April 05, 2026
Whatever we give our time to, we give our thoughts to as well. Whatever I give my time to, that time extends into thoughts. When I give my time and the related thoughts to creation (politics, the economy, other’s health, other’s opinion), then these thoughts start to make us feel stress. However, when we give our time, and by extension thoughts, to the creator, to know about the creator, to know where the creator is in space and time, etc. then these thoughts start to feel like serenity. Even though we may not have the answers about what the creator’s intention is and the creator’s plan is, but we feel closer to the creator, and so we feel serenity. It is very much our choice whether to feel stress or serenity. In Bhakti time, we are giving our thoughts to the creator, and so really for us, this is serenity time.
In this third wave of bhakti time, we have tried to learn about the signs of bhaktas, and the story relating to this is of Raja Randhideva. I can’t give enough time and thoughts to how great he is. Then we shifted to the sincerity of bhaktas and the story related to Sri Vibhishana, and many of us who have explored the Vibhishana Gita together, we came to feel how open to change Sri Vibhishana was, is.
Now, the scripture one of the final dialogues in Sri Tulsidas’s Ramayana is between a crow named Rishi Bushundi and an eagle named Shri Garuda. Vivek ji is giving reference that this is the seventh section and the 103rd subsection. These are lines one to four. And then there’s another verse that is lines one to two. In English “In the Satya Yuga, everyone is possessed of mystic powers and wise too. Hence, in that age, humans cross the ocean of mundane existence by meditating on Sri Hari. In the Treta period, humans perform sacrifices of various kinds to cross the ocean of mundane existence by dedicating their actions to the divine. In the Dwapara Yuga, humans cross the ocean of worldly existence by adoring the feet of Sri Rama. There being no other means to do it. In the Kali Age, however, humans reach the end of mundane existence simply by singing Sri Hari’s praises. In the Age of Kali, neither yoga, nor the performance of sacrifices, nor spiritual wisdom is of any avail. One’s only hope lies in singing Sri Rama’s praises, giving up all other hopes. Whosoever worships Sri Rama and fondly chants his praises undoubtedly crosses the ocean of transmigration. The power of the name is thus manifest in the Age of Kali. The Kali Age possesses another sacred virtue. In this age, projected acts of virtue are rewarded, but projected sins are not punished. No other age can compare with the Kali Yuga, provided a human has faith. For in this age only, one can easily cross the ocean of transmigration simply by singing Sri Rama’s holy praises. Purity has four well-known pillars, of which one is predominant in the Kali. Charity practiced in any way conduces to one’s spiritual good.” This is the scripture that is supporting the science of moving from, from you to for you. Here in the Ramayana what is stated is the more that we use our mouths and our minds to remember the greatness of the divine, this is what helps us to feel divinity. And a lovely system for this.
Now Vivek ji is taking us to an actual Vidhi. This is the 11 steps of worship that we have practiced. Vivek ji is flowing through this one more time. The first section, is the pre-puja. In the pre-puja there is Acharana, in English it means prepare. Then Pranayama, which is purifying, and Dhyana, which is protect.
Then there is the Mukhya puja. Here are the six facets of the actual puja proper. Avahana, which is to invite. Asana, which is to welcome. Gandha, which is to refresh. So, we have prepared for the puja. Now the puja proper is happening. In the puja proper, these three steps that I’ve described are more physical. I’m sharing a seat. I’m offering sandalwood paste. Now the next three are less external, they’re more internal. Less physical, more mental. Arcana, which in English is sing. Naivedya, which is serve. Namaskara, which is surrender. Sing, serve, surrender. This is where the puja is completed. What is the design of a puja? To surrender. I’ve forgotten about my name and form and qualities, because I’m remembering the divine’s name and form and qualities. And so, we reach that same Dhama, that same foundation, that same presence.
Now the post puja two more steps, and that is Udvasana, which in English is inspire, and mantra, which is love. Udvasana is where you literally push back your altar, your icon, because you feel like, now I will
keep this in my heart. I don’t need it in a conditioned space and time. And the mantra, the mantra is to feel the same divinity that I felt in a murti, in my Madhyama, now in Manava, in all beings. This completes our review of the system of bhaktas.
Science: The first wave was why, the second wave was how, now the third wave is who. And we are shifting to the service of bhaktas. Signs, sincerity, system, now service. Service, or seva, is designed firstly, for us to feel like we are not in control. For us to feel we are not the controller. If we start to feel we are not the controller, expectation starts to go away from our personality. Unreasonable expectation. Sri Hanuman was, is a master administrator. A master administrator is one who does have expectations of others. Because they expect others to be the best version of themselves. That’s as an administrator, but as a Sadhaka, they’re not affected or bothered if those expectations are not met. So, it is reasonable to have expectations of others, especially if you care for them. But not to be bothered if they don’t live up to that. How do we know that we are serving, serving as a bhakta? We stop feeling like we are the controller. Expectations go away with that which is the initial utility of service. The more beautiful aspect, is we stop feeling we are the doer. First, I have to feel I’m less of the controller, then I have to feel I’m less of the doer. When we feel we are less of the doer, we start to increase our acceptance. This is the science of service. Now Vivek ji really wants us to challenge ourselves. Many of us have been serving for years. Are we developing these qualities of feeling like we are less in control, less of a doer? But if not, Vivek ji is asking us to check ourselves, more Viveka, more intention is needed.
Scripture: In Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 34.
tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayā|
upadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśhinaḥ||
Translation, tad viddhi You should know that this protocol, this flow works. What is the first
step? pranipātena which means to physically serve the one who knows. Physically serve the one who’s close to the creator. Pranipāta looks like one hand on top, one hand below, step one. Step two paripraśhnena, we have reflected ten times before we ask the question. This means we are ready for the answer. From physical to mental and now sevayā, it’s at the intellectual level. Whatever ideal our master/role model is living for; for us to serve the same ideal. Vivek ji does whatever does because Vivek ji visualizes Pujya Swami Tejomayananda holding Sanatana Dharma. Within that is oneness its humanity. That’s the ideal for Vivek ji. It is not Ramayana or anything else it is Sanatana Dharma which is infinite nature. Vivek ji tries to serve that ideal. Upadekṣhyanti, this will be given to you. What? te jñānaṁ, what they know what they feel. jñāninas, they have this insight. tattva-darśhinaḥ, they are ones who see the creator, they feel they are consciousness. They are right being to guide us. We are trying to learn about service of Bhakta. Science is through service one feels less deserver-ship and less doer-ship. I am not the deserver the Karma Phala Data. I am not even the doer, the Karma Adhyaksha. When I resonate with an ideal that is me serving not with volunteer hours, this is me serving not because of any other reason. This is me really transforming my life into an ideal.
Story: Story is about a personality who lives, serves an ideal the presence rather than anything smaller than that Sri Bharata. Vivek ji is reminding us though we know about Bharata how he fits perfectly with the scripture and science of service of Bhaktas. When Sri Bharata has returned to Ayodhaya when Sri Rama denied not only as leader but even to live in the country. When Sri Bharata came back, he felt like it as Smashana. Anyone who went to funeral area it’s not a place of celebration its very gray. When he found out his mother was the orchestrator of all of this his immediate expression was, I don’t want to be known as his son. I don’t even want to affiliated with someone who think and acts like this. This very much reminds of Devi Sati who didn’t want to be associated with her father who didn’t have relationship with Divine so she literally became Bhagavati Parvati. That is an amazing alignment of ideals. Sri Bharata didn’t want to stay there for a moment, shared with respected elders “Let’s to go to Sri Rama. We have to go to him he is not going to come back to us. Procrastination caused all of this. We can’t procrastinate.” Sri Bharata moved everyone. Sri Bharata knew that Sri Rama wouldn’t come back. He didn’t force him or make him feel guilty. He shared “You allow me to have your presence without your presence”. Best way to make this connection is through Sri Rama’s Padukas. That’s the bottom most aspect of Sri Rama. Sri Bharata escalated them to the top of him. I am taking the lowest of you and making the top of me. That is the affirmation of Sri Bharata serving his ideal that Sri Rama stands for. Connecting this back to Pujya Swami Tejomayananda. If someone has asked him in 1993 “What was it like in Swami Chinmayanda’s shoe?” His response was “I am not in his shoe I am at his feet”. If he was in his shoe then he would be serving Pujya Swami Chinmayananda. But he said I am at his feet meaning he is serving the cause of Swami Chinmayananda. Is everyone catching how that’s bigger. Someone asked Swami Chinmayananda “What will happen to Chinmaya Mission when you are not alive anymore”? He said “I am not concerned about it while I am alive”. The point is the ideal was more. Vivek ji is framing it in a different way is the presence is more important than the person. The presence is more important than the purpose. If Ayodhya is purpose Sri Rama is the presence. If Chinmaya Mission is the purpose Sanatana Dharma is the presence. Raja Dasaratha told Sri Rama he had to leave. Pitru Dasaratha wanted him to stay. Whose authority does one act on? Raja Dasaratha. Sri Bharata told Sri Rama “If you don’t return, already I am sleeping underground. I will stay underground meaning I will die”. Sri Bharata was serving with Upasana, Sevaya that Sri Krishna shared.
Discussion Subject: Discuss the subject that was not discussed last week was why are you not a systematic Bhakta? How can you refine this?
Second subject is how can you feel good by not feeling important or prominent? Sri Bharata never wanted to be important or never wanted to be prominent. He worked and worked and worked.
Vivek ji: How can I be a more systematic seeker? To feel the need for Manana for those who don’t feel the need for Manana that means they only feel need for Sravana seeking is based on volume not on system. For those who feel Manana is more needed they go from volume to system.
How do we feel good about not feeling prominent? If you are influencer, you will be able to help people in a certain way. But if you are serving a purpose better is presence then you go from influencer to impactor. An influencer I can move your hand from left to right. An impactor I am helping someone not what they want but rather what they need. You just become well known because of that. If you think of someone like Sri Ramana who is in the most, simple context, but the most revered because he impacted people not influence. That’s what happens when you serve purpose, greater than that is presence.
RAW: Much, much difficult one. Prepare to increase the 1) quality and 2) quantity of your Seva with implementation starting in September.