Hiraṇyakaśipu continued, “When the manas (processing mind) wavers as a result of these objects (viṣaya) which are the outcomes of trigunas, the Self (atma), although being devoid of transformations, reflects as if it has transformed along with the manas”.

Swamiji explains: the Paramātma (Self) who is within wrongly presumes that he has undergone transformation when in reality he is devoid of transformations. “Even though the Self is unconnected to the body and senses, due to spiritual ignorance, it illumines as if it is connected to them all. Due to this false attribution (adhyāsa), the Self appears to be different from its original form. It appears as if it associates and disassociates with the objects of likes-dislikes. It presumes that it is involved in fruitive actions (karma) and that it is experiencing the results of these actions in the form of worldly bondages”.

Swamiji explains: The Self wrongly presumes that it is grieving due to sorrows. However it is the buddhi (determinative faculty, intellect, another aspect of mind) which is bound to all joys and sorrows. The Self is unattached. Like a friend who sobs along as if he is also suffering, this Self wrongly attributes all these joys and sorrows to itself. In reality attachments, joys, sorrows, likes, dislikes, merits, sins, heat, cold and other dualities do not exist in Self or Paramatma. It is not connected with the body either! All these bondages are the outcome of the intellect (buddhi).

Only the first time, He created. Thereafter in every birth, you are increasing the bonds and attachments through your buddhi. You abuse God in this birth. You pay for it in your next birth. You desire in this birth and experience it later. It goes on endlessly. You increase your list of desires endlessly and with this the distance between you and God increases. Since you have misgivings against God, the gap between you and God further widens. “You have given me so many sorrows” – you blame God. Think logically for a moment- were you the cause for your sorrows or did God come to your home, throw them upon you and disappear? Through some earlier actions, perhaps of a past birth, you were the cause for your present sufferings! You are paying for your earlier mistakes. All your earlier sins attack you in the form of present diseases. Experience is the only way to get rid of them. Go through the painful experience joyfully. Blaming God while going through the painful experiences is not correct.

Hiraṇyakaśipu continued, “The Self wrongly believes it is trapped in births and deaths; that it is suffering in deep agony; that it is experiencing sorrows in the form of pain, and that it is filled with grief and indiscrimination (aviveka). This is what learned scholars state. In this context, I will narrate to you an ancient story which Mahatmas use as an example. This is a discussion between Yama, the Lord of death and the relatives of a deceased person.

Long ago in Uśinara there was a famous king called Suyajna, who was killed by his enemies in a war. His protective shield (kavaca) was shred into bits. His ornaments lay scattered everywhere. Arrows had pierced through his heart and torn it apart. His dead body was soaking in blood which had flown profusely from his body. His hair was disarrayed and his eyeballs had bulged out. It was a gory sight. The wound on his lips showed that he had bitten his lips in anger. His lotus like face was covered with dust. His relatives gathered around his mutilated body and were bemoaning his death. Seeing his handsome lotus like face reduced to such a frightful condition, his queens loudly wailed, “O Lord, why have you left us and gone?” Beating their chests with their hands, they fell on his feet and wept loudly.

Swamiji explains: In the present days in some cities they pay for official mourners to come and cry while the relatives relax in comfort. A list of the dead man’s noble activities during his lifetime is given to the paid mourners so that they can be more effective in weeping. They enact as if they are his close relatives and lament loudly, while beating their chests.

“The wives shed such profuse tears that their chests were totally drenched. The kumkum from their foreheads mixed with the tears due to which red-coloured tears wet the dead king’s feet. Their hair was scattered, their ornaments were in total disarray and their clothes were disarranged. Hearing their piteous wails others who were in the vicinity were filled with total sympathy towards them”.

Swamiji explains: When relatives weep for the dead person, the visitors who attend the funeral wail even more.

“His wives lamented, “O dear husband! The merciless Lord who entrusted the responsibility of Uśinara kingdom to you has now snatched you away from us and rendered you invisible. You rule was comparable to God’s rule. Nevertheless, destiny has snatched you away from us. Leaving us grieving, you have disappeared.

O dear husband, you are a great benefactor for all. You shower auspicious on one and all. How can we live without you? After all we are your servants. Please command us such that we can come to your current residence”. In this way they bemoaned his death.

Swamiji says: This reminds me of a story. Once a mother was bemoaning the death of her son. Holding on to the corpse she was wailing, “My dear son, just sit up once and say amma (mother).” The entire day she was repeating the same words and was wailing louldly. Even when the body was taken to the crematorium, she fell on the corpse and cried, “please say ‘amma’ once, my dear son”. Attendants of Yama who were nearby took pity on her. They decided to fulfill her wish. So for a minute they infused life into the boy. The boy sat up. The mother who was wailing on his dead body was aghast. “A ghost has entered my dead son’s body. Ghost, ghost!! Someone save us. Please beat him till the ghost leaves the corpse.” All the relatives and friends who were present there took up batons and thrashed him. The boy died and upon reaching Yama’s residence fought with Yama, “who asked you to send me back into the body? They trashed me black and blue.”

Here the wives were similarly wailing- “O dear husband please come once and command us.”