Aparokshanubhuti Lecture 02 Intro on 28-October-2026
Invocation
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।
Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadgurum।
पादपद्मेतयोस्त्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः।
pādapadmetayos tritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ।
ॐ श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानां आलयं करुणालयम्।
Oṃ śrutismṛtipurāṇānāṃ ālayaṃ karuṇālayam।
नमामि भगवत्पादं शङ्करं लोकशङ्करम्।
namāmi bhagavatpādaṃ śaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaram।
"I bow at the feet of Lord Bhagavatpāda Shankara, who is the abode (repository) of the Vedas (Śrutis), the Smritis, and the Puranas, who is an ocean of compassion, and who brings welfare and happiness to the entire world."
OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
Introduction
We have taken up the study of one of the secondary scriptures called अपरोक्षानुभूति Aparokṣānubhūti—direct experience that I am Brahman alone. That is called direct experience.
As I mentioned in my last class and many other classes, every experience that we have in this world is indirect, parokṣa. The Sanskrit word परोक्षा parokṣa means that which is indirect.
Why is it indirect? Because first the picture, for example, comes to the eye, then that eye presents it to the mind, and the mind presents it to the consciousness or buddhi, and then we will understand, oh, I see an object.
It is like, as I said, watching a football match on a monitor. But there is another kind of experience. Sri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful example that we see—somebody heard about sugar, somebody has seen sugar, but somebody has tasted sugar.
Hearing and seeing fall under indirect experience. Of course, some knowledge has come, but he doesn't know what is the nature of the sugar.
But the moment even one grain of sugar touches the tongue, immediately that is direct experience, aparokṣa anubhūti. Parokṣa means indirect, aparokṣa means direct.
And what is this knowledge? We are thinking that what we see is परोक्षा parokṣa, what we do not see, that is अपरोक्षा aparokṣa—what we see is direct, and that alone is the truth.
This world is real, God is unreal, because nobody sees or hears him, etc., and accepting for a few people called saints saying we have experienced God, nobody had done so.
So that is what most of us think, that God is indirect, we are not experiencing him directly, we are hearing about him, we are being taught about him, whereas we see things very directly.
That is the impression we get. On the contrary, every scripture tells us that whatever you experience through the five sense organs, through the body, through the mind, is indirect experience.
But in reality, since you are Brahman, whenever you say 'I' in ignorance, or ignorantly, we say I am the human, I am a human being, I am so and so, etc.
On the contrary, it is Brahman who has become the entire creation, but unfortunately we are not feeling him. Every liberated soul,जीवन्मुक्त jīvanmukta, feels that he is Brahman.
He is Brahman means there is no one separate from him. He knows it directly. But these ideas are very difficult to understand.
The प्रस्थानत्रयीPrasthāna Traya and प्रकरण ग्रन्थPrakaraṇa Granthas
That is why there are two types of books, main books, which are called प्रस्थानत्रयी Prasthāna Traya—Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā, and Brahma Sūtras.
And it is very difficult to understand them. Upaniṣads are very difficult, Bhagavad Gītā is much simpler, and Brahma Sūtras is created by Vedavyāsa to resolve the apparently seeming contradictions that we come across various Upaniṣads.
And that is what he wants to say in the first four chapters calledसमन्वय अध्याय Samanvaya Adhyāya. समन्वय Samanvaya means harmony. There is no disharmony between any given two Upaniṣads.
So these are the three books. All the three books have massive commentaries, taking from the simplest word meaning to the highest difficult commentaries by great ācāryas like Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Madhva, etc.
So they are called the main scriptures, प्रस्थानत्रयी Prasthāna Traya. But to make these scriptures understand properly, a different type of scriptures have been written by people. They are called प्रकरण ग्रन्थ Prakaraṇa Granthas.
We can translate them roughly as easily understandable textbooks. Of these textbooks, there are two types.
i)One type gives all Vedānta completely, but in a very shortened form, and also in very easily understandable language.
ii)But there are beginners who may not be able to understand them. For that kind of people, very beginners, they have written another type of book, secondary type of प्रकरण ग्रन्थ Prakaraṇa Granthas, which some of them, they give the basic terminology.
If you want to study physics, you must be familiar with certain words. Without that, you will not be able to understand. In mathematics, addition, multiplication, etc., they are the basic terms.
And instead of using long words, they have invented some symbols: plus, minus, into, and divided, etc., etc.
So the basic etymology, that is you are reading this word Brahman. What does Brahman mean? What does Ātman mean? What does Māyā mean?
So there are few books are there to explain these preliminary or introduction to the words that are used, terms that are used in these tough Vedāntic scriptures.
For example, one of the simplest introduction to this terminology to understand Vedānta is तत्त्वबोधःTattvabodha. तत्त्व Tattva means truth, bodha means teaching.
So what is Brahman, what is Ātman, what is Māyā, what is the body, what are the sense organs, what are the three types of experiences—waking, dream, deep sleep.
What are the पञ्चकोश Pañcakośas, five coverings that every prāṇī has got? And what does it mean to say 'I am Brahman' or 'You are that Brahman', etc.
So this is the simplest one. And I think anybody who is interested in Vedānta should first go through this terminology, otherwise later books will be difficult to understand.
But one who has thoroughly grasped these simplistic terms, it will be very easy for that person to wade through this beautiful teaching.
I say 'wade' because literally it is very confusing, and especially Hinduism seems to be too much confusing for many people.
So the whole Vedāntic teaching is so huge. Many ācāryas have decided to present these teachings in an easy format, and they are calledप्रकरण ग्रन्थ Prakaraṇa Granthas.
So as I said, some give a more elaborate explanation. So, for example, Vivekacūḍāmaṇi. It gives all the concepts, etc.
But as I mentioned, तत्त्वबोधः attvabodha is an introductory book to enter into the Vedāntic teaching. This is one definition.
And also, some of the secondary scriptures, प्रकरण ग्रन्थ Prakaraṇa Granthas are called secondary scriptures, they focus on a particular topic and then go into greater details.
अपरोक्षानुभूतिAparokṣānubhūti: Direct Experience
For example, this अपरोक्षानुभूति Aparokṣānubhūti. So we are all Brahman. According to Vedānta, there is no doubt about it.
God is the creator and we are the created. Every religion accepts it. But what type of creation is it?
Is it like a potter taking clay and fashioning pots, or is it like a wax garden where the wax is shaped into many different objects?
So this अपरोक्षानुभूति Aparokṣānubhūti wants to talk especially a few things. I will come to that.
But अनुभूति anubhūti means experience, अपरोक्षा aparokṣa means direct experience. It is not that after some time we are going to have a direct experience.
We are already Brahman. We do not need to see Brahman to experience Brahman. We are Brahman all the time.
We are Brahman. But unfortunately, we think we are not Brahman. We think we are something other than Brahman, like I am the body and the mind.
Why are we using different sentences like 'I think I am the body, I am the mind'?
Because the way we lay emphasis, if I am too much aware of the body, then I am the body.
If I am identified with my thoughts, whenever we identify our thoughts, I am happy, for example, I am unhappy, I am elated, I am a genius, I am a dull person.
These terms do not apply to the body. Body doesn't indicate. These are certain qualities of the intellect.
So when we feel happy or unhappy, momentarily we are experiencing our identity with the thoughts in the mind.
These are all thoughts. I am happy, I am unhappy, I am a man, I am a woman. These are all thoughts in the mind, vṛttis in the mind.
So one of the greatest of these प्रकरण ग्रन्थPrakaraṇa Granthas is विवेकाचूडामणि Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, and this तत्त्वबोधःTattvabodha, etc., we are advised that you must start with this basic terminology.
Like any technical terms for understanding any technical subject are needed, like that.
But Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, overall it gives the essence of everything. Thisअपरोक्षानुभूति Aparokṣānubhūti, which we are studying now, it is a Prakaraṇa grantha secondary scripture, and it wants to do a few things.
And this book, which we have taken up for study, is consisting of 144 verses. This book is attributed to Ādi Śaṅkara.
But I am quite familiar with Śaṅkarācārya's language. So whenever I read some of the ślokas here, I feel a little bit difficult to believe that such kind of writing, which is in a way compared to Śaṅkarācārya's writings,Which are poetical, almost poetical, lyrical, exquisitely beautiful, almost like poems, not a prose, and so easily understandable terms.But here tough words are not so tough. So I personally feel it is not Śaṅkarācārya's work.
But you know in our country how many thousands of books are attributed to the authorship of Vedavyāsa, every purāṇa, 36 purāṇas and all the division of the Vedas and the great what is called Bhagavad Gītā, the whole Mahābhārata.Excepting Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Bhagavad Gītā, Upaniṣads, they are all works of vedacharya,vyasacharya ,Vedavyāsa.
But I feel I think some of the works might be the works of the creations of some other authors.
And for two reasons, they attribute it to the great Vedavyāsa. One, these people are truly humble, only after studying the works of Vyāsācārya.
They have understood, and they want to dedicate: this is indirectly, it is a work of Vyāsācārya only.
So I don't want name and fame. I want people to benefit just by reading. I tried my best to simplify these Vyāsācārya's teachings.
So out of great humility and as a mark of reverence for both reasons, this Prakaraṇa, many of these works have been attributed to the authorship of Vedavyāsa.
Similarly, Śaṅkarācārya also, so many people: this is Śaṅkarācārya kṛta, written by Śaṅkarācārya himself.
And also, when we attribute it to somebody, if that somebody is accepted as an authority, these works also gain the same level of authority.
So for various reasons, but I think mostly out of great humility, 'I don't want, I don't care for my own name and fame, but I want to do some good, I want to serve myself to these people.'
Like that, many people attribute their authorship directly to Vedavyāsa or Śaṅkarācārya, etc. It's a very common thing.
So this is called a प्रकरण ग्रन्थ Prakaraṇa grantha which we had taken up. So even there also there are some small works, some big works, etc.
So this book is named अपरोक्षानुभूति Aparokṣānubhūti, direct knowledge that I am Brahman.
Direct vs. Indirect Knowledge
But of course, whenever we say it is direct knowledge, only until we realize that I am Brahman, it is not direct knowledge, it is indirect knowledge.
And whatever we experience in this world is definitely indirect knowledge. There is no such thing as direct experience, as I mentioned earlier.
And we have to keep that point all the time in the mind to get 100% knowledge of any object, we must become one with that object.
So until even though we are Brahman, because of ignorance, we think we are not.
Therefore, the conclusion is the consequences are nobody is ever going—I am going to God, I want to see God.
God dwells somewhere else, is separate from me. Although the ideas are completely mistaken notions.
What we have to say, I have to believe my teacher tells the scripture tells that I am Brahman.
But I am unable to comprehend because of my ignorance. Ignorance means identifying or denying my true nature and claiming I am something else.
So now, at this moment, when we are in the state of ignorance, Brahman's knowledge, the knowledge of Brahman, is parokṣa only.
Brahman as Sat-Cit-Ānanda
But Brahman is sat-cit-ānanda. Brahman is satyam, jñānam, anantam, and there is nothing in this world which is separate from Brahman.
Therefore, everything is Brahman. When I look at something, that is Brahman. The looker is also Brahman.
The seer is also Brahman, the scene is also Brahman, the experiencer is Brahman, the experienced is Brahman, the subject is Brahman, the object is also Brahman.
But we do not know it, so we have to start seeing, to follow the footsteps of a great mahāpuruṣa, great soul, and that is what is called following a teacher.
Therefore, we have to remember something very, very important. Brahman, or in simple terms God, is अपरोक्षानुभूति nitya aparokṣa.
If God is everything, then everything is God only, and nothing exists separate from him, because he is anantam, is infinite.
Then the question comes, if I am Brahman, how come that the scriptures tell us, Sri Ramakrishna tells us, you have to realize God, अपरोक्षा ज्ञानम् aparokṣa jñānam?
परोक्षा Parokṣa means remember in Sanskrit, indirect knowledge.
No, we never have direct knowledge either of any object in this world, but then from the Brahman's viewpoint, there is nothing excepting Brahman.
So I am Brahman, and what I am experiencing is also Brahman.
But this knowledge will come only after what we say, we progress in spiritual life.
Remember Taittirīya Upaniṣad, there are three types of joy:Moda (मोद), Pramoda (प्रमोद), and Ānanda (आनन्द)
Taittiriya Upanishad[Ananada Mimamsa]: Verse 2.5.2
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
तस्माद्वा एतस्माद्विज्ञानमयात् अन्योऽन्तर आत्माऽऽनन्दमयः। तेनैष पूर्णः।
स वा एष पुरुषविध एव। तस्य पुरुषविधताम् अन्वयं पुरुषविधः।
तस्य प्रियमेव शिरः।
मोदो दक्षिणः पक्षः।
प्रमोद उत्तरः पक्षः।
आनन्द आत्मा।
ब्रह्म पुच्छं प्रतिष्ठा। तदप्येष श्लोको भवति॥२॥
tasmād vā etasmād vijñānamayāt anyo ’ntara ātmā ānandamayaḥ | tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ | sa vā eṣa puruṣavidha eva | tasya puruṣavidhatām anvayaṃ puruṣavidhaḥ | tasya priyam eva śiraḥ | modo dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ | pramoda uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ | ānanda ātmā | brahma pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā | tad apy eṣa śloko bhavati ||2||
When I desire some object, think that object can make me very happy, the knowledge of that object is called moda.
And I become certain that object is existing, that is called मोद moda.
When I experience or see that object directly in front of me, I touch it, I smell it, I see it, I hear it, I touch it, etc., that is called प्रमोद pramoda.
Still, both these moda pramoda are indirect experiences only.
But as soon as I said one grain of sugar touches my tongue, then that is the direct experience, we call it आनन्दānanda.
So in this अपरोक्षानुभूतिAparokṣānubhūti book, both direct knowledge and indirect knowledge, both are analyzed in detail.
God as Everything
What we need to understand is, according to Advaita Vedānta, or even Dvaita Vedānta, God is everything. That is why whenever we chant Puruṣasūktam or Nārāyaṇasūktam, etc.
सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः।
sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ।
Whatever we see, some head we see, that is God's head, some hand God's hand, some eye God's eye.
So some leg God's leg only. So who is seeing? God is seeing, who is hearing? God is hearing.
And who is experiencing? God is experiencing. Whom is God experiencing? God is experiencing God only.
So if Brahman is infinity, then there is no question of me separately existing from anything infinite which is Brahman or God.
But Brahman manifests in the form of consciousness. Whenever we get any type of knowledge, it is only because of awareness, consciousness.
And without awareness, the world doesn't exist at all. When we say I see or hear, it means I am conscious, there is something there, and that consciousness is modified in that particular five-fold manner: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, etc.
And mind also is nothing but Brahman. Remember, Brahman manifested first as the five subtle elements called तन्मात्र tanmātrās, then they became grossified and divided and mixed up.
That is, combination of both these is what we call life, both the mind as well as the body.
So no one is away from Brahman, no one can be away from Brahman. It is not possible.
But still, it is not our direct experience, for that we have slowly give up our identity.
As we saw in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, every time we give up identity with the grossest covering, then we are including it as myself in the next level.
That is like climbing a staircase. A house has got five stories, I have to reach the roof.
Then as Ramakrishna says, the same material which is with which the roof is made is also the same material with which the whole house is made.
That is called direct experience,अपरोक्षानुभूति aparokṣa anubhūti.
So do not get confused between parokṣa and aparokṣa. परोक्षा Parokṣa means indirect,अपरोक्षा aparokṣa, not indirectly, directly. That is called aparokṣa, अनुभूति anubhūti means experience.
Self-Ignorance and Self-Knowledge
And at this moment, we are not aware of it. Why? Because we are having self-ignorance.
What is self-ignorance? Ignorance of who I am, who you are, one's own self. And this ignorance has come in between.
It is not our nature, somehow it came like a cover, it hides the sun of knowledge, therefore we have to remove it.
And ignorance can be destroyed, can be removed only by right knowledge, that is called self-knowledge, and that is called Brahma Vidyā—knowledge of the self, knowledge of Brahman.
So the point is, nobody lacks Brahma experience. We are experiencing only Brahman.
Rather, I better put it this way: Brahman alone is experiencing Brahman. But because of ignorance, I am thinking I am not Brahman, and what I am experiencing is also not Brahman.
Because once I come to know who I am, I will come to know the entire creation is not different, separate from me.
So actually, some of the teachers tell us, there is no need to work for Brahmajñānam. We don't want to acquire knowledge, we want to destroy the ignorance.
It's a funny way of putting: when a room is dark, if many things are there, I cannot see because of darkness.
As soon as light is brought up, you are not bringing things, things are already there.
So what does the knowledge do? It doesn't give us the knowledge of the objects, it drives away darkness, and that is it.
So we are Brahman's nature is consciousness, and we are conscious of everything: our body, our mind, external world.
Therefore, it is Brahman, another name for consciousness, which is sat-cit-ānanda.
The Role of the Guru
But why this book then? So one Swami gives beautiful example: so you have heard of a great person, and you have never seen him.
So one day he comes along with your friend, and then your friend, you are already remember a fan of that person, maybe a great actor, actress, musician.
So one day he comes along with your friend, you see him, but you may not recognize him. But you have a friend, what does he do? This is so and so.
Ah, I have heard about you, and I have read what you have spoken, what I understood, I agree with that. I am glad.
So an already known knowledge, but indirectly, is through the introduction of the guru.
Guru is our friend, God only comes in the form of the guru. And scripture comes in the form of the guru.
There is no difference between scripture, guru, and God. We have to remember: Gurur Brahmā, Gurur Viṣṇuḥ.
So instead of saying that, we say consciousness is everything, and because of consciousness, I am aware of this is me, I am aware this is you, etc.
Therefore, direct experience of Brahman is not a new experience, but like an introduction: oh, now I know whom I am seeing, now I know I am Brahman.
So that is what the book wants to introduce to us. Which book? Aparokṣānubhūti.
Important Themes
So there are certain important teachings, themes. What are they? Identity of Ātman and Brahman. That is one of the most important things.
You are that Brahman. If you are not, you will never have direct knowledge of Brahman.
The Main Theme: Identity of Ātman and Brahman
Because if there is world, world means what? You can never be one with the world as an object, but you can be one with the world in the form of Brahman.
This is also, I am also Brahman, you are also Brahman, etc.
So that is the main theme, and why do we not know this? Because of ignorance, is called avidyā from an individual point of view, and Vidyā alone can remove avidyā.
When we come to know that I am not the body mind, that's called liberation.
So liberation is my nature, but because of ignorance I think like a king dreaming that he is a beggar.
So he is dreaming. As soon as he wakes up, he knows, I am not a beggar, I thought I was a beggar, I was miserable, now I know I am the emperor of this whole earth.
So the purpose of this book is to teach us, and teaching is that which destroys ignorance.
Distinction from the Non-Self and Mithyā
And then what is distinction from the non-self? So what is the next thing? Once I come to know I am Brahman, I come to know everything is Brahman.
So there is no distinction. Until that time, ignorance means I am different, you are different, I am separate, you are separate, etc.
And then the illusion, मिथ्या mithyā. What is मिथ्या mithyā? I think you are separate from me, and you are changing, this body is also changing, this mind also is changing, that is called mithyā.
So this destruction of mithyā is called ज्ञानम् jñānam.
The Four Prerequisites
But in order to acquire that knowledge, we must develop certain qualifications, they are called prerequisites.
If you want to enter into medical college, you require certain prerequisites. You must have not knowledge of poetry, knowledge of literature, but knowledge, chemistry, biology, zoology, physics, etc., certain things are necessary.
So we know, we have seen inविवेकाचूडामणि Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, I hope it's all familiar, four distinct qualifications are beautifully described with the most simple but extraordinary, exquisite definitions by great Śaṅkara himself.
Who many believe is the author of this Aparokṣānubhūti, but as I said, personally I think it is somebody else.
Sheer logically, through the style, by studying the style of the ślokas that he composed.
But it doesn't matter, that's a very insignificant detail. What are these four?विवेक Viveka, वैराग्य,Vairāgya, शमदमादि-षट्क-सम्पत्ति Śamādamādi ṣaṭka sampatti, and मुमुक्षुत्वम्Mumukṣutva.
You already know, but we are going to discuss also, we have to discuss until we realize God, these subjects, these qualifications have to be developed, and they must become natural for us.
विवेक, Viveka means discrimination between what is unchanging, what is real, and what is always changing.
वैराग्य, Vairāgya means, since everything is changing, love is changing, happiness is changing, life is changing, I must have that knowledge that anything can change at any time, including my own body mind.
And therefore, I should not be unduly attached, on the contrary, I should be able to use it in a very intelligent manner to reach my goal.
And this is called वैराग्य vairāgya, whatever is changing, be non-attached to it, so that it should what is non-attachment?
That means if something which is changing changes, love changes, happiness changes, etc., we should not be affected by it, okay?
That is the nature of everything, etc.
And in order to get विवेक viveka andवैराग्य vairāgya, God has given us a certain body and mind, so we must have six qualities: शमदमादि-षट्क-सम्पत्ति śama, dama, uparati, etc.
which of course we will discuss later on, some amount of good control over the body, over the mind, etc., and concentration, and faith in God, and we must be able to have that willpower to hold on to something even if our whole mind rebels against it.
Whatever I know to be good, I must hold on, and tremendous longing is called मुमुक्षुत्वम् mumukṣutvam.
So that is what we need to understand it.
Entering the Text Proper
So with this background, we will enter into the text proper.
So śloka number one, and every Indian author thanks God.
I have seen many western authors, they thank: I am grateful for inspiring me and successfully doing for that professor, for that teacher, for that friend, for that person's suggestions, or it is dedicated to my wife, etc., etc.
But every Indian author, at least most of them, they attribute the authorship to the grace of God.
And without the grace of God, it's not at all possible for us to even to speak, to think, let alone become a poet, a good writer, or let alone shine in any field of life.
Whether as a sportsman, as an actor or actress, as a singer, as a musician, or as even as a good cook, no, it's only God manifesting:
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्ति-रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
(Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shakti-rupena samsthita. Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah.)दुर्गा-सप्तशती markandeya Purana durgā-saptaśatī - chapter-5, verse-18- markandeya Purana
And Bhagavad Gītā tells us so beautifully,
यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा ।
तत्देवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम् ॥ 41॥
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ śhrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagachchha tvaṁ mama tejo ’nśha-sambhavam
whenever you see any greatness in any person, any object, not necessarily a human living being, a mighty river.
That is me only manifesting in the form of the river, as Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Sarasvatī, Kāverī, etc.ग
गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वति
नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् संनिधिं कुरु ॥ [1]Gange ca yamune caiva godāvari sarasvati
narmade sindhu kāveri jale'smin sannidhim kuru [1]
Great Himalayas, mountain peaks, whether it is in India, Nepal, or Switzerland, or America, that which inspires us, any object, huge lake, huge forest, wonderful building, wonderful painting.
Only talented people are manifesting God's power in that particular mould.
So music is a mould, architecture is a mould, scholarship is a mould, etc. Even AI is a mould.
It doesn't simply descend. That is the law, psychological law. What is it? You must have tremendous passion: I must discover something, I must have higher knowledge.
Then you have to work your bestest that is possible, and then one day suddenly God manifests in the form of creative ideas.
That's called AI. So everything is God, and the scripture's purpose is to tell there is no I or you or we, everything is manifestation of Brahman.
Therefore, Brahman himself is manifesting in the form of each individual opportunities, food, water, etc.
So thanks to God. God alone is doing his own work for himself, that is the conclusion.
Maṅgala Śloka
So the first śloka goes like that,
it is a prayer to God, as we have seen before studying any Upaniṣad, we have Śāntipāṭha.
The same thing is done here, it is called मङ्गलश्लोकाः maṅgala śloka, that is saluting the divine Lord and cherishing an attitude of gratefulness.
It this first śloka goes like this:
श्रीहरिं परमानन्दमुपदेष्टारमीश्वरम् ।
व्यापकं सर्वलोकानां कारणं तं नमाम्यहम् ॥ १॥
Śrīharim paramānandam upadeṣṭāram īśvaram,
vyāpakaṃ sarvalokānāṃ kāraṇāntaṃ namāmyaham.
I bow down to him who is called श्रीहरिंŚrīhari.श्रीहरिं Śrīhari, what is the meaning? I'll come to that. Destroyer of ignorance.
And he is of the nature of what? Supreme bliss. And who is the first teacher? God is the first teacher.
ब्रह्मा देवानां प्रथमः सम्बभूव॥
Brahmā devānāṃ prathamo sambabhūva. [Mundaka Upanishad1.1.1]
He is called Īśvara also, Īśvara, the all-pervading one. He is all-pervading. All-pervading means what? Accepting him nothing is there.
If you say he is infinite, every thing in that infinite is nothing but infinity only.
So we see whenever we are studying the Bṛhadāraṇyaka upanishad /Isavasya Upaniṣad,
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate,
Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇameva Avaśiṣyate.
And the cause of all creation, the whole universe, because he is only, is not creating, is manifesting himself in this particular form.
When Brahman is not manifesting, he is called Brahman. When Brahman is manifesting, in Vedāntic language, he is called Īśvara, or in the words of Sri Ramakrishna, Brahman and Śakti are one and the same.
When there is activity, and by activity Sri Ramakrishna meant creation, preservation, and recycling.
When our mind thinks there is no creation, it's no activity, that's called Brahman. When there is activity, then I call it Śakti. Śakti means energy, energy means activity.
Meaning of Śrīhari
So Śrīharim, every word has its own meaning.श्री Śrī is मङ्गल maṅgala.
That's why Lakṣmī Devī's name is श्री Śrī. That's why whenever we utter Sri Ramakrishna's word, we say Śrī Ramakrishna, Śrī Śrī Mā, Śrī Rāma, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, etc.
श्री Śrī is a very beautiful word. Śrī means that which contains every wonderful quality is called Śrī.
That's why even in Lalitāsahasranāma, every first nāma, name, nāma means name, probably from that word nāma only the English word had come, name, nāma, many Sanskrit words have become part of the other literature, other languages.
Especially English, they borrowed so many things.
हरिं Harim, if you understand, if you recollect the story of Ramakrishna, of the family of goldsmiths, Hara Hara, steal away this person is a dull dull person, not very intelligent person.
He brought some gold, so take away some gold. Hari Hari, okay, it is I have already looked at his face, I have done the job even before you have told me because so many times I you have told me and I know now what to do.
हरिं Hari means he who destroys. What does what can God destroy? Anything that is non-God.
God is of the nature of knowledge. What can knowledge destroy? Ignorance.
Attributes of the Lord
So I bow down to God who is having these epithets. And what is his this nature?परमानन्दम् Paramānandam, आनन्दस्वरूपम् ānanda svarūpam, incomparable bliss.
What does it mean? It means that bliss which can never be broken, limited by time, space, and object.
उपदेष्टारम् Upadeṣṭāram, he is the first teacher, because somebody has to teach. That is why the creator Brahmā is depicted often as four faces, indicating that he is of the embodiment of knowledge, and in Sanskrit knowledge is called Veda.
Veda means knowledge. So he is the embodiment of knowledge. He is the first, he created the world, and he taught this Brahmavidyā.
He is the first teacher, and Īśvara, Īśvara means he who is both material as well as intelligent cause.
So we have discussed that idea earlier, just to recollect briefly: when we see a pot, the pot is the result of two types of causes.
Clay is called the material cause, and the potter have that intellect to say: I want to shape this clay in this particular form and make it permanent as far as possible by kneading it, removing all rubbish, and shaping it on a wheel, and then baking it so that it can last for some time.
So he is Bhagavān Īśvara is both the material as well as efficient cause.
That is what exactlyr Sri Ramakrishna means by Śakti. Śakti, Īśvara, Brahman, only Īśvara means saguna brahma, creator.
Śakti means saguna brahma, creatrix. And what is the nature? He is anantam. व्यापकं सर्वलोकानां Vyāpakaṃ sarvalokānām. He is the व्यापकं vyāpakam, is all-pervading.
That all-pervading means not like space pervading everywhere, every pot, no.
It means he alone is the truth. I don't exist, nothing else exists, there is no second object, only one object, and that is Brahman.
So that is expressed here. He is everywhere. For the sake of the sādhanā, spiritual practice, we will have to say सर्वलोकानां व्यापकं sarvalokānāṃ vyāpakam, like clay manifests itself in every pot, every what is a pot? A form, a shape, a size, that's all. It is nothing but only clay.
So what is this creation? Nothing but creator. Creator with name and form is called creation.
Creation without name and form is called creator. And when there is no nāma rūpa, even that epithet cause also disappears.
And from him the whole universe is manifested, Tvam kāraṇam (त्वं कारणम्), he is the supreme material out of whom all the universes have come.
We have to say all the creation has come, taṃ namāmyaham. I salute, I bow down, I surrender myself.
For what purpose? So that this work I am I have undertaken to write for the for my own welfare, and for everybody's welfare.
That is a prayer, like शान्तिपाठ Śāntipāṭha. Kindly remove every obstruction and bestow me with what? Like Kālidāsa says, that both with the correct word and also a beautifully formulated word with the correct meaning.
When we use language, we have to take care that the words we use correspond to their right meanings.
Otherwise, knowledge cannot be conveyed. When I mean something and I use another word, we have to be convinced.
Summary of the First Śloka
So this first śloka is called maṅgala śloka. Here the Lord is invoked for the successful completion of the text of this Aparokṣānubhūti.
And it is not only this author, whenever we get up in the morning, would say a new creation has started.
After deep sleep, a new creation has come. And if I go on thinking him, thinking of him, I must slowly manifest his nature.
First, I know I exist because of his existence.
I know I am conscious, and because of his consciousness, and I am I know whenever I am happy, that is because of his nature, which is ānanda svarūpa.
Thus, I am sat-cit-ānanda.
So what is the summary of this first śloka? Īśvara darśana, realization that everything is Īśvara, means learning to see this world itself as viśvarūpa darśana.
What is the author saying? This world that you see, my friend, in front of you, is nothing but God.
And you are not seeing so far this world as God. And that world includes even you.
So first learn that you do not exist, only God exists. Your body is God's body, your mind is God's body.
And once you learn that, you will understand easily everybody's body is only God's body, everybody's mind is also God's mind.
So the author bows to Śrī Hari as limitless fullness, the all-pervading source, and the substance of creation, and the teacher through whom spiritual knowledge is transmitted.
He is the creator, he is the teacher, and he is the student, he is the teaching, he is everything.
Second Śloka: Means and Purpose
Now, briefly we will proceed to the second śloka.
अपरोक्षानुभूतिर्वै प्रोच्यते मोक्षसिद्धये ।
सद्भिरेषा प्रयत्नेन वीक्षणीया मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ २॥
Aparokṣānubhūti vai procyate mokṣasiddhaye,
sadbhireva prayatnena vikṣaṇīyā muhurmuhuḥ.
So this in this second verse śloka is expounded the how to attain to that knowledge, Brahmavidyā, that I am Brahman.
So what is the means? What is the pathway to that aparokṣānubhūti, self-realization, direct experience, not by books?
And for what purpose? For achieving that liberation.
I am not going to achieve liberation. I am ever liberated, but I am thinking at this moment I am bound by the body, by the mind, by limitations, by finitude.
No. So who can get benefit from reading this book? Only the pure in heart should constantly, and with all their power, make effort to meditate upon the truth herein taught.
Aparokṣānubhūti—this work which I specially I have undertaken to expound, what for?प्रोच्यते मोक्षसिद्धये । Procyate mokṣasiddhaye, for the purpose of attaining mokṣa or liberation.
What is the purpose of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna? मोक्ष Mokṣa. What is the purpose of the Gospel of Holy Mother? मोक्ष Mokṣa.
What is the purpose of every scripture in the world?मोक्ष Mokṣa.
What is mokṣa? To know that I am never bound, and I am never going to be bound.
But so long as I think, like in a dream, somebody bound me and beating me black and blue, and a blow had come, specially strong blow, and that woke me up from the dream,
and then I realize it was only my thought, it is not reality.
So to understand that I am Brahman, I was never bound, I am ever free, I was, I am, I will be.
But to get rid of that ignorance, सद्भि: sadbhiḥ, by good people, spiritual aspirants, pure people, प्रयत्नेन वीक्षणीया prayatnena vikṣaṇīyā, they must study this work muhurmuhuḥ, again and again and again.
Preparing the Ground: Qualifications of a Studentअनुबन्धचतुष्टय
So from this second verse beginning, and to several verses, I think nine or ten verses, this author, let us say Śaṅkarācārya himself, prepares the ground for the teaching.
And what does preparing the ground means? That I must be a fit student.
You don't simply take a baby and put him in the college. He has to be accustomed to go to the kindergarten, play there, and be comfortable with other children,
and slowly slowly he will be learning a little bit of new word, some objects through living examples, etc., through play, through drawing, etc.
And gradually, as he passes through the elementary school, middle school, high school, then college, and then after completing master's degree, then only he can enter into the PhD class.
So four conditions are here, described, which tells us whether we are fit students even to read this book or not.
Of course, you are free as a free citizen, you can buy this book, you can borrow this book, you can read this book, you can teach this book.
That's a different issue. But it is meant for the destruction of ignorance, and if that has to take place, we have to develop or we have to become fit students.
And we have to take the right book with the right intention.
They are called four conditions, even before I enter into the study. And about these four conditions, which are in Sanskrit called अनुबन्धचतुष्टय anubandha catuṣṭaya.
चतुष्टयCatuṣṭaya means fourfold. अनुबन्धAnubandha means necessary conditions, even to read this book, much less understand, etc.
अनुबन्धचतुष्टयAnubandha catuṣṭaya. We will talk about them in our next class.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।
Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadgurum।
पादपद्मेतयोस्त्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः।
pādapadmetayos tritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ।
May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!