Divya Jyothi Dec 2014

Birthday – Light of The Self foundation Day

Physical birth is irrelevant. Everyday many beings are born and die. Death is a cer‐

tainty, which follows birth. Spiritual birth is significant. To know "I am not the body

mind or intellect ‐nanu nanembudu nananalla ee deha mana buddi nan alla" and be‐

come free from birth and death cycle is real birth. Birth as Atmajyothi is significant.

Happy birthday to all Atmajyothis on the occasion of Light of Self foundation day!

Birthday is a time for celebration, celebration of human birth. Human birth is a rare

opportunity indeed for Self‐realization and freedom from the cycle of births and

deaths. It is a time for thanking Lord for giving us opportunity to be born in Human form.

Birthday is a time for time to review. The purpose of human birth is Atmano Mokshartham, Loka Hitaya cha. To work

towards Self ‐realization and to serve the world in the form of yajna. We should review the effort we have done for

Self‐realization and serving the world. If we have not done adequate effort, we should pray to Lord to give strength to

fulfill the purpose of human life.

Birthday is a time for repentance. Blowing out the candle signifies, so many years of our life has gone by. Life is tem‐

porary. We don’t know how long Lord has given us the life. Every minute of life is a waste if we do not put our effort

towards Self‐realization and serving the world. We should repent the time we have wasted in useless activity.

Birthday is time for Sharing. Cake represents the Karmic impressions. Cutting of cake is cutting out karmic impres‐

sions. Sharing of cake represents the way to lose our karma through sharing of joy and happiness Lord has given to us,

through activities of service, through love, devotion.

Purpose of human life is to empty out karmic impressions and get freed from cycle of birth and death. Many life times

we have created karmic impressions. Cutting of cake reminds us the purpose of our life ‐ dropping of karma.

You are the Light of Self ‐Atmajyothi. Light of Self is Light of the Universe ‐ Brahmajyothi. One who realizes the Light

of Self Becomes the Light for the World ‐Jagatjyothi. Light of Love, Light of Wisdom, Light of Compassion, Light of

Peace, Divine Light. This is message of Vedic Literature.

~ Prabhuji

Prabhuji Speaks

P a g e 2 D i v y a J y o t h i


The Taijasa is further fallen to

the state of visva, while identi‐

fied with individual gross

body, such as Gods, animals,

human bodies etc. they by na‐

ture are extrovert and devoid

of the knowledge of their es‐

sential nature. (29)

It was seen earlier that when

prajna becomes identified with the individual linga

sarira, he is called Taijasa. When the taijasa becomes

identified with the different individual gross bodies

such as the animals, human beings etc. it is called vis‐

va.

Consciousness in the waking state ‐ Jiva in waking

state is called Vaishwanara and the world experienced

in this state is called Virat. Jiva in dreaming state is

called Taijasa and the world experienced is called

Hiranyagarbha. Jiva in deep sleep state is called Prajna

and the world experienced is Ishwara. Beyond these

three states is the fourth state of Turiya, state of Sakshi

or Pure Awareness.

In hotels in India during earlier days, a single person

used to manage the entire show. For instance, a waiter

would take orders, go into the kitchen and cook, serve

it to the customer, clean the tables and collect cash as

a cashier. A single person used to play all these roles

efficiently. Similarly, it is one Consciousness, one Sak‐

shi that becomes Vaishwanara, Taijasa and Prajna.

Vaishvanara is one who experiences the gross Uni‐

verse. Vishva is the visible, manifest Universe that is

experienced and Nara means human beings or living

beings who have lost Ananda (Bliss). Narayana is one

who realizes he is Consciousness. Virat is the collec‐

tion of all the living beings in the Universe.

We can see in Mandukya Upanishad the commentary

on happenings of the past, present and the future

which are the manifestation of the Lord and is called

as ‘Virat Rupa Darshana or Vishva Rupa Darshana’.

The ‘Virat Rupa’ consists of millions of living beings.

However, Sakshi (Witness) or the experiencer is one

but the appearances are many! In Chapter 11 of the

Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna experiences everything as the

manifestation of the Lord; it is called ‘Virat Rupa Dar‐

shana’ or ‘Vishvarupa Darshana’.

In Jagrat or waking state, mind pursues external ob‐

jects because of which our awareness is directed out‐

wards and we experience the gross objects. One who

forgets, loses one’s Self‐awareness and experiences the

gross physical world is Jiva and the one who realizes

their true nature and identity is Siva. Jiva and Siva are

same!

Mandukya Upanishad is an analysis of our waking,

dreaming and deep sleep states. The first state is the

waking state called Vaishwanara. The second is the

dreaming state called as Taijasa and the third is deep

sleep state called as Prajna. It is interesting that the

same being becomes Prajna in the deep sleep state. We

think that the waking state is very important, but in

relation to the Atma, deep sleep is very close. When

we are in the waking state, we are farther away from

the Atma, the distance is not physical but conceptual.

During the waking state, we experience the world and

get enchanted and trapped in it and forget our Atma

or true nature. As we enter deep sleep state, we are

closer to the Self. Our being in that state is called

Prajna which means higher knowledge.

Deep sleep state in an individual is called Prajna and

universally it is called Ishwara. Ishwara is the collec‐

tion of all the beings in the whole Universe and their

impressions. Ishwara means Bhagavan and not Lord

Shiva, who is also addressed as Ishwara. The Swaroopa

(appearance) of Bhagavan is Ishwara that which one

experiences in deep sleep state. In this state everyone

experiences the same bliss!

In the waking state, someone is very happy because he

has a million dollars and another person is very sad

because he lost all his money. One possesses good

health and one loses health. Somebody is married,

somebody is not married. Somebody who is not mar‐

ried is trying to get married and somebody who is mar‐

ried is trying to get a divorce.

Panchadasi - Tattva Viveka 29


Whatever you try to fulfil in the waking state you will try

to fulfil the same in the dream state. You saw somebody

in the morning and wanted to talk to her and you could‐

n’t, then most likely you will talk to her in your dream.

Dream world exists to allow you to fulfil your unfulfilled

desires from the waking state. That is a mechanism used

by the mind to balance itself, without which the mind

would become imbalanced. Disturbances in the waking

state are usually resolved in the dream state.

shot. So, Agami karma will stop, Sanchita karma will

stop, Kriyamana karma will stop. The remaining resid‐

ual Prarabdha karma fructifies and brings the Cancer.

But, the person becomes very peaceful, very silent and

serene.

There was a great philosopher called Mauli Gupta dur‐

ing Buddha's time. He was considered the greatest phi‐

losopher of that time. He had studied all questions and

answers; He came to talk to Buddha. He has many

questions for Buddha, all philosophical questions,

these questions come only to prove you are superior,

you don't need an answer. He had a big list of ques‐

tions.

Buddha said life is a suffering, don’t keep on spending

your mind and energy on stupid questions and specu‐

lations, go to the root of the problem, you suffer be‐

cause of your karma. Buddha said 'life is a suffering'.

Don't ask questions, go to the root of the problem

which is your karma and root of the karma is igno‐

rance about who am I. Instead of going to the root

cause of suffering, you keep asking irrelevant questions

that disturb your mind.

The only thing you need to learn in life is:

"Naanu nanembudu naanalla....ee deha mana buddhi

naanalla … Sachidanandaatma Siva naanu naane Sivo‐

ham, Sivoham, Sivoham"

“I am not the body, mind, intellect. I am of the nature

of Existence‐Consciousness ‐Bliss. I am the Pure Spirit,

Self– Shiva – most auspicious.”

There is nothing else to be learnt. You may have to

learn some skills to live your life. So Buddha told Mou‐

li Gupta, that you have many questions. You have a big

list of questions. Why don't you to do one thing sit

with me for 2 years and then I will answer all your

questions. Mouli Gupta is a philosopher and he is

ready to do anything to get answers to his questions.

Another disciple of Buddha ‐ Manjushree is sitting

right next to Buddha. Manjushree smiles, because he

was also a philosopher. Manjushree told Mauli Gupta

to ask all his questions right then because after spend‐

ing two years with Buddha all questions would disap‐

pear. If you spend two years with Buddha your mind

will become very silent. Manjushree said that he also

came to Buddha with many questions and Buddha

Karma ‐ The root cause of suffering

The root of all diseases is 'Bhavaroga' (material disease).

The disease of the world is 'Bhavaroga'. The disease of

the world, that disease is our feeling of separation from

the existence, our feeling of separation from the Con‐

sciousness, the God, the Universe, even though we may

not explicitly say that, that is the root cause. It is called

Bhavaroga,

The person who is free, Jeevan Mukta gets healed at the

deepest level. You may ask why Ramana Maharshi or Ra‐

makrishna Paramahamsa had a Cancer. See, what hap‐

pens is, a person's mind and body become peaceful, but

the disease that has already started because of what you

call, as 'Prarabdha Karma' is not healed, that Prarabdha

karma will continue since the arrow has been already

Sanatana Dharma


asked him to stay with him for 1 year, and after that all

his questions disappeared. So, all this spirituality and

philosophy is, to make your mind silent and free of

questions.

When the mind becomes silent you are God. Agitated

mind is monkey and devil. When mind is silent and

peaceful, then what are you? That quiet and still mind

is the state of Self realization. There are no questions

in the state of Self realization. An Atmajnani has no

questions, all questions will disappear, and no funda‐

mental questions will be there, because the questioner

himself disappears, which is the MIND!

So someone asked Ramana Maharshi that 'without

sadguru there is no liberation', how do I know who is

my sadguru? So, Ramana Maharshi said if you sit in

front of somebody and your mind becomes peaceful,

when you listen to somebody, if your mind becomes

silent that man is your sadguru.

So mind has questions, all questions of the mind are

useless ‐ I am talking of questions for your existence or

life. Only existential questions like ‘Who am I’ are im‐

portant. Not questions about tomorrow's breakfast or

which bus goes to Majestic; these questions are re‐

quired to survive in day to day life not for Self realiza‐

tion.

Mind always has questions. For any question there is

an answer. But no answer is a true answer; all answers

are at a surface level.

~ Prabhuji

Mastery of Vedas

kavīndrānām cetah kamalavana‐bālātapa‐rucim

bhajante ye santah katicidarunāmeva bhavatīm |

viriñci‐preyasyā‐starunatara‐śrrngara laharī‐

gabhīrābhi‐rvāgbhih rvidadhati satām rañjanamamī ||

16 ||

She who is the purple luster of the dawn,

To the lotus forest like mind,

Of the kings of poets of the world,

And thus called Aruna‐the purple coloured one,

Creates happiness in the mind of the holy,

With tender passionate wave of words ,

(Of Saraswathi the darling of Brahma,)

Which are royal and youthful.

Here Devi is worshipped as Saraswathi – Veda Mata.

When one worships Devi as Jnana Shakti they not only

acquire the knowledge needed for materialistic world

but will acquire knowledge needed for adyatmika – the

knowledge of Self.

The Vedic Dictum that harmonizes the conflicting di‐

rections and summarizes the purpose of life is:

"Atmano Mokshartham, Loka Hitaya Cha". We strive

to find our inner Source (Atman/God) while working

towards welfare of the Universe. This is the message of

Vedic Literature.

Saraswati is the Shakti ( creative energy) of Brahma.

She is the Devata for wisdom music art and medita‐

tion. Saraswati is also the river flowing from Kashmir

Soundarya Lahari


area where Vedic wisdom flourished. Sharada is the

form in which Saraswati appeared to Rishis. Saraswati

is formless. Saraswati is worshipped as Sharada – Sa‐

guna rupa of Saraswathi. Saraswathi is Brahma Vidya.

Saraswathi is Nirguna Brahman attributeless and the

absolute. Saraswati represents consciousness and wis‐

dom. She is also regarded bestower of her own

knowledge. Saraswati literally means as the one

'swa' (own) who gives her own knowledge 'Sara'. God‐

dess Saraswati who is the purple luster of the dawn

and seated on a white Lotus represents that she is su‐

preme reality and knowledge. The rosary signifies con‐

centration and meditation. The Veena in Her hands is

the intellect. Saraswathi has a vehicle called swan,

swan has an ability to separate milk from water that

represents the discrimination. Viveka and vairagya –

discrimination and dispassion.

Sharada – Sharada is Brahma Vidya Rupini. Sharada is

Goddess Saraswathi herself. Sharada is Saguna Brah‐

man means with attributes. Sharada holds a mala rep‐

resenting meditation with silence; a book that signifies

knowledge; veena represents viveka and vairagya, the

arohana and avarohana. Sharada represents Sadguru as

she is the bestower of the auspicious Knowledge. The

peacock represents the Soundarya or the Bliss/Joy of

Brahma Vidya. The difference between attributeless

and attribute is just how we perceive.

Saraswati is also the river flowing from Kashmir area

where Vedic wisdom flourished. Saraswati is formless;

she is Guptagamini. One can only be aware of her, she

is the Nirguna Brahma.

One who worships Devi in the form of Saraswathi

gains mastery of Vedas.

Verse 10

Shuddha vidyangurakara dwija pangthi dwayojjala

Karpoora Veedi Kamodha Samakarsha digandara – 10

Shuddha vidyangurakara dwija pangthi dwayojjala –

She who has teeth which look like germinated true

Knowledge.

Karpoora Veedi Kamodha Samakarsha digandara ‐ She

who chews betel leaf with the spices which give per‐

fume in all directions.

The Shudha Vidya: It is the last step of the Universal

experience and is also called as Sad Vidya. It repre‐

sents the Kriya aspect of the Divine Shakti in a domi‐

nant form. In Shudha Vidya State it is possible to ex‐

perience a balance between Sadashiv Tattva and Ish‐

vara Tattva. A new experience of diversity‐in‐unity and

identity (Bhedabheda) is resulted. The unity of Shiva

and Diversity of Universe, ready to appear ahead, are

seen as two different parameter but also identical to

each other. Experience and Universe may have dis‐

tinct boundaries yet they merge in each other.

We can understand this through Dvaita‐Duality,

Vishishtadvaita‐Qualified non‐duality, Advaita‐Non‐

duality.

First level is called Dvaita – duality. Then second level

is Vishishtadvaita – qualified non‐duality and third

level is Advaita – non‐duality. They correspond to;

they are similar to, not same. Bheda, Bheda‐

bheda and Abheda. So duality means two, separation,

Self and the other.

Visishtadvaita means qualified non‐duality; I am relat‐

ed to the one. Advaita means not oneness not twoness.

It is a negative term it is A‐Dvaita, there is no duali‐

Lalitha Sahasranama


ty, and it does not mean oneness is there, if oneness

exists, it is a part of the mind. It is the mind that cre‐

ates one two three four. So when the mind disappears,

mind becomes no mind it is called Advaita, non‐dual.

Non‐dual means no other, it does not mean that one

is there, this one two three concept, oneness, joy, eve‐

rything is a part of the qualified non‐duality –

Vishishtadvaita, all experience related to the mind. So

the highest reality can only be explained in terms of

negativity, ‘not this’ ‘not this’ (neti‐neti).

Shri Adi Shankaracharya the Advaita Philoso‐

pher commanded the neti‐neti approach. In his com‐

mentary, he explains that the function of neti‐neti is to

remove the obstructions produced by ignorance. The

negation, neti‐neti, does not have negation as its pur‐

pose, it purports identity. This neti‐neti process gradu‐

ally negates the mind and transcends all worldly expe‐

riences that are negated till nothing remains but the

Self.

So Advaita is non‐dual but it does not say one is there,

because one means two, one two three four becomes

part of the mind. So all your bhava bliss comes in

the Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita. In Dvaita you try to

see, you try to worship one in many, that’s why so

many deities are there. In Vishishtadvaita you feel re‐

lated to all of them. In non‐duality that oneness

and twoness disappears, it is a state that cannot be

explained by words, any words will miss the point.

Oneness is below this, Advaita is not oneness, it is

not twoness, and it does not speak of oneness. Neti‐

neti explains the expression of something that is inex‐

pressible; it expresses or explains the essence of that

which it refers to when no other definition can be giv‐

en to it. The knowledge of neti‐neti‐neti is Shudha

Vidya and the pure Knowledge of Wisdom gives per‐

fume that spreads in all directions. Devi chews betel

leaf with the spices which give perfume in all direc‐

tions signifies the perfume of Wisdom.

Hanuman Jayanti signifies the Vedic analysis of nega‐

tion – Neti Neti. The wisdom of ‘what you are not’ is

the essential meaning of Neti Neti ‐ Atatwam Asi ‐

Thou Art Not that. Savikalpa Samadhi is very useful to

understand the mind of the universe. Whatever you

see in the world has come out of the mind of the God,

mind of the universal consciousness. Savikalpa Samad‐

hi can be used to understand the relative truths of the

universe, but you cannot understand the Self (subject)

through Savikalpa Samadhi because Self is not an ob‐

ject. When you drop all the objects of the world in‐

cluding the mind and the body by saying 'Neti, Neti,

Neti', “not this, not this, not this”, then you go back to

'Atma'. You realize the Self by knowing that 'I am not

the body, I am not mind, and I am not the intellect, I

am the pure consciousness'. So, that is called Nir‐

vikalpa Samadhi. The mind becomes totally silent.

There are two ways of silencing the mind, Manolaya

and Mano Nasha. When the mind is absorbed in some‐

thing, it is called manolaya and when ignorance of the

mind is totally destroyed, it is called manonasha.

When somebody asked Hanuman, ‘What is your rela‐

tionship with Shri Rama?’ Hanuman said, ‘When I

open my eyes and I am identified with my body and

mind, Shri Rama is my master, I am his servant, this is

Savikalpa Samadhi. When I meditate, I feel connected

to Shri Rama, this is manolaya and when the mind has

transcended the meditative process and I am in the

state of Samadhi or fusion, then I do not find myself

different from Shri Rama. I am one with my Lord’ this

is manonasha. This is the process of meditation, pro‐

cess of shifting awareness from the gross to subtle to

causal to transcendental and becoming one with Uni‐

Hanuman Jayanthi


versal Consciousness, Universal Reality, Supreme Real‐

ity, one’s own Self and Divine Self, the ‘I am’ principle

in one and all – Atma Rama.

People get immersed in doing things out of which they

derive immense happiness and their mind becomes

silent for some time. Mind becomes one with the ob‐

ject, but to understand the reality, you must drop the

mind and be one with the subject. The process of

dropping the mind is ‘Neti, Neti, Neti’.

Hanuman Jayanti also signifies Hanuman’s Loyalty to

the Lord – Atma Rama; loyalty to the Higher Self ‐ The

Consciousness within us. Every year Hanuman Jayanti

is a call for us to be loyal to the higher self within. The

monkey mind to evolve to the Hanuman Conscious‐

ness.

There was Sri Rama Pattabisheka, after Rama Killed

Ravana, and Rama and Sita are back in Ayodya there is

a coronation for Rama. That time Sita is pleased with

Hanuman's service, Mother Sita gives one pearl neck‐

lace to Hanuman as gift, every monkey in the astan is

jealous of Hanuman, because only Hanuman got a

great gift from Sita maa and Sita maa has not given gift

to anybody, that too pearl necklace which is worn by

her.

Hanuman takes that necklace and cuts open one by

one the beads, he chews it cuts open, he chews it cuts

open each bead and see what is inside and throws it

out. The whole necklace is destroyed. All the monkeys

are angry on Hanuman because he destroyed the gift

given by Sita Mata. Jambuvanta comes and asks Hanu‐

man. ‘Why did you do that’? Hanuman said, Neti! Neti!

Neti! My Lord! Sweet Lord Rama was in them. He re‐

plied to Sita maa, ‘Maa, I cannot accept any thing

which has no Sri Rama in it!’Z‘In Sita ma's pearl neck‐

lace, I wanted to see if Rama was there in the pearls, if

Rama is not there in the pearl, it is not useful for me.

There was no Rama in any pearl and I dropped it’.

So, who is this Sita ma? Prakruti is Sita, and Sita ma

gives lot of gifts and you all are like monkeys. Every‐

thing is gift from nature; everything is like pearl, what

gift you don't have from nature? Everything is from

Sita ma, and instead of seeing what is there in the gift,

you get attracted by the gift. If you see closely, deeply

in the universe, there is nothing but you get attracted.

So many things attract us. What we are not attracted

to tell me, the smell of dosa, ok, a beautiful diamond

necklace, a beautiful person, girl or boy, a beautiful

painting, we are attracted to all external things, but

like Hanuman we don't go deep into the subject, we

see only outside and we are trapped. If we look deep

into the object, we find nothing there.

Scientist look at the world, the physical solid world,

they put under the microscope, there is no more solid,

it is made up of atoms and molecules. Little more you

see, what is there? Sub particles are there, you still see

deeper, there is neither atom nor molecules, there is

only energy, you see energy, and there is nothing

there.

So, Hanuman understood nothing in the world is

worth having, deep inside there is nothing, Rama in

ananda ‐ Bliss, and that Bliss is not in any objects, so,

where is the bliss. In the object there is nothing, so,

you have to go to the subject. You have to go to Shiva.

If you go behind Shakti, you will get trapped, because

it will be very attractive, ultimately you cannot find

any truth there. To find the truth you have to go in‐

side, you have to go with the attitude I am not the

body, I am not the mind, I am not the intellect, I am

the witness inside, with that feeling if you go, you are

able to find truth. The truth, which liberates and you

can find that the Self is inside.

Hanuman is Lord Shri Rama’s servant. He is a monkey

who attains tremendous power to lift a mountain and

fight a war with mighty demons while he is working as

Lord Rama’s servant. The mythological monkey char‐

acter Hanuman, in spiritual terminology is the

‘monkey mind’. Hanuman is a historical reality at the

physical level. At the spiritual level, Hanuman is pow‐

erless ‘monkey mind’. Lord Rama represents the inner

Consciousness, Purusha or Purushotthama. When the

‘monkey mind’ is tuned to Lord Rama or becomes Shri

Rama’s servant, he acquires mighty power as the focus,

attention, concentration is on Rama. This is Dhyana,

tuning to Universal Reality. The ‘monkey mind’

evolves to the Hanuman Consciousness.

~ Prabhuji


Lord Cows the Jivatma Back to himself

Bhagavad Gita stands for the song of the lord. It's a bit

strange, we always sing for the lord. We sing the glories

for the lord. But why should lord sing for us? Why

should god sing for human beings? That is Bhagavad

Gita ‐ the Song of the Lord.

We are children of god, of lord. When we sing glories of

the lord, when we sing prayers of the lord we are calling

the divine mother and father. When the lord sings for us

Bhagavad Gita it is call from the lord for all his children

to come back, back to home. That is Bhagavad Gita.

Bhagavad Gita is a text, is a song, written by Shri Veda‐

vyasji. It is a part of the vast text called Mahabharata.

Mahabharata is a story of two warring communities ‐

Pandavas and Kaurvas. Pandavas are fighting for dhar‐

ma, of justice and Kauravas are fighting for selfish rea‐

sons. Sri Krishna guides the army of the Pandavas to the

victory. Mahabharata has more than one lakh shlokas.

Bhagavad Gita is one section of Mahabharata. You have

to understand the significance of Mahabharata and sig‐

nificance of Bhagavad Gita.

Mahabharata is not only a story of two warring groups.

It is a story of humanity. It is a story of all human be‐

ings. It is said that you can’t find a character of human

being who is not portrayed in Mahabharata. In the world

you see we have variety of human beings – good, bad,

cunning, trenchers, honest, enlightened, unenlightened

‐ so many variety of human beings. Mahabharata is a

psychological portrait of all types of human beings, and

characterization of their behavior patterns. It is one of

the greatest psychological studies of human beings.

That’s why it is said ‐ you will not be able to find a single

human being whose character is not portrayed in Maha‐

bharata. If Mahabharata is psychological portraying of

human beings, Bhagavad Gita is the spiritual call for the

human beings. The spiritual message behind psychologi‐

cal profiling.

This Bhagavad Gita is called yoga‐shastra, is called Brah‐

ma‐Vidya and it is given as a conversation between Lord

Shri Krishna and Arjuna in the battlefield. Bhagavad

Gita is a cream of all Upanishads, ‘Sarvoupnishado gavo

dogdha gopal nandan, partho vtasa sudhibhokta’. All

Upanishads are like cows. Shri Krishna is taking milk,

the essential cream of Upanishads and giving it to the

child ‐ Partha or Arjuna.

What is Upanishad? Vedas are vast ‐ a large number of

revelations, divine revelations, which happened, which

our Rishis, the enlightened beings, got from the lord.

The essential message of Vedas is taken and given in

Upanishads. Upanishads are the last section of the Ve‐

das. It is called Vedanta. The essential meaning of Ve‐

das is given in Upanishads. The Vedas are vast ‐ so

many numbers. Upanishad are many. Lord Shri Krish‐

na brings the cream of the message of Upanishads in

the form of Bhagavad Gita and Shri Vedavyas Maharshi

pens this Upanishads message in the form of Bhagavad

Gita ‐ in the psychological profile of human beings call

Mahabharata.

What is Upanishad? Upanishad is something which

will uplift you. Upa means upwards ‐ Nishad means

‘takes’. Upanishad also means to sit near, to sit at the

feet of Enlightened Master, Sadguru, and listen to the

scripture of truths. As you listen and understand the

truth, the truth starts transforming our inner being.

This process is called Shravana, Manana and

Nidhidhyasa. Listening to the truth from the master,

internalizing it and meditating, contemplating on the

truth – is what is called Upanishad. And the truth up‐

lifts you. The vast section of Vedas, the message of that

Vedas is in Upanishads. The message of Upanishads is

in Bhagavad Gita. That is why Bhagavad Gita is the

cream of the essential spiritual knowledge. That is why

Bhagavad Gita is Brahma Vidya and Yoga‐Shastra.

Brahma Vidya means the knowledge of the supreme

reality. That is message of Upanishads ‐ knowledge of

supreme reality.

We have two kinds of knowledge in the world ‐ the

knowledge related to the world – be it engineering,

medicine, how to cook, how to do cycling, astrology,

astronomy ‐ which are required for us to make a living

in the world. This is called lower level knowledge –

Apara Vidya. Whereas, there is a higher knowledge

which uplifts you, purifies you, which enlightens you,

which elevates you. It is not knowledge about skills for

living – it is knowledge of life itself. Knowledge of who

we are. Knowledge about what am I. Knowledge about

what is reality. Knowledge about how can I become

more evolved person. That is called Para Vidya. Upani‐

Gita Jayanthi

P a g e 1 0 D i v y a J y o t h i

shads, Bhagavad Gita come in the category of Para Vidya

‐ highest supreme knowledge. There is nothing higher

than Para Vidya. The knowledge which uplifts you,

knowledge which liberates you, knowledge which brings

meaning to our life is called Para Vidya. Unfortunately

in our schooling system, our education system ‐ we have

a good exposure to skills for living, Apara Vidya, but our

skills for life, the knowledge of life, the knowledge which

uplift us, the knowledge which makes us better human

beings, the knowledge which liberates us, Para Vidya,

there is no exposure. Bhagavad Gita brings the highest

knowledge of Para Vidya in the form of brahma vidya,

knowledge of the reality.

Here, Shri Krishna is the teacher and Arjuna is the stu‐

dent. Shri Krishna is Sadguru, Enlightened Master and

Arjuna is the Shishya. For understanding Bhagavad Gita

we have to understand that Arjuna is a representation of

a human being. Arjuna is a representation of me, you,

and all human beings. Whereas Shri Krishna is the lord.

Shri Krishna is the master of universe. He is also our

Self, our inner Self – Paramatma. Bhagavad Gita is a dia‐

logue between Jivatma, Arjuna, and Paramatma, Shri

Krishna. So I would say Bhagavad Gita is Atmagita. It is a

song of the supreme self. It is a dialogue between

Jivatma and Paramatma. This is what Bhagavad Gita is

about. Bhagavad Gita brings a fresh message, a new mes‐

sage, an ancient message ‐ the message of the spirituali‐

ty. The message of reality. Message which uplifts.

Bhagavad Gita is not a scripture for one religion. Bhaga‐

vad Gita is a universal scripture. The message of Bhaga‐

vad Gita is universal in nature. It is applicable to all liv‐

ing beings. So when you study Bhagavad Gita, when you

think of Bhagavad Gita, when you contemplate on Bha‐

gavad Gita ‐ understand that you are Arjuna and Lord

Shri Krishna is our innermost self ‐ Paramatma. Arjuna

is the jivatma and Lord is the Paramatma. The lord

sings, lord cows the jivatma back to himself. This is the

essential message of Bhagavad Gita.

~ Prabhuji

The Avadhoota – One Who Has Shaken off all Worldly Desires.

Today, we are celebrating Datta Jayanthi. Dattatreya is the First Guru or Acharya who ever incarnated into the cosmos. Datta was born to sage Atri and Anusuya. Atri stands for enlightened one ‐ beyond triguna and anusuya means evolved one (one without jealousy). Sage Narada, instigates Laxmi, Parvati and Saraswati about the fame of Anusuya’s pativratya – devotedness to her husband. They send Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma to test Anusuya who approach Anusuya in the form of three monks seeking Bhikhsa on the condition that she offers biksha nirambara‐naked. She changes the three monks into children and feeds them breast milk. The story symbolizes that we need to bare ourselves in front of Lord. When we really become naked by baring our heart, Lord becomes child! Divine child is born in us. Laxmi, Parvati, Saraswati, request Anusuya to re‐lease their husbands. Anusuya releases the three chil‐dren. She gets a boon of having divinity as children. Shiva is born as Durvasa, Vishnu as Dattatreya and Brahma as moon.

Symbolism of Dattatreya

Dattatreya has three heads ‐ representing the qualities of Brahma,Vishnu, Maheshwara. He has lotus in one hand ‐ representing liberation. Trishul in another hand representing ‐ the wisdom which removes three pains – Adhidaivika, Adibhautika and Adhyatmika.

Adhidaivika means pertaining to the daiva or fate, un‐seen forces and gods. Adhibhautika means pertaining to the bhuta or living beings. Adhyatmika means per‐taining to the Atma or the body (and the mind).

He has conch in one hand representing the creative sound Omkar and creation while the other hand car‐ries japa mala representing meditation. Four dogs near

Dattatreya Jayanthi


Datta’s feet represent Vedas indicating that Vedas follow enlightened like dogs following the master. Dattatreya had twenty‐four Gurus. He named them as follows:

1). Earth ‐ Patience and Love ‐ not losing patience even when somebody digs.

2). Water ‐ Modesty of water quenching thirst of every‐body.

3). Air ‐ carrying fragrance/foul smell without getting affected.

4). Sky‐ Vastness of heart, living in a unattached way (clouds)

5). Fire ‐ burns all impurities.

6). Sun ‐ Multiple reflections in water like the Self re‐flected in many bodies.

7). Pigeon ‐ gets trapped in net seeing loved ones trapped. Similarly, we get trapped in the body.

8). Moth ‐ gets burnt by fire. Ignorance should be burnt by fire of knowledge.

9). Python ‐ waits for food to come to itself ‐ Patience and contentment.

10). Sea ‐ in spite of many rivers merging, ocean remains same. Should not cross morality in spite of temptations

11). Elephant ‐ trapped by hunter by female elephant ‐ not to be attracted by sensual pleasures.

12). Fish ‐ falls prey for bait on the hook. ‐ Not to be tempted.

13). Ant ‐ Continuously works and hoards food ‐ Miserli‐ness..

14). Pingala ‐ dancer who earns money from people ‐ suffering caused by receiving.

15). Arrow Maker ‐ Concentration in making arrows.Z16). Children ‐ state of happiness.

17). Moon ‐ Waxing and waning. Not applicable to body.

18). Deer ‐ caught by hunters by sweet music ‐ trap by sense organs.

19). Birds of prey ‐ Birds get chased by other birds while carrying a prey and becomes free when prey is dropped. Let go attachment and become free.

20). Maiden removing bangles to reduce noise ‐ solitude for peace of mind.

21). Snake ‐ never builds nest. Monk should use place available. Snake sheds skin. Likewise enlightened one sheds the body.

22). Spider ‐ creates web from its saliva. Atma creates world by its own nature.

23). Caterpillar ‐ trapped by wasp, constantly thinking of wasp due to fear becomes wasp. Constantly thinking of enlightened master, one becomes enlightened

24). Honeybee ‐ Collect honey from various flowers. Collect wisdom from various sources.

~ Prabhuji

Skanda Sashti Tarakasura Samhara

Today is Skan‐

da Sashti.

Skanda Sashti

also known as

Subramanya

Sashti is ob‐

served on the

sixth day of the

auspicious

month Mar‐

gashira Masa.

This day is

dedicated to Lord Subramanya, also known as Skanda,

Kartikeya, Murugan, Shanmukha and Velayudhan,

who on this day, is believed to have annihilated the

mythical demon Taraka. Celebration of Skanda Sashti

commemorates the destruction of evil by the Supreme

Being.

The Mythological story of birth of Skanda is as follows.

There was an Asura called Tarakasura who had boon

from Lord Brahma that only a child born from Shiva

and Parvati can kill him. Shiva was in deep meditation

and in no mood to marry. Parvathi daughter of Par‐

vatha Raja was doing penance to marry Shiva. Devatas

plan for the marriage by disturbing meditation of Shi‐

va through Rati and Manmatha. Lord Shiva burnt

Manmatha into ashes by opening his third eye. Later

he married Parvathi and millions of years pass, but the

child is not born. Agni out of curiosity visits Kailas in

the form of a bird. Semen of Shiva fell on Agni who

dropped it in the river. The child was born in the river.

He was taken care by six mothers ‐ Karthika stars. He

was called as Karthikeyan, he is the Senadhipathi ‐

Commander in Chief of the armies of Devatas. Devatas


represent the divine qualities and Asuras represent the

demonic qualities in us. Karthikeya is the Adi devata for

those divine qualities represented by the Devatas. The

Divine Mother presented the Vel Ayudha to Kumara

Swamy as an embodiment of her Shakti or power wield‐

ed by Lord Kartikeya, or Skanda, embodies discrimina‐

tion and spiritual insight. Its blade is wide, long and

keen, just as our knowledge must be broad, deep and

penetrating.

Why six faces? The divine Consciousness, the positive

qualities in us gets activated as the energy moves from

Muladhara to Ajna. This is represented by the six faced

God, Subramanya and this journey from lower Con‐

sciousness to higher Consciousness is represented by

chieftain of divine armies, represented by six faces.

Karthikeya is the Chief, Adi Devata for all the six chakras

in the body ‐ Muladhara, Swadishtana, Manipura, Ana‐

hata, Vishuddha and Ajna. The divine energy flows

through the chakras hence he is called Deva Senadipathi.

Adi Devatas for each chakra:

Muladhara – Ganesha; Swadhishtana – Shakthi; Manipu‐

ra –Surya; Anahata – Vishnu; Vishuddhi – Shiva; Ajna –

Guru; Sahasrara – Sadguru.

The divine qualities in us move us from a grosser level of

existence to subtle to a causal and transcendental level.

For an ordinary or mythological folks, divine forces rep‐

resent divine beings who fight demonic forces perpetual‐

ly. In reality these divine forces are the pull within us

from lower to higher, from grosser to subtle, from matter

to Consciousness, these are the forces of divine. They are

represented grossly as physical light. Subramanya, the

six faced god represents, the Consciousness in six centers

of human beings at our six chakras, Mooladhara to Ajna.

So, the birth of Karthikeyan heralds the upward move‐

ment of Kundalini energy in Sadhaka. The demon, Tara‐

kasura ‐ undefeatable demon represents the ego which

has survived millions of life times. The marriage of Shiva

and Shakti in Sahasrara heralds the march of Divine Ar‐

my lead by Lord Muruga.

~ Prabhuji

Margashira Masa ‐

Brahmi Muhurtam

for Cosmos

Margashira masa is

the period when

transition from

Dakshinayana to Ut‐

tarayana happens.

Month of Margasira

(November‐

December) as per

traditional calendar is considered as very auspicious

month. Shri Krishna in Srimad Bhagavadgita says:

brhat‐sama tatha samnam gayatri chandasam aham‐

masanam marga‐sirso 'ham rtunam kusumakarah Bha‐

gavad‐Gita – 10.35

Of the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brhat‐sama,

and of poetry I am the Gayatri. Of months I am Mar‐

gasirsa [November‐December], and of seasons I am

flower‐bearing spring.

Shri Krishna speaks of the Glories of Himself as the

Supreme Reality in the Vibhuti Yoga – 10th Chapter of

Bhagavad‐Gita. Consciousness is the substratum of

everything in manifestation. The earth, plants, planets

and stars, living and non‐living all are nothing but ap‐

pearance in the Supreme consciousness. The creation

is not different from the creator. Wave cannot be

different from the ocean nor from water. All that is

seen and unseen are nothing but consciousness only –

Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma.

The Self – Atma is the basis and support behind every

form of power, movement, intellect, and life in this

universe. It is the power by which one sees, hears,

smells, thinks, loves, hates, and desires object. Then

why should Shri Krishna specifically mention about

the month of Margasira, Sama Veda etc.? When the

principle of consciousness manifests as time and

space, every month should be same. Then why Mar‐

gasira masa is mentioned specifically?

One year of human being is considered as one day of

the Devatas (consciousness of heavenly bodies – like

stars, planets). The period of movement of Northward

Margashira Masa


movement of Sun called Uttarayana is considered as the

day of the Devatas and Southward movement of Sun is

called Dakshinayana. These are traditionally referred as

path of Light and Path of darkness. Margashira masa is

the period when transition from Dakshinayana to Ut‐

tarayana happens.

In this pious Margashira masa falls the Dhanurmasa.

Dhanurmasa is not an independent month like the

months of Chaitra Vaishaka etc. The start of the

Dhanurmasa is marked by the entry of the Sun in the

Dhanur Rasi (Sagittarius) called the Dhanuh Sankrama‐

na; hence the name Dhanurmasa for this month. During

this month, the sun transits the Dhanur Rasi until it en‐

ters the Makara Rashi at the end of this month. Dhanur‐

masa starts with Margashira shukla ekadasi (the elev‐

enth day in the bright half of the lunar month of Mar‐

gashira) and extends up to the end of Dakshinayana. So,

the period extending between Dhanus Sankramana and

Makara Sankramana is the auspicious Dhanurmasa Peri‐

od.

In other words, the Devatas start waking up. In case of

human beings we speak of Brahmi muhurtam – the aus‐

picious period just before dawn. The mind is full of pure

qualities – satva during this period – very auspicious for

meditation. By analogy what happens in microcosm

(humans) happens in macrocosm (cosmos). The month

of Margasira is the brahmi muhurtam for cosmos! In

other words, the totality representing the cosmos is very

conducive to spiritual practices. Getting up early in the

morning and doing meditation and spiritual practices is

recommended practice during this month to utilize the

cosmic energies conducive to the spiritual upliftment.

Sri Dattatreya – a great realized soul was born in this

month. Karthikeya – Lord of the divine army was also

born in this month. Vaikunta ekadasi and Geeta Jayanthi

are also celebrated in this month. Overall, the month of

Margasira is the most auspicious month for spiritual

practices. Let us do our Sadhana during this period for

the purpose of Self Realization and Service.

~ Prabhuji

Children’s Day Celebration – My Dream of Spiritu-

al Education for All

'Spiritual education is the process of dropping self lim‐

iting beliefs, thought processes by understanding true

nature of Self and Universe'

Today is Children’s day Celebration in India. The Uni‐

versal Children’s day is on 20th November 2014. Chil‐

dren's day in India is celebrated on Pandit Nehru's

birthday as a day of fun and frolic, a celebration of

childhood and Nehruji's love for them. Children’s day

celebration is a call for all the parents and teachers to

remind about the complete education system that is

very holistic. Are we imparting the knowledge needed

for our children through Pancha Maha Yagna and Apa‐

ra vidya and Para Vidya. Our ancestors have prescribed

Pancha Maha Yagnas ‐ Deva yagna (worshipping God),

Pitr yagna (taking care of elders), Manushya yagna

(helping people), Bhuta yagna (taking care of animals),

Rishi yagna (learning and teaching the Spiritual

Truths) as way of living to bring Dharma into our life.

As I read and teach the Upanishads – the most ancient

and profound spiritual Truths, it becomes more and

more clear to me the value of Spiritual education. I get

fascinated by the young students – Nachiketa, Bhrigu

and others sought Truth and meaning of life. During

the Vedic period, education system was well devel‐

oped. There was focus on education for life involving

study of subjects like astronomy, Ayurveda, archery,

mathematics etc. and also students were encouraged

to enquiry into the nature of life itself to learn art of

living. The subjects for making a livelihood were called

‘apara vidya’ – lower level knowledge and subjects re‐

lated to life itself are called “Para Vidya – higher level

knowledge”. This is complete education – very holistic.

Many of my students who are in their middle age ex‐

claim –“ if only I was taught this earlier in my life, my

life would have been beautiful – I would have been

spared of so much of confusion in life”. We have a

good education system today. We teach children sub‐

jects like Science, Mathematics, history, and lan‐

guages. We teach our children how to be successful

and competitive in life. In other words we teach chil‐

dren skills for making a living. What is the result?

Open a newspaper after any examination result. Invar‐

Children’s Day


Birthday Speech by Shri Prabhuji

For whom is the Birthday!

Usually people will never question about life and

death. When someone dies, you will go and you will

see them and feel bad. But the question or thought

that ‘I will die’ will never come. Most of the people will

never get this existential question. In Mahabharata

there is a story of Yaksha. The Yaksha asks Dharmaraja

a question, “What is the most wonderful surprising

thing in the universe?” Dharmaraja says, “The most

surprising thing in the universe is, people see others

die and cry but they will never think that they will

die.” Why do they have to worry about death? What is

the need to worry about death?

Until you think about death you will never think about

the birth. If you don’t understand about death you will

never get the question why you are born. If you don’t

understand death you will not understand life. Why do

you have to question about death? Because death pos‐

es questions. Birth will not ask that question. The

question asked by the death is answered by birth. The

questions of death will give the answers of life. That’s

why the death, the threat of death, threat of destruc‐

tion that Arjuna faced in Bhagavadgita opened his

mind. When everyone were dying Arjuna got the ques‐

tion, why am I alive? What should I have done? So,

generally while dying, while thinking about a person’s

death they get this question.

If anyone says happy birthday to me, I get that ques‐

tion. Most of the people get the question when they

think about the death, but I start getting this question

when people say happy birthday to me. Ok, why am I

living? What is that I have to do? I start getting these

questions. Many people are afraid when their birthday

is approaching because, they get the thought that they

are ageing, especially in case of girls. Usually for girls

the ageing stops at the age of 22, but now because of

Face book and other modern day technologies your

age can be seen on all these social networking places.

The question is what is the birthday we are speaking

of? Which birthday are we speaking of? What is that

birthday? Is it the birthday of the body? Or is it the

birthday of the mind? Or is it the birthday of the intel‐

lect? Or is it the birthday of the Atma? Which birth is

iably, there is couple of suicides reported. Surprisingly

few of these suicides are those students who have failed

in examination. Even those who have scored high marks

get into depression and commit suicide. What is missing

in our education? The value of life itself is not taught.

The purpose of life is not taught. The way to lead a

meaningful life is not taught. In other words we are not

teaching the “real art of living”.

Obviously, this lacuna cannot be filled by current educa‐

tion system. We need alternate education that supple‐

ments the current education system teaching children

spiritual values. This is where the LADS program (Little

Atmajyothi Dharma Sangha) program is making a mod‐

est attempt. Children in the age group of 10 to 12 are

taught spirituality in a beautiful way through stories,

games and dramatization. In one year, they bloom into

beautiful beings. I feel very happy when parents come

and tell me the changes in the children. I have even

heard how parents and teachers are counselled by young

children. Thanks to efforts of Atmajyothis, Murali,

Smitha, Dhaval and Vaishali and many more this educa‐

tion is spreading. It is my dream to take spiritual educa‐

tion to all those who need through “Ghar Ghar Gurukul

Program”. The objective is to take the life education –

‘Apara vidya’ in the comfort of the home while ‘Para

vidya’ is learnt in formal schooling.

As I recollect the words of teacher of little Atmajyothi

Sriram, I feel very elated. One day Sriram saw his teach‐

er being depressed in the class. He went and asked

teacher for the reason. She said, one of her close rela‐

tives died. She is feeling sad because of that. Our little

Atmajyothi tells the teacher “Atma never dies. It has

moved into another body”. The teacher felt very peaceful

hearing the words of the boy. Sriram is in third stand‐

ard!

May many more Atmajyothis bloom bringing peace hap‐

piness and love all around.

~ Prabhuji

On Birthdays


it? Birth of the body? Birth of the mind? Birth of the

intellect? Birth of Atma? What birthday do we speak

of? ZThe body is a machine, mobile phone is also ma‐

chine, what does it mean if we say birthday for a mo‐

bile? It has a manufacturing date and they are usually

named as 1989 model or 1996 model. We can say the

same for our body. We can just say, this is 1962 model

because body is also a machine. So what birthday you

are speaking of? Body is a machine, the birthday of

the machine is given a manufacturing date. So my

mother and father manufactured this body, this ma‐

chine on 1962 Dec 1st.

Now, is it birthday of the mind? Mind has been trou‐

bling us for billions and billions of years, I don’t know

why it was born. It was born before this body was

born because mind has to decide where the body has

to be born. We should pray, ‘Oh Baba, why did you

get us born billions of years back?” The date of birth is

not known. Mind’s date of birth is not known.

Is it the birthday of the intellect? No, intellect is not

matured at all. The intellect has not developed at all.

Date of birth of the body which is a machine is its

manufacturing date. Date of birth of mind? Mind was

manufactured billions of years back and it is still trou‐

bling us. Manufacturing defect. What about intellect?

My God it has not yet matured. ZSo, is it the birthday

of Atma? Atma has no birth or death. So, when people

say happy birthday I get worried whose birthday is

this? I can’t understand which birthday they are

speaking of. There are two births for human being.

One is the manufacturing date, the day your mother

and father manufactured you, not you, your machine.

Manufacturing date normally is called as birthday and

they give a birth certificate. There is one manufactur‐

ing date for you that is the day your mother and father

produced you, that is called manufacturing date for

your body, not for you, understood? As Atma you

were never born and never dead. No birth and death

for Atma. The first birth is called biological birth, born

from mother is biological birth. There is a second

birth that is when you get the Atmajnana, Self‐

Knowledge. When does the second birth happen for a

human being? When he gets the Atmajnana,

knowledge. ZFirst birth is when you are born from

mother’s womb which happens because of Ajnana –

ignorance, Maya.

When does the second birth happen? When you are

born from the womb of Guru. That is called birth of the

Jnana. Birth from Atma Jnana. You know how much

painful it is when the baby is in the mother’s womb, you

know how much trouble the mother will go through to

give birth to a baby but very few of you know how much

trouble Guru goes through to give a birth to a Disciple,

Shishya. It is much more than the labor pain. In mother’s

womb it is nine months. But sometimes what happens is,

for the Guru, even after nine months the children

(disciples) are not born at all. Forget nine months, even

after nine life times they are not born. ZMany people

used to come to Maa Sharada Devi and ask for mantra.

She never used to give mantra to everybody. When peo‐

ple asked her the reason for not giving the mantra, she

replied, “See, the meaning of giving mantra means that

the responsibility of that Shishya is mine from that mo‐

ment and that Shishya’s liberation is my responsibility.

When a Guru gives a mantra, it is a commitment from

the Guru to the Shishya. If I give the mantra to an unde‐

served person, I have to go behind him nine life times for

him to get liberated.” People these days think that com‐

mitment means only money, I just give some money to

the Guru and I get in return some technology like Man‐

tra, breathing practices etc. Mantra is such a severe com‐

mitment from Guru, that Guru takes a commitment that

until you get liberated he will come with you. So, nine

months, nine life times, ninety life times Guru will take

the commitment to come with Shishya, that is power of

Mantra. So, Guru undergoes lot more troubles to give a

birth. This is the second birth.

So, first birth is from the womb of the mother, second

birth happens from Jnana. Now, which is your real birth?

Second birth is the real birth. Not the birth of the body,

not the birth of the mind, but the birth of the real pure

intelligence, wisdom is the real birth. It is neither the

birth of the body nor mind which was born long back

with ignorance. Body is machine and the mind is trou‐

bling with Maya from time immemorial, Atma has no

birth at all, so what birth has to take place? The intelli‐

gence, the knowledge has to be born. The birth of the

pure intelligence in you, the awakening of the intelli‐

gence in you is called real birth. That is the birth of

knowledge. For some the birth of knowledge will never

take place even after many life times. ZMost of the peo‐

ple will never get second birth, actually when we say

Brahmana, there is a concept called ‘dwija’ means twice

born and the second birth of a person is Brahmana. One

who has taken second birth is called Brahmana, Kshatri‐

ya or Vaishya. One who has taken the second birth is

called dwija. What is happening these days is just be‐

cause they perform ‘Upanayana’ ceremony he becomes a

Brahmana. No, that is not true, only when you get Jnana,

Atmajnana that is the second birth for you. ZUntil you

get Atmajnana Z‘Punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam,

punarapi janani jatare shayanam, iha samsara bahu

dusthare, krupaya phale, pahi murare, pahi murare’. Z

Until we get Atmajnana we are not born. We take birth

in ignorance and die in ignorance. Only when you get

Atmajnana you are born into immortality. When you get

Atmajnana you are born in Bhagavan’s womb, till then

you will be born from your mother’s womb. To be free

from the cycle of birth and death and to be born in Bha‐

gavanta’s womb is called Atmajnana, to be the child of

Lord is Atmajnana. Until this does not happen we cannot

come out of the cycle of this samsara. We will be taking

birth again and again and again, we will struggle in pain

again and again. The day when you get Atmajnana, Self

Realization, that is the real birth for you. That is the day

you are born as the divine child. Other births are from

the physical womb of the mother.

You might have seen or heard that for some of the Jnanis

like Buddha and others, the day on which they get En‐

lightened was on Purnima – full moon day, full moon

light, the reason is the real birth is real Jnana. I am poor‐

na – full, I am infinite is the experience. ‘Poorna madah

poornamidam, poornath poornamudachate, poornasya

poorna madaya poorna meva vashishyate’.

The Lord, the Consciousness is poorna – infinite. The

creation is infinite, in between these two I am stuck

Apoorna. In between Lord and creation, in between Shi‐

va and Shakti, in between creation and creator I am the

finite. When you get Atmajnana, you will understand

that ‘I am poorna’ and that is the reason why Jnanis birth

and enlightenment happen on Purnima, full moon day.

Full moon represents Poornatva, the completeness.

What about the birth of Ajnani, the ignorant? He knows

the date of birth, but it is his body’s manufacturing date.

When does the Ajnani takes birth and die? Actually, he

dies every day. An ignorant person is living in death ac‐

tually. He is not dying on one day he is living in death.

He dies every moment, why? The concept I am the body,

mind and the intellect is the ignorance and this causes

the moment to moment death. Every moment some five

million cells in your body are dying and every moment

millions of new cells are born. What you do not know is

that every moment you are dying and coming out, dy‐

ing and coming out. ZSo Ajnani dies every moment but

Jnani dies only once. Jnani dies when he gets Jnana, in

the sense psychologically we associate with the concept

that I am the body, mind and the intellect, that is psy‐

chological concept. When we understand that I am not

the body, I am not the mind, I am not the intellect and

I am the pure spirit – Atma, that is the real death and

that is once and for all. ZWhat is death? Is there some‐

thing called death? Association with the body is called

birth. Mind is born immemorial and when it catches

hold of the body it is called birth. Mind is born billions

of years back and when it occupies a body it is called

birth. That is called birth in general common parlance.

When the mind leaves the body it is called death. Atma

never goes or comes anywhere, it is immortal and eter‐

nal. The mind changes the body like you change the

vehicle. Then for whom is the death? In reality there is

nothing called death. What happens at the time of

death? The mind goes from this body to another. A per‐

son who is dying changes the body and goes to another

body. He leaves as if it is a dream. He doesn’t experi‐

ence death. But those who are alive they say, ‘Oh he is

dead. So, for those who are alive it appears as if that

person is dying but for the person who is dying, he does

not experience death. The one who dies he does not

understand that he is dying, it is like a dream for him,

and he just changes the body. The death itself, the

physical death itself is a myth. A Jnani because he is not

associated with body and mind he has neither physical

death nor birth. He has become one with the infinite

Self. And that is the real birth. That is the real death

also because that is the better death for the physical

world. Birth in knowledge and death in nature. But

most of them are born in Prakriti and die in Jnana

whereas a Jnani, Atmajnani is born in Jnana and dies in

Prakriti. And the one who dies in Prakriti and born in

Jnana is immortal, eternal – Atma Jnani.

So, when people say happy birthday to me I get upset.

First thing is happiness has nothing to do with birth‐

day. What has happiness got to do with birthday? On

birthday, we get the thought, “My god I am born, and

so many years have passed by, what have I achieved in

my life? What is it that I have to do in life?” This ques‐

tion will arise, I don’t know you get it or not but I will

get it. The birthday is the day when I really start worry‐

ing, “Oh my God so many years are over and I have not



got Atmajnana.” Because human being are born for the

sake of Atmajnana, the only purpose you are born is

Atmajnana. On birthday usually people plan of many

things like having a party, going out for dinner etc. But I

get only one question on birthday, ‘When will I get

Atmajnana? When will I get Self‐realized?’ That is the

only question which is worth asking on birthday. And if

you have not got the Atma Sakshaatkara on the day, you

should really worry on birthday. Why I am living? Why

have I not got Atmajnana?

So, if people say, Happy birthday, where is the happiness

in birthday? Happiness is your nature; happiness is the

nature of your Atma. Nature of the Atma is bliss, nature

of Atma is happiness. So, for whom is the happy birth‐

day? Is it for this machine called body? If Atma

Sakshaatkara happens there is no birthday at all. If you

are Self realized there is no question of birthday.

And then many people come and they say ‘Many happy

returns of the day’. First of all I will be wondering what

is this many returns of the day! What is this many re‐

turns? The God has given so many things, he has given

me a beautiful brain, eyes, ears, body human birth what

else returns you want? Only one return is needed, I have

to be thankful to Bhagavan who has given all this to me.

I have to return something to God, thankfulness to God

that I have got the birth of a human being. Taking birth

as a human being in the first place and then getting an

idea of Self Realization, for that I have to be very thank‐

ful to God. I do not need any returns, I have to give

something in return to God for whatever I have got. Z

When they say many happy returns of the day I start

getting worried. I have taken so much from the world

and I have to return that also. What are the things you

have taken from the world? Body you have taken from

the parents, so, you have to take care of Pitru runa, par‐

ents. Ok? That is called Pitru Yajna. You have to return

it through Pitru runa. ZThis beautiful Prakriti ‐ nature is

given by God, the divine beings and so you have to re‐

turn something to them also through Yajna. ZThen Ri‐

shis have given the most precious things to us in form of

Upanishads, stories etc. – Jnana, you have to return to

them also through Rishi Yajna. ZThen all the human be‐

ings have contributed to my life one way or other to sur‐

vive in this world. How to return to them? Then ani‐

mals, many animals have sacrificed their life for me, I

have to give them something in return. If anyone says

many happy returns of the day my responsibility starts

increasing. I have to return so many things for what I

have got. These returns remind of Yajna. ZSo birthday is

the problem. Birthday reminds me of the Atma, bliss and

I have not got that Atmajnana, Eternal Bliss ‐ Ananda. I

have not understood for whom is the birthday. I have

understood happiness, it is the nature of Atma – At‐

mananda, Atma is never unhappy.

So when people say many returns of the day, I get

scared, “Oh my God, I have to do so many Yajnas, Liabil‐

ities. So, this is many happy returns of the day. ZMost of

the people start worrying, ‘Oh I have become old’. For

some people, birthday means they have become old.

Body got aged, does the intelligence get aged? Many

people start worrying I have become aged, that’s ok that

is physical ageing, what about the intellectual age? Wis‐

dom? Are you growing in wisdom? This is the question.

Did you get Atmajnana? ZOnce ageing starts, one more

thing that starts is an eyeglass. After crossing forty years,

you get eyeglasses. After 40 years age medical reports,

spects and of course thinking about what happens after

retirement. With ageing comes forgetfulness also. Z

There were three old ladies and as they were ageing,

they started forgetting things also. One lady went to the

bathroom and took bath in a bathtub. She did not know

if she was inside the bathtub or outside the bathtub. She

calls her second sister and asks, “Sister I don’t know

whether I am inside the bathtub or outside the bathtub

please tell me.” Then the second sister starts climbing

the staircase to help her first sister. But then she starts

thinking, “Am I going up or coming down? She tells her

third sister, “Oh my God, I don’t know whether I am go‐

ing up or coming down. The third sister says, “You fools

I am opening at the door, someone is knocking the

door.” She was banging her head on the table. ZSo, most

of us while growing old we don’t know which way we are

going. Are we going up or down, are we inside the bath‐

tub or outside the bathtub, is someone knocking the

door or am I just banging my head, and sometimes we

can’t remember before aging itself. Because we don’t

know what is the direction of our life. And for many peo‐

ple the experience of life is not sufficient. ZIn Mahabha‐

rata there is a story of the King Yayathi. Yayathi was the

King who was cursed by Sukracharya that he will be‐

come old at a very young age. Yayathi did not accept the

premature aging. He seeks Sukracharya’s forgiveness,

then Sukracharya tells, “If you can take the age of any‐

body else you will get back your youth.” Yayathi goes

and begs his sons, and everyone denies except for Puru,


loved ones.

But generally humans will never get this question

about life and death. Someone died someone will go

someone will die but the question I will die will never

come. Most of the people will never get existential

question. In Mahabharat there is a story of a being

called Yaksha. The yaksha asks a question, the question

is what is the most wonderful surprising in the uni‐

verse? To Dharmaraya. ‘What is the most wonderful

thing, what is the most surprising thing in the uni‐

verse’? Dharmaraya says – ‘The most surprising thing in

the universe is, people seeing others die but they will

never think that they will die. Why they have to worry

about death? What is the need to worry about death’?

Until you think about death you will never think about

the birth. If you don’t understand about death you will

never get the question why you are born. If you don’t

understand death you will not understand life. Why

you have to question about death? Because death poses

questions. Birth will not ask that question. The ques‐

tion asked by the death, you will get answer by birth.

The questions of death will give the answers of life.

That’s why the death, the threat of death, threat of de‐

struction Arjuna faced in Bhagavadgita opened his

mind. When everyone were dying Arjuna got the ques‐

tion, why am I alive? What should I have done? So,

generally while dying, while thinking about the per‐

son’s death they get the question.

Peace and Love

Prabhuji

who gives his youth to his father. Yayathi becomes

young and Puru becomes old. ZYayathi enjoys every‐

thing in life, but nothing could satisfy him and then he

understands the limitation of enjoyment. Similarly in

our life, how much we try to get, we are never get satis‐

fied. How much ever we earn in life and get in life we

are not satisfied until we get that one thing called

Atmajnana, without Atmajnana there is no satisfaction,

without getting Atmajnana there is no liberation, with‐

out Atmajnana we can never get happiness, until we

get Atmajnana, it is – punarapi jananam punarapi ma‐

ranam, we can never come out of this. ZWhatever we

experience we will not be satisfied, dissatisfaction will

continue until we get self‐realization – Atmajnana. Un‐

til we get Atmajnana we will not experience the bliss.

The purpose of human birth is to get Atmajnana, to get

Self‐realized. ZSo, when somebody says happy birthday,

somebody says many returns of the day, I will really

start worrying about Atmajnana, Yajnas and also I wor‐

ry about so much of karma that I have done, how much

good karma I have done and from that good karma

how can I reclaim my life. So, birthday is the time for

contemplating, really thinking why I am, what I am and

what should I do for Atmajnana. If you do that birthday

celebration is beautiful. ZSo, thank you for all of you for

listening about the birthday celebration.

Celebrate birthday, but think correctly in life, let your

life be useful to you and to others also. Celebrate your

birthday in a beautiful way, don’t think too much of

Atmajnana and start worrying. Only then you get

Atmajnana otherwise life will be troubling you and you

will be troubling others. Take the time of birthday cele‐

bration to contemplate on life and see what service you

can do and Thanks to all.ZAnybody has a question? Z

Forgot to say about one thing, on birthday people cut

the cake and blow the candle. In modern days, cutting

the cake and blowing the candle. People usually say

that we should not blow the candle, we should light the

lamp. Blowing the candle is perfectly correct. It shows

that so much of time has gone in your life and the cake

is the karma that we eat lifelong. Only thing is that you

have to light the lamp inside not outside. Cake is our

karma, we have to eat. Blowing the candle shows how

much life has gone and what are you going to do with

the remaining time in your life. So much of karma is

pending and you have to light the lamp, not outside,

inside. And then we feed others with cake which means

that we share our karma with others that too to our

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Divya Jyothi Dec 2014

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