Is Your Spiritual Progress Ever Lost? | Essence of the Geeta | Episode 94

You are listening to the essence of the Gita. In this episode, Swamiji explains Bhagavan Sri Krishna's assurance that no sincere spiritual effort is ever wasted. He also explores what happens to seekers who do not attain perfection in this life. Any sincere seeker may have this doubt that I put in so much effort to reach this goal but with this mind being so fickle, what if one person tries but does not attain it because the mind gets distracted and one falls from one's elevated stage even in sadhana? Or what if trying sincerely but still not reach there and death comes? Would that person not have lost on what he could have so-called enjoyed and not even attaining the supreme goal? Would all his effort, all his control, all his denial, would it have not gone to waste? Now you see, this question comes, you know, when you have not started walking the path as yet because the path itself is so beautiful when you start walking that you don't feel that you lost out on something in life. The path itself is so beautiful of peace, of freedom and as you see, it's not freedom from action, work and responsibility can be there but the path itself shows you to be free in your mind but still having not reached that goal that we are aspiring for, after death will not all our effort go to waste. Now Bhagawan explains to Arjuna, those who are seekers also means those who have reached even the seat of, I would say, reached the seat of meditation and are meditating also. Amongst them also, there are two types of people you should understand. One who still have got Vasanas and desires, they're not totally gone, they're still there and of course chances are that they get easily distracted or even before death they could have got distracted. We hear about Raja Bharat and others that the time of death just before death they got distracted. So it worked so hard and before death got distracted. Will they not lose out all the effort they put in? You see, Bhagawan had clearly said that in this, na abhikrama naasha na pratya vaya dosha. But you know when it's said in that context, people don't remember also that there is no loss of any effort, not there is contrary results. Bhagawan had said that, but it was in the context of that even if you do a little work with this attitude, whether you reach your goal or not, the work itself becomes joy. Work itself becomes its own reward, but not reaching that goal if the person dies. Then what will happen to that person? That is what the question is. Now here also I said there are two types, I'm repeating this. One who is striving but still has got Vasanas, has not been able to eliminate the Vasanas totally or at some period of time gets tempted and carried away, not by anything evil or vulgar or something, but you know, mind gets disturbed from meditation. Sometimes even from the path deviates. There are others who are meditating and are free of desires also. But death comes in, they're not yet perfected, they've not reached that state of eternity, that there'll be no birth nor death. Then what type of birth will such people get? That is now what Bhagawan is explaining. And Arjuna says other than you Krishna, no one is an authority on this. Also that the way I think and I inquire, other than you, you and nobody can explain to me the way you explain to me. Plus I trust you fully. So I don't think anybody else will remember it out because this is not something that you can show now. Karma Yoga result you can show now only. It is not post-mortem. But after death what happens? Okay, you have been shown that there is life after death. That also is fine. But what birth, what words? It's only by faith in the Shastras, faith in the great masters that you can say that you have to accept this. You can't prove it right now. Though there will be plenty of examples to show. Bhagawan says, oh my Partha, and you know that whenever he speaks very lovingly to Arjuna, he calls him as oh son of Pritha, oh son of earth, oh my dear little one. So he Partha na eva iha. Neither here in this world na amutra in the next world, tasya vinashah vidyate, does his destruction take place. Destruction from one standpoint that the Jeeva never dies. That has already been explained. And that's not what Arjuna is now asking. He is convinced about it that Jeeva does not die. The soul does not die. But when you say vinashah, when we fall from our dignity, when we fall from our peace or from a better condition to a worse condition, this is also called as vinashah. So when you are very rich and suddenly you become poor, it's a destruction of the rich person, is it not? Also someone who has lived a noble life as Bhagawan pointed out to Arjuna, one who has attained fame and then gets defamed, that is also vinashah. And for a seeker from the heights of peace, poise, purity, nobility, devotion, if a person just falls, will he not get destroyed, will he not perish? Bhagawan says, neither here nor in the next life, or in the beyond, tasya vinashah vidyate. There can be any destruction to such a person. And Bhagawan always gives us logic also, no? He says, what to talk about a yogi, a meditator? He says, nahi kalyanakrit kashchit durgatim tata gachati, addressing here Arjuna as tata. Tata means son. Father is also called son, tata in Sanskrit, son is also called tata. Because after the father only comes as the son, no? So he tata means my own extension. You are my own extension. That's why they said, if Bhagawan was Narayana, he was Narada. They were inseparable, like Ram and Lakshman. So he tata, tata can also mean younger brother, tata can say, oh my son. Younger brother you call him also as oh my son. So he tata, so lovingly Bhagawan is saying, oh my little one, oh my brother, oh my son. He says, kalyanakrit kashchit durgatim gachati, nahi gachati. That one who has done good in this life, even one who has done good, means good actions. Even if it may be good action with the desire to attain heaven, even the result of good action will lead you to goodness hereafter. That's why people say, what will happen to me after this life? Whatever is happening in this life will happen in that life also. If this life, you are living a good life of goodness, of kindness, where will you go? Wherever you go, you attract the same type of people. Even hell and hell people wonder, oh is it hell and heaven here only? It is here only. But what is here is also there and what is there is also here. Because remember it is you who carry your mind wherever you go. When you got a peaceful, quiet mind, wherever you go, in whichever situation you are, you be peaceful and quiet. Which type of company will you keep? Which type of people will you attract to yourself? Naturally. So wherever you go, you create a heaven for yourself. You see, party goers, wherever they go, they create a party for themselves. Happens or not? Same way also, a person who is good, where will he go? Land up himself in some, what to say, mafia den. No. So even after you go from here, where will you go? Where good people go? This is about even good people who have done good, not as a devotion, not as a dedication necessarily to the Lord. So even good people do not come to any harm after life in this world. Then what to talk about the person who has done good and that too also offering it to the Lord. Even in this life, those who want to achieve their goals, even amongst the children you will see that, see amongst school children, college goers. Those who are even dedicated to a goal, that they want to become a doctor, engineer. Even those people have got no time to fool around. Haven't you seen that? Those children, you don't have to tell them that, listen, you should be studying. Or listen, you should not be wasting time watching television. Or listen, you should not drink smoke. You rarely find that those people. So what to talk about one who is aspiring for perfection and striving to control himself? How much wrong can that person do? Therefore even a good person will not come to harm after death. Then how can and that too also a yogi that was withdrawn but maybe now and then falls down. Or withdrawn and does not attain perfection. How can that person even reach a wrong place? Plus if you've done this for the Lord, you think the Lord is not going to protect you? That Lord who protects everybody, forgives even the sinners. What will He do for the person who has done everything for him and Bhagawan has taken everything that He has done and if He makes a few mistakes will not Bhagawan take that away from Him? Later on Bhagawan goes to say that also. In the chapters of devotion He says that also. So therefore, he tath, one who has done good in this life. Does not come to any harm even here or hereafter. Now harm doesn't mean that doesn't meet with an accident or doesn't meet with you know people think that I become spiritual which means you know now all problems will end. Business will always do well. Children will always be obedient. Mind you they've got their destiny. They are the result of their actions also. You drive very safely but if you are not watchful somebody from the side can come and hit you. Results of past karmas are also there. But one who has got this attitude even such conditions such a person takes with what? Takes it with prasad, buddhi. Even here doesn't feel so harmed. Then what to talk about the person hereafter? And that too also a striving yogi. Okay, I understand all that but by the way can you tell me that what really happens to him? Now take for example a student who studies very sincerely goes to every class makes every notes, studies, does his homework. But say for example just before the final examination falls ill or also gets distracted during the last few days and does not do very well. Or you can say that maybe in his little bit of anxiety goes very well prepared, very well prepared for geography but set mathematics examination. Or for whatever reason the paper is very very tough. It happens also you may be well prepared but the paper is so tough that everybody finds it tough. Now a person who has studied hard may not pass the examination but all the knowledge he has gained has never gone to waste. You don't say that because you didn't pass the examination what was the use of studying? You may not get the degree but the study has paid for you. I mean you've gained something. Now the two types of people one who is practicing and still has got some desires or has not fully mastered the senses. Even such a person would not be doing anything that bad or wrong because already striving and does occasional moment of mistake and happen also but practicing but not ripe in Viragya and the other type who is also a Viragi, who is also practicing but untimely when you say old or young passes away. So those two types of words Bhagawan is pointing out in these two verses. And Bhagawan says After dying such a person attains the world of people who do merriest deeds. What in general you hear of as Pitru Lok, Dandharva Lok, Swarg Lok worlds of greater subtlety, of greater joy so attains to the world of those who have done good deeds, merriest deeds. Bhagawan said that to Arjuna also what people have to do great big Vedic sacrifices to attain heaven that a Virayodha, a brave soldier dying on the battlefield attains it. So can you imagine the warrior who is fighting with his mind even if he dies not winning over his mind but whatever little he has won over he has performed a great feat. He has made a great sacrifice and therefore he attains to the world heaven. And Bhagawan says good worlds which means that whichever world he goes to whatever experience he has after death also will be what good people experience. And Ushithva Shaswati Sama but when you are enjoying yourself days pass so time passes quickly. Therefore the time period here and the time period in heaven and the time period in hell is very different. Hell time even one minute will appear as an eon. In heaven even an eon will appear as a minute. So Shaswati Sama, long period of time will be enjoying or having lived there for long period of time. Then heaven is also not a permanent state. After all it's a result of good actions, pure actions and therefore it's not a permanent state but living there for thousands of years maybe even yugas the person has to come back. Now when he comes back into this world the question is he could be born as a monkey, donkey anything he could be born as. But such a person who has practiced yoga obviously does not have pigvasanas which means eat or eat or sleep or sleep. In fact they will be born as human beings. After everybody's death that is not guaranteed but they will be born as human beings and in the homes of which human beings? First he says suchinam who themselves are pure who are good, good people. Srimatam, wealthy and wealthy does not mean only in wealth but people of good honour, name, power, position, wealth. Now again wealth is a very relative term doesn't have to be born in the house of a billionaire and please understand every rich person is not a dirty rich person. Rich here means, Srimatam means where you have enough for your needs enough for your education enough for your upbringing that you do not have to worry about your needs. Talk about these people where there is famine and they have tried to what to say they don't even have food to feed their children or these villages. What spirituality can you expect of them? But they can also live a life of honesty, nobility and therefore to be born in the house of self-sufficient people. It's a blessing but pure. There are families where there is rich but there is so much jealousy, hatred, wealth, greed but even in some of the richest homes. Remember in the palace of Dashrath was Ramchandraji born. In the palace of Jannat Maharaj such a seetha was bought. So from there only you will get the upbringing. As I said rich does not mean you have to be a millionaire or billionaire. There are people who have sufficient that there is no need, hunger, thirst in such families and besides just wealth there are people of honour, respected, well-known, influential. All these, there are some people, the villages they are so influential and even if you go to these villages they have got, they eat better organic food than you eat. The house even if it's made up of mud house they don't have to pay for air conditioning. They live in a very cool house. You only measure it from your international standard and you say that their income is only so little, with that little income they are quite self-sufficient. They don't go begging for anybody. They are not in debts and many of the people you know how much mortgages they have. So don't measure richness according to wealth. One rich man has written, there are many times I have lost all my wealth but I have never been poor. Purness and richness does not depend upon your wealth. Those who can live by their means, yalla base nijkarmo patam, they are always rich. If your expenditure is less than your income, you are always rich. And if your expenditure is more than your income, you might be owning a private jet or an airline or yachts around the world or have huge palaces. You are still in debt. You are a poor man. So please understand richness and poorness. So born in the house of the pure, suchinam shreematam gaye. Obviously there are people who earn their wealth by their own effort and therefore they don't have wealth to squander, to show off. Obviously their wealth is used in such a way that they have status, they have got recognition, they are popular, they are known. See, that is the type. I think most of you come from such families. So you can imagine what is your past life. I am telling you, you must have done something good to be born in a cultural family. There are self-sufficient where you did not have to struggle for food and water. You were educated, you were given good values and you can comfortably, without being stopped, pursue your spirituality. This is called suchinam shreematam. It is your duty to give your children, grandchildren, great-grad children this type of self-sufficient but noble cultural family heritage. Then in your family, devotees and holy people, Sadhakas and even Sadhyas or Siddhasrada will be born in your family. So that's why it is pointed out, suchinam shreematam ge yoga-bhrashto bhi jayate That's such a yoga-bhrashto. The word Krishna uses yoga-bhrashto. Yoga-bhrashto does not mean that one who has got destroyed while living, but one who has fallen from yoga, one who has got little distracted maybe, but such a person will go to heaven, enjoy heaven for many years, whatever vasanas are there, gets exhausted in heaven or whatever actions that were done for desires, gets the merits of it and then comes and is born in the house of the pure and the rich. That's why it is called rich and famous. Pure and rich, not just rich and famous. Born in such homes. But Bhagawan says, their birth is rare and very blessed. Who are these people? They are people who had such dispassion, but because of not having that much time or that much practice did not reach perfection. Those people are born in very, very rare types of homes. And what is that? Atva yoginam eva kule bhavati dimatam. Or there are others who are even born in the families of dimatam yoginam. The wise yogis themselves, dimatam yogis. Not just practitioner, but wise yogis. Etaddi durlabataram loke janma yadidrisham. And it is seen yadidrisham that in this world, this type of birth is indeed rare. Why is it rare? The such vairagis who die is very rare to be born again. And they don't say that they go to heaven, because they've got no desire to go to heaven. They are almost instantly, immediately born. No time wasted. And born in whose homes? Dimatam yoginam. Born in the house of the wise yogis themselves. Like Shukdevji was born in the house of Vedviyasa. From the womb himself, he got to think about it. From childhood he was exposed to it. And these yogis, since they don't want wealth, they may not necessarily be materially rich. They were Shankaracharya as the adjective, poor yogis. Means those who are dharidra, means not dharidra, means poor, helpless. But for them wealth really does not matter. Therefore they may be born in those homes. Not necessarily so poor that there's no hunger and thirst. But that may also be there. Such people are born in such homes. Where from childhood they would be given this knowledge? They come with their genes and they come from the womb of the mother with it. So such type of birth indeed is rare.