2. Be Fixed In Devotion🔗

8.27 O son of Pritha, the devotees who know these different paths are never bewildered. O Arjuna, be always fixed in devotion.

8.28 A person who accepts the path of devotional service transcends the results derived from studying the vedas, performing austerities and sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing pious and result-based activities. At the end he reaches the supreme abode.

In the last few verses Krishna summarizes the essence of the whole chapter. He says, ‘O son of Pritha, the devotees who know these different paths are never bewildered. Therefore O Arjuna, be always fixed in devotion.’

He means that a person who understands the different paths that a spirit can take while leaving the body will always be prepared for death. He immerses himself in devotion throughout his life so that he becomes liberated. Krishna first gives Arjuna an intellectual understanding of the whole death process. He clearly tells him that the last thought while leaving the body governs the path that the spirit chooses when entering the next body.

Again and again He emphasizes that this thought cannot be divine unless we spend our entire lives in devotional service. When I say devotional service, devotion is more important than service. I tell people, never give money in charity because some priest told you that it is a good thing. Never follow these rules blindly. I do not say, ‘Don’t do charity work.’ I am only saying, ‘Let it just be a natural expression of yourself, not with any expectation.’

We have a head to think with and a heart to feel with. We do not need to refer to society every time to decide what to do and what not to do. Another thing, do not work in the name of ‘devotional service’ to please someone else or society. If you expect something in return, then be very clear, it is not devotional service. If it springs purely out of devotion, the act itself should be the reward.

A small story: Bodhidharma goes to China. The King of China was devoted to Bodhidharma. The king did a lot to spread Buddhism in China. He built many temples and ashrams, and spent lots of money trying to get people to follow the path.

When Bodhidharma entered his palace, the king welcomed him and asked, ‘Buddha, I have done so much to spread Buddhism in my country. What will happen when I die? Will I reach heaven?’ Bodhidharma replied, ‘You will reach the worst hell.’

The king was shocked! What did he mean? Understand: The king’s question contained an expectation of return for his charity. He did service hoping that Bodhidharma would recognize and reward him.

I tell people, every day for half an hour, just for half an hour, work without expecting anything in return. It could be anything. If you make a painting, don’t calculate, ‘Oh, how many people will appreciate this. How many paintings should I make so that I can start an art gallery?’ Without such calculations, immerse yourself in some work for half an hour. You will suddenly see a new space open up inside you. When you work without expecting anything in return, just for the joy of doing it, you will see how liberating it is. Gradually, when this becomes engrained in you, you will enjoy whatever you do much more. You will no more bother about who thinks what about you.

Krishna says, ‘Performing austerities and sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing pious result-based activities will take a person to the supreme abode.’ While doing each of these activities, it is the attitude that matters most, not the action itself. I have seen people give money to temple priests out of fear and greed.

They are told that if they don’t give money, the gods will be angry. Or if they give money, their family will be protected. The attitude behind these actions is what counts. Krishna says, if one engages in activities with devotion, then He will be there at the time of one’s death.

He has given intellectual knowledge until now. In the following chapters, He gives deeper level techniques to experience this truth, to experience thoughtless awareness by removing engrams, by removing engraved memories, by understanding our desires.

Let us pray to that ultimate energy, Parabrahma Krishna, to give us intelligence and the experience of thoughtless awareness, witnessing consciousness, ¢tma j®¢na, the eternal bliss, nity¢nanda. Thank you.

_Q: Swamiji, you have spoken about the Life Bliss Program. Can you give more details about it and how it helps us in life?_ Let me put it this way: Before I realized my Self, I probably had an option to spend the rest of my life in the Himalayan region in seclusion, pursuing what I considered my spiritual path. When enlightenment happened, I had no choice. I was clear that my mission, as dictated by that universal energy, was to convey to others my own experience so that they could achieve personal transformation.

It was crystal clear that I should take the message of personal transformation through meditation to the world and that was when my real journey began. It took a few years to put my understanding together and develop the teachings.

Dhyanapeetam, the spiritual laboratory, was the result. In the beginning I talked about what people needed most in terms of managing their lives. I spoke about how they could cope with emotions. I explained how we are all an integral part of a living energy. This cosmic energy is reflected within us and can be experienced in the seven energy centers called cakras. When these cakras are blocked, we are in emotional distress, which in turn leads to physical distress.

Energization of our energy centers, cakras, was the focus and content of my first Life Bliss program. This was originally called Ananda Spurana Program in India. ¡nanda is bliss and spurana refers to free flow. This program is designed to allow the bliss energy to flow freely once again within you. The technique to make this happen is meditation.

This is a program taught by teachers who are trained and personally ordained by me. Several tens of thousands of people all over the world have benefited from this program, which is essentially a life solution process. We have a book titled Guaranteed Solutions that explains the content of the course, and the understanding that comes from reading this book solves many problems for people. We now call this program Life Bliss Program Level 1. We have variations of this program to suit professionals and corporations as well, as many of the techniques are ideal stress busters.

Thus ends the Eighth chapter of the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, called as Ak¾ara Brahma Yogaª, of the Upani¾ad of the Bhagavad Gita, the scripture of Yoga, dealing with the science of the Absolute in the form of the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna.