I have written many blogs that keep stressing on understanding the meaning of words, in fact I have a whole category of posts called “fundamental meaning of words“. And especially of the bhajans, stavans, invocations and whatever else we keep chanting often.

I also repeat this often to people around me. That they should try to understand at least the basic premise of what is being spoken before simply repeating it.

Here in the Dada Bhagwan ashram, I love the aarti that happens twice daily. It happens twice in the temple, but we also get a notification on our apps twice a day… So it happens twice in many houses in the ashram complex. Here’s the video of the aarti song with some lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sgwUMv2uws

Since the aarti is in Gujarati, I kept paying attention to the words and trying to figure out the meaning. And, as usual, I did plan to sit down and understand it properly one time.

So, imagine my joy, when I get an app notification and it informs me that there is a whole series of lectures on YouTube that explains the meaning of the Aarti – line by line, word by word.

Wow! What a resonance of like-mindedness. 😀

Here is this lecture series (in gujarati) : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLodZ8kFsDGFX1AvtkFAeIiH0X8BoUijx9

When I am going through the meanings of scriptures and bhajans word by word by myself. Often my work is a little crude, because I hardly know Sanskrit. But even so, a lot of the times I can grasp a lot of the meaning. Some grace may be at work. However, here where Deepak bhai is explaining, I felt two things,

1. a feeling of great relaxation. that I don’t have to understand it all on my own. someone is there who is doing large chunk of the work for me. Since this is their aarti, they are the best person to expound on its meaning. I know that many other spiritual folk take up the Srimad Bhagwat or other text and start giving discourse on the meaning, but that is v different cause they didn’t write it. So interpreting someone else’s work is different. But this is their own internal work… so really great that they have themselves given a detailed meaning of the aarti.
2. I still need to do 10-20% of the work. Because one needs to first understand what the other person (Deepak bhai) is explaining. Then understand in our own unique way, building upon our past understanding and experiences. And then allow it to settle within and realise its truth over time. So this part still needs to be done / allowed to happen.

In order to understand properly these spiritual teachings given by someone else, I find it very important to break down the discourse into little elemental pieces. Like taking a lego structure – understanding it’s shape and purpose and appreciating how incredible it is and all that. Then breaking it up into its elemental pieces. And then rebuilding it within our minds for ourselves to serve a similar purpose…. The understanding we thus gain, from that original material, becomes our understanding of it. And it is totally relevant to our lives.

Most people take someone else’s understanding with much reverance and try to fit it into their lives as is. This can leave gaps and it may not sink deep within us. There may be small conflicts with some other understanding we have gathered from elsewhere and all that. So, it is v important to delve deeper and understand whatever is said also well, otherwise, it will not fit properly to our unique context.

This is why, when Sadhguru, Ramana Maharshi and other Gurus, when they explain Krishna’s words or Shiva’s words – their explanations are often different. In essence they may be same, but the way it is said will often vary quite a lot. It is because they are also understanding the essence of what Krishna has said and then they are saying it in a way that is relevant and builds upon their past teachings. Thus, the disciples will see the harmony and cohesiveness in Guru’s teachings and what Krishna said. It will help the disciples understand Krishna’s teachings very quickly.

So for me, whose spiritual framework has come from elsewhere, and who has a unique set of past understanding – I need to take some time to absorb Deepak bhai’s words and understand them in right context. This would be a bit easier for people who are fully immersed into this Dada Bhagwan path. But even they have to mull and reflect to properly absorb the information.

So this work, still remains on me, but a large chunk is done by Deepak bhai. Much appreciation. 🙂