AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha

Day 39, August 27

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.

Guru Dhyanam: Gurur Brahmaa, Sri Bhooyuta.. , Ajnana .. Akhanda, Dehe …, Akhandam ..

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

Brahmanandam, Sri Vasishtham Namami, Ramaya, Aapadaamapahartaaram, Om Purnamadah,

Om Santissantissantihi

Even in the study of Vedanta there are certain rules to follow. Yesterday was a day of Anadhyayana/inappropriate day to study – it was a day better used to review, rather than learn a new concept. It is not for taking a break to play. It is for studying on one’s own. On certain days one is recommended to review previous lessons rather than begin a new subject. Amavasya/new moon, Pratipat/1st day of lunar phase, etc. are such days.

We think that children are like gods (for their purity and innocence). But as per Vedanta Sastra, unless we realize how bad childhood is, we will not give up wishing to be children again, or wishing for another life. Childhood is not in our control. In childhood our life is not in our control. Janma occurs because of karma. Therefore, do good karma, knowing the faults of childhood. Like a tree, a child cannot express his pains and troubles. It is totally helpless and ignorant. Childhood is filled with fear.

Against all those who gave him fear during childhood, during the youthful years, the inferior youth takes revenge. He will develop hatred towards teachers, parents, and elders, and misbehaves towards them.

O great sage, I do not believe that childhood gives happiness to anyone. We wrongly assume that childhood is great and wish to be young again. But in childhood, the child is eager to grow up, to grow tall, strong and independent. We forget what we went through as children. Sri Rama blames childhood. Rama explains his mental condition to his guru.

After childhood, an individual graduates to youth, only for taking a tumble down to rock-bottom. Not all individuals are like that. There are a few who have put their youthful years to good use. But most others waste and abuse those years. They have no foresight and vision to utilize these years properly.

Those ignorant youth who have no proper direction in life, those who have no vision for the future, they spoil their life by their misbehavior during their youth. They jump from one trouble to another trouble. They go from one vice to another vice. Sri Rama says the mind is a cave occupied by this devil called ***. He says he is not happy about the stage in life called youth.

Now we are discussing the topic Yauvana Garha/finding all the negative things about youth.

Why does one step into youth? Only to fall down/take a toss. Even great yogis make blunders in their youth. That stage of life has certain pitfalls. That age makes the mind unsteady. The mind will be drawn towards sensual pleasures which lead to grief and trouble. Only a Jnani/a very wise individual escapes from the pitfalls of youth. A student, who does well until high school, goes astray once he begins college. The inertia, the lack of motivation, and misjudgment are the cause for this.

It is as if a devil called powerful lustful passion has occupied the mind, and is causing all kinds of confusion in the mind. It makes the person reject all good advice. It gives a false sense of confidence. It makes a person follow the way of the world that is treading a wrong path. The devil that takes control of the mind is responsible for this. The way the eyes of women are ever unsteady, the mind of the youth becomes unsteady. Anjana/a substance is applied to make unnatural visions appear. Such a phenomenon occurs during youth, where false ideas occur. The youth is easily influenced by others. They lose control of themselves.

Youth lays the seeds for going to ***. We read in the news that some youngsters engage in *** and ***. They pay no heed to the words of teachers, parents, or elders. This stage in life is most dangerous. It drowns the person in illusion. Those who survive this stage in life without destroying themselves are to be considered great. No other phase in life is as harmful to a person as this.

During this stage in life, sringara/***, raudra/rage, bheebhatsa/cruelty, hasya/frivolity, etc. are more predominant to the exclusion of karuna/sympathy and santa/peace. There are nine human emotions. During youth, sringara is dominant. Santa is minimal. We must become Siva/divine before becoming Sava/corpse. Both begin with Sa. They are the first and last words beginning with S in Sringara and Santa also, the nine emotions.

In youth, the lustful inclinations are predominant. This stage, whoever is able to go through without losing their balance is a truly courageous and controlled being. Sri Rama who is most controlled and valiant is speaking these words. We can understand the importance of caution at this stage.

In a moment impulse lights up and the next moment it is shut out. Like lightning, ideas come and go during this stage in life. Students keep switching their interests from one thing to another. The excitement and interest are very momentary. Things appear like a lot of fun, but they end up in disaster. What appears hard in the beginning but yields a nectarine result is to be preferred. But in youth, what tastes sweet at first but ends up in bitterness is preferred. Such youth is to be feared.

During youth, much deception is engaged in. Youth itself does not last, but it makes people believe that it lasts forever. There is the least bit of tolerance amongst the youth for either those who are young or those who are old. The youth feel that the world should consist only of the youth, and that they know everything and that they should control everything.

It is like having the association of women in a dream, such is youth. Momentary pleasures are sought without any discretion. Just as there is no such thing as a gandharva nagara, there is no such thing as a desirable youthful existence.

Maha vakya - Yauvanam me na rochate - is the refrain that we should keep repeating – I find nothing to my taste in youth.

Once an arrow is let out, the duration of its flight is the duration of happiness in youth. The thirst one feels during youth is insatiable. Just like associating with prostitutes, the same kinds of diseases, ill reputation, and mental distortion occur with youth.

Just like calamities like rain of blood and rain of boulders occur during Pralaya, similar calamities result from the sins committed in youth.

A king going for hunting dropped seeds along the way, so that on his return, the seeds would have sprouted to give him food. If we plant poisonous seeds, we will only reap poisonous fruits. Such is youth. Unless we have a good beginning with good karma, we will suffer bad results with bad beginnings. All the ill consequences in life begin with the bad things done during youth.

Sri Rama’s perspective is totally different. We think that an apple has fallen. We will eat it. A Jnani/genius thinks about why it has fallen and will discover the theory of gravity.

Bhagavan=Siva. Even Siva is afraid of youth. It is like the night of ignorance. All love, generosity, and discretion leaves the mind, leaving it in total darkness in youth. Siva takes a frightening form as Veerabhadra; but even such Siva is frightened of this deadly darkness of night called youth. That is why he wears the crescent moon on his head to light his path, says Sri Rama.

In Sri Vidya there is Kaadi Vidya. When we worship Mother Goddess and Siva, Avidya/ignorance will leave us and Vidya/knowledge will be obtained.

In youth, there is only Kaadi Avidya/ignorance, beginning with Kama/***, beginning with the syllable ‘Ka’.

The six inner enemies are the cause of our downfall. If one weakness is there, all other five will at once follow. One will make friends with all the others. With ***, anger will come. With anger, miserliness comes. Arrogance will accompany jealousy. Not even one of these evil traits should be harbored. Your *** changes to anger. Rajo Guna encourages all of these. Anger’s presence means that there is *** or greed. No one has only one of the evil tendencies. All of them coexist.

We come back to the next life with the baggage of bad tendencies. We get off to a bad start.

Our devotional activities such as building temples, and going to temples are done for benefiting society. But for our own good, we must do some things. These are more important. Our individual sadhana must never be given up. Whether or not you serve society, your self-improvement must continue without break. This is very important to remember. Your individual spiritual pursuit will not harm others, even if it does not help. This must continue throughout life without break.

This devil called *** for pleasure torments the heart. It causes all kinds of fear. If the mind is calm, we are at peace. Whenever some fear or passion comes, our conscience will be troubled and will warn us. We must listen to the words of the conscience. Like a thief *** overtakes us. It makes us reject proper judgment; it tempts us into wrong ways. Only if we go the different way, and not blindly follow the crowd, everyone will notice and appreciate our ways. Everyone throws garbage and increases the filth in the neighborhood. But you begin cleaning up and you will be noticed by God. Do not follow the crowd. Follow the path of devotion and of good deeds. God’s grace should fall upon us. We must be under the control of God, not lustful passions. In youth, the mind is terribly wavering. It cannot be persuaded or controlled. The turbulent mind goes wayward and out of control.

When there is a theft in the house, or some crime occurs, children are shown some anjana/a mystical paste applied on a surface, where children can see visions and give some clues and hints to find the culprit or the lost articles. If you give a police complaint, there is no guarantee that you will find the thief or the lost items.

This method of ‘anjana’ is still used to this day. Some people believe in it. Some get results and some do not.
Just like that, a youth sees what is not true, but fails to see the truth. Youth leads to addictions, gambling, womanizing and all kinds of vices. A youth forgets the aim of his existence, his purpose in life, and he goes downhill. If these bad habits are not there, then it is okay. One must examine oneself frequently to avoid these pitfalls. During youth the seeds are sown for going to ***.

The youth like to wear sunglasses. They feel that they should get a different perspective on life. The desire to see what is different or hidden is natural. But why not seek God? Why seek only fleeting pleasure? Those who can withstand the temptations and the powerful negative pull of youth, are indeed great persons. If even those who are cautious fall into the chasm of bad ways, one who is negligent and reckless is sure to fall into the abyss. One such cannot resurface. It is a fatal fall. In youth, all emotions such as ***, anger, greed, fear, violence, cruelty, and so on, dominate, all except peace and calm.

All the things done and seen during this stage are scary. Those who have survived this stage in life without getting defeated, and live to be old, they are indeed worthy of commendation.

The dangers one faces during youth strike one with the speed of lightning. Outside, the experiences appear as sweet but inside they are bitter. They tempt with sweet pleasure and lead to total bitterness in life. It is important to be cautious and focus on fulfilling the true purpose of our lives.

The most important lesson given by Rama is that even Siva understands that love, kindness, understanding, and sympathy are eradicated from the heart during youth. Siva is frightened of youth. What should we understand? To endure this darkness, Siva is showing us the example of carrying a light on the head as the crescent moon, symbolizing discretion and clear thinking. What does one do when lights go out and it is pitch dark in the house? We tell children: Don’t move. Rivers are flooding; hail is falling; strong winds are blowing. The best thing under such circumstances is to stay put without moving. Like that we must hold our mind still and carefully cross over this stage called youth. Youth does not encourage a person to follow the spiritual path. That is why I do not like youth, says Sri Rama.

The Lalita Sahasranama chanting is concluding. The Lalita Sahasranama contains lessons on Vedanta, devotion, scientific secrets, and knowledge. It is good to keep chanting the names. Sometimes you may like a certain name, when you follow the meaning. Get absorbed in the chanting of Lalita Sahasranama. Mother Sita also chanted this. I pray to Sadgurudeva to bless the world with peace. We offer the merit of our worship and chanting at his lotus feet. Swamiji is leaving for Vijayawada. We are all looking forward to Ganapati puja. Use only a clay Ganapati. Do not use Ganapati idols with paint. Do not immerse such painted idols in ponds, rivers, and lakes. It contaminates the water. It is causing water shortage. We have to purchase a lot of water. Please do not apply paint except vegetable paints which are eco-friendly. Be protective of nature.

We must overcome all the hurdles of childhood, youth, and old age and receive the complete grace of Sadguru Datta.

Om Santissantissantihi.

Sri Guru Datta