November 23, 2025
Vivek ji wants us to reflect on the difference between insulting and teasing. When one understands the other person then it would be teasing, otherwise it would be insulting. Key utility of Bhakti Time is understanding, to try to train ourselves to understand all is Bhagavan. One of Bhagavan’s best names is Sarva which means all. When we understand all is Bhagavan the next time when someone is insulting, we know it’s backed by that understanding that is actually Bhagavan that Bhagavan is only teasing us, really Bhagavan is teasing our ego, an amazing utility coming from understanding.
In Class 11 we learnt about active listening. Science and Scripture are coming from the same source, Rishi Prahlada. Vivek ji doesn’t want us to under estimate Rishi Prahlada’s greatness. He is Maha Bhagavata. Of all the Bhaktas in Sanatana Dharma, Rishi Prahlada is foremost. When his father’s ask “What kind of active listening have you been engaged in” he responds with this
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye ’dhītam uttamam
The first verse is describing nine degrees of how to develop Bhakti. They are not just expressions; they are degrees because each one is becoming deeper and deeper almost like a burn. Many of us have a first-degree burn, second and third degree are very different medically, treatment wise etc., Second verse is saying iti, Rishi Prahlada is saying this is my opinion, what I have deducted. Puṁsa means human arpitā, should offer. viṣṇau, to the divine. Bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā, these are nine degrees of Bhakti, system of Bhakti. kriyeta, one should live like this. This should be the purpose of their day. Bhagavaty addhā, with complete dedication to the divine. Tan manye, this is my understanding. Adhītam, such a learning. Uttamam, the highest. Science in terms of Active listening, Sravana is form of developing Bhakti. Scripture is Rishi Prahlada, very critical for Sanatana Dharma. Story is about Raja Parikshita when he started to reflect, he prayed for correction. Immediately he was corrected. He felt that the prayer came from inside, not from outside. So, he needed to find the one who answered that prayer inside. That’s why Raja Parikshita took off his crown and left his external security and went to the jungle. Devi Droupadi’s resorted prayer as the last option instead of prayer being first option. Here Raja Parikshita resorted to prayer as his first option. Jungle is where there is less support and he can be more intense about his prayer. He left the external security with understanding of the inner security that “Bhagavan protected me once when I was in womb, Bhagavan will help me again “. Out of five senses hearing is the subtlest sense. That means hearing has highest impact on us. Seeing is the subtle sense; active listening is more subtle that impacts us more.
Theme: Next one in Navavidha Bhakti is Keerthanam. Keerthana means active speaking not active talking.
Science: All of us can give three things to give multiverse easiest to hardest 1) Resources 2) Time 3) Effort. When we give time, it actually pulls in giving resources and giving effort. Whatever we give time to we tend to give resources and effort. Making this more personal. Three ways to engage creation through actions, words, and thoughts. Wherever we give our words, we tend to give actions and thoughts too. Words facilitate giving of actions and thoughts. Talking when directed becomes speaking. Since this is directed, we tend to develop in that area.
Scripture: Vivek ji referring to Namayana that leads to Ramayana, first Khanda 21st section, 1st Chaupai 1.21.1.
samujhata sarisa nåma aru nåmi, priti parasapara prabhu anugåmi
samujhata means understand. Sarisa, there is a relationship between nåma/name and nåmi/named. priti parasapara, their relationship is lovely. First comes the prabhu. Then anugåmi, the servant. Very remarkable insight, the order is specific, nåma is prabhu, nåmi is anugåmi; name is the master. Quality or the form is the servant. Original thinker/teacher of Ramayana is Bhagavan Shiva and writer is Rishi Valmiki. Original Ramayana, the thinking one is Shata Koti i.e. hundred million, one billion verses. The writing one is 24,000 verses. When Bhagavan Shiva had glow on his face when he was thinking about Ramayana. The Suras, Manava’s, Asuras asked Bhagavan Shiva “We would like to have what is making you glow”. Bhagavan Shiva divided the verses to all of them and he kept one word “Ram”. It is believed Bhagavan Shiva lives in Kashi. That’s why when someone is passing away in Kashi, “Råm Nåm” is whispered in their ear believing that Bhagavan Shiva is whispering.
Another insight reading from footnotes of Ramayana “We are told in the Padmapuraƒa how Bhagavan kara once invited His consort to join him in his dinner. Goddess Parvatī, however, declined on the ground that she had not yet recited the Vishnu-Sahasranama, which She must before her breakfast. Bhagavan Shankara asked her to repeat the name of Rama instead, as a single utterance of the Name was as good as reciting a thousand other names of the Lord. Parvatī did accordingly and forthwith joined Her lord in dinner.” Rama nåma Sahasra Tulya is part of Rama Raksha Stotram, the one name of Bhagavan Rama is equivalent to thousand names of Bhagavan Vishnu. For this to happen, one has to have the bhava like Bhagavan Shiva who gave everything and kept Ram.
Final insight, Ram Sethu or Dharma Sethu is the bridge between Bharat and Lanka. The main component of this bridge is the name Ram on each stone. The bridge helped thousands to cross over to Lanka, but name Rama helped millions takes one beyond Samsara into freedom.
Story: Chaitanya Maha Prabhu is born in late 1400s around Bengal. Chaitanya Maha Prabhu was called Gauranga because he was glowing and also, he was dynamite scholar. When he was in Gaya, he had the revelation “The scholarliness is not going to help me feel one with Bhagavan. I need to speak to Bhagavan”. He actually changed his name from Gauranga to Krishna Chaitnya. Everything he spoke about was Bhagavan. When he used to dance, sing, cry he used to become still. This shows all levels of his personality is towards Bhagavan. Eventually he had Darshan of Bhagavan Krishna. This is showing efficacy of active speaking. Many, many, many thought he was faking, they fought against him. He showed the universality of how anyone can speak Aum Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya, or Sri Krishna Sharanam Mama or Aum. Many prominent Sanatana organizations have come from Chaitanya Maha Prabhu.
The class watched a short video of MC Yogi’s Nitai Gauranga feat
Discussion Subject: Prove that Japa is the Yuga Sadhana. Based on your own experience and what you have learnt today prove the efficiency, the efficacy of Japa
RAW: Continue to engage more intensely in Quieten the Mind Initiative.