← The Gospel of Swami RamdasHis talks, as recorded by Swami Satchidananda

1951-08-19

Chapter 4

Anandashram, August 19, 1951

30. Karma Affects All

Prem Singh and party, who had been in the ashram for over two months, left this morning. The party took their leave of Papa and Mataji and got into the cart. But Prem Singh walked. Reaching the gate he made a dandavat namaskar towards the ashram bhajan-hall. Then again, having gone a few yards, he made another and yet another after going a few more yards before reaching the Vidyalaya building. Then he was out of sight and nobody knew how many more dandavats he did before he reached the railway station!

It was 2 p.m. Papa was sitting in the bhajan-hall. Iqbal Nath, Natverlal Shah and S were sitting in front of him.

Papa (to Iqbal Nath): Which religious book is most popular in Kashmir?

Iqbal Nath: ‘The Bhagavad Gita’.

Papa: That is true of all places. The teachings of the ‘Gita’ are universal. One who is engaged in karma (action) is affected by it; so also the one who has renounced all karmas. However detached one many live in the world, one is likely to be affected. So, if those who have renounced and those who have not renounced are both affected, why not one engage oneself in work and worry rather than do nothing and worry? Even great saints and avatars, when moving in the world, were affected by it. But in their case the disturbance is only like a wave that comes and goes without touching them inwardly. During the ‘Mahabharata’ war Sri Krishna got angry when challenged by Bhishma. Buddha was filled with sorrow when he saw the miseries of the world. Christ flogged the money-lenders. So when you are in the world you have to face all kinds of things.

31. Ramdas on his Wandering Days – avoid Worldly Contacts

See our own case. Mataji is engaged in so much activity. She is in fact fed up with it. She did so much for these people around her, hoping that they would improve and progress. But she has been completely disillusioned now. She says we made a great blunder in starting this ashram. We could have lived in forests and caves and begged for our food. In fact, Ramdas was for that kind of life. When we left Kasaragod, Ramdas would have gone away wandering. But Mataji would not leave him. She wanted to follow him wherever he went.

When Ramdas took to a wandering life, he was thoroughly reckless. He would stay anywhere and everywhere. He would go without food for days together. When he was fasting, how could his companion eat? God gave Ramdas great power of endurance.

When Ramdas was in Srinagar, he went and occupied the cave in the Sankaracharya hill. Knowing this, the devotees were so much upset that they came and pressed Ramdas to come down from the hill. Ramdas did not listen to them. Winter was fast approaching. Ramdas stayed on there a few days. During his stay he did not even use water for any purpose. Caves and mountains had a great fascination for him. If Mataji were to follow Ramdas, it would be very difficult for her. Of course, she does not mind suffering. She has conquered death and is not afraid of anything. But, her health would have been shattered to pieces. Now, considering the amount of work she is doing here, perhaps it would have been better to wander and live in the forests.

S: When Papa was wandering, as described in the book ‘In the Vision of God’, was not Papa affected by the world?

Papa: Then Ramdas had very little contact with the world. Most of the time he spent in the company of sadhus. Saints are like snake-charmers who, having controlled the cobra, can play with it. Worldly influences do not disturb their inner tranquillity. Their spiritual attainments do not permit the poison of worldliness to enter into their minds. But a sadhaka who is still struggling to attain the goal must avoid all worldly contacts. He must be very careful, and devote all his energy to his sadhana. Some advanced sadhakas, feeling that they are strong enough, engage themselves in worldly activities and often fall. Before one is firmly established in the Reality one should not get into the world-current, which is apt to carry him away. Only those who are even conscious of the Reality can see the world as the lila of the Lord. So long as the ego-sense persists, one cannot see the world as God's lila.

9.30 p.m. When the usual reading of the ‘Bhagavata’ was over, Papa said: "It is said that those who hear the ‘Bhagavata’ will go to Vaikunta. How many of you here would like to go? But remember, the she-buffalo has now delivered a calf. She will be yielding a lot of milk and you can take thick milk and curds. How can you go now? Let Lord Vishnu wait for some time. Is it not? Of course, by that time another buffalo will have delivered a calf, and this will go on and on, so that Vishnu will have to wait for you indefinitely!

All present roared with laughter.

August 21, 1951

32. Renunciation, No Joke

7.45 a.m. A young man from Palghat arrived at the ashram, and was brought straight to the dining-hall for breakfast. He was asked to have a wash before taking coffee. A few minutes afterwards a loud cry was heard. The young man was seen then prostrating before Mataji and was weeping and sobbing like a child. Mataji directed him to go to Papa who was in the bhajan-hall. The moment he saw Papa, he started again crying and sobbing, and fell at Papa's feet. He was saying something which, though not clearly audible, indicated that he had no peace of mind.

Papa: Take Ram Nam, everything will be all right. It is no use merely weeping. Take Ram Nam in earnest.

He slowly calmed down and was taken to the dining-hall for breakfast. After the morning bhajan, Papa gave him the Ram-Mantra. In the evening, he had a talk with Papa whom he requested for permission to stay on in the ashram.

Papa: That is not advisable. Ramdas has given you Ram-Mantra. Now you may go home and repeat the Mantra.

Young man: Swamiji, I do not like to return home. My wife and children have enough money to carry on without my help. I want to take sannyas and need your advice in the matter.

Papa. If you are determined to devote all your time to God, then you may go to a place like Rishikesh and do intense sadhana.

Young man: Who will give me food there?

Papa: One, who is earnest in quest of God, will not worry about his food or such matters. He will rely entirely on God.

Young man: Swamiji, please tell me if I am fit for it.

Papa: One who is really fit will never put such a question. The very question shows that you are not yet ready.

Papa continued: "Complete renunciation is not a joke. It is like climbing up a coconut tree and letting off your hands. You have to give up everything – money, position, name, relations, friends, etc., and rely on God entirely. There are people who take sannyas, keeping a decent bank balance, or having a good pension. What kind of renunciation is it? They simply say they do not depend upon anybody, while in truth they depend upon their assets and not on God. If they happen to hear about the crash of any bank, their mind at once turns in anxiety to their deposit. How can they progress? Spiritual sadhana is not easy. It is as hard and perilous as walking as walking on a razor's edge.”

Young man: Swamiji, you are Ram Himself. You should guide me. You surely know if I am fit or not.

Papa: Ram is also within you. It is on Ram within that you have to depend and not on anyone outside. If you depend on the guidance of Ramdas, how long can you have such guidance from without? It will be, say, for a day or two. After that, what will you do? So depend on Ram within you.

33. Temples, Ancient and Modern

That day the talk before bedtime was about the ancient and modern temples. Papa remarked: "See how nice and holy the ancient temples are. The whole atmosphere there is surcharged with spirituality. The moment you enter them you feel thrills. But the modern temples have not that life in them. During one of his tours Ramdas visited a temple. Lakhs of rupees were spent on it. But the spiritual atmosphere is lacking. Look at the ancient temples. Great men built them. They did not want the temples to be known by the names of the persons who built them. Nowadays the merchants make a lot of money and spend lakhs on such pious acts to wash their sins away. They cannot wash sins off this way. But if they give all they possess in charity and stop earning money in bad ways, they will surely be free of their sins. Remember, all their money must be spent for the service of God."

August 28, 1951

34. The Bond of Affection between Papa and Ramkishor

After his usual evening rounds to the Vidyalaya and hospital, Papa had just returned. Before entering the bhajan-hall he saw Ramkishor running about with his friends in the maidan just outside the ashram. Papa told S who was with him: "See that boy, how he runs. By the time he returns home he is completely tired. Though he is there playing about, his mind is definitely on Ramdas because Ramdas is also thinking of him. His love for Ramdas is so great. He does not care for his mother. He can live away from her, but not from Ramdas. What attachment, what love! He must have had very close connection with Ramdas in his previous births and that too not of an ordinary type, but an extraordinary, strong spiritual connection. Otherwise what relation is there between us? Considering his case, Ramdas often thinks how Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa loved Rakhal. When Rakhal could not be seen one day, Paramahamsa was not feeling happy. He found future greatness in Rakhal. So also Ramdas finds future greatness in this boy."

35. Modes of Imparting Spiritual Power

Swami Ramachandrananda Saraswati, a great devotee of Sri Sai Baba, came to the ashram at 6 p.m. He used to come here often, being a great admirer of Papa. After paying his respects to Papa, he told S that while in Shirdi (where rests the Samadhi of Sri Sai Baba) he got a message from Sri Sai Baba to visit Anandashram and so he took the earliest opportunity to have Darshan of Papa.

After the usual reading of ‘Srimad Bhagavata’ at night, Swami Ramachandrananda was sitting near Papa, conversing with him.

Papa: Did you go to Rishikesh recently?

Swami: Yes, Papa, I was there in May last. I went to Badri also.

Papa: How many times have you been to Badri?

Swami: Twice, Papa.

Papa: A devotee going Badri is pulled towards it again and again. Such is the charm of the Himalayas!

Swami: Papa, this is also Badri. You are the Badri Narayana here. At Badrinath, before the deity we can only meditate. But here, before you, we can also talk.

Papa: Which do you like – talking or meditating?

Swami: Both.

Papa: Ramdas is nowadays talking rather too much. Of course, you know Ramdas usually does not give lectures. Spiritual power is rarely imparted through talks or lectures. More is done through touch, look and thought – through silent communion. In ancient days, our rishis never lectured to large audiences. Talks about high spiritual matters to a large lay audience are practically useless. A large number of them are not able to grasp the subject. That was why the rishis taught only a few select disciples who lived intimately with them. For the awakening of God-consciousness, even talking is not essential. The saint simply looks at a person, or touches him, or thinks of him, and the thing is done. The first method is compared to that of fish that hatches its eggs by simply gazing intently at them; the second to that of a bird sitting on her eggs to hatch them, and the third to that of a tortoise that only thinks of her eggs and hatches them.

Swami: Papa, whenever you are free I want some time with you.

Papa: Yes, you can talk to Ramdas any time you like.

Swami: When I am in your presence, I do not wish to talk at all. Darshan satisfies me and it gives me all the joy I need.

August 29, 1951

36. God Hungers for Love – Story of a Butcher-Bhakta

The usual reading from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna was over at 3 p.m. There were some ashramites and visitors in the bhajan-hall. After taking coffee that was brought to him, Papa said to the devotees: "Ramdas will tell you a story, listen. Once there was a butcher in a small town. He was a great bhakta. Even when plying his trade, he used to take God's name mentally, and in course of time, he found it hard to kill animals. He, therefore, stopped killing. But he had to carry on his business, as he had no other means off livelihood. So he purchased meat and sold the same at a small profit. For weighing the meat the butcher was using a stone which happened to be a salagram the sanctity of which he had no idea. He did not even remember how the stone came to his hands. He was using it for a long time.

"One day, a brahmin, who was passing in front of his shop, chanced to see the butcher placing the salagram on the balance for weighing meat. Naturally, the brahmin was surprised. He therefore asked the butcher to have the stone washed and handed over to him for closer scrutiny. Confirming that it was a salagram he enquired why the butcher used such a sacred stone for weighing meat. The innocent butcher replied that he did not know anything about a salagram or its sanctity. The brahmin then explained to him that salagram was a sacred thing to be worshipped daily with flowers, sandal paste, etc. The brahmin also requested for permission to take the salagram with him so that it could be worshipped along with the other deities in his house. The butcher readily agreed.

"The brahmin took it home and kept it in his pooja-room with the other images of God he had, and carried on the worship as usual with elaborate rituals and costly offering of food, etc. But the deity embodied in the salagram did not like the change. It missed in the brahmin's house the spirit of true love and devotion which it found in the butcher's shop. Unable to bear the loveless worship and company of the brahmin any longer, the deity appeared to him in a dream and said: ‘Why have you brought me here? I was very happy with the butcher who is a true devotee. He was always chanting my holy names and now and then putting me gently on the balance with his own hand. Oh, what a soft had he has! His touch is like a warm embrace. His heart is full of prem. He was talking with his customers mostly about my glories and praising me and repeating my name always. But here, for want of love and devotion, I am not at all happy, though you give me rich offerings and panchamrita abhisheka, and perform elaborate pooja. Please take me back to the butcher so that I can again be happy’.”

After finishing the story Papa added: "God is hungering only for love. He is not satisfied with mere religious forms and ceremonial worship. Pure love and devotion alone will satisfy Him."

37. Daya vs. Maya

In the evening, Papa went for a walk followed by S In the course of conversation about the distinction between worldly and divine love, Papa said; "Sri Ramakrishna loved Hriday who attended on him for many years and who happened to be a relation of his. He used to say that maya is love towards one's own relations, which brings about attachment and bondage. Daya is love for all beings, irrespective of any bodily affinities or relationships. He used to ask his devotee if his love for Hriday was pure or tainted, if it was daya or maya."

S: How could it be maya in his case? Sri Ramakrishna had severed himself from all narrow domestic ties and merged himself in the ocean of divine love which embraced the whole universe. Hriday was therefore to him only one of the wider circle. He loved him only as he loved anybody else.

Papa: That is exactly the point. Sri Ramakrishna would have loved Hriday even if he were not a relation. In fact, he loved Rakhal more. And Rakhal was not related to him by ties of blood. So, relation or no relation was not at all the consideration which weighed with Sri Ramakrishna. He loved those who were pure-hearted and devoted to God. His love was therefore daya and not maya.

September 2, 1951

38. Renunciation, only a means

Early in the morning, DD Joshi of Cannanore arrived at the ashram with a batch of devotees and a sannyasi friend of his who had come from Rishikesh. Papa was in the bhajan-hall. Entering the hall, the party paid their respects to Papa and, after a few minutes, were taken to the dining-hall for tea. Papa also accompanied them and sat with them for coffee. From the dining-hall they all went to the house where the visitors were to stay. There, in the central hall, Papa sat on the floor and the devotees sat around him. The sannyasi friend requested Papa to say a few words.

Papa: Ramdas is only a child before you. He likes to listen more than to talk. So let him have the joy of hearing you. Will you please talk on something?

Sannyasi: Swamiji, why do you say so? What are we before you? We are but you children. Still the father likes to hear the children prattle.

With this preface he talked for over half an hour on jnana.

After the evening bhajan, Joshiji and other devotees were sitting before Papa in the bhajan-hall. Joshiji had certain doubts. He asked Papa about renunciation. Joshiji had been a follower of the path of bhakti, trying his best to lead the life of a true householder. He was not at first assailed by doubts as to the efficacy of his path. But, after he came into contact with that sannyasi-friend and heard his talk on jnana yoga he was beginning to feel disturbed. He wanted to get the matter cleared up, and requested Papa to remove his lingering doubts.

Papa: Never think that you are the perishable body. Always identify yourself with the Spirit, the imperishable, changeless Atman. When you fully realise that you are the Atman and not the body – which you can do only after practising long dissociation from the body – you will not be bound by anything. You are then free. As a true householder, you are to consider that the whole of your property, your wife and children belong to God and that you are only His agent, entrusted by Him with the task of running the household. This is the right spirit in which a householder should carry on his duties. If you are able to adopt this attitude, why should you have to become a sannyasi? Is not every one in your household, verily, the manifestation of Brahman? You cannot easily give up the world as mere illusion. As long as the ego-sense is alive in you, the world is real to you. Having the body-idea you cannot say, ‘I am Brahman.’ And, after all, renunciation is only a means to an end. You have ultimately to realise the whole universe as the manifestation of the Lord, as a part of His lila. Through bhakti you attain jnana and after attaining jnana, you have to go still beyond that to what is called parabhakti. A mere jnani says the whole universe is an illusion. But one who has reached the plane of parabhakti sees the whole universe as Brahman. Then he does not call it an illusion, but as the Lord's lila, though at the same time, he knows the play to be impermanent and transitory and so does not get entangled in it.

So if a householder is able to lead a purely detached life, with the full consciousness that Brahman alone is real and that the whole universe, including his own family and possessions, are nothing but manifestations of God, he will realise Him. There is no need for such a one to renounce the family, as he is fully aware of the impermanence of the world and is not deceived by this passing show. He is absolutely detached and so is happy all conditions. Whether his relations live or die, whether his business fails or flourishes, he ever remains happy and cheerful, being firmly established in the consciousness of the divine.

September 3, 1951

39. Jnana born of Bhakti

Sankara not Properly Understood

Sadhana for Householders

It was about 7 o'clock in the morning. Joshiji was sitting in front of Papa when S entered the bhajan-hall. Joshiji was continuing yesterday's discussion with Papa on Jnana.

Papa said: “Jnana is born in the womb of bhakti and protected by bhakti. The jnanis say that the universe is an illusion. When Ramdas was once in Mount Abu, he was taken to a mahatma living there, known as Swami Kaivalyananda. Going near the mahatma, Ramdas prostrated before him. The latter sprang up and asked Ramdas, 'To whom you prostrating?' Ramdas replied, 'Ramdas is prostrating to Ram.' He asked again, 'Are you not the same Ram?' Ramdas said, 'Yes, Ram is in Ramdas also. He knows he is one with Ram, but at the same time, he wants to be His child and prostrate to Him as a child does to its mother.' Swami Kaivalyananada said, 'Oh, that is all false. The whole universe is an illusion. There is only one, no two'."

Papa resumed the thread of his talk: "To attain the highest realisation, one need not necessarily reject the world as an illusion. It may be that for some time when the mind is fully drawn within, the sadhaka feels that Brahman alone is real and the whole world is unreal. But, after this inner experience, he realises that what he once rejected as unreal is only an expression of manifestation of the Real. There were many bhaktas like Saint Tukaram, Eknath and others who had attained the highest realisation through the path of bhakti alone. They never had to reject the world as unreal.

"A sadhaka on the path of jnana might be able to consider the world as illusion for some time by the withdrawal of the mind inwards, but the moment the mind is externalised, diversities are again observed and the inner conflict will rise up. But a sadhaka on the bhakti path goes on joyously singing the sweet name of the Lord, rejecting nothing and accepting everything as the very embodiment of his Beloved. So his sadhana itself is turned into a sadhya. That is, the means becomes the end. The bhakta finds so much joy in his sadhana that even after attaining his goal, he likes to continue his sadhana, if possible keeping up his individuality, just for the joy of it.

"Sri Sankara was, no doubt, a great advaitin, who proclaimed that Brahman alone is real, but he admitted that the manifest and the unmanifest are both Brahman. He also established various temples and mutts, wrote many stotras glorifying the Divine Mother and also composed songs like ‘Bhaja Govindam’ which lay stress on the value of bhakti. These show that he was not a mere jnani, but had attained the highest stage of parabhakti. Sri Sankara is not properly understood nowadays.

"The most natural and easy way of approach to God is through bhakti. Love begins to manifest itself in us from our very childhood. The child loves and is deeply devoted to its mother and father. As he grows up, his circle of love is gradually widened and he becomes attached to friends and relations besides his family members. This love and devotion to mother, father, etc., has only to be purified and directed towards God. Thus we should look upon Him alone as mother, father, friend, etc. This is a natural and easy process. We start from duality and end in unity.

"The easiest path is to take the name of God. Love Him and sing His sweet name. You need not know anything more. You need not study any philosophy. Ever remembering Him and with His sweet name on your tongue, you can walk on the path blissfully. It matters not whether the world is believed to be real or unreal. For the devotee, everything is but the form of his Beloved."

It was evening. Papa was sitting in the open, outside the bhajan-hall. Joshiji and a few members of his party were sitting in front of him. They were about to leave and asked Papa for a message.

Papa said: "You are all householders. The best sadhana for you is to repeat Ram Nam constantly. Always do your work remembering God, who is dwelling within you. As Sri Ramakrishna puts it, engage one hand of yours in your work and by the other hold on to the feet of the Lord. After the work is over, place both the hands on the Lord's feet. Your mind must always be fixed on God. The mind has a natural tendency to wander. But wherever the mind goes, try to see God there. It cannot go where God is not, because God is everywhere. By such practice the mind will gradually be purified and trained to stay always on God. We should view the world as a drama, as a lila of God. By being ever conscious of the Eternal, the all-pervading Reality, we should at the same time play our parts in the world-drama. We should be detached witnesses of our own actions and also of the world-play. We have to take care not to get attached to the world of diversity, to this passing show. Then only we can enjoy the play."

Joshiji and party, including the Rishikesh-sannyasi, left the ashram after taking prasad around 7 o'clock.