April 13 2005

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Description:

A discourse by Paramahamsa Nithyananda in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

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Transcript:

[00:00:12]

Welcome you all with my love and respects. Today I will try to present few words about an extraordinary scientist. He is a real scientist of the inner world. He is an extraordinary scientist of the inner world. Few words about his life and his message. His name is Patanjali, one of the great enlightened Masters of India. Actually these few talks are going to be series of talks on him, on his message. We remember him because he created one of the wonderful book or we can say great book, book of books. He created a book which is the root for millions of books. He created the formula of aphorisms for whole spiritual philosophy, for whole spiritual world.

[00:02:18]

All spiritual literature can be classified into 3 category: one is which expresses the goal what you need to achieve. These books are called philosophy books, more intellectual that will be explaining about what is truth, what is life, what happens after death. These subjects are discussed in that books, the philosophy books. We call in sanskrit - shastra. The philosophy books speak about what happens after death, what is atman. These philosophy books, they speak about what is the truth beyond the life and death, all these things. They are more intellectual stuff. The difficulty is, the philosophy is not method or a technique to transform your life. It is just an experience of the philosopher or perception of a philosopher. You can’t even say experience; perception of a philosopher. So, it can vary from person to person.

[00:04:32]

See, from person to person the perception varies. This one question ‘what happens after death?’ You can say millions of people have answered this question. still the question is virgin. Millions have answered this question, still the question is virgin. Still we don’t know the answer. Whomsoever tried to answer to this question created one philosophy on the planet earth. Whomsoever tried to answer this question he created one philosophy on the planet earth.

One part of spiritual literature is philosophy which speaks about what happens after death? What is life? What is the purpose of life? What is soul? All these things. What is sin? What is merit? All these things. There is a next kind, second level literature, songs in praise of God, literature which is praising the glory of god. The first level is for intellectual, second level is for emotional people. First level is for intellectual people. Second level is for emotional people, just singing about the glory of the god, praising the glory of the god and more or less fairy tales.

[00:06:12]

First level intellectual is also not for common man. Second level emotional, that is also not for a practical man. Third kind of literatures, spiritual literatures which is for man who is asking for solution, who wants solution, the man who is in being level, solid down to earth man, who is a seeker, who wants clear cut experience of spirituality. The third level literatures are called sutras, means the aphorisms or techniques to reach that spiritual experience.

[00:07:11]

First level is shastra means philosophy, just an intellectual stuff. It will be very nice when you read, not for practicality. There is a beautiful story from Socrates' life. One young guy, youngster, goes to him and asks him, “Sir, what do you suggest, should I marry?” Socrates had a terrible wife, she used to beat him. And all his philosophy is only outside the house, not inside the house. Inside the house simply he has to listen. He can’t speak. This guy goes to him and asks, “Sir, should I marry? What do you suggest?" Socrates says, “You should marry.” This guy… young guy asks him, “Why? Why are you insisting? Why are you asking me to marry? I know for sure that your marriage life is not happy life. Your marriage is not successful. Why are you asking me to marry?" Socratis replies beautifully, “See, only two things can happen. One you may have a good wife, good life that’s nice, good for you. Or you may have like mine. Even if that happens, you will become philosopher, good for the country. So, in both the way it’s going to be good. If it is a good wife, it is good for you. If otherwise, it's good for others.” So, naturally it’s going to be good.

[00:09:01]

Actually this story is not only a joke, it has got some meaning in it. The people who are not happy in their life create philosophies. I tell you really people who are not happy, down to earth, straight, practical they create philosophies. Philosophy is nothing but complicating the simple truths. If you learn the knack of technique, how to complicate the simple truth you can become a philosopher 😀. The more the ability to complicate, the more your name and fame. People should feel they understood but they should not understand. If they understand, your business is gone. It’s almost like a psychiatric medicines. They will cure you almost but not fully. Philosophy is almost like that. The more you read, more you only create questions.

Philosophy can never give solutions. Philosophy is the beautiful way to postpone your questions; not to get answers, just to postpone. Till you read another philosopher you will think you got the answer. For example you take this one question, what happens after death. Read one philosopher's answer, you will feel totally contented. And you will experience as if you got the answer only till you touch another one philosopher’s book. The moment you get another one philosopher’s book and try to read his answer, all your answers will be shaken up. Everything is gone. Now you have to start from beginning. The more philosophy, more confusion. I have always seen, people who somehow manage the technique of complicating simple things, create philosophies. This is one kind literature.

[00:11:32]

The next again almost fantasies, “Oh God, you are beautiful, you are graceful, you are this, you are that. In the morning discourse I was telling, it is very easy to love the world but very difficult to love your neighbour or wife. Sameway it is very easy to love the god because he is somewhere, no problem. But very difficult to love the person who is in front of you, the person who is with you. Our concept of god is too vague, too vague. It is not a straight reality which can enrich your life which can transform your life. So all our emotional expressions of God, about God is nothing but our unfulfilled fantasies. Of course some of you may feel little hurt. What is this? Then the great poems of saints is this an unfulfilled fantasy?

You should understand, we should take little bit of time to penetrate through the human mind and how it works. We should not have any of the prejudice, or preconceived ideas when we start enquiring for truth. And this man on whom I am going to speak on these next 4 days is great man Patanjali. He says, from the first statement he says… in the first statement he says, “Let us enquire into the truth.” That’s all. Let us enquire into the truth. He starts with this word.

[00:13:41]

So, when we enquire into the truth we should not have a prejudice, we should not have an idea. If somebody is considered as a saint by mass we shouldn’t simply say whatever they have done is right. Maybe right but not enough. We should be very clear about what we want or the what level we want to reach. Just the praise or the stotras, stotra means just singing the god’s name is good, good time pass; but how much will it be practical? How much it can transform your life? How much it is going to enrich your life? Is it going to make you as a new person? Is it going to solve all the problems of your life? Is it going to give you some life solutions? If you think in this way, honestly if you start searching, naturally it is not going to.

If you have little time, just you want to spend in a good way entertaining yourself, then you can take up some songs. Sing the praise of god, “Oh god you are beautiful, you are great.” There are so many songs in so many languages, in so many traditions. Hinduism is filled with stotras means that praise of god. I don't think any other religion has produced so much of literature in praise of god. I can say at least some 10 million volumes. Please understand when I say 10 million I mean 10 million. At least 10 million volumes Hindus have produced in praise of God… good time pass. In olden days in India there was no TV or cinema, no other entertainment is possible. Good entertainment; but if you look little deep something more is necessary. Something more needs to be achieved.

[00:16:16]

The philosophy and songs. Philosophy is food for your intellect, brain candy that’s all. And the songs in praise of god… again is good but not for the ultimate spiritual experience. They are just goody goody… goody goody people are very nice but not efficient. It is good but not going to lead to the ultimate experience. It is not going to be practical. It is not going to be reality.

Here is a literature, the highest form of expression made by great extraordinary scientist Patanjali. The book is called Patanjali yoga sutra means the aphorisms on union with ultimate. Yoga means union with ultimate. Please understand, in the west yoga means some set of physical exercises. That is what we understand. But the word yoga means union with ultimate energy, union with the ultimate spiritual being, union with god or universal consciousness. Yoga means in sanskrit, literal meaning is union with universal consciousness. He writes sutras means aphorisms on how to achieve that universal consciousness. And I have read thousands of spiritual books but I have not come upon a book which is so scientific, so straight forward to the core like this Patanjali’s yoga sutras, this Patanjali’s aphorisms on ultimate experience.

[00:18:51]

I have read even enough of quantum physics books. There is a beautiful movie… the other day was in the theater ‘What the bleep do we know’, on Quantum Physics. What the bleep do we know - the title is that. And I tell you and the another one book I read ‘The Fabric of Cosmos’. After reading all this quantum physics literature I tell you honestly the Patanjali is more practical, more scientific than any of the modern day quantum physicist. I can be sure about that. Patanjali is more practical, more down to earth, more scientific than any of the modern day quantum physicist. Scientist means he needs 3 qualities, main 3 qualities.

The search for truth… the thirst for truth - seeking. Next thing, analysing the datas without prejudice; without any preconceived idea, without any investment. Third, the courage to go with the conclusion, courage to follow the conclusion which comes from your research. The person who has got these 3 quality only can be called as a genuine scientist. If you compromise in any one part, in any one step we can’t…. that person can’t be called as scientist.

[00:20:52]

Many times people compromise for their vested interest - for money or name and fame or their beliefs or afraid that we may disturb the common belief, we may disturb the common belief of the society and get the wrong name. Maybe due to some reason if the person compromises in his search or in his analysis, in his research or in his courage to go behind the truth which he discovered. If he compromises even in one step he can’t be called as scientist. And if you look at from these 3 points Patanjali is the extraordinary scientist. The father of yoga system, father of all the yoga system. He is the father of all yoga and meditation. I can say he is the father of all the Eastern religions. Buddha, Mahadeva or Shankara all these great mystics are outcome or I can say only the followers of this great Patanjali.

[00:22:32]

And there are books written about Jesus life which sends a strong… which spreads an idea that he was also in some way directly or indirectly learnt the Patanjali’s sutras. And many of his teachings directly relate with the Patanjali, with the Patanjali’s yoga aphorisms. And specially the books now coming up that… wonderful book….. which very controversial book. But we can’t deny this book. There are few things which can’t be denied is said in the book about the life of Jesus. Any of have read that book which has become popular in the recent days which says that Jesua got married and he is got lineage and all those things. Hmmm.. How do you pronounce? Audience mumbles .. ‘Da Vinci Code’ Hm…

And there are some more books the last period of Jesus and all those things. Of course we don't know still it is not accepted but there are few statements or few things we can’t deny it completely. In a way you can say at least his thoughts are inspired all the great spiritual masters of the planet earth… whomsoever happened after Patanjali are surely inspired or touched by his words, by his thoughts knowingly or unknowingly. That is sure. After him he created such a strong energy, such a strong understanding, such a strong way. I can say he created such a wonderful ways. After him anybody happened on the Planet earth, any mystic who appeared on the planet earth is directly or indirectly influenced by Patanjali.

[00:25:35]

Maybe they don’t know his name but his ideas are there in the sir. People are inspired and practicing his ideas. His ideas have surely inspired and influenced all the mystics who happened on the planet earth after Patanjali. Patanjali is such an extraordinary man, in his books we can see all these 3 quality. When I call him a scientist I mean he radiates all these 3 qualities in that maximum with the maximum purity. He radiates all these 3 qualities of openness, and research, the search for truth, doing research with an open mind, and courage to go behind the conclusion, not bothering about the social belief or the traditional understanding.

When Galileo declared that the planet is not flat, there was so much of opposition from many corners. Because some religions believed the planet earth is flat. So, people have started opposing, objecting, “No you can’t say it is round. You have to change. Otherwise you will be killed.” Then he made a change. And one more statement which people did not like is that some religions believed that sun goes around planet earth. And he discovered planet earth only goes round the sun. So that idea also people did not like. He wanted…. people wanted him to change.

[00:27:50]

Anyhow in his book he made a … he changed that statement and then below he writes a small footnote ‘I changed my statement because I belong to your religion, I belong to your faith. But sun or the planet earth, they are not going to change. They are going to go only as they are moving. Because they don’t belong to our religion.’ Sometime the common interest or the mass, the faith of the mass also interferes in the scientific research.

Here is a great scientist who has done so much of research in the inner world. He starts with a deep quest for truth and does his research with a open mind without any prejudice and has got courage to express the truth which he discovered. He is not ready to bend any of his thing for the sake of somebody’s understanding.

[00:29:19]

In those days the Kings used to support the spiritual scientist. If the research, the conclusion of the research, if it is not helping the King if it is against.. if it goes the vested interest of the King, neither the research can be published nor the scientist will be allowed. In the modern day again, in many field people who do research, they have to come upon to a conclusion with funder’s want. The people who fund they play a major role or they play an important place in the conclusions. You can’t publish, you can’t come upon with any conclusion which disturbs the vested interest of the people who fund your research.

Here is a scientist who is totally courageous, who is revolutionary, a real revolutionary, who has brought the truth straight away to the planet earth without any dilution. Scientist is a person who creates formula to reproduce something in the outer world. Anything happens in the outer world, they do research, they try to analyze, they try to contemplate, they create a formula to reproduce the same product or the same thing in the outer world.

[00:31:21]

Mystic is a person who creates a formula to reproduce the same experience which happens in the inner world. If you understand this, Patanjali is the greatest mystic happened on the planet earth. He created such a foolproof wonderful system, even after ten thousand years still the system works. Even after ten thousand years no updating is done. Please be very clear softwares only can be updated. Spiritual systems can be never be updated. His spiritual tradition or the book which he created ten thousand years ago, still works, still gives the result, still is a foolproof. Not only fool proof and still it is giving the result. Foolproof and straightaway gives the result. He is an extraordinary scientist.

There are few mystics who happened on planet earth. They created formulas, techniques to create to reproduce the same experience which happened to them in the inner world. But those formulas suited only particular mindset. Few people created formulas which will suit only for the intellectual group. Few people created formula which will suit only for emotional people. Few people created a formula which will suit only for men. Few masters created formula which will suit only for women.

[00:33:28]

There is a beautiful book, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. I was telling about this in a discourse. One person stood up and commented, “I disagree with this Swamiji.” I said why? “They can’t be from such close planets. They can’t be from such close planets.” Maybe theMars of this universe and the Venus of other Universe or the Venus of other universe or Mars of this universe. It cannot be from same universe. The distance is so much it cannot be from same universe.

Anyhow people created formulas, aphorisms to reproduce the spiritual experience only on particular mindsets, on particular people. Maybe intellectual or emotional. There are few masters who created techniques to reproduce the experience on the being level people. But here is a person, great enlightened master, mystic who created techniques to reproduce the spiritual experience in every being. He has created keys to unlock all possible doors; doors which existed, which is existing, which is going to exist. Minds which existed, which is existing, which is expected or yet to exist. He created master keys.

[00:35:28]

In this sutra he says ‘saarvabowmya vrataha’, the Sanskrit word, means these vows or these promises are for the whole world. He gives few promises, few oaths for the whole world. I tell you, it is not only working in one country, today, in the modern day all over the world, all over the world his science is practiced.

When I was traveling with one Professor, Professor who is doing research on this inter-religion, inter religious, comparative religions. I was asking him about the percentage of population, which religion has got what percentage on planet earth. He says, “Swamiji do you want the official percentage or practical percentage?” I asked him, “What do you mean by that official percentage or practical percentage? Swamiji we have two things in our country. Official religion, practicing religion. If you want official the statistics is different, if you want practical the statistics is different.

If you see in this way I think Patanjali is the person who is, who has created a religion which is practiced by more number of people on the planet earth. I can be sure of that. He is the person who created a religion which is practiced by more number of people on the planet earth. Maybe officially less because he never created an official institution. He has not created any organization. He has not organized. But in practical sense if you see almost all the mystics are influenced directly or indirectly by him.

[00:37:56]

And I read the statistics at least 25% of Americans have practiced one form or other Yoga and meditation. They say 25%. I was shocked, 25% looks too much. But they say 25% have practiced one form or other yoga or meditation. And one more shocking but good information, good thing, good news, at least 10% of American population regularly practice some form of yoga or meditation. 10% again, one in ten practices some form of yoga or meditation; means more than 25% are practically Patanjali-ites. Of course he never created a religion. He says beautifully, ‘The truth belongs to universe; truth belongs to everybody’. ‘saarvabowmya vrataha’. These truths belong to the whole world.

For example Thomas Alva Edison discovered the light. Just because he discovered it doesn’t mean it belongs to his religion or his community. The moment it is discovered it belongs to the whole world. The truth belongs to whole world. God saved in his time there was no copyright; no trademark.

[00:39:47]

Sameway Patanjali says he discovered the truths of inner world. Just like Edison discovered the truth of the outer world, light - this light, he discovered the truths about the inner light - enlightenment. He says I might have discovered it but it doesn’t belong to one religion. It doesn’t belong to one community. It doesn’t belong to one creed. Nobody can build organization around me. I do not want to be organized. Let it belong to the whole world. He opened up. And he might have discovered but the truth belongs to the whole world. It doesn’t belong to any particular religion, any particular sect any particular cult, or any particular group; belongs to the whole world. He is so great because he has not created an organization. The moment you create the organization, truth is corrupted. The moment you organize the truth, it loses its beauty.

I tell you one important thing: the rose when it is a flower it really looks beautiful. If you try to make a plastic rose just for the sake of long life, it may look like a rose but it is not rose. The difference between rose and the plastic rose is the same between the truth and organized religion.

[00:41:43]

Patanjali is so great he just expressed the truth, never created any philosophy or organization around his truth. That is the reason even after ten thousand years, these aphorisms, these formulas are giving the result. Because the moment you allow an organized religion it will get diluted, it will get diluted.

There is a … there was a great Master in India. His name is J Krishnamurthy. Some of you might have heard about his name. Great master. He writes… after creating his organization he writes the rule: This organization has got only one right - it can preserve my books and publish. It has no right to send any preacher or commentator to speak on my books or message. He says the person who comments creates chaos. The person who expresses without experience creates chaos. And that is true. That is true.

If Krishna and Christ, if both of them meet they will hug each other. They will share their love. But the Krishna's cows and Christ’s goats will always fight. If they meet each other they will only fight. If Krishna and Christ, if both meet each other they will hug each other. They will share their love. But this Krishna's cows and Christ’s goats will only fight. Because they have not experienced.

[00:44:01]

Krishnamurthy says beautifully “Nobody has got the right to comment on my words, to create a church around me or create an organization around my teachings. We have enough unto itself. I do not want the truth to be diluted.” And Patajali is one of the extraordinary scientist. He says I do not want the truth to be diluted. I do not want any organizations around my words. The moment you allow the organization to be created there will be more philosophers and theology people to complicate the philosophy. Because unless you complicate, you can’t exploit the people. Unless you complicate, you can’t exploit the people. If everybody understands the truth then what is the use of the organization? So, any organization needs to complicate the truth, to copyright, to create trademark, to create service mark. I say about any organization.

Somebody asked Me the other day, “Swamiji, what is the difference between Sankara's teaching and Buddha's teaching? Sankara says, atman is everything. Self is everything. Buddha says there is no Self - anatta. What is the difference between Sankara’s idea of poorna, and Buddha’s idea of shoonya. Shankara says everything; Buddha says nothing.What is the difference between these two? I told them only one thing, just it is simple problem of copyright.

What Buddha says and what Shankara says is one and the same. In experience wise the Buddha’s experience and Shankara’s experience is one and the same. Why two different names? Copyright problem, that’s all. When Buddha said ‘Nothing’, Shankara should not repeat the same word, because he needs something special. At least Shankara’s disciples need something to create an organisation. So, they create a new word and have copyright.

[00:46:45]

The other day I was reading in one yoga journal super deluxe kundalini yoga; super deluxe yoga. I was just shocked. How could this title come? I am not able to find any corresponding word for the super deluxe in sanskrit. How could this person created this title? How he created the title super deluxe yoga? I told one of our people to ring up and ask. And he says, the word is his copyright. The same stuff but you need to have your copyright. So just like that each one has created their own words, more and more complications.

[00:47:40]

Here is this great scientist Patanjali, leaves his message or his discovery; it is not even his message, his discovery. And he says very clearly ‘Let there be no organization. Let this truth spread by itself.’

Somebody asked Me a question, “Swamiji, but without organization how to preserve it Swamiji? Even to preserve this great truth we need organization.” Patanjali says beautifully “If it is truth, if will find it’s own way to survive. It will survive. If it dies, be very clear it is not truth. Some day there may be need for this book to die, means some more clarity has descended on the humanity, some higher researches is done, in much better way the truth is expressed. Maybe at that time this book has to die. At that moment better let this book die, its okay. As long as this is the book of ultimate truth let it be alive. When something else comes up, updated version or some updated version of consciousness, if some more updated versions appear, if somebody else who can develop on it, if he brings out something then let this book die. No problem.

[00:49:27]

I want truth to survive. If I create an organization, even if some more truth is discovered or if somebody else updates this book then naturally my disciples or people who belong to my organization will oppose that person. If Krishna comes down again he will not be allowed in the Krishna temples. Please be very clear. If Buddha comes down no Buddhist monastery will entertain him. It’s true. They will tell, ‘We are doing without you. Please be in your place.’ They can’t because their vested interest will be shaken; their vested interest will be shaken. You can do your business as long as the truth is not revealed.

He says beautifully I am not creating any organization so that this book can die when time comes. If it is necessary, if some more updated researches are done, if an updated version appears, if somebody expresses in much better way let this book die; let that truth prevail.

[00:51:01]

He is not only creating the ultimate technique and he is leaving the whole thing open so that the next generation can develop upon it. This openness is what makes Me call him as a scientist. I can say he is a saintist, saint and scientist. He is both - mystic and a scientist together. He is a extraordinary scientist who created wonderful techniques or who created a new path to experience the inner world or the ultimate divine, spiritual being. And apart from doing a great work he is so open. He is ready to allow anybody to update him. He is ready to allow anybody else to question him, criticize him, or do anything on his book. But the beauty is still we are not able to add even a single word to his teachings, to his techniques. Not even a single word could be added. Because it is so perfect still we are not able to update; still we are not able to develop. I think he knows it. That is the reason he left the whole thing open. He is so confident about the stuff which he is delivering. The person who is really confident about the stuff which he is delivering only can be so open.

[00:53:08]

Here in this country I saw a few advertisements, beautiful advertisements - money back guarantee. And guarantee we beat the best deals. ‘If you get this product lower than this price, come back, we will give you the same deal.’ We can say all these words only when you are confident about the product which you are selling. Same way here is a person so confident about the truth which he is speaking. He is keeping all the doors open. He is inviting, welcoming everybody. They can come and experiment with him, update him, question him or do research on his work. That is what makes Me call him ‘Patanjali the extraordinary scientist’. In this next four days everyday I will be speaking on his book, the great book Patanjali yoga sutras.

[00:54:24]

Today I will start the initial introduction. And his book is almost a spiritual navigator. You know what navigator means, it shows the way, you just type the address and it clearly guides you. And you can ask nearest pizza corner or nearest lodge, nearest restaurant, nearest hotel it will just take you. Nearest motel… anywhere it will just take you. Same way he has created a navigator which will guide you in the spiritual world any problem he has got solution. Anything related to the inner world, mind and body and spirit… in the body-mind-spirit - in this field anything he has got solution. And sometimes you will be shocked how could he give solutions for modern day problems. In modern day we face lot of problems, many type of perversions, fantasies - even for these problems he gives a clear cut solution which is down to earth and practical. And one more thing the greatest of Patajali is he is totally down to earth and practical. He is neither intellectual philosopher nor a emotional singer. He neither creates a philosophy about the goals and the other world what happens after death, this, that. You can’t find a single philosophy line or a line based on which you can create a philosophy, in his book. Not even a single impractical theories, not even a single line which is not… which can’t be proved. Everything is straight truth.

[00:56:43]

He is not intellectual philosopher and sameway he is not just an emotional singer… no praise of any god. And I think he is the first atheist. He is the first atheist, pure atheist not fanatic atheist. Please be very clear, we always have a wrong idea only for theism, we think only theists are fanatics or believers are fanatics… it is wrong. To be a atheist you need to be more fanatic. To be an atheist you need to be more fanatic. Because to be a believer you don’t need much. To be a believer is very easy and not only that, it is… logically you can see. When you see this world naturally you have to analyze there is somebody who created. The very existence of the world is the proof for the creator; unless there is a creator that cannot be something called created. There is enough proof for the god or the divine. So, naturally for theism you don’t need to be fanatic. If you just logically analyze you will be a theist that's all. You will be a believer, that’s all. But to be an atheist you need strong fanatic attitude, no even if that is the case I am not going to believe you. You need strong fanatic attitude to be an atheist. To be an atheist you need lot of fanatic... fanaticism.

[00:58:28]

Here is a person who is neither intellectual philosopher nor an emotional singer. He has nothing to do with it. He never even opens the topic or subject of believe or faith or whether god exists or not and all these things. All he does is just he gives you a simple techniques to realize the ultimate divine experience. That’s all. So that we don’t have to waste our time in arguing whether god exists or not. Straight away he gives a technique and says experience. In his language if you have to tell he says - To know apple is tasty you neither have to believe or disbelieve, you don’t have to argue. Just have a bite, over, you know it. Same way you don't have to argue, you don’t have to believe it or disbelieve it. Just have a bite. That’s enough. What’s truth you will know.

[00:59:54]

He starts with the beautiful word, the first aphorism, the first word is Yogaha chitta vritti nirodaha means, Yoga is cessation of mind. Yoga is the cessation of mind. Where your mind just drops, that space is called yoga. You achieve the ultimate experience when mind ceases to exist. Where just mind drops, dissolves into the existence. As long as mind exists you can’t experience that union. You will be in dilemma. You will always be in this side and that side; this side and that side; this side and that side. I always tell people jump before you think, because you start thinking you will never jump. Jump before you think; if you start thinking you can never jump. If you think, you will think, think, think, think and think. Even if you jump the moment you jump you have to stop thinking, only then you can jump.

[01:01:48]

Person with a mind can only create more and more confusion. He can only dissect and create more categories. Only a person who goes beyond logic, he can experience the union; only he can unite. The first line, yoga is cessation of the mind - Yogaha chitta vritti nirodaha where your thoughts disappear, there union happens. There is no gap between you and divine; whether you believe it or not, accept it or not, want it or not you are god. You are divine. All you can do is only one thing: either you can accept it, experience and express, or you can just continue to struggle and fight, that's all. But the truth is truth.

[01:03:15]

Small story. One guy was informed that his wife ….

…. how to win friends and influence people. There are so many books. In all those books they say If at all you want to catch the attention of the audience you have only 30 seconds. The first 30 seconds is the time they decide about you, over. In the 30 seconds if you can inspire them they will listen what you say throughout the class, throughout the program. If you miss the 30 seconds over. After that you can’t make them listen you. Because they have decided about you. And in the modern day 30 seconds is too much I think. First few words only. In first few words you decide about the speaker, then after that only through based on your decision you will be continuously judging him. You will not be listening to him. You will be just judging him continuously based on your opinion. Over. He says in that book how to sell your ideas in this type of books. They say, in the beginning itself you have to give some catchy point so that people will sit and listen.

[01:04:40]

Here beautiful thing Patanjali gives not only the catching point, the whole complete conclusion of the whole thing. The whole book he presents in this one first line ‘what is yoga’ over. Yoga is cessation of mind. Here he gives three things: the goal, the path, and after achieving what happens to you. All the three is given in this one line. The goal is union, and the path is dropping the mind, what happens after is the divine experience. All the three is expressed in this one single line. Yoga is cessation of the mind. Yogaha chitta vritti nirodaha over. If you drop … you see, the goal is supposed to be union with ultimate spiritual being, experiencing the ultimate spiritual energy, experiencing the cosmic intelligence, cosmic energy, experiencing the universal energy. That is the goal and the path is dropping the mind means going beyond the thoughts. The goal after achieving what happens is the ultimate experience. All these three is expressed in this one single line. The whole gist of his philosophy, the whole gist of his practical philosophy, we should not understand the word philosophy, the practical philosophy, the whole gist of what he wants to share he shares in this one single aphorism, this one single sutra, in this one single line. And the whole book is just the commentary on this one single line that’s all. He has written hundreds of lines but the whole book is commentary on this one single line… explanation of this one single line.

[01:07:13]

So, we will take next few days to analyze and understand what he says about this union, about dropping the mind and how to drop it. His techniques, and his methods and his teachings will take next few days and see in detail. I pray to that ultimate energy, the divine to shower this understanding on all of us and I pray to this great master Patanjali to help us to understand his great work and experience the ultimate bliss, the eternal bliss Nithyananda. Thank you.

I will spend few minutes answering your questions. Tomorrow onwards we will have meditation everyday after the discourse. He has spoken on 4… he has written 4 chapters. Everyday we will see one, one chapter. And one mediation from that chapter we will practice. Now if you want you can ask any questions; anything related to spirituality or life solutions you are welcome. We will try to analyze, I will try to answer, respond to your questions.

[01:09:20]

Question: I have just one question. What you said about Patanjali I understood it was about two thousand years ago, you said ten thousand years.

Swamiji: Oh, there is a big controversy going on. Actually in India there is a habit, if My disciple writes some book after even hundred years of Me passing away, if he writes some book, it will be attributed to My name. So, like that some people who lived in this tradition wrote some book and they attributed to his name. Because based on those books they say that he lived only two thousand years ago. But if you see the language of this, the Sanskrit language which is used in this book is minimum ten thousand years old. Only based on the history of the language we are now able to trace the age of this great science. See, one thing India is very weak in the history. They never cared, they never gave importance to the incidents or the happenings; they gave always importance to the philosophy. They gave importance to knowledge, they never gave importance to the day to day incidents. So, no incident is clearly recorded. And still now we are not sure of any great master’s date of birth or their life whether Shankara or Buddha or Krishna or Patanjali or no master's life. Because the problem is… that’s why in India history is called as puranas. Purana means it is not facts, it is truths. There is a big difference between fact and truth. Fact means what happened, the facts - this is the date, this is the time, this incident happened in the material world. Over. Truth means the impact of that incident on the human life. They gave more importance to the impact than the incident.

So, if somebody happens on the planet earth and he creates a big impact then that impact is recorded. Then that thing is recorded. But not the day, time and the facts. They have not given much importance to the fact. That is the reason all this confusion. They gave always importance to the truth. to the utility part of incidents not the fact parts.

[01:12:14]

And its like a …. one person goes to the mango garden with his friend. His friend starts counting how many branches are there, how many leaves are there, what all the types mangoes are there. How much we can make money if we also start a mango garden. And all this research he started doing. The other guy he nicely enjoyed few mangos and came out. Who is more intelligent? Naturally the guy who enjoyed the mangoes. So, the Indian history they bothered more about the enjoying mangoes. They bothered more about the impact, they did not much bother about the fact. That is the reason we suffer with this historical things, historical questions. But now they are coming up with a new understanding based on the sansk.. based on the language. Now they know the history of the language. Based on the history of the language now they are able to identify. He must have existed in that time. Even then we can say only rough. We are able to say before ten thousand years, maybe one thousand year earlier, maybe eleven thousand or maybe nine thousand. That much only we are able to say. We are not able to exactly say when he lived.

So, based on the history of the language now they are coming with an idea maybe ten thousand years. And moreover the place where he lived, his tomb, his graveyard is there. His tomb is there still. The place is called Rameswaram. In the south India his tomb is there, so there, there are few records. And moreover now they coming up with a new thing called, based on the stone structure, based on that structure now they are able to identify how many thousands of years ago it is done. So based on all these things they are coming up with an idea maybe ten thousand years.

[01:14:24]

And one more problem: all Patanjali’s disciples will be called as Patanjali. Patanajli number 2, Patanjali number 3 and after later on the number misses; only the name remains. All Sankara's disciples will be called as Sankaracharya. That is the tradition. All Budhha’s disciples are called as Buddha. So, you don’t know which Buddha is the person. Because they believe once a person become enlightened he becomes one with that consciousness. He is no more a separate person, individual person. He becomes one with that truth, so it is enough if you remember the truth. There is no need to remember the individual person and the facts about his life.

And I tell you one thing honestly I spoke so much about him but I can’t give even a single incident which happened in his life. Because there is no record. I can’t say his father's name, I can’t say his mother’s name, I can’t say where he is born. All I know is where he is buried, that's all. And how many books he has written. He has written three books. Three books he has written. This is one of the important book. That’s all we know.

[01:15:36]

We don’t know his.. how many years he lived. We don't know any other facts about him. There is a belief, the great truths should be kept away from the personality. The rishi’s, they believe it should be kept away from the personality. Apourushya - in sanskrit they call it. Apourshya means no hero worship. The moment you bring hero worship, immediately the truths slowly gets diluted. The truth is tailored according to the hero.

So, in his case he doesn’t want truths to be tailored in course of time just for… just to express his life. That is the reason no fact about his life is recorded. He hide himself so nicely he is just forgotten; except his name nothing about of him is known. All we know is his discovery. That's all. And it’s a pure attitude of scientist. You see you don't have to know the name of Edison to use the light. All you need to know is how to switch it on and off, that's all. You don’t need to know Edison's name or the later on how many thousands of people have sacrificed to develop this. You don't need to know any of their names. All you need to know is how to switch it on or off. That’s all. The same way, these people also wanted to keep themself away from the philosophy, away from the truth, away from their discoveries. So, they just totally moved themself away, covered themself and presented only the great truths.

[01:17:43]

That’s the reason we are not able to get the details of his birth or who is his master how he could manage. If you read his book you will be shocked, you will be literally shaken. The way in which he analyzes, or way in which he expresses the truths about the mind, it is just unimaginable. The modern day psychologists, the Sigmond Freud or Jung or Adler, all these people look too small.

I tell you honestly, not because I belong to this tradition or anything. I tell you honestly I have done… I went through all these things. They look too small in front of him. Of course it is not even the mistake of Sigmond Freud. Freud got only the patients as his specimen, he never got a single enlightened person to do research. All he got is only patients. So, from patients what data you can collect? Only based on those data he could come to his conclusions. So, it is not even his mistake. He did not get single enlightened master, he did not have a chance. That is the reason, after 35 years of research he comes to a conclusion man as such is … ‘Man as such can’t be healed.’ He says suffering is inevitable. Man as such cannot be in peace. He comes to conclusion and he writes very clearly.

[01:19:34]

If you read the books written by him the last part of his life, he is very clear ‘Man as such cannot be healed.’ Man has such cannot be… he cannot be cured. And he says you can only analyze, analyze, analyze. If the guy gets bored and tired and gets frightened, And he says I have become alright, enough stop. There is no other way. But fortunately Patanjali had beautiful specimens to analyze, to collect data. He had some enlightened people around him and he himself has become enlightened, the state of no mind. So naturally he could bring more truths. He could express more great things about the mind and the spirit. Yes, your question…

[01:20:40]

Question: Swamiji could you explain something about the vedantic philosophy, you know the concept of our universal, spiritual reality. It’s similar to what you realize when you do the yoga. So that means that it proves with that …inaudibe…. was right.

Swamiji: One thing Philosophy is right only after your experience, not when you read. Please be very clear Vedanta says everything is God. Everything is god. There is nothing in the world which is not god. Everything is god. Everything is god true. But we can’t go and stand in the middle of the road. You can’t say ‘Car is also god and driver is also god. How can he destroy me, how can he disturb me?’ Everything is god only when you realize it; only after your realization not before. After your experience not before. There is a beautiful story. Let Me explain the story.

[01:21:57]

One great teacher or a Master, he is teaching to his disciples ‘Everything is God. There is nothing in the world which is not god.’ This student learns everything. He is going to take bath in the river next day morning. He saw one mad elephant running towards him. All the people were with him, they ran away. They escaped to save themself. This guy, ‘Oh yesterday only my master taught me ‘everything is god’. Why should I be afraid of this mad elephant?’ But the mahout.. mahout what you call in english? The person who takes care of the elephant. mahout .. oh same word. Oh in Hindi only we call mahout. In sanskrit we call Mahout. Mahout. This guy, he shouts, “Arrey it is a mad elephant run away, run away, save yourself.” And this guy says ‘no everything is god. What is there?’ He was standing. The elephant came and just took him and threw him. And he was lying almost half dead. After some time the guru and all the disciples ran towards him and they wanted to help him. They asked him, “Fool, why did you stand in the middle? Why did you stand in the road? Why didn’t you run and save yourself?” He says, “No, no you only told me everything is god. That’s the reason I just wanted to check what you said. When elephant is also god why should I run and save myself? ”

[01:23:43]

Then the Master says, “Yes, I told everything is god. That is true. But just like elephant is god that mahout is also God. He told you, ‘Run and save yourself. He gave you the warning. God has already sent you message. Why didn’t you have enough intelligence to receive that message?"

Many time we don’t realize the truth completely. See, half truth is much worse than a lie. Please be very clear, half truth is much worse than a lie. When I say half truth, unrealized truth is much worse than a lie. Unrealized truth is much worse than a lie. So, Vedanta is a truth, ultimate truth. That's true no doubt. But when you start preaching or thinking it is truth without realizing it, then it is a dangerous. Then it is very dangerous.

So, Patanjali never speaks anything about truth. Because he is a seeker, he is a scientist. He never comes to a conclusion in the beginning. If you read the upanishad, the first sutra itself will be a conclusion. Here he gives you a beautiful method or a technique to reach the conclusion. So, Patanjali is more like a scientist. And from My experience I tell you unless you experience, never think vedanta is truth. Because when you experience, the truth is totally different than what you understand before experience. Before experience the same word will mean totally different and after experience the same word will mean totally different.

[01:25:57]

See, the master when he speaks vedanta he speaks from his experience. Disciple when he listen… listens about vedanta he listens from unconsciousness. So, the master’s words, disciple’s dictionary. How can it match? See I speak based on particular dictionary and you understand based on a different dictionary. I speak based on different dictionary and you take the same word and you refer and you take the meaning from a different dictionary. Naturally there will be problem.

A small story. One lady, middle aged lady, she was trying …. she was trying to wear a new fur coat and see how it looks on her in front of a mirror. She was standing and trying to adjust that fur coat. A small girl, her daughter, she said, “Mom, don’t you realize how much that poor animal should suffer… how the poor animal would have suffered for you to have this? You are torturing this poor animal for you to have this fur coat.” This lady just turned and said, “How dare you speak about your father like this?" She says, the daughter expresses about the animal which is supposed to give the fur. The mother understands she is talking about the father who is supposed to give the money.

[01:27:35]

Same word you can understand from two different angle. The daughter means the animal, the mother understands the from the .. from different angle. She thinks it is about the husband who is supposed to give money. Same word when master says he means totally different when you understand you mean totally different. So, better if you don’t believe Vedanta before you experience it, it is good for you and others. If you start believing it before you experience there is every possibility you will be creating confusion for yourself and others. And I have seen people who start believing before experiencing and start preaching also… leads to all possible confusions and all possible dangers. So, please be very clear even if it is truth, it is not your truth. It is the truth for the rishi who realized, not for you. Let it become truth to you. Only then it is truth for you. Till it becomes truth to you it can’t become truth to you.

Thank you. Next. Alright few minutes, this is the last question, we will finish. We have only five more minutes.

[01:29:18]

Question: As You are explaining at the beginning yoga is the union of mind. Can there be an organized method to transcend mind?

Swamiji: It’s a wonderful question. Yes, it’s a wonderful question. He says, “Can there be an organized method to reach the mind… to reach the mindless state? Because mind itself go beyond the mind.”

And Patanjali himself answers. Now I will give you the gist of the answer. Tomorrow I will give the technique for this very specific question. See, it’s like a… he gives a technique to evaporate the water. See, as long as it’s a water, as long as it is in the room temperature you can never think the water can become the steam. But once you put the fire, once you start heating suddenly you see at one point it’s a vapor. It’s a steam. It can’t be called anymore as a water.

Sameway he infuses different kind of energies into your mind, into your being. Automatically the mind evaporates.. the mind evaporates. And one more important thing you need to understand as long as you are moving your being is called as mind. The moment movement stops, the same being only becomes atman, becomes divine.

[01:31:07]

It’s like a, as long as you are moving, you are in the ‘sanchala’ means the movement you can be called as a mind. The moment the movement stops the same thing will become divine. You see, understand this one example: it’s like a rope… the rope is there. It look like a rope usually and it can bind you. If you just burn that rope it will exactly look like a rope after being burnt also. But it can’t be used to bind you. Sameway the mind which is moving can bind you, if it stops moving it may look like a mind it cannot bind you. It can’t called be as mind. It can’t be called as mind. As long as it has got thoughts only then it is mind. The moment thoughts stops it can’t be called as mind.

And one more thing the more you go deeper into the mind, slowly, the qualities of the mind, what you think of as qualities of the mind, disappears. As long as you are in the superficial level only then the oscillation. Too much of moving, wavering this side and this side, and this side and this side, and this side and this side. The more you go deep slowly, slowly, what do you think as mind, as on now you think mind cannot guide you, mind is only confusion, mind is a disturbance. These are all truth now. Because too much of disturbance.

[01:33:05]

Slowly, slowly when you settle down, the same mind will become guide, the same mind will become teacher. The same mind will lead you to no mind state. The same mind will lead you to no mind state. As on now mind only moves you away from the enlightenment. Only that gives you all trouble. The moment you settle down when you start going in, the moment you start experiencing the bliss inside, the mind only will pull you inside. That will give you the guidance. Now it gives you .. it just brings you out. Again and again brings you out. The moment you start experiencing the calmness or bliss inside, the same mind will use all it’s force and energy to take you in, to reach that no mind state. And ultimately no mind state is not against mind. Please be very clear because there we have no other word we use the word ‘no mind state’. But the no mind state and the mind they are not against each other. Mind exists because mind doesn’t know that no mind state is an ecstasy. Mind has not tasted the no mind state. Because of that it exists otherwise mind itself, once you start tasting that ecstasy, mind itself will ask you to stay in that state. Mind itself will want you to stay in that state. It’s not against the no mind state.

[01:34:55]

As on now because it doesn’t know it distracts you. Mind is a wonderful servant. Whatever it thinks as a truth it will take you there. That’s all. It’s a wonderful servant, wonderful person. If it thinks the outer world is the truth it will take you there. All you need you to do is just give a one glimpse or a conscious awareness the inner world is much more beautiful, blissful, great. The moment you manage to give that, beyond your logical analysis all these things simply your mind will start taking you towards inside.

So, tomorrow please raise this same question because I will be giving a little deeper explanation how the mind works. This is the important question. Actually Patanjali analyzes this question in the first chapter. In the first chapter itself he says how can one more dream take you beyond dreams. See, mind is a dream and your practice or your sadhana- everything is one more dream. All your meditation techniques are one more dream. How can one more dream lead you to dreamless state?

[01:36:16]

He asks and he gives you the clear answer. The answer is if you see a lion chasing you in your dream, automatically you will come out of the dream. Lion chasing you is only one more dream, but how did you come out of the dream just by that dream? So, dream can lead you to dreamless state. If you understand this one logic you can understand dream can lead you to dreamless state, he gives the logic also. What type of dreams can lead you to dreamlessness, can wake you up. why? We will see tomorrow.

Thank you.

[01:37:10]

Photos Of The Day:

01--Satsang