The Essence of Dharma-17.


29/12/2017

Spoken on February 11th, 1973)

17.1
 We cannot know what dharma is because we cannot know what the universe is. We cannot know what the universe is because it is a blend of spirit and matter in a transcendent fashion in the Absolute.

Therefore, the advice given to us is to follow the path of the great ones. Do not try to solve the mystery of dharma for ourselves.

The secret of dharma is hidden within the cave, which means to say it is unknowable, very secret.  The right path for us would be the one which has been trodden by the great masters of yore.

It is, “The footprints on the sands of time,” as the poet tells us of great ones. This is the supreme mystery of the cosmos.

Now, is the cosmos a place or a person or a spirit or a condition? What is the universe? The Bhagavadgita gives us four definitions. Sometimes the universe is regarded as a place.

17.2
When Bhagavan Sri Krishna speaks of the Ultimate Reality as a kind of place,

Loerd  calls it "dhama" – tad dhama paramam mama.

'Yad gatva na nivartante tad "dhama" paramam mama (Gita 15.6)'

Tattvam (Essence)  "Going where, going whither, people do not return; that is My abode."

From this, we may sometimes be given to understand that the Ultimate Reality is a kind of place.

But sometimes we say, “Aham atma gudakesa sarva-bhutasaya-sthitah (Gita 10.20)"

 "I am everywhere,” as if Lord is a person.

Sometimes Reality is spoken of as a place or a destination to be reached as dhama, as gati, sometimes as a person, Purusha.

To be continued ..
Swami Krishnananda

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