03.29.07
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Podcasts at 9:17 am by David Bruce Hughes
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We continue our commentary on the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, explaining the eternal nature of the soul. Because these comments are extemporaneous, they are only included in the podcast. If you are reading the blog, please download the podcast to get the complete material.
O Pärtha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, unborn, eternal and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to kill? [Bhagavad-gita 2.21]
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. [Bhagavad-gita 2.22]
The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. [Bhagavad-gita 2.23]
This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same. [Bhagavad-gita 2.24]
Discussion Topics
To make this blog/podcast more interactive and to build
our spiritual community, leave a comment or discuss the topics below on our forum at our public forum:
- If the soul is immortal and indestructible, why do we have religious and moral codes that prohibit killing?
- How do we tell the difference between qualities of the material body and mind, and qualities of the soul?
- Have you ever had a spiritual experience? Tell us about it.
- If the soul is completely different from the material body, then what spiritual value is there in practices like hatha-yoga?
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03.26.07
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Podcasts at 8:44 am by David Bruce Hughes
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We continue our commentary on the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, explaining the eternal nature of the soul. Because these comments are extemporaneous, they are only included in the podcast. If you are reading the blog, please download the podcast to get the complete material.
Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.
[Bhagavad-gita 2.16]
Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. [Bhagavad-gita 2.17]
Only the material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is subject to destruction; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata. [Bhagavad-gita 2.18]
He who thinks that the living entity is the slayer or that he is slain, does not understand. One who is in knowledge knows that the self slays not nor is slain. [Bhagavad-gita 2.19]
For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain. [Bhagavad-gita 2.20]
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03.19.07
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Podcasts at 8:51 am by David Bruce Hughes
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We continue our commentary on the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, explaining the eternal nature of the soul. Because these comments are extemporaneous, they are only included in the podcast. If you are reading the blog, please download the podcast to get the complete material.
As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change. [Bhagavad-gita 2.13]
O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed. [Bhagavad-gita 2.14]
O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation. [Bhagavad-gita 2.15]
Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both. [Bhagavad-gita 2.16]
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03.14.07
Posted in Bhagavad-gita, Podcasts at 8:01 pm by David Bruce Hughes
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There comes a moment in everyone’s life when they have an opportunity to hear transcendental knowledge from a self-realized soul. How you value this moment, and what you do with this knowledge, is a function of your ontology. Remember we discussed in previous podcast how a sufficiently robust ontology allows you to value the spiritual experiences that most people tune out.
So here is an opportunity to hear some very special spiritual knowledge. I am going to read a few verses from the ancient Vedic scripture Bhagavad-gita, and comment on them according to our understanding so far. Because these comments are extemporaneous, they are only included in the podcast. If you are reading ths, please download the audio to get the complete material.
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me. [Bhagavad-gita 2.7]
O descendant of Bharata, at that time Kṛṣṇa, smiling, in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna. [Bhagavad-gita 2.10]
The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead. [Bhagavad-gita 2.11]
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. [Bhagavad-gita 2.12]
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03.07.07
Posted in Podcasts, Sri Isopanisad at 1:36 pm by David Bruce Hughes
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agne naya supathā rāye asmān
viśvāni deva vayunāni vidvān
yuyodhy asmaj juhurāṇam eno
bhūyiṣṭhāṁ te nama-uktiṁ vidhema
SYNONYMS
agne—O my Lord, as powerful as fire; naya—kindly lead; supathā—by the right path; rāye—for reaching You; asmān—us; viśvāni—all; deva—O my Lord; vayunāni—actions; vidvān—the knower; yuyodhi—kindly remove; asmat—from us; juhurāṇam—all hindrances on the path; enaḥ—all vices; bhūyiṣṭhām—most numerous; te—unto You; namaḥ uktim—words of obeisance; vidhema—I do.
TRANSLATION
O my Lord, as powerful as fire, O omnipotent one, now I offer You all obeisances, falling on the ground at Your feet. O my Lord, please lead me on the right path to reach You, and since You know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my past sins so that there will be no hindrance to my progress.
PURPORT
The student of the Esoteric Teaching progresses on the path of complete self-realization by surrendering to the Lord and praying for His causeless mercy. The Lord is addressed as agni or fire because He burns the sins of the surrendered soul to ashes. The mantras of Sri Isopanisad describe the impersonal brahmajyoti feature of the Absolute as a dazzling covering over His ultimate aspect as the Personality of Godhead, and pray to Him to reveal His real face.
The karma-kāṇḍa stage of self-realization, which recommends fruitive activities under the rules and regulations of the scriptures, is the lowest stage on the path. We know this school of thought in the West as ‘abundance theology.’ But karmic activities are dangerous; as soon as karma deviates even slightly from the regulative principles of the Vedas, it becomes vikarma, or acts against the interest of the actor. Vikarma means working simply for sense gratification, and all results of activities performed by the living entity in illusory material consciousness become causes of further material bondage and obstacles on the path of self-realization.
There are 8,400,000 species of life in the material world, but self-realization is possible only in the human form of life. The only opportunity to obtain realization of transcendence when the human form becomes qualified by knowledge of the Esoteric Teaching. As we have discussed elaborately herein, the practice of the Esoteric Teaching begins from truthfulness, sense control, forbearance, simplicity, complete spiritual knowledge and full faith in God.
But this is only the beginning. Material qualifications have no value for attaining self-realization. Total enlightenment requires years of specialized education, training and practice. Most people have so much investment in material consciousness and activities that attaining complete self-realization in this lifetime is very unlikely. Nevertheless, even an unsuccessful attempt at self-realization confers very desirable benefits unobtainable by any other means.
“The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy. Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world. On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.” [Bhagavad-gītā 6.41-43]
The Lord assures us that souls fallen from the path of self-realization receive a chance to rectify themselves and progress further. They take birth either in wealthy mercantile families or in families of good brāhmaṇas. Such births afford material convenience, education and sufficient leisure to pursue higher self-realization. If we have these facilities, we should take care to utilize them properly for spiritual advancement. If we misuse them due to illusion, we may lose the blessing of human life granted by the merciful Lord for our continued spiritual progress.
One who understands the ontological principles of the Esoteric Teaching and follows its regulative principles advances from the material platform of fruitive activities to the spiritual platform of transcendental knowledge. The most important principle is to regularly chant the Holy Names of the Lord. One should also study the Vedic scriptures, especially Bhagavad-gita, refrain from eating animal products, taking intoxication, indulging in illicit sex and all gambling and speculation. One attains perfection after many, many lifetimes of cultivating transcendental knowledge when he surrenders unto the Lord.
But if one surrenders at the very beginning, as recommended in this mantra, he surpasses the preliminary stage immediately by devotional consciousness.
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” [Bhagavad-gītā 18.66]
The Lord kindly accepts such a surrendered soul, and frees him from reactions to his previous material acts. Karma-kāṇḍa activities produce many sinful reactions, whereas the sinful activities in jñāna-kāṇḍa, the path of philosophical development, is smaller. But in the path of bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, there are practically no sinful reactions because of following the regulative principles of the Esoteric Teaching.
A student of the Esoteric Teaching automatically attains the qualifications of an expert brāhmaṇa and is therefore authorized to perform Vedic sacrifices, even though he may not have taken birth in a brāhmaṇa family. One who is surrendered to the Lord attains all the good qualifications of the Lord Himself, what to speak of those of a brāhmaṇa. He can make a man born in a brāhmaṇa family as degraded as a lowborn dog-eater, due to performing sinful activities such as meat-eating. And He can make a lowborn dog-eater superior to a qualified brāhmaṇa simply on the strength of his complete surrender in devotional service. That is the omnipotence of the Lord.
The omnipotent Lord is situated within everyone’s heart; therefore He can give His sincere devotees directions by which they can attain the right path. These potent spiritual directions are especially offered to the devotee, even if he desires something else. The Lord directs him from within so that even if he accidentally makes a mistake, he is immediately brought back to the path of spiritual progress.
sva-pāda-mūlaṁ bhajataḥ priyasya
tyaktānya-bhāvasya hariḥ pareśaḥ
vikarma yac cotpatitaṁ kathañcid
dhunoti sarvaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ
“The Lord is so kind to the devotee who is fully surrendered to His lotus feet that even though the devotee sometimes falls into the entanglement of vikarma — acts against the Vedic directions — the Lord at once rectifies such mistakes from within his heart. This is because the devotees are very dear to the Lord.” [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.42]
In this mantra of Śrī Īśopaniṣad, the devotee prays to the Lord to rectify him from within his heart. “To err is human.” A conditioned soul in the beginning stage of the spiritual path often commits mistakes, but the Lord provides a remedial measure against such unintentional sins: one must give oneself up to the lotus feet of the Lord, and beg Him to guide him to avoid such pitfalls.
The Lord lovingly takes charge of souls fully surrendered unto Him; thus we can solve all problems simply by surrendering unto the Lord and accepting His merciful directions. The Lord gives us the sincere devotee directions in two ways: externally through the scriptures, spiritual master and other saints, and internally from the Lord within the heart. Thus the Lord fully protects His devotee by fully enlightening him with Vedic knowledge.
Vedic knowledge is transcendental, and cannot be understood in material consciousness or by any amount of mundane education.
yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau
“One can understand the real meaning of the Esoteric Teaching — pure devotional service — only by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master.” [Śvetasvatara Upaniṣad 6.23]
If one takes shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, he has certainly obtained the grace of the Lord. The Lord appears as the spiritual master for the devotee and instructs the sincere disciple. Thus the spiritual master, the Vedic injunctions and the Lord Himself from within all guide the surrendered devotee. Thus there is no chance for a devotee to fall down into the mire of material illusion. The devotee, expertly protected by the Lord, is sure to reach the ultimate destination of spiritual perfection. The entire process is hinted at in this mantra, and the Esoteric Teaching explains it further:
“Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Esoteric Teaching and by rendering service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.” [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.17-20]
Thus end the Bhaktisiddhartha Purports to Śrī Īśopaniṣad, the knowledge that brings one nearer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
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03.01.07
Posted in Podcasts, Sri Isopanisad at 3:45 pm by David Bruce Hughes
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vayur anilam amrtam
athedam bhasmantam sariram
om krato smara krtam smara
krato smara krtam smara
SYNONYMS
vayuh—air of life; anilam—total reservoir of air; amrtam—indestructible; atha—now; idam—this; bhasmantam—after being turned to ashes; sariram—body; om—O Lord; krato—O enjoyer of all sacrifices; smara—please remember; krtam—all that has been done by me; smara—please remember; krato—O supreme beneficiary; smara—please remember; krtam—all that I have done for You; smara—please remember.
TRANSLATION
Let this temporary body be burnt to ashes, and let the air of life be merged with the totality of air. Now, O my Lord, please remember all my sacrifices, and because You are the ultimate beneficiary, please remember all that I have done for You.
PURPORT
This mantra of Sri Isopanisad confirms that the living entity exists after the annihilation of the material body.
na jayate mriyate va kadacin
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah
ajo nityah sasvato ‘yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sarire
“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” [Bhagavad-gita 2.20]
The Esoteric Teaching states that when the material body dies, the spiritual living entity continues to exist in the same identity. The temporary material body is a foreign growth on the spirit soul. The living entity is never impersonal or formless; actually, matter is impersonal and formless. The living entity is always personal and individual, with an eternal spiritual form. The material body derives its form and design from the eternal form of the indestructible spirit soul.
Material nature responds to the presence of the living entities by creating varieties of temporary material bodies according to their desires for sense gratification. Degraded living entities are given material bodies suitable for eating unclean things like stool — for example, the body of a fly or a hog. Similarly, living entities with a perverted desire for eating flesh and blood may attain a carnivore’s body equipped with suitable teeth and claws. But human beings are not meant for eating flesh. Human teeth are designed to chew grains, fruit and vegetables, although there are two canine teeth so that degenerate humans can eat flesh. I find they are also useful for eating capatis.
However, all material bodies are foreign to the spiritual living entity. The material body changes according to the living entity’s karmic qualifications and desires for sense gratification. The living entity changes bodies, one after another, as he grows from childhood to youth to maturity and old age. Then he takes another body at the time of death.
dehino ’smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” [Bhagavad-gita 2.13]
The best kind of body is the human form wherein the living entity has recovered his complete natural spiritual realization. After this highest kind of material embodiment, the spirit soul gives up the material body, which will be turned to soil or ashes after death, and allows the life energy of the material body to merge into the eternal reservoir of life energy. Then being freed from the need for material embodiment by the process of self-realization given in the Esoteric Teaching, he attains an eternal spiritual form in ecstatic relationship with the Lord in the spiritual world. This is the goal of all processes of self-realization.
The spirit soul performs activities with the material body by submitting different requests to the Supersoul. The Supersoul controls the body through the movements of the life energy, called prana-vayu in Sanskrit. The hatha-yogis especially study manipulating the material bodily prana. They try to elevate the life energy until it reaches the brahma-randhra, the highest chakra at the top of the head. Then the perfect yogi can transfer his existence to any planet in the material world by meditation on the demigod controlling that planet.
But this process is still simply giving up one material body and then entering into another. The spirit soul has been doing this for thousands and millions of lifetimes in this material world. The perfection of changing the body is giving up the material body altogether, entering into the spiritual world. There he attains a completely different type of body — a spiritual body, which never has to meet death or change. This highest process of yoga is described in this mantra of Sri Isopanisad.
No one wants to die or change the body because we are actually eternal spiritual beings. Material nature forces the living entities to change their bodies due to their desires for temporary material sense gratification. These desires range from bacteria and other primitive species to the highest and most powerful material bodies, like those of Brahma and other demigods.
All these bodies, composed of matter in different shapes, are different from the spiritual living entities within them. The living spiritual entity in a hog’s body or in the body of a demigod is the same. The living entity takes on different bodies according to his desires and the karmic results of his activities. But the spirit soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and therefore his real nature is revealed when he separates from the gross material body.
bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma su-durlabhah
“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” [Bhagavad-gita 7.19]
The human body has the potential for complete self-realization. After many, many lifetimes of culturing knowledge of the Esoteric Teaching, the perfect human being surrenders unto the Lord. Spiritual knowledge and self-realization are perfect when we surrender unto the Supreme Lord, Vasudeva or Sri Krsna. We see by experience that even if a person attains knowledge of his identity as spirit soul, if he does not surrender to Krsna, he falls down again into the material world. We must understand that the living entities are eternal parts and parcels of the Complete Whole, Krsna, but can never become the whole. The Vedas proclaim that one must fall down even if he has become one with the brahmajyoti.
naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam
na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam
kutah punah sasvad abhadram isvare
na carpitam karma yad apy akaranam
“Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, is not stable or eternal if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [Supreme Personality of Godhead]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord?” [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.12]
Previous mantras of Sri Isopanisad reveal that the brahmajyoti effulgence emanates from the transcendental body of the Lord. In the brahmajyoti there are many spiritual living entities who have realized their eternal existence. But they grow bored with existence without differentiation or engagement, and develop the desire to enjoy their senses. Therefore fall down from the brahmajyoti into the material world, where they imagine they are enjoyers and controllers, but are actually false lords controlled by the desires of the material senses.
The desire for such temporary enjoyment and false lordship is the material disease of the living being. This disease forces him to transmigrate through the various material bodies under the spell of sense enjoyment. As we have discussed many times in this series, becoming one with the brahmajyoti is not complete spiritual knowledge, nor does it provide eternal liberation from material existence. We can reach the highest stage of self-realization only by surrendering unto the Lord completely, and developing our consciousness of loving spiritual service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This mantra prays to the Lord to grant entrance into the spiritual kingdom of God after relinquishing the material body and material life energy. The devotee prays ardently to the Lord at the time of death, with full consciousness of his past deeds and the ultimate goal. The devotee begs the Lord to consider his devotional service activities and the sacrifices he has performed. In this consciousness, he can transfer his existence to the spiritual world in the next life.
yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail.” [Bhagavad-gita 8.6]
When leaving the body, the mind’s store of impressions unreels like a tape recorder. Therefore we naturally remember our previous life’s activities at the time of death. One who is completely under the influence of material conditioning remembers the heinous sinful activities he performed trying to enjoy his material body, and consequently he gets another material body after death. But one who has dedicated his life to activities of spiritual service automatically remembers his devotional service to the Lord, and attains the spiritual world. Thus the mind carries the living entity’s propensities into the next life, for good or ill.
The devotees develop a sense of love for Godhead by practicing devotional service to the Lord throughout his life. Even if a devotee cannot remember his service to the Lord at the time of death, the Lord does not neglect him. The Lord never forgets the loving service rendered by His pure devotees, and carries his devotees to an exalted destination after death.
ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
“But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form — to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.” [Bhagavad-gita 9.22]
The Lord goes on to describe His intimate relationship with His devotees in:
“Even if My devotee commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination. He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes. O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaisyas [merchants] as well as sudras [workers] — can attain the supreme destination. How much more this is so of the righteous brahmanas, the devotees and the saintly kings. Therefore, having come to this temporary, miserable world, engage in loving service unto Me. Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” [Bhagavad-gita 9.30-34]
Our predecessor Master Teacher Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains these verses as follows:
“One should regard a devotee of Krsna to be on the right path of the saints, even though such a devotee may seem to be su-duracara, ‘a person of loose character.’ One should try to understand the real purport of the word su-duracara. A conditioned soul has to act for double functions: namely for the maintenance of the body and again for self-realization. Social status, mental development, cleanliness, austerity, nourishment and the struggle for existence are all for the maintenance of the body. The self-realization part of one’s activities is executed in one’s occupation as a devotee of the Lord, and one performs actions in that connection also. One must perform these two different functions along parallel lines, because a conditioned soul cannot give up the maintenance of his body. The proportion of activities for maintenance of the body decreases, however, in proportion to the increase in devotional service. As long as the proportion of devotional service does not come to the right point, there is a chance for an occasional exhibition of worldliness. But it should be noted that such worldliness cannot continue for long because, by the grace of the Lord, such imperfections will come to an end very shortly. Therefore the path of devotional service is the only right path. If one is on the right path, even an occasional occurrence of worldliness does not hamper one in the advancement of self-realization.”
The impersonalists deny the facilities and benefits of devotional service because they lack complete knowledge of the Esoteric Teaching, and they are attached to the brahmajyoti feature of the Lord. The previous mantras state that the impersonalists cannot penetrate the brahmajyoti because they do not understand the Personality of Godhead. The impersonalists’ so-called spiritual path is just word jugglery and mental speculation. Consequently all their labor is just fruitless, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita:
kleso ‘dhikataras tesam
avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham
dehavadbhir avapyate
“For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.” [Bhagavad-gita 12.5]
We can easily obtain the exalted state of self-realization described in this mantra by constant contact with the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. Devotional service to the Lord consists of nine transcendental activities:
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hearing about the Lord,
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glorifying the Lord,
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remembering the Lord,
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serving the lotus feet of the Lord,
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worshiping the Lord,
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offering prayers to the Lord,
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serving the Lord,
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enjoying friendly association with the Lord, and
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surrendering everything unto the Lord.
These nine principles of devotional service — one at a time or all together — help a devotee remain constantly in touch with God. Thus, the devotee remembers the Lord easily at the end of life. By adopting only one of these nine principles, the following renowned devotees of the Lord were able to achieve the highest perfection:
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Maharaja Pariksit, the hero of Srimad-Bhagavatam, attained the desired result by hearing of the Lord.
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Sukadeva Gosvami, the speaker of Srimad-Bhagavatam, attained his perfection just by glorifying the Lord.
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Akrura attained the desired result by praying to the Lord.
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Prahlada Maharaja attained the desired result by remembering the Lord.
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Prthu Maharaja attained perfection by worshiping the Lord.
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The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, attained perfection by serving the lotus feet of the Lord.
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Hanuman attained the desired result by rendering personal service to the Lord.
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Arjuna attained the desired result through his friendship with the Lord.
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Maharaja Bali attained the desired result by surrendering everything he had to the Lord.
Hearing, chanting and remembering the science of God is the basic principle of devotional life. The complete Bhagavatam was chanted by Sukadeva Gosvami and heard by Maharaja Pariksit. Maharaja Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva because Sukadeva was the greatest spiritual master and transcendentalist of his time. The deep meaning of this mantra, and of practically all the mantras of the Upanisads, is summarized in Vedanta-sutra and elaborately explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the mature fruit of the Vedic tree of wisdom.
This particular mantra is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam in the questions and answers between Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami at the very beginning of their meeting. Maharaja Pariksit’s main question was: “What is the duty of every man, specifically at the time of death?” Sukadeva Gosvami answered:
tasmad bharata sarvatma
bhagavan isvaro harih
srotavyah kirtitavyas ca
smartavyas cecchatabhayam
“O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.5)
So-called human society today is generally engaged during the daytime in earning as much money as possible or else in shopping for family maintenance, and at night in sleeping and having sex. People think that they have very little time to inquire about or discuss the Personality of Godhead. They have dismissed God’s existence in so many ways, primarily by declaring Him to be impersonal. Therefore they find it difficult or impossible to remember Him.
But in all the Vedic literature — the Upanisads, Vedanta-sutra, Puranas, Bhagavad-gita and especially Srimad-Bhagavatam — it is declared that the Lord is an individual, personal sentient being, and is the supreme controller of all other living entities. His glorious Holy Name, fame, qualities and activities are identical in quality with Himself. One should therefore avoid hearing and repeating the unintelligent activities of worldly politicians and other ordinary men, but should organize one’s life so he can engage in hearing, chanting and remembering God constantly, without wasting a second of one’s precious time.
This mantra of Sri Isopanisad directs us toward such devotional spiritual activities. We must become habituated to the practice of devotional service, so we can remember the Lord at the time of death. When the material body is dying, how can we remember and pray to the almighty Lord unless we have cultured this activity throughout our life? Sacrifice means denying the interest of the senses in favor of the cultivation of devotional service to the Lord. One has to learn this art by employing the senses in the service of the Lord during one’s entire lifetime. “A saint in truth is a saint in youth.” Then at the time of death, one will reap the results of such potent spiritual practice and attain the spiritual world.
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Posted in Community News, Esoteric Teaching at 2:05 pm by David Bruce Hughes
What is the Esoteric Teaching?
Hi, I’m David Bruce Hughes.
I get this question all the time, so I thought I’d write about it here. The answer is simple but not easy. Here’s the straight story:
The Esoteric Teaching of the Vedas is the complete solution to all your problems.
OK, I’ll wait while you stop laughing. Maybe it sounds like a joke, but I’m totally serious.
Look at my picture on the right. I celebrated my 60th birthday a few days ago, and I feel great. Do I look like I have problems?
I’ve been studying and teaching this path for almost 40 years now. In my experience it’s true, and it works. I can honestly say that I have no problems.
The only thing that bothers me is that there are so many unhappy people in the world, and I’d like to help them solve their problems too.
The Esoteric Teaching can work for you too, if you understand it and apply it properly in your life.
I’m here to help you do that. That’s what this website is all about.
Years ago I was like you: anxious, suffering and searching for a solution.
I tried it all: drugs, sex, rock ‘n’ roll, yoga, meditation, Zen, martial arts, religion. Nothing worked.
I kept hitting bottom, finding myself back at that place where my life was falling apart. I was unhappy, existence was a struggle, and there was no end in sight.
Sometimes it seemed useless to go on. But checking out was never an option. Don’t even think of it.
Somehow I kept hoping to find a solution somewhere, and by the grace of God, I did. And so can you.
Just don’t expect it to be easy. I’m giving you the real truth here.
If it were easy, then lots more people would have found it and solved all their problems already. You would have heard about that by now. If it were easy, there would be no need for this website and no need to teach people. I could go and sit under a tree by the beach, and take it easy. (I still will, someday; I just want to help some more people first.)
There are even plenty of people who stumbled upon the same secret I did. But because they didn’t understand or apply it properly, it didn’t work for them. In fact many of them are more miserable and crazy than before.
My commitment is to keep you from becoming one of them. That’s why I offer personalized guidance.
Maybe it’s easier to start from what the Esoteric Teaching is not:
It’s not a religion, church, scripture, cult, self-help group, seminar, book, video, DVD, band, or social networking site. It’s not a philosophy, ritual, mantra, exercise, therapy, hypnosis, affirmations, herbs, drugs or sexual technique. It’s not a multilevel marketing scam, con game or a lie. It’s not science, magic or a miracle.
It’s not like anything else you’ve ever encountered before.
Like I said, it’s just the complete solution to all your problems.
Let’s take a look at what that means.
Most people imagine that if they had a lot of money, power, beauty, fame, knowledge or could give up everything and not give a darn, they could solve all their problems and be happy.
But just read the news. There are so many stories of people with all those things. And guess what? They still have problems and they’re desperately unhappy. Just consider the tragic saga of Anna Nicole Smith. She had it all, and yet lost everything to drugs and alcohol.
Do you think that would have happened if she had solved all her problems? Or even most of them?
There are so many more examples. Actually too much money, power, beauty and fame tend to destroy people. Do you think you would be any exception? If you do, you’re dreaming.
The solution to all problems is not found in money, power, beauty, fame, sex, renunciation or anything material. Actually, money and so forth are the booby prize in life. They don’t solve problems but tend to create them.
And there are thousands if not millions of homeless people who don’t give a hoot about anything. But do you think they’re happy? Heck, they’re more miserable than anybody.
So let’s cross those off the list of possible solutions right now.
But wait: You do already have all the resources to solve all your problems. Everyone does.
Are you conscious? (Hopefully, if you’re reading this, you are!)
Then you have all the equipment required to solve all your problems.
But you need knowledge: knowledge about consciousness and how to use it.
Stop and think about it: consciousness is the most important issue in life.
In fact, in the absence of consciousness, there are no other issues.
But you will find that most of the available information about consciousness is hopelessly confused. And if you try to study it, you will also become confused.
You cannot solve your problems in a confused state of consciousness.
First of all you have to attain clarity about consciousness. Then we can talk meaningfully about solving your problems. If you can change your consciousness, you can change everything. Up to and including the world you live in.
So you need to learn the truth about consciousness. Everything on this site is here to help you do that.
And I am also here to give you personalized guidance. But you have to do the work; nobody can do it for you.
Like I said, it’s simple but not easy.
I learned by hanging out with my teacher and asking questions. I will teach you the same way I learned: just surf the site, hang out with me and ask questions.
My most advanced students have been with me well over a year now, and they are just getting to the point where they can explain the core of the Esoteric Teaching nicely. So be patient. It will take some time. But I promise you will learn everything you need to solve all your problems just by hanging out here and asking good questions.
Is that too much to ask, especially considering the tremendous benefits to you?
Look: I know you’ve heard a thousand pitches like this before. And they all turned out to be bullshit. But what if this is really the one? You owe it to yourself to give it a fair trial.
There’s absolutely no risk to you; I’m not trying to sell you anything; in fact, there is nothing for sale on any of my sites; I’m trying to give you the truth about consciousness and spiritual life.
What do I get out of it? The satisfaction of helping people get the same life-changing benefits I did by sharing how I solved all my problems with the Esoteric Teaching.
So hang out with me here. This is a big site. There’s a lot to learn. Read the books and articles. Watch the videos, and listen to my music and subscribe to the weekly podcast. There’s even a special podcast for Christians. Go through the archives and see what you missed.
Browse and read or hear a little every day. If you have technical skills or scientific interests, get under the hood with me and check out Transontology, which is how I came up with this amazing solution.
But this process requires personalized guidance. You have to ask meaningful questions, or else it isn’t going to work.
So sign up and post your sincere questions on our forum or at our Esoteric Teaching Zaadz pod, and let’s talk.
Sign our guestbook, or subscribe to our newsletter with the handy form at the bottom of the page, so you keep up with all the latest news on our fast-growing community.
The more you participate, the faster you’ll learn. And the faster you’ll solve all your problems!
Very sincerely yours,
Baba
David Bruce Hughes
Master Teacher
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