November 10, 2025
Acharya Shankara in Dhanyashtakam, a very powerful map shares that a home is one that makes you very secure. Gruha/Home can make us feel secure to an extent even after we do so much for that home. He deepens it more by saying a Kantha/spouse/family member is supposed to bring more joy to us. These are not true, security and joy come from within. That is the vision of Bhakti time, which is very, very, very much about understanding.
Review: We will review all nine classes/faucets of Bhakti
Class 1: Teaching was Why Bhakti? Summary for this class is we long for security. Longing is very intrinsic. We all long for security, that’s really longing for Bhakti.
Class 2: The utility of Bhakti. Highlight of is, everyone’s degree of security is different. It’s based on their evolution. We studied about four types of Bhaktas. Some Bhaktas want to come out of Adversity. Some want prosperity. Some want to know more. Some want to BE more.
Class 3: The universality of Bhakti. Main idea of this class is we know how to love but it is not directed towards that which is independent. When we love our family or sports or hobbies or our profession that’s still dependent.
Class 4: The relevance of Bhakti. Bhakti nurtures purpose. When Bhagavan Krishna left, Devi Yashoda never spoke because Bhagavan Krishna was her singular purpose. If we long for Bhakti then the relevance of Bhakti nurtures purpose.
Class 5: Definition of Bhakti. Bhakti is dedication without knowing sacrifice. As long as you know dedication it is not Bhakti, it is not sacrifice. So, there is a strong element of what we should remember, what we should forget.
Class 6: Bhakti as a relation. Our own relation was with Bhagavan. In Vishnu Sahasra Nama the word Sarva is used which means divinity is all of us. Vivek ji shared that Vivek ji has relationship with Vivek ji’s sisters but who are they really? They are divinity. Gopis told Bhagavan that Bhagavan taught them that the only relationship is with Bhagavan. They followed through with that, its not hypothesis for them which makes them great.
Class 7: Expressing our relation. Awesome verse from Bhagavad Gita that went through all of our Koshas. We all operate at the lifestyle level, at the body level, mind, intellect, ego. Every faucet of us to be oriented or directed towards that sole relation which is Bhagavan.
Class 8: Bhagavan’s assurance. Vivek ji feels with class 8 and class 9 Bhakti went into new dimension of power, went through the amazing teaching on Stane. Stane is all is, all his. If I know all is, all his; all of my-ness goes away, all of me-ness goes away. A quote from a seeker’s home is “His will my way”. It’s his will and I am simply going to manifest his will. Vivek ji shared Bhagavan Krishna appearing in Vivek ji’s hand Bhagavan is every where in our hands too. This is Bhagavan’s assurance. If I know all is his, what can I be anxious about?
Class 9: Of all the classes this class moved Vivek ji the most, Bhagavan’s acceptance. Science of Bhagavan’s acceptance is when we think of the value of our body, if we become brain dead, we will be still alive; when our heart stops working, we are dead medically. Comparing this to Bhakti our Karma is the head, our Bhava is the heart. More important than Karma of Bhakti is Bhava of Bhakti. This is difficult to internalize for those who are older or more oriented towards rituals. This requires lot of unlearning. The more we understand Bhagavan the more we understand what Bhagavan wants. Bhagavan doesn’t want our Karma; Bhagavan wants our feeling. Sri Laxmana asks Bhagavan Rama “What is Bhakti”, is the scripture that backs the science. Bhagavan describes Bhakti as dependence. This was so easy for Sri Laxmana because Sri Laxmana doesn’t know anything else other than Bhagavan Rama so its easy for him to depend on Bhagavan. People like Sri Ramana, Swami Tapovanam who lived such simple ways it’s not that they lack experience, it’s better – they don’t know anything else depending on Bhagavan. Story to back the scripture, back the science is about Sri Ramakrishna. When someone gave Ramakrishna a shawl like a child he was walking around with shawl. He caught himself wearing the shawl made him forgot Bhagavan. So, he threw shawl away. Such clarity that if this is going to make me forget Bhagavan, I don’t want it. Remember the coins that burnt his back, same goes. Two quotes from Sri Ramakrishna.
- “Cry to the lord with intensity yearning heart and your will certainly see him”. People shed a whole jug of tears for wife and children. They swim in tears for money. But who weeps for God. Cry to him with real cry. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda cries when he teaches Ramayana or Bhagavatam. Pujya Swami Chinmayananda told him not get emotional so that he can teach. These kinds of tears are not a want or need they are love.
- This is more practical quote “One cannot completely get rid of the six passions: lust, anger, greed, and the like. Therefore, one should direct them to God. If you must have desire and greed, then you should desire love of God and be greedy to attain Him. If you must be conceited and egotistical, then feel conceited and egotistical thinking that you are the servant of God, the child of God”. Historically many proofs for this, one of them is Kamsa who was most afraid of Bhagavan. When Kamsa was defeated, he merged with Bhagavan. In Ramayana Ravana never used the word Rama until he died. He too got united with Bhagavan. This is Bhagavan’s acceptance.
This is practical for 2nd or 3rd generation as they didn’t learn Karma. They didn’t need to learn Karma; they need to learn about Bhava.
Class 10: Class 10 is transition into Class 11 and many classes after that. We are going to enter and immerse ourselves into Navada Bhakti, nine degrees expressions of Bhakti. This is an intense subject; Vivek ji will soften it for us so that it would be palatable for us. To make this palatable Vivek ji is using that phrase that Vivek ji shared earlier “Fake it till you make it”.
Theme for the class 10 is Vitamin R3 I.E. Reading, Writing, Reflecting.
Genesis of Fake it, till you make it is Ratnakara. Ratnakara later became Rishi Valmiki ji, the original poet, the original philosopher. Vivek ji absolutely loves how this is proof that Satsanga is our best friend because it challenges us. When Ratnakara was acting in a vicious way, murderous way Rishi Narada had come there and asked “Why do you do this”? Ratnakara said “I do this for my family”. We sometime do that in a selfish way, doing this for our family. Rishi Narana asks him “All that negativity that comes would they be part of that”? Ratnakara goes and asks his wife “I am doing Papa for you would you share that with me”? She says “That’s on you, I would not share”. The means don’t justify the ends. Remember Sri Tulasidasa’s wife re-oriented his love. That’s what the Sacred Union is about out spouses correcting us to live more meaningfully. That’s when Ratnakara felt absolute dejection. Rishi Narada practitioner of oneness needed asks Ratnakara to say Mara which means a tree. Mara also means dying which Ratnakara has seen a lot in the past and he is seeing lots of trees in the present. Rishi Narada knew Mara is going to turn into Rama and Ratnakara was going to turn into Rishi Valmiki, fake it, until you make it. Few more details about the power of Japa. In our culture there is no such thing as taking God’s name in vain. God’s name is God’s name whether you know the power or not God knows the power of God’s name.
- When creation started in Satya Yuga there was total integrity inside and out. To unite with God, they have done Dhyana. Atrophy happened with time.
- In second period of creation, Tretayuga there is more disintegration. In this period people were no longer were able to engage in Dhyana to unite with Divine. So, they have performed Yajnas, macro rituals.
- Next period of creation was Dwaparayuga, where there is more disintegration. People couldn’t tend to Yagas. So, the Sadhana/practice to feel divinity was Pooja, a micro ritual
- Now we are near the end of creation. With such disintegration the Yuga Sadhana for us is Japa. In the Ramayana it is stated that Nama is the master and Guna is the servant.
Vivek ji went in detail to teach us about Hasta Japa. On the right hand, start at the top of the baby finger touch with thumb and say Bhagavan’s name. Go down touching with thumb three times along with taking Bhagavan’s Name. Now switch to the bottom of ring finger and go to the top. That would be taking up Bhagavan’s nama six times. Now go to the bottom of middle finger repeating Bhagavan’s Nama which would be nine times. You do not continue with index finger. It is called Tarjani, that which blames. Since we are assuming responsibility, we do not involve index finger. From bottom of middle finger go back and do Japa again. You can engage in Hasta Japa while you are walking or waiting in the line etc. The sign that you are engaged in Hasta Japa meaningfully is you start to smile, you start to feel like Hasita/laugh. In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 sloka 25 Bhagavan says yajñānāṃ japayajñaḥ. Yajñānāṃ, out of all the Yajnas japayajñō’ greatest Yajna is Japa Yajna.
Details about Japa are included in at the end of the Ramayana and through out Shrimad Bhagavatam.
Discussion subject: There was not enough time for discussion however the discussion subject is why don’t you offer Japa? What’s holding you back?
RAW: Make sure you are highly engaged in our Quieten the Mind effort.
Last Week: To engage with Bhava without Karma. If someone did this sincerely, it shows that it is possible. We can love Bhagavan and do nothing. That makes all verbs backed by Bhava; driving, eating everything is Bhava.