We were discussing about the fruits obtained from Bhagavad dhyana (contemplating upon the Lord).
Intelligent men use the sword called contemplation upon the Lord to cut the binding knot of karma called ego (ahamkara)!
In such persons love towards divine stories emerges. By going on pilgrimages the opportunity to serve great Mahatmas is obtained. This in turn creates dedication (śradhha) in the person. Through dedication, desire to listen to divine glories of the Lord gets strengthened. Even amongst divine stories, a very deep and strong inclination to listen to the divine sports of Lord Krishna gets created in the person.
Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
Hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām
By listening to the stories of Lord Krishna, the listener, the storyteller and the entire surroundings are totally cleansed. Lord Krishna seats himself in the inner mind of the devotee who is listening to His stories and drives away the impurities from his intellect!
Occasionally the intellect does become impure. Some doubts or speculations make it impure. Right from the point of birth till the time of death some doubt or the other chases the being. These doubts could be about himself, his relatives, his actions etc. At every point some question or doubt raises its head. ‘Should I complete this action in this method or should I adopt another method?’ ‘Is this method right?’ ‘What is wrong with this approach?’ – in this manner a person is plagued with doubts. Who knows, perhaps a person could doubt even aspects related to God.
That is why Lord Sri Krishna the Supreme Paramātma, sits in the hearts of those who read/ chant Bhāgawatam, those who listen attentively to Bhāgawatam, those who sing His praises or those who visit the places very dear to Him. If you question, ‘where is Paramātma?’ The answer is ‘He resides within these categories of people mentioned now’. ‘Then what about other people?’ Well, he does not bother about them. For having taken birth they go per their destiny. That’s all.
Those who come under the first category are really special people. They eternally live in Bhagawad dhyana. They go on completing the duties assigned to them and offering the same to the Lord.
On the other hand, there are many who neglect the duties allocated to them at home and go off on pilgrimages. They neglect their duties or consider them as unimportant; they neglect their responsibilities towards their children and so on. One must mandatorily complete the duties allotted to them towards their household (grihastāśrama dharma). Did I not state this earlier too? I explained previously the meaning of dharma. We also discussed that only the person who completely abides by duties of dharma (duties that have been allotted to him) is a true devotee! Have you forgotten this already? This is why I keep repeating this again and again.
At times dirt accumulates in this intellect. This is just like the dirt that occasionally falls in milk. At times even in Ganga or in nectar dirt accumulates. Don’t leaves fall into the waters of the most beautiful lake? ‘Why did leaves fall in this beautiful lake?’ can you question this? The leaves fell into the waters of the lake and acquired the great properties of that lake! Such is the power of that lake!
But even this trace of impurity cannot remain in the mind and intellect of a devotee. For this reason Paramātma goes and seats himself in their intellect. This is the meaning of his all-pervasive nature!Just because God is said to be all pervading, it does not mean that everywhere you will be able to see Him seated on a golden throne holding a conch, chakra in his hands.
That which we cannot accomplish, that which is beyond our vision, that which is beyond our reach is Paramātma. It is a very bright light. It is a bright illumination.
Do not think that it is like the light from the bulbs that we see. This illumination is many many times greater than even the Sun’s illumination. It is an invisible illumination. Only in those ardent devotees He resides in this form. Seated within them, He drives away the impure tendencies from their intellect.
Therefore instead of wasting time on doubts, contemplate upon the Paramātma tattva (principle). That is why it is said that He causes the well being of saints and holy men.
Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
Bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
Meaning: Through eternal reading of Bhāgawatam or through eternally rendering service to the devotees of the Lord, impure tendencies get completely destroyed. In addition, unflinching faith upon the ever-pure and glorious Supreme Lord, Paramātma, is achieved!
In those who eternally think about the Lord, who sing His glories and preach them at all times, and who have fixed Him permanently in their hearts, all inauspicious impure tendencies are washed out! These doubts that we spoke earlier are the inauspicious tendencies. They can never bring about the welfare of the person. Such persons are doubtful of every action. Therefore if they are able to fix the mind with unflinching faith upon God all the deep rooted doubts get destroyed. When this state of mind is attained, greed desire and other passions that are born out of the sattva, rajas and tamo gunas can no longer touch them.
Greed, anger, desire etc. have no limitations. They can take a person to any length. They can make him declare that he is capable of blessing another with liberation. This anger or desires deludes the person and makes him fall prey to illusion. He believes that only through the method advocated by him a person can attain liberation. He remains in that illusion.
Om Namo Narayana.
