According to our philosophy, dharma is of two broad categories: (1) svábhávika dharma and (2) Bhágavata dharma. Svábhávika dharma means that dharma by the performance of which physical integrity is maintained – that is, áhára, nidrá, bhaya and maethuna [eating, sleeping, survival and procreation]. Bhágavata dharma is that which differentiates human from non-human.

The object of both, svábhávika dharma and Bhágavata dharma, is the same: to get sukham [pleasure]. But in svábhávika dharma the intensity of sukham is limited, while in Bhágavata dharma it is beyond any measure, it is ananta. As a man thinks, Nálpe sukhamasti Bhúmaeva sukham [“One does not get infinite happiness from limited objects; one gets it only from something infinite”]. One can be satisfied with Bhágavata dharma alone.

Bhágavata dharma is quadruped: (1) Paramátmá, (2) vistára, (3) rasa and (4) sevá.

(1) The first leg is beyond the scope of the microcosm.

(2) The second leg is vistára, which means perpetual expansion beyond the scope of all relative horizons. This jagat [world] is the expanded form of vistára, that is, kárya bhávana. Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat – “The microcosm is to see Viśńu everywhere in this universe.” This is what is known as Átmavat sarvabhuteśu [“One should see the Átman, or Self, in all expressed objects”]. The scope of expansion is infinite till one reaches Viśńu [Supreme Entity in the sense of that which pervades everything]. This is vistára.

(3) Rasa means “flow”. Human existence is a flow, or rasa; of the two ends of human existence, at one end there is Paramátman, or Paramarasa, or the Macrocosmic flow; at the other there is viśayarasa, or the flow of the crude world. Now, human existence is svarasa. In Tantra there is a type of sádhaná, that is, rasa sádhaná. The object of rasa sádhaná is to merge the svarasa (entitative rhythm) into parama rasa (Macrocosmic rhythm). The conception of rásaliilá has been derived from the idea of Puruśottama [Nucleus Consciousness] encircled by innumerable devotees (svarasas); each and every svarasa tries to become one with Paramarasa (Parama Puruśa [or Puruśottama]). This is what is known as rásaliilá. Here the sádhakas will accept the divine wish as their own wish. They will pray, “O Lord, let Thy will be done, not mine.”

(4) Sevá [service] is of two types: (a) váhyika [external] and (b) ántarika [internal].

The spirit of váhyika sevá is the proper application of methodology and service to the creation, ascertaining the nature of service required – shúdrocita, kśatriyocita, viprocita or vaeshyocita.⁽¹⁾

Ántarika sevá – The essence of ántarika sevá lies in the internal service of the Iśt́a [Goal]. During sádhaná we often find that the mind runs away. Now, the best way to catch the mind is to think about the physical service of the Iśt́a in dhyána [meditation in which the psyche is directed towards Consciousness].

Footnotes

(1) Physical service, martial service, intellectual service and economic service. See “The Four Kinds of Service” in Ánanda Vacańamrtam Part 30. –Eds.