Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 7: Verse 16

Transcript

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Hello, and welcome to another episode of The Bearded Mystic Podcast and I'm your host, Rahul N.

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Singh.

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Thank you for taking out the time today to either watch or listen to this podcast episode.

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Today we will be continuing on with my thoughts on the Bhagavad Gita.

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Today we will be continuing on with our thoughts on the Bhagavad Gita, and we're going to be looking at chapter seven, verses 16 to 22.

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There's a lot to unpack in today's episode, so what I would say is get ready.

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It's going to be a deep episode.

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Some of my favorite verses are in this episode itself.

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Verse 16.

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Listen Arjuna, there are four kinds of humans who are already devoted to me and act for the benefit of all beings.

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There's the arto which is they feel the miseries around them and ask Me for help.

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Jigyasu - They are curious and seek higher knowledge from Me.

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Artharthi which is they seek wealth from me for idealistic reasons to alleviate distress in society.

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And Gyani, their strongest desire is to acquire self-actualizing wisdom by which to know Me.

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So very interesting, we're going to break this verse up as I mentioned earlier.

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Listen, Arjuna, there are four kinds of humans who are already devoted to me and act for the benefit of all beings.

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Very simply, we, we are understanding here that Sri Krishna is talking about people who are already devoted to him.

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So there's, these are four types of devotees, and not only that, they are looking to benefit many or benefit all beings.

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So it's not that they're doing anything out of selfish reasons, they are quite selfless in the sense of they're looking out for others.

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It's not just for themselves.

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So we are going to look at how four kinds of human beings are kind of approaching the Ultimate Reality in their own way.

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So not necessarily through the way that we probably talk about here on the podcast, but we shouldn't discount the other three types of, or the other two types of devotees because in a way we are all interlinked and we all want to work with each other.

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So that's the most important thing I want to say before we go into the four types of devotees or four types of humans who are devoted to Brahman and look for the benefit of all beings.

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Now the Arto Bhakt, which is really, they feel the miseries around them and ask Me for help.

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They feel the misery for their own self.

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They recognize that they are not happy, they recognize that they're miserable, so they wanna do something about it.

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and they wanna do something about all their problems and sufferings, so they feel it.

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They are very intense about it.

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So they ask God for help.

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You know, a lot of people do this where they will do a prayer or ardaas and they will ask for God to give them guidance because that's their support system.

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That's where they get the maximum support from.

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So from asking God, they feel that union, they feel that closeness.

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Not only that, but they also feel the misery for others around them.

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They can see that the world is in distress.

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They can see suffering in the world.

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They can see poverty, they can see the social injustices.

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They wanna do something about it.

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So again, they will ask God for help.

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They will ask this Brahman for guidance, but the moment they do this, remember they're, they're making God into something of nature.

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That's where it becomes Saguna Brahman.

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Now, we obviously always talk about Nirguna Brahman.

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Now that you can't ask anything from Nirguna Brahman.

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The moment you do Nirguna becomes Saguna because for it to help you, it would have to have some attributes.

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Yeah.

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Real meditation is with Nirguna so I want that to be established as well.

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Now, obviously these people pray to God because they want God to interfere in these matters.

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The second type of human here is Jigyasu.

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So they're curious and seek higher knowledge From me.

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The interesting thing here is that these people are seekers.

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A lot of us are probably in this camp where we are seeking.

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We want to know the answers.

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We want to discover the answers.

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We want to understand what this Reality is, how can we understand it?

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And so we look for all types of methods, whether that's doing puja, whether that's doing paaths, whether that's doing prayers, whether that's chanting mantras, whether that's fasting, whether that's doing, you know, the karma kanda type of actions or it's seeking scriptural knowledge, listening to kathas, listening to stories about the the divine incarnations.

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All those type of things are what a jigyasu would do.

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They want to know the truth.

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They're very honest about it.

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They will do their yoga, their acts, which will cause union, and they may go in and out of union too.

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Those are the people who will go in and out of samadhi.

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Those people are jigyasus, they are, they're the true seekers.

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And they will go to different gurus and they will probably Guru hop too, go to one, and then the next one.

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But what they're doing is seeking clarity.

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They want clarity, they're seeking the divine.

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And so they read the scriptures and they are sincere and honest in their searching.

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A lot of people, I hope are jigyasus, they want to seek higher knowledge about Brahman.

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And then he says artharthi bhakt, so the artharti devotees.

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They seek wealth from me for idealistic reasons to alleviate distress in society.

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First of all, they want their desires met because they want to get rich.

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They want to get powerful so then they can help society.

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They want to get money to do charitable acts.

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It's noble, it's nice.

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They want to help society.

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They pay their fair share of taxes.

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They're looking after the, you know, as I said, the Deva of taxes.

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They're doing their work.

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They're doing their thing, but at the end of the day, it's something that's done for an idealistic reason, and they're not really doing things for their own mukti, their own liberation.

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Then the fourth one, which is the most important one, and I hope that the people that do listen to this podcast, that even if you're not at this stage, that you're looking to get to this point where you are the Gyani devotee, the Gyani human being, where you want to have that strong desire to acquire self-actualizing wisdom by which to know Me.

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So having that Brahm Gyana, that, that knowledge of Brahman.

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For me, this is where I want to be.

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That's what I want.

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That's what I really desire.

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So, on a personal note, this is exactly what I am.

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I won't say that I've reached there, definitely, that's what I really want.

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I wanna have that self-actualizing wisdom.

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I want that Brahm Gyana and if I, when I have that Brahm Gyan, I want to actualize it.

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I want to embody it.

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I wanna become it.

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I don't want anything else and if I get anything else, it's a lovely bonus.

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I literally see that my family, my wife, everything that I have, my job, the house, the car, everything.

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It's all beautiful.

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It's a nice add-on.

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It's a nice bonus and I'm so grateful for it because all those things also help me in being a Gyani because I get to truly embody and practice it and see if it works.

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That's the other great benefit of this.

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This person, they want enlightenment.

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Yeah, they, that's the main task.

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That's the main purpose of their life.

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They want enlightenment.

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They want to be jivan-mukt. They want jivanmukti . They want to be liberated by life.

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They don't want to be free later on during death.

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They wanna be free now.

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They want to experience freedom.

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Freedom from suffering and pain in this life.

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Obviously these people are always seeking the highest wisdom because they want to know Brahman and understand that there is only Brahman.

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There is only this Formless, Awareness, nothing else.

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That's the ultimate point.

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Yeah, so the context really of this whole verse is that Sri Krishna describes the four types of devotees, and we must implore which one we are.

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Now, I've shared with you what I am in the comments or, uh, in the WhatsApp community group.

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Tell me which type of devotee are you and what do you hope to achieve from it, and are you looking to evolve to a higher one?

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Now, let's go to verse 17.

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Of these four, the person who is dedicated to acquiring knowledge about Me and engages directly in my service with eka-bhakti, single-minded devotion is most affectionately linked to Me.

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They are extremely Priya or 'beloved' to me, and I think of them constantly.

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Again, a verse that I absolutely love.

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Now, we obviously know that the Gyani Bhakt, the Gyani devotee is the most important one, and even my own Guru would ask and does ask that we become this type of devotee and that's devotee that we should try.

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The minimum is to be a jigyasu bhakt, to be one that is seeking, but to know is the Ultimate.

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Let's break this verse up a little.

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Of these four, the person who is dedicated to acquiring knowledge about Me and engages directly in my service with eka-bhakti, single-minded devotion is most affectionately linked to me.

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So the Gyani devotee is obviously the most dear and most affectionately linked to Brahman.

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Brahman is more, we are more aware of Brahman in this state.

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Yeah, so this shows the importance of wanting to have that Gyana of Brahman, to have that Brahm Gyana, to have that knowledge of Brahman, to have that insights into Brahman.

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Every action that we do is devoted to acquiring and sharing this Gyana.

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That's what we want to do.

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We want to share this knowledge.

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We want to get this knowledge and share it because the more we share it, not only are we remembering this knowledge, but also we are helping others to realize that we are one and the same.

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And here, Sri Krishna talks about it is done with single minded devotion.

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Single-minded.

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That's the only thing we can think about is Formless Awareness, acquiring Formless Awareness.

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Getting the wisdom of Formless Awareness, getting the insights into Formless Awareness.

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Getting that Brahm Gyana is the most important thing for us.

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We are single-mindedly devoted to that.

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We want nothing else.

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Yeah.

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This is the most important thing.

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Nothing else matters.

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Nothing else.

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Even if the best car was in front of you.

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Even if you were told that there's the chance that you can become the richest person in the world.

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And then there's this Brahm Gyana, this knowledge of Brahman, which one would you go for?

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You know what?

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I would go for Brahm Gyana..

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I would wouldn't go for being the richest person.

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If I become the richest person, what's the guarantee that in this life or the next life, I will go for Brahm Gyana or that Brahm Gyana will become an opportunity for me like this.

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That's why you have to be really sure that you want Brahm Gyana.

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It's no little matter.

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Literally, once you come across Brahm Gyana, there's no looking back.

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Really isn't.

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And that's why I think if you asked me this maybe years ago, maybe I would've chosen to be the richest person in the world.

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But now, after having that taste, after being in the perfume of this Brahm Gyana, I don't think I would choose anything else because being rich has nothing on This.

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It really doesn't.

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If I become rich now after having Brahm Gyan is a different matter, but right now the most important thing is that I have the knowledge that is the most highest, the purest of knowledge, the purest of wisdom, and I have to really understand its value and treasure it in my heart.

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This person, yeah they have to renounce their desires, their emotions, their thoughts, and constantly remain in the remembrance of Brahman.

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They just wanna be in that mode of bhakti all the time, in that mode of devotion, because there's nothing else they know.

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They just see Brahman, Formless Awareness.

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There's only Formless Awareness.

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These objects are like waves, bubbles on a, on a wave.

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Not even the wave itself, but Brahman is the water.

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Is a thirsty person gonna look at the wave or is a thirsty person gonna look at water?

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A person who is a Gyani who wants the Truth will be the one that will not look at the wave and wonder how it's going to get the water.

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That person will just go for the water.

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And they are affectionately linked, highlighting the closeness of that relationship.

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Where I would even say there is a complete oneness.

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For example, you will always be in that Formless Awareness and you will not be able to escape it.

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It will not leave you in any way.

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It will always be right here.

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It cannot escape you.

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It cannot leave you, you cannot leave it.

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You don't have a choice now, J Krishnamurti said it's choiceless awareness.

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It really is.

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And being in that is something else.

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But when you add love to it, it's next level.

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That's where ananda-avastha comes in.

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When we enter into that state of true happiness beyond our senses.

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Yeah, that's, that's where it is.

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So remember the closeness of that relationship.

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When Sri Krishna says, most affectionately linked to Me means oneness.

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That's the highest.

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Remember, Brahm Gyana is meant to take you to oneness.

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That's advaita vedanta, taking you to oneness.

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That's the ultimate realization, that there is only one that's it.

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Then Sri Krishna says in that same verse that they are extremely priya 'beloved' to Me, and I think of them constantly.

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How amazing is that?

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It's reciprocated.

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It's not a one way love, it's a two-way love affair.

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You are affectionately linked to Brahman and Brahman adores you just as much.

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Gather from this.

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The more you link with Brahman, the more Brahman links with you.

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Now it may appear to be two.

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Eventually you realize that the two lines that you previously saw, that was so apparent now starts dissolving away.

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Yeah, that's what happens?

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Yeah, that's what happens.

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I mean, there's no other way for me to explain it.

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But anyway, let me explain the verse.

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So they are the most beloved to Brahman or in this case, even to the Guru.

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Even if one really worships Sri Krishna becomes one with Sri Krishna, they will become one with Brahman too.

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And even if you become one with your Guru, what is your Guru - that Highest Reality?

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Because that's where the Guru is always pointing towards.

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Now say you have a Guru and you're really affectionately linked with the Guru, what I found in my life was that the closer I got to Formless Awareness the closer my Guru got to me too.

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Like our relationship got stronger and that's the beauty of having a teacher or a role model or a spiritual friend who really helps you because they think of you too.

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The Guru will constantly think of you as you want to know this Ultimate Reality.

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When they know that you are really after the Truth, you become the most important thing to them too.

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Because most people go to a Guru.

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You can see they, they have crowds of people, but how many people really want what the Guru is talking about?

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Very few.

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And that's why it's so important that we have that right relationship with the Guru or the deity.

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Anyone.

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It's important to establish a correct relationship, align our real desires.

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If you just want to Guru to feel good, the Guru make you feel good for sure, but it'd be surface level.

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If you want that real integrated blissfulness, then Formless Awareness is the answer.

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So constantly remember Brahman and watch how you dissolve into Brahman, and you'll find that even Brahman is seeking you.

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That's exactly what happens.

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You will not be able to escape that oneness then.

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That once you are united, you are united and you'll find that the very thing you are seeking was also seeking you.

00:20:14.172 --> 00:20:15.791
You will discover this.

00:20:16.122 --> 00:20:31.809
This is my guarantee because I can say that happened to me and the more I remember this, the more This remembers me and then the more I remember this, I remember that we are one.

00:20:32.589 --> 00:20:37.347
So it's, that's the importance of remembrance.

00:20:37.390 --> 00:20:45.670
My Guru constantly emphasizes upon remembrance in sanskrit, it is called sumiran.

00:20:47.589 --> 00:20:53.634
How much of our time is connected to remembering that Supreme One?

00:20:54.278 --> 00:21:04.577
The context of the whole verse is Sri Krishna tells us that the devotee that seeks the Gyana is the most closest and most dear to Brahman Itself.

00:21:04.981 --> 00:21:06.392
Then verse 18.

00:21:06.521 --> 00:21:15.634
All four of these noble aspirins are highly evolved, but the persons who live only for Gyana are just like my own Atman, my very own self.

00:21:16.567 --> 00:21:27.674
Indeed, the jiva atma whose yoga is unwavering forever, abides in Me and finally attains Me as their ultimate and final destination.

00:21:29.654 --> 00:21:40.934
Now, Sri Krishna is talking in our language to show us it's a journey, but if you think about it again, what you're seeking is seeking you.

00:21:41.565 --> 00:21:42.884
That's the ultimate answer.

00:21:43.305 --> 00:21:45.025
So anyway, let's break this verse up.

00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:56.069
All four of these noble aspirants are highly evolved, but the persons who live only for Gyana are just like my own Atman, my very own Self.

00:21:58.292 --> 00:22:03.932
Here, let's put it this way, there is no need to look down on anyone.

00:22:06.952 --> 00:22:11.467
All four of these noble aspirants are highly evolved.

00:22:12.737 --> 00:22:16.082
The fact that they're looking for the greater good means a lot.

00:22:18.271 --> 00:22:19.501
They are valuable.

00:22:21.115 --> 00:22:26.105
All are highly evolved beings because their devotion has a larger picture in mind.

00:22:27.125 --> 00:22:27.935
Yeah, that's why.

00:22:28.596 --> 00:22:35.915
But we must remember that the Gyani devotee is just the same as Sri Krishna, or Brahman Itself.

00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:38.314
don't see them as different.

00:22:39.507 --> 00:22:41.836
There's no difference between the Gyani and Brahman.

00:22:42.237 --> 00:22:43.047
Simple as that.

00:22:43.051 --> 00:22:53.423
They're one and remember, live only for Gyana is mentioned, so we have to ask, are we living for the Gyana only?

00:22:54.951 --> 00:23:01.374
He talks about the persons who live only for Gyana are just like my own Atman, my own Self.

00:23:04.923 --> 00:23:11.719
Now people will interpret this as saying, well, people who read the Gita will gain Sri Krishna.

00:23:13.182 --> 00:23:16.986
And Sri Krishna's like, look at the one that I'm pointing to.

00:23:18.288 --> 00:23:20.209
Right now Sri Krishna is not Sri Krishna.

00:23:20.209 --> 00:23:21.648
We've established this earlier.

00:23:21.858 --> 00:23:23.439
He's speaking as Brahman.

00:23:27.199 --> 00:23:40.510
That's another insight a Gyani gives because anyone that doesn't understand will see Krishna something separate to Brahman or will say Brahman doesn't exist, or Brahman is lower than Krishna.

00:23:41.794 --> 00:23:44.463
Those people are fools, ignorant.

00:23:46.238 --> 00:23:53.528
remember Sri, Krishna says if a Gyani is the same as Sri Krishna, or is the same as Brahman, then the matter's clear.

00:23:54.034 --> 00:23:58.874
There's only one Atman, one Brahman, one Sri Krishna.

00:23:59.953 --> 00:24:02.263
There's different names for the same nameless one.

00:24:03.150 --> 00:24:03.701
That's all.

00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:11.931
And once we understand that, this Gita becomes a lot easier to understand.

00:24:14.830 --> 00:24:30.032
Than in the next line Sri Krishna says in that verse: Indeed, the jiva atman whose yoga is unwavering forever abides in Me and finally attains me as their ultimate and final destination.

00:24:30.486 --> 00:24:40.996
Now, the Jiva who is united with Brahman forever lives in Brahman and the whole of existence, there is a complete oneness with existence with Maya and Brahman.

00:24:41.056 --> 00:24:42.645
There's no separation here.

00:24:44.244 --> 00:24:53.978
This jiva only pursuing Gyana is unwavering in their abidance, meaning they are constantly living in Brahman.

00:24:54.738 --> 00:24:56.478
They don't see anything else.

00:24:58.163 --> 00:25:00.953
The screen is Brahman, the light is Brahman.

00:25:03.384 --> 00:25:05.953
The world outside is Brahman, and everything is Brahman.

00:25:06.834 --> 00:25:10.025
They know they're living in Brahman as Brahman.

00:25:11.433 --> 00:25:15.971
And as he says, attains Me meaning attains Brahman.

00:25:16.840 --> 00:25:26.590
So due to their yoga, due to their practice, due to their sadhana, they attain what they always were, which is Nirguna Brahman, the attribute-less one.

00:25:30.748 --> 00:25:34.463
This becomes the ultimate and highest destination.

00:25:34.703 --> 00:25:42.344
This is what we look for, and it is the final destination as I mentioned before, there's no coming back.

00:25:43.223 --> 00:25:50.144
There's no way you can enter back into the world and pretend that nothing ever happened.

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.210
And this is jivanmukti.

00:25:57.017 --> 00:25:59.147
This is where we want to be.

00:26:00.743 --> 00:26:11.790
Remember Sri Krishna says the jiva atman . So now the Jiva removes its ignorance from being the body and mind, being Prakriti and moves to Nirguna Brahman.

00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:26.003
So when I say goes beyond Prakriti, even beyond Saguna Brahman or Ishwara, or God as the creator, sustainer and destroyer, it goes to Nirguna.

00:26:26.647 --> 00:26:29.982
So that's the most important thing to understand in this verse too.

00:26:30.036 --> 00:26:38.976
The context of the whole verse is Sri Krishna talks of how the Gyani devotee is most supreme, even though all four types are highly evolved.

00:26:39.492 --> 00:26:45.863
That Gyani devote attains jivanmukti because there is full abidance in Nirguna Brahman.

00:26:46.133 --> 00:26:48.429
So I just want to emphasize the abidance.

00:26:48.608 --> 00:26:54.695
You're constantly living in Nirguna Brahman, you're constantly living in Formless Awareness.

00:26:56.766 --> 00:27:05.536
And although objects are still around you because of the sensory data from the Jiva, of, the body and mind.

00:27:06.885 --> 00:27:10.516
But remember, you just see them as objects, not what you are.

00:27:12.076 --> 00:27:14.536
You'll see that their existence is because of you.

00:27:16.246 --> 00:27:17.266
That's the difference.

00:27:18.044 --> 00:27:19.574
Let's go to verse 19.

00:27:20.181 --> 00:27:29.746
After many, many births in pursuit of Divine Knowledge, one finally surrenders unto me alone saying Vasudeva sarvam iti.

00:27:30.036 --> 00:27:34.465
'Vasudeva is the vast source of all and is everything'.

00:27:35.230 --> 00:27:37.782
Such a Mahatma is very rare.

00:27:38.628 --> 00:27:40.739
So I'm gonna look at the whole verse altogether.

00:27:42.155 --> 00:27:46.153
It has been a long time that we've been searching for this Divine Knowledge.

00:27:46.153 --> 00:28:04.972
We've gone through many, many births as Sri Krishna says, you know, not just as human beings, but possibly, we've been living so many lives as different insects, animals, plants, different planets, probably, different aspects of the universe.

00:28:06.006 --> 00:28:12.249
So we've had different births and we probably have had a few human births too.

00:28:13.249 --> 00:28:19.999
And we've all been constantly searching for this Divine Knowledge, this knowledge of Nirguna Brahman.

00:28:20.318 --> 00:28:30.730
Knowing what we really are and the purpose of going through those many lives is to get closer to that birth where the Gyana will be revealed to us.

00:28:30.780 --> 00:28:38.895
We'll find that we live in a family maybe that is more associated with the Truth, or at least knows people who know the Truth.

00:28:39.277 --> 00:28:44.426
There'd be circumstances in where you will approach someone, or someone will approach you.

00:28:44.967 --> 00:28:46.267
Who has that very Truth?

00:28:47.807 --> 00:28:50.461
In this life is where Brahm Gyana is available.

00:28:51.271 --> 00:28:54.551
One receives it and attains a possibility of jivan mukti.

00:28:54.557 --> 00:28:56.432
This is the only opportunity.

00:28:58.276 --> 00:29:04.756
In this life, you will get it, and you should see that in this life you must.

00:29:06.489 --> 00:29:26.256
If you listen to this, for example, if the algorithm has got you to listen to this podcast or watch this podcast, this means to me that somewhere somehow you've been searching for this, that even these algorithms cannot hide it from you.

00:29:29.276 --> 00:29:37.715
That's the beauty that we have to understand because to come across such things is very rare.

00:29:39.306 --> 00:29:40.715
Very, very rare indeed.

00:29:42.112 --> 00:29:44.422
So what we need to do next?

00:29:45.142 --> 00:29:49.332
The next stage is to surrender our ignorance to Nirguna Brahman.

00:29:51.031 --> 00:29:52.791
That's what we need to surrender to.

00:29:52.791 --> 00:29:57.942
So we finally surrender to Nirguna Brahman.

00:29:58.392 --> 00:30:00.301
That's what Sri Krishna means by 'Me' alone.

00:30:00.638 --> 00:30:04.078
Remember, what is the only thing, what's the only omni-present thing?

00:30:05.298 --> 00:30:15.981
Nirguna Brahman Here Sri Krishna uses a different name for Nirguna Brahman, but again, it's a name that will mean a lot to Arjuna.

00:30:16.662 --> 00:30:20.031
So he uses the word Vasudeva sarvam iti.

00:30:20.969 --> 00:30:25.864
That Vasudeva is the vast source of all and it is everything.

00:30:26.310 --> 00:30:34.433
So one thing is it states here how, Brahman is vastness itself.

00:30:35.686 --> 00:30:42.886
So we should understand how vast Brahman is and how it is the only thing there is.

00:30:43.817 --> 00:30:45.356
All there is, is Brahman.

00:30:45.666 --> 00:30:48.307
That's all, literally.

00:30:50.318 --> 00:30:51.519
All I know is Brahman.

00:30:52.749 --> 00:30:54.038
That's the state of the Being.

00:30:56.236 --> 00:31:07.355
And then we see Brahman as everything and the only thing, such a being that says this feels this and becomes Brahman is very rare.

00:31:08.076 --> 00:31:11.976
Sri Krishna is already saying it now, to Arjuna such a person is very rare.

00:31:16.776 --> 00:31:21.221
Now you've gotta ask this question, are you going to be one of those rare ones that will get it?

00:31:21.881 --> 00:31:25.121
Or will you be the many that will listen, but go their own way?

00:31:26.861 --> 00:31:30.560
Just remember you're all evolving to that Highest Truth anyway.

00:31:34.971 --> 00:31:52.551
The context of the whole verse is that Sri Krishna guides how rare the mahatma is, yeah the mahatma, he uses the word mahatma, that great soul, that great being is that surrenders to Brahman and sees Brahman as the only thing and source of all existence.

00:31:56.595 --> 00:31:57.714
Verse 20.

00:31:58.230 --> 00:32:14.717
Conversely, those whose discernment has been stolen by their hunger for pleasure making offerings to the lesser devas of material nature seeking benefits from them, the deva they choose to adore reflects the bias of their own unique material nature.

00:32:15.789 --> 00:32:45.826
Here we see that Sri Krishna is being a bit critical and maybe critical for a reason, because I would even go far to say here that if you make Sri Krishna a deva of material nature, that he has a physical form , that he can be seen in a form, he has a physical location, then you can understand that those people are in a bias of some sort.

00:32:46.037 --> 00:32:49.119
Someone who seeks Brahman cannot be biased in any way.

00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:50.619
It's impossible.

00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:54.660
What can you be biased about, something that is Nirguna, attribute-less?

00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:58.750
You can only be biased towards something that has an attribute.

00:32:59.769 --> 00:33:02.086
And what have people made Krishna into?

00:33:02.086 --> 00:33:02.717
An attribute.

00:33:03.717 --> 00:33:10.383
Sri Krishna is Brahman and people have lowered Sri Krishna's stature.

00:33:14.123 --> 00:33:31.596
When I say people, the people like in ISKCON or people who see Krishna as the Highest, as in the physical form of Krishna, the historical form of Krishna, the spiritual Guru Krishna.

00:33:33.646 --> 00:33:40.819
Essentially what Sri Krishna here is saying and giving a warning as if looking into the future and seeing what could happen to him.

00:33:41.789 --> 00:33:44.700
He knows that we just want to meet our own desires.

00:33:44.849 --> 00:33:46.440
That's why we ask for things.

00:33:46.444 --> 00:33:48.690
That's what we desire, that's what we look for in life.

00:33:48.900 --> 00:33:51.779
So, you know, when people ask you what is the purpose of life?

00:33:51.779 --> 00:33:53.942
What, what is your goal for life?

00:33:53.942 --> 00:33:54.272
What?

00:33:54.542 --> 00:33:55.803
What's your five year plan?

00:33:55.807 --> 00:33:56.563
10 year plan?

00:33:56.563 --> 00:33:57.452
20 year plan?

00:33:58.542 --> 00:34:09.945
Have you ever heard someone say mukti or jivan-mukti You only are going to go for what you really desire.

00:34:17.472 --> 00:34:25.112
Someone who is jivan-mukt may still get everything of material nature because they are the ground of all existence.

00:34:26.472 --> 00:34:28.777
You see the difference here.

00:34:32.286 --> 00:34:37.567
If you can capture this very subtle thing I've just said, let me know.

00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:40.389
I need to know in the comments that you captured it.

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:41.920
Message me.

00:34:42.070 --> 00:34:43.659
Message in the WhatsApp community group.

00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:48.032
Let me know one way or another, on Instagram DM me.

00:34:49.112 --> 00:34:51.141
I think you can now DM me on TikTok too.

00:34:53.177 --> 00:35:05.782
Email me beardedmysticpodcast@gmail.com You'll find the answer.

00:35:06.875 --> 00:35:07.762
Tell me your answer.

00:35:09.527 --> 00:35:14.585
If all we want is pleasure and not spiritual attainment, that's what we are going to get.

00:35:15.304 --> 00:35:15.664
Pleasure.

00:35:17.304 --> 00:35:24.574
If we cannot think straight, when we desire anything big or small, necessary or unnecessary, then our viveka has been stolen.

00:35:24.695 --> 00:35:25.235
Simple.

00:35:26.525 --> 00:35:29.045
We cannot discern between the Real and the unreal.

00:35:29.344 --> 00:35:31.925
We cannot discern between the changing and the Changeless.

00:35:32.135 --> 00:35:41.271
If we are still chasing after the changing, after being told about the Changeless, our discernment is extremely low.

00:35:41.851 --> 00:35:48.679
And if we don't know that we're chasing the changing and we do not even know about the Changeless.

00:35:48.699 --> 00:35:52.329
We are even in a deeper ignorance.

00:35:58.019 --> 00:36:01.085
Our viveka has been completely stolen in that sense.

00:36:02.152 --> 00:36:03.262
So what do we do?

00:36:04.851 --> 00:36:06.771
What's, what's the outcome?

00:36:08.001 --> 00:36:10.072
What steps can we do to avoid this?

00:36:11.251 --> 00:36:15.516
We then pray to the devas to help us attain those material pleasures.

00:36:15.726 --> 00:36:18.277
In one way, we are seeking some spiritual help.

00:36:20.463 --> 00:36:30.726
Or today we may follow some person, we may look up to some billionaire and made them into our idol.

00:36:30.936 --> 00:36:33.817
Some celebrity, some social media influencer.

00:36:34.746 --> 00:36:37.737
They have become our devas of material nature.

00:36:40.476 --> 00:36:43.626
So we pay them in one way.

00:36:43.896 --> 00:36:46.717
Maybe we pay for a course and all that stuff.

00:36:48.324 --> 00:36:52.914
We look to appease them, please them, help them.

00:36:53.903 --> 00:36:57.793
Give a few good words, write good testimonials.

00:37:01.693 --> 00:37:06.684
Devas can also be seen in the traditional sense like Agni, Vayu or Indra.

00:37:09.237 --> 00:37:25.059
Obviously that can be the way, but today I find we more or less will look at a social media influencer or even our workplace as a Deva or our, school institutions, educational institutions as devas.

00:37:26.885 --> 00:37:30.115
Whatever you worship and adore reflects what you are.

00:37:30.835 --> 00:37:38.255
If you are worshiping and adoring Nirguna Brahman that's exactly what you are.

00:37:39.335 --> 00:37:44.135
If you are adoring and worshiping Formless Awareness, that's exactly what you are.

00:37:44.346 --> 00:37:45.726
It's reflecting who you are.

00:37:47.402 --> 00:38:04.246
If you're chasing after money, property, power, positions, whether in spiritual institutions or worldly institutions, that's reflecting who you are, that's what you are.

00:38:04.853 --> 00:38:06.248
There's no need to deny it.

00:38:07.985 --> 00:38:09.856
Neither is Sri Krishna saying these are bad.

00:38:11.746 --> 00:38:13.155
He's just saying, that's your nature.

00:38:13.155 --> 00:38:13.965
Accept it.

00:38:14.775 --> 00:38:16.155
This is what you are.

00:38:17.512 --> 00:38:27.802
Now, a person who is a billionaire, who's just seeking more money, more power, more clout, why should they think of attaining Brahman?

00:38:27.862 --> 00:38:28.373
Why?

00:38:29.632 --> 00:38:32.273
If that's not what you want, don't do it.

00:38:32.333 --> 00:38:33.353
Don't waste your time.

00:38:34.083 --> 00:38:42.275
You won't get it because it's only if you really desire it, it has to be your everything.

00:38:42.275 --> 00:38:43.385
So what is your everything?

00:38:43.385 --> 00:38:47.795
Is it the wealth of the world or is it Brahman?

00:38:49.302 --> 00:38:53.262
The true Brahm Gyani will balance both because they know Brahman is wealth.

00:38:57.170 --> 00:38:59.391
They will understand the nature of existence.

00:38:59.518 --> 00:39:02.547
They will utilize Prakriti but will not become Prakriti.

00:39:05.128 --> 00:39:06.177
That's the difference.

00:39:06.717 --> 00:39:09.423
It's a very subtle difference, but that's what it is.

00:39:13.081 --> 00:39:20.260
So don't pretend to be really spiritual until you get all of your desires met.

00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:31.425
If you desire to have the biggest house desire that if you desire to have better cars, get that before you become spiritual.

00:39:32.476 --> 00:39:33.675
That's my advice.

00:39:35.465 --> 00:39:42.246
If you're listening to this and you're like, well, I still want material success, get material success first.

00:39:42.596 --> 00:39:46.126

Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 7: Verse 16 - Verse 22)

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