All that is, is Bhagavan

Class Notes | April 14, 2019

Itihasa and purana are different because while itihasa is factual, purana is educational. But the two are also similar because they have the same purpose. They both guide us to know Chit- awareness. When we know awareness, we know knowledge because all knowledge depends on this awareness. When one is unaware, one cannot know anything.

This is the most precious knowledge that guides us to the knowledge of all knowledge. As we continue our study of Shrimad Bhagavata, we must remember to internalize this knowledge. This is a subjective science, a systematic approach to loving God more than we love ourselves.

Last week, we learned about what to contemplate on. All our studies teach us that contemplation is our trajectory. We must learn how to contemplate. One of the best investments we can make is readying ourselves for contemplation. The insight we gain from our study is there is no creation. Creation sets limits. Bhagavan Narayana has not created anything that is not Him. As long as there is a feeling of separation, what is created has limits. There is only oneness in what Bhagavan has created, hence, there are no limits.

However, if there is creation, Bhagavan Narayana has done this out of fulfillment and not for fulfillment. That is the reason there is no separation, only oneness. With this perspective — that everything is Bhagavan — or all that we are experiencing is Bhagavan — we will not feel any stress and we will not try to escape. We will be more at ease and loving.

In Shrimad Bhagavata, there are many dialogues but here, we will focus on the dialogues about — what is creation, why creation and how creation — between Raja Parikshita and Rishi Shuka; Rishi Narada and Bhagavan Brahma; Bhagavan Brahma and Bhagavan Narayana.

When Bhagavan Brahma manifested from Bhagavan Narayana’s navel, he did not know who he was or what he should do. He was suffering from moha. So he contemplated and heard a voice say ta-pa, ta-pa. He opened his eyes and there was Bhagavan Narayana who held him dearly. The many beautiful details shared here help us have better appreciation for Bhagavan Brahma. He should be our role model. He is the ultimate adhikari. He never escapes. He felt Bhagavan Narayana in his heart and Bhagavan manifested. When we feel lost and do not know what to do, we lose ourselves in social media or indulge in shopping, etc. Instead, we should do as Bhagavan Brahma did, and engage in contemplation.

Bhagavan Brahma asks Bhagavan Narayana: How did you, who are formless, become a form? How have you manifested? With humility, he asks Bhagavan Narayana to explain how he should do the work of creation without developing pride, without a sense of doership and deservership.

Bhagavan Narayana’s answers are contained in four verses, collectively known as Chatushloki Bhagavata. As Swami Tejomayananda-ji has shared, we need to study the remaining 17,996 shlokas to be able to relate to these four shlokas that are found in Skanda 2, 9th adhyaya. Each verse has a specific focus: Brahman, maya, creation and sadhana to attain Brahman respectively.

Verse 32: Bhagavan Narayana says: I was there in the beginning and I am there in the end. There is only I. There is no asat, there is no Sat. All that is, is Me. All that is Me, is all that is.

Vedanta: Bhagavan Narayana shares He is beyond asat or unmanifest (Brahman). He is also beyond Sat or that which manifests. Bhagavan Narayana is beyond cause and effects. This implies there is no creation and you are existence, awareness joy. You are this Brahman. There is no other. When there is no otherness, there is no fear.We should be more courageous and reach that fearlessness. All of Vedanta is contained in this one shloka.

Verse 33: Bhagavan Narayana tells Bhagavan Brahma about His maya — divine maya. His maya causes that which is non existent to become existent and vice versa. This is why Swami Tejomayananda-ji said: Maya is that which makes the impossible possible. Bhagavan’s maya is not absolute; it comes and goes.

Vedanta: That which is non existent becomes existent. For us, that is the multiverse- creation. Instead of seeing and feeling Brahman, we see creation. Just as we see the rope as a snake, our spirit too becomes non existent and we start to believe peace is not possible.

Bhagavan Narayana explains: You cannot see maya and ignorance. You cannot see the cause but only the effects of maya. So we should be paying more attention to the effects. We should be consciously happy. One way to get there is to be consciously unhappy as that will lead us to being conscious of happiness. The most important message here is that maya is like reflection, like darkness. Just as our reflection and darkness cannot hurt us, maya cannot harm us either. When we understand this, it will helps us focus on the present and the presence. There is a lot of self forgiveness contained in this line. We are not sinners. Let us not focus on what we did wrong yesterday; but focus on the present. We are not our reflection; we are the original person. We are not darkness, but light.

Verse 34: Bhagavan says it is as though the elements combine to become this creation, but they actually do not mix with each other. Similarly, Bhagavan does not mix with creation, He becomes creation. All the elements — space, earth, fire, water, air — are different names for Bhagavan Narayana.

Vedanta: We know that toe ring and bracelet are different names of gold. Shrimad Bhagavata is encouraging us to think this way even when we think of Bhagavan. From Narayana, comes Narayana. There is only Bhagavan Narayana. All the elements and combinations of elements are in Bhagavan Narayana. In the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan says, everything is in Me and also says: none are in Me. All the elements are in Bhagavan Narayana which means they are Bhagavan Narayana. The chair we sit on, our family members — everything is Bhagavan Narayana.

Verse 35: For someone who is a jijnasu, who does not want to suffer any more, this curiosity, this mumukshutvam, should be about Bhagavan, not about how to make more money, not about what vacation to go on, and other trivial matters.

Vedanta: In every experience we go through, we should keep inquiring, and go deeper and deeper: when we remove something, what remains? What can become absent? What should be present? Like Rishi Shuka, who gives up everything except the spirit, we too should give up that which is worldly, but never give up the spirit. We have to do this all the way till we reach Sat.

The most important message is for us to treat all of our experiences as relative and not absolute. Let us not treat someone’s opinion as absolute. The more we are in tune with the relative, the more we will feel there is an absolute.

Bhagavan Brahma realizes that Bhagavan Narayana is sara and so if he holds on to the sara, he will never succumb to samsara. Swami Tejomayananda-ji had shared that when we hear the glories of God, we stop listening to maya. Right now, we are listening to maya and hearing stories of God. Let this evolve from hearing about God to listening about God. When we listen to Bhagavan Narayana’s words, there will never ever be any confusion, only clarity, conviction and confidence.

Thus, Bhagavan Narayana answers Bhagavan Brahma. From Bhagavan Brahma, the knowledge is imparted to Rishi Narada to Rishi Vyasa to Rishi Shuka to Raja Parikshita. The way we are able to access all this knowledge is because Rishi Ugrashava or the wise Suta-ji answers Rishi Shaunaka’s questions. But Rishi Shaunaka is really answering us. After all, we are also part of this Guru- shishya parampara. We are indeed fortunate to have the opportunity to study these important teachings on the occasion of Rama Navami.

Class discussion: How do you know what you are committed to?

CF: When we feel calmness, happiness, complete sense of satisfaction and no separation. For example, commitment to our family.

Vivekji’s observation: What do you want to become? Whatever you want to become shows your commitment. If you are committed to God, it is because you want to become God.