March 29, 2026

The most Utsava/festivals would be in months of March and October.  In March, Holi, Rama Jayanti, Hanuman Jayanti. In October, Navaratri, Vijayadashami, Deepavali. Now we are in this great period of great festival.  Vivek ji used the Sanskrit word Utsava for festival. Sign one is following through with this Utsava is Utsaha. Utsaha means one is inspired.  The design of a festival is external. In Holi, we share powder, Rama Jayantiwe we eat prasad. The sign of actually experiencing this Utsava is one feels Utsaha or inspired.  The sign of someone who’s inspired us they are self-purposed and self-rewarded. They don’t need an outside purpose. Their purpose is not their family, job. Their purpose is within. Because of that, they also don’t need praise or recognition. What Vivek ji is trying to share is the sign of someone who’s inspired is they’re independent. They are self-rewarded because of their self-purpose. How can this describe us? It’s not just through Utsavas. It’s not just through a light inspiration. This will become us when we have the Vijnana, not theoretical knowledge, but experiential knowledge that Bhagavan, divinity is Antaryami. Antaryami means, we typically describe this as the one who knows within.  Like God knows my prayers even before I know my prayers. But the more beautiful definition of Antaryami is the one who lives within, knows within. There is a permanence.  And this is why on Sunday mornings we invest in Bhakti.  A really clear sign of investment is where you give your time. If we don’t give any time to trying to experience Bhakti, then we are not investing in Bhakti. For us, this is week 25 in shifting from Jnana to Vijnana, from theory to experience, that divinity knows me, divinity is me. 

We are in the third wave of our course. First, we went through the why of Bhakti. Then how.  Now we’re flowing through the who of bhakti. We’re investing five weeks, five hours into the who of Bhakti.  This started off with the signs of a Bhakta. Raja Randhideva is the one, when divinity asked him, what do you want? He said, “I want to live on the outer layer of every being’s heart. That way I can absorb their sorrow so that they can experience you who is on the inner layer of their heart.” The sign of a Bhakta is they are ready to sacrifice all for the creator and creation.  The next facet of our exploration is the sincerity of bhaktas, from signs to sincerity. The science behind the sincerity of bhaktas. Sincerity means they’re not context dependent, but they are content dependent. What is a sign that you’re shifting from context to content? No excuses. People who make excuses, those excuses are them not taking responsibility of themselves. That sincerity is not strong. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has emphasized this, where he shared in Jivan Sutrani, only you can live your life. No one else can live your life. Both at a relative level, like someone else can’t eat for you.  At an evolution level, this applies times 1,000. Because someone in my family is sattvic, doesn’t make me sattvic. Similarly, because someone in my family is rajasic, doesn’t make me rajasic. That’s why Vivek ji also emphasized, again from Jivan Sutrani, instead of investing or giving time to Graha-Dasha, give time, invest in your Mana-Dasha instead of the planets, focus on your perspective. That was the science. 

Then the scripture Vivek ji shared from Bhagavad Gita, that those who feel a deep guilt, lighter than that is a regret, lighter than that is bad. I feel bad, I said this or didn’t say this. When one understands bhakti and is trying to be a bhakta, they’re able to let that go of that guilt, of that regret, of that badness. Vivek ji is giving a framework in terms of us letting go of the negative. What are the gauges of us becoming upwards? The first step is to be positive. A tracker like Fitbit telling us about heart rate.  Imagine we had a tracker on our mouth, what’s coming out of our mouth, is it positive or negative? Vivek ji feels a lot of people, they’re in a positive environment, but they don’t realize the negativity coming out of their mouth. Even better than that is one who’s productive. They don’t talk, but they’re producers. They actually just come and do the work.  That’s a better sign of someone who’s letting go of the past, letting go of who they were. But the best sign is someone who is pure; what they do, they do with intention,

what they do, they do with this purpose. Vivek ji is reviewing the sincerity of Bhakta.  The science is Bhaktas are responsible for sincerity.

The scripture, where Sri Krishna shares even the worst is able to transform through knowledge, and Vivek ji has given us this system of this change. Becoming positive, becoming productive, becoming pure. The story related to Sri Vibhishana. For Vivek ji last week was best class.  Vivek ji was really holding Vivek ji’s emotions back because Vivek ji was reminded of what Pujya Gurudev said to Pujya Swami Tejomayananda, “Don’t cry while you’re teaching because how are you going to teach then?” Some of the qualities of Sri Vibhishana perhaps we might feel his degree of Titeeksha is extraordinary. Titiksha means endurance. To just endure that place he was living in, the people he was living with. More powerful than this endurance is Dhiraja. Dhiraja means patience. A sincere seeker is one who is in this for the longing.  They’re done with short-term thinking and short-term results. They’re in this for the long-term thinking and long-term results. Even more powerful than this is Shraddha. Sri Vibhishana had the faith that Sri Rama was with him while he was in Lanka with Ravana. So, when he actually got to leave Lanka and be with Sri Rama, he may have hesitated in sharing with Sri Hanumana that will he accept me? But he had the faith that he will. He didn’t know Sri Rama in a casual way.  He was a fundamental leader. He knew Sri Vibhishana more than Sri Vibhishana knew himself. So, for us, if we want to become more sincere, Titeeksha, push harder on this to Dhiraja, then really hit the pedal to the metal with Shraddha. Endurance, patience, and faith.

We continue into who is a bhakta. We know the why of bhakti.  That’s almost like the utility. So, the how of bhakti. How do I cultivate this utility? We went through the nine degrees of dedication. This is the utility or the ends. This is the process or the means. How will we know if we actually engaged in the means and the ends?  There are signs, there’s sincerity. Now, system. The system of a Bhakta. A great negative happened in March of 2020, lots of people got sick and died and that continued for a long time. But the great negative was the availability of teachers and teachings. Why that’s a great negative is that lots of people who were systematic students became spiritual shoppers.  They used to be systematic students. An example of this is they would systematically physically come on time, with notes, ready to learn. But then it became spiritual shopping, that a little bit of teaching here, a little bit of teaching there, camera off, using different mediums.  That’s why Vivek ji is sharing this third class, it’s about the system of a Bhakta. Today is Pariksha. We had really invested a lot of time and effort into understanding and practicing puja together. The RAW really the RAM, reflection adventure of month. This whole month was for everyone to make sure you’re practicing this in your own home. This is one of the uniquenesses of Sanatana Dharma. We don’t just have communal places of worship, more important than that is your individual place of worship, which is your personal altar. In your home, you may have a family collective altar. But within that altar, there should be a facet that’s more personal to me. Vivek ji is going to facilitate Bhagavan Rama’s puja, hoping we are doing the same at our altar. What Vivek ji is trying to share is don’t make excuses I forgot, I’m busy, I have family. Vivek ji is busy; have family. Vivek ji not making that excuse.

This may come across as tough, but that’s why we are here. We are not here to sit in front of Bhagavan for five minutes and get a banana. We are here to feel that he lives in you. If that’s not going to happen, if we are not active, we are just going to be reborn again. No one wants that. That will happen, Vivek ji assures us unless we become more active. 

Science: The science of puja, there are three reasons to engage in puja. Vivek ji will start with three to two to one. Number three is Vivek ji engages in puja; Vivek ji offers this prayer out of the bhava or the attitude of purposeful. That’s like a sutra word. It actually feels like from you, for me. Why do we be with divinity? Because we want something from divinity. From you, for me. Here, anything we want from divinity, that’s the third degree of greatness when it comes to puja. We want something from Bhagavan but the narrative is from you, for me. The one who is more evolved, they’re going from knowledge to experience, or from theory to experience, their relationship with puja or prayer is Grateful.

That orientation shifts.  It’s now from me, for you. Gratitude is coming from me I don’t want anything.

You’ve given me everything I need, and I know that. That’s what Vivek ji is sharing with us. I now feel that. When one is with Divinity there is no asking. The most evolved is Silenceful. With silenceful since there is no ME, YOU also, goes away. Since there is no me, there is no orientation of from and for. There is just silence or BEING. Vivek ji is elaborating on the system of Bhakta. Step 3 is purposeful, step 2 is Grateful, step 3 is Silenceful. Like when anyone drives to Chinmaya Dhara the parking lot thinking we hope this goes well tomorrow, step 3. When we come to ground floor feel the quietness here feel that we are happy that we are alive, celebrate what’s happening. But when the course starts, we become silent.

Scripture:  End of Ramayana shares what’s going to happen when Sri Rama becomes unmanifest. It’s not about going back to Tretayuga. Sri Rama becoming unmanifest is us forgetting that Sri Rama lives in our heart. In the beginning of creation when people felt that Divinity live in themselves people became free with Dhyana or contemplation. As creation aged, integrity started to falter the way to become free was not Dhyana but Yagas. From contemplation to macro rituals. There is a form of externalization but they needed to organize in a big way which required focus. But creation got older there was more faltering of integrity. In third period of creation to become free it was not Dhyana or Yaga it was Yagna. Otherwise, it is Pooja from macro ritual to micro ritual. Creation continued to age, integrity is almost on the verge of dis-integration now. So, the way to free is not contemplation, not macro rituals, not micro rituals, but Japa, meaningful repetition. Japa is really form of Pooja. We are using our body, using our mouth, using our mind. Vivek ji is giving one more layer on top of this so that maybe it becomes visceral. Ones who have lot of integrity time to wake up is 3:00 AM, Bramha Muhurta. That’s like Satya Yuga or Dhyana. If you can’t wake up at 3:00 AM then there is the Yaga or Macro ritual it is 4:00 AM. If this is not possible then we go into Yagna, micro ritual it is 5:00 AM. If this is also not possible, we go into Japa or meaningful repetition that is waking up at 6:00 AM. For everyone here there shouldn’t be post 6:00 AM for waking up. There is so much misinterpretation of I am good enough. You are good enough if the expectation on yourself is low. But with tough love good enough is not good enough. Sri Krishna didn’t teach Prince Arjuna to be good. He expected, he knew Prince Arjuna could be God. That is the science and the scripture.

Story: Vivek ji will begin pooja. To make this pooja so relatable Vivek ji is going to use the book Traditions. Vivek ji is going to facilitate this Pooja in terms of Manasa Pooja. For one to feel this in their mind both are needed the bodily Pooja and the mentally Pooja. Please actively visualize that your body is engaged in these practices, in these verbs.

Atha Ācharaṇa

The word Atha implies that whatever I am doing I am doing with great intention. I am trying to move from purposeful to grateful to silenceful.

Visualize in front of you an icon of Bhagavan Ganesha, even better not an icon actually Sri Ganesha.

śuklām-barādharam viṣṇuṃ śaśi-varṇaṃ caturbhujam |

prasanna vadanaṃ dhyāyet sarva vighnopaśāntaye ||

Atha Prāṇāyāma

To prepare, now purify. Purification of our hands is done with water. Much more intimate to this is our breathing. Inhale deeply through the nose chanting Aum in the mind once. Hold the breath chanting Aum four times. Breath out through the nose chanting Aum in the mind twice. Repeat.

Atha Dhyāna

To protect. We don’t need external protection. We need internal protection. This is provided by our Guide in the form of guidance. Visualize your personal Guide at the feet of Bhagavan Ganesha. You are at the feet of your Guide.  

gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ gururdevo maheśvaraḥ ।

gurureva paraṃ brahma tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ।।

Atha Āvāhana

Having made ourselves ready to bring Bhagavan Rama, Sri Rama closer to us. We now formally invite Bhagavan Rama. Visualize you going to Bhagavan Rama.

Aum Viṣnu Bramhmāṇe Namaḥ Āvāhayāmi

He extends his arm and his hand you hold on to his arm and his hand. You bring him close to you. This has become your Altor in a live way.

Atha Āsana

Your divinity is standing but you want your divinity to stay long. So, you are inviting to welcoming Bhagavan Rama by offering a seat. You have externalized him from your heart to him being at your Altor. Now you are offering the best seat physically this would be a piece of cloth.

Aum Viṣnu Bramhmāṇe Namaḥ Āsanam Samarpayāmi

Feel that Bhagavan Rama is smilingly sitting down like you brought him great rest.  

Atha Gandha

As Bhagavan Rama sitting down though he hasn’t come for very far, he hasn’t travelled at all but you want him feel fresher. You want him to feel how much you care for; how much you love him. So, you develop fresh Chandan from the tree, this has been ground, which has been made into paste, the fragrance is moving. With your right-hand ring finger, you take lovely amount. You anoint his forehead with this Chandan.

Aum Viṣnu Bramhmāṇe Namaḥ Gandham Samarpayāmi

Amazingly as you bring your finger back it smells even more incredible. It’s like he made that Changan fragrant. We have invited, welcomed, refreshed. Now we are going to deeper into this Pooja

Atha Arcanā

We are singing his names which really are his virtues which really are our means, our Sadhana. You are taking beautiful fresh flowers, holding them with both your hands near your heart and name after name, virtue after virtue you offer

aum rāmāya namaḥ

aum viāmāya namaḥ

aum virajāya namaḥ

aum mārgāya namaḥ

aum neyāya namaḥ

aum anayāya namaḥ

aum vīrāya namaḥ

aum śaktimatām śreṣṭhāya namaḥ

aum dharmāya namaḥ

aum dharmaviduttamāya namaḥ

aum viṣnubrahmaṇe namaḥ

archanam samarpayāmi

Atha Naivedya

We go deeper, from singing to serving. Serving; here is me working harder, smarter, me cooking and all of this is being offered to the divine and what comes back is Prasada that my responsibility is Karma what comes from that, that Phala is a bonus. This is not what I think of. With both hands bringing Naivedya to your heart

Aum Viṣnu Bramhmāṇe Namaḥ NaivedyamSamarpayāmi

You take some with your right hand, your ring finger, middle finger and thumb make a small ball out of this Prasad bring it close to Bhagavan Rama’s mouth just like Devi Sabari and he opens his mouth wide for whatever you offer. Now final quarter from theorizing we will live by his virtues to working on living by his virtues to going beyond virtues. Bhagavan is the one who has all virtues always. Its not even described its not even with effort.

Atha Namaskāra

You stand up, put your hands on your head and carefully walk around Bhagavan three times.

yāni kāni cha pāpāni janmāntare-kṛtāni cha ।

tāni vinaśyanti pradakṣiṇa pade ॥

Aum Viṣnu Bramhmāṇe Namaḥ NamaskāramSamarpayāmi

You fall at the feet of Bhagavan Rama. There is a Vijnana, there is an experience that the only one that’s dependable is the divine. Now to accentuate you once forgot the divine but you will never, never, ever forget the divine again. This is the post Pooja, post offering

Atha Udvāsana

You put your hands on Bhagavan’s feet, you are already at his feet, you have fallen there. You gently with your palms push the top of his feet away from you. As a promise to him that though I forgot that you lived in my heart I am asking you to come back to my heart and I will never, ever, ever forget you again. You are Antāryami.

Yatā Stānam Pratiṣṭhāpayāmi

You have transformed, you have followed the system that is Yagna, that is Pooja, that is Prayer. You feel divinity in your heart with confidence that’s why you feel divinity in every being’s heart the semi-Gods, the animals, the plants, the stones.

Atha Mantra

From surrendering to being inspired to being loving.

sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ|

sarve santu nirāmayāḥ ।

sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu |

mā kaścid-duḥkha-bhāg-bhavet ।|

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Be silent.

Discussion Subject: There was not enough time however Vivek ji shared discussion subject. Why are you not a systematic Bhakta? Vivek ji has shared with us the source of that is even when there is option to be live, we drift to the virtual. That means we are compromising on intensity for the sake of ease. Reflect on it this week to refine how to be a systematic Bhakta?

For Vivek ji on Sundays 12 PM is experience of great release, great celebration. Without a system you just say you are doing your best but don’t feel it.

RAW:  Finalize your own Pooja. Soumya ji shared a system, what Vivek ji shared through traditions is another system. Finalize your own system and follow through with it.