The Significance of Akshay Navami

(Speech by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaji on the occasion of Akshay Navami)

“Man Karu  Sumiran Radhe Rani Ke Charan”  

“O mind –  engage in the remembrance of Radha Rani’s lotus feet.” 

A philosopher speaks to his mind, saying, “O mind, meditate on the charan (lotus feet) of Radha Rani.” Why does he speak to the mind? Why meditate specifically on Radha Rani? And why does he urge the mind to meditate on her lotus feet?  These questions are all addressed in a single line.

He speaks to the mind because it is the mind that is responsible for both planning and action. Whatever we do, we first think about it with our mind. This is called planning. We decide where we need to go, what tasks need to be done, and what actions we must take, whether big or small. Before carrying out any task, we must first bring our mind into focus.

The senses by themselves cannot do anything. The senses are just helpers; even without them, the mind can do everything. Even a blind person dreams. You all dream too, right? So, in your dreams, do you see things, hear things? Yes, you do.  You smell, you taste, you enjoy, you eat and drink. You run, you cry, you laugh. Yes, you do everything in your dreams, just like you do in the waking state. But your senses are wrapped within a blanket, like they are during winter. Yes.  What does this mean? 

It means that all the senses exist in the mind. The mind doesn’t need the senses to function. Even without the senses, the mind does everything. What can the senses do? How high can someone’s feet jump? Yet, in dreams, you can cross oceans.”

So, the mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. This is what every scripture, from the Vedas to the Ramayana, says. And it is also an experience: even an idiot knows. If the wife adds too much salt, what does the husband say? ‘Where is your mind these days?’ If something goes wrong at home, everyone chides the mind, including the uneducated and the ignorant.

So, it is the mind that drives action, as acknowledged by the Vedas, Shastras, and Puranas. This is because God notes the ideas of the mind while sitting within you. You should also take note of this. While sitting quietly  inside, God observes and records every thought and contemplation of your mind. This is what is called sin (paap) and virtue (punya). God gives  us the fruits and result of these mental impressions, not the physical actions themselves.”

The fruits of actions are given by the world, but the fruits of the mind are given by God. Arjuna might appear to commit countless murders, but God says it’s all false. “He never even thought of murder. His mind was always with Me.” There are not two minds, only one. Before the war, God told Arjuna: “Arjuna, continuously offer your mind to Me, and fight and you will not receive the fruit of war. You will not be considered as the one who fought the war.”

Let’s just forget about the Vedic teachings for a moment, think about the world we live in. When our country goes to war with another country, it is the military that fights against the military, right? Yes. So, if our military kills the enemy soldiers, the higher-ranking officers they kill, the bigger the reward they receive. They don’t get punished or hung for murder; why? 

Because there is no personal enmity involved. Our king, prime minister, or government gives the orders: ‘Shoot, kill them,’ so we do it. Everyone knows, everyone is watching—this person is killing another person. “But there is no punishment for it; instead, there is a reward.”  The action may appear the same, as if we were committing murder in the world. However, there is a key difference—the intention, the mindset behind the action.”

Look at this world. God does not note the actions themselves, He only records the ideas and intentions of the mind. Do not chant the name of God outwardly even once, but instead focus your mind and meditate on Him. If you do this, you will attain God-realisation. And even if you chant God’s name forever, without the proper intention, it will mean nothing. It is like zero multiplied by a hundred—still zero.

If the mind is attached to the material world, after death, the soul will receive the fruit of that attachment. Wherever the mind is attached, after death, that will determine the fate of the soul. This is not meant for trivial people only.  Even the enlightened saint, Paramhans Jara Bharat, became attached to a young deer. He adopted it and cared for it.  At the time of death, he thought of the baby deer. 

Wherever your attachment is, there your thoughts will go at the time of death. We say things like, “Please call my son, or please call my daughter, it’s my final time.”

That is why the philosopher speaks to his mind, saying: “O mind, your karm  are considered by God as your actions. That is why I am reminding you — remember, think, reflect, analyse, and make decisions. What is the work of the mind? Sumiran (remembrance) – All of this is the work of the mind. The mind’s decisions and attachments may lead us to hell or bring us to heaven, to Vaikunth (the abode of Lord Vishnu), or to Vrindavan (the divine realm of Lord Krishna). 

There is no enemy like the mind, and no friend like the mind. How is it our enemy? If the mind decides that happiness lies in the material world, then it becomes an enemy to our spiritual progress.  Even if millions of Gods or saints were to come down to Earth and preach the highest wisdom, if the mind is attached to the belief that happiness lies in the material world, it will reject all their teachings. 

The mind will convince itself that true happiness is found in accumulating wealth, enjoying life’s pleasures to the fullest, and living without concern for anything beyond this world. According to this mindset, there is nothing after death, and the ultimate goal is to maximise worldly enjoyment. This is essentially the philosophy of Charvak, an ancient materialistic school of thought that rejected the idea of an afterlife or spiritual liberation.

So the mind’s work is to do sumiran (remembrance) and make decisions in every action. There are only two areas—no third option: either you will look for happiness in the world, or you will look for happiness in God. There is no other third place. Either you churn water to get ghee, or churn milk to get ghee or butter. 

Doing Sumiran is the mind’s work, and it is considered bhakti. Kirtan, and other devotional practices, are just helpers. All the forms of devotion mentioned are helpers through the senses. The adhyaksha (chief or leader) of all these is the mind.

If actions are performed by the senses without the full involvement of the mind, then God does not take note of them. Actions done half-heartedly do not hold any spiritual weight. Love is the only true medium to reach God. Love, love—this is the essence of everything. 

Everyone knows how to love. Even animals and birds know how to love. And, above all, we all love ourselves, don’t we? Yes, we love ourselves, we love our Atma (soul). Every moment, whatever we do, we do it for our own happiness, for the satisfaction of our soul. No one has ever found true happiness in the world of Maya (illusion).

A person will continue to strive and make efforts until he finds happiness. The reason is simple: we are inherently part of happiness, and that is why the soul is always in search of it. Seeking happiness is a natural, fundamental aspect of our existence. Whether we are a tiny insect (like a patanga, a moth) or the creator of the universe (like Brahma), we all have one thing in common—we seek anand (bliss or happiness).

For the sake of happiness, some foolish people seek pleasure in the material world, while others, the wise ones, seek anand in God. This is the essential difference: it’s all about where one directs their search for happiness.

“The mind’s role is to do sumiran (remembrance), and this is why we direct the mind to do sumiran. But why the focus on doing sumiran on Radha Rani’s charan (feet) rather than her face? After all, in the material world, people typically focus on a person’s face. Whether it’s a mother, father, husband, or wife, we all admire the beauty of the face—the eyes, the smile—our attention naturally goes there. But the feet? Why the emphasis on them?”

Hands and feet are the same for everyone, and we rarely consider them with the same reverence or admiration. Why, then, is there an emphasis on doing sumiran of Radha Rani’s feet?  What is there to do in sumiran (remembrance)? How can we develop attachment there?  When someone is crazily in love with someone, don’t they just focus on the face alone?

Radha Rani’s body is divine, it is Chidanand—a body that is full of eternal consciousness and divine bliss. This means every part of her being is filled with infinite happiness. Whether you focus on her charan  (lotus feet) or her face, the nectar and bliss that are in her divine feet are the same as the bliss in her face.  

Unlike in the material world, where the face might be admired for its beauty and give pleasure, while the feet are often neglected or thought of as unattractive, every part of God’s body is the same—it is full of nectar and bliss. The entire body of God is made of bliss.

Let me give you a simple example. During Diwali, you must have seen sweets made from pure sugar, shaped into different forms like a man, a woman, a horse, an elephant, etc. Children often say, “Oh, I want the elephant,” or “I want that man,” and so on. Now, you give it to them, and they start eating it—its leg, its ear, whatever part of it—everything tastes the same, because it’s all made of sugar. Similarly, God’s body is filled with bliss, bliss, and only bliss. There is nothing more, nothing less.

So, the philosopher is telling the mind— the mind does the karm (actions), and God does not note the work of the senses. The work of the mind is to do sumiran (remembrance), and bhakti (devotion) is essentially sumiran. He is instructing the mind to focus on the sumiran of Radha Rani’s lotus feet (charan) because her body is Divine, Chidanand-maiye  –  full of eternal consciousness and divine bliss. Her body is divine, and she is the Supreme power. This is the ultimate truth. 

When we receive Radha Ran’s Grace, Maya will go. Maya is a power of God – Radha Rani’s power. Right now, it is controlling us, and it cannot leave us by any means. Even Viswamitra, who created a whole new heaven, could not escape Maya. To kill Vashishta, he sat behind his ashram with a weapon in hand, full of intense anger and  enmity.

With Radha Rani’s grace, Maya departs from us.  Without Radha Krishna, Maya cannot leave us. Everything comes under Radha Krishna: infinite Brahmas, infinite Vishnus, infinite Shivas, infinite goddesses and gods, infinite humans, infinite demons, both the animate and the inanimate—all are under their control. 

This is why we should meditate on Her charan (lotus feet)  and offer our devotion.  This is the true meaning of this line – “Man Karu  Sumiran Radhe Rani Ke Charan”  

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

*A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (‘Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World’) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by ‘Kashi Vidvat Parishad’ (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like ‘Prem Ras Madira’, ‘Prem Ras Siddhant’, and ‘Radha Govind Geet’ to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include  -  Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh,  Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharajji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education.