Sep 7th 2025

Informal thoughts:

Many of you have studied Bhakti, Bhaja Govindam with Vivek ji. Vivek ji has explained how Bhakti comes from the root Bhaja.  Bhaja has a system

• Starting off with sit which many of you are whether in car or Chinmaya Dhara or Chinmaya Gayatri.  
• Second part is sing.  That’s why when we start the class at 11:00 it starts with sit.  When the Maha Mantras are changed like Sri Krishna Sharanam Mama or Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Hare this is for everyone else to sing as well 
• This singing will help us when we continue the third part the Bhaja the system is to seek to start to think more about Bhakti and how it relates to me.

When Vivek ji started teaching Stepping Stones the middle school program Vivek ji never felt so intentional about asking how are all of you.  It’s become quite instinctive for us but Vivek ji is very much asking how are all of us are.  Some of us have shared with Vivek ji that we really needed classes to restart, that summer was disorganized, distracting we really need this class to start and all of other classes to start.  Vivek ji is happy that we have such love for Satsang but grow out of it.  Our trajectory is to become independent.  You can be dependent on Satsang for some time but Satsang is there or not still feel independent. 

Later today Vivek ji is speaking at workshop happening in Princeton and its on blurred lines.  Vivek ji’s message is cultivating clarity.  Final thought Vivek ji will offer all of these college students and little bit older is Satsang with your own thoughts.  Negative thoughts are Dusanga that’s bad company and positive thoughts is Satsanga, good company.  Anyone who would 

Class with formal Thoughts

Context:

Hari Aum and greetings from Niagara Falls.  What has been Nike’s slogan for the longest time? Just do it.  We all know that, we quote that.  Vivek ji heard that Nike is changing slogan to Why do it?  Not in the negative like why do it but rather WHY, why am I running, why am I jumping.  Why am I talking, why am I listening.  So, as we begin this semester, end of this semester will be 10^th year as we began our community Vivek ji is going to share about vision, vision is synonymous with why.  So, Vivek ji is going to start off with Sanatana Dharma what is the vision, what is the why of Sanatana Dharma. 

• Vision of Sanatana Dharma: It starts with leading oneself. What can you lead yourself into, what will you make you the best leader?  It is to be joy. This is why people love Sri Krishna is because he never hid Ananda, his nature was this and every where he went people felt this. Then in reference to others first I have to be joy then I can help others be joyous.  This is synonymous with independence.  It is only those who are independent that can help others be independent. Vivek ji and Sheela ji got married 15 years ago in Chinmaya Dhara.  An observation that Vivek ji shared with Sheela ji as Vivek ji interacts with so many younger parents is over parenting.  Lot of younger parents, their only purpose is to be parent.  They have forgotten to be a seeker. That means that they are not independent that’s why they don’t teach that as well. That is the tragic change that Vivek ji has seen in family system is over parenting where there is no relationship to the community, or to the society so, to be independent and to encourage independence.  This is the why do it of Sanatana Dharma.
• Vision of our community: Now Vivek ji is offering the vision of our community. Have you ever thought about this?  Like you could describe vision of our community what would it be?  This Vivek ji wouldn’t say more of a mission statement rather than vision statement.  This is what we are following to reach this vision.  These are three As
  • Accessibility: We are going into Shrimad Bhagavatam where we invested five years. Vivek ji thinks most people’s understanding of Shrimad Bhagavatam was when Sri Krishna was a kid.  That’s all we know about Bhagavatam but it is so much more than that.
  • Actionability: All of this philosophy is to practice.  Theory is to be applied.  In our community we encourage that.  Everyone’s cameras are on that’s actionability.  Lots of you are taking notes, we have note takers.
  • Accountability: The third A that we really struggle with is accountability.  We sign up but don’t show up, we hear but don’t listen. Make this course reflective course.  Our default is to deflect.  When we think of self-development is for the people around me not for me.  But to be reflective about this we all have weaknesses, we all have Vasanas.  For us to be accountable that in very simple stress related way we create stress it’s only we who uncreate that stress.  Agreed?  Someone else can’t do it for you.  So, in that regard this is the mission statement very much relates to the structure of our community.
• What was the first A?  Accessibility where you pay nothing for this course. There are so little barriers to entry.
• What was the second A?  Actionability, we have RAWs, we have web site where you can share your feelings. 
• What was the third A?  Accountability, this year particularly we are investing a lot on accountability.
• Bhakti Time Action Statement: Sanatana Dharma, our community, now Vivek ji is getting into why do it in terms of Bhakti Time? This is almost like our action statement. We are going to understand Bhakti in a systematic way. For some their experience with is Bhakti you come here for some time, you look at an Altar.  Systematic, each discourse which will be approximately will use the system of Science, Scripture and Story. 
  • Science: The science aspect of it what is the teaching?  What do I need to learn about for me to change my day?  So, a science, an intention, an idea.
  • Scripture: But this isn’t just about Vivek ji being opinionated about Vivek ji because Vivek ji likes this, Vivek ji dislikes this. What is genesis of this scripture?  What is reference that Sri Krishna has shared or Rishi Vyasa has shared for all of us to reflect on more.
  • Story: Third aspect is Story.  Though Vivek ji doesn’t like to use the word story because we make it mythological.  But Vivek ji is going to share that this is story so that we really become more open to it.
    • So, in our system what is the first part of the discourse?  It is Science
    • Then second Scripture
    • Third story

Vivek ji has begun with sharing how important it is to sit and sing so it helps to seek.  Vivek ji has also shared about how important this community is that we really need such courses, such togetherness.  Everything that we do Aum Namo Narayanaya this is not for you, not for me this is for Divinity.  It is to grow out of over parenting, to grow out of feeling that I am just going to live for the local community but do rather do what we do for divinity. 

Now the Why of Sanatana Dharma, our Community and Bhakti Time. With all of this context shared naturally Vivek ji is going to get into science.

Science: Today’s theme of class is why Bhakti?  This is especially important for us because a lot of us are only exposed to the what of Bhakti, we think it’s about chanting, we think its about flowers, we think its about you have to shower before you go here.  But much more important than what for now is WHY.  Vivek ji is fortunate that more and more and more secular opportunities for Vivek ji to speak at, speak in are growing.  As an example, last week Vivek ji spoke to 500 students of Medical University Hospital in Chennai about how to deal with stress like a Pro.  Vivek ji never met them; they never met Vivek ji.  So, almost Vivek ji has to introduce himself.  So, Vivek ji shared this is where Vivek ji was born, this is where Vivek ji went to school.  But Vivek ji always shares the midlife crisis that Vivek ji went through when Vivek ji was 23 years old that Vivek ji knew that there is more to life than what Vivek ji has been experiencing.  There is more to life than getting a degree.  There is more to life than having a career.  And Vivek ji really wanting that more is what directed Vivek ji to Vedanta, to the Vedanta Course. In fact, magically Vedanta course started exactly 20 years ago it was Wednesday September 7^th it was Vinayaka Chaturthi.  When Vivek ji sat there Pujya Swami Tejomayananda came to the middle and said “For two-ish years you will be given what you need and if you are not given then you don’t need it”.  Vivek ji started having heart palpitations, they gave them two useless Dhotis, and Kurtas and a small umbrella where they gave nothing.  But having experienced Vedanta course, being in Gutu Shishya Parampara that statement is a science really for all of us.  Our needs are SOO little if we become more inward looking.  Now Vivek ji comes back to everyone of does have the feeling that there is more to life than meets the eye, there is more to life than what we have experienced or what we are experiencing.  To give this a poetic understanding we all want to fit into the bigger picture, agreed?  So, distilling this into why Bhakti from a psychological narrative, logical narrative its because we want and need security.  Everybody wants to be more secured.  Everybody needs to be more secured in other words that are be independent, joyous. So, why Bhakti?  Vivek ji shared Vivek ji’s own experience.  Vivek ji knew that there is more and through God’s grace Vivek ji was able to feel that. We all want to fit into the bigger picture.  We don’t like to be excluded.

• Psychologically, logically this is the want and need for security.  So, what does a typical person do who wants and needs security? They bring more articles into life.  Look at all gadgets I have.  Now people get me more.  They may look at me more but do they like me more is very different.  We bring more circumstances into our lives.  If I have this alarm system, if I have this gated community, if I have this savings account then I will be more secured.  In Vivek ji’s home they have nothing that’s valuable in terms of articles at most passports.  But who really wants someone else’s passport?  That’s why they don’t lock their doors.  Vivek ji feels if one has more valuables they have to lock. 
• Beings we try to find security through more and more relationships.  But Vivek ji cautions all of us, specifically young people if you are seeking security from who is insecure you are going to become more insecure.  It doesn’t work.  But we really try to force security through more articles, more circumstances, more beings.  That’s what we do, that’s how society is functioning but really when we feel we are going to security from Articles, beings, circumstances that’s source of disfunction just like we don’t want to be in a dis-functional car or dis-functional relationship. May be our understanding of where security is dis-functional. We are so lucky that we are trying to get Bhakti in a systematic way or we will keep living like this and die.  And then we have to do this all over again.  That’s science.

Scripture: Now Vivek ji is offering connection to our scriptures.  The scripture that Vivek ji is connecting to is Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. Specifically, the 9^th chapter.  Theme of 9^th chapter is Raga Vidya; it is a knowledge that is unique because this portion of Bhagavad Gita where there is shift from Karma into Bhakti.  Vivek ji has found that 9^th chapter is the chapter that focuses on Bhakti or dedication the most.  There are so many gems in this chapter.  Chapter Nine is one of the chapters that Vivek ji taught in highest vocation even before we got into Chapter One and Two, we went through Chapter Nine.  In 9^th chapter Verse 22 where Sri Krishna describes security in such a specific way.  Sri Krishna says if you seek me for security then I will tend to your Yoga and Kshema.  I will procure what you need in life and will protect what you need in life.  Automatic lesson from this is if I am living based on wants it will keep being insecure.  If I live based on needs, I will start to be secure.  So, this is all for your own self-reflection.  Bhagavan Krishna is sharing that if you stop choosing Articles Circumstances and Beings for security but you choose Divinity that is Sri Krishna then I will make you secure.  I will ensure that security is not temporary, it is permanent.  Today when Vivek ji met with the Upper middle school and high school classes Bala Vihar teachers in Cleveland that is that Vivek ji has been so much with high school students, college students what Vivek ji really wants these teachers to do for these students is to encourage for them to have sacred confidence. Most of our exposure is to a secular confidence but for them to experience sacred confidence.  That can only come when I chose the D instead of these As, Cs and Bs. Now in this why Bhakti what does it mean to chose divinity?  Another gem in this chapter is Sloka 26 where Bhagavan Krishna says bhaktyā prayacchati, prayacchati means not to give but to offer.  And bhaktya means filled with dedication. For the one who is dedicated to driving, to gardening, to speaking, to listening it is that dedication that is form of choosing divinity. It is in that sloka where Bhagavan Krishna says if you with dedication offer to me a patra/leaf, puṣpa/flower phala/fruit toya/water.  But each of these for those who study Sanskrit they are all singular.  If you offer me one leaf, we feel if we offer a thousand Bilva Patras during Maha Shivaratri then Bhagavan will love me more.  You think you can buy Bhagavan Shiva’s love?  You don’t think Bhagavan Shiva created these leaves himself?  So, they are all singular. The emphasis the is bhaktyā with dedication.  So, this is the scripture.  We are going to understand Bhakti through a system. The first S we are focusing on is Science.  Why Bhakti?  It is because I want to be secure.  The scripture we connected this to is Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Chapter Nine, Slokas 22 and 26. 

Story: This is not like Lord of the Rings story fiction without purpose.  Shrimad Bhagavatam is a purana.  Puranas are educational which means some of it is historical, some is educational.  In Shrimad Bhagavatam this is in 8^th Skanda.  This is about Gajendra.  Gaja means elephant, Indra means elephant of elephants or the King of the elephant.  This is known as Gajendra Moksha Prasanga it is an episode of the freedom of Gajendra.  So, this Gajendra had a lot of pleasure.  He has so many family members around him, so many people that serve him around him.  Lots of pleasure, then possession.  So, anything that these elephants wanted they were able to get it from Gajendra.  And position someone who is position oriented feel they can go anywhere do anything.  So, what Gajendra filled with pleasure, possession, position went to a lake with family and friends.  They felt like they own that lake and they were playing with water, drinking the water.  A makara/crocodile was hiding in that lake.  Now one aspect of crocodile is that they are very Tamasic animals.  They are very lazy they just move around an hour a day just to eat.  If they are not hungry, they will do nothing.  Why is that this crocodile went after Gajendra?  The big picture that Vivek ji is trying to share is this is all Bhagavan’s Leela.  Why would a hungry crocodile go after an elephant of all animals.  That crocodile locked its jaws on the foot of this Gajendra.  Everyone started to use words shouting and crying.  Then they shifted to action.  They started to create tug of war all of these elephants against this crocodile.  Elephants on the land, crocodile on water.  Finally, words, actions to thoughts.  They let Gajendra go like you are trapped we don’t want to be trapped.  That itself is powerful.  We think all of the people around us are going to stay with us but they are not.  Ratnakara learnt that too that his wife and child are not ready to take on the negativity that he was.  Gajendra was finally pulled down externally and now being pulled down internally as well that he cannot speak, act, think out of this. It was in that revelation that he surrendered.  He couldn’t help but express this surrender by taking whatever closest to him.  It could have been a patraṁ or puṣpaṁ or phalaṁ or toyaṁ everything was there.  But in this case, it was puṣpaṁ, it was Lotus flower.  Lotus symbolizes freedom.  He just lifted that out of the water, and its not even he held it to surrender he just threw it.  Then from Vaikunta special Avatara of Bhagavan Narayana, Bhagavan Hari came.  Hari is the one who takes away.  When Bhagavan left Vaikunta on Garuda, Bhagavan jumped off of Garuda because Garuda was moving so slow to catch that lotus with one hand.  Bhagavan Hari released the Sudarshana Chakra, the discus with the other hand. That Sudarshana Chakra first went to that crocodile.  Once that crocodile became free then Gajendra became free.  This shows how large-hearted Bhagavan is.  If we are useless people but if we hold on to those feet of someone who is holding on to the feet of divine then by association, I get freed too.  I am a useless person if I hold on to the feet of Hanuman Ji who is holding onto the feet of Bhagvan Rama when Hanuman ji becomes free, by default I am going to become free too.  That’s what security is.

Discussion Subject: Why do we seek security?  We heard a lot from Vivek ji have we thought about it?  In a personal way why do we seek security.

Today Vivek ji is going to debrief based on Niagara’s discussion.  What Vivek ji has shared today is not new to anyone who is gathering.  We are clear about this in theory but difficulty comes in to practice.  How do I actually let go of investing Articles, Circumstances, Beings and actually investing in Divinity.  With Gajendra Bhakti is not out if inspiration but desperation.  For all of that the best way to learn is out of inspiration that this is going to happen rather than us having to learn through desperation.  One more aspect is we are learning subjective science.  What is difference between objective science and subjective science is you can know object science and not follow it.  In a subjective science if you don’t follow it, you don’t know it then. That is what is unique, the rigor of a subjective science is just different. 

RAW: Have a gratitude Guide.  Before you leave bedroom write down a reason to smile and when you come back to sleep at night write down another reason to smile.