Let us for a few moments concentrate on the Divine Master and pray for the welfare of the whole humanity. Sarva Dharma Swaroopine Saba Gaya Jadam Asya Sarva Dharma Swaroopine Avatara Vrishadaya Ramakrishnaaya De Namah Asato asat gamaya tamaso maju dergamaya Asato asat gamaya tamaso maju dergamaya incarnate. Let us pray to him to lead us from unreal to the real, to lead us from darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge, to lead us from death to immortality. In the last few classes we have discussed about The guru-disciple relationship, how it is very essential in the spiritual life of a person.
In order to develop spiritually and to reach the goal, it is very important. There should be definite relationship between the Guru and the disciple. We have discussed enough on this topic.
Sri Ramakrishna said, Have faith in the words of Guru. Follow His words, you will get everything. Don't be hasty.
Don't be impatient. Don't be idle. Everything will be taken care of.
When you are living a spiritual life, Very important point you should remember is that God directly supervises your life. The more you are very much aware of your life, it is better. Spiritual life is not about the spiritual life. really helps you towards reaching the goal. Every moment of your spiritual life is important.
Every moment of your existence is important. Every moment of your thinking and acting is important. Another important theme I am trying to start today.
Again Sri Ramakrishna has given hints about this topic. We should understand very thoroughly. These are all very useful for our spiritual practices.
Sri Ramakrishna has said in the Gospel, I am quoting his words, It is God alone who does everything. You may say that in that case, may commit sin, but that is not true. If a man is firmly convinced that God alone is the doer and that He Himself is nothing, then he will never make a false step. He says further, It is God alone who has planted in man's mind free will. People who have not realized God would be engaged in more and more sinful actions, If God has not planted in them the notion of free will, sin would have increased if God had not made the sinner feel that he alone was responsible for his sin.
Again Sri Ramakrishna says further, those who have experienced God, seen God, are aware that free will is a mere appearance. In reality, man is the machine and God its operator. Man is a carriage and God is its driver.
Now this is the topic which I am going to discuss in one or two classes about this idea of free will, how we have got limitations in the name of free will. We always feel a sense of freedom of action within ourselves and think that our activities are characterized by free choice. I wanted to do it, I did it. While the habit of thinking in causal terms, With regards to things external, it is so ingrained in us that when we analyze happenings external to us, whether material phenomenon or mental activity of others, we always find or think that they are causally determined. The whole thing is under the realm of cause and effect.
The action is necessarily related to the character and circumstances. as any event to the sum of its conditions. Thus, the problem of free will is a maze and it is extremely difficult to find a way out of it. But the difficulty arises because it is involved in the very approach. The problem, every one of us acts on the basis of the feeling of free will, though we may experience limitations in exercising it.
But when we try to find out if the will is really free, that is, if it is free from the operation of causation, we have already prejudged the issue by assuming that there is determinism. It's all a pre-determine. That concept will come.
Once we begin to examine in this way, we can't help casting the net of determinism far and wide. To act in the manner, that he at the moment judges to be reasonable and right. This judgment of an act as reasonable and right itself may be said to depend on one's knowledge and experience, which again are determined by other previous causes.
So there is no objective condition to which we may refer a particular activity to decide whether it is free or not. Unless we can define properly what we mean by the exercise of free will in a verifiable manner, How is it possible to decide whether an action is free or not? Even if all events are cast, no scientist can give all their causes.
And even if some are uncast, There are no scientific means of distinguishing between the cases where there is really no cause and the cases where we merely cannot find the cause. So, under these circumstances, either we have to grant there is freedom of the will on the basis of our inner feeling, or accept that everything is determined on the basis of external analysis, which however is inconclusive as already pointed out. We see that both these attitudes are based on our own imperfect reasoning and may or may not correspond to reality. In the very nature of things, it is impossible to decide the question either way from the point of view of reality.
As such, since the problem is ours, that is phenomenal, the answer also must be from the phenomenal point of view, that is, as it affects us. We must therefore make A different approach to the problem and try to make sense out of the feeling of freedom universally experienced in the midst of the surrounding bondage. We all act on the basis of free will and the same criteria apply to all. In the sphere of morality and ethics, determinism or indeterminism does not affect the issue because if a thief steals out of compulsion, Then the magistrate also punishes him out of compulsion. Further, from the moral point of view, action is not referred backward in time to circumstances and predispositions of which as motives.
It is the legitimate outcome when the man brings his action face to face. With the thou shalt idea which he finds within him, and according to its conformity or want of conformity, with this law he approves or condemns his conduct. If there is pure determinism. Only metaphysically our responsibility seizes, not ethically.
Sometimes we excuse our own actions on the principle of causation by character. circumstances. Yet if one really seeks to excuse himself in the sequel by trying to show that it was impossible for a man with his particular antecedents to act otherwise than he did.
He is regarding the action entirely from an external and non-moral point of view, which for him in the circumstances is immoral. In the moral sphere, the sense of right and wrong and the feeling of freedom are sufficient grounds for the exercise of free will. But people behave in a way that they have acted upon their own will and so they are prompted by their motivations.
And they begin to commit things for which they become responsible. But there is divine will which oversees all our doings. The divine will operates all the time. All of us are under the power of the divine will.
That we understand when we make little progress in our spiritual life. You will see that divine will is acting every moment in guiding us, in giving corrections to our life, in giving directions to our difficult circumstances and emotions. So, we should surrender ourselves to the divine will, instead of banking upon our own free will. But as long as we are in this material world, We are forced by this notion of free will. Of course, this subject I will try to dwell upon in the next few classes in more details.
Today I am just speaking as an introduction. So, people give reasons for whatever they do. And they are classified under free will. Take the stories of the life. You know in Srimad Ramayana, a great episode, how that whole event occurred.
It is because of the emotional action committed by Ravan, the most powerful king at that time, who was not afraid of anybody in this universe. He became so powerful because he got several boons to strengthen him, to satisfy his cravings. And he got all these boons on account of his intense tapasya.
But the austerity was meant not for realizing the truth, but for the sake of satisfying his desires. So he began to act in a manner, in a free way, as if he is not to be... frightened by anybody and he is all powerful and because he became so strong he became arrogant and extremely lustful and so he began to do many things in a rash way, without caring for anything.
Whatever he does is a law. So he began to act in that free manner. And he just took away the wife of Sri Ramachandra. When Sri Rama was not there, He came to the cottage where Sita was living. He came in the guise of a mendicant, in the guise of a monk.
And he took her away to his palace and began to force her. to become his partner, which Janaki refused. But anyway, in one way, it has got a cost. Only if you understand...
The previous lives, what he did, etc. Why he was born in this way? Why there was so much craving, etc. On account of some curse which he incurred, he got into this demon's body. And he acted in a way he wanted to do it.
But the divine will operated upon. It allowed him to go this way finally to... Free him from all these impurities and liberate him.
So the Divine will acted upon him on the advent of Sri Ramachandra. When he came and he fought with Ravan and Ravan was killed in the battle and thus all his suffering was over. But the idea is, if you think you are the doer etc., if you think you have got free will to do things, you must be very careful. And as Sri Ramakrishna points out, The man who acts on that free will feels that he is the person who has committed the sin, he is responsible for that.
So he comes under the wheel of cause and effect and he undergoes necessary reaction in the life. Anyway, we shall talk about this in much detail in the next classes. Page 544, Sri Ramakrishna tells, I practiced the discipline of tantra under the bell tree. At that time, I could see no distinction between the sacred Tulsi and any other plant.
In that state, I sometimes ate the leavings from a jacob. meal, food that had been exposed the whole night, part of which might have been eaten by snakes or other creatures. Yes, I ate that stuff. Sometimes I rode on a dog and fed him with luchi, also eating part of the bread myself. I realized that the whole world was filled with God alone.
One cannot have spiritual realization without destroying ignorance. So, I would assume the attitude of a tiger and devour ignorance. While practicing the disciplines of the Vedas, I became a sanyasi.
I used to lie down in the Chandni and say to the hudayi, I am a sanyasi, I shall take you to the holy place of the Lord. take my means here. Chandani is an open portion in the temple garden, with steps descending to the Ganges. According to the orthodox Hindu tradition, a monk is forbidden to live in a house. I vowed to the Divine Mother that I would kill myself if I did not see God.
I said to her, O Mother, I am a fool. Please teach me what is God. contained in the Vedas, the Puranas, the Tantras and the other scriptures. The mother said to me, the essence of the Vedanta is that Brahman alone is real. real and the world illusory.
The Satchitananda Brahman described in the Vedas is the Satchitananda Shiva of the Tantra and the Satchitananda Krishna of Purana. The essence of the Gita is what you get by repeating the word ten times. It is reversed into taigi which indicates renunciation. After the realization of the Satchitananda, the Satchitananda Krishna of God how far below lie the Vedas, the Vedanta, the Purana, the Tantra.
To Hazrat, he said, I can't utter the word Om in Samadhi. Why is that? I can't say Om unless I come down very far from the state of Samadhi.
I had all the experiences that one should have according to the scriptures after one's direct perception of God. I behaved like a child, like a madman, like a ghoul and like an inert thing. I saw the visions described in the scriptures. Sometimes I saw the universe filled with sparks of fire.
Sometimes I saw all the quarters glittering with light. as if the world were a lake of mercury. Sometimes I saw the world as if made of liquid silver.
Sometimes again I saw the quarter of the illumined as if with the light of Roman candles. Now you see my experiences tally with those described in the scriptures. It has revealed to me further that God himself has become the universe and all its living beings and the 24 cosmic principles. It is like the process of evolution and involution. What a state of God kept me in at that time.
One experience would hardly be over before another overcame me. It was like the movement of the husking machine. No sooner is one end down than the other goes up. I could see God. I would see God in meditation.
in the state of samadhi and I would see the same God when my mind came back to the outer world. When looking at this side of the mirror, I would see Him alone. and when looking on the reverse side, I saw the same God. The devotees listened to these words with rapt attention. Questions and comments?
In one sense, everyone's life is determined. In one sense. But you will know it only after the revelation. Till then, we have to move in the way under the influence of Maya. We have to see how to overcome the Maya.
Yes, but the point is the free will, the idea of free will comes, the choice is there before you. The choice is there before you. I can choose anything I want. I can do that. I have got all the necessary faculties to...
I am quite strong, I am quite intelligent. So, thus, the identification with his little power. Makes him feel that I can do that and I will do that.
It's good in one way. That's what Sri Ramakrishna tells. Because of that feeling, he feels responsible if he does anything wrong. But sometimes if something wrong is done, we put the blame on others. Though it is done because of our own action.
That's the way. But the point is, everything is conditioned. The mind is conditioned, the body is conditioned.
So, we are living the life in a conditioned atmosphere. Realization of the truth means you have to get out of this condition. That is the real freedom.
So, that's what Sri Ramakrishna tells divine will. Sakali Tomar Ichcha How nice that song. Tomar Ichcha Tomar Kuruma People think I do, I do. I am the machine, you are the operator. It's a fact.
But, After realization only you will know the truth. Till then you are under the influence of this ignorance. As long as you are under this influence of ignorance, you are carried away by the notion of free will.
Naturally it follows you are pulled by your ego and all other connected attributes. And... So that's what we find. On account of some actions done in a wrong way, how the whole people have to suffer. And, you know, in the case of Raman, Vibhishana advised Raman, please don't do that.
Why do you want to take? The wife of Rama, you have got so many wives in your palace, why do you want her? Even now it is not too late, give her back to Sri Rama, he will forgive you.
Why should the whole race be wiped out on account of you? On account of you, one person, the whole race would be wiped out. But he was so arrogant as I told, Ravana was so arrogant. And he relied too much upon his own free will and he would never budge. Who is that Rama?
Like that he began to assert himself. Finally, the disastrous consequence. And of course, He acted in that way because he was forced to take that body and all this game is determined in one way. See there was one king by name Nahusha. He became the king of heavens on account of his merits.
He did 100 Ashwamedha sacrifice. The rule is whoever does Ashwamedha sacrifice 100 times would be qualified to become the King of the Heavens. He did complete 100 Ashwamedha Yaga. It is not easy.
It is very difficult. But he did it. He was very good king, very meritorious. So naturally he got the position. He was there, but afterwards he became power drunk and he got lost in the enjoyments of the heaven.
And he began to lose himself in a very bad way and he lost all the spiritual strength in him. So then... He lost the merit to stay anymore in that heaven. And in fact he ordered the rishis to carry his palanquin, a doll.
He was sitting on the doll and... The rishis were walking. There was one rishi who was a little dwarf. His name was Agastya Maharshi.
He could not walk fast. He would walk slowly and that would cause jerk. And the man, the king inside was getting irritation. Who is that?
Going very slowly. Go quick. So in Sanskrit, go quick means sarp sarp.
Go quick. Sarp also means serpent. It has got double meaning.
And the rishis were waiting because they won't take action unless everything is totally... His qualification should become nil, his merit should become nil, then only they should take action. So they wanted to confirm whether his merit is exhausted totally.
So they began to ask some questions regarding the Vedic injunctions and so on, and he could not answer any of those questions. So that proved. that he is no more qualified to stay in the heavens. And moreover, he kicked the rishi.
And so rishi said, alright, sarpa. Become sarpa. He became serpent. Like that he told. Once that was pronounced, then he became repentant.
Till then he was not repentant. When he came to know that he is falling down, he became Ajagara Sarpa, that means Paitan. Very long. But he became repentant and he asked...
He requested them to forgive him and then the rishis said, Don't worry. In Mahabharata time, Dharamraja comes to the forest. That means they all know. Predetermined.
I'm talking about predetermination. How it's all set. The rishis know. According to Yogashastra, everybody will know past, present and future. And so, they said, when Yudhishthira comes and touches you, you'll be released from this Paitan body.
Like that. They consoled that Rishi, they consoled that king. Anyway the king had to drop on this earth from the heavens.
He dropped down in a big forest and was living there like a python till Dharmaraja came there. And he was blessed by the touch of Dharmaraja. Then he was released. So things happen that way. And sometimes if you analyze it properly, everything turns out to be divine will.
For example, here when the Dharmaraja came and touched him, his body was released. He was released from the python's body. And now he was full of vairagya.
That means he doesn't want any power, he doesn't want any position. He just wants a liberation from the... bondage.
He doesn't want any of these things. He became fed up with these things. No more. Enough of those things. So from that sense the divine will acted.
So it gave him a good turn. Then finally he realized and emerged in the Parabrahman. Like that, everyone's life is like that.
We go as if we are going by our free will. Finally we end up our life according to divine will. That's the way.
Thank you. down in moonlight on the lotus heart, opening its cup to knowledge of thyself, O self, down deep in the waves of his bliss, tasting his nectar at every step, bathing in his name that both are very soulful. Various are Thy names, O Lord, In each and every name Thy power resides. No times are set, no rites are needful For chanting of Thy name. So vast is Thy mercy, How huge then is my richardness, Who find in this empty life and heart No devotion to Thy name.
O my mind, be humbler than a blade of grass, Be patient and forbidding like a tree, Make no honor to thyself, give honor to all. all, chant unceasingly the name of the Lord. O Lord and Soul of the Universe, mine is no prayer for wealth or retinue.
They play things of lust or the toys of fame. As many times as I may be reborn, grant me, O Lord, a steadfast love for Thee. A drowning man in this world's fearful ocean is Thy servant, O sweet one.
In Thy mercy consider him as dust beneath Thy feet. Long for the day when an instant's separation from Thee, O Lord, will be as a thousand years, when my heart burns away with this desire, and the world will have these a heartless void. Prostrate at Thy feet, let me be, in unwavering devotion, neither imploring the embrace of Thy norms, nor bewailing the withdrawal of Thy presence, though it tears my soul asunder.
O Thou who stillest the hearts of Thy devotees, do with me what Thou wilt, for I am the Lord For thou art my heart's beloved, thou and thou alone. O Lord, lead us from the unreal to the real. Lead us from the darkness to light. And lead us from death to immortality. May all be free from dangers.
May all realize what is good. May all be actuated by noble thoughts. May all rejoice everywhere. May all be happy. May all be free from disease.
May all realize what is good. May none be subject to misery. May the wicked become virtuous. May the virtuous attain tranquillity, may the tranquil be free from bonds, and may the freed make others free. May good be done to all people, may the sovereign righteously rule the earth, may all beings ever attain what is good, may the worlds be prosperous and happy.
May the clouds pour rain in time, may the earth be blessed with crops, may all countries be freed from calamity, may holy men live without fear. May the Lord of the destroyers... the residing deity of all sacred works be satisfied for he being pleased the whole world becomes pleased he being satisfied the whole universe feels satisfied