Sharing Sanjivani -Part 4

chapter- (508) Who is known as YATATMA यतात्मा?

(508) Who is known as YATATMA यतात्मा ?

विनयायत्ताश्र्च गुणाः सर्वे विनयश्र्च मार्दवत्तः।

यस्मिन् मार्दवमखिलं सर्वगुणभाक् त्वमाप्नोति।।

Every virtue depends on politeness and politeness depends on the softness of the heart hence whose heart is full of sensitivity for all is blessed by all the virtues naturally. Shri Krishna says whoever has total control over his mind, Buddhi and senses, and body is known as YATATMA. A devotee who has acquired various Siddhis do not have to do an effort to control his mind and Buddhi as HATH YOGI does because they are naturally controlled by Him. There is no chance that their senses could be distracted by anything. They could be free from vices and DURACHAR following bad habits. Generally, our mind remains unsteady and wanders here and there all the time. Our Buddhi swings between good and bad deeds, positive and negative, constructive and destructive thoughts, and karma. Our senses are attracted by the beauty of nature and various bodies. Some people are attracted to the opposite gender all the time, some have attractions to various animals, birds. Some are interested in various insects and wildlife. In the same way, our tongue is attracted to various tastes and has a fascination to learn various languages. Our nose fascinates to various smells of scents and fragrances of food, the sweat of loving kids and people. Our ears love to listen to sweet melodies, pleasing words in praise of our self. Our skin likes the touch of a mother, beloved, and even silken and woolen clothes according to our mood and season. But for a devotee favorable and unfavorable both situations are the same. He neither hates his enemy nor becomes slaves of any relation with family, friends. He remains alert twenty-four hours. His behavior becomes ideals to be followed by others.

In Abhigyan Shakuntalam it is said about saints that the activities of saints are never inclined to bad deeds or bad thoughts. A person with honest and just nature never gets inclined to a bad path of actions. His activities never intended to hurt or harm anybody. As king Dushyant understands that when his conscience is attracted to Shakuntala, she must be a daughter of any Kshatriya and not a daughter of Brahmin. Poet Kalidas states that when we are in a state of confusion, we should follow what saints do and go on the path shown by the saints when we are not able to understand the difference between good and bad.

सतां हि संदेहपदेषु वस्तुषु प्रमाणमन्तः करणप्रवृत्तयः।।(अभिज्ञान शाकुन्तलम्-१-२१) .

Poet Kalidas says that Saints never follow the wrong path. Every living is created by Paramatma and he loves everybody but for a devotee, his love is reserved only for Paramatma ANANYA BHAKTI hence he sees Paramatma in everybody. Paramatma says ;

ये यथां मां प्रपधन्ते तांस्तथैव भजामि अहम्।

मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः।।

O Arjun! Whoever wants to see me in whichever form, I give him Darshanam in that desired Swaroop and desired fruits too as they all follow my path only.

When all the karma is done to satisfy our senses, they become the cause of bondage. Until a person abandons his desires to satisfy his senses, his greed of accumulating things, he has to roam in the cycle of birth and death. Shrimad Bhagavatam says that the people are mad after things to satisfy their senses. They do not know that this body is a fruit of their karma. Our body is perishable. We should not do efforts to satisfy its every need.

एवं मनः कर्मवशं प्रयुङ्ञ्ते अविधयात्मन्य् उपधीयमाने ।

प्रीतिर् न यावन् मयि वासुदेवे न मुट्यते देह योगेन तावत् ।।

Even though his mind remains busy in sakam karma –desiring fruits of his karma he is engrossed with ignorance.He should develop a love for Paramatma and he should be free from the physical bondage of birth and death. Hence to know just that I am not a body or not a mind is not sufficient but a person should know with clear consciousness and awaken mind that he should put it in actual life, in his daily routine and try to be exemplary by actions. He should not get disturbed by any circumstances, any events, or actions of any person; neither he should try to distract anybody through his own karma. Until he is purified by heart and does karma accordingly only for the wellbeing of others selflessly, he could not be YATATMA.He should be smart in serving others and should show no interest in worldly achievements. He should not try to do any task to create bondage for him but he should try to serve others with all his sources Bhagavatam says that

एषां बुद्धिमत्तां बुद्धिर्मनीषा च मनीषिणाम् ।

यत्सत्यमनृतेनेह मर्त्येनाप्नोति मामृतम्।। (श्रीमद् भागवत ११-२९-२२)

Generally, people show smartness in worldly achievement but a devotee knows the eternal truth and understands Sansar as perishable hence he would try to attain only Paramatma. A pure devote of Paramatma does not even think about Darshanam of Paramatma. He does not want to disturb his Paramatma and to give him trouble to come to him. But Paramatma says that a devotee when does not expect anything, I would give him everything

निरपेक्षं मुनि शान्तं निर्वैरं समदर्शनम् ।

अनुव्रजाम्यहं नित्यं पूयेयेत्यङिघ्ररेणुभिः।। (श्रीमद् भागवत ११-१४-१६)

A person who never expects anything to satisfy his senses or to accumulate worldly achievements, prosperity but remains busy in Nam Jap Yagna silently and remains free from envy and jealousy and thinks that everybody is the same as he looks Paramatma in them. Paramatma says that I roam in search of them and when I found them, I follow their footsteps so that I could not get the dust off their feet to purify myself as a devotee is greater than me. Where there he lives a place becomes a place of pilgrimage, a holy place Tirth Dham.

Once mother Ganga asked Bhagirath how could I purify myself; if I have to absorb all the sins of people who take bath in my water? Bhagirath told her that whenever a YATATMA comes to take holy both in your water, only by the touch of him, all the sins of people that make you worrying would have vanished and you need not have to carry the burden of peoples 'sins because Paramatma lives in the hearts of these kinds of YATATMA. It is described in Shrimad Bhagavatam as;

साधवो न्यासिनः शान्ता ब्रह्मिष्ठा लोकपावना ।

हरन्त्यघं तेङङ्गसङ्गात् तेष्वास्ते ह्यघभिद्धरिः।। (श्रीमद् भागवत ९-९-६)

Oh Mother Ganga! Whoever has abandons all his desires of accomplishment on this planet and Satvik desires of attainment of even heaven, whoever is cool and calm internally, who remains busy in Chintan of Brahm and who live for others only, with their touch all the sins accumulated by even mother Ganga could be washed away. The place becomes tirth and their blessings could create miracles.

Then how to recognize them and what are the characteristics of Siddha Bhakt?

Let us understand from our great God and Jagat Guru Shri Krishna...