Dhruva

23 May 1995, Summer Course 1995, Brindavan

Published English.

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Jihvagre Vartate Lakshmi. Jihvagre Mitra Bandhavaha. Jihvagre Bandhana Prapti. Jihvagre Maranam Dhruvam.

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, resides on the tip of the tongue. By the tongue are determined friends and relatives. The tongue can be the cause of bondage. The tongue can also lead to death.

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and justice are the foundations of the universe.

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There is no foundation or virtue greater than . The one who defined, practiced, and propagated for the good of humanity was Emperor . He had two sons. The first was and the second, . had two wives - and . ’s son was and was ’s son.

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These stories are very important for today’s students. When students listen to inspiring accounts of pure souls, their tender hearts can be transformed. There are many changes in the world today. Human life itself is a series of changes - from infancy to adolescence, then to middle-age and senility. An egg becomes a bird. A seed grows into a tree. These are all effects of change. Change is necessary not just in Nature but in humans also, especially, in youth. What kind of change? Ideal transformation. To pride yourself on changing from a boy into an educated man is not ideal change. Ego is not a sign of true transformation. Education must result in the blossoming of humility and obedience. Humility is the jewel of students. Unfortunately, it cannot be found nowadays. In the days of the , students developed human values, contemplated on Divinity and earned the Vision of God.

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The story of Prince was five years old and , four-and-a-half. Once both were playing in the garden. Their father, , was watching them indulgently and enjoying himself. After some time became tired. He ran and sat in his father’s lap. was extremely fond of , the mother of . ’s son, , also ran forward to do the same.

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Suddenly ran forward and flung away from his father. As if that wasn’t enough, she hurt his tender heart with harsh words: "! You may be the King’s son, but not mine. Only a son born of me has the right to sit on the King’s lap. If you want to sit on your father’s lap, the only way is for you to take another birth as my son! This is your fate for being ’s son. In this manner, unleashed arrow-like words at .

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walked back to his mother’s palace. He entered and sat down silently in a corner. Tears were coursing down his cheeks. Some maids noticed his condition and informed . Even when asked by his mother, sat quietly with a tear-stained face. came to know of the incident from her maids. She lamented her plight, ", you had the misfortune of being born to me. I am treated like a maid by everyone in the palace because the King favors the other queen. So how can my son get any respect?" She told , "My son, pray to God and be born to ."

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Immediately replied, "I have no more interest in life after this insult." He blamed his stepmother for her selfishness. went close to him and stopped him, "My son, we should not criticize or blame others. Why? Because the result of that blame accrues to us also. Your stepmother’s words, despite being harsh, will result only in your good. Whatever anyone may say is for your good. Do not blame your stepmother. She has shown you the path of your destiny." Will any mother advise likewise today? But was different. Her name was , meaning "embodiment of virtue ()". She passed on those morals to her son also.

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said, "So what do you want me to do, mother?" replied, "Son! No one can really help another. It is God alone who is the sole refuge of everyone. He alone can fulfill all your wishes. Go to the forest and seek Lord to achieve your desires." Are there such mothers today, who send their five-year-old sons to the forest for penance? She placed her hand on ’s head as blessing and said, "Whether you are in the forest, city, village, mountains, or sea, God is the only refuge of the forlorn. Instead of suffering in the palace, it is much better to delight in thoughts of God in the forest.

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accepted his mother’s words as command, prostrated at her feet and left immediately. A mere five-yearold boy! He did not know what a forest was, the way leading there, how to pray, what pleases God...nothing! Yet, he didn’t pause to worry about these issues. "I must follow my mother’s command. I must undertake penance. I must achieve the Lord’s Vision." There was no thought in his mind besides his goal.

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By the power of ’s blessing, the Divine sage met midway. divined ’s intentions. He asked the lad, "Where are you going, young ? Are you going to play?" said, "Yes, O Divine Sage, I am going to play with God." asked, "Where is God?" answered, "My mother told me to go to the forest and seek Him."

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exclaimed, "O foolhardy child! Don’t you know that most renunciates and knowers of scriptures cannot attain the Lord even after centuries of penance? You are a child. You have no worldly experience. You don’t know about God. How can an innocent, ignorant child like you achieve God? It is impossible!" replied, ", age is not important to the Lord. My mother’s blessing and my determination will take me to the goal."

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tried to dissuade by talking of discomfort, fear and failure. "There are many animals in the forest. Dangerous snakes will pursue you everywhere. Ghosts and evil spirits abound as well. You are accustomed to royal comforts, having no experience in the ways of the world. No, what you have determined is too much." But was firm. "I will never return to the palace. My resolve is a divine one, not a wicked one. God dwells in a pure heart. A decision that emerges from my heart is, therefore, a Divine decision! I will never give it up."

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Today’s students have a glorious lesson to be learnt from . STRONG DETERMINATION - this is necessary for every achievement in life.

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did not give heed to ’s words. "It is my mother’s command. I should follow it even at the cost of my life and prove the value of a mother’s word. I must, and will, succeed. As soldiers are the life of a fort, as a signature is the life of a promissory note, similarly Truth is life to our faculty of speech. I will never give up Truth. - there is no higher than Truth. I am the grandson of , who was a great proponent of . I must be the embodiment of and ." These were the lofty thoughts chasing each other in ’s mind.

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finally admitted defeat. He admired ’s resolve and felt pity for him. He said, "Son! Your determination and purity have deeply affected me. I will come with you for a while." They went to the banks of River . There, instructed , "Dear child, if one chants the Name of the Lord with a purified mind, the Lord appears soon." They had a bath in and whispered into the ear of , the great (twelve-syllable) : .

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After left, found a shady part in the forest, fixed his seat and began chanting the . He chanted without interruption. He forgot his body. However, because of his tender age, he felt hungry and thirsty at times. During the first month, he ate fruits fallen on the ground. In the second month, he ate only tubers and leaves. In the third month, he subsisted on water. In the fourth month, he survived on air. His body was reduced to a skeleton. That is natural for the body. The body is born of food. It is called - sheath of food.

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Within this physical sheath are (sheath of life), (sheath of mind), (sheath of knowledge) and finally, (sheath of bliss). neglected only the . He merged the name of the Lord with his . With inhalation and exhalation, he repeated .

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Next, . clearly pictured in his mind the form of the Lord as described by , which was imprinted in his heart. What is the inner meaning? He recited the Lord’s Name while picturing His Form. And he pictured the Lord’s Form while reciting His Name. Name and Form - this became ’s penance.

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Name + Form = penance () The whole forest became hot due to ’s onepointedness. Sages dwelling there could not bear it. They were astonished that a five-year-old boy could sustain such iron control over the mind. They tried to obstruct his concentration in manifold ways. They created snakes, which circled his body. They sent wild animals and evil spirits to trouble . But nothing could disturb him, much less harm him. thought, "My mother said that God is the refuge of the helpless. So the Lord will take care. I need not worry!" What deep faith he had! When nothing could even distract , the Gods in heaven went to to intervene on ’s behalf.

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’s eyes were closed. He didn’t even want to look at the world. "I do not desire anything belonging to this world," he had decided at the outset. "This body is composed of the five elements. It is bound to collapse one day. But the Indweller has neither birth nor death. That Indweller is God. I have assumed this body for the sole purpose of seeing that Indweller." Gradually, he became so weak that his voice was no longer audible. He repeated in his mind. Finally, the Lord responded. Lord appeared in front of .

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As the Lord came closer and closer, His effulgence intermingled with ’s aura and shone brighter and brighter. Suddenly, finding his heart empty of the Lord’s Form, opened his eyes. He saw the Lord standing in front of him. Smiling, said, "O Lord, as long You were in my heart. Now You are outside me. Are You trying to leave me? I won’t allow it."

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had recognized that what we see outside is a reflection of our own hearts. If you feel that someone is bad, that bad is not in him, but only a reflection of your heart. Your own thoughts, both good and bad, appear to you outside as reflection, reaction, resound.

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Even Lord was taken aback at ’s ideal qualities! The Lord mused, "How surprising that these eternal feelings have entered this young boy! He is enjoying the benefits of many past lives spent in the divine Quest." Thinking thus, the Lord laughed within Himself. had lost his voice but still, he started extolling the Lord. He described all the ten of the Lord and His exploits. He gazed upon the Lord continuously, without blinking. He held the Lord’s Lotus Feet tightly. The Lord asked him, "Child, what do you want?" could not produce any sound. He appealed to the Lord mentally. The Lord touched his cheeks with His Conch and fresh energy coursed through his body, restoring his speech. Then the Lord stood back, clenching His Hands together.

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approached the Lord, closer and closer. The Lord asked him again, ", tell Me what you desire." was so enraptured that the Lord had to repeat the question many times. Finally said, "My Lord! Why do You insist on drowning me in ? You knew where I was, what I was doing and who I was praying to. Otherwise You could not have come here. Knowing all this, don’t You know what I desire? Of course, You do!"

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was talking high philosophy! But God had read two books more on spirituality than ! Lord replied, "Child! The thought that prompted your penance was the desire to sit in your father’s lap. You put this thought into action by performing this penance. But it remains to be seen what your word will be."

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Students should recognize clearly what God was looking for. - unity in thought, word, and deed is the mark of a great soul. "You resolved upon a goal. You acted as per your resolve. Now, I want to hear from your lips: What do you seek?" the Lord clarified.

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replied, "Dear Lord, in ignorance I desired my father’s affection. Unable to bear an ordinary insult, I sought to sit in my father’s lap and enjoy my rightful privileges as his son. I acted upon that resolve. Now that I’ve seen You, touched You and talked to You, I want only You. I craved a drop of water and found Divine Nectar itself. I desired a piece of glass and found a diamond."

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The Lord smiled. ", by thought and deed you desired your father’s proximity. But by word, you desire only Me. Your thought, word, and deed are not in harmony. However, note that the majority lies toward your initial desire. Hence, it is My command that you return to your father’s kingdom and make your mother happy."

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Do you see, how subtle, mysterious, and impeccable are the Lord’s ways? The Lord did appear. He showered grace on the boy in manifold ways. But ’s thought, word, and deed were not in harmony. For such a small fault, poor lost to the Lord! Finally said, "I offer everything to You," and left the decision to . The Lord said, "Son, obey My command. Till now, you followed your mother’s command. Now, I am your father, mother and everything. There is no lasting happiness in the world.

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So beware, beware! I am sending you back so that you fulfill your initial resolution. You must return without hesitation," said the Lord. Having said this, the Lord waited for ’s response.

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said, "It is Your command and I will obey it. No matter what I may experience by leaving You and returning, no matter how disappointing, I will follow Your command." Only after he made this promise, the Lord came forward and took in His embrace. Holding him close, the Lord spoke endearingly to the young lad. "! For God to be earned by such a young boy as you - this has never happened in the world."

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The Lord continued, "! You have to teach much to the world about the glory of the Divine Name. Now I will enter you." A light emerged from the Lord and entered . The boy who was so frail for the past few months was filled with energy and brightness. He jumped up and touched the Lord’s Feet. The Lord disappeared.

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The Lord’s ethereal voice continued speaking to . "Dearest child! You must rule the world as an ideal emperor for many years yet. Your father is repentant. He looks forward to your return, moment to moment. He has given up food and sleep and wants only you. Go back, go back, go back. After you complete the task of ruling the kingdom, I have set aside an exalted position for you. The Polaris Star situated in the midst of the , the Sun and the Moon shall henceforth be called Star. All celestial bodies circle the Star. Even Polaris itself may change but you will be eternal. You are an embodiment of immortality. Your life will be an expression of Bliss." The Lord also promised that would reach Him at the end of his life span.

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Just look at how much Grace overflowed to when he agreed to follow the Lord’s command! obtained immortal fame, the Lord’s constant presence within himself and the Lord’s love. Much, much more than what he originally desired. That is why it is not necessary to ask God for your desires. Just follow the Lord’s commands and His Grace will overflow, unasked.

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The sanctity of the In this manner, the is full of devotion.

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But there is no one today with even a thousandth part of ’s devotion and virtue. The sanctity of is unsurpassed because it contains the lives of such exalted souls. But people neglect this scripture and even cast wrong accusations on it. is nothing but God’s Love, from start to finish. But all cannot understand Divine Love. Some scholars’ interpretations of ’s are atrocious!

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At what age did play with the ? was a five-year old boy! At that age is it possible to interact with as commonly portrayed? went to when He was five years and one month old. He never returned to . Did you not play with your sisters when you were five years old? Can this be perceived as immoral? When asked about ’s behavior, explained it to him in the same way. was a celibate. A perfect celibate delighted in ’s sports with the . Isn’t this surprising? said, "! Do you see as God or as a man? If you consider Him God, you cannot entertain such low feelings. These defects are really in you. You see your own faults outside you as reflection, reaction, and resound. Even if dirt approaches God, it will turn into purity."

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"Ever blissful, granting happiness, embodiment of wisdom, beyond duality, infinite as the sky, primordial, final goal, One, eternal, stainless, immovable, omnipresent witness, beyond feeling, devoid of the three " - such is God.

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God is beyond the three . Will He behave like one trapped in ? Whatever thoughts anyone entertained towards , He was totally pure and unattached. It is true that the related to the body of but even that was not in any immoral sense. The were pure and unsullied. The meaningless interpretations of scholars have stained people’s perceptions of the . God is ever pure and selfless. These scholars cheat people when they look upon God as anything less than Purity itself.

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The return of The tender heart of set an example for everyone. started back toward his father’s kingdom. was informed. In great excitement, sat in a palanquin with , , and and set out to welcome . As walked through the forest he looked like a luminous star. He had so much brightness! He was only five years old. Skipping and jumping, he laughed in pure joy as he ran home.

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jumped down from his chariot and ran forward to embrace . He lifted in his arms and said, "Forgive my faults, son. To me you are Himself. Falling prey to attachment, I was unfair with you. I made your mother suffer in many ways." replied, "Who am I? Who are you? You are not the father, I am not the son. I am , you are , everything is . Where is the question of pardon?" Speaking of unity of the , melted his father’s heart. He taught even to his father!

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said, "Enough time has been wasted already. Come now." He sat in the palanquin and took on one thigh and on the other. In this manner they reached the kingdom full of joy and excitement. witnessed this scene. She had been away from her husband, and her son was in the forest. She had endured a lot of pain. She had spent the many months wondering, "I don’t know what sins have brought upon me this suffering - the pain of separation from my husband and my son. Which woman can live in this manner?" This , who had been submerged in despair, could not contain her joy and excitement on this day. She also took in her arms and played with him joyously.

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’s penance had lasted five months. He came home when he was five years and five months old. And he was crowned as the emperor when he was only six years old! rightly realized that for one who had realized God, it was not a big task to rule over a kingdom. During the coronation, held the royal umbrella over ’s head while and his wives sat on either side of him. The parents felt, "If our son, so tender and young, could achieve God’s Grace, why should we waste our time? Human life is not for enjoying wealth and comfort, but to reach God."

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Only then did recognize the true meaning of the term (man). = + (born of), meaning, child of . All humans should behave like children of , embodying his characteristics. always followed . He defined justice for the good of humanity. The law followed in every court today is based on ’s exposition. Thus, it is our duty to practice as laid down by . After ’s coronation, that very day, his father and mothers left for to spend the remainder of their lives in solitude and meditation.

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ruled for many years and won the love of his subjects by ensuring their happiness. He waited patiently for his merger with the Lord, recalling the Lord’s promise. During his last moments a chariot came from the Lord to take him. told the charioteer, "Where do I need to go? Why do I need to go, when God is everywhere?" He taught the Supreme Truth even to the charioteer sent by God! "You expect me to go to God in this chariot. That is meaningless. God is here, as He is everywhere. I will merge into Him now," he said. He sat down in the chariot and chanted . The light in him merged into the Lord.

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The power of devotion Such sweet, blissful and dharmic stories are found nowhere except in the . You heard the Lord telling Sage yesterday that even God’s Will pales before the power of devotion. God says, "I will gladly accept defeat but never let a devotee down. I am a servant of My devotees. I wait day and night as a watchman in the prayer room of M y devotee! Do you know why? My devotee could express any desire at any time. I want to be present to fulfill his slightest wish. I am the final authority everywhere - except with my devotee. My devotee alone has the final say."

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Through His actions, God has always demonstrated that there is no force greater than the power of devotion. What is , devotion? (attachment to God) is . Within are contained (food), (desires), (cleverness), (attachment, love), (detachment), and (liberation).

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Where did the word originate? Man’s primary need is food, . - the body is a means for observing and it needs food. Next, man needs , desire. The third is , worldly intelligence. It is necessary to know how to live in this world. Next comes - we must love all without distinction.

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These are followed by and . In all these words, the common syllable is 'kti' , 'Bha' from (God), and 'kti' from these words combine to form .

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Therefore, He who grants you , , , , , and is God. is not limited to performing worship, doing and so on. We must offer ourselves to God! We must hold on to in all situations. This is .

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attained victory in every test. He was only five years old. Boys of that age enter our Primary School in the 1st Standard. Meaning, this 1st Standard boy showed such great dedication. Where did obtain such strength? He achieved everything with DETERMINATION. We must achieve with determination also - achieve not worldly victories, but God Himself. We should not fear troubles and give up. Only then our devotion will be blessed with strength from God. For everything, pure Love is the basis.

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A devotee approached and asked, "Master, how can I see God?" Ramakrishna replied, "O madman, you cry for wife, children, and wealth. All your grief is wasted. Cry for God instead. Then you will achieve His Vision, without a doubt." Therefore, we should not cry for worldly ends. '' is water, and '' means eyes. The flowing from your must be offered to none other than ! These are tears of joy.

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Only tears of joy (), not tears of misery, can transport us into the - the sheath of Bliss.

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Everyone must go beyond the , , , and and reach the . You must try in all possible ways to achieve Bliss. For everything, God’s Grace is the foundation. Become worthy of His Grace.