Summary:

Lesson 51 compares lower (dvaita) and higher (advaita) devotion (bhakti) and their purpose. How does a realized master devote? What is the point of puja/devotion/temples/church, if in truth Self is never NOT apart from the WHOLE?

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, verse 30, 31, 32

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 30:

यः माम् सर्वत्र पश्यति, सर्वम् च मयि पश्यति,
तस्य अहं न प्रणश्यामि, सः च मे न प्रणश्यति ।
yaḥ mām sarvatra paśyati, sarvam ca mayi paśyati,
tasya ahaṃ na praṇaśyāmi, saḥ ca me na praṇaśyati ।

I am not lost to him who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me. He also is not lost to Me.

In this verse, Krishna introduces a profound aspect of devotion (bhakti) that transcends conventional forms. He emphasizes the realization of the Ātma as the ultimate form of devotion, where one [cognitively] appreciates presence of Ishvara in all beings (as Intelligence governing the body and the functioning of the mind).

Key Concepts:

• Sarvatra Ātma Darśanam: This is the vision of seeing Ātma, the true Self, everywhere. It is equivalent to seeing Ishvara everywhere, as Atma and Ishvara are one and the same in essence. This realization is the pinnacle of bhakti.
• Higher vs. Lower Bhakti: Before attaining Self-Knowledge, devotion is often directed towards a personal deity with form, which is subject to arrival and departure. This is known as aparā bhakti, or lower devotion. It serves as a stepping stone to the higher understanding of God as formless consciousness.
• Ātma Svarūpam: The true nature of God is formless consciousness, the same consciousness that is the essence of all beings. Recognizing this is the essence of higher bhakti.

The Vision of a Jnani:

• Seeing God Everywhere: A jñāni, one who has realized Self-Knowledge, sees Ishvara (Intelligence putting things together and appearing as particle > atom > your body) in every being and all beings in Ishvara. This is akin to [cognitively] seeing space within, and encompassing all rooms. Just as space is not confined to any particular room, Atma is not confined to any particular body.
• Formless God: The ultimate realization is that God is formless, and the forms are merely aids to prepare the mind for this understanding. Once the mind is subtle and prepared, the devotee transcends the need for form and [cognitively] appreciates the formless reality.

Benefits of This Realization:

• Constant Presence of God: The jñāni cognitively recognizes presence of Ishvara manifesting as all that is here, never subject to arrival or departure. This realization provides unwavering security and independence, as this Intelligence is always within and around them.
• Inseparable Unity: The jñāni and Īśvara are inseparable, reflecting the truth that “I am He, He is I.” This unity is not just a philosophical concept but a lived reality for the jnani.
• Freedom from Dependence: With this realization, the jnani is free from emotional dependence on external entities for security or happiness. They are not subject to threats or emotional blackmail, as their source of strength is presence of Ishvara.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 31:

सर्व-भूत-स्थितम् यः माम् भजति एकत्वम् आस्थितः ।
सर्वथा वर्तमानः अपि सः योगी मयि वर्तते ॥ ६-३१॥
sarva-bhūta-sthitam yaḥ mām bhajati ekatvam āsthitaḥ ।
sarvathā vartamānaḥ api saḥ yogī mayi vartate ॥ 6-31॥

One who has attained (the vision of) oneness worships Me who am present in all beings. That Yogi abides in Me, though engaged every way.

Highest Level of Bhakti

In the highest level of Bhakti, the expression differs significantly from lower forms. Previously, one looked upon God as a person with human limitations and weaknesses, such as being hungry, thirsty, or dirty. This led to expressions of bhakti like bathing the deity, offering clothes to protect from impurity, and decorating the idol. These are considered expressions of lower bhakti. In contrast, the jnani’s expression of devotion is an appreciation of the very nature of God (as Intelligence manifesting as form and laws), transcending these anthropomorphic concepts.

Śaṅkarācārya’s Parā Pūja

Śaṅkarācārya wrote a work called parā pūja in response to these lower forms of bhakti. He points out the limitations of offering āsanam [seat], pādyam [water for washing feet], argyam [water for welcoming] to a limitless Lord. For instance, he questions how one can offer a seat (āsanam) to the Lord who is the substratum of the entire cosmos. He highlights the meaninglessness of washing the hands and feet of a Lord who is handless and feetless. This work demonstrates the shift in perspective that comes with higher understanding.

Jñāni’s Worship

The jñāni worships by [cognitively] recognizing Ishvara everywhere (sarvabhūtasthitaṃ). There's no special action of devotion; the very jñānam (knowledge) itself is the expression of Bhakti. The jnani sees the Lord present in every living being as the very life because of which they are alive. This advaita driṣṭi (vision of non-duality) is their form of worship. For a jñāni, inviting God is meaningless because God has never been away from them.

Sannyasi and Worship

In the four āśrama [stages of life] scheme, sannyāsis [renunciates] need not perform any formal worship. Their pūja [worship] is in the form of jñāna yajñā [knowledge] – the very appreciation of Ishvara. The sannyāsi’s highest form of worship is their constant awareness and appreciation of Intelligence (Ishvara) manifesting as these names and forms, and the truth of Ishvara is Consciousness, known to me right now as “I am”.

Misconception about Vedanta

People often think Vedanta means bhakti is gone because jñānis don't perform visible rituals. However, a Vedantin’s bhakti has reached invisible dimensions. It's compared to mature love in a relationship, where external expressions diminish but internal understanding deepens. The jñāni’s bhakti is the highest and most refined, though not expressed in regular forms.

Lifestyle and Internal Transformation

sarvathā vartamāno'pi: Whatever lifestyle or āśrama [life stage] a jñāni chooses doesn't matter. They could be in brahmacharya [student], gṛhastha [householder], or vanaprastha [forest-dweller] āśrama, doing any profession. The transformation is internal, not necessarily external. One can continue their duties and lifestyle; the important change is within.

Jñāni’s Relationship with God

saha yogi mayi vartate: The jñāni and God are inseparable. The jñāni doesn't need to go to temples to see God because, for them, God is not confined to a temple. The whole creation is seen as the abode of the Lord. This represents a state of constant communion with the divine, transcending specific locations or rituals.

Illustrative Story

A jnani was sitting inside a temple, stretching his leg towards Shiva-linga [symbolic representation of Shiva or Ishvara]. Other devotees, seeing this, were outraged and accused him of sacrilege, asking, “How can you stretch your leg towards the Lord?” For these devotees, the Lord was confined to the direction of the Śivaliṅga. The jñāni, wishing to impart a lesson, calmly responded, “Can you please turn my leg to a direction in which God is not present?”   They realized they couldn't find any direction devoid of Shiva.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 32:

आत्मा-उपम्येन सर्वत्र समम् पश्यति यः अर्जुन ।
सुखम् वा यदि वा दुःखम् सः योगी परमः मतः ॥ ६-३२॥
ātmā-upamyena sarvatra samam paśyati yaḥ arjuna ।
sukham vā yadi vā duḥkham saḥ yogī paramaḥ mataḥ ॥ 6-32॥

Oh Arjuna! Keeping himself as the standard, that yogi who sees pleasures and plain alike in all is considered to be the greatest.

Universal Identification

A jñāni’s mind expands to identify with all bodies as their own. Previously identified with one body only, now they know “I am the ātma [self], not only behind this body, I am the very ātma behind all the bodies. And therefore all the bodies becomes like my bodies, my hands, and my legs.”

Non-injury and Compassion

Due to this universal identification, hurting any being would be like hurting themselves. This leads to the jñāni becoming an embodiment of compassion, sympathy, and ahimsa [non-injury]. They can sense and appreciate the pain of everyone, leading to automatic action to help those in pain.

Objective Vision

ātmaupamyena sarvatra paśyati: The jñāni looks at every living being as manifestation of Ishvara.

Empathy in Pleasure and Pain

sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ: The jñāni is able to be happy with others' happiness without jealousy. They identify with everyone's joys and sorrows as their own.

The Greatest Yogi

Such a jñāni is considered paramaḥ [the greatest] person in the world, the most accomplished yogi. 

Selfishness vs. Universal Love

While some may view the pursuit of Vedanta as selfish, especially if one takes to Sannyāsa [renunciation], Krishna explains that the jñāni withdraws from finite relationships to expand and identify with the whole world. It's a withdrawal for the sake of expansion.

Expansion of Identity

The jnani replaces a narrow identity with a universal one. They don't identify as belonging to a particular nation or group, but to the whole creation. This universal identification is the result of jñāna niṣṭā [firm self-knowledge].

Keywords: apara, asana, ashrama, atma, bhagavan, darsanam, darshana, grihastha, isvara, jnana, jnanam, jnani, manusa, manusha, maya, padyam, para puja, pashyati, pasyati, rama, samnyasi, Sankaracharya, sannyasi, sanyasa asrama, sanyasi, sarvatha, shivalinga, sivalinga, svarupa, svarupam, vedantin, vesa, yajna

—

• After class questions

Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching is given to Swami Paramarthananda

Recorded 28 May, 2019