Along with the countless enlightening messages by Pujya Bhaishri, Day 5 of the Knoxville, USA, Bhagavat Katha culminated in celebrations of the bliss-incarnate Shri Krishna.
Let us Manifest Lord Krishna within us through countless enlightening messages from Day 5 Knoxville Katha
What must one do when death approaches?
This question underpins the entire scripture. Pujya Bhaishri describes the simple answer to be giving up the fear of death. It is a simple fact of life that one must come to accept. How does one overcome this fear? By awakening loving emotion for the Lord. Consider death as a meeting with the Beloved / Master; not the end!
Devotees such as Bhīshma and Parikshit all demonstrate by way of their own mental inclinations at the time of their death how this is done.
Why is Katha rare and valuable to attain?
The life-mantra that nobody’s desires are entirely fulfilled yet nobody’s requirements are left unfulfilled was discussed to recognize the significant value of Katha. Requirements or desires may be fulfilled by efforts, but Katha is received by the grace of the Lord alone.
A strong positive mindset and belief that nothing but the best outcome is assured for every incident in oneʼs life is the fruit of such precious satsang.
Katha is not simply a spiritual form of entertainment but rather an extremely useful means to gain strategies for peace and success in life. Every moment of time invested in Katha yields great dividends and this is why Bhagavat says that even a moment of satsang is extremely precious and difficult to attain.
What is the antaḥkaraṇa chatushtay (four-fold inner conscience/mind) called made of? Who are these Lords Narayan, Brahma, Shankar?
Pujya Bhaishri explains that one single consciousness is known by four different names depending on the role it is playing at the time:
When contemplating, it is called chitta (reason) and is ruled by Lord Nārāyan
When it is reflecting, it is called mann (mind) and is ruled by Lord Chandramā (the moon).
When it is weighing logical arguments and arriving at a conclusive decision it is called buddhi (intellect) and is ruled by Lord Brahmā.
When it is conscious of its own existence it is known as ahankār and ruled by Lord Shiv.
How should one listen to this Katha?
Pujya Bhaishri shared the three primary methods to receive and retain the teachings as well as the three requirements to manifest the truth within them.
(1) Listen attentively and faithfully to the words of scriptures and Sadguru to grasp the concepts;
(2) Singing God’s name – speak, discuss, repeat, sing of the stories, meanings of what was heard to clarify the concepts;
(3) Carefully recollect and repeatedly revise what was heard and spoken of to solidify your understanding of the concepts.
Once this knowledge has been grasped by the heart and is fresh in your mind it will come to your rescue when the time comes to put it into practice.
Sadguruʼs Medical Store
Parikshit calls the Bhagavat the medicinal cure for the ailment of the material world. Sadguru prescribes the medicine but it is the patient’s responsibility to take the medication when the illness manifests. Without a practice of remembrance, one may have the cure at home and not remember in time to save oneself.
Whether or not you understand the potency of the prescribed medication, the Sadguru does, so you must follow his instructions and chant the name of the Lord given by him with full faith and regular practice.
Just as a medical store is filled with innumerable medications but only the one that treats your particular illness is needed, similarly, Bhagavat contains innumerable remedies for happy living. Even if we grasp the one or two techniques vital for us and begin to put them into practice, this is sufficient.
Three requirements for Knowledge
- A unified mind which is achieved by meditation. Bhagavat describes both cosmic and individual meditation techniques leading one to develop a unified consciousness with all of existence. This is vital to grasping the vast nature of Truth.
- A purified mind which is achieved by the mind and senses being constantly engaged in spiritual practices such as restraint.
- Intellectual height which is scaled by the process of continuous reflection.
Four Keys to Peace
To experience lasting peace one need not do anything.
Shri Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 2.71
vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān pumāṁś carati niḥspṛhaḥ
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ, sa śāntim adhigacchati
Which means that the path to peace is in simply giving up these four:
- Desire to attain;
- Desire to retain;
- Attachment;
- Ego.
The root of all is ego, explains Pujya Bhaishri. Lord Shankar is the presiding deity of ego and thus devotion can never be attained without worship of Lord Shiva proclaims Shri Ram!
Devotees have demonstrated that true, lasting peace lies not in attaining anything but in giving up. One experiences only fleeting joy in sensory indulgences. However, experience of the self results in lasting peace. This is the state in which the Lord is manifested within as happiness, peace and bliss.
The Analogy of churning butter with manifesting God in us
Butter is not separate from milk but rather inherent within it. It is manifested by the constant churning process of milk and floats upon the water content of milk as separate from it.
Similarly, the soul, that is eternal and unmanifested, exists within this perishable human body and must be experienced as butter is manifested from milk by the churning process of the words and significance of our scriptures and Sadguru.
You may call it Self-realization or god-realization. This is the state in which Lord Shri Krishna as the soul manifests within.
Stay connected with Pujya Bhaishri for the nectarine tales of Shri Krishnaʼs frolics in the ongoing Shrimad Bhagawat Katha in Knoxville, TN (USA).
