What is Remembrance?
Introduction
The closer we feel to someone, the more we can relate to their transformation. For seekers, we need to relate to each other’s confusion, like Prince Arjuna’s and eventually, to his confidence.
Review
The scriptural message of Bhagavad Gita is “Tat Tvam Asi” or “You are divine”. Chapters 1 to 6 focus on Tvam or you/us.
Chapter 1- Summary word: Fear
Questions/Answers:
- What is peace? Quietude
- What is sin? Agitation
- What is righteousness? Responsibility
- What is prioritization? Clarity (about your responsibilities)
Chapter 2-Summary word: Fearless (what is means to feel confident)
Questions/Answers:
5. What is grief? Confusion
6. What is efficiency? Simplicity
7. What is sacrifice? Dedication (to that which is lasting)
8. What is independence? Understanding (the nature of ABCs/ your own nature)
9. What is silence? Evolving
10. What is focus? Efficiency
11. What is discipline? Purpose
Chapter 3- Summary word: Dedication (is the path from evolving from fear to fearlessness)
Questions/Answers:
12. What is responsibility? Living (without expectations)
13. What is attachment? Dependency
14. What is desire? Extroversion (doing and becoming instead of knowing and being)
Chapter 4-Summary word: ‘Deservership’lessness (how to systemize dedication)
Questions/Answers:
15. What is reincarnation? Opportunity
Chapter 5-Summary word: ‘Doershipless’ness (deepens dedication)
Questions/Answers
16. What is doership? Forgetting (forgetting the presence of the Divine)
Chapter 6-Summary word: Delight (start to experience a taste of fearlessness)
Questions/Answers
17. What is failure? Irrelevant
18. What is opportunity? All (everything is an opportunity)
The focus of Chapters 7 to 12 are on Tat or Divinity
Chapter 7- Summary word: Internalize what was described/experienced in the previous chapter
Chapter 8 — Summary word: Concentrate (dharana- to cross intellect and feel more)
Questions/Answers
19. What is infinity? Life
20. What is Self? Spirit
21. What is work? The means to the ends
22. What is creation? Change
23. What is perception? Expression (every time you perceive, it is proof of Presence)
24. What is interaction? Oneness (all that you interact with is God)
Discourse- Question 25: What is remembrance?
Prince Arjuna’s Philosophical Question (Chapter 8, verse 2, second half of verse):
And how, at the time of death, are you to be known by the self-controlled?
When one’s time is done, how will one who is perpetually disciplined remember what they have learned?
Lord Krishna’s Philosophical Answer (Chapter 8 verse 5):
And whosoever, leaving the body, goes forth remembering Me alone, at the time of his death, he attains My being; there is no doubt about this.
When one leaves this body or whatever is binding them, if they remember Bhagavan, that person goes to/becomes Bhagavan Krishna.
Remembrance of Bhagavan may start off as mechanical and infrequent but this has to evolve to being purposeful and perpetual to the point that it is natural — perpetual japa.
Whatever one thinks of last becomes their direction. There should be no doubt about this journey of moving from ‘adhiyagna’ which is the understanding/feeling that ‘God is in me’ to ‘adhyatma’ which is the understanding that “I am in God’ and therefore, there is no “I’.
Practical Question and Answer: What is remembrance? Direction- live life directed to Him
Reflection: If you were to die right now, would you be satisfied with how you have lived, and why or why not? Vivekji’s answer is yes because his life is revolved around going back to Bhagavan.
Q&A
- Would not Vivekji worry about his young children?
No because my only reference in life is to go back home to the Divine.
But working with dedication to the best of my ability and choiceless cheer is the path to get home.
Also, I also know our Original Parent is looking after me and will look after my kids.
2. For someone who has lost their memory at the later stages of life, would they be able to remember Bhagavan at the end of life?
The brain (IQ-intelligent quotient) and the mind (EQ-emotional quotient) are different. If the brain is physically impaired due to some disease, it does not affect the mind. The mind can still revel in Bhagavan.
For example, those with special needs may have certain difficulties with functionality but they still have the ability to evolve and be happy.
3. How to shift from mechanical and infrequent remembrance to perpetual and purposeful remembrance?
Three times a day — morning, noon, and evening- engage in a verb (reading, writing and reflecting) that is dedicated toward remembering your nature. Infuse our ears with japa — saying, listening and writing.