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Video Information: Month of Awakening, 24.04.2020, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Context:
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥
8. Fix thy mind on Me only, place thy intellect in Me: (then) thou shalt no doubt live in Me hereafter.
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥
9. If thou art unable to fix thy mind steadily on Me, then by Abhyasa-Yoga do thou seek to reach Me, O Dhanañjaya.
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥
10. If also thou art unable to practice Abhyasa, be thou intent on doing actions for My sake. Even by doing actions for My sake, thou shalt attain perfection.
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥
11. If thou art unable to do even this, then taking refuge in Me, abandon the fruit of all action, being self-controlled.
~Shrimad Bhagwad Gita (Chapter-12, Verses-8,9,10 and 11)
~ How to attain Krishna?
~ How to meditate upon Krishna?
~ How to fix mind on Krishna?
~ What are the four ways to reach Krishna?
~ What is the role of practice in spirituality?
Music Credits: Milind Date
~~~~~
Be a part of the Live Sessions: https://acharyaprashant.org/hi/enquir...
Want to read Acharya Prashant's Books?
Get Free Delivery: https://acharyaprashant.org/en/books?...
Read 3 handpicked wisdom articles, just for you: https://acharyaprashant.org/en/articl...
~~~~~
Video Information: Month of Awakening, 24.04.2020, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Context:
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥
8. Fix thy mind on Me only, place thy intellect in Me: (then) thou shalt no doubt live in Me hereafter.
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥
9. If thou art unable to fix thy mind steadily on Me, then by Abhyasa-Yoga do thou seek to reach Me, O Dhanañjaya.
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥
10. If also thou art unable to practice Abhyasa, be thou intent on doing actions for My sake. Even by doing actions for My sake, thou shalt attain perfection.
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥
11. If thou art unable to do even this, then taking refuge in Me, abandon the fruit of all action, being self-controlled.
~Shrimad Bhagwad Gita (Chapter-12, Verses-8,9,10 and 11)
~ How to attain Krishna?
~ How to meditate upon Krishna?
~ How to fix mind on Krishna?
~ What are the four ways to reach Krishna?
~ What is the role of practice in spirituality?
Music Credits: Milind Date
~~~~~
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Shreemad Bhagavad Gita chapter 12 verses 8, 9, 10 and 11.
00:15Fix thy mind on me only, place thy intellect in me, then thou shalt no doubt live in me
00:25hereafter.
00:27If thou art unable to fix thy mind steadily on me, then by Abhyasayog do thou seek to
00:34reach me, O Dhananjay.
00:36If also thou art unable to practice Abhyas, be thou intent on doing actions for my sake.
00:44Even by doing actions for my sake, thou shalt attain perfection.
00:48If thou art unable to do even this, then taking refuge in me, abandon the fruit of all action,
00:56being self-controlled.
00:57The question says, after speaking on the way to the manifest and the unmanifest, Shri
01:08Krishna here speaks of four ways of worshipping the manifest.
01:16So now, how to know which of these four ways is most suitable for a seeker?
01:25We shall first of all understand these four ways.
01:29They have been beautifully enumerated.
01:33The first way, the topmost one, is the Sahaj way.
01:40Krishna prescribes no method there.
01:42He says, Arjun, just come to me and be seated in me, be affirmed in me pretty steadfastly.
01:54Just do it, simply, obviously, instantly.
02:00That's the Sahaj way.
02:02Do it directly, Arjun.
02:04If you really are sincere and if you really have love for me, then do it right now, right
02:10here, right away.
02:11What are you waiting for?
02:14What do you require a method for?
02:17Nothing is needed.
02:20You have the intention, you really want it, you aren't fooling yourself, I am here.
02:29Come and be settled in me and that's it.
02:35So that's the way for someone who is very dedicated, very sincere.
02:40Such a person requires no method, no training, no education.
02:43He just needs to be given an opportunity.
02:46He probably does not even need to be given an opportunity, he will create an opportunity.
02:51So that's the first way.
02:52He is saying, simply let the mind move into the truth with ease.
03:02So this is the most subtle way possible of attaining Krishna.
03:08Simply let the mind move into Krishna.
03:10And as we said, one requires great sincerity and great love for this to be happening.
03:18Then he says, if you cannot do that simply with ease, smoothly, absolutely frictionlessly,
03:28then the way of Abhyas is for you.
03:32With Abhyas you will be able to do this.
03:34What kind of Abhyas and practice is Krishna referring to?
03:38Krishna is saying, the mind is conditioned to move towards objects and perceive only their surface or periphery or form.
03:53Develop the practice of penetrating further.
04:00Let truth be your practice.
04:02The moment you would look at something and you are in no position to not to look at things.
04:11Being embodied, you would look at things.
04:13So whenever you look at something, don't just rush into easy and cheap conclusions.
04:22Ask what is really going on?
04:25What's happening?
04:26What am I experiencing?
04:27Where are my experiences coming from?
04:29What is this feeling?
04:30What is this thought?
04:31What is this reaction?
04:32To whom are these things?
04:35From where do they arise?
04:37From which center do they come?
04:41That has to be your practice.
04:43You could even say, if you want to put it in a more classical context, Krishna is asking
04:49here that Arjun practice, Koham, who am I?
04:55What's going on?
04:57Or you could put it in many different words, different ways.
05:03But Krishna is actually asking Arjun to be curious, attentive, pay attention Arjun, what's
05:11going on?
05:13The way you are configured, your biology does not really mandate you to be attentive.
05:23You can go about life even in attention.
05:29You can continue to live even in attention.
05:33Attention, therefore, is not really necessary or compulsory to continue living biologically.
05:43Even if you have no attention, you might still live for 70 years.
05:47Therefore attention has to be practiced.
05:49It will not come naturally or biologically to you.
05:54It has to be a thing of practice.
05:56Biologically, all that comes to you without practice, without any kind of effort is your
06:03biological tendencies.
06:06You have to understand this.
06:09Nobody ever says that you have to practice foolishness.
06:14Foolishness comes by default.
06:18But wisdom has to be practiced.
06:20Nobody said that you have to practice lust.
06:23Lust just comes.
06:25You might be a total fool, an utter retard and still you will find yourself getting sexually
06:33excited once you reach a particular age.
06:36Did you need some practice?
06:38No, you didn't.
06:39It just happened.
06:41But if you are to understand lust, if you are to cross over, if you are to be a master
06:47of your body, then it will require a lot of practice and that will necessarily and obviously
06:53tell you about your predicament.
06:57All the nonsense that happens to you happens on its own.
07:03You do not need to prepare for it.
07:04You do not need to ask for it.
07:08All the foolish things will just keep happening to you as if you have been made to experience
07:15and exhibit foolishness.
07:18But anything that is life-giving, worthy, exalted, beautiful would not happen to you
07:31automatically by way of prakriti or by way of chance.
07:37Beauty and greatness cannot just come to you accidentally.
07:41They have to be earned, achieved by way of practice.
07:45You have to pay the price.
07:46That's what Krishna is saying.
07:49Krishna is saying, Arjun, go against your prakriti.
07:54And by going against your prakriti, you do not really need to resist it.
07:58It's not so much about resistance.
07:59It's much more about understanding.
08:02And that understanding is actually resistance.
08:04I'll tell you why.
08:06Prakriti does not want you to understand.
08:08Therefore, when you understand prakriti, you are actually resisting prakriti.
08:14Have you seen that in the moments when you are totally body-identified, your power to
08:19understand totally diminishes?
08:21Have you seen?
08:23For example, in your moments of sexual excitement, is it possible for you to understand anything anymore?
08:35The whole atmosphere is erotic and you are terribly aroused.
08:40Where is your intelligence right now?
08:43Where is your comprehension?
08:44Where is your wisdom?
08:45You are a sheer animal, aren't you?
08:50That's what prakriti wants you to be.
08:54Prakriti does not want you to understand.
08:56It merely wants you to participate in that primitive cycle.
09:02Therefore, when you understand prakriti, you have actually resisted prakriti.
09:08So you don't need to fight prakriti.
09:10Rather, you can fight prakriti only by understanding it.
09:14And understanding is a much more acceptable, decent and non-violent word.
09:19Simply say, I want to understand you.
09:21Tell life, I want to understand you.
09:24No, I am not fighting you.
09:25I am not spitting at you.
09:26I am not biting at you.
09:27I am not tearing away.
09:28I just want to understand you.
09:30I just want to understand.
09:33That's the reason, the moment you say, I want to understand, you will be offending
09:39many who want to relate to you only in the physical or prakritic way.
09:48Somebody comes to you and says, I love you, with a lot of sentiment and passion.
09:55And if you reply, I want to understand this.
10:00The other person would take offence, serious offence.
10:03See, you have expressed your delicate sentiments.
10:07I love you.
10:08And what did the other person reply?
10:11I want to understand this.
10:14The whole flavour of the moment is gone.
10:17The dish has been spoiled.
10:19When the other person is saying in a semi-erotic way, I love you, you are not supposed to talk
10:27of understanding.
10:29You are supposed to talk of drowning.
10:33He wanted you to drown and you have drowned.
10:35To understand is to be rescued and saved from drowning.
10:41So, prakriti does not want you to understand.
10:45You must understand.
10:46And that's the practice Arjuna is advising.
10:48Arjuna is being advised by Krishna.
10:52Understand what is going on.
10:53Be vigilant.
10:54Ask.
10:56Don't just let your mind carry you away.
11:00Don't just let that wind blow you away.
11:05Pause.
11:08Pause.
11:09Pause.
11:10I understand that the drift is pretty strong.
11:14I understand that the inner force is pretty overwhelming.
11:19It wants to overpower you.
11:20But there is no compulsion for you to be overpowered.
11:25Halt.
11:26Dig in your heels.
11:29Don't be swept aside.
11:32That's abhyas.
11:37So, these are the two ways for the ones who live subtle lives.
11:47The first way was the sahaj way, the obvious way.
11:52Move easily into the ultimate.
11:54Move instantly into the ultimate.
11:56And the second way was the way of abhyas or practice.
12:00Then he realizes, Krishna, that Arjuna probably is not the right candidate to benefit from
12:12either of these two ways.
12:14So, he opens up more possibilities.
12:17He says, fine Arjuna.
12:19If you cannot operate at the level of the subtle mind, operate at the level of gross action.
12:25Do the right thing.
12:29Do the right thing.
12:31That's the third way.
12:33Do the right thing.
12:35Do the right thing.
12:37What does he say here?
12:39If also you are unable to practice abhyas, be thou intent on doing actions for my sake.
12:47Even by doing actions for my sake, thou shalt attain perfection.
12:50Do the right thing.
12:51Act for my sake.
12:53Don't act for your own sake.
12:56Don't be a servant to foolishness or littleness.
13:01Whatsoever you are doing, do it for something as immense and as vast as Krishna.
13:10So, what he is actually saying is, dedicate your life to the right work.
13:14Dedicate your life to the right work.
13:17Do this Arjuna.
13:19If you cannot attain me purely at the mental level, then attain me by dedicating your life to the right work.
13:29Arjuna probably is still not sending out the right wives to Krishna.
13:38So, Krishna finally opens the last possibility to Arjuna.
13:43And he says, alright.
13:45If you cannot do the right work, if you are still a slave to your patterns and if you want to continue doing what you are already doing,
13:54at least dedicate the fruit of your work to me.
14:01The third way is actually, choose the right job.
14:05Quit from your present job and choose the right job.
14:08What is the right job?
14:10The right job is the one in which you are working for a cause that is aligned to Krishna.
14:17That's the third way that Krishna is recommending Arjuna.
14:21Choose the right job.
14:23But Arjuna is saying, you see, there are so many in the people who are terribly afraid of quitting their jobs and enrolling into the right kind of job.
14:31So, what is the fourth option?
14:33Krishna is finally opening up.
14:35He is saying, alright, you continue to be in your old rotten job, but at least dedicate your money to me.
14:42If you cannot quit your job, then you continue doing what you have been doing.
14:46Maybe that's what you are accustomed to.
14:48Maybe that's what your habit is now.
14:50Maybe you are so habituated to misery that you cannot give up on what you are doing.
14:55Then at least dedicate the fruits of your action to me, Arjuna.
15:01That's the least that you can do for me and for yourself.
15:05Are you getting it?
15:07But that's the obviously least preferred way.
15:11Why continue to be in misery by doing the wrong kind of work?
15:18And it is no relief really to be doing the wrong kind of work and then dedicating the fruit of that work to Krishna.
15:32It is a very minimal kind of compensation that you can offer yourself.
15:39Not really advisable.
15:41It is far better if you choose the first way.
15:45And if that's too much for you, then the second option or the third option.
15:50The fourth one is only for the ones with the least developed and the least loving consciousness.
16:01Getting it?
16:03Now the questioner is asking, how do I know which of these four ways is for a particular person?
16:11For every person, the right way is the first way.
16:16Go for the first way.
16:18Now if you cannot bring yourself to meet the demands of the first way, then try the second way.
16:30And remember that even in trying the second way, you have lost out on something.
16:36And be determined that at least the second way you would ensure it works out for you.
16:45And if somehow you are so unlucky or so very lacking in determination that even the second way cannot work out for you,
16:58then only try the third way.
17:01But when you move to the third way, you should be moving with a heavy heart.
17:04You should be knowing that you are already losing out on the best of the opportunities.
17:11You have already lost out on the best two.
17:13Now you have the third one.
17:15There is no way you can afford to lose out even on this one.
17:20And you should not lose out on the third one.
17:23I do not see how someone would want to reach Krishna using the fourth way.
17:31The fourth way, I repeat, is only for terribly unlucky people.