Commentary on Paramahansa Nityananda's Chidakasha Gita–Number 18
by Swami Nirmalananda Giri

Chidakasha Gita:
Verses 71-80

71. If food is given to a man who has no hunger, it will cause indigestion in him. Those whose belly is full have no hunger.

Those who are well dressed feel the cold, the greater.

• If food is given to a man who has no hunger, it will cause indigestion in him. Those whose belly is full have no hunger.

Missionarying is one of the first delusions that strikes spiritual aspirants when they finally find worthwhile spiritual teaching and practice. Happy at their new discovery and wishing well to others, their motivation is positive and even laudable, so why do I call it a delusion? Their delusion is the assumption that others have the same qualifications and levels of dedication that they possess. They start thinking of all their relatives and friends (especially best friends from school) that are so “spiritual” or “looking for something real”–often stating that “they are really ahead of me”–and remembering how close they were to each other and how inspiring and worthy of respect they were…etc., etc., etc. So they set about writing letters or making phone calls, often spending a good bit of money buying books they are sure will “light the fire.” And they are right: the fire gets lit; but it’s the fire of contempt, rejection, and resentment. In all my many years I have never seen even one person react in a courteous manner, much less with interest. The poor missionary is ultimately hurt and bewildered, finding that his old friends are no longer friends at all but spiteful and angry at being pestered. One of my friends received a hate-filled letter in the form of a long satire which charged her with being fanatical, pushy and hateful (!) and alienating her friends. “But we even promised each other that if we ever found anything real we would let the other one know,” she said in profound shock. “We used to talk about spiritual life for hours….” Others of my yogi friends were accused of becoming Satanists and perhaps even drug addicts. I only know of one man who persuaded a friend to become a yogi, and they both became sannyasis–and still are.

Nityananda is referring to the situation I have just described: if someone is not truly spiritually hungry (whatever claims they may make), they will react negatively. For having a “belly” full of the ego and the world, the suggestion of authentic spiritual life repulses and even offends them.

Beware.

• Those who are well dressed feel the cold, the greater.

Nityananda is referring to the fact that many people who have no warm clothing in time find that they have become inured to the cold. I saw a sadhu from Gangotri (the source of the Ganges) who lived on the ice much of the time. He was absolutely naked, but he said that in the bitter Delhi winter weather he was feeling miserably hot! Oh, how those of us who came for his darshan used to shiver as we stood out in a bare field where he was sitting on a bit of straw on the ground. None of us managed to stand there for even an hour.

It is completely normal to want to avoid pain and even discomfort, but that normality can be a real mistake for the yogi. The more we shield and pamper ourselves the more we will feel pain and discomfort when it comes. It is foolish to provoke difficulties, but it can be equally foolish to do everything we can to avoid them. The more wind pushes against a tree the more its roots go deeper and get stronger. I think we have all seen spoiled brats who were completely unprepared for real life by their parent’s pampering and indulgence. We must not do the same with our own self.

In The Third Man Harry Lime points out that in some centuries of terrible political turmoil and plague Italy produced the greatest art of Western civilization, whereas Switzerland during that time was free of all conflict and tribulation and produced nothing but the cuckoo clock. Adversity is a matter of karma, and karma is not for mere enduring, but for our learning. So if we avoid the adversity we will deprive ourselves of the learning we need. And in time the karma with catch up with us, anyway.

72. One must go to Kashi [Benares/Varanasi] by train. One must reach the town of Sivanandapuri. One must go to the country of peace. One must stop his journey at Brahmanandapuri.

In other aphorisms Nityananda makes it clear that Kashi, Sivanandapuri, and Brahmanandapuri refer to the thousand-petalled lotus–sahasrara chakra–of the brain. We must establish our consciousness there, and the “train” that will take us there is Om, for the Atharvashikha Upanishad (1:9) says: “Om takes one via the sushumna nadi to the lotus with a thousand petals.”

73. A man must know himself; he who has conquered the mind is a man; he is an ascetic; he is a yogi; he sees the one atman in all. Suppose you come into a dark room after wandering in the sun. What do you see? Look at the sun for five minutes and come into a dark room; you see nothing; this is as it ought to be. One must see with the inner (spiritual) eye.

• A man must know himself.

Unless we know the atman-self we know nothing, for all else is nothing. Think of how people scramble after all kinds of “knowledge” and devote their lives to that pursuit, only to end up really knowing nothing. For everything but spirit passes away eventually and is no more.

• He who has conquered the mind is a man; he is an ascetic; he is a yogi; he sees the one atman in all.

The Gita speaks of this with great force. The mind must be made an instrument of the Self, otherwise it becomes an opponent of the Self and an obstacle to the Self.

• Suppose you come into a dark room after wandering in the sun. What do you see? Look at the sun for five minutes and come into a dark room; you see nothing; this is as it ought to be.

Once we have looked into the sun, everything disappears and we see “nothing.” In the same way, when we enter the light of the Self, we realize that all else is nothing and we know that when we see anything else we are seeing “nothing.”

• One must see with the inner (spiritual) eye.

However, if the inner eye of spirit is not opened, we will not see the Truth, will not know our Self, but will only see with the outer eyes of duality and therefore “see” “nothing.”

74. A ripe fruit is very sweet to the taste. The same fruit when it is unripe is astringent. Both are produced by the same tree. The difference between the two is caused by time. As soon as a coconut is planted in the ground, it does not grow into a plant. First, it sprouts, then it becomes a plant and finally it becomes a tree. A tender coconut tree can be easily plucked from the ground. But a fully grown coconut tree cannot be easily plucked. So also our mind must be unaffected, whatever people say to us or whatever they say about us, the mind must always be under our control. This is what a man must accomplish in life. This must be the one object in life. This a man must accomplish even if his head is to be struck off. We should give a blow with the mind itself, not with a cane or a hand or something. We should learn to tie a man without a rope. This is what a man should accomplish in life.

• A ripe fruit is very sweet to the taste. The same fruit when it is unripe is astringent. Both are produced by the same tree. The difference between the two is caused by time.

Many people who enter conscious spiritual life–meditation practice–expect their practice to perfect and to be enlightened right away, or at least in a few weeks. But Nityananda is assuring us that time is needed for the unripe to become ripe, for the sour to become sweet.

I met a swami on my first trip to India who was a genius but eccentric to the point of craziness. He was quite advanced in age, and had been just as odd throughout decades of sadhu life. Whenever I would go to the ashram where he lived I would be sure to meet him so I could enjoy his weirdness and have some funny stories to relay back home. Actually, I greatly respected him–as did the members of the ashram, though they had plenty of hilarious stories to tell about him. He was very kind to me, but that did not decrease my amazement at his strange behavior and words. The last time I met him I took one of our ashram members, promising him a good show. But we got something better. When I found him sitting outside, he was very quiet, and emanated a divine radiance. He was so still, so still, and so filled with bliss. We sat with him for some time, savoring the holy moments. That was our last meeting. It had taken time–over fifty years I would estimate–but the fruit had become ripe and sweet.

There were others I met that at our first meeting were not at all admirable, even a bit objectionable, but years later when I met them they had become utterly transformed, awesome even. It had just taken time. The one thing they all had in common was perseverance. As Yogananda used to say: A saint is a sinner who never gave up. Certainly I have seen proof that steadfastness in yogi works transformation undreamed of. We just have to wait and work. Yogiraj Shyama Charan Lahiri was fond of saying: Banat, banat, ban ji! Working, working, done! (Or: Making, making, made!)

• As soon as a coconut is planted in the ground, it does not grow into a plant. First, it sprouts, then it becomes a plant and finally it becomes a tree.

Again, time is necessary, but we should be assured that the result we desire will come in the form of spiritual growth.

• A tender coconut tree can be easily plucked from the ground. But a fully grown coconut tree cannot be easily plucked. So also our mind must be unaffected, whatever people say to us or whatever they say about us, the mind must always be under our control. This is what a man must accomplish in life. This must be the one object in life. This a man must accomplish even if his head is to be struck off.

After time, if our practice has been correct and steady, our minds will be steady and under our control so that nothing can influence us negatively. This is crucial to our spiritual progress, essential for any lasting benefit.

• We should give a blow with the mind itself, not with a cane or a hand or something. We should learn to tie a man without a rope. This is what a man should accomplish in life.

Nityananda is telling us that our buddhi, our intellect/intelligence must always be in operation, not allowing emotional reactions to anything. To everyone and everything our responses must be intelligent and free from emotional/instinctual reaction. Our conversations and other communications must be based on good sense and spiritual intuition–no guile, coercion, or appeal to emotion and desire. This we must be if we are to be of use to anyone, including ourselves.

75. The mind is the seat of sin; it is the cause of action, good and bad. Mind is the cause of all these. If there is no mind there is no speech, without the mind, nothing can come and nothing can go. But for the mind, nothing can be accomplished. Suppose one knows how to speak English but he does not know how to write it; then we cannot say he knows English fully. When he knows both, then only can he secure a passing grade in English.

The mind must be purified and transformed into a higher mode of function. Basically the lower mind must be dissolved and the higher mind come into dominance. It is this which is called Buddhi Yoga in the Gita.

76. Even a child five years old knows that there is God; but the child does not know where God is. The sun sees all; but very few, one in a lakh or two, look at the sun.

In this world, three-fourths of the people are fond of sexual pleasures like beasts. Even those who have reached the middle state are less than one fourth of the people. Good deeds are very few in this world. Evil deeds are many.

• Even a child five years old knows that there is God; but the child does not know where God is.

It is not enough to intuit the existence of God, to “somehow” know God exists–even though in the West this is considered a great virtue, even though it is nothing but pious ignorance.

We must know where God is in a twofold manner. First we need to know that God is everywhere–not like some invisible, pervading gas, but rather as everything that exists. That God is not just inside all things, God IS all things. Second, and most immediate, is the knowledge that God is within us as the core, the essence, of our being. God is the Soul of our soul, the Spirit of our spirit. Therefore to find God we must not just look within occasionally, we must become always aware within and look outward with the inner eye of unity, not just with the physical eyes of duality. Need I say that meditation is the way to ensure this?

• The sun sees all; but very few, one in a lakh or two, look at the sun.

The all-knowing God “sees” us all, but rare are those that are able to “look at the sun”–to diligently cultivate the inner capacity to directly perceive God as directly as God perceives us.

• In this world, three-fourths of the people are fond of sexual pleasures like beasts. Even those who have reached the middle state are less than one fourth of the people.

Less that one in four people are really living like human beings. How few, then, are those that are evolving into divinities, preparing themselves to pass beyond earthly birth forever and begin evolving in high worlds?

• Good deeds are very few in this world. Evil deeds are many.

Those who fully live in this world, without inner life, cannot help but be overwhelmed with evil and the perpetuation of rebirth in this defiled world.

77. Swami is he who has united the Chit with Sat. Upadhi means the tree of peace. We must take shelter under this tree of peace.

• Swami is he who has united the Chit with Sat.

A Brief Sanskrit Glossary defines Swami as: “Literally, ‘I am mine’–in the sense of absolute self-mastership. It could be legitimately translated: ‘He who is one with his Self [Swa].’” There can be various definitions of Self-realization, but Nityananda’s does not just define, it tells us how to attain it: unite our consciousness (chit) with Brahman, the sole Reality–Sat.

Upadhi means the tree of peace. We must take shelter under this tree of peace.

“Upadhi” is defined by A Brief Sanskrit Glossary as: “Adjunct; association; superimposed thing or attribute that veils and gives a colored view of the substance beneath it; limiting adjunct; instrument; vehicle; body; a technical term used in Vedanta philosophy for any superimposition that gives a limited view of the Absolute and makes It appear as the relative.” Consequently I have no idea what this means, and wonder if it was not misunderstood or copied wrong.

78. Those who are always one with Brahman are the brahmacharis. Such a man may even belong to a pariah caste. One does not become a “swami,” by simply holding an ascetic’s staff (danda) in hand or by holding a copy of the Bhagavad Gita; nor by putting on red clothes; nor by discussing God with whomsoever he meets.

• Those who are always one with Brahman are the brahmacharis. Such a man may even belong to a pariah caste.

Brahmacharya can be literally translated as “dwelling in Brahman.” In that sense only those who are unshakenly united with Brahman are brahmacharis, and any human being who puts forth the needed effort can become one–even the least of human society.

• One does not become a “swami,” by simply holding an ascetic’s staff (danda) in hand or by holding a copy of the Bhagavad Gita; nor by putting on red clothes; nor by discussing God with whomsoever he meets.

Here Nityananda means “swami” in its highest sense. Unfortunately the trusting of all ages have assumed that the externals of sannyasa are a guarantee of spiritual realization. Many naïve young men in India have foolishly thought that simply taking on those external marks will somehow impel them into levels of higher consciousness. When this does not happen, they begin drifting around India, looking for the next free meal, their minds gone to seed, and often addicted to drugs and alcohol. They are truly pitiable and merit all sympathy, yet the hypocrisy needs to be ended–but how?

In the same basket are those charming, glowing-eyed, smooth-talking and well-appointed (usually long-haired) artificial swamis that easily gain followings in India and abroad–especially abroad. They are all appearance and no substance, and usually their disciples are the same. (They have found one another.)

79. If gold is melted in fire, it shines with lustre; so also, one should purify oneself, killing desire and anger internally. By introspection, he should move internally. A man’s mind never remains stationary.

• If gold is melted in fire, it shines with lustre; so also, one should purify oneself, killing desire and anger internally.

Many people merely rearrange their conscious thoughts and external behavior and think that nothing more is necessary, but that is only the first step. The second, internal step is that of meditation which alone can end the negative passions by the gaining of higher consciousness.

• By introspection, he should move internally.

Through meditation we come to live internally, even our outer life being a projection of the inner. Ignorant people live externally, and the external events shape the inner life through the impressions–samskaras–received and created. The yogi lives internally, and his internal life shapes the outer life totally. These two modes of life are completely opposite to one another. “The recollected mind is awake in the knowledge of the Atman which is dark night to the ignorant: the ignorant are awake in their sense-life which they think is daylight: to the seer it is darkness” (Bhagavad Gita 2:69). As a consequence, they truly do live in different worlds, and are virtually two different species.

We have to recognize this truth, and understand that if we are going to persevere in spiritual life we will have to totally overhaul our inner and outer makeup and consciously alienate ourselves from our former inner and outer life. This is symbolized in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:26), in which Abraham says to the rich man: “between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence” without drastic reversals in every aspect of your life. Now I know that this is not the way of the pop yogis, but their way leads nowhere–which is why it is so popular with those that have no interest in real change, and certainly not in liberation from rebirth.

• A man’s mind never remains stationary.

Certainly the manas, the lower mind, is “like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isaiah 57:20), but the yogi’s buddhi can become steady through the Buddhi Yoga outlined by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita:

“Now learn this buddhi yoga, declared to you in the Sankhya philosophy. By the yoga of the buddhi [or: by uniting the buddhi in yoga], you shall rid [free] yourself of the bondage of karma. Here [in this yoga] no effort is lost, nor is any loss of progress found. Even a little of this discipline [dharma] protects one from great danger. Here [in this yoga] there is a single resolute understanding. The thoughts of the irresolute have many branches and are, indeed, endless.”(Bhagavad Gita 2:39-41).

“Action is inferior by far to buddhi yoga. Seek refuge in buddhi! Pitiable are those who motives are based on the fruit of action. Action is inferior by far to buddhi yoga. Seek refuge in buddhi! Pitiable are those who motives are based on the fruit of action. He who is united with the buddhi casts off, here in the world, both good and evil actions. Therefore devote yourself to yoga [yogaya yujyaswa–yoke (join) yourself to yoga]! Yoga is skill in action. Those who are established in the buddhi, the wise ones who have abandoned the fruit born of action, and are freed from the bondage of rebirth, go to the place [abode] that is free from pain. When your intellect [buddhi] crosses beyond the thicket of delusion, then you shall become disgusted with that [in the scriptures] which is yet to be heard and with that which has been heard. When your [buddhi] stands fixed in deep meditation, unmoving, disregarding scriptural doctrine, then you shall attain Union [Yoga]” (Bhagavad Gita 2:49-53).

“Those who are constantly steadfast, who worship Me with love, I give the yoga of intelligence [buddhi yoga] by which they come to Me. Out of compassion for them, I, who dwell within their own beings, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.” (Bhagavad Gita 10:10, 11).

80. However wicked a man may be, within five minutes his wickedness may be changed into goodness. So long as there are clouds, the sun’s rays are not visible. As soon as the clouds scatter in all directions, the sun becomes visible. Om is the tower of peace! Om is the form of peace! Om! Salutation to Omkar!

• However wicked a man may be, within five minutes his wickedness may be changed into goodness. So long as there are clouds, the sun’s rays are not visible. As soon as the clouds scatter in all directions, the sun becomes visible.

Each one of us is never anything but the eternal Atman-Self, which is incorruptible–incapable of being tainted or distorted by anything. But each one of us has a complex of bodies including the mind and ego–and they can certainly be corrupted. Since we identify with them, having lost awareness of our true spirit-nature, we do increasingly negative and foolish actions, all of which act like clouds concealing the Atman “sun” and blocking its light, making everything dark for us. Yet the situation can be changed in a moment by the purifying and clearing of those “clouds.” Then the Self shines forth in its pristine radiance. So we have to scatter those clouds, and that is what yoga is all about.

• Om is the tower of peace! Om is the form of peace! Om! Salutation to Omkar!

Om lifts us up to the condition of peace, keeping us untouched by the lower things that bring about disturbance and suffering. Om Itself is peace; Om is the Great Deliverer: Salutation to Om!