October 26, 2025

Parents in one of the centers who have lost their child said that the child passed away as soon as the father’s family was completed Lalitha Sahasra Nama chanting.  Acharya Bheeshma, as his body was dying, he was feeling there is only Bhagavan Narayana, that’s the whole vision, philosophy of Vishnu Sahasra Nama that all is Bhagavan Narayana.  Vivek ji thinks how great that boy is and Acharya Bhishma is. Acharya Bhishma was fallen when Prince Arjuna shot him with so many arrows.  Pandavas and Kauravas respected and loved Bhishma. Acharya Bhishma declined when Duryodhana wanted fetch soft silk pillows for Acharya. Acharya Bhishma felt good about the arrows that Prince Arjuna shot and Acharya Bhishma made them pillow. Acharya Bhisma said no when Duryodhana wanted to get a fresh pot of water to quench the thirst.  Prince Arjuna shot an arrow into the ground and got fresh water into Acharya Bhishma’s mouth. Denial of pillow and fresh pot of water indicate that Bhakti is not an action Bhakti is an attitude.   Acharya Bhishma who is in tune with divine is unconcerned about the action of pot and the pillow, what comforted him, what please him is the attitude of Prince Arjuna.  This is critical for us when really deciding factor is not being in class, its not being about reading or chanting, it is our attitude behind that chanting, reading in class.  We are protecting ourselves through Bhakti Time with understanding. By understanding, Bhakti from 360 degrees we will shift from this being an action to this being an attitude. Vivek ji is warning that if we still feel Bhakti is an action we can’t do it 24hrs a day.  A strong Bhakta remembers Bhagavan 24hrs which will lead to freedom so no forgetting, no Avidya.

Class 7 of Bhakti time was expressing our relation.  For example, if we don’t express our relationship with our spouse there is a legal relationship but it’s not moral or beautiful relationship. Vivek ji shared six S’s. The most, shallow S is Sit which is not enough. It has to evolve to Sing, Seek. Then there is new dimension of depth, we are going to Support and Serve.  Finally, with all of this practice Surrender.  Vivek ji is giving us orientation or a sign that we are going into the depth of Bhakti.  An egotistical person feels all is me like a self-absorbed person feels everything should revolve around them examples would be Ravana, Duryodhana. As one evolves one goes from all is me to all is my.  The next sign that one is expressing relation all is his this is his home, his internet, his body. Finality when I surrender all is his, the feeling comes to be all is him. Rishi Prahlada felt this Bhagavan is not in the pillar, Bhagavan is the pillar. This is a sign for our evolution. Final reflection before we move on, to go through these S’s; to go from all is me to all is my, to all is his, to all is him; one has hold themselves back less.  The more you hold yourself back you stay in the shallow aspects.  The reason for holding back is because of lack of understanding. The design of this course is for one to hold themselves back less. Those who understand Bhagavan, they live for Bhagavan recklessly with only one purpose.

Theme: We are now completing two months with Bhakti time.  Vivek ji shared in first class, why we need Bhakti is because we want and we need security. We have all these layers of security but we don’t feel secure it is only when we merge our individuality into divinity that there is completion. Everyone is a Bhakta, wants to be complete some devolve, some move laterally, some evolve, some evolve rapidly.  But everyone wants this security and completion.  This is connected to the eighth class; theme is Bhagavan’s Assurance. Assurance that he will make you secure, that he will make you complete.

Science: In our scriptures, culture there are four flows of grace.

• The top most grace is Eshwara Krupa, Grace of God
• This top most grace is triggered by Shastra Krupa, the grace of maps of self- development
• This grace is triggered by Acharya or Guru Krupa.  Our Guru can orient us to the map which can orient us to divinity
• Acharya Krupa is triggered by Swa-Krupa also known as Atma Krupa. We will become serious seekers when we put in effort towards development and a Guide comes into our life. Many don’t want to listen to this truth. But one doesn’t have personal guide because the level of seriousness is not enough. One is serious but not enough. An example would be a young man is not serious enough to introduce the girl he is dating to his parents.

Vivek ji is expanding on this. If I one step towards divinity, Bhagavan will take 9,999 steps towards me i.e. I literally have to put in 0.001% effort. Knowing that I have to put in the effort then Bhagavan will put in exponentially more effort.  This assurance triggered by me comes in the form of Stane. Stane means all is as all is.  Stane comes into our life; we feel this through understanding.  Stane is not manipulation of creation.  This is why when Prince Arjuna says with Sri Krishna lets go.  Sri Krishna’s response is where will you go.  More specific example is when Acharya Shankara shares to the street cleaner Gaccha, Gaccha that street cleaner says where will I go that I am not, where is Bhagavan Shiva not. Prince Arjuna, Acharya Shankara stayed where they were. But its that understanding that made it feel like everything changed, we know that. If you are in good mood even if you didn’t have that coffee/chai you are still feeling all is good.  This idea of Stane is felt by understanding and the fulfilment of understanding is vision. Most of the commentators say Bhagavan gave Prince Arjuna Divine eyes for Vishva Rupa Darshana.  Vivek ji shared with us that Bhagavan took away Prince Arjuna’s blinders.  Bhagavan is always the Vishva Rupa but Prince Arjuna was not ready. Bhagavan made him ready. This is Bhagavan’s assurance. We feel Bhagavan’s assurance comes from outside, but Bhagavan’s assurance is all is as all is.

Vivek ji shares one more way, understanding is all is as all is, but the vision is all is his. All is as all is, we still feel like there are no accidents.  What if that understanding is changed to all is his. That I don’t even have relationship with what happens. Then one just gets to BE.

Scripture: Scripture that supports is Bhagavad Gita’s chapter 10, Vibhuti Yoga. Vibhuti means power.  Only the one who is assured can provide assurances.  Personal Guarantor for a loan could only be the one who is financially stable. So, if we want to be assured that can only come from Bhagavan.  In Verse 10 Sri Krishna shares with Prince Arjuna dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ, taṁ means to you dadāmi, I give; dadāmi, Sri Krishna in the first person saying I am the giver.  Sri Krishna gives Prince Arjuna buddhi-yoga understanding, vision. yena mām upayānti te. You come to understand me; you come to have the vision of me.  Vivek ji has shared this before that Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has taught that don’t tell Bhagavan how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your Bhagavan is. The immature person, I go and complain God about my problems because I think God is this small and my problem are this big. When I start to understand God, I go tell my problems look whose backing I have.

Story: Vivek ji loves how we are taking Bhakti in a systematic way. When Acharya Shankara was in Sringeri, he met a young boy named Giri when his parents brought him. Giris parents have decided that Giri has learning disability.  Giri was not able to function like his age kids.  Acharya Shankara with his large heart accepted Giri.  Humility was strongest quality of Giri that the world is not about me or my, the world is about Acharya Shankara.  A sign of humility for some one who has bigger purpose is their attention to detail towards that purpose. One day Acharya Shankara was about to begin his class with three primary disciples. Hastamalaka was known for his enlightenment.  He felt divinity was clear as something in your hand.  Padmapada, and Sureshvara understanding of enlightenment.  Acharya Shankara was about to start the class but was looking for Giri.  Giri went to fetch flowers as per few and fetch for clean clothes from river as per few.  He was running towards Acharya Shankara as he was far and late. Some of students suggested to start the class.  Padmapada told Acharya “You teaching Giri is like teaching this wall” I.E. Giri was unable to receive Acharya’s teachings. Acharya Shankara smiled.  Finally, when Giri came into the sight of Acharya Shankara, Acharya Shankara gave Giri Kataksha Veeksha. Kataksha Veeksha means from Guide can see from the corner of eye, that person’s presence is known.  It’s like that you know there is a car in the blind spot when you are driving. Giri dropped the items in his hands and started chanting a very complicated Hymn and complicated in rhythm called Totaka Meter. This leveled all the disciples who thought this person was no body.  This person has the assurance of Acharya Shankara. They knew it didn’t come from within but Acharya Shankara’s understanding and vision came through him.  From then on wards, he was known as Acharya Totaka. He was made one of the Jagad Gurus of northern establishment, the Mattha.  Bhagavan’s assurance comes into our lives comes directly through Bhagavan’s ambassador, our Sad-Guru.

Discussion Subject: How are you feeling Stane?

RAW: To say and eventually feel Hari Ichcha. 

RAW from last week was memorize and systemize Sloka 34 from Chapter 9 of Bhagavad Gita. 

When you systemize you come to feel every faucet or every verb, we are engaged in is backed with Bhakti. Imagine four faces of a jewel are smooth but one face is cracked. That becomes significantly less valuable. This verse is the same way that every facet of who we are, what we do is to be infused with this intention that all is me to all is my, to all is his to all is him.