52 - Attaining Spiritual Freedom and Happiness Within | Swami Tattwamayananda

-5th chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26
-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 11, 2020.
-23rd verse: “A person who can conquer the temptations of lust and anger, while doing his everyday duties, and before leaving this body – such a person is established in Yoga and is happy.”
-24th verse: “That spiritual seeker, whose happiness is within, who is relaxed within, whose light is within, he alone is a Yogi, and that Yogi attains happiness from his mergence with Brahman.”
-The real source of happiness is always within, in the Atman – not external. For example, we may think that good chocolate is a source of happiness. But eating the same chocolate may not give the same happiness if the tongue has an inflammation, or the mind is disturbed.
-When we realize that we are in reality the Atman, we experience the whole existence as existing within, and feel complete identity with it. Then we feel happiness within (Antah-sukha), we rejoice, and we feel illumined.
-King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world?” The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.
-When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within. Such a person sees Brahman as non-distinct from himself (Brahma-Bhoota). Such a person is called a Yogi and attains Brahma-Nirvanam.
-25th verse: “Such a Yogi – all his imperfections are gone, and his doubts are dispelled. He has achieved perfect control over his mind and senses. Absorbed in Brahman, he works for the welfare of the whole creation (Sarva-bhoota-hite-ratah).”
-For the Yogi, who has reached spiritual freedom, all sanchita karmas are destroyed. Prarabdha karma are accumulated karmas that have already started unfolding. Sanchita karmas are accumulated karmas that are not yet manifesting.
-Unlike a beginner, who has to fight with his lower self, a Yogi who has attained spiritual freedom, has natural, effortless control over his mind and senses. His intellect, emotions and will are sublimated to a spiritual ideal.
-Such a Yogi, who experiences the highest happiness, has an instinctive eagerness to give that happiness to others. Whatever he does is for the welfare of others (Sarva-bhoota-hite-ratah).
-26th verse: “Those self-realized people who are free from lust and anger, who have controlled their senses and mind – they realize their spiritual identity with the Atman, and experience total freedom, here and hereafter.”
-When a person becomes liberated, his spiritual outlook is changed forever. He carries this emancipation with him everywhere and in every moment, as he conducts his duties in everyday life.
-When King Chitraketu’s young son died and he was lamenting, Sages Aṅgirā and Nārada helped him understand the temporary nature of the relationship between father and son, that the physical body come and goes, and that the Atman manifests in the body. This put a spark of spiritual wisdom in Chitraketu’s heart.