Prakhar Garg - Daulpur, Rajasthan. Now this is a question of Vedanta. Ques: If Maya has an illusory intimate relationship with Chaitanya just like an illusion of snake in the rope, then how did this illusion come about in Chaitanya? If Chaitanya is under illusion, and illusion of any object is only possible if that object is already known. So can we conclude that Chaitanya retains the memory, just like the memories of our mind? Ans: Prakhar - you are little confused. Mind is separate which consists of memories & thoughts. Intellect is separate which is responsible for decision making. And I am the Atman - distinct from both mind & intellect. Whether memory is there or not - this is also known by Me (my true Self). Intellect is understanding certain things & is not understanding the others - this is also known by Me. Whether body is healthy, sleeping or awake - this too I know. The one who knows is distinct from the object that is known. Understand it like this - When you were born, how much did you weigh? Oh! you know it with so much certainty. 3.5 Kgs. If we take an average - 5,6,7,8 pounds. What is your weight now? Look, now he won't speak! From 2.5-3 kgs to...! One lady stood on a weighing machine. Weight came out to 110 kgs. She thought that she is wearing coat in this cold weather, so she took off her coat. Her weight reduced by 1.5 kgs. Then she took off her sweater as well. Then she realized she is wearing heavy sandals with platform heels. So she took off the sandals too. She was weighing herself on the machine at a railway platform. She took off the coat, shoes & sweater. Voice came from behind - 'Will you just stop here or move ahead?' What is your weight today? It has increased so much by mindless eating. All the fat is deposited in your body. It is just an example. When you were born it was 3 kgs. As you grow into a teenager, it was 35-40 kgs. Woman gave a birth to a baby, her weight increased by 8 to 15 kgs. Males don't give birth to babies, still they become overweight. For women, I understand. When she is pregnant weight will increase. But why do husbands get overweight, this is such a strange thing. I asked this to someone recently. What happened to you? How come you gained so much weight? He said - because I got married. I said - What kind of excuse is this? You gained weight just because you got married? When baby is in the womb - his weight & form is different. As an adult - this form is developed & the weight also changed. On reaching 50-60 yrs of age, weight increased more & the form of body also changed. Body changed or did I change? As kids our mind was different. After studying & learning - today mind is completely changed. Mind changed or did you also change? I am the same. As kids our intellect was different. Have you ever seen - when a child falls, mother says - 'Did this table hurt you? Just watch, I am going to slap this table. And the child stops crying & looks intently. Child becomes happy. What a stupidity! Ok, if you fall down now, if you slip and your husband or your mother says - 'Did you fall on the ground - let me just slap this ground!' How will you feel? You will say - mother have you gone insane? Same incident is being repeated. What changed this time? Intellect. So the intellect changed. Body changed. Mind changed but you did not change. Because you are neither this body, nor the mind, nor the intellect, nor the senses of knowledge, nor the prana. Your own Self is called Atman in Sanskrit. I am the Atman. In Hindi we call it - Shudh main. In English - the pure Self. The pure Self is neither the body, nor mind, nor intellect, nor five pranas. So our subconscious has all the memories - they are in the Chitta. Active thinking is in the mind, decisions in your intellect. Decision making is in the intellect. But I am neither mind, nor intellect. Now this is the grand illusion! We consider mind as 'I'. We consider body as 'I'. In my childhood, there was a saint. I used to go to him. He used to call everyone as 'Bhagwan Ji' (God). Like, if I go, he will say - 'Come Bhagwan ji, eat Bhagwan ji. Are you leaving Bhagwan ji?' He used to call everyone as Bhagwan. One person asked - 'Why do you call us Bhagwan?' He replied - 'Because you are!' Person said - 'What are you saying?' Saint replied - 'Look, I am not saying Bhagwan to your body. I am not calling your mind & intellect as Bhagwan. The fundamental substratum of all, that very Supreme Existence, I am calling that as Bhagwan. So I am not saying anything wrong but your understanding is limited right now.' How will you understand? By listening to satsang (spiritual discourses). 2nd chapter of Bhagwad Gita & 13th Chapter of Bhagwad Gita, understand it properly. It will be very clear. You will get more clarity. And if, as a result, this conviction happens that I am the Atman, I am not the body, mind, intellect, prana. Then fear & sorrow will never touch you. You will work being fearless. Atman is not 2,4 or 6 in number - there is only One Atman. For example - In the same thread, all these rudraksha beads are twined. Thread is one. Similarly, all these different bodies you see are sitting like rudraksha beads. But in all of these, 'Sootratma' (Knower of the 'I-ness' that identifies with the dream state of Ishwara) is only One. Not two. But look! Only beads are visible, thread is not visible. Just like this, bodies are visible but Param-atma (God) is not visible. This is the ultimate truth. You are the Atman. Body is visible and you are considering this body as 'I'. You are not the body.
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