March 8, 2026
The word ‘Why’ is critical in one’s self-reflection which leads to one’s self-development.
If we analyze the why behind our why, when we ask why, when we think why, the intention of this, reason for this, this leads to very different paths. If intention is one of defiance, of disagreement, then that why is not productive, doesn’t make me quieter. But if that why is one of inquiry, one of responsibility, that is productive, makes me quieter. In the Mahabharata, there is famous scene and dialogue that is when Devi Gandhari curses Sri Krishna and Sri Krishna just smiles this away. The pain that I’m feeling right now, seeing my relatives who have passed away, Krishna, you’re going to feel that same pain. And he smiled this away, he shares with Devi Gandhari, you have wasted your words, you have wasted your punya by exacting this curse on me because all of this is part of my plan anyways. My family serves a purpose and when that purpose is complete, then my family would have dissolved. But now you said it because you thought it. And this is really you wasting through doer-ship.
Devi Gandhari, she used the wrong why. And what we’re trying to do in bhakti time is to develop the right why. Why should I follow bhakti? Why should I have a relationship with Bhagavan? Bhakti time is very, very much about understanding. Understanding is a powerful experience. When you’re watching a movie and you don’t understand it and all of a sudden you understand why this happened, that movie becomes more brilliant. When you’re communicating with someone and they’ve shared something which has rubbed you the wrong way but now you understood that word came out this way, but that’s not what they intended.
That’s a powerful experience. The understanding in bhakti time, this powerful experience, is to help us feel peaceful. It is only through a more and more and more dynamic and comprehensive relationship with God that we will feel peace.
Bhakti time has flowed through two waves and soon we will enter the third and final wave of bhakti time. The first wave, and that was the first 10 classes, were a 360 degree, understanding of bhakti. Who is it for? Why should I follow this path? The second wave, is about how do I practice bhakti.
Today’s focus is a dialogue.
As of now placeholder title of Loving Earth Sangha curriculum, guide being developed finishing up five years is Awareness to Action. We have practiced the same or we’re following the same with bhakti time. The first wave was all about awareness. The second wave is about action. Rishi Pralada, Bhakta Prahlada, who’s the most experienced in Bhakti is guiding us in our actions. He has complete understanding of bhakti and so he’s sharing this fearlessly. Fearlessly because his life is on the line but he knows Bhagavan. He knows Bhagavan is outside of him, he knows Bhagavan is inside of him and this is what makes him fearless or peaceful. He shares below verse to evolve from awareness to action
Sravana ṁ 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
Rishi Pralada shares according to my experience, for the one who wants to engage in action in the form of bhakti, this is the nine degrees that a seeker is to follow. The nine degrees are
On November 16, we explored active listening, Sravana. When we reflect on our journey as a seeker, we went from being a searcher to a seeker when a message came into our lives. That message could have been from a teacher, a great book, your own experience. Traditionally, Sravana comes in the form of a map and or guide and one feels this is the message I needed to course correct my life. In practical way one’s reason to live evolves from persons to purpose. You know that you’re engaged in active listening is when you’re living less for persons, and more for purpose. The story was about Raja Parikshita, where he prays for being punished for not listening to the Rishi, not listening to his heart, and that prayer is answered. He cries that he’s listening to the divine and the divine is listening to him.
On November 23rd, our action was active speaking, Keerthanam, from Sravana to Keerthana. The science behind this is when we engage in Mouna my mind becomes more open. People who talk too much, they have a lot of thoughts but they don’t engage in a lot of thinking. Thoughts are not directed. Thinking is directed. When we think of active speaking, we think of someone who’s a powerful orator, but here Vivek ji is sharing Mouna. Active speaking, I know when I’m supposed to speak, when I’m not supposed to speak. And a very visceral way to engage in Keerthana is to follow the tapa that Sri Krishna shares in the Bhagavad Gita, and that all of the words that we speak should be TUB; Truthful, Useful, Beautiful. If it’s not following these, I don’t need to speak. The story that was shared was about Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The only words that came out were about Bhagavan.
On December 7th, class went from Sravana to Keerthana to Smarana. Another word for this is Manana, active reflecting. Listening, speaking, reflecting. With Sravana, I have this message, but I have so many doubts about this message. Like we often have learned, God is looking at us and so looking after us. But if I’ve had a rough day or I’ve had a harsh experience, then I feel like God’s not looking at me. If God is looking at me but definitely is not looking after me, so this message is surrounded by doubts. Smarana/Manana/Active reflecting is how we husk that away. When we think of a husk that’s surrounding a vegetable or a grain, you take that off for that to be consumed. Corn is closer to being edible when we take husk off. We still can’t eat it, but it’s closer to being edible, closer to becoming real. To make this visceral for us, when you engage in active reflecting, write more, invest in good notebooks and good pens and pencils and write. Write your reflections. Write your questions. Pujya Swami Chinmayananda has given this beautiful practice of introspection, then detection. Introspection, we don’t need of writing. We are just kind of scientifically looking at our mind, but with detection we should write down.
On December 14th, we evolved from active reflecting to active serving. Sravana, Keerthana, Smarana, now Sevana. Active serving finds a place in our lives when we want to grow up, but we need support in our growing. I’ve lived for persons all along. Now I’m experimenting. I’m exploring, living for a purpose, but I need support. How do I grow up? Just like a building. If a building is only one floor, we don’t need scaffolding, from second floor, we need scaffolding. For multi-story, scaffolding has to be more complex with more engineering. Active serving is where a guide comes into our lives, and that guide is always there, but now we are really moving into our guide’s life. The guide is there, we are moving into the guide’s life, Upasana, where we are sitting near guide, who’s that scaffolding, that support on living for purpose and more. The Katha for active reflecting was about Acharya Bhishma. He never lost track of who he is and what he’s supposed to do, and now that we’re studying Shri Mahabharata, it’s even more evident, and the katha for active serving is Rishi Narada. Rishi Narada is one who can go to any dimension and be with any being, and any dimension and being he’s with, he spreads bhakti.
On January 18th, we reviewed the first four practices.
On January 25th, we entered into active invoking from Sevana to Archana. We also started to invest in meaning of puja, puja Vidhi, or the guidance when it comes to worship. Active invoking is when one starts to dissolve oneself. When we look at any anniversary or wedding photographs, we are looking for ourselves though it’s not our event. We see whether we are good or bad looking, and also are we in that slideshow or album enough. Why? It’s because we’re habituated. It’s our Vasana to feel my name, my form, my qualities. This is selfishness. But through active serving, I start to taste, I start to feel what it means to dissolve oneself, and active invoking is furthering that. More important than my name is Bhagavan’s name. More important than my form is Bhagavan’s form. Rishi Vyasa was known to have a poor appearance and poor fragrance. Because he didn’t care. He, like Rishi Narada, was establishing Sanatana Dharma. To dissolve ourselves, to make this visceral for us, have an altar where we sleep. So, the last sight we see before we go to sleep is that altar. And the first sight we see when we wake up is an altar. Vivek ji has Bhagavati Gayatri’s murti right next to the bed stand. When Vivek ji travels to our homes, as soon as Vivek ji gets to the room, Vivek ji cleans and sets up Vivek ji’s altar there, puts Vivek ji’s books there, mala there, icons there. Those who practice contemplation, in Bhagavad Gita, one’s seat should be where one’s eye level is at the feet of one’s guide and divinity. That way the last sight they see is the feet, and the first sight they see is those feet. The Katha was about Sri Ekalavya. He was this random being, but he invoked in a way that even the Pandavas and Kauravas were threatened by.
On February 1st, from active invoking to active incorporating; Archana to Vandana. Archana is almost like lip service. Vandana is where I’m backing that lip service. The saying, put your money where your mouth is. Incorporating means practicing Archana in a controlled environment. That’s why people are fond of puja because it’s unresisting. The uncontrolled environment is the same bhava I have towards a murti for me to practice that with Manavas, people. Vivek ji is not sharing that we should have many, many, many relationships, but undoubtedly the more we live and work with people, the more sadhana there is. Whenever Puja Swami Tejomayananda shared anything Vivek ji will follow that not saying no because Vivek ji knew Swami Tejomayananda is creating another way for Vivek ji to engage in Sadhana whether it’s in London or Pittsburg. To make this more visceral for us when we engage with people when we make a mistake consciously or unconsciously feel the pain that comes with that. Seeker develops that sensitivity to pain them if they make a mistake because through that pain, they would not do that again. We externalize it as punishment, but it is correction. Our parents punished us more which means they corrected us more. Because of this, the defiance or rebelliousness came later in life. It’s not the physical pain but emotional pain of why did I say this, why did I think this, why didn’t I do this. Katha was about Pujya Swami Tejomayananda, questioning Vivek ji about how come Vivek ji is not accepting up Deeksha. That Katha was about Pujya Swami Tejomayananda.
February 8th was about Dasya. First three practices Sravana/Active listening, Keerthana/Active Speaking, Smarana/Active reflecting are like elementary school. Next three Sevana/Serving, Archana/Invoking, Vandana/Incorporating. This is like going from elementary school to secondary school. Next at the graduate level are Dasya, Sakhya, Atma which are all Bhava. They are less about action more about feelings, more about identifications. Dasya is active respecting. It is to respect the Bhagya/fortune part of Bhagavan. Bhagya here is the qualities of Bhagavan, to respect these. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda shared only the values we value will turn into Virtues. For example, whoever value punctuality or commitment they will become Virtues. Punctuality was very important for Pujya Swami Chinmayananda so he was very punctual. A way in visceral sense that we can engage in Dasya is to disconnect more from that which is not Bhagya. We are very much connected to facets of this multiverse that are not describing self-development. War, politics, material investment disconnect from that more to have more time and energy for Bhagyavan. Katha was Sri Hanumana. Sri Hanumana only loved listening to Katha about Sri Rama.
On February 15th we engaged from Dasya/Active respecting to Sakhya/Active loving. Whatever you love becomes a natural part of your lifestyle and you. Whoever love exercising it becomes natural part of the day. When you go shopping you thinking of buying for ones whom you love. It’s not about an action it’s general lifestyle. A way we can viscerally cultivate this is to feel that every experience that happens to you is part of Bhagavan’s Leela for you. Your family, friends are in your life because Bhagavan is coming as them. Then all of this becomes more nature. Katha was Saha-Dharma-Charini. She was tending to her unwell husband and then that Swami had come told her “You should come and serve me”. She told him “I am not some bird you can take me for granted.” She treated her unwell spouse like he was Bhagavan. What’s remarkable about the Kathas is the first seven are about Devas, and the final two are about Devis. Deepest dedication is from our Devis so, Saha-Dharma-Charini.
On February 22nd was another specific review of engaging in Pooja.
On March 1st theoretically completed Navada Bhakti from Dasya to Sakhya to Atma the bhava, the feeling of oneness. This is active revering. When respect and love come together that’s reverence so active revering. Because is this is most causal respecting is as if liking what’s someone has. Loving is loving who someone is. I like what you have, I love who you are. That’s different its not about that fancy car it’s about how much care you offer someone. Revering is from liking to loving to living. From loving who they are to living as them. Sakhya Bhava, I love Bhagavan Krishna because Bhagavan Krishna is most compassionate. Revering is I want to live LIKE Bhagavan Krishna; I want to live WITH Bhagavan Krishna; I want to live AS Bhagavan Krishna. We invested lot of time in Meaningful Mornings flowing through Bhagavad Gita. Final part of Bhagavad Gita is not about Prince Arjuna or Sri Krishna its about Asi, its’ about oneness. Vivek ji already shared with us elementary school live for persons, secondary school live for purpose, at graduate level its live for presence. Having these Bhavas or identities that I am just servant, I am just lover, I am just the same that is extremely deep. We go from deep to oneness. It’s like if you dig under Mariana Trench the Earth’s core would be underneath. You are shifting from ocean to core. Katha was of our Gopis, specifically Radha. Vivek ji emphasized there is no name Radha in Shrimad Bhagavatam. Name Radha came from AaRadhita, one who is always looking, the one who is always trying to be with Bhagavan Krishna. It’s not about a person its about practice. Aaradhita means the one who is always trying to be, be with, be as Bhagavan Krishna. From Saha-Dharma-Charini to Radha. This is the second wave of Bhakti time from awareness to action. What we understood in past twelve weeks was very remarkable, very valuable. Please keep this in your heart forever.
Questions:
Q1: What is the practice of a Proxy in a Pooja?
Ans: The highest reason one should engage in Pooja is to be grateful. Highest form of Pooja is to be grateful. Actually, highest form is to be silent next is to be grateful. Lower reason for Pooja is to be purposeful. That relationship is about wants and needs. When it comes to matters of grateful someone else can’t be engaged in Pooja for you. If Vivek ji had secretary that secretary can go and say thank you. But this is Bhagavan, it has to be you. When it comes to matters of needs that too it has to be you. For ex, the Tylenol or Advil has to be consumed by one who has the headache. When it comes to matters of wants, there are possibilities of someone else engaging in Pooja for your wants. Vivek ji was thinking of Raja Dasaratha facilitating a Pooja to have a child. That was about something they wanted. Another Rishi facilitated that for them so they had a child. In that regards it is possible. One should engage in that but remembering that there are Poojas in need level, and Poojas on gratitude level. Its important for everyone to know that Poojas and Poojaris’ are big business. We should be careful. When its light matter pay for that car Pooja not at the expense or compromise of the Poojas that’s based on the needs, Poojas that’s based on gratitude.
Q2: Did Hanuman ji, has Sakhya Bhakti? Degrees of Bhakti, I am not understanding that Sakhya Bhakti is higher rather Sakhya Bhakti seems impossible. I don’t feel equal to Bhagavan like a friend. What am I thinking incorrectly?
Ans: So, you want to know more insights on the difference between Dasya Bhava and Sakhya Bhava. Dasya is like the word Dasa, the attitude that I am a servant. Sakhya the light way is that this is my friend but heavier that this is my lover. If we start off Dasya Bhava, we see this little strongly in India lets’ say. If you have an employer and they have a servant there is so much distance between those two where they eat, what time they come, those kinds of matters. The implication is not so much of Bhava but the distance. We all the know that Hanuman ji was Rama Dasa that’s his name. He acted like that but didn’t feel like that. He didn’t feel distance from Bhagavan Rama. Then Sakhya Bhava you still act one who is a servant, but there is a greater closeness. Here with Sri Hanumana felt that Sri Rama was his friend in terms of closeness, he didn’t act like it. That’s why he is at the feet of Sri Rama. Atma Nivedana, Bhagavan Rama is in Sri Hanumana’s heart there is oneness there. He felt that oneness but acting was always at Dasa. One more context for us. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda shared that one should live like your Guru but not your Guru. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda should be like Pujya Swami Chinmayananda in terms of virtues but not the Guru. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda should live like in terms of discipline, care and teachings but he should still be at his feet. See how that works, inside Adwaita outside Dwaita. Sri Hanumana practiced Dasya Bhakti but with closeness of Sakhya Bhakti and Atma Bhakti. Inside like the visual that we see with Bhagavan Rama in his heart but in terms of outer actions there was that Dwaita. Just like awareness and action inside awareness, outside action.
Q3: I have portrait of Kula Guru next to my bed, I change Hare Rama, Hare Krishna but when I chant most the times the image that comes to me is of the Guru. I remember you mentioned Guru is behind you, and pushing you towards Bhagavan. I wanted to clarify if this is right or my imagery should change?
Ans: Whatever makes you close to The-Self is right. When it comes to matters of Papa and Punya; Papa takes you away from the Self not self, Punya takes you to the Self. That’s very different than legality. This is dynamic and comprehensive. When I am lying down in the bed I can’t do anything illegal but I can do things that are immoral. It reminds Vivek ji of story where this one person didn’t believe in Bhagavan Ganesha but believed that Bhagavan Shiva was more powerful, was going to get a job. When he was offering Dhoopa all of the fragrance was going to Bhagavan Ganesha in the corner so he put cotton in his trunk. When he came back to his Altor Bhagavan Ganesha was waiting for him. He finally felt Bhagavan Ganesha was real.
RAW: To continue to train in making Pooja natural. Vivek ji assures that this will only happen when we practice. Only if you actually practice offering Pooja it will become natural. For the test on March 29th if you perform Pooja that day without practice it would be very awkward. It’s like public speaking without practice the body language or vocal language becoming awkward. But for the people who do it regularly it means nothing to them. This is what do. This will continue to be Reflection Adventure of the Week. Please don’t theorize the unique training that has been offered specifically in Pooja Vidhi. When we practice in controlled environment, the possibility of practicing in uncontrolled environment becomes much higher. On March 29th we will celebrate engaging in Pooja collectively.