A Story that PROVES the Law of Karma – The ONLY Way to Control Your Destiny | Swami Mukundananda

A Story that PROVES the Law of Karma – The ONLY Way to Control Your Destiny | Swami Mukundananda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE6Ank6VLgA

condensed to 25 main points:

Time Salient Point 1 0:00 Fundamental Law: Life is governed by the timeless and unchanging Law of Karma. "just as the universe is bound by unchanging physical laws so is life governed by the timeless law of karma" 2 0:00 Core Principle: The law asserts that every action has an inevitable reaction. "it states 'You reap what you sow, you get what you  deserve.'" 3 0:38 Transcendence of Time: Karmic reactions aren't always immediate; they can stretch beyond one lifetime into many more. "sometimes this circle stretches beyond one lifetime into many more" 4 0:51 The Seed Analogy: Some actions are like seeds that lie dormant for lifetimes before finally finding their season. "there are also seeds that lie dormant for lifetimes before finally finding their season" 5 1:26 Annie Besant's Profile: The law is examined through the life of Annie Besant, a brilliant orator and philanthropist. "in the life of Annie Besant who was at one time the president of the Indian National Congress and the president of the Theosophical Society" 6 1:46 Unjust Suffering: Despite her fame, she suffered privately when her infant child endured severe, violent convulsions and terrifying fits. "she gave birth to a child who during his infancy suffered from violent convulsions... throwing him into terrifying fits" 7 2:19 Spiritual Doubt: Her inability to reconcile this suffering with a merciful God led her to become agnostic. "Annie Besant was at a total loss to understand how the all-loving... God had inflicted so much suffering... she turned agnostic" 8 2:47 The Revelation: Her worldview transformed when she learned about karma and reincarnation. "she went through a book which detailed out karma and reincarnation" 9 3:00 Multi-Life View: She realized the present suffering was the result of deeds done in previous lifetimes. "what we experience as suffering now could be the results of deeds done in previous lifetimes" 10 3:38 The Grain Silo Analogy: Life is like a silo where one must clear the old, bad grain (past wrongdoings) before the new, good grain is accessed. "The first grain to come out will still be the old bad one. Similarly, we may be living righteously now but still face results of past wrongdoings." 11 4:25 Multi-Innings Match: Life is a multi-innings test match, not a single game. "a life is not a single innings, it is a multi-inings test match" 12 4:48 Ultimate Fairness: The scores we start with are the carry-forward from our previous innings, making the match ultimately fair. "the scores we start with are not random they are the carry forward from our previous innings... life gives us what we have earned" 13 5:13 Karma as a Tool: Karma is more than retribution (punishment for a crime); it is a tool for spiritual growth and self-improvement. "it is actually a tool for spiritual growth and our self-improvement" 14 5:36 Bhagavad Gita's Teaching: Shree Krishna confirms that the Lord reciprocates with everyone based on their surrender. "shri Krishna states... the Lord reciprocates with everyone as they surrender to him" 15 6:08 God as Lawgiver: For those who deny God, He manifests through the Law of Karma to dispense results. "for those who deny the existence of God, he meets them in the form of the law of karma" 16 6:20 God as Protector: For those who take God as their sole refuge, He cares for them like a mother cares for her child. "for those who look upon God as their only goal and refuge, he takes care of them just as a mother takes care of her child" 17 6:44 Freedom and Responsibility: Karma offers us freedom to choose our actions, but imposes full responsibility for the consequences. "we are free to choose our actions but we are also responsible for the consequences" 18 7:09 The Churchill Connection: The quick visible operation of the law is illustrated through the story of Randolph Churchill (Winston's father). "Another story where this timeless law revealed itself in the most astonishing way" 19 7:55 Randolph Churchill's Kindness: Churchill sponsored the medical education of a kind farm boy, Alexander Fleming, who helped him from a mishap. "Randolph Churchill was so impressed... that he sponsored the boy's university medical education" 20 8:53 Winston Churchill's Crisis: Half a century later, Randolph's son, Winston Churchill, lay dying from furious pneumonia. "his son Winston Churchill lay gripped by a furious pneumonia death was looming" 21 9:15 Fleming's Discovery: Winston's life was saved by the revolutionary drug, Penicillin. "doctors administered a revolutionary new drug called penicillin" 22 9:19 Karmic Reciprocity: The miracle drug was discovered by Alexander Fleming, the very same farm boy whose education Randolph had sponsored. "that miracle cure had been discovered by a Scottish-born physician Alexander Fleming. He was the very same farm boy..." 23 9:54 Variable Timeframe: Karmic reactions, like the effects of lifestyle choices, can take hours, years, decades—or lifetimes—to manifest. "different actions bring reactions after different time durations... for the soul which is on an eternal journey the action reaction period may range many lifetimes" 24 10:54 Invisible but Unfailing: The law itself is unseen and imperceptible (like gravity), but its effect is visible and irrevocable. "the law of karma is unseen yet unfailing the effect is visible or perceptible while the cause is invisible or imperceptible" 25 11:14 Pleading Ignorance: We cannot plead ignorance of the law; it is our responsibility to learn the laws that govern God’s creation. "living in God's creation it is our own responsibility to learn the laws that govern it"

3 Life-Changing Diwali Lessons from Shree Ram that WILL Illumine Your Mind | Swami Mukundananda

3 Life-Changing Diwali Lessons from Shree Ram that WILL Illumine Your Mind | Swami Mukundananda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cuu5aZQseOs

This video, titled "3 Life-Changing Diwali Lessons from Shree Ram that WILL Illumine Your Mind," by Swami Mukundananda, focuses on drawing spiritual lessons from three key episodes in the life of Lord Ram and his associates. • The core messages revolve around the themes of fearlessness through faith, the nature of selfless love, and the value of simplicity in devotion. • The discourse presents three major lessons, using characters from the Ramayana: 1. The Lesson of Fearlessness and Faith (Angad) • The video narrates the episode where Lord Ram sends Angad, the son of Bali, as a messenger to Ravana to offer him one final chance for reconciliation and forgiveness [01:38]. • Fearlessness in Service: Angad is fearless walking into the enemy's golden city, Lanka, despite being surrounded by rakshasas, because he is a messenger of Ram and trusts in his Lord's protection [02:01]. • The Power of Devotion: When Angad enters Ravana's court, everyone automatically stands up, demonstrating that they are expressing reverence not for Angad himself, but for Angad as a servant of Ram (Ram Das) [03:08]. • Challenge to Ravana: Angad tells Ravana his only path to salvation is to fall at the feet of Ram, weep, and beg for forgiveness [04:49]. When Ravana criticizes Ram, Angad smashes his fist on the ground, causing the earth to tremble and Ravana's crowns to fall [05:44]. • Ultimate Test of Faith: Angad plants his foot on the ground and challenges Ravana or any of his courtiers to move it, proclaiming that if they succeed, they will win Sita. No one is able to move his foot. When Ravana finally bows to grab the foot, Angad screams, "If you have to grab anybody's feet, grab the feet of Ram" [08:06]. • The Takeaway: The speaker concludes that one's faith should be in the Lord to remain fearless [09:00]. Placing faith in material things like bank balances or insurance policies only results in fear because those things can be snatched away in a moment [08:36]. 2. The Lesson of Selfless Love and Sacrifice (Kaikeyi) The speaker defends Kaikeyi, suggesting she was actually a great devotee who made the ultimate sacrifice for Lord Ram's divine mission (Ram Leela) [09:34]. • Divine Request: Ram approached Kaikeyi and asked her to be the reason for his exile. He told her his request would be "disastrous" for her, causing her to lose her husband and separate from her son [10:35]. • The Purpose: Ram explained that he needed to go to the forest to meet devotees like Shabri, who had been waiting for him, and to defeat the rakshasas [10:53]. • The Sacrifice: Kaikeyi agreed, saying she was willing to get a bad name for Ram's sake if it made him happy [11:30]. To prepare for the lila (divine play), she started distancing herself from Ram [12:32]. • The Takeaway: The speaker emphasizes that love is about sacrifice, not self-seeking [12:22]. Kaikeyi's act of taking on the role of the villain, enduring the poison of blame for Ram's glory, is presented as an act of profound, selfless love [09:22]. 3. The Lesson of Simplicity (Hanuman) • The final lesson highlights the pure and simple nature of devotion, using the story of Hanuman and Sita. • Simple Devotion: Sita tells Hanuman that she applies sindur (vermilion) because it pleases Ram [13:39]. • Literal Application: Hanuman, in his simplicity, reasons that if a little sindur on the forehead makes Ram pleased, then covering his entire body must please him even more, so he decks himself completely in sindur [13:56]. • The Takeaway: Since then, the practice of decking the idol of Hanuman with sindur began, symbolizing the simplicity of his heart [14:26]. The Real Goal of Diwali – Bringing Shree Ram into Your Heart Time Transcript Lesson 1 – Power of Faith and Surrender (Angad’s Story) 0:43 Oh Lord, stay in the hearts of those 0:47 devotees who are full of reverence, and 0:51 in their hearts they depend only upon You 0:57 for their protection. 1:01 Take a look at Angad. 1:04 When the bridge was built over the ocean 1:09 from Rameshwaram to Lanka 1:13 and the army crossed over, 1:17 they resided there. It was nighttime. 1:20 Next morning, 1:22 Ram said, "Now what strategy should we 1:25 employ?" 1:28 So Jambawan suggested, "My Lord, You are 1:33 most proper in Your conduct and in 1:36 following Dharma. 1:38 You should give Ravana one chance." 1:42 Ram said, "Very correct." He called over 1:45 Angad, Bali-Putra (son of Bali), the nephew of Sugriva. He says, 1:51 "Angad, go as my messenger and try and 1:56 convince Ravana." 1:58 So Angad is going into the mouth of the 2:01 enemy. 2:03 Imagine 2:04 all the Rakshasa demons are there, but Angad 2:08 is fearless. "My Lord has sent me. He is 2:12 protecting me." 2:14 So he walked in. He jumped over the wall 2:18 of Lanka City. It was a golden city, and 2:22 he walked in. Now the Rakshasas 2:27 they all see a monkey is coming, and they 2:30 wonder, "Is he the same monkey?" They're 2:33 referring to Hanuman, who burned the 2:35 whole city. They start moving out. He 2:38 says, "Where is the palace of your king?" 2:40 " (scared, they told) There, there, there not here." 2:43 So, Angad, seeing the respect they are 2:46 offering to him, realizes it is not due 2:49 to him. It is all due to Hanuman. He 2:52 walks in. 2:54 When he reached the palace, Ravana's 2:57 servants informed, "One monkey has come. 3:00 He wishes to meet you." 3:03 Ravana said, "Call him in." 3:06 The moment Angad walked in, 3:10 everybody in that court of Ravana, they 3:12 all stood up. 3:15 So Ravana said, "Why are you standing up? 3:17 Sit down." 3:19 Ravana's rule was that even if a Devata 3:22 comes, 3:24 nobody should stand up. 3:27 So automatically they expressed their 3:30 reverence to Ram Das, the servant of 3:34 Ram. 3:36 So Ravana asked Angad, "Who are you?" 3:40 Angad said, "I am a messenger from Ram, and 3:45 I have come with a message for you." 3:49 Ravana said, "Really? Where are you from?" 3:53 Angad said, "I am actually a child of your 3:59 friend." Ravana said, "My friend? I don't 4:02 have any friends. Whom are you referring 4:04 to?" 4:06 Angad said, "Do you remember there was a 4:08 monkey in South India called Bali?" 4:12 Now that rang a bell in Ravana's head 4:15 because a fight had taken place between 4:18 Bali and Ravana, and Bali had kept Ravana's 4:22 head under his armpit for 6 months. So 4:26 Angad is reminding him, "Remember Bali?" 4:30 Ravana said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. How is 4:32 he doing nowadays?" 4:34 Angad said, "Where he has gone, you are 4:37 going to go in 10 days if you don't 4:39 listen to me." 4:41 Ravana said, "What? He is dead?" 4:44 So Angad said, "Look, you have committed a 4:48 crime, 4:49 and the penalty for that is death. 4:53 But I have come to give you one chance. 4:56 You go and fall at the feet of Ram, 5:01 and cry, weep, and beg for forgiveness. 5:05 Ram is kind. He will condone all your 5:09 offenses and free you. That is your only 5:12 chance." 5:15 Ravana said, "You have the gumption (guts) to 5:18 speak to me like this? Nobody does in 5:21 the three worlds. 5:23 Tell me, if Ram is as good as you are 5:28 claiming he is, then why did his father 5:31 take him out of the city and send him to 5:33 the forest? 5:35 If he is so wonderful, why is he roaming 5:38 around in the forest in an ascetic way, 5:41 performing tapas?" By hearing Ram criticized 5:45 like that, Angad could not tolerate. 5:49 He took his fist and smashed it on the 5:51 ground. 5:53 "How dare you speak like that?" And the 5:56 earth started trembling. 5:59 The crowns on Ravana's head, they fell to 6:02 the ground. So Angad grabbed four and 6:06 tossed them. And Ravana quickly put the 6:09 others back on his head. Now, Ram 6:12 was sitting outside with his army when 6:15 some unidentified flying objects, UFOs, 6:18 came. People asked, "What are these?" Ram 6:22 said, "These are Ravana's crowns. They are 6:25 being sent as samples by Angad." 6:29 So Angad said, "You know, I just smashed 6:32 the ground, and you saw what happened. 6:35 Supposing I had smashed your head, what 6:37 would have happened?" The courtiers said, 6:40 "No, no, no, no, don't do anything like that." 6:43 Now Angad asked Ravana, "If you are so 6:47 infatuated by Mother Sita, 6:50 why did you not go for the Swayamvar?" 6:54 Ravana said, "I did go there, but then some 6:57 work came up, and I saw the bow is of my 7:00 Guru, Lord Shiva. How can I break it?" 7:04 Angad said, "In that case, I'll create a new Swayamvar 7:08 for you." Now this is his faith in the 7:12 Lord's heart. 7:14 He has full conviction 7:17 that he has been sent for the Lord's 7:19 work, and Ram will protect him. Angad 7:24 said, "I'll make a new Swayamvar for you." He 7:27 planted his foot on the ground and said, 7:31 "You lift my foot, anybody in this court, 7:34 and we will lose Sita." 7:38 Ravana said, "Wow." He asked some of them 7:41 go. Now one after the other they go and 7:44 catch Angad's feet, but they are unable 7:47 to move it. 7:50 Angad said, "Ravana, why are you sending 7:52 these intermediaries? Why don't you come 7:55 yourself?" 7:57 Ravana now came, 8:00 approached Angad's leg. He bowed down and 8:05 grabbed his foot to shake it, and Angad 8:08 suddenly screamed, "If you have to grab 8:10 anybody's feet, don't grab my feet, grab 8:12 the feet of Ram." So Ravana became nistej 8:17 lusterless. 8:19 Embarrassed, he walked off. Angad said, 8:22 "We will now meet you in the 8:25 battleground. The matter is settled." 8:28 Saying that, he went back. 8:31 Valmiki Ji says, "Where is your faith? 8:35 Who is protecting you? 8:38 Your house 8:40 or your bank balance, or the insurance 8:44 policy? 8:46 All of these can be snatched away in a 8:50 moment. 8:52 If your faith is in these, then you will 8:56 always have fear. And if your faith is 9:00 in the Lord, you will be fearless." Lesson 2 – The Spirit of Sacrifice (Kaikeyi’s Story) 9:11 This Ram virah 9:15 is the thing that churned the Bharat’s love, 9:19 and the nectar that came out is what we 9:22 relish 9:24 that spread his glory throughout the 9:27 three worlds, 9:29 and the poison that came out was drunk 9:31 by Kaikeyi. 9:34 So Kaikeyi was also actually a great 9:36 devotee. Ram says, 9:47 "Mother, those people will blame you who 9:50 have not understood the meaning of Ram Leela 9:54 through Satsang." 9:57 Why? When Ram was little, Kaikeyi was so 10:01 fond of Ram. She would always be around 10:05 Ram. 10:07 And then one day when Ram was in 10:10 Ayodhya, 10:14 he said to Kaikeyi, 10:17 "Do you really love me?" Kaikeyi said, 10:21 "More than anything else." 10:24 Ram said, "I need to ask something from 10:26 you. Will you do it?" 10:29 Kaikeyi said, "Whatever you ask." 10:33 Ram said, "What I'm going to ask will be 10:36 disastrous for you. You will lose your 10:38 husband 10:40 and your son will separate himself from 10:43 you." 10:46 Kaikeyi said, "What is it You are going to ask?" 10:49 Ram said, "There are people in the forest 10:52 who are waiting for me. 10:55 There is Shabari who has been waiting for 10:58 so many years in the hope that I will 11:02 come to her hut. 11:04 I have to fulfill all those things. I 11:07 have to do the Vadh (slaying) of the Rakshasas. 11:11 So I need a reason to go into the forest, 11:15 and you will be the reason for it. When 11:18 the time comes, I will inspire you, and 11:21 you will create the problem." 11:25 Kaikeyi thought that this is most 11:28 terrible, but if it's what You want, if it's 11:32 what's making You happy, I am willing. 11:36 This is the selflessness of her love: "If 11:40 for Your sake I need to get a bad name, I 11:44 don't mind." 11:47 See, till today there is no second Kaikeyi; 11:52 nobody named their daughter as 11:55 Kaikeyi. There was one Kaikeyi in that Yuga. After 11:59 that, no mother ever named their daughter 12:02 As Kaikeyi 12:04 Ram says, 12:12 he says, "You are my dear mother, and 12:16 you're going to come along with me to my 12:18 Saket (abode)." 12:22 So Kaikeyi made that sacrifice. Sacrifice is 12:26 what love is all about. Love is not 12:29 about self-seeking. Love is about 12:32 sacrifice always. 12:35 Kaikeyi then decided, "If I need to do such 12:39 an atrocious thing, I need to start 12:42 distancing myself from Ram." And since 12:46 that day she would start maintaining her 12:48 distance. 12:50 So Ram knows the heart of Kaikeyi. He 12:55 went and offered his respects to her. He 12:58 offered his respects to Sumitra because 13:00 she has made the sacrifice of her son 13:02 who has come in seva and He offered 13:05 his respects to Kaushalya. Lesson 3 – The Beauty of Devotion (Hanuman’s Story) 13:17 Hanuman is such a great devotee with so 13:21 much of love. 13:23 But 13:28 once Sita Mata was doing her Shringar (adornment), 13:33 and Hanuman came and asked, "माते (Mother), why do 13:38 you put this Sindur (vermilion) in your forehead?" 13:42 Sita thought, "How to explain to this 13:44 Brahmachari?" 13:46 She said, "You know, when I put this, then 13:49 Ram is very pleased." 13:52 Hanuman thought, "Ram is pleased by the 13:54 putting of Sindur, then why just put it 13:56 on the forehead?" He went and put it all 13:59 over his body. 14:02 And when he came, he was fully red. 14:06 So Ram said, "What is this?" 14:10 He said, "Ma told me You are very pleased 14:13 when we put Sindur. So I have decked 14:15 myself up with Sindur." 14:18 And since then they started decking the 14:21 Murti (idol) of Hanuman with Sindur, a symbol 14:26 of the simplicity of his heart.

तेरी मिट्टी में खो जाऊँ, Clarion Call from Vrindavan - Iss Raj Mei Mai Kho Jaun - Teri Mitti - BHAJAN Cover by Madhavas

तेरी मिट्टी में खो जाऊँ, Clarion Call from Vrindavan - Iss Raj Mei Mai Kho Jaun - Teri Mitti - BHAJAN Cover by Madhavas

a lovely melodious & touching song for Vrindavan

https://youtu.be/dxdvPy8EMAU?t=80 इस रज में मैं खो जाऊँ इस ब्रज का ही हो जाऊँ इतनी सी है दिल की आरज़ू Let me get lost in this soil Let me be owned by this land Brij All I want is only this 1 तेरे प्रेम में हर सुख वार दिया तेरे ध्यान में दिल ये लगाया  है तब जा के कहीं हमने तेरा नाम अपनी सांसो पे सजया है 2 हे कान्हा मेरे, तेरे दर पे रहूँ  तू ना आंख से इक पल ओझल हो मैं दूर रहूँ वृंदावन से जीवन में कभी न वो पल हो 3 हे राधे मेरी, मेरी महारानी हर वेद की तुम ही कहानी हो जो प्रेम जगत का सार हो तुम उस प्रेम की अमित निशानी हो 4 इस रज में मैं खो जाऊं इस ब्रज का ही हो जाऊँ  इतनी सी है दिल की आरजू 5 इन लताओं सा लहराउँ  यमुना मैय्या सा बह जाऊँ  इतनी सी है दिल की आरजू 6 ओ बांके मेरे बड़े छलिया तुम इस ब्रज के तुम महाराजा हो हर गोपी यही पुकार रही ओ कान्हा दूर तू ना जा हो 7 ब्रज भूमि मेरी तेरा हर कण कण बस प्रेम ही प्रेम दुहाई दे चाहे कान लगा कर सुन लो तुम बस राधा राधा सुनाई दे 8 बरसाने तेरे घर आऊँ  इस रस में ही तर जाऊँ  इतनी सी है दिल की आरज़ू 9 तुम आदि पुरुष तुम अंत में हो हर पापी में हर सन्त में हो तुम धरती में तुम व्योम में हो ब्रह्माण्ड के हर इक रोम में हो 10 सब कुछ होकर गोपाल से तुम मेरे नंद के छोटे लाल से तुम कान्हा कुछ और तू ना देना बस अपनी भक्ति सदा देना 11 आखिर की जब सांस मैं लूँ हे गोविंद तेरे नाम से लूँ इतनी सी है दिल की आरजू 1 In love of Thine, all joys I do surrender, My heart is fixed upon Thy contemplation deep, And only then Thy Name, so soft and tender, Upon my every breath I finally keep. 2 O my Kanhaiya, upon Thy doorstep let me stay, Mayst Thou not vanish from my sight even one fleeting moment, May that day never come, to be away From Vrindavan's enchanting bower. 3 O Radhe, my queen, my sovereign might, Of every Veda, Thou art the single tale, The very essence of all worldly light, Of Love's deep truth, Thou art the endless trail. 4 In this sacred dust, oh, let my being lose its form, To be a part of Braj soil, this is my soul's desire, To let my life be merged in Braj This is the simple wish that sets my heart afire. 5 Like these vines, let me gently swing and sway, Like Mother Yamuna, let my spirit softly flow, This is the humble plea I utter day by day, The only aspiration that my deep heart can know. 6 O Bānke, my beautiful, great trickster Thou art known, The sovereign ruler of this hallowed land of Braj, Every Gopi's cry is echoing, deep and lone, O Kanhaiya, please, let us never see Thee go. 7 Braj Bhoomi mine, every speck of Thy ground, Resounds with nothing but the call of purest Love, Whether by ear or deepest feeling, it is found, Only "Radha, Radha" rings from earth to skies above. 8 To Barsana's gates, let my tired footsteps roam, To be submerged and purified in this divine sweet grace, This is the final longing that guides my spirit home, To find my heart's true yearning in that sacred space. 9 Thou art the first, the end of all that is begun, In every sinner, and in every holy saint, Thou art in the earth, the sky, the moon, the sun, In every single fiber of the cosmic constraint. 10 Though Thou art all things, O Gopal, so grand and vast, Yet to me, Thou art my Nand's little child so dear, Kanhaiya, ask for naught else that forever shall last, But let Thy devotion be my only treasure here. 11 When I draw my final breath, and all is done, O Govind, let it be spoken with Thy sacred name, This is the final solace that my heart has won, This is the single burning wick of my soul's flame.

The Story that REVEALS Shree Ram’s Diwali Wisdom – How Faith removes Darkness by Swmai Mukundanand

The Story that REVEALS Shree Ram’s Diwali Wisdom – How Faith removes Darkness by Swmai Mukundanand

https://youtu.be/6rulwaWjt04

This video by Swami Mukundananda narrates a significant story from the Ramayana involving Lord Shiva, Sati, and Lord Ram to illustrate the spiritual lesson of faith versus material intellect and understanding the divine nature of God's actions, known as Lila (pastimes). [00:00] Once Lord Shiv desired to relish the Ram Katha ras (nectar of the story). So, accompanied by Sati, he went to the ashram of [00:11] Agastya Rishi. Agastya Rishi saw that the Lord has come, he welcomed Shiv and Sati. So Shiv was pleased with [00:23] the Rishi's devotion. However, Sati used her buddhi (intellect): "We are coming to listen to a Katha (story) from him, and he is [00:32] doing our puja (worship). What a bhondu bhatt (fraud) he is!" So Sati used her buddhi there. Now Shiv requested Agastya that [00:43] "I wish to hear the Ram Katha." So Agastya said, "Maharaj, if it is your wish, I will relate it [00:50] to you." So Agastya related the whole Katha to Shiv, and Sati was also sitting there, but Sati’s mentality had [01:01] got corrupted. In her mind was the doubt, "Look, what Katha will he tell us? What does he know? He [01:09] was doing our puja a little while ago." So she did not listen with faith. At the end of the Katha [01:21] Shiv was pleased and he said, "Maharaj, what dakshina (offering) can we offer to you?" Agastya said, "Maharaj, what dakshina [01:32] can I take from you? If you so wish, you please explain Bhakti Tattva (the principle of devotion) to me." So Shiv explained Bhakti [01:42] Tattva to Agastya and blessed him with devotion. And then Shiv and Sati passed by in the forest. Now [01:54] this coincided with the time when Ram was in the forest. So Ram had gone for His vanvas (exile) and in [02:04] the vanvas the Sita Haran (abduction of Sita) had taken place. So subsequent to the Sita Haran, Ram and Lakshman were going, and [02:17] Ram was yearning, "Where has Sita gone?" Ram’s yearning was absolutely supernormal. Now if somebody’s family member gets lost [02:32] they go and report to the police, announce on television, but nobody goes and asks a tree, "Mr. Tree, have [02:39] you seen my child running from here?" But Ram is experiencing such pangs of separation from Sita. He is asking [02:50] the trees and the animals: Hey Khag Mrig Hey Madhukar Shreni, Tum Dekhi Sita Mrig-Naini. (O birds, beasts, and rows of bees, have you seen the doe-eyed Sita?) [Lord Ram's lamentation quoted]. [03:07] Lakshman man samjhaye bahuti, poochhat chale lata tarupati. E vidhi khojat vilapat swami, manahu maha virah ati kaami. (Lakshman tried to console him many times, but the Lord continued asking the creepers and trees. The Lord wandered and lamented, like a man intensely desirous for his beloved wife.) [Continuation of Lord Ram's lamentation]. [03:25] Like a very desirous man searches for his wife, Ram was in that situation. He seemed to have completely lost His senses. He is asking the trees and [03:33] He is asking the creepers, "Where is my Sita gone?" Lakshman tries to explain, but Ram doesn't understand. In this [03:44] situation, Shiv and Sati saw Ram. So Shiv offered his pranam and said, "He is Sat-chit-ananda Para-Brahma Prabhu. What a Lila [03:57] you are doing!" So Shiv understood, "My Lord is doing a Lila. When He hides His almightiness, that is the [04:06] Lila. So my Lord is doing a Lila." Now supposing your neighbor says that, "Look, I am participating in a [04:16] drama. You come and listen to it/see it." And you go there, and in the drama that person is [04:23] acting like a crook, so you will not stand up from the audience, "What kind of acting you are doing?" [04:29] You will just stand and watch. So Shiv is watching the Lila of my Prabhu, but Sati’s buddhi was already [04:37] corrupted. Sati started thinking, "What kind of Bhagwan (God) is he?" [04:44] So she said, Kabahu yog viyog na jaage, dekha prakat virah dukh taage. (God is He who never suffers union or separation, but here He is openly showing the distress of separation). [Sati's corrupted logic]. [04:59] ...because God is everywhere, how can you have viyog (separation) from God? But Tulsidas says you can't even have [05:12] yog (union). Why yog? Because [05:19] day happens when there was night, and if there was no night, there will be no day as well. So [05:26] in the sun it is nitya din (eternal day). In the same way, Bhagwan has nitya yog (eternal union) with all living entities. But [05:38] the same Ram is suffering viyog from his wife. So Sati said, "What kind of Bhagwan is he?" But then [05:48] she thought, "My husband has done pranam. Shambhu gira muni mrisha na hoi, Shiv sarvagya jaan sab koi. (Shambhu [Shiva] cannot lie, Shiva is all-knowing and knows everything)." So he [06:01] must be Bhagwan. But Bhagwan is not like this. Bhagwan is Sarvagya (all-knowing), and He doesn't even know where [06:11] His wife has gone. So Shiv said, "Look Sati, you do what you want, I am telling you He [06:19] is Bhagwan." Shiv left, thinking: Hoi hai soi jo Ram rach rakha, ko kari tark badhahi sakha. (Whatever Ram has ordained, that is what is going to happen. Who can debate or argue with that?) [Shiv's resolute faith]. [06:31] So Shiv went off and he said, "Be careful how you behave." [06:40] But Sati’s buddhi was affected. She said, "Alright, let me take a test and I will find out whether [06:48] He is Bhagwan or He is not Bhagwan." So Sati, by her maya (illusory power), she took on the form of Sita [06:59] herself and she sat down there. "That if He is God, He will come to know. And if He is [07:09] not God, He will say, 'Oh, this is where you—we were looking for you!' And Lakshman will say, 'Arey [07:18] Bhabhi Ji (sister-in-law), we found you!' So it will be a great find." So now Ram, He was saying, "Ha Seete, Ha [07:29] Seete," and He saw Sati in the form of Sita. So He just ignored her: "Ha Seete, Ha Seete." Sati [07:39] thought, "Maybe He did not see me." So again she went and sat down in front. Ram is coming: [07:46] "Ha Seete, Ha Seete." And then He sees Sati in the form of Sita. He became extremely serious: "Mother, you [07:55] are sitting here, where is my Father?" Sati kapatu janeu sur swami, sab darasi sab antaryami. (The Lord, the master of the gods, who is the all-seer and the indwelling soul of all, knew Sati's deceit). [Ram instantly recognized her]. [08:12] For Sarvagya (the All-knowing), what is the problem in knowing whether this is Sati or Sita? Sumirat jah mit agyana (Remembrance of whom destroys all ignorance). So Sarvagya [08:24] Ram Bhagwan—He is Sarvagya, He knows everything. So in His Lila, Ram worships Shiv as His Ishta Dev (worshipable deity); He worships [08:38] him in Rameswaram. So because Shiv is His Ishta Dev, Sati is His mother. So He is addressing Sati as "Mother": [08:47] "Mother, you are here, where is my Father?" Sati said, "Oh, He has recognized me!" She ran from there. And [08:57] when she ran, wherever she looked she saw Ram, Lakshman, and Sita. She looked here: there they are, and devatas [09:05] are doing the puja. And she looked there: there they are. She realized that He is Bhagwan. Remember in [09:14] the case of the Lord, it is always a Lila. Whenever your mind starts getting confused, like Sati’s mind got [09:26] confused, remind yourself, "These are divine pastimes." The goal is not to engage the intellect there, but to engage [09:39] the mind and thereby be purified. This video narrates a pivotal episode from the Ramayana where Lord Shiva’s wife, Sati, attempts to test Lord Ram, revealing a profound lesson on the difference between faith (Shraddha) and skeptical intellect (Buddhi) in spiritual matters. 1. The Corruption of Intellect The story begins with Lord Shiva and Sati visiting Agastya Rishi to hear the Ram Katha. Shiva was pleased by the Rishi's devotion. However, Sati allowed her material intellect to corrupt her judgment.  When the Rishi, in his humility, performed their worship, Sati questioned his spiritual standing, thinking: "We came to learn from him, yet he is worshipping us. What authority does he have?" Due to this doubt, she listened to the sacred story without faith. 2. The Illusion of Suffering (Lila) Later, Shiva and Sati encountered Lord Ram in the forest during his exile, shortly after the abduction of Sita. Ram was experiencing intense, human-like grief and yearning (viyog), asking the trees and animals if they had seen his wife. • Shiva's Faith: Shiva, recognizing the Supreme Truth, immediately understood this suffering to be Lord Ram's Lila (divine pastime). He offered his obeisance, recognizing Ram as the Sachchidananda Parabrahma (Eternal, Blissful Absolute Truth) who was simply hiding His omnipotence as part of His divine play. • Sati's Doubt: Sati, however, could not reconcile this image of a grieving man with her concept of an all-knowing, omnipresent God who should never suffer separation. Her corrupted intellect compelled her to seek proof. 3. The Divine Test and Recognition Sati decided to test Ram by transforming herself into the exact image of Sita and sitting in Ram's path. Her plan was that if Ram was just a regular man, he would be fooled and embrace her as his wife. However, when Ram saw Sati in Sita's form, he stopped his lamentation. Instead of acknowledging her as Sita, he immediately addressed her with seriousness, saying, "Mother, you are sitting here, where is my Father?" Ram, the Sarvagya (All-knowing) and Antaryami (Indwelling Soul), instantly saw through the deceit. He called her "Mother" because, as Lord Shiva's wife, she was spiritually akin to his mother (Lord Shiva being Ram's chosen deity, or Ishta Dev). 4. The Final Conclusion Sati's trick failed. She realized she had been recognized. As she fled, she was granted a vision where she saw Ram, Lakshman, and Sita everywhere, along with the gods worshipping them. She finally realized the Truth: Ram is the Supreme Lord. The Spiritual Lesson: The Swami concludes that the Lord's actions are always a Lila (divine pastime). When our mind is confused by the apparent contradictions in God's actions, we must remember this truth.  The goal of spiritual life is not to engage the limited, material intellect to critique or understand the divine, but to engage the mind with faith (Shraddha) to purify it. https://youtu.be/6rulwaWjt04

Bhagavad Gita Part 17 (Shlok 4.17) कर्म, अकर्म और विकर्म क्या है? (What are Karma, Akarma, and Vikarma?)" by Swami Mukundananda

Bhagavad Gita Part 17 (Shlok 4.17) कर्म, अकर्म और विकर्म क्या है? (What are Karma, Akarma, and Vikarma?)" by Swami Mukundananda

Swami Mukundananda, explains the intricate nature of Vedic actions (Karma), forbidden actions (Vikarma), and actionlessness in action (Akarma/Karma Yoga).

[ ] within bracket is the time stamp of video [00:00] भक्ति में आप चाहे राम राम बोले चाहे मरा मरा बोले भगवान को फर्क नहीं पड़ता वो भाव ग्राही हैं [00:09] भाव ग्राही जनार्दन, लेकिन कर्मकांड में भगवान बहुत strict है तो यह कर्मकांड से क्या फल मिलेगा ? इससे भगवत प्राप्ति नहीं होगी। [00:23] इससे संसार का फल मिलेगा या मृत्यु लोक का वैभव या स्वर्ग लोक की प्राप्ति। [01:04] The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is and what inaction is. https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/4/17/ [01:36] तो श्री कृष्ण अब कहते हैं कि अर्जुन तुझे कर्म के संबंध में तीन सिद्धांत समझने होंगे: एक कर्म, दूसरा विकर्म, और तीसरा अकर्म। [02:04] अकर्म का दूसरा नाम है कर्म योग। [02:23] हमारे शास्त्रों में जो वर्णाश्रम धर्म बताया गया है यानी चार वर्ण चार आश्रम इसके अनुसार लंबे चौड़े विधि विधान हैं। यह जो विधान आदि है इसको कहते हैं कर्म। [03:00] उसमें कुछ नियम नित्य कर्म कहलाते हैं। नित्य कर्म कौन से हैं जो रोज करने हैं (जैसे “संध्या” करो, स्नान करो)। इसका कोई फल नहीं। नहीं करोगे तो दंड मिलेगा (जैसे Government को tax देना)। [04:21] दूसरे हैं नैमित्तिक कर्म। यह कभी कभी करने (सूर्य ग्रहण हो गया, चंद्र ग्रहण हो गया, मृत्यु के समय सूतक)। यह भी करने है क्योंकि करने हैं। इनका कोई फल नहीं। [05:05] तीसरे नियम कहलाते हैं काम्य कर्म। जो संसारी फल इच्छा के लिए किए जाते हैं। पुत्र चाहिए तो पुत्रेष्टी यज्ञ करो। [05:25] और चौथे, मान लो आपसे गो हत्या हो गई अनजाने में... अब उसका पाप लगा, तो पाप को नष्ट करने के लिए हमारे शास्त्र विधान बताते हैं प्रायश्चित कर्म। [06:29] यह चार के नियम कर्म के अंतर्गत। इनका लंबा चौड़ा detail वेदों में, Manusmriti में है, Mimansa darshan में है, Mahabharat में है। सुबह उठने से लेकर रात को सोने तक क्या करना यह कर्म कहलाता। (Mimansa Darshan is one of the six classical Hindu schools of philosophy that focuses on the critical investigation of the Vedas and their rituals.) [07:01] लेकिन इसमें हमको समझने की बात यह है कि यह नियम बहुत बारीक हैं और अगर आपको फल चाहिए तो थोड़ी सी भी त्रुटि नहीं होनी चाहिए (जैसे यज्ञ में मंत्र बोलते हैं)। [08:57] नियम ये है कि एक स्वर में भी यदि गलती हो गई आपका पूरा कर्मकांड बेकार चला गया। यह वेद का विधान इतना कड़ा है। [09:21] भक्ति में ऐसा नहीं है । भक्ति में आप चाहे राम राम बोले चाहे मरा मरा बोले भगवान को फर्क नहीं पड़ता वह भाव ग्राही हैं। [09:28] लेकिन कर्मकांड में भगवान बहुत strict हैं  [09:46] एक बार इंद्र का पतन हो गया इसी कारण से, जब नहुष इंद्र बने थे, तो उनका गलत स्वर का उच्चारण कराया गया और उनका पतन हो गया। [10:15] इतने कड़े नियम हैं वेदों में कि छह उपकरण है (देश, काल, पदार्थ, कर्ता, मंत्र, कर्म) यह छह के छह ठीक हों, तब वो यज्ञ का फल मिलेगा। [10:33] और यह छह के छह इस कलयुग में ठीक ठाक करना यह संभव ही नहीं है। [10:49] त्रेता युग में जब दशरथ जी महाराज को पुत्रेष्टी यज्ञ कराना था तो वशिष्ठ जी ने नहीं कराया, श्रृंगी ऋषि को बुलाया गया। [11:13] द्वापर युग में जब पांडवों को राजसूय यज्ञ कराना था तो उन्होंने श्री कृष्ण को आचार्य बनाया कि यदि श्री कृष्ण आचार्य रहेंगे कोई त्रुटि नहीं होगी। [12:07] पांडवों ने कहा, "अरे ब्रह्म जानाति इति ब्राह्मण (जो ब्रह्म को जानता है, वह ब्राह्मण है)।" तो क्या भगवान स्वयं ब्राह्मण नहीं है? [12:27] श्री कृष्ण ने कहा, "मैं आचार्य बनने को तैयार हूँ मगर हमारी शर्त रहेगी कि जितने पंडित आएंगे हम उनके झूठे पतल उठाएंगे।" [13:00] हमको ऐसे ब्राह्मण ही नहीं मिलेंगे जो सात स्वरों में उच्चारण करें। [13:30] तो यह कर्मकांड से क्या फल मिलेगा? इससे भगवत प्राप्ति नहीं होगी। इससे संसार का फल मिलेगा या मृत्यु लोक का वैभव या स्वर्ग लोक की प्राप्ति। [13:56] तो यह कर्म जो है भगवान ने इसलिए बनाया था कि समाज में लोगों को कुछ नियमों में बांध दिया जाए। In this talk, Swami Mukundananda explains the three principles of action (Karma, Vikarma, and Akarma) mentioned in Bhagavad Gita 4.17. The focus is on highlighting the restrictive nature and limited reward of Karma (Vedic rituals) compared to Bhakti (devotion). 1. The Three Actions (Trilogy of Action) Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to understand three concepts [01:36]: • Karma (Prescribed Action): Actions enjoined by the scriptures, primarily the Varnashrama Dharma (rules for the four social classes and four stages of life) [02:23]. • Vikarma (Forbidden Action): Actions that are prohibited by the scriptures (generally referred to as sinful or wrong actions). • Akarma (Actionlessness in Action): Also known as Karma Yoga [02:04]. This is the path of action performed without attachment to results, which leads to God-realization. 2. The Strictness and Types of Karma The scriptures detail four main types of Karma [06:29]: • Nitya Karma (Daily Duties): Actions that must be done every day (e.g., Sandhya Vandanam, ritual bathing). They yield no positive result if done, but not doing them incurs a sin or penalty (like paying taxes) [03:00]. • Naimittika Karma (Occasional Duties): Actions performed on specific occasions (e.g., during eclipses, or periods of impurity after a birth or death). They must be performed simply because they are rules [04:21]. • Kamya Karma (Desire-driven Actions): Rituals performed to fulfill a material desire (e.g., Putreshti Yagya to desire a son) [05:05]. • Prayaschitta Karma (Expiatory Actions): Rituals performed to nullify the sin of a wrong action (e.g., expiation for accidental cow-slaughter) [05:25]. 3. The Flaw of Karma in Kali Yuga The speaker emphasizes the extreme difficulty and impracticality of Karmakanda (ritualistic Vedic action): • Zero Error Tolerance: To achieve the desired result, the rituals must be performed with absolutely zero error [07:01]. • The Power of Swara (Intonation): The biggest difficulty lies in the pronunciation of mantras. A tiny error in the swara (intonation or musical pitch of the chanting) will ruin the entire ritual, rendering the whole effort useless [08:57]. The example is given of King Nahusha losing his position as Indra due to a wrong swara [09:46]. • Impracticality in Kali Yuga: The six components required for a perfect ritual (place, time, material, doer, mantra, and action) are almost impossible to get right in the current age (Kali Yuga) [10:33]. It is difficult to find priests who can correctly pronounce all seven swaras [13:00]. 4. Limited Results of Karma Even if a person manages to perfectly execute all the complex rituals, the result is limited [00:23]: • Karma does not lead to God-realization (Bhagavat Prapti) [00:23]. • It only yields worldly enjoyment, wealth in this mortal world, or attainment of heaven (Swarga Loka) [13:30]. 5. Bhakti vs. Karmakanda The speaker contrasts this with Bhakti (devotional service): • In Bhakti, God is "Bhava Grahi Janardana" (one who accepts the intention/emotion) [00:09]. God does not care if you chant "Ram Ram" or "Mara Mara"; the heart's feeling is what matters [09:21]. • In Karmakanda, God is "very strict" [09:28].