The subject of today’s discourse is, “The Secret of Dharma Lies Hidden in the Mind”. Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám. That is, the real essence of dharma lies in one’s existential “I” feeling.

Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám: there are four words in this sentence. First of all, let us discuss the actual significance of the sentence Dhriyate dharma ityáhuh sa eva paramaḿ prabhu, or “that which sustains the unit beings or maintains their existence is called dharma.” The word “dharma” is derived from the root verb dhr + man suffix. Whether they are animate or inanimate, matter or abstract, all objects of the universe are distinguished by certain special characteristics; and by observing these characteristics we can determine the identity of these objects. By studying the properties of oxygen, we decide that it is oxygen and not any other substance. Similarly, by observing their properties we can determine the existence of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.

Furthermore, when there is any change in the properties of objects, there is a corresponding change in their name and form as well. Take the case of milk. If its colour is black, we cannot accept it to be milk because the actual colour of milk is white. Here a marked change in the colour of the milk has taken place.

Again, take the case of sugar. When sugar tastes sweet and someone declares it to be sugar, we immediately admit this is the fact. But if the same substance tastes bitter, we refuse to accept it as sugar. If a tree is known by its fruits (brkśah phalena pariciiyate), an object is know by its inherent property (vastuh guńena pariciiyate).

In Saḿskrta, the literal meaning of guńa is “binding rope”, a rope which fastens objects together. Another meaning of guńa is dharma or inherent property or characteristic. For instance, the property of water is to wet and the property of fire is to burn. Now if fire is divested of its inherent property – the capacity of burning, it ceases to be fire.

In the same way, trees and plants have certain fundamental characteristics, and due to differences in these characteristics, there are differences between one plant and another, between one animal and another – differences among the various species of animals and plants. By observing the differences among animals, we can conclude that this is a monkey, that is a cow or a buffalo, etc. Cows may be black, no doubt, but not as black as buffaloes. Other creatures also have eyes and ears, no doubt, but the eyes and ears of human beings are not like those of animals.

There are various common characteristics between human beings and other non-human creatures. For instance, like human beings non-human creatures also eat and drink, rest and sleep, and finally depart one day from the earth. This fundamental property of animals is present both in human beings and animals; but there is a basic difference between them. Human beings possess one unique characteristic which is lacking in animals – the capacity to follow Bhágavata Dharma.

Bhágavata dharma means to search for Parama Puruśa, to run after Him. Even if Parama Puruśa says, “Oh humans, I do not want you!” – still the human beings must say, “Oh Lord, you may not want us, but we want You, we need You, we want You.” This is the spirit of Bhágavata Dharma. This is the special characteristic of human beings, which is conspicuously absent in non-human creatures. Now those who, even after having attained a human frame, do not follow this Bhágavata Dharma, do not deserve to be called humans, for the real identity of human beings lies in their observance of Bhágavata Dharma.

Now let us discuss dharmasya tattvam. What is tattva? Tat means “that”, in neuter gender. By adding the suffix tva the abstract noun is formed. For example bitter + ness = bitterness – an abstract noun. Or in Bengali, manda + tva = mandatva (badness), an abstract noun. Likewise, tat + tva = tattva. Dharmasysa tattvam means “the essence of dharma.”

Let us discuss “the essence” of something. In the case of plants, we notice that their roots lie underground, through which the trees and plants draw moisture and preserve their existence. The roots are like the trees’ legs, they are called pádapa, “that which drinks through its legs.”

But in the case of dharma, where do its roots lie? If we can know where the roots are, then we can pour water there and the base will become solid. But if we cannot find the roots of dharma, then we will not be able to give water in the proper place; and for lack of irrigation, the plant will wither. So it is essential to know where the roots of dharma lie.

It has been said that dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám. Nihitaḿ means “lying covert.” Guháyám means “in guha”. Here the word guhá has two meanings: first, a cave in a hill or mountain where the munis and rśis (sages) used to practice penance; and secondly one’s existential “I” feeling. All the living beings of the universe have their individual “I” feelings. Those creatures which are undeveloped do not have developed “I” feelings: their “I” feeling remains dormant and they are mostly guided by their instincts. Developed creatures, on the other hand, although guided to some extent by instinct, are mostly guided by intellect. The more undeveloped a creature is, the more it is dominated by its instinct which is nothing but the inborn saḿskáras. Young snakes need not be taught how to bite – they learn to do so by their inborn instinct. A scorpion knows how to sting instinctively. Similarly, the humans have the inborn instinctive qualities of love affection and social behaviour. Those who lack love and compassion, sympathy and fellow-feeling, can hardly be called human beings, because the instinctive impulses of humans are lacking in them.

The more developed the living beings are, the more they are guided by their intellect, because their “I” feeling and their spiritual awareness are more developed. Take the case of fish. In the evolutionary ladder, fish are somewhat developed. But there are some fish which do not even recognize their own offsprings, and devour own children. Snakes have some existential “I” feeling, but in them, too, it is undeveloped, for snakes also eat their own eggs.

The feeling of “I am” or “I exist” is present in very living being, and in this existential “I” feeling the essence of dharma is lying hidden. So you need not go to Kashii (Benaras, the holy city of the Hindus) or Kaaba (the holy shrine of the Muslims): the Supreme Entity lies hidden right within your own mind, your own “I” feeling. You need not search for Him outside, but within. The practice of Ananda Marga has been formulated to enable spiritual aspirants to search for the Supreme within their minds. Thus you must seek, and if you seek you shall find.

The scriptures clearly mention how Parama Puruśa lies hidden in the existential “I” feeling of microcosms:

Tileśu taelaḿ dadhiniiva sarpi rápah srotahsvara ńiśu cágnih
Evamátmani grhyate’sao satyenaenáḿ tapasá yo’nupashyati.

There is oil in the sesame seed, but if you cut the seeds you cannot find it. You must crush them in the mill and then you will find the oil. There is certainly butter in milk, but you must churn the milk vigorously to get it. At the end of summer, the water dries up from the rivers: You see only sand everywhere. But if you take the trouble to dig in the sands, you will find a fountain of sweet and pure water within. Fire lies hidden in a flintstone; if you rub two pieces of flint together, the fire will spark. Similarly, if you enkindle the fire of knowledge through truth and penance, you will clearly realize that Parama Puruśa is lying hidden within your own existential “I” feeling.

Now, if people, instead of searching for Him in their own “I” feeling, roam about in the external world, they will certainly meet with disappointment: they will have to undergo unnecessary troubles and frustrations, and Parama Puruśa will remain unrealized.

Átmanasthiitaḿ shivaḿ tyaktvá vahiśt́haḿ yah samarcayet
Hastasthaḿ pińd́am utsrjya bhramate jiivitáshayá.

How unreasonable it is to search externally for the Supreme Entity instead of searching within! It is like throwing away the foodstuff in one’s own hand, and then complaining of hunger and begging for alms from door to door. On the one hand Parama Puruśa is very vast; on the other hand He is very small. He is so vast that you cannot fully see Him. In Saḿskrta, there are a few words to describe something very vast: vishála, virát́a, brhat, etc. Out of these, the words virát́a and brhat are used to describe an entity which is immeasurably vast, and vishála is used for an entity which may be vast, but can be measured. For instance, the Himalayan mountains are very vast in size, but still they can be measured in terms of miles, from south to north and from east to west. In the scriptures it has been said.

Brhacca taddivyam acintyarúpaḿ
Sukśmácca súkśmataraḿ vibháti
Durát sudúre tadihántike ca
Pashyatsvihaeva nihitaḿ guháyám.

Parama Puruśa is extremely vast: then how can you see such a vast Entity with your dim vision? It is impossible. And besides seeing such a divine effulgence, your eyes will be blinded; your vision will be completely lost.

Súkśmacca tat súksmataraḿ vibhati: Parama Puruśa is not only vast. He is small as well – so small, so subtle that you cannot see Him with your physical eyes. Human ocular power is extremely limited: if an object is very vast it cannot be seen, and if it is very small and subtle it cannot be seen either.

Dúrát sudúŕe: If a person thinks, “I am mean, I am degraded, I am a cursed creature, I am far from Parama Puruśa” – such thinking is highly irrational and defective. In the tenth mańd́ala of the Rg Veda, it is said,

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yadbhútaḿ yacca bhavyam;
Utámrtatvasyesháno yadannenátirohati.⁽¹⁾

This Parama Puruśa knows all the three phases of time: the past, the present and the future. Nothing is beyond the periphery of His supramundane knowledge. Suppose you are thinking internally, “Let me quickly finish my meditation, for I have some important work to attend to. Tomorrow I will devote more time to meditation.” The moment you think thus, Parama Puruśa immediately knows your thought. Suppose you eat something on the fasting day of Ekádashii, thinking that perhaps Parama Puruśa will not know it. Certainly He will know about your secret eating, and He feels amused at what His little child is thinking. Not only the boys – the girls also make the same mistake. Perhaps on fasting day they eat chocolates and think, “I am eating secretly – no one can see it.” This is defective thinking, because Parama Puruśa knows everything – nothing is hidden from Him.

This is why in the spiritual world, the most important thing is sharańágati-taking shelter in the Supreme Entity. How can you deal with an Entity who knows all about you? What you can only do is to totally surrender to Him. Nivedayámi cátmánaḿ tvaḿ gatih Parameshvara – “Oh Lord, what can I offer unto You? I can only offer my existential ‘I’ feeling. Please take it.”

Utáḿrtatvasyesháno yadannenátirohati: it has been said earlier that mean-minded people often think, “I am a sinner, and Parama Puruśa is far from me.” Such persons should bear in mind that the tiniest creature in hell, or the greatest entity of heaven, are both equal for Parama Puruśa – He is the Lord of both. If the Supreme Entity says, “I am only for the saints of heaven, and I have nothing to do with the creatures of hell”, it should be said that as saints do not go to hell and as He has no love for the creatures of hell, then He is not omnipresent. In that case Parama Puruśa is certainly not brhat or virát́a. He is something less than that. Thus in order to maintain His prestige He will have to remain with the creatures of hell also.

That is why no one should ever think internally, “I am a sinner, Parama Puruśa hates me, He is far away from me.” The fact is that Parama Puruśa is always with you, very close to you – not at all separate from you. While walking on the road, if your clothes are soiled with dirt, He will never hate you and keep you away from Him. This is the essence of dharma.

Dúrát sudúre: If someone continually thinks, “Parama Puruśa is far from me”, then He will seem to be truly far from him. What is the fundamental difference between dúre and sudúre? When the distance between two objects can be measured, it is called dúre, but when the distance cannot be measured, it is called sudúre. If in their ignorance people think that Parama Puruśa is far from them, then He may indeed remain for from them – so far that in future, even if one cries oneself hoarse, one’s cries will never reach Him.

Tadihántike ca: some people think, “No, Parama Puruśa is not far from me. He is quite near. He is everywhere.” In Saḿskrta, iha means “here.” But even if you say iha or “near,” there remains a slight gap. To those who perpetually think that Parama Puruśa is very, very near to them, He becomes so close that nothing closer can even be imagined. In such a circumstance, people realize that pashyatsvihaeva nihitaḿ guháyám: those who have the vision to see, realize that He is not in the east or the west, in the north or the south, but He is lying hidden in the innermost cavity of their minds, in their own existential “I” feelings. Hence no one should wander about searching for Him in the external world.

Make your existential “I” feeling pure and holy: if you purify your mind through virtuous deeds, through meditation and contemplation, and through kiirtana, you will be able to realize Him. Even though people might have committed certain misdeeds in the past, they need not worry, for after all, “to err is human.” They should not look back and lament over their past mistakes. The Supreme Consciousness has given human beings eyes in front so that they can look ahead, not behind. You need not waste your time unnecessarily worrying about your past mistakes: you must move ahead, and while moving forward, you will have to come within His shelter. This sharańágati or taking shelter in Him, is the most important aspect of dharma. When I advise you to do virtuous deeds, I mean performing actions like meditation, singing the glories of the Lord, and dancing in joy while chanting His holy name. You should also live your worldly life joyfully.

The Supreme Entity is so close to you that you can hardly measure the gap between you and Him. And thus it is useless to repent for one’s past omissions and commissions. Those who are firm and strong-willed are never frightened because of their past sins. They live fearlessly, and never become perturbed, even in hostile environments. In this regard the scriptures say,

Api cet sudurácáro Bhajate mámananyabhák
So’pi pápavinirmuktah mucyate bhávavandhanát.

Those who indulge in evil deeds, and in whose very contact others become involved in evil, are called dúrácárii. And those who are hated even by the durácáriis are called sudurácárii. “When even such sudurácariis take shelter in Me with all their hearts and minds, so’pi pápavinirmuktah – I liberate them from the bondages of their sins. They attain liberation from the bondages of birth and rebirth”. Thus even those who have committed sins in the past need not worry. Just come in the safe shelter of Parama Puruśa, and your mission will be fulfilled. He is always with you – Only move forward fearlessly with unfaltering steps towards your Goal. May you all be blessed.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Trans.