(From the discourses of Pujya Sri Swamiji)

Compiled by Swami Datta Pada Renu

Pleasures enjoyed in heaven are not different from sense pleasures although they are of a refined nature. Besides, these pleasures are also short-lived, because even after one reaches heaven, one has to return to earth for re-embodiment after the force of one’s Karma is depleted. Therefore Vedic religion does not consider heaven as the final destination of mankind. Heaven is only a higher state of life than the life of earth.
To be a slave to sense pleasures either in heaven or on earth does not make any difference. Attainment of Godhood or self-realization is the aim of life and for that, one has to lead a life of surrender to God and perform actions dedicated to God without expecting any reward. Vedic sacrifices or rituals and philanthropic actions certainly purify one’s mind only if they are done without any selfish idea of enjoying their fruits. If those actions are done without attachment to results they help one to attain purity and realization of the self.

The Karma Kanda portion of the Vedas describe the ritualistic actions which satisfy the need of the desire-ridden people. Ritualistic actions if done properly yield good results. Therefore the common man is easily attracted to it and becomes a votary of the Karma Kanda portions of the Vedas. In course of time, as a result of the performance of rituals and sacrifices he becomes an evolved being and after death goes to heaven and enjoys heavenly joys. Slowly he comes to know the futility of earthly and heavenly enjoyments which give him only temporary satisfaction and then he craves for the permanent. He turns his mind to the Jnana Kanda portion of the Vedas and aims at the realization of the Highest Truth, attaining which he does not come back to this mortal world. Thus he gets emancipation.

"To those men who exclusively meditate upon Me, thinking of no other, who are ever devout, I bring prosperity and security." (22-IX).

Those devotees who have completely surrendered to the Lord do not think of anything other than the Lord. They seek the Lord alone and think of Him always as for them there is nothing dearer than the Lord. This is ‘Ananya Chinta’. The Lord takes upon Himself the responsibility of protecting such devotees by taking care of their needs under all circumstances. This is the promise given by the Lord in His Gita message. The Lord says, "I provide whatever they need and protect whatever is given to them." This is what is meant by "Yogakshemam Vahaamyaham".

In fact, the devotees who have taken refuge in the Lord do not desire to have anything for themselves. Therefore, the Lord Himself arranges to provide what they need and protect whatever they have obtained. This is the idea.

"Even those devotees of other Gods, who worship them with fait, are worshipping Me alone, O son of Kunti, without regard to (Vedic) injunctions." (23-IX).

The Lord is the Supreme Self, the pure consciousness, all-pervading, omniscient and omnipotent. People who do not know the true nature of the Lord, worship Gods or Deities presiding over fire, wind, water or any other manifestation of the Lord. Such people, although endowed with faith, worship the Lord wrongly without regard to Vedic injunctions, because they do not know that these deities or Gods whom they worship are the different aspects or powers of the same Supreme Lord.
When the Supreme Lord is all-pervading, one cannot worship anything but Himself. Therefore whatever form one worships ultimately goes to the Supreme Lord alone who is everything.

"I am indeed the enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices. But these men do not know Me in truth; therefore they fall." (24-IX).

Being the indwelling Self of all, Paramatma or the Supreme Being is the Lord of all sacrifices and the enjoyer of all sacrificial offerings. A devotee may offer sacrificial offerings to a particular deity of his choice. But it is the Supreme Being alone who enjoys those offerings because the indwelling divine spirit in all the deities is the Supreme Lord Himself and nobody else.

There is only one Reality and one life. People who do not realize this truth are ignorant. They worship some minor deities to satisfy their petty selfish desires. As such, they fail to attain Moksha, which can be conferred upon them only by the Supreme Lord. Therefore, they fall down. "Worshippers of the Gods go to the Gods, those devoted to the manes go to the manes. The worshippers of the Bhutas (elemental beings) go to the Bhutas. My worshippers come to Me." (25-IX).

The worshippers of Gods, ancestors and elemental beings or ghosts and spirits, attain the regions of their respective deities, and are blessed with the enjoyments that they seek. But these enjoyments pertain to the lower level. They belong to the world of the senses. As such they are short-lived. They bring pain and misery endlessly. But the devotees of the Supreme Lord attain the status of the Supreme Godhead, attaining which there remains nothing more to be achieved as all their desires find fulfillment in that attainment.