KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM HH HARIVILAS MAHARAJ’S MORNING BHAGAVATAM CLASS ON SB 2.1.17
- Oṁkāra, or the praṇava, is the seed of transcendental realization, and it is composed of the three transcendental letters a-u-m.
- Oṁkāra is the seed of all transcendental sound that can bring the desired change of the mind and the senses
- The mind is the pivot of the active sense organs, and if the quality of thinking, feeling, and willing is changed, naturally the quality of actions by the senses will also change.
- Mind or desire cannot be stopped, but to develop a desire to function for spiritual realization, the quality of engagement by the mind has to be changed.
- Persons who are unable to realize the transcendental personal form or name of the Lord on account of their imperfect senses (in other words, the neophytes) are trained to the practice of self-realization by this mechanical process of regulating the breathing function and simultaneously repeating the praṇava (oṁkāra) within the mind.
- BG (9.17): “Among vibrations, I am the syllable oṁ.” This means that oṁ-kāra is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa.
- Impersonalists, however, give more importance to oṁ-kāra than to the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. But, the devotees directly fix their minds on the Person of the Absolute Truth.
- The letter a indicates Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the letter u indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa’s eternal consort, and the letter m indicates the living entity, the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord.
- The Ṛg Veda 1.22.20: Om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ: The demigods also consider Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet their supreme destination, and they become liberated simply by performing all activities for His pleasure.
- Om means surrendering to the lotus feet of the lord.
- Tat means Radharani or desirelessness. Real desirelessness is the desire for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, not an artificial attempt to abolish desires.
- Sat means the living entity who is eternally serving the Lord
- Acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called sattva, and one who is fully conscious of the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called a sādhu.
- One who is situated in the perfect stage of Krsna Consciousness knows that because Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, everything must be used for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
- Without good association, one cannot achieve transcendental knowledge.
- The supreme words oṁ tat sat are thus used in many ways to perfect all activities and make everything complete.
SB 2.1.17 TRANSLATION:
After sitting in the above manner, make the mind remember the three transcendental letters [a-u-m], and by regulating the breathing process, control the mind so as not to forget the transcendental seed.
CLASS NOTES:
Oṁkāra, or the praṇava, is the seed of transcendental realization, and it is composed of the three transcendental letters a-u-m.
OṀKĀRA IS THE SEED OF ALL TRANSCENDENTAL SOUNDS THAT CAN BRING ABOUT THE DESIRED CHANGE OF THE MIND AND THE SENSES.
Mind or desire cannot be stopped, but to develop a desire to function for spiritual realization, the quality of engagement by the mind has to be changed. The mind is the pivot of the active sense organs, and as such if the quality of thinking, feeling, and willing is changed, naturally the quality of actions by the instrumental senses will also change. Oṁkāra is the seed of all transcendental sound, and it is only the transcendental sound that can bring about the desired change of the mind and the senses.
Persons who are unable to realize the transcendental personal form or name of the Lord on account of their imperfect senses (in other words, the neophytes) are trained to the practice of self-realization by this mechanical process of regulating the breathing function and simultaneously repeating the praṇava (oṁkāra) within the mind
Srila Prabhupada met the ambassador for India in England. The ambassador kept on saying about OM. people who do not have an appreciation for Krsna says OM. The mechanical process of regulating the breathing and repeating the Omkara. Devotees directly fix their minds on the absolute personality of Godhead. People have left Krsna and came to become little own Krsnas and they do not want to repeat the name of the Lord. They prefer to say OM. In their mind, it refers to impersonal Brahma Jyothi. The real meaning of OM is given in Caitanya Caritamrta.
LORD CHAITANYA’s TEACHINGS CHAPTER 20 LAST PARAGRAPH
OṀ-KĀRA IS NONDIFFERENT FROM KṚṢṆA.
Bhagavad-gītā (9.17): “Among vibrations, I am the syllable oṁ.” This means that oṁ-kāra is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Impersonalists, however, give more importance to oṁ-kāra than to the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. But the fact is that any representational incarnation of the Supreme Lord is nondifferent from Him. Oṁ-kāra is, therefore, the ultimate representation of all the Vedas.
THE VAIṢṆAVAS INTERPRETS OṀ-KĀRA, A COMBINATION OF THE LETTERS A, U AND M, AS FOLLOWS:
The letter a indicates Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the letter u indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa’s eternal consort, and the letter m indicates the living entity, the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord.
A – Krishna
U – Radharani
M – the living entity who is engaged in eternal service
(RTW – Page 18) DEMIGODS ALSO CONSIDER LORD VIṢṆU’S LOTUS FEET THEIR SUPREME DESTINATION, AND THEY BECOME LIBERATED SIMPLY BY PERFORMING ALL ACTIVITIES FOR HIS PLEASURE.
The Ṛg Veda 1.22.20 confirms this: Om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ “Lord Viṣṇu is the Supreme shelter of everything. All the demigods are constantly meditating on Him.” Thus we see that the demigods also consider Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet their supreme destination, and they become liberated simply by performing all activities for His pleasure. One who wants release from the vicious karmic cycle must have Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet as his final objective. Otherwise, he will have to become demoniac.
BG 10.12
paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam
ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum
(BG 17.24) OM MEANS SURRENDERING TO THE LOTUS FEET OF THE LORD
Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performances of sacrifice, charity and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always with oṁ, to attain the Supreme.
Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam (Ṛg Veda 1.22.20). The lotus feet of Viṣṇu are the supreme devotional platform. The performance of everything on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead assures the perfection of all activity.
(BG 17.25) TAT MEANS DESIRELESSNESS
Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement.
To be elevated to the spiritual position, one should not act for any material gain. Acts should be performed for the ultimate gain of being transferred to the spiritual kingdom, back to home, back to Godhead.
(BG 2.71) REAL DESIRELESSNESS IS THE DESIRE FOR THE SATISFACTION OF KṚṢṆA, NOT AN ARTIFICIAL ATTEMPT TO ABOLISH DESIRES.
vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān
pumāṁś carati niḥspṛhaḥ
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ
sa śāntim adhigacchati
A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego – he alone can attain real peace.
To become desireless means not to desire anything for sense gratification.
One who is situated in this perfect stage knows that because Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, everything must be used for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
Real desirelessness is the desire for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, not an artificial attempt to abolish desires.
Knowing perfectly well that every living entity is an eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa in spiritual identity, and that the eternal position of the living entity is therefore never on the level of Kṛṣṇa or greater than Him. This understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the basic principle of real peace.
(BG 17.26-27) SAT MEANS THE LIVING ENTITY IS ETERNALLY SERVING THE LORD
The Absolute Truth is the objective of devotional sacrifice, and it is indicated by the word sat. The performer of such sacrifice is also called sat, as are all works of sacrifice, penance and charity which, true to the absolute nature, are performed to please the Supreme Person, O son of Pṛthā.
Acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called sattva, and one who is fully conscious of the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called a sādhu. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.25) it is said that the transcendental subject matter becomes clear in the association of the devotees. The words used are satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Without good association, one cannot achieve transcendental knowledge. When initiating a person or offering the sacred thread, one vibrates the words oṁ tat sat. Similarly, in all kinds of performance of yajña the object is the Supreme, oṁ tat sat. The word tad-arthīyam further means offering service to anything which represents the Supreme, including such service as cooking and helping in the Lord’s temple, or any other kind of work for broadcasting the glories of the Lord. These supreme words oṁ tat sat are thus used in many ways to perfect all activities and make everything complete.
Om – Supreme personality of Godhead
Tat – Radharani – one should not have any material desires. Should have all kinds of desires to please Krsna. If we act only on the orders of Krsna and SM then we become free. If we act for our sense gratification we become entangled.
Sat – performer of the sacrifice the living entity.
Tapasya, Penance – voluntary self punishment as an act of repentance
Tapasya, Austerity – voluntarily deny things to gain control of mind – in the level of thinking, feeling willing. Yogi does it through meditation controlling breathing, certain postures and meditating on OM, devotees does it by chanting Hare Krsna and engaging whole hearted in the service of the Lord and offering the results to the Lord.
Om tat sat – is personal if you hear the explanation of devotees. If you hear the explanation of mayavadis then it is impersonal. They want to aannihilate their individuality they want to merge into Brahman. Little they know that Brahman is made of infinite number of spirit sparks, jivas.