Mind is a movement. It has to flow either towards samsara or towards Ishvara. There is no 3rd flow. As it contemplates upon Ishvara there is a reasonless joy.
Mind becomes what it things upon. When mind contemplates upon Shiva that is enough to bring out inherent joy as wave after wave.
Bhakti is an emotion. It is not knowledge, it is emotion. It prepares the mind for higher knowledge by purifying.
Shivas feet - lotus like - aravinda. Aravinda is the lotus which blossoms as the sun rises in the east. Sun stands for knowledge, for atma. Aravidma stands for the mind which is ready to receive that knowledge. Isvaras feet are always compared with the lotus.
If you take literally that becomes religion. If you take spirit, it becomes philosophy.
Spirit of holding on to the feet of Shiva is total self-surrender (sharanagati).
Always contemplate: consistently, perseveringly. Not every second of the waking state. Instead of contemplating things of the world we may better contemplate on Lord Shiva.
A heavy laden mind cannot go towards Isvara. The mind should be simple, subtle, light. Story in Purana: when a person dies there is a devaduta standing there with a balance. The suksha sharira (mind) is put into one pan and in the other weights are put. If it is light it goes to heaven, if heavier it goes to hell. Therefore our emotions should be simple.
The river, no matter where it has taken birth, it has only one goal - ocean. The mind should overcome the absorbing power of samsara and ultimately reach the ocean.
It is Isvara who makes the first step, then it must be our effort. Like a creeper. It chooses a tree and then starts growing in that direction.
Inching towards Isvara is equivalent to inching away from samsara. Ramakrishna: Love towards Isvara grows in direct proportion to dispassion to the things of the world. You go towards east and west simultaneously. Dispassion towards things of the world and motiveless devotion to Isvara progress simultaneously. The more we get entangled in samsara, the more devotion gets less and less.
There is no chaos in the world except the chaos you have in your mind.
The devotion should not be seasonal (when things go well).
Devotion is entirely our effort. Isvara made his will very clear - come near me and I will protect you. Now it is for us to go near.
The river just relinquishes names and form. It doesn’t give up its true individuality of being (water). It becomes one with the infinite. Bhakti becomes one with the infinite but it must be in such a way that egoity must be neutralized.
Egoic state - where there is an effort to preserve the identity.
Love for the world is called attachment. The same love directed towards Ishvara is called boundless.
Love is such a thing, unless we put bounds in ignorance, it has no bounds. Just like space. Mahatmas don’t restrict the love.
Samsari’s love is a vector. Jnanis love is a scalar.
There is notion that beauty has to come from outside things by reorganizing things. Same for happiness. Societies across the globe are moved by this notion. Because I’m disenchanted in the heart and I want some respite from it.
Doing is not intrinsic to atma. Atma is being and knowing. Doing is there and there is purpose for it - antahkarana shuddhi.
Mind is limited in the sense that whatever it can think of is always limited.
What is the essence of a tree? Fruit. What is the essence of cow? Milk. What is the essence of a human being? Ishvara bhakti and jnanam.
Except bhakti there is nothing else in the heart. Then you have the crop, which is self-knowledge. That life only is fruitful. Any other life is wasted.
As the creation ends the devatas resolve also in Parameshvara. They are also part of samsara only. Even a little peace of real happiness one won’t get from worship of devatas. Ananda devata cannot give.
Devote: “Sri Krisha make my mind pure and make me happy” - he knows how to and can grant. If you ask for a new car, he’ll consult his prarabdha …
There is no real happiness in pursuit of all this. I don’t want all this. I’m done with that. I want only one thing.
Having created duality out of language now you have to negate it.
Shakti resolves in the being becomes Shiva. The becoming aspect of Shiva is Shakti. The resolution of Shakti to being is Shiva.
Isvara being ananda, how can there be dukha in the creation? Ananda is the upadana of the universe. Why there is dukha? That’s our creation. Isvara doesn’t know how to create a dukha. Dukha is created by jiva. Not god, thus god will not be able to remove it.
Pleasure and pain always go together. Stomach pain I create. By overeating in the night. Why? Because I want … pleasure. As you pursue one you create the opposite.
Everything is wrong with accumulation. Cups and saucers behind a glass in a cupboard!? I’m looking for some meaning it it. Then we come to Vedanta. And we accumulate emotions. A child does not. As the emotions are accumulated we become heavy laden like a ship.
What we are accumulating is terminology. Vedanta is all about unlearning. Nothing new you learn. Nothing new you get. Good Vedanta teaching is that demolishes every possible concept that a person has in the mind and leaves him free and open so he can be the truth which he already is.
People have become linguistic. They are no more existential. Biodata is my linguistic “being”, all mithya. What I’m truly cannot be put in the biodata, even one word.
We’re totally deluded thinking that literature and language is the truth.
We accumulate formulas. Will they eliminate this horrible samsara? Are they helping us? Will they remove it? We must honestly examine it.
How long will it take for you to come to the truth? Stop the accumulation. Collect all the formula in one place. Make it simple. Develop devotion. Purify your heart.
Collect and showcase formulas. It will not save. Ultimately there is only one way - sharanagatih. Oh, intelligent person, you’ve learned enough of new things. What you’ve learned start practising and develop that total inner devotion to Ishvara.
A time comes when we’ve accumulated enough. Now it is time to take stock. Keep what is required and take proper steps.
First step is freedom from the concern of the future. It is horrible egoic state. The only way is Ishvara sharanagati. Then be open minded, don’t have too many expectations. Dismantle the entire structure of expectations. Then let the future unfold itself. Allow the life to unfold itself
“Did you take lunch? When are you leaving?” Simple and practical. What is there to discuss about the concern of future. Whenever there is concern about the future enjoy the glorious anxiety. Allow it to unfold. Devote to Ishvara. I pray only one thing: give me the strength to face the future. Ability to surrender to Ishvara. Only a strong mind can surrender.
All self-seeking is a violence. We take the same self-seeking to selfish pity-mindedness to the religion. That’s why it doesn’t have any transformative power. It seems to have become dumb. Public show is not religion. Private communion!
We should not try to impress god. We should surrender to god. Spirit of self-surrender alone bridges the gap between jiva and Ishvara.
Devotion is not an easy thing. We’re more devoted to the world than to Ishvara.
Mind offering is meditation. No more karma. No object is offered. That is the greatest worship. This wisdom, entirely by your grace, has taken root in my heart. I’m fulfilled. I surrender day after day at your lotus feet. Whatever wealth, resources … are needed, you take care of it. Devotee won’t suffer.