AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha

Day 77, November 25

Jaya Guru Datta

Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha

Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha

asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrityor ma amrtam gamaya
Om Santissantissantihi

Please lead me from untruth to Truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. May there be peace.

Yoga Vasishtha Dhyana Slokas:
yatassarvāṇi bhūtāni pratibhānti sthitāni ca
yatraivōpaśamaṁ yānti tasmai satyātmanē namaḥ || 1
jñātā jñānaṁ tathā jñēyaṁ draṣṭādarśana dr̥śyabhūḥ
kartā hētuḥ kriyā yasmāt tasmai jñaptyātmanē namaḥ || 2
sphuranti sīkarā yasmāt ānanandasyāṁbarē vanau
sarvēṣām jīvanam tasmai brahmānandātmanē namaḥ || 3

Om santissantissantihi

Vasishtha, as a Sadguru is giving his upadesha/spiritual advice to Sri Rama. He explained that when two rams fight, the one which fights without getting tired, will win. Vali and Sugriva were equally strong. But Vali had the boon that a proportion of the opponent's energy will accrue to him. It is only with Rama's presence and support, that Sugriva retained his strength and fought against Vali.

Sometimes even the gods will throw obstacles in our path towards liberation. Is it not discouraging if the teacher blocks our way to school and sends us back home? If everyone becomes enlightened, there will be no desires and no one to honor and make offerings to the deities with prayers for boons. Hence, they create hurdles, is the superficial explanation. Upanishads say that the gods test both in worldly and spiritual matters. The more serious problems occur in spiritual sadhana. It appears as if the gods are jealous of us. But when we examine deeper, we understand that we are being tested out of their compassion towards us. Without testing, if a student passes a class, his training may or may not be complete and satisfactory. They ensure that we are fully enlightened and not half-baked in our knowledge and experience. They wish to see that our knowledge is firm and will sustain us.

When problems come, a strong determination on the part of the disciple must overcome them. The effort must not be given up. The inner peace to gain knowledge must be sustained.

Even initially, Vasishtha said that Sri Rama had the potential to become as greatly enlightened as Suka Yogi.

One should not place the entire burden on Guru and remain without making any effort. You cannot sit idle, and say that with Appaji's grace the ashram will remain neat and tidy. You have to make an effort at keeping it clean.

One who does not make any effort is called a donkey. But a donkey works tirelessly. The reason the donkey is mentioned is that a donkey is not intelligent. A horse, on the other hand is very intelligent. By making a genuine effort you will succeed both on earth and will also get liberated.

Bhagavata Parayana is occurring now at the ashram. The fruit obtained by this regulated study will not occur if one reads the Bhagavatam at random. Only if you do as per the boss's direction, you will keep your job and make progress in your work. If you do without following instructions, you will not succeed.

We are stuck in a well. We must get out of it. We must extricate ourselves. A fly or a bee unintentionally enters the room. We try without success to chase it away. It comes towards our eye thinking that it is a light and gets attracted to it. Or, it goes to the window and knocks at it, trying to get into the lighted area. If we turn off the lights inside, open the door and turn the outside light on, it will fly out at once. A small insect has the instinct to travel towards light, but man seems to lack that urge. He goes towards darkness. It is very surprising. Even through a small flying insect, God is trying to teach us a valuable lesson.

You have fallen into a well. You need to come out. Whether you are happy or sad in this world is immaterial. Both are bondages. You have to free yourself from both.

A lion that is caught in a net can easily break the threads and free itself, unlike a helpless deer. A lion will break a wooden cage and get out. You have built a cage around yourself. Break it and get free, says Vasishtha.

Sri Rama won, despite all the illusory tactics employed by the demons in the battle. We must, likewise, win over the obstacles placed by our own delusion. We must follow the methods followed by Sadguru and the great souls who have tread the path before us.

This body is impermanent - this truth must be kept in mind constantly. Those who treat it as something permanent, will become sick and die. Only the enlightened live longer because they are not attached to their bodies. They know that the body keeps going through changes. The hair turns white, teeth fall out, organs fail, still you do not pay attention to the fact that this body is impermanent. Every morning, recognize that God has kept you alive and you have woken up by His grace. The soul's energy keeps you alive. Keep remembering the soul all the time. That remembrance will keep that inner light glowing. That is what the body requires. As you water and fertilize a tree, you must preserve and nourish your awareness of your soul that sustains you. Make the inner energy grow.

Body will fall off. What is permanent? The inner consciousness is eternal. No ritual materials are required to know this. Close your eyes and meditate upon it. God is in every creature in the form of light. We must not behave like beasts. We must keep our intelligence as humans and grow towards divinity.

How to fulfill one's life? Be happy with your family life. While remaining in it, you must keep thinking of the inner eternal consciousness. We must not become blind to it. With all luxuries at hand, these days, some people get obsessed with their pet dog, forgetting to attend to the needs of their aged and helpless grandparents who share the home with them. The indwelling spirit within us must be in our awareness all the time.

Yesterday's flaws can be overcome by today's virtues. Without losing hope, one must keep earning new virtues and defeat the flaws that are within us. The method employed must be according to the rules prescribed in the scriptures or instructed by Guru.

Some people argue why they have to always follow old methods. Why can't they invent new ways of doing things? In yoga and spirituality this argument does not hold strength.

In doing hatha yoga asanas, one has to go step by step. There is a gradual process to advance to higher levels. One cannot do padmasana in seershasana to begin with. It will damage the body to attempt to do so. The advanced asaans cannot be done at the outset. Same thing applies in music. At five years of age, a child may sing Mohana and Sriranjani ragas. But the teacher will still begin the lessons with saralee swaras. How quickly the child progresses is a different matter. Yet, the right procedure should be followed to get a strong foundation and a thorough knowledge. Even in karma, the right process has to be followed. The raw science and the fundamentals have to be learned.

Going to the temple and offering namaskara gives a certain benefit. The awareness that God is everywhere does not come all at once. The method has to be practiced step by step. the consequences of our actions will affect only us.

Some have the intention. But they do not practice. Some do not even have the intention to make an effort. Some minds are filled with doubts and suspicions. When Guru's words are assuring us that we will see good results for certain, we must have faith.

Some are totally preoccupied with making money. Such people are referred to as a fly or an insect that keeps returning to land on an open wound or an ulcer. Perhaps the insect in a future life will advance spiritually.

This body will die and will turn to ashes eventually. This life should not be wasted.

If you do good deeds, you will only receive good results. Even for a small effort, sometimes by His grace, God may give us a great benefit. We must have faith that result is certain to come. For a bad deed, the punishment has to be experienced. It cannot be avoided. That is the nature of God to deal us what we deserve. There is no such thing as good fortune or bad fortune. It is all only a matter of cause and effect. When there is direct proof shown to you by Guru, you must have faith. Veda is a direct teaching received by us. We must not doubt the declarations of the Vedas. We must not keep suspecting everything. One will even suspect that his own hand or leg may be a serpent. Such an extreme situation may occur to one who is always suspicious.

Everyone desires wealth. What should they do? The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, runs away from those who believe only in luck. She goes only to those who make an effort to earn wealth. Those who believe only in luck are burning away their lives. One should work hard and win the grace of Goddess Lakshmi.
If you want worldly comforts, make an effort. If you want spiritual wisdom make an effort to earn discretion.

Here the serious topic begins.
One must acquire discretion. Sadhana chatushtaya lists the four requirements - nitya-anitya vastu viveka, ihamutra phala bhoga viraga, shamadi shatka sampatti (shama, dama, etc. a total of six), and mumukshutva. A total of nine qualities have to be acquired.

To climb higher physically, we use a ladder, stairs or a lift or elevator. Here the sadhana, the instruments to help us raise ourselves are listed.

To begin with, laziness must be overcome. Because of inertia people deprive themselves of education, knowledge, and wealth. they have no desire to improve themselves. Laziness is a huge weakness. It must be defeated. this concludes this sarga.

The list of things that are impermanent is endless. What is permanent is only one. That is God. That should be understood. that is the first lesson.

Running after earthly attractions must be given up. In past generations, more preoccupation was there towards earning heavenly pleasures through certain vedic rituals. Now, that mistaken pursuit has reduced. That should be given up. Shama, dama, uparati, samadhi, titiksha, sraddha are the six virtues to be developed.

Shama is controlling the body. We must win over the temptations caused by our sense organs. To cure a disease, we give up even favorite things which will aggravate the symptoms. Dama is control of the mind. Pranayama will help us to control the mind. One must focus on the breath. The inhalation should be full and complete. Retention of breath is a part of Pranayama. The movement of the air within us must be closely examined. You may do that while listening to shruthi or Swamiji's healing music. This will control the mind. Alternate nostril breathing or natural breathing may be done. Uparati is peace, calmness. Samadhi is inner absorption. Titiksha is endurance of pain and discomfort. Sraddha is faith. All these six should be acquired by regular practice. This will remove our sorrow and will give us permanent happiness. Effort is most important, says Sage Vasishtha. Mumukshutva is the urge to attain liberation.

Today there will be parayana of Narayaneeyam at Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple between 3-4 PM.

Bhagavata Parayana is taking place in the ashram. Please listen to that also.

Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta

Om Santissantissantihi