Posted on: 11 Jun 2007
[Shri Phani raised a question “Between sacrifice of work (karma samnyasa) and sacrifice of the fruit of work (karma phala tyaga), which is greater?” Swami said “Tell me your opinion on this”. Phani replied “Certainly sacrifice of the fruit of work is greater than sacrifice of work because the fruit is the essence of work. Cutting the bond with the fruit is very difficult”. Following is Swami’s detailed discourse that followed.]
Certainly sacrifice of the fruit of work is greater than the sacrifice of work in the case of householders, who have the option for doing both. The reason is that the bond with the fruit is very strong. Generally, money or wealth is the fruit of work. Therefore, the Veda says that sacrifice of the money and wealth is the real essence of sacrifice and stands as the proof of real love for God (Dhanena tyagenaikena—Veda). But remember, that the statements so far are related to the householders who have entered the family life (grihastha) after completing the learning (Brahmacharya[1]). After learning, you are clear about the world and God. But your attraction for the world defeated the attraction for God and hence you entered family life. Then you started doing worldly work and earned some fruit. After some time, you realized the true nature of worldly attraction and now your attraction to God has defeated your worldly attraction. Therefore, you have gradually entered into God’s work through Vanaprastha[2] and samnyasa[3] stages. But if you see the first-hand saint who has taken samnyasa[4] directly from Brahmacharya, he has voted for God against the world in the beginning itself and such first-hand detachment is certainly greater than second-hand detachment (Sarvarambha Parityagi Satyagi Ityabhidhiyate—Gita).
The reward for the sacrifice of the fruit of work in the second-hand detachment is attaining God’s abode (Brahma Loka) from which there is always a possibility of slipping (Abramha Bhuvanat—Gita). Shaktuprastha was given Brahma Loka for such sacrifice[5]. Narada who is a resident of Brahma Loka was born as a householder when he was affected by ego. The fruit for the first-hand detachment is becoming God or Brahman. Hanuman and Shankara are the examples of this path and they have become Brahman. Once you become Brahman you will never slip from Brahman (Nainamprapya vimuhyati—Gita) and this fruit is the best and is also eternal. Becoming the President of America is greater than getting a visa to visit America. The result of attaining Brahma Loka for the second hand saint was announced to the face of Shaktuprastha. But the result of the first-hand saint was not announced to the face of Hanuman. In fact, Hanuman was even insulted by Rama, who did not reward Him while He was rewarding all the monkeys after the war. This means that the test for the first-hand saint continues till the fruit is handed over to him. He will be tested till the end for his lack of aspiration for the fruit.
Now the saints in this main line of first-hand detachment are restricted to the sacrifice of work alone and there is no possibility of sacrifice of the fruit of work in their case. They surrendered their lives for God’s work from the beginning and did not do any worldly work for themselves. Now you cannot say that the sacrifice of the fruit of work of a householder is greater than the sacrifice of work of such a first-hand saint. Shaktuprastha is not greater than Hanuman. There is no need of any comparison between a householder, who has become a saint and a saint who directly takes samnyasa after Brahmacharya without getting marriage; i.e. one who left worldly work in the beginning itself. This confusion comes only since the sacrifice of work appears in two places. The sacrifice of work and sacrifice of the fruit of work of a householder put together are not equal to the sacrifice of work of a first-hand saint.
Fruit of Sacrifice of Wealth
Now what is the fate of the second hand saint who has reached Brahma Loka? Since his sacrifice of the fruit of work has not given the highest fruit directly. How can he attain the highest fruit, which could not be purchased by the sacrifice of the fruit (money)? People think that they can purchase the highest fruit (becoming Brahman) just by payment of the cost by a cheque. You cannot purchase the highest fruit by paying money. By such sacrifice of the fruit of work, you have proved that your attraction to God has defeated your attachment to the world. It means that you have come to the beginning point of the first-hand saint. Therefore, the sacrifice of the fruit of work can purchase a seat in the academic course (the line of the first-hand saint) but not the final degree certificate (the fruit obtained by the first-hand saint). The donation[6] is only for admission; not to get the certifiate. You will be reborn as a first-hand saint and get the highest fruit in the next birth. Thus you are very close to the final goal compared to the millions of births you have taken so far.
Now Christianity and Islam do not believe in rebirth. Therefore, the word rebirth should be taken in the sense of a fresh spiritual start that may be in this very life itself. The word ‘dwija’ means rebirth in this very birth. Thus such an interpretation is present in Hinduism. It means the death of the materialistic life and the birth of new spiritual life. If the second-hand saint leads a life of the first-hand saint, there is no difference provided the purity is maintained equally. Thus the second-hand saint attains the highest fruit in this very life itself and he need not be reborn in the physical sense. Buddha is an example for this. He was married and even got a son after the stage of learning (Brahmacharya). In course of time, He voted for God and left the family to become a saint. His rest of His life was as pure as that of Shankara. Buddha attained Brahman in that very life itself like Shankara. The detachment from the family has no external physical significance. King Janaka remained in the family and yet attained Brahman (Karmanaivahi—Gita). The Lord used the word ‘samsiddhi’ in his case in the Gita, which means that he attained the complete fruit. The prefix ‘sam’ denotes the completeness of the fruit. He did not leave the family like Buddha but he was detached from the family internally in the real sense. In the spiritual field, reality is essential because no one can fool God. The first adjective in the spiritual knowledge used is truth (Satyam Jnanam—Veda). The external atmosphere does not certify the truth. You need not bother about the good certificates given by the public or the criticism given by the public because both are invalid in the spiritual field. You should be truthful to your inner consciousness, which gives the real certificate of your state. You may be a first-hand saint, but what is the guarantee that you can maintain the purity throughout your life? The first-hand saint, who loses purity and gets attracted by world, has become a householder and is not even equal to the second-hand saint (Yaastemanasasmaran—Gita). The second-hand saint may maintain purity in the rest of his life and he becomes a first-hand saint for the rest of his life.
In the spiritual field, all promotions and demotions occur in a fraction of a second. Sacrifice of the world in one instance is not final because such a state should be maintained throughout the life. The test by the Lord reveals the extent of internal reality. King Janaka was in discussion with Sadguru Yajnavalkya. Someone gave him the news that the entire city including his palace was on fire. Janaka continued the spiritual discussions without any break. The so called first-hand saint in this Kali Yuga[7] may leave the discussions and run into the kitchen even if somebody tells him that the milk on the stove is boiling and overflowing. Therefore, the internal state is the reality and the mere external state cannot be the reality.
Hanuman was a first hand saint who left his family for the sake of the Lord. Since He was unmarried, the only bond was with His mother. He cut that bond. But in the context of the protecting Yayati from Rama, He voted for His mother against Rama. That shows even the first-hand saint was attracted by the family. Of course, Hanuman is God’s incarnation and He was only acting in that role to show that even a first-hand saint may slip. We should always take the message given by the role and should not analyze the real state of the actor. Shankara never returned back to His house except in the last few minutes of the life of His mother. The family never attracted Buddha even though two ministers of His royal family tried a lot. The Gopikas were householders and never left their families. But they became mad when Krishna left them. They were always in the memory of Krishna and in their madness. They were never even aware of their families, which means that the world could never enter their minds. That shows the stage of the first-hand saint.
Need for Physical Rebirth
Of course, the external atmosphere in its physical sense has its own importance especially in the case of ordinary human beings who cannot resist the influence of the external atmosphere while remaining in it. Only exceptional cases like Janaka and the Gopikas can remain pure even in an opposite external atmosphere. In Yoga Vashishtha, Sage Vashishtha says that in the case of ordinary human beings, it is better to leave the external atmosphere because one cannot resist the entry of its influence. Therefore, Buddha and Shankara left their houses to preach this point to ordinary human beings. Both of them personally could remain unaffected even if they had lived with their families like Janaka. The Veda also preaches to ordinary human beings that if one is detached from the world, he should leave the family and go for the association with saints (Yadaharevavirajet….)[8]. Similarly, the physical rebirth of a second-hand saint, who starts the new life as a first-hand saint, has its own importance in the case of ordinary human beings. Even in the case of a first-hand saint, the memory of the family cannot be completely destroyed and it may drag him back at any time. Hanuman proved this by acting as if His mother attracted Him, in the case of Yayati.
When a second-hand saint takes a real physical rebirth and becomes a first-hand saint from the beginning, he has forgotten all the family bonds of the previous birth. Since he is a first-hand saint in this birth, at least the strongest bonds with his wife and children do not exist and even though relatively weaker paternal bonds exist, they can be conquered easily. The third strongest bond with money also perishes in the absence of a wife and children because earning of money is mainly for them. This facility of rebirth exists in the physical sense and it is good for an ordinary human being. It is the general rule that a soul has no human rebirth. But in the case of a certain soul if the omnipotent God feels that a human rebirth can help the soul in its spiritual effort, God has the special power to grant human rebirth. The Gita mentions such human rebirth sanctioned by God (Yogabhrashtobhi Jayate…). Let us take the case of a second-hand saint who is leading the life of a first-hand saint after full realization. But the existing wife and children may attract him because he is not an exceptional case like Buddha. In his case, if the memory of his wife and child is removed permanently, the attraction will end forever. Then what is the solution? The only solution is death in that life, which alone can remove the memory of the family. After death and subsequent rebirth, he may become a first-hand saint and may not have a new wife and child. Now, he has the probability of leading a pure life of a first-hand saint. In this case, human rebirth is a must for helping him in attaining the final goal.
God sanctions human rebirth for such a deserving case and you cannot bind God by any rule, because He is omnipotent. Therefore, except in the case of yogabrashta[9], every soul, which has no hope of reformation in the next human rebirth, is thrown into permanent hell. The general rule is applicable only to such hopeless souls. Even if there is a ray of hope of reformation, God will sanction human rebirth because the ultimate aim of God is only the reformation of the soul. Even in the permanent hell, the soul is continuously tortured only for the sake of its reformation. The word ‘permanent’ only means a long time. The torture in hell for a long time like a long surgery of a patient is again done only for reformation and not for any revenge. Therefore, to say that every soul has human rebirth is as wrong as saying that no soul can have human rebirth. But such rebirth in the physical sense is not necessary in the case of exceptional souls like the Gopikas and King Janaka. The Gopikas attained Goloka, which is above God’s own abode and this shows that God has kept them on His head. This place is greater than the state of Advaita in which the soul becomes God. God became the servant of the Gopikas. The Gopikas exhibited a state higher state than the highest state through their real madness for God. In their previous births they were already first-hand saints. Radha was Sage Durvasa in her previous birth. Therefore, the birth of the Gopikas was higher than the highest state of the first-hand saint.
Human Incarnation is Brahman
Here, we said that the first-hand saint becomes Brahman. The word “becomes” does not mean the real transformation of the soul into Brahman [God]. It only means the charging of the soul by Brahman so that the soul is treated as Brahman, just like live wire, which is charged by electric current is treated as the current itself. Even Lord Krishna confirms this truth in His own case (Avyaktam Vyaktimapannam—Gita). Then how can any other soul expect more than this? The soul should not expect the real transformation of the soul into Brahman. Brahman cannot disappear so that thereafter, that soul becomes the only Brahman. Transformation of anything into some other thing is always impossible. Generally, the soul after being charged by Brahman does not slip because in that highest state, ego never enters the soul. Based on this, it is said that one will not slip from the state of Brahman. But if ego enters, even in this highest state, slipping from it is inevitable as in the case of Parashurama.
All the public will praise the human incarnation as the Brahman (God) but the soul that is charged by Brahman is well aware of its individuality. Sai Baba always remembered God (Allah Malik). When Jesus said that He (individual soul) and His Father (God or Brahman) are one and the same, it means that He can be treated as God. It does not mean that He is God. This subtle difference was not understood by people and He was therefore crucified. Otherwise, He could have directly said that He was God. Mohammed avoided this complication on this subtle aspect and revealed the actual truth that God never becomes or never actually transforms into a human soul. Now, even if we assume that you have really replaced the original Brahman and that you have become the original Brahman, you can never be recognized by anyone since you become the original unimaginable Brahman. You will be recognized only by yourself as said in the Veda “Brahmavit Brahmaiva” which means that the knower of Brahman is Brahman alone. The silence of Buddha [about God] indicates this original status of God.
The original God needs a convenient medium to express Himself to the public. Such a convenient medium is only the human form because the main program of the human incarnation is to guide people in the spiritual path by giving true clarifications of the scriptures. Selfish people have misinterpreted the scriptures so that they can achieve the real fruit through false means as in the case of the materialistic cases in the court. The advocate tries to misinterpret the constitution so that his client escapes the punishment and gets some benefit. This psychology has entered the spiritual field because the soul is a bundle of feelings acquired in the world. You may misinterpret the legal scripture [constitution] and fool the judge to get benefit through false ways. But how can you fool the omniscient God and get benefit through such misinterpretation of His spiritual scripture? God comes in human form to remove such false interpretations and to clarify the truth.
Identity Card of Prajnanam
Spiritual knowledge (Brahma Vidya) is the most complicated subject and even a little clarification is almost impossible in it. When you do not understand any concept, it is generally said that it is not Brahma Vidya, which cannot be understood. But God, expressed through human form, called as Satguru, can give the best and complete clarification in this most complicated subject. Such clarification is specific only to God and hence such specific special knowledge (Prajnanam) is the best and is the constantly associated identity card of God (Prajnanam Brahma—Veda). The miracles are transferable items and cannot be the real identity card of God since miracles are also exhibited by demons. No individual soul can give the best clarification as God and hence Prajnanam is a non-transferable item. Miracles may or may not be exhibited by God because miracles always divert the soul from the spiritual path. But God in human form always exhibits this specific special spiritual knowledge because that is very much needed by souls to have real guidance in the spiritual path.
Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Mahaveera etc., who are human incarnations, were all spiritual preachers giving clarifications in the spiritual knowledge, whether they exhibited miracles or not. A demon always exhibits miracles to expose his false superiority and wants fame from the public. But God in human form exhibits a miracle rarely if He feels that it will help the soul on its spiritual path. But generally the miracles are violations of the natural administration set up by God Himself and God does not want to contradict His own administration. Miracles solve the problems by violating the cycle of deeds and such solutions bring more attachment to the world in the case of souls and it harms their spiritual progress. Therefore, Prajnanam is the only identity card of God in human form, which is constantly exhibited.
[1] Stage of celibate student. Stage of learning the scriptural and worldly knowledge from the Guru.
[2] Stage of a retired person who leaves the family and goes to the forest to contemplate on God.
[3] Stage of a renunciant who completely renounces the world spontaneously, due to his devotion to God.
[4] Formal renunciation or monkhood
[5] Mahabharata, Ashwamedha Parva.
[6] In some colleges, you can get admitted to the course by paying a hefty donation to the college.
[7] Dark Age of Materialism
[8] Jabala Upanishad 4
[9] A person who has slipped from the spiritual path. One who missed the goal by a narrow margin.