Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 32 on 10 May 2026 Q&A

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Maharaj, in Devi Mahatmyam, Shumbha and Nishumbha, it is said that they take over the roles of Vayu, Agni and they control everything. So, I want to confirm my understanding Maharaj. So, symbolically, is it right in understanding that Shumbha and Nishumbha as lust and greed, they take over the quality of air or quality of, they destroy, so it relates to pollution.

Okay, let me, I understand your question, let me answer you. So, our problem is, these are demons. Demons representing Kama and Krodha, lust and anger.

How could such people overtake the Devas? That would be the first question. Yes Maharaj. Our understanding should be, because the scripture itself doesn't explain it properly, because these are things like parables, we have to ponder over them and then the meaning slowly comes out.

Okay? Okay. So, earlier also I explained, who are the Devas who acquired, who are endowed with divine qualities. As a result, they get punya.

As a result, they get these posts. As a result, they are given the privilege of enjoying higher happiness. But in course of time, you will have to maintain those qualities.

So, they are endowed with Kama and Krodha. And then they become Asuras. Asuras become Asuras.

Now, these Asuras, they realise, then they do austerities. Inevitably, every Purana tells how Bhasmasura, Narakasura, Ravanasura, all these Asuras have acquired their power by acquiring divine qualities. How did they get boons? Because they acquired through tapasya, austerity, these marvellous things.

So, now they replace Devatas because of that punya karma. And in course of time, they will also become corrupt. They forget.

And then, so these Devatas will come. When they fall, they understand, we have fallen because of our own misbehaviour. And then they adopt to Satya and Dharma.

What should be done? And they do it. And that is presented in the form of prayer to the Divine Mother. Otherwise, we will be committing a terrible mistake.

These Devatas are darlings of Divine Mother. And whether they are good or bad, she will destroy people whom she doesn't like. That misunderstanding should not come.

That understanding of the miss should not come. Missing the understanding is called misunderstanding. So, this person, they must have done it.

Tapasya. How do we know? It's Vaishya and Suradha. Both of them did tapasya.

Divine Mother herself told, if you have these desires, you will have to worship me. And three years they worshipped. And they offered their own blood.

That means they are ready. They used their life to please the Divine Mother. Not simply take a blade and cut your body.

Okay. So, the Divine Mother must have given that buddhi. Then they acquired divine qualities.

And those divine qualities, they deserved. So, they could defeat all these people. This is also true when we are in the lower stages of evolution.

We are nothing but demons. Asuras. Asura means what? Identification with the body.

Identification with the sense organs. And then become slaves to these sense objects. Isn't it? Yes, Maharaj.

Shumbha and Nishumbha. So, they have become symbolic of lust and anger. But how did they conquer? Because they must have done tapasya.

That means they must have corrected their lives. And they drove out Indrachandra. Which means they are drivable jobs.

So, because they are drivable, not permanent. So, even these people also have been driven away from that position later on. So, this is the process of evolution.

We go up. We go down. Finally, buddhi awakens.

Then we approach the right teacher. This is the symbolism. Not simply.

Otherwise, Divine Mother is partial. She is partial to some of her children and very badly behaving towards other children. No.

She is giving medicine, bitter medicine to children who are suffering from the disease. Okay? You understood? Somewhat, Maharaj. I will think over it.

Tapasya. Do tapasya. Maharaj, may I ask a question? Sure.

Maharaj, our teenager kids who are living in the USA, their faith gets shaken by their peers because they downplay our caste system. Like you explained the caste system today. So, how can we convince our kids so they can have staunch faith in their religion? Okay.

The first point is none can influence anybody else. Everybody, every one of us are completely powerless. You have to understand it clearly.

Just because you love your children and want them to change their lives, not going to happen. It should come from within themselves. Okay? Yes, Maharaj.

So, we don't have power even to change our own selves. We know many things but we can't change. Is it not? Yes.

Yes, Maharaj ji. Where is the question of trying to change other person's life? We don't have that power at all. So, we can only as parents, we must teach them that you have every right to enjoy your life.

But there are certain rules and regulations. Somebody has written a beautiful book, Life is a Game. And just like there are rules for any game to be played, life also has got those rules.

And those rules are what we discussed today, Satyam and Dharma. For that purpose, a person has to wide open his eyes or her eyes and see what is happening to the other people who are following a particular lifestyle. So, that awakening must come from within themselves.

But before that there should be some examples. And those examples for the children will be the parents. So, every parent must question, instead of wishing, let our children follow certain ways.

Am I following myself? And if I am following myself, I should be the happiest person on earth. One of the most fulfilled life I am leading. That is the inevitable result if we really believe in our scriptures and follow them.

And when the children, they learn more from what? From examples rather than our empty words. So, this is the answer. First, let us try to lead the life.

And then we can advise them out of love. But we don't have the power to change them. So, they have to evolve from within themselves.