Swami Brahm Bodhi

Dear Atman Shri Kheda,

I am deeply pleased to see your impatience for attaining God, for when there is no impatience, there is no attainment.

In truth, we are all travellers — voyagers toward moksha, toward Vaikuntha.
But just as one needs a ticket to board an airplane, a ticket is needed for that journey too.
There is no free travel. And that ticket cannot be bought with rupees or dollars — the currency there is different.

I had told you about that currency — it is described in the Bhagavad Gita, verses 12:13–20 and 16:1–3 — upon which you remarked, “That is a very difficult currency.”

The duty of a guide or guru is to show the right path.
There is no better Google Map to Vaikuntha or moksha than the Bhagavad Gita.
Hence, I gave you directions from that divine map itself.
Now, walking upon that path is the traveller’s own task.
Each has his own personal journey.
So do not be disheartened — you must walk yourself; your guide or guru cannot walk on your behalf.

The emotions, thoughts, and values contained in the verses I shared with you —
to absorb them fully is to become a mahatma, to become dharmatma.
As far as I know, reaching there is impossible without becoming dharmatma.

God has revealed a very simple way of becoming dharmatma in the Bhagavad Gita:

Api chet suduracharo bhakto mam ananya-bhak,
sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah.
(Chapter 9, Verse 30)

Meaning: “Even if a person of extremely sinful conduct worships Me with exclusive devotion, he should be regarded as a saint, for he has rightly resolved.”

Remember — in this verse, ananya means “of none other”— devoted to only One, and not to any other deity.
In the worship of other gods, becoming dharmatma is not essential, because most of them are rajasic or tamasic in nature. They do not necessarily require their devotees to be virtuous.
Nor do they promise that their worshippers will automatically become dharmatma.
Ravana worshipped Shiva, performed austerities, but did not become virtuous — because Lord Mahadeva imposes no such condition. His doors are open to both gods and demons.
The scriptures tell us that nearly all demons performed penance to Shiva or Brahma to fulfill evil desires, and Brahma and Shiva granted those boons — even when those boons endangered creation.
I am not speaking my own mind — I am only repeating what the scriptures affirm.

Compassion, kindness toward all beings, and becoming dharmatma are obligatory only for the devotees of Shri Hari or His incarnations — Shri Rama and Shri Krishna — and these qualities naturally awaken through their devotion.
That is what the scriptures declare.
See this verse of the Gita:

Sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah;
Kshipram bhavati dharmatma shashvac chantim nigacchati.
(Chapter 9, Verse 31)

Meaning: “That very sinner soon becomes righteous and attains lasting peace.”

Therefore, choose one among Shri Hari, Shri Rama, or Shri Krishna —
and dedicate your mind to Him.
Worship all three as manifestations of Hari Himself — that is why all three are called “Hari.”

So, do not consider becoming dharmatma to be difficult.
You will become dharmatma naturally.

But devotion will awaken only when you read their scriptures — Ramcharitmanas, Bhagavata Purana, and the Bhagavad Gita.

Do this much.
Then, when time permits, I shall teach you a meditation practice — extremely simple, yet one whose impact upon character is immediate.
You begin to transform inwardly at once.
I intend to teach this meditation to all group members who have a deep desire to become dharmatma.

Give me a little time — I am leaving abroad on the 26th.
Many preparations are underway for this journey, and I may have to stay away for a somewhat long period.
Hence, the pending works must be completed first.

This much I can say — with certainty:
Whoever among you sincerely desires it, God will surely come near to him.
In that situation, God has no choice left.

Hari Sharanam!