Brahma Yoga is Ultimate Both ignorance and knowledge are used for attaining bliss (VidyachaavidyachaVeda).

This is the state of God when He enters the world like you. But the state of Advaita philosopher is different. He becomes immune to both happiness and misery. It is a state of peace, which is zero, attained by climbing from minus. This is Atma yoga, in which you realize that the forms and qualities (feelings) are essentially unreal and their reality is only matter, energy and awareness only. This is limiting boundary of the soul and should not extend by saying that this world (matter, energy and awareness) are unreal and God is only the reality. The statement is true but not practical, which can be practically true for God in human form in this world. Shankara was God in human form and could walk through bolted door of Mandana Mishra or could swallow the molten lead, because for Him, matter and energy are unreal. A soul can realize up to the level of forms and qualities as unreal. This is sufficient to avoid all misery, become immune to disturbance, and get peace. This is Atma yoga (Self-attainment). In Brahma yoga (attainment of God), you will attain continuous enjoyment called as bliss. Yoga means simply attainment. But, attainment of what? Nobody is analyzing this point. It has become a style of the day to utter the word Yoga! Astrologers use this word yoga for attainment of wealth. If it is the attainment of self, God is not necessary in the subject. Yoga in the present workshops conducted by Gurus strictly is confined to the attainment of physical and mental health to avoid the stress. Thus, simply by hearing the word Yoga, you should not misunderstand that it is related to the attainment of God. But, everywhere, even in the success of the worldly effort, the grace of God is essential. Otherwise, you cannot retain the success, even if you attain it by your effort. Everywhere in Kurukshetra war, the guidance of Krishna became essential. A guru can preach through a workshop regarding this attainment of self and even an atheist is eligible for this training in stress-relief. Even if an atheist retains this yoga by his self-effort, he can use this in this world only. In the upper world especially in the hell, this yoga will not stand on seeing the terrible methods of torture, which are million times more cruel than the third degree torture in a police station! But if yoga means the association of the grace of God, yoga will not be lost in any world. Even Shankara told that Advaita (self-attainment) must be attained with the grace of God only. If the grace of God is more, one need not even go to hell. Thus attainment of yoga through knowledge of self analysis is not sufficient. Acceptance of God and attainment of grace of God through devotion is essential (Bhaktireva GariyaseeShankara). The real devotion is proved through service. For such practical service, full determination, without any trace of doubt is necessary. For such determination a thorough study of knowledge is essential. Thus again knowledge is coming up every where (JnanadevatuShankara). Take a long time for knowledge, which alone gives the firm determination and the determination is spontaneously followed by practice (service). Lack of practice indicates lack of complete knowledge-base in devotion. Shankara in His commentary on Gita says that knowledge and devotion mean the same (service). The Lord in human form enjoyed all the insults and tragic scenes also with full bliss indicated by the sweet smile on His lips. When Sisupala abused Him, He was

smiling only, which indicates His bliss. At the end, He was spectator of all His relatives including sons and grandsons killing each other and then also He was with the same smile. In fact, He killed some of His people, who remained alive! Thus what He preached, He practiced. He preached Arjuna to kill his people in the war. Jesus preached that one should leave parents, wife or husband, children and even life to become close to Him. He practiced it. He did not give importance to His mother and left His life also for the sake of God. This is the proof of the awareness of the unreality of the dramatic bonds in this world drama. Since the bond is strictly a feeling (quality of awareness), it can be realized as unreal even by the realized soul. For the liberated soul even the higher levels of Maya like matter and awareness can be realized as unreal. For the human incarnation, even the highest level or Mula Maya (energy) is unreal.

Written by His Holiness Shri Datta Swami website address: http://www.universal-spirituality.org e-mail address: swami@universal-spirituality.org Jai Guru Datta