferocious God. God is there to punish you. But at the same time, he says that if he is waiting to see you, that if he will push you into the hell, but at the same time, he is a very loving God. I don't know in what way he is loving God. The people go to the God out of fear. A lot of people go to the God out of fear. If I don't do one, two, three, four, these rituals, the God will punish me. Or God will do something to the family. The second thing is you should go to the God out of love. When you see that fear, you are important, God is not important, but you go out of love, then God is important. You are not important. You see, when your ordinary simple way, when you love somebody, that other person will become important, not you. You care for that other person. Your compassion cares for the other. You see a small little bird struggling because of the heat, then your compassion just makes you to see that you give up whatever that your plants are there and go to that little bird, take it and then feed with water, providing that, provide shelter for that. That bird becomes important. See, the other becomes important, you are not important. You go out. Love. So love is something which is important. In fear, we are important. In love, the eye completely dissolves, and the dissolution of I at once will take you towards the Brahma Sritya, Atma Sathy, and that's what is the consciousness we have. So, therefore, essentially, the whole idea is to see that how you can transcend the physical body-mind complex, and then go to become one with the self or one with the consciousness. That's the idea. So, this is what love can do. Narda gives us various sutras to see that how bhakti sadhana can be done. The first sutra that he gives, the parashatra dishi has given us that Narda sports. It is not the question of that what ritual that you do it, what mantras that you chant, or what activities that you do, but what is the love behind it, what is the attitude behind it. That is what is very important. Puja Deshu Anuraga is the Parasha. The moment that Anuraga, the love aspect of it, is not there, then the puja becomes mechanical. All that becomes mechanical. It may not give you that elevation that you are supposed to, because that puja itself will not give elevation. It is your love for doing the puja, it's your involvement in that puja which gives you that elevation to a higher level, into a deeper level. That's what is aduragaiti, parasary. These days, what happens is that people employ somebody else to do the puja, and they priests will sing all the mantras and all those things. And then finally, that you are there to take the blessings of it. It's not the blessings that's important. Elevation of your consciousness, that's what is important. Can you do the puja rather than giving it to somebody? Because that pujari that you give, it is for him. It's like an occupation. Any other work that he does, same way that he does it, this one also. There is no emotion, there's no mind involvement, there is no feeling involved in that. Whereas if you do it, there's a feeling involved in that. You don't have to worry about what mantras that you say, how many mantras that you say. All these things are secondary. That's why puja deshu anura gaite parashare. Parasharamani says like that. Why puja is important? Are the behind the it is like this that if I want to show my love, I should create a whole structure of an activity. Like, for example, beautiful thing is mother plays with the child, giving him bath, giving him dress, and making him to eat food. All these activities are nothing but the way that mother shows love for the child. It's not that feeding is going to get the mother joy, it's not that giving bath gives job. But the idea is that the love with which that she does all those things, that's what is important. If you have to have show love, in order to show love, you need to have a structure. You need to create the whole structure. Whatever structure you create, that's fine. It's fine, but it is it is just to express your love, that's why you create a structure. Puja is also like that. It is created a structure to see that you express. It takes several hours. People think that only when the last minute that you do the offering, that's what is puja. No, beginning to the end, it's all puja. That's why he says puja Adi Shim. Adi means basically etc. Connected with all those things. I remember Ganesha Puja when people do it. Right from the time that the idea of Ganesha comes, then they with all that sacred dress and all that, they go to the shop, buy Ganesha, and then bring with all that uh bells and all that. They come home. And when they bring home, they keep everybody in the house, get together, and then they do the puja. Right from the moment that they start this, you should have that love for Ganesha. In fact, it is very beautifully said that bring God to the human level so that you can see God in human being. Ganesha is no more sitting in the heaven, he comes to our house. In fact, that's what people refer to also saying that has Ganesha come to your house? That means to say, have you established Ganesha in your house? See, that is the way that people express. So Puja Adishu Andragaiti Parasary. The love aspect, prema aspect in the puja, that's what is the extraordinary thing. In fact, in Mahabharata, there is a very beautiful sloka which says that are there not fish in the Ganga? They're born in the Ganga, they live in the Ganga, they grow in the Ganga, they have their next generation, they establish in Ganga. All those things they do and they die. But then the fish remain as fish showed me, nothing will happen to fish. Why? Because for them it is a natural thing. They don't have anything called as an emotion behind it. Whereas look at the human being, he goes all the way to Ganga, somewhere in Kashmir, somewhere in Rishikesh, Arduar, they go to Ganber, and particularly in the winter season when they go, it will be chilling water. You just can't even touch water. But then people go there and they take a dip. And what is that they get which the fish do not get it? They feel that they are really satisfied, their life is satisfied, they went there. The idea is basically that the fish do not have that feeling, that bhavana behind it, whereas people go with that dhavana. So that is why this bhavana is what is called as abudha. Ganga jale kimnavasanti matcha devalayam pakshika namba santi. Are there not? Birds in the temples. There are every temple, there are birds, and these birds eat only the offering that is given to the god. Those flowers and the fruits, whatever that is there, they eat. And they remain as birds only. There is nothing which has really happened to the birds. Her whole lifetime, our life after life that they are there, nothing happened. Whereas, look at the human being, he goes all the way from one end of the country to the other country, or come from other countries all the way to this country to see that they go to the temple and then they feel really satisfied. What is that satisfaction that they get? Which the birds did not get it. It is a satisfaction, love, satisfaction of Rema. That's what they get. So you go, don't go to the God out of fear, go to the God out of love. Love dissolves you. The fear actually strengthens you, the ego it strengthens, whereas love dissolves you. You know, one of the toughest temples, particularly in those days about 30 quarter, 30 years ago, Rameshram temple. People would go there to take a bath in the ocean, and afterwards they go through with the wet clothes after coming out of that ocean, dipped in the ocean, they come and they go through something like 35 wells are there. Good water wells. And then it is not that you go and have well there, you just go in the line. There'll be some strong people standing on the well. They take the bucket of water and throw on you. It's almost like you are drained out of that. But then it is like that you go on 35 wells. So we go. I went several times to the temple, but one time when I went, I finished my team was there, but I finished my round with everybody, all the temples and all, all the wells and all came out, waiting to see that how the people are coming out. I've seen one very frail lady, she's 80 plus or maybe 90 plus, very frail, and she came out with the wet clothes after finishing that. I asked her, How did you feel it? She said, Wow, Lalla, it was so beautiful. I really liked it. And I'm so glad that in my lifetime I could do this. I'm so very glad. Now I'm prepared to die. Death will not this is not a disturbance for me. And then I said, Where are you coming from? Because the way that she is she looks from the upper Assam, Siliguri. And then somebody from Siliguri to come to Rameshram takes at least 15 days by the train journey. And poor lady, she must have traveled 15 days in the train, and with all the struggle, came there and then went to the temple and took the bath in the ocean and then went through all these wells and came out. And then she feels satisfied. She had no complaint. What made her not to have any complaint? It is that love aspect. Love rises here over the level of complaint to appreciate. And you see the divinity in the activity that you do it. She found that divinity in her activity that she has gone through the temple, gone through this well, sentencing the Rameshwaram temple. And I'm sure the same lady at her home, she will find it difficult to go even to the bathroom because she's so faith. But then here she came all the way, go through all that journey that she made it. What made her to do that? It is the love, it is the bhakti. That's what is basically the idea for Jadeshu and Ratha Vidhi. And then there he says that Ganga Jale Kamna Basanti Matcha Devalayam Paksyanam Basanti. Bhava jitasta in Lavanti Muktaha. If Bhava is not there, there is no mukti at all. It's the Bhava which gives us Mukti. It is that prepa bhava that gives us mukti. Bhava jitastra in Lavanti Muttaha. Devalaya Thitdhahayatanatya Mikka. Temples and the dithas are not important. It is importance and not even the rituals that you do it. But people give so much of importance to these rituals. In that ritual, they do not have any bhava behind it. They are so strict about the material details. They don't rise above the material, right? That's what is puja dishwandyha. Because raise above the level of material. Somebody went to see last time also, I shared that example. Picasso and a painting was there, and he asked Picasso how much is his painting? He says that the painting costs about something like $10,000 or something like that. He says, But this small little painting, $10,000. It's one feet by two feet kind of a canvas and few colors. How much do you pay? He said about $1,000. I can pay, not 10,000. So give me $10,000. He took $10,000 and went inside to the studio and brought out a white canvas and few paints and colors and few brushes and gave it to him. He said, No, I wanted painting. So painting is not material. Painting is much more than this material. That's important. So therefore, you are able to see something which is much more than the material. What is that much more than the material that you can see? The material, that's what is divinity. An old man was sitting in an old hermitage and uh night, it was six o'clock in the evening, and he was uh cutting the bamboo and then making holes and all that. And when he was doing that, very totally devoted, 100% absorbed in that. One small little kid comes there and says, Grandfather, what is that you are doing? What are you doing? He said, I'm making the flute out of this. He said, Who are you making this fruit? I said, I have to make this flute today itself, don't disturb me because I have no time. Okay, okay, I don't disturb you, but tell me who we are making this fruit for. I'm making this for Krishna, okay? Do you allow me to make this? Yeah, yeah, I'll allow you to make. But why do you have to make it today itself? You see, more the grandfather said, Don't question, and he starts questioning. And then finally, in that questioning, when he was the old man did the whole flute, it was already dark, and then he says, He placed that flute. When he placed that flute, he felt so disappointed. He said, What happened? Because you know this Gandhara is not very clear. That means one of the notes is not very clear. Not very much. Oh, he felt very sad because after all that effort that he has done to make the flute, it failed. Then the boy asked, What happened? This little kid asked, What happened? No, it's not satisfied. Okay, you can do one more thing. No, there is no more time. Why? Because tomorrow is Janmash to make Krishna's birthday. I want to present this. It's all right. You present this. No, how can I present this? It's not all right. But I don't have any time to do it. Then this boy tells that old man that Tata, whatever that you, and then he gave Isha that that old man throws that fruit on the heap of fruits that were there. That means how many fruits that he has done. And then they were all like that. Some surah, some note is not all right. Then this old man, when he's feeling so sad, then the boy suggested it. It's alright, Tata, take the best of the soul lot and present it to God. He will not find fault with that. There is no other go, also. The old man thought, okay, let me do that. And then he went to that heap and then tried to look at one fluke, particularly that he felt sometime in the afternoon. He has done the evening that he has done, that maybe good. He picked up some fluke and then played. No, this is not the one. Picked up another. No, not this, not the one. Put it back onto the heap. When this old man is trying one after the other, this little kid also said, Can I try also? He said, Yeah, you can do that. And this little kid, he picks up one fruit from that whole heap, and he plays. The moment he plays, the sound that is there, the surat that he said, Wow, this old man felt really touched. He said, Yes, that's the fruit I'm looking for. Give me that fruit. And this little child says, No, I don't want to give you. Come and take it from me. And he chases this man, this boy, and this boy, as if he is about to catch him, meanwhile, he runs, runs around that whole place. And then this old man is also chasing, goes round and round and round, and after about a couple of rounds, then he comes to the entrance of the place, place, and then about to catch this boy. The boy throws the flute on the heap. And you know what happens? All the bambos, they just roll down the heap. And then this old man, now for say, said, Which is the one? Yes, and the man, this boy says, That is the one. Looks at one thing. And then that man picks up that flute and then plays. And it's not the same. No, no, not that one. This other one. We place him several things like that. For a mold of it's already midnight. And this little fellow, then he requested, little fellow, can you please pick up whatever it is? Then he went there to the heap, picked up one flute, and started playing. And that was exactly the way that he wanted. Wow, that's a flute. And he throws on the heap, again picks up another flute, and then plays exactly the same wonderful, complete note that was there. Wow. Everything was like that. And the boy took one of those flupes and then started walking around, walking away. And this old man watching there, wondering, I've never seen this boy anytime anywhere here. But today he has come. It's all basically that your own love, your own bhavana that creates all these things. Your bhavana can create your vision towards the God. That's why all these people they have seen the God, they have played with the God, they lived with the God, because the Bhavana can only make that. Look at the way when was Krishna? But when is Radha? And when is Radha was there at the time of Krishna? But when is Mirabai? Look at the way Mirabai's expression. She was there playing with Radha. Playing with Krishna. Age does not matter, time does not matter, place does not matter. That's what Bhakti, love, transcends all the issues. That's why basically Anuraga is something which is extraordinary. Puja Deshu Anuragaiti Parasadhya. Whereas Garti Rishhi says that Katha Dishu Anuragayiti Gardya. Now it's not just only the puja that we do it. Many times people may not be able to do the puja, but then we came across, we come across several stories. Not only the stories of the ancient uh scriptures, but we have the stories around us, the incidents which are around us. And what you see, puja dishu, and katha dishu and even the stories. What is more important than this not the the uh geography or history and time, these are not important. Important is the Anruga, the love aspect of it. And when you see that love aspect of it, it transcends all the places everywhere. That's the reason why when our uh scriptures have given all these things, it is attracted by people coming from all different directions. We have such wonderful stories that are there to show about the love aspect of it, and sometimes what happens is that the story is also presented in such a way that you you see the enhanced aspect of that love, the anurada. That's what is Katha Deshu. That means to see all the details of Katha Anuradha. That's what is very important. That happened in the case of Ramakrishna Paramusa Sharada Devi. Last time also I said that story. That Sharda Devi when she was when the the decoy said, Who is that walking? And Sharada said, Father, my name is Sharada. One word she said, Father, loving tone when she said, at once it melted that decoyed, it becomes so easy. These are the stories that are there which present such an extraordinarily wonderful thing. You can number of stories are there both in our scriptures and in our lives of various people. That's happened in the case of Rah Vivekanga also. When he stood there at the Parliament of Intelligence, when every other speaker was coming and saying that you are the sinners and we are the saints and all that, he could not bear that idea. Because basically, our scripture says that we are all sons of immortality, we are also some such sons of the same divinity. You have also divinity as much as I have. How can I say that you are a sinner? He could not accept that. But he was feeling inside how to express that. He stood there at the parliament, all the audience that he looked at, and he said with a loving voice, my dear sisters and brothers of America, that one expression that is given, it touched everybody's heart. Everybody got up giving a standing ovation. They did not want anything else to say, my dear sisters. He accepted their sisters and brothers. That is what is the power of love. Love can change the whole thing. In the stories that we talk about, don't give the importance of young history or the outcome of the stories, but give the importance of what is the love behind it. In fact, such beautiful editions are there in Dhamma and Mahapharta, small little stories that you can come across. Extra wonderful ideas that are there. Like, for example, a simple idea that when the war is going on, suddenly the Arjuna and Buddhistra, in the evening after the war is over, they come to the tent of Bhishma. And the Bhishma looks at them and says, What is this? Over day we were in the battlefield, and now what made you to come to this tent in the evening? Then Vhistra says, We are coming here to return the blessing you have given. And then Vishma surprised, he said, What blessings? He said, You blessed us that we are victory in the battlefield. So that victory we have come to give it back to you. Says that blessings are given not to return, you have to actualize the blessings. So go back. But then Yudishra replies, Sabjana replies to Vishma, saying that, my dear grandfather, between your blessings and its actualization, you are standing. We have to defeat you. We can't defeat you. Therefore, better to give up the blessings to you. That was sudden shock for Vhishma. And Vishma said, I don't think that it has come to your mind. Krishna must have sent you with that. Because he knows who is the person who can do all this kind of things. And they honestly said, Yes, Krishna said this to you. He thought for a few minutes and then he replied to them, why Shikandya is in your side? When they heard that Shikandi is on your side, why is he there? He didn't understand. They said, We don't understand. You don't understand, don't worry, go back to Krishna. He understands. With dull face, then they went back to Krishna. Krishna is eagerly waiting. And then when they come, then Krishna asked, What happened? They said, We don't know. You know, we are not satisfied. No, no, did you tell what I said? Yes. We said exactly the same thing what you said. We have returning the blessings. And what is the Vishmas? Vishnu said, You might it might not have come in your head. Krishna must have said it. Yes, we said yes. Then what's his reply? He said, Why? Shrikand is there on your side. And Krishna says, Oh, he said that. I'm waiting for that. That's wonderful then. What they didn't understand, Krishna understood. Krishna said, now we can use Shikandi in the front. And Shrikand is there, Vishma will not take the arms. Therefore, we can kill him and we can surpass. Now the battle can continue. And that night, actually, Bhishma went to the battlefield. Everybody, nobody there is quiet, silent, and all that. But at one corner, one lady is sitting there, and then Bhishma goes nearer to her and finds her his own mother. Ganga was sitting there. And he goes to her does the pranam and says, Ganga, what made you to come here? A metal at the battlefield at the middle of the night. Then she said, That's alright, but what made you to come here? My dear son, Bhishma says, I was not getting sleep, so I took for a walk and I came here. And she says, My dear son, your long life, nothing really bothered your head so that you lost your life, your sleep. But tonight, what is that problem which is bothering you so that you did not get sleep? Then Bhishma said, It's not that the problem bothered you. There is one problem which was bothering her. Now that what solution? What is that? I gave everything, whatever that I've taken to the people. I don't owe anything, but only one person I owe, and that was what is Amba. Amba I brought her from family. Now I did injustice to her. She was waiting for a revenge, and she is reborn in the form of Shrikandi. I knew that. And today when Phishma, when Vidishra came, I said, use Shikandi. So Shikandi's promise will be fulfilled. I feel satisfied. And all that he says, and then, but what is that you are doing? You know, the reply of Ganga was so extraordinary. She said, Tomorrow onwards, my mother will like my son will be lying down in the battlefield till the war is over. And I'm clearing all the pebbles and everything so that when he dies, lies down here. Nothing will prick him, nothing will be hard surface. What a wonderful mother's love for Vishnu. These are the kind of stories Puranas have. These are the kind of stories that we have. Your whole elevation takes place in the case of prema, in the case of compassion, love, all those things that love happens. And that's what brings about in our day-to-day life. Every story that we hear, every puja that we do has to enhance our love, enhance our compassion, enhance our giving up the ego, so that finally in the process that we become one with the divinity. Shandila is another great saint. He says, Avirodhena Atmaratya. That means to say, you can see in everybody yourself as much as that you care for yourself, so much you care for the others also. Uninterrupted way. Avirodhya. So like that Shandila is the one who says that. See, this way everybody is insisting on the idea of the love aspect of it, the compassion aspect of it. And Narda goes one step ahead. Akila acharata that this one way. Parma byakulati says Narda says in Anuragha, in every activity that you do it. In fact, even in the object, when you take it, handle it, handle it with love. I was uh how how beautifully that you can see that in our day-to-day examples. I can see a Ram Krishna mission in Bangalore. I used to go there, and then one Swamiji used to give us Upanishad in the body. In the evening, same Swamiji was looking after the shoe rack. So I went to that Swamiji and I saw his Swamiji standing there handling the shoe rack. So I said, Swamiji, I will keep my shoe in the rack. You don't touch my shoe because you feel that I respect for him. He said, No, no, this is a job I have to do. He said, No, I will no, I want to actually clean the shoe, shapal, and then keep it there on the lake so that my rack will be clean. And he would, this Gerva cloth, he would wipe the shapel and then put it there. I said, I will wipe it and then keep it there so that it will not be dirty. You know what he said was so beautiful. He said, This is one opportunity for me. Who are the disciples of devotees of Ram Krishna? I can touch their put where and then keep it in this thing. Don't take away that joy from me. How beautiful that love surrender, that aspect is there. This is what is the idea of any activity that you do it. It is not the question of doing the worship in the puja, it's not being the main priest there, but even the shoe stand person can practice that. So that's why these are all beautiful examples to show that how a practice of love can be done in every activity that we do it. Examples of sadhana. I don't have much time to build. Now it is already human. But let me give you Vrajagopikana. That's what Narada puts it. Let me give you that Vrajagopika example. See what happened was that those days people had to move from place to place by groups and caravans. And then there used to be a head of that caravan. He will explain about what is the next place, what are the important things about the spiritual journey, pilgrimage and all that. So, like that, all the people were following it. He says, the leader of the group says that next place we are going to go is Mathu is basically Gokul. The moment he said Gokul, immediately some people, wow, Gokul, we are going to go. Some people said, What about Gokul? What is it about? Have you not heard of Gokul? So the whole discussion went on. And then the whole idea is that emerged out of it. Hey, Gokul is a place that Wonder Boy is there. And what is that wonder boy? He's a small little boy, he's singing, and then he's such an extraordinary wonderful boy, and then he's there from this place. What about wonder? He wrote this, he wrote this, he did that, and all that. Can you please go out? I'm sorry. Sorry. So this wonder boy, and then how can we meet him? Yes, we can meet him. Where are he on the streets? Young boy, and he'll be playing joyfully. And his all the children will be around him. Can we recognize him? Definitely we can recognize because that yellow ropes are there and peacock feather is there, etc. All those things. When this discussion was going on, there was so much of an interest in people wanting to see this boy. Suddenly, somebody says that by the time that they come to the edge of the forest, they said, Hey, look at that boy sitting there under the on the stone. Everybody looked at him. Is he Krishna? Sitting seriously. He said, He's not Krishna. Because Krishna should be some jumping with joy, happy. But then he's not Krishna. No, no, but you see, yellow ropes are there, he's Krishna. So let's go close to him. They went close to him and then, hey, recognize that it is Krishna. They said, Hey Krishna, what are you doing here? He was very serious. He said, I'm enjoying nature. They knew that he is not enjoying nature, he's angry. Are you angry? Krishna said, Who said I'm angry? Don't disturb me. I'm enjoying it. He said, Okay. Anyway, we have seen Krishna. Anyway, he's not in mood. Children many times are not in. Okay. When everybody went ahead, then this little girl who was there behind, she came to him and said, Krishna, my name is Radha. Nice to meet you, seriously. I think you are really upset. Something really upset you. You know, otherwise, you are not like this. Tell me, you know what? A good friend, if you share your thought, it will become lightened. Children are like that. When there is somebody to share with them, they just break down and then that makes them feel light. Immediately, Krishna also seemed to happen. You know how the children start. I did not do anything wrong, which that means today, they're not fault. Particularly today, I did not do anything wrong. And Ratha hears and says, Okay, okay, I know that you did not do anything. What exactly happened? You know, that fellow came and he wanted to have Aditya came and he wanted, he said he's hungry. And then I know that next door neighbor lady, she has butter, she kept there. I said, I can feed, you know, children hungry, feed them. What is wrong about it? Yes, there's nothing wrong about it, but he could not reach that button. So three other children, four other children came, and then we made a staging and then brought that pot, and then everybody ate. What is wrong about it? Yes, there's nothing wrong about it. And they put a little in my mouth also that I also ate, but it is there, and then this lady comes, and all the other people run away, and then she catches me. I said, You are the culprit, and then she's angry with Mut. He says, I'll take you to your mother. She dragged me to my mother. I went to Math. And the mother is so angry. She said, You go to every house to create problem and all that. So, therefore, you again you create this kind of rhythm. She's so mad at me. Did she beat you? No, she does not spank me. She's nice that way. But then what is she to do? Out of anger, she said, You just don't go out. I will tie you to the stone here. And then she tied me to the stone and said, You stay here whole evening, we don't go play with the people. Wow, Ratha says how bad it is. For a young boy like you, you should be playing. And in the sun, and this and that, and your mother did like that. Yeah, you see, you understand. My mother doesn't understand. Wow, it's bad. Okay, shall I release you? And she looked at the stone, and that stone, he was sitting as such a huge stone. I said, but then she said she tied to the stone at home, and you stayed there. No, I dragged that whole stone and came here. Ten people cannot lift that stone. And this boy dragged it. Wow, you must be really bruised. Yes, I'm really tired. So can I release you? He said, Don't. No, but then you are tired, no? No, you talk to me nice, no. So everything is gone. Children are like that. You talk to them nicely, everything is forgotten. But then why don't you why do you want me not to tie untie? He said, No, let my mother come home, search for me all over, not find. And then she panic, she comes to the forest and come see. I'm sitting here. She falls at my feet, asks me for pardon, then I can go. Whether even it is Krishna, like a small child child, he's like that. This happened the first time, and then afterwards, Ratha went away. Several years passed. Gopul wanted to move to Vrindavan because basically that both the villagers getting together. And the children from Gopul were going to Vrindavan, and Vrindavan, where Ratha was there. The leader of the group was the children. So they became good friends, they liked each other. And then you know what? Children, when they go to the place, there's so many stories are there. Every stone has a story, river has a story, tree has a story, every festival is a story. In the process, that in about six months they became and fell in love with each other. They said Krishna wanted to go to his father and say that I'll get married, I'll marry Radha. When he was going, that people in the village saying, What is this, Krishna? Your dad is looking for you, where are you? So everybody said like that. So he went. Some guests had come, so Krishna saw guests were there. And then Krishna's father introduced that these guests are coming from Kamsa's place, Mathura. And his name is Apurula, he came to take you, fetch you. Because Kamsa is practicing from Rajasui Vidya, the big Vidmya, and for that Krishna is invited as a guest. Parents have not received, elders have not received, only Krishna has received. There must be some problem with that. Then they found out that Akrula said, Krishna's, I meant Kamsa suspect Krishna is the ex missing son of Devaki. He was born to kill Kamsa, therefore, he called Krishna there to kill him. If Krishna does not go, he'll come with the army to kill all the children of the Brundavan. They said, Okay, let me go and finish it. It was decided. Next morning, Krishna was supposed to go. And immediately, when this was decided, Krishna rushes to where Ratha is sitting there and says, Ratha, have you heard of it? You know, in the village, all these rumors spread, and the rumor spread all the way to Ratha. Ratha said, Yeah, you know, you know what? You are a big man now. You see, Ratha didn't understand the idea behind it. She said, You are a big man. Because you see, why big man? Because your father didn't receive invitation, my father didn't receive invitation, but you only receive invitation to go for Kamsa's Radasu Yaha. Krishna says, You know the idea behind it, why I've been invited. Why? What is the idea? You know the eighth son of Devaki was missing. Yes. Now Ratha's mind started looking at that. And that is supposed to be the God incarnate to born to kill Kamsa? Yes. And Kamsa suspect I am the teeth son. Now suddenly the Krishna who was supposed to be ordinary simple covered Krishna was there with Ratha. Now Krishna became God incarnate. So be. So therefore, I'm going to go there and kill Kamsa, come back, and we'll get married. This is the most important point where Ratha says, Krishna, you may be king maker, you may be great, all those things. But my Krishna is very simple. Ordinary Krishna, my simple is my Krishna is the eyes of these cows in this forest here, in this river that's flowing. Therefore, basically that Krishna, you go ahead, do all those things. See, this is what love wants. You know, in prema, kama, in infatuation, it says that we possess. But love, it doesn't possess sacrifices. Ratha sacrifice Krishna. Krishna says, Ratha, I don't understand what you're saying, but you seem to be right. And then finally, Krishna says, please keep this flute as my memory. Gives that flute to Gopika, Ratha. And that indicates very significant idea. Because flute is something, a very cheap bamboo wood and with holes, which has no value. And in that small little bamboo piece with holes, you throw the exhaling air. The air you don't even want it. And that melody that you get, material value is nothing. But beyond that is something. It is like the way a flower flowers, flower is beautiful, fine. But then fragrance that comes out, it's something which is beyond the material. Flower is like prema, the fragrance is like bhakti. Flute is like prema, whereas the melody that comes out flute is what is bhakti. So let's all practice this bhakti. We have such wonderful examples. Many, many such examples are there in our day-to-day life. We can also find that. Only thing is that don't look at these things with God as somebody who is powerful, who is standard, and he punishes you. Is somebody is like within you. All the godly qualities, divine qualities that are within you, that's how he stays within. So that's how sadhana of the bhakti is to go deep inside you to touch that your divinity within. So with this sadhana of the bhakti, I will stop it at this level. I will leave it for question answers. Thank you.