No One Explained Loving GOD This Way | Swami Mukundananda

Summary

The video script delves into the concept of love and happiness, contrasting the self-centered 'lust' with the selfless 'love', where the latter seeks the happiness of the beloved rather than one's own. It discusses the spiritual journey where true love is tested by not seeking personal gains but offering selfless service. The narrative uses examples from various traditions, including the story of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, to illustrate the unwavering nature of divine love. The essence is the transformation from a 'get, get' mentality to a 'give, give' approach, emphasizing the importance of serving others for spiritual growth and true fulfillment.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The search for happiness is a fundamental human pursuit, as we are all small parts of a divine whole.
• 💖 Love in the material world is often selfish and fluctuates based on whether it serves one's self-interest.
• 🌗 The nature of love can change from positive to negative depending on whether it fulfills or obstructs self-interest.
• 🙏 Spiritual love, in contrast, is selfless and seeks the happiness of the beloved, regardless of personal gain or loss.
• 🌞 True love is likened to the sun, ever-constant and not dependent on external circumstances for its existence.
• 🤝 The concept of 'business' in spiritual practice involves giving with the expectation of receiving more, which is a middle ground between lust (taking) and love (giving).
• 🕊 Surrendering one's desires and focusing on the divine's happiness is the ultimate form of spiritual love and devotion.
• 💥 The true test of love is its resilience in the face of adverse behavior from the beloved, which does not diminish the love if it is genuine.
• 📚 The story of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa illustrates the depth of spiritual love that remains unaffected by the guru's behavior.
• 🛑 The spiritual journey involves moving from a focus on self-happiness to a focus on the happiness of the divine, which is a significant paradigm shift.
• 🌱 The development of a strong desire to serve is key to cultivating true love and detachment from personal happiness.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script discussing?

The main theme of the video script is the exploration of the nature of love, distinguishing between self-centered love (lust) and selfless love (true love), and the application of these concepts in both the material and spiritual realms.

Why is the search for happiness considered unavoidable in the material realm according to the script?

The search for happiness is considered unavoidable because every individual is a tiny part of the divine ocean of happiness, and the inherent desire to reconnect with that source drives the search for happiness.

How does the script describe the fluctuation of love in the material world?

The script describes love in the material world as fluctuating based on self-interest. When self-interest is fulfilled, love is strong; when it's obstructed, love can turn into enmity.

What is the difference between 'calm' and 'praying' as per the script?

In the script, 'calm' or 'lust' refers to the pursuit of one's own happiness, whereas 'praying' represents the pursuit of the happiness of the beloved, which is considered true love.

What is the spiritual perspective on love presented in the script?

The spiritual perspective on love presented in the script is that true love is selfless, focusing on the happiness of the beloved rather than one's own happiness, and is akin to the divine love of God.

How does the script define 'business' in the context of relationships?

In the script, 'business' in relationships is defined as a give-and-take dynamic where the goal is to receive more than what is given, reflecting a transactional approach to love based on self-interest.

What is the significance of the story about the gopi and Krishna in the script?

The story of the gopi and Krishna illustrates the subtleties of selfless service and the importance of focusing on the happiness of the divine rather than seeking personal gratification or recognition.

What is the role of service (seva) in developing true love according to the script?

Service (seva) is crucial in developing true love as it enhances the desire to give without expecting anything in return, purifying the heart and aligning it with the selfless nature of divine love.

How does the script differentiate between worldly love and divine love?

Worldly love is based on self-interest and is prone to change and destruction, while divine love is selfless, enduring, and focused on the happiness of the beloved, regardless of personal gain or loss.

What is the ultimate goal of true love or divine love as described in the script?

The ultimate goal of true love or divine love, as described in the script, is to be completely selfless, seeking only the happiness of the beloved without any consideration for one's own happiness or desires.

How does the script relate the concept of sacrifice to true love?

The script relates the concept of sacrifice to true love by emphasizing the need to sacrifice one's own happiness and desires for the sake of the beloved, which is the essence of selfless divine love.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 The Search for Divine Happiness and Self-Interest in Love

The first paragraph discusses the innate human quest for happiness, which is considered a divine attribute. It posits that love in the material world is often self-interested, fluctuating based on whether one's self-interest is met. The speaker uses the example of a husband and wife's changing perceptions of each other to illustrate this point. The spiritual realm, in contrast, teaches that true love is selfless and focused on the happiness of the beloved, akin to the sun, as opposed to lust, which is likened to darkness. The paragraph introduces the concept of 'business' in spirituality, where one might perform devotion (bhakti) with the expectation of receiving more in return, a transactional approach to the divine.

05:01

🌟 Transitioning from Self-Centered to Divine Love

The second paragraph delves into the transition from materialistic self-interest to divine love. It suggests that our material intellect is accustomed to seeking personal happiness, even in spiritual practices. The true nature of divine love is presented as selfless, where one seeks the happiness of God without expecting anything in return. The paragraph uses the metaphor of a billionaire and a beggar to illustrate the concept of selfless giving in divine love. It emphasizes that true love in spirituality is enduring and not destroyed by adverse behavior, unlike worldly love, which is conditional and can be lost when self-interest is not met.

10:02

💔 The Test of True Love and the Role of the Guru

In the third paragraph, the concept of true love is further explored through the idea of 'sarvatha dwanza,' where love remains undestroyed even when there is reason for it to be. The narrative recounts the story of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa to exemplify the unwavering nature of true devotion. The guru's role in promoting spiritual growth through various behaviors—positive, negative, and neutral—is introduced, highlighting that the test of love occurs during adverse behaviors. The paragraph emphasizes that true love in spirituality is not self-seeking and remains constant regardless of how the divine or the guru behaves.

15:03

🛡️ The Formula for Spiritual Love and Detachment from Self-Happiness

The fourth paragraph focuses on the formula for achieving spiritual love, which involves giving without expecting anything in return, and detaching from the desire for self-happiness. It discusses the subtleties of self-interest that can even appear in the act of serving God, using the story of a gopi and Krishna to illustrate the point. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of correcting one's intentions to ensure that service is purely for the sake of the divine, not for personal happiness or gain. It likens the path of divine love to walking on the edge of a sword, requiring constant vigilance to avoid the temptation of self-interest.

20:05

🤲 The Path of Service and the Expansion of the Heart

The fifth paragraph discusses the importance of service (seva) in developing true love in spirituality. It suggests that increasing the desire to serve enhances the propensity for selfless giving, which is essential for spiritual growth. The paragraph draws parallels with the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi, emphasizing the Christian sentiment of true love as selfless giving. It also highlights that sadhana, or spiritual practice, should be accompanied by service to ensure that one's intentions are selfless, and the goal is to bring happiness to the divine, not oneself.

25:06

🎯 The Priority of Service in Spiritual Practice

The final paragraph reinforces the message that service should be the priority in spiritual practice, as it embodies the essence of divine love. It recounts a personal experience of the speaker with Kripalu Ji Maharaj, who emphasized the importance of starting with the right intention in sadhana. The paragraph concludes by stating that the true swami and disciple relationship is one of mutual giving, where both parties are focused on serving each other without expecting anything in return, reflecting the purest form of divine love.

Keywords

💡Happiness

Happiness in the script is portrayed as a divine bliss and an ultimate goal that all humans seek. It is described as an intrinsic part of the self, akin to an 'ocean of happiness'. The video discusses how our pursuit of happiness is often self-centered, which contrasts with the selfless love described in the spiritual realm. For example, the script mentions that 'we are all looking for happiness' and 'until we get that divine bliss, we will keep on searching'.

💡Self-interest

Self-interest is a central theme in the script, illustrating how our actions, including love, are often motivated by what benefits us. It is used to contrast the fluctuating nature of worldly love with the unwavering nature of divine love. The script states that 'love in this world will be selfish' and gives examples of how a spouse's perception can change based on whether their self-interest is being met or obstructed.

💡Lust

Lust is depicted as a lower form of love that is self-centered and focused on personal gratification. It is described as being part of the 'darkness' in contrast to the 'light' of true love. The script uses the term to highlight the difference between seeking happiness for oneself versus seeking happiness for the beloved, stating 'now lust is a dirty word right, but all the worldly love is categorized into this'.

💡Love

Love in the script is presented as a spectrum, from lust to divine love. True love is characterized by selflessness, where the goal is the happiness of the beloved, not one's own. It is likened to the sun, illuminating the path of spiritual devotion. The script explains that 'love is praying' and 'where the goal is for the happiness of the beloved, that is love'.

💡Bhakti

Bhakti, meaning devotion in the context of the script, is the act of loving and serving God selflessly. It is a spiritual practice aimed at purifying the soul and attaining divine love. The script discusses how bhakti should not be performed with the expectation of receiving anything in return, illustrating this with the story of a person asking a guru, 'if I do bhakti, what will I get?'

💡Service (Seva)

Service, or 'seva', is emphasized as a critical component of true love and spiritual practice. It is the act of giving without expecting anything in return, which helps to cultivate selflessness and devotion. The script mentions that 'the more we increase the seva vasana, the more our heart will expand', highlighting the transformative power of service in spiritual growth.

💡Desire

Desire in the script is shown as a potential obstacle to true love and spiritual progress. It is the 'I want, I want, I want' that needs to be sacrificed for the sake of selfless love. The script warns against even subtle forms of desire that may seem like service but are actually motivated by a desire for personal happiness, such as a gopi wanting Krishna to see her dress to feel happy.

💡Guru

A guru is a spiritual teacher or guide who helps the disciple on their path to divine love. The script discusses the guru's role in testing and promoting the disciple's love and devotion. It is mentioned that 'the guru's job is to promote the disciple on the spiritual path' and that the guru may exhibit positive, negative, or neutral behaviors to evoke a deeper level of love.

💡Devotee

A devotee is a person who practices spiritual devotion and seeks to attain divine love. The script describes the devotee's journey as one of learning to love God for His sake, not their own. It is said that 'the nature of the soul is it's a servant of God', indicating that the devotee's true nature is to serve.

💡Spiritual Love

Spiritual love, as discussed in the script, is the highest form of love where the devotee loves God without any self-seeking desires. It is tested by the devotee's unwavering love for God and guru, regardless of their behavior. The script states that 'the acid test for that, the acid test is, that no matter how God and guru behave, the love remains ever fresh'.

💡Sacrifice

Sacrifice in the context of the script refers to the act of giving up one's own desires and happiness for the sake of divine love. It is the ultimate expression of selflessness and is seen as the key to attaining true spiritual love. The script mentions that 'the biggest thing you can give is the sacrifice of your own happiness, that means the sacrifice of your desires'.

Highlights

The search for happiness is an inherent part of the human experience, likened to a quest for divine bliss.

Love in the material realm is often selfish, fluctuating based on self-interest fulfillment.

In spiritual teachings, true love is defined as selfless, seeking the happiness of the beloved rather than one's own.

The concept of 'lust' is differentiated from 'love', with lust being self-centered and love being selfless.

The spiritual journey involves moving from a 'business' mindset of give-and-take to a selfless love.

The true nature of divine love is tested by the ability to maintain it regardless of the behavior of the divine or guru.

Swami Vivekananda's story illustrates the unwavering devotion that true love entails, even in the face of indifference.

The guru's role is to guide the disciple towards selfless love, sometimes through testing behaviors.

The spiritual path requires the sacrifice of one's own happiness and desires for the sake of the divine.

Service (seva) is emphasized as a means to cultivate selfless love and increase the propensity for giving.

Sadhana without service may not truly reflect selfless devotion, as the motive could still be self-happiness.

The nature of the soul is to serve God, which is its constitutional position and leads to purification.

Kripalu Ji Maharaj's teachings stress the importance of prioritizing service in one's spiritual practice.

The true devotee is one who seeks nothing in return from the swami or guru, reflecting pure love.

The relationship between devotee and god, disciple and guru, should be one of mutual giving, devoid of self-interest.

Saint Francis of Assisi's words highlight the essence of true love as seeking to console and love rather than being consoled or loved.

The spiritual path is like walking on the edge of a sword, requiring constant vigilance to ensure selfless love.

The ultimate goal in divine love is to give happiness to the beloved without any expectation of return.

Transcripts

[Music]

in the material realm

we are all looking for happiness

our search for happiness

is unavoidable

because we are tiny parts of the ocean

of happiness

of god

and until we get

that divine bliss

we will keep on searching

what will we search for

our own happiness

so wherever we love

it is always for our happiness

no matter what we may say to the other

oh i love you for your sake and you are

my all in all

it is unavoidable

that love in this world

will be selfish

and that is why based on the

self-interest

the love will go up and it will come

down and it will go up and it will come

down

the same wife to the husband

sometimes she seems very nice

sometimes she seems normal

sometimes she seems obnoxious

sometimes she seems nice

and sometimes she seems like a demonist

now how come one husband has got five

decisions about the wife

and one wife has got five decisions

about the husband

it is all based upon the self-interest

when the self-interest is being

fulfilled

the spouse seems to be so nice

when it is not being fulfilled but it is

not upset either

then the spouse seems to be just neutral

normal

and when the self-interest is being

obstructed

now that spouse seems like an enemy

right so in the world our love

is based on our self-interest

now in the spiritual realm we are

informed that this is not love

where you love the other for your

happiness

that

is

lust

lust or calm

and love is praying

so the difference between calm and

praying

is the difference between darkness

and the light

where

your goal is how can i get happiness

that is calm or lust

now lust is a dirty word right

but all the worldly love is categorized

into this

and where the goal is for the happiness

of the beloved

that is love

and this love is like the sun

and lust is like darkness

for endless lifetimes

our entire habit

was to love other people for our sake

our

intellect material intellect is

habituated to thinking what is there in

it for me

what will i get

so when we come to the divine realm we

apply the same formula

[Music]

if i do bhakti what will i get

if i don't get anything then am i crazy

to do bhakti

but there is something in between lust

and love as well

and that is business

in lust the goal is take take take

in love the goal is give give gifts

and in business the goal is give and

take

but what i get should be more than what

i give

otherwise i'm a foolish businessman

so this give take is business

now when we go towards god we also do

business

i will do bhakti but then i should get

this this this

somebody came to a guru and said gurudev

why should i take the name of god

so guru they've said because god is

great

he is your eternal relative

he said okay but if i take the name of

god what will i get

guru they said now you have started your

business

what will i get

now

when we wish to go into the divine realm

remember something

all this get get we think about

is low level things

if you can forsake that

and leave it to god

without asking he will give you the

highest thing

say god please give me please give me

so then he's not giving

and you say all right whatever you wish

i only want your happiness

now he gives the highest thing

but this formula is very difficult to

believe for our material intellect

and that is why

we are doubtful

in the path of divine love i hope i will

not get cheated

supposing

a billionaire

and a beggar

were to have a deal

the billionaire says all right whatever

you have you give it to me

whatever i have i'll give it to you

now if

the billionaire has agreed to such a

deal

who is going to gain

the beggar has fooled the millionaire

into the deal

so god is willing to be fooled

he says o soul

you give all you have

and i will give all i have

now the soul is a beggar since endless

lifetimes

and god has got infinite treasures

but the soul doubts

should i

you know if i give to god and if i don't

get enough in return then it will be a

bad deal

now we have got all material things

and god has got divine treasures

so

in the spiritual realm

the formula reverses

we loved the world for our sake

and that was not love

now we have to love god for his sake

that is true love

that is why in this bhakti

you don't ask for worldly things

and you don't ask for liberation either

liberation

is also a selfish desire

and that goes against the formula

of love or brain

so we have never truly loved in the

world

and

the proof of that is

that worldly love

gets destroyed

you love the beloved

and the beloved behaves a little

adversely

and your love gets destroyed

why did it get destroyed

because your happiness

was not taken care of

so that is sufficient

and enough reason

for the love to finish

the basis of that love was i should get

my happiness

this taking taking is very subtle

but the basic thing i want is my

happiness

so moment my happiness is affected

that love will explode the biggest kind

of love of laila majnu

it will not take a moment to be

destroyed

the moment the beloved behave slightly

badly

gone but the test of divine love

that there is no self seeking what is

the acid test for that

the acid test is

that no matter how god and guru behave

the love

remains ever fresh

because it is for their sake

they have the right to behave in

whatever manner they wish

hence the definition of true love is

sarvatha dwanza

satyapi dwansa karani

means explosion

where there is a reason for love to be

destroyed

and yet it is not destroyed

that is true love

swami vivekananda when he was narendra

he used to keep going to meet

ramakrishna paramahamsa

and you may have read how raam krishna

paramus would shower tremendous

affection on him

he would ignore everybody else

and actually get food and feed him with

his own hands

but in between for one month

ramakrishna paramahamsa

reversed his behavior

he completely ignored him

for one full month he was not even

looking at narendra that

if there were 25 people in the room and

he is looking he will look like this

to ensure the other knows i'm avoiding

you

and yet

swami vivekananda would keep coming

every day for morning and sit there till

evening

on a daily basis he would come in the

morning and sit till the evening

after one month ramakrishna paramahamsa

relented

he said my child i behave so badly with

you

and yet you keep coming

why do you come

swami vivekananda said gurudev i like

your personality

i am inspired

by the qualities i see in you

and that is what brings me here

how you behave with me what importance

does that have

ramakrishna paramounts embraced him your

heart is pure

and that is why

your love your devotion was not

destroyed by my

behavior

so

the guru's job is to promote the

disciple

to promote the disciple on the spiritual

path

the guru will do three kinds of

behaviors

positive negative and neutral who are

you i don't know you

now

that is where the test of our love will

happen

and the guru is only training us because

later on when we meet shri krishna

he will do extreme polarized behaviors

not because he has got bipolar disorder

but because he is the expert lover

he knows how to lift the love of the

devotee

so

he will behave negatively

just to evoke a deeper level of love in

the devotee

you see

it's only in adverse behavior that the

love spiritual love is required

otherwise

we

love him and he's so nice to us anybody

can engage in that kind of a love even a

dog you pet the dog and the dog shakes

it still

but the test of the love comes in the

negative behavior

and that is why kripalu ji maharaj

if you try to push me away

apparently naturally you will never

but externally if you seem to be pushing

me away i am not going to move

because my intellect is drowned in love

i have accepted you as mine

in this there will be no correction

so that

kind of love

which will never be destroyed

true love

spiritual love

can only

happen when we remember the formula

and the formula is

i am not in it for myself

i am in it for his sake

in other words the formula is to give

and to give and to give

giving what

aching what

to take take take what does it mean to

take take

take you could take so many things but

basically it's taking my happiness

my wish should be fulfilled by gurudev

my wish should be fulfilled by bhagavan

and if shri krishna doesn't fulfill my

wish jawji i will go now go to sri ram

if he doesn't fulfill forget it i will

go to shankarji

and tell him

chandigarh

so

the love

can only be

resistant to everything

when we become detached from

self-happiness

so the biggest thing you can give

is the sacrifice of your own happiness

that means the sacrifice of your desires

i want i want i want

that is all that has to be given

now to give that i want can be very

subtle

[Music]

it can take on a variety of forms even

in bhakti

there is a story

that one gopi

she put on a wonderful dress

and she thought i will go and show shri

krishna and he will get happiness out of

it

so she went to shri krishna and found

that shri krishna sleeping in the kunj

now what to do

she wanted to show him her dress so she

could give him happiness but he's

sleeping

so she took

the flower and started

blowing on it it should fall on shri

krishna and he should wake up and then

he should see me and become happy

but the queen of vrindavan radharani

corrected the gopis he said you are

desiring to serve

but your desire is tinged with your own

happiness

you want shri krishna to see you to feel

happy so that you will get happiness out

of it if your goal is his happiness then

let him keep sleeping

so even in the desire to serve

we have to keep on correcting

that is why this path of love is

actually like walking on the edge of a

sword

people say

that gyan marg is very difficult

people say that premark is very easy

but when you truly get into it

you will realize

this path of praying

is truly like walking on the edge of a

sword the moment

you make a desire for your happiness

your love your bhakti will immediately

go down

and the insulation for this is

to always keep this principle in mind

as kripalu ji maharaj says

[Music]

in this love

there is always giving and giving and

giving

and not even thinking of aching

one who thinks of aching

kripalu ji maharaj says

means

he is fooling himself

he thinks i'm very smart

because that's the worldly formula i

have to be the smartest to increase my

gains to the maximum

but in brajaras

it is now reversed

if you want to enter brothers then keep

that formula in mind actually all around

the world the saints in all the

traditions they expressed this

sentiment of true love

that is why in the christian tradition

saint francis of assisi

he is considered the highest saint in

the christian tradition after jesus

so saint francis of assisi's words

are very popular

he said oh lord

let me seek not so much to be consoled

as to console

to be understood

has to understand

to be loved

as to

love we always want others to console us

we not thinking of consoling others

we are always wanting others should love

me but not thinking of loving others we

are always thinking why don't others

understand me but we are not trying to

understand others

so this i i i at the center of it it's

all about that

so he said

it is in giving that we receive

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned

and it is in dying to the little self

that we are born to eternal life

that little self

is the self-happiness

so one day

right now you begin the path first for

the sake of your happiness

but then

one day you have to turn it around

turning it around means

that you have to now understand

my goal is his happiness

so how do you reach that point

by enhancing the desire to serve

it is only through service

that the giving propensity

gets

increased that is why if you do sadhana

without service

you can never be sure whether you are

being selfish or selfless

because sadhana can also be for my

happiness

somebody is sitting in sadhana you may

have noticed

and you say something to him

why did you become so angry

you snatched my happiness away i was

getting so much happiness in sadhana

you see the sadhana is going on

but the yearning is my own happiness

now that is all right in other parts

but if you are part of sadhana is

praying

if your path of sadhana is the path of

divine love

then you have to learn to give up that

desire for self-happiness

that is why

the more we increase the save of half

the more we increase the desire to serve

the more our heart will expand

the more our heart will become

resplendent

it is in the service

that we develop the quality of true love

that is why in future in the same bhakti

shatak kripaluji maharaj is going to say

dharadhyana

he says

after he has written a hundred verses

and then he says

one verse

most important point out of the hundred

what is that

meditate on muralidhar

and bharava who say

yahushua

increase your seva vasana your desire to

serve

this is sagian again the most important

out of the hundred verses

and it makes sense because

the nature of the soul is it's a servant

of god

that is the nature of the soul

caitanya mahaprabhu said

krishna

[Music]

so naturally when the soul engages in

its constitutional position of service

it's going to get purified more rapidly

and when we develop that goal

i want to give happiness to my beloved

then even the sadhana is done for that

sake

in order to give him happiness i need

more bhakti

and to enhance my bhakti i need to do

sadhana

but the basic formula must be there

basic formula

it is for his sake

so when i first met kripaluji maharaja

in mumbai i was in a different

organization different sadhana

so

he asked me what sadhna do you do i said

that he said this is no sadna oh this is

what's up this is not sadna at all

so i thought he's going to teach me some

tremendous sadhana

and then he said you come over to my

ashram then i will teach you

and i went there the first day the

sadhana program began

so they were on those days about

200 people in the sadhna program

now we sat down he gave the lecture how

to do room dihan and i was sitting and

doing root dhyan

so by afternoon time people were coming

and going coming and going and i was

just sitting and doing roof because

so he called me out

he said you are not going to sit in

sadhana

so he gave me a book

you read this go

you will only come for the rt morning

and evening

then he said an important statement

he said

if the beginning is wrong everything is

wrong

he taught me the first and most

important lesson

to make seva as the priority

so seva is to give because divine love

is all about giving and giving and once

you have learnt that lesson

now when you do sadhana you realize i'm

doing sadhana so that i can do my seva

properly

the kripalu ji maharaj says here

that the truth

is one who doesn't want anything from

the swami

so is the swami going to cheat him

no

because the true swami is one who wants

nothing from the dos

that is this relationship of love that

is established between the devotee and

god the disciple and the guru

both are giving to each other

the devotee is giving to god and god is

giving to the devotee that is the

relationship of divine love