Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 58 on 09 August 2026

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Invocation

ओं जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुं, पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः.

Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadguruṃ, pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ.

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

Introduction: The Commandments of the Upaniṣad

In our yesterday class, Yājñavalkya commanded – as it were, tavya-pratyaya – imperative commandment: ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ – "The Ātman should be realised." How to realise the Ātman? So śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana – so we said ātmā vā are śrotavyaḥ – equivalent to śravaṇa; mantavyaḥ – manana; nididhyāsitavyaḥ – nididhyāsana. So draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ – these are the commandments of the Upaniṣad itself, the Vedas themselves. And that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa exactly says: "God realisation is the only goal of life." When Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says it is the only goal of life, that means there is no choice. We might mistake some other things as the goals of life, but ultimately we are forced to retreat from all these goals and turn back towards God.

The Four Āśramas as Mental States

And that is called Vānaprasthāśrama. Gṛhasthāśrama is outward‑looking, outgoing, getting attached to temporary things. But Vānaprasthāśrama slowly withdraws the mind and directs it towards God. So turn your direction – the turning direction from the outward to inward – that is called vānaprastha. When it progresses, he will be able successfully to cut himself off from every attachment as a mental process, and that is what is called sanyāsa.

The Choice Is Limited

So again and again in Jñāna Mārga especially, but exactly the same meaning is to be understood: whatever path, withdraw from the external, face the internal, go beyond both external and internal. But the choice is limited. First, we have to withdraw from the external. And for that, we have to pay more attention to the internal. Once that is done, only then we will have the opportunity to go beyond everything – from the ground floor to the first floor, second, third, fourth, fifth, and then to the roof. But when we go to the roof, we have to understand we have to go even beyond the fifth storey. Then what happens? We get the knowledge: the whole building – what is it made of? The same material as the roof.

Fanaticism Is Against Hinduism

So according to many of the preachers, Jñāna Mārga is the only way – there is no other way. They are so fanatical about this, which is against the spirit of Hinduism – andhāḥ paramayānāyāḥ – it is like the blind leading the blind. Ever. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: anyone, provided he wants to realise God and is very sincere about it, can realise God through any path. In fact, God Himself, moved by the sincerity of the aspirant, takes him to the right teacher who tells him the right path and how much he has to go forward, when to stop for some time, and then move forward from the beginning until he reaches God.

A Guru Is Necessary

A Guru is necessary. Śāstra is very valuable but difficult to understand. Śāstra sometimes could be confusing also. That is why once there was a conversation by a disciple with his Guru Swami Brahmanandaji. The disciple asked a question: "What happens – can a Guru give God realisation?" We have to understand here: Guru means not an ordinary Guru, but a jñānī of Brahma like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, Swamiji, Yājñavalkya, Ramana Maharṣi, Mīrābāī, Tulasīdāsa, etc., etc. So such a Guru is not teaching anything of his own – he just becomes a beautiful instrument. Only God takes hold of that body and mind, and it is God only who is speaking. In that light only we have to understand Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu, etc.

Infinite God, Infinite Ways

So since God is infinite, nobody should say that one can reach God only through one path. Infinite is God, infinite are the ways. Infinite are the realisations, but all of them end in that single state – complete non‑difference from Brahman.

Mantra 1 – Yājñavalkya's Announcement

In this background, let us continue what we have been talking about. In the very first mantra – I think we have done the first and second mantras, but there is no harm. So Yājñavalkya announced his intention. The words that are used here are beautiful. So he says: Yājñavalkya announces to both his wives – Maitreyī and Kātyāyanī – udyāsyān vā are aham asmāt sthānāt – "I am about to shift my place from this place to that place." Sthāna means a place. But here we have to understand sthāna means from one stage of life to another stage – from Gṛhasthāśrama to Sanyāsāśrama. That also opens our insight – should open our insight – that Yājñavalkya need not go again through the third stage called Vānaprasthāśrama, because these are all, as I explained earlier, mental states – they have nothing to do with externality. So even a Brahmacāryāśrama student, if he does not have the desire to learn something and if he is not very serious about it, he would not be progressing at all – he can find many excuses why he is not able to continue his studies.

Changing the Relationship

Hantate anayā kātyāyanayā antam kariṣyāmi iti – "Now I was a husband until this time, an enlightened husband, a jñānī of Brahma, and I want to bring my gṛhastha relationship to an end." Not that Yājñavalkya wants to renounce – "I will have nothing to do with you. I have become a monk. I become heartless, becoming completely indifferent and not caring what happens to others" – that is certainly not a state of sanyāsa. He says: "I will change my relationship. I would no longer be a husband. I would rather be a sannyāsī." A sannyāsī is a Jagadguru if he is a real sannyāsī.

Offering the Possessions

And then he says that he offers to Maitreyī – what happened? Did he not offer this one to Kātyāyanī? He called both of them and said: "Whatever possessions I have, I divide among both of you." So I am not leaving you just on the street. But then Kātyāyanī was not serious about spiritual life – it does not mean she was a bad person. She was a satī, a chaste woman, and she served her husband very well. But the time for her to take up the spiritual life, especially of sanyāsa life, has not occurred. It will come in course of time – she is also progressing. After all, the company of such a great soul for such a long time must have been very enlightening and encouraging and strengthening the will. The people in the olden days had more faith – like as the Bible says, very few people had distrust in God.

Equal Division

So he offered half of his possessions equally to both his wives. Kātyāyanī accepted, but she had no further desire for anything else. But as we have seen, Maitreyī asked one question: "Will I be attaining liberation? Will I become immortal by accepting through the means of money, possessions, property?" And categorically Yājñavalkya says: "No – your life will be comfortable."

Comfort vs. Happiness

And we also discussed – you have to keep it in mind – comfort and happiness are quite two separate things. A person may be very comfortable – air‑conditioned room, beautiful bed, wonderful massaging chair, everything can be there – but it does not mean he is the least bit more happy than a poor person. This distinction between possessions – plenty of possessions – and happiness is not understood by most of these so‑called billionaires and millionaires. They did not, because if they understood, then they would not go after money. Devil is there – so many people regretfully acknowledged later on: "I was mad. Now it is too late for me to change myself." Of course, no time is too late, but "I have missed my bus" – as they say – "I could have been much more happy. Now I realise…"

You Can Have, But Not Enjoy

There is a saying – I do not remember – "You can have a house, but you can be restless. You can have a bed, but it does not mean you can sleep well. You can have food, but it does not mean you can enjoy." Like that, the list goes on and on. These things can contribute, but they do not produce happiness, contentment, etc. All of us have to keep that in mind. Some money is necessary, some safety is necessary, some savings are necessary. But what we are after – even I am not saying anything about spiritual happiness – even if we want worldly happiness, it requires a certain state of the mind. That is so very important. I do not know how many of us really realise this fact, even from the worldly point of view – we require a certain mindset.

Happiness Is a State of Mind

Happiness is a state of the mind; unhappiness is a state of the mind. Peace is a state of the mind; restlessness is a state of the mind. Contentment, fulfilment – these are all states of the mind, and terrible whatever a person gets – if he is not happy, that is also a state of the mind. This distinction – he who possesses it is called a wise man. But most of the people equate more possessions with more happiness – that is completely wrong.

Maitreyī's Question Answered

So Maitreyī's query or question was categorically answered by Yājñavalkya: "No – they can make you comfortable, but they will not give you – not to speak of liberation – but even ordinary happiness. A person may not get even the slightest happiness, which a hungry man can get by eating common food, a thirsty man can get by drinking plain water – even ice cream – only screaming will be the result and nothing else."

The Deep Question

So "the money which you are offering – pṛthivī vitteṇa pūrṇā syāt" – did Yājñavalkya possess so much money? Does he own the whole universe? No. But then Maitreyī's question was so deep – we have to appreciate – our thinking: even by some chance, "You are the emperor of this entire universe, Earth, and you give the whole thing to me – will I get liberation?" – "No." – "Will I be happy?" – "No. But you will be comfortable." This is the distinction between comfort and happiness.

Comfort Does Not Guarantee Happiness

So he says: just like upakaraṇavatām jīvitam – those who have got a beautiful bed, a beautiful house, a beautiful chair, nice food – like that, they can contribute, but there is no guarantee that they will contribute. Tathā eva te jīvitam syāt – "Your life also will be like rich people's life." And he did not say, but we have to understand how many rich people are free from worry. A poor man can open his doors and then sleep peacefully, knowing that there is nobody who wants to come inside, because he knows "I myself want, but there is nothing with me." But a rich man has everything to worry – including whether somebody is planning to kill him so that they can make all his property their own – including family members – he can also become suspicious of them. So your life also will be – can be comfortable. Even comfortable things may not give comfort.

The Example of Asthma

You see, it is said when a person is suffering from asthma, like Swami Śivānanda, in whichever position he tries to sit – half‑recline, recline – he never gets any satisfaction. He cannot breathe properly. Finally, he resorted to meditation. Later on, he remarked: "I was so unhappy because I could not breathe properly – asthma – but not seeing any position comfortable, I merged in meditation." Then he made a remark: "This is an old man's meditation" – meaning I have been successfully meditating for a very long time since a long time – therefore, immediately my mind became absorbed, and then I did not find any discomfort, and when I came out of that state, that comfort is still lingering – now I do not have any problem.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was suffering from unimaginable throat pain. And then one day it was too much – perhaps his mind plunged in samādhi. He came back – this we find the chapter at Kāśīpur – and then he said: "Now I do not have any pain. There I see – let me half‑reclining – I see God Himself is half‑reclining." In that state, whatever he perceives will be only perception of Brahman, perception of God. So meditation also has got greatest benefits.

Meditation vs. Money

Nowadays, so many people – their experience – some of them are experienced – they go on praising even the greatest amount of money or comforts. What they cannot give, meditation can give. After all, happiness is a state of mind. And what is happiness? Having no desires, because the mind remains absolutely still, calm, and quiet, like the face of the Buddha – and through meditation, a person can remain whatever be the external circumstances. So Yājñavalkya categorically says: "Your life would be just like the life of wealthy people who have all sorts of luxuries. There is no hope of immortality through wealth."

How Can Jñāna Come?

So how can immortality – that means jñānam – how can jñānam come? What are we now? When we say "I want jñānam", I am clearly stating "I do not have jñānam." That means I am having ajñānam – ignorance. Same thing we have to extend: "I do not have food – I am hungry." Then why are you not eating? Because I do not have food. What can remove hunger? Food. What can remove thirst? Water. What can remove cold? Heat. What can remove ignorance or ajñānam? Only jñānam. Another name for that jñānam is bhakti, Karma Yoga, Rāja Yoga – these are different names.

Jñānam vs. Jñāna Mārga

Many of the followers of Jñāna Mārga do not – cannot – distinguish between these two. Jñānam and Jñāna Mārga are totally different. Jñānam is the goal of everybody. Even if I want to love somebody, a devotee says "I want to love" – he must have the jñānam. What is it? "My Lord is infinite" – that is more than sufficient. That statement tells everything, because if somebody is infinite – what is Brahman? Anantam brahma. If Brahman is anantam, Viṣṇu is also anantam, Śiva is also anantam. What is the big deal of difference between Śiva and Viṣṇu and Brahman or the Divine Mother? So we have to understand these are only the ideas of different individuals. I like to think of Brahman as Kṛṣṇa, as Rāma, as Christ, as Buddha, as the Divine Mother in infinite forms.

The Musical Analogy

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also draws a very beautiful parallel. In Dakṣiṇeśvara, there are two small towers – they are called for playing music – that is called śanai – a kind of like a flute, but like a tubular flute. So they can produce sā, rī, gā, mā, pā, dha, nī – saptasvaras. So one person only keeps the śruti – that means only one uniform sound – but the other person produces not only seven svaras, but he goes on playing different rāgas, which are compositions of different svaras – mixing different svaras in different ways. Very interesting – because whatever food people prepared, people are preparing now, people will prepare in the future – tasty or untasty – it is all nothing but a little bit of combination of spices, salt, sugar, etc. So you combine them in different combinations – so one becomes very tasty, another does not become very tasty. But there is nothing new in that – whatever ingredients are there, they have to be arranged.

The Seven Notes

So the whole of music falls into only saptasvaras. And just for your information, all the saptasvaras – seven notes – they are called notes – are arranged like in a harmonium at three different levels: below, very bass‑like sound; middle – for most people; and for women, etc., very high‑pitched voice – so upper seven, middle seven, and lower seven – a combination of all these according to the capacity of the range of the throat of the singer – that is what makes different rāgas.

The One Material

Anyway, what we are talking about is there is only one material. That material can be looked upon, can be painted in so many different ways. Perhaps the example of a canvas – so if one hundred painters are asked to produce different types of pictures upon that, the canvas remains absolutely the same, but the way the colours are mixed up – and actually the colours are only three – astonishing – and these three colours can almost make infinite number of colours. I think it is red, yellow, and blue – when these are mixed together, every other colour comes out. Maybe I am wrong, I do not know – I think three colours are there definitely.

Brahman and Creation

So what I am trying to tell is that a person who realises Brahman, he knows Brahman is only one material. He is satyam jñānam anantam – Sat-Cit-Ānanda. The whole universe is His manifestation. Brahman with nāma-rūpa is the creation; without nāma-rūpa is Brahman. This is beautifully brought out by Vidyāraṇya in his magnanimous book called Pañcadaśī – very tough – sometimes his language is not as sweet as Śaṅkarācārya's – but marvellous.

Mantra 3 – Maitreyī's Rejection

Then when Yājñavalkya replied that "No, you cannot attain amṛtatva – you will have to obtain knowledge – then only it is possible" – then we go into the third mantra: sā hovāca maitreyī: yena ahaṃ nāmṛtā syāṃ, kiṃ ahaṃ tena kuryām? yath eva bhagavān veda, tath eva me gṛhīti – Maitreyī said: "What should I do with that which – every possession – which cannot make me immortal? I will not have anything to do with it." Because my mind has discriminated and it has renounced. I do not want to be identified with possessions, with the body, with the mind. Only three things are there to be non‑attached – that is all – and in that order: possessions, body, and our knowledge – limited knowledge. "So tell me, my Lord, only that which you know to lead to immortality."

Recognition of a Brahmajñānī

That means what? Maitreyī had definitely recognised: "Yājñavalkya, you are a jñānī of Brahma." Even to guess that a person is a jñānī of Brahma cannot come to any ordinary person. There are interesting incidents in the life of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. There was one Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍit – one of the greatest scholars of that time when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was alive. Even as a student, he was appointed as the court paṇḍit of Bardhwān Mahārāja. But his thirst for knowledge was so much – he went back, I think, to Kāśī or somewhere and wanted to spend several more years.

Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍit's Recognition

Then his good fortune – and that good fortune is not something like a lottery ticket. In fact, a lottery ticket also depends upon our prārabdha karma – one number earlier, one number later, will not be fortunate enough – it must be the exact number. So he must have had tremendous hidden spiritual saṃskāras just like a hot spring – but he was not very aware of it perhaps – I do not know, we do not know – and he heard about Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Immediately he was attracted: "I must go and meet." And then he came and he discussed. And then he understood something very great – that what I have been trying, reading in the books, intellectually trying to understand – this practically unlettered person had mastered the whole thing, realised the whole thing. He is the greatest Brahmajñānī – like Naciketā recognised Yamarāja. Swami Vivekananda later on recognised Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa as the only person who has become one with the truth.

The Rare Opportunity

So Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍit recognised and then he decided: "Life will be wasted having obtained this opportunity." What he must have remembered: durlabhaṃ trayam evaitad devānugraha-hetukam: mānuṣyatvaṃ mumukṣutvaṃ mahāpuruṣa-saṃśrayaḥ – he was a great paṇḍit and many things were just in his memory – he need not refer to any book. "I have been born as a human being and I have got this deep desire to progress in spiritual life, and I have been extraordinarily fortunate not only to get good people, company of good people – not to get company of sincere spiritual aspirants – but a person who has realised all the highest truths that are mentioned in the Veda."

Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍit's Request

So Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍit had recognised it. Immediately he took shelter and then he fell at the feet of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, begged him: "Please initiate me into sanyāsa – because my family members, I hear, are going to come and take me" – by the time – like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, he was also a married person. So I do not know whether I will be able to resist, especially mothers' and fathers' commandments – he had created śraddhā towards mother and father – mātṛdevo bhava, pitṛdevo bhava – if they ask, he will have no choice to become a monk. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, with his own hands, initiated him into sanyāsa, blessed him, and sent him away.

A Brahmajñānī's Assurance

A Brahmajñānī Puruṣa giving sanyāsa and sending away – we should never cherish any doubt that he would realise God sooner or later. It is guaranteed – like Yamarāja guarantees Naciketā: "I consider you as a realised soul as though you have reached the home, swimming across this ocean of avidyā, because you have those qualities." Even before Yamarāja started teaching, he gave this beautiful certificate to his disciple. Not only that, he said: "What you have become, I had to struggle a lot." Totāpurī must have thought in the same way: "What I have struggled for forty years – then only I was given a glimpse of nirvikalpa samādhi – and my disciple, what kyā daivī māyā hai – that he had as soon as I instructed him, immediately he entered into that nirvikalpa samādhi which took me forty years." He could not believe – for three days continuously came and tested Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Then he understood.

When a Worthy Disciple Meets a Guru

So you see – when a worthy disciple comes, the Guru recognises him. But when a worthy disciple sees a Guru, he also recognises. That is what this Nārāyaṇa Śāstrī has recognised – mahāpuruṣa-saṃśrayaḥ. So not only human birth and a deep desire to attain liberation – mahāpuruṣa-saṃśrayaḥ – the company of not any mahāpuruṣa but a realised soul – that also requires God's grace. Because only a realised person – one realised person – recognises the other realised persons.

Mantra 4 – Yājñavalkya's Praise

Yājñavalkya appreciates and says: sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ – now instantaneously he expresses his admiration for Maitreyī: priya-bhātā are nāha satī priyaṃ bhāṣase – "You have always been dear to us" – us means me. Why are you dear? Because what I wanted to become, you are following the same pathway, same footsteps. Naturally, anybody finds that somebody is following his footsteps, trying to follow his way of life – naturally we feel inside great happiness: "At least one person is doing this, following me – the whole world may reject me, but at least one person – he appreciates the value."

Why Were You Dear?

So you have been dear. Why were you dear? Because you pleased me – that – vidhi-prāṇipātyayā, paripraśnayā, sevayā – you have served me. You have asked beautiful questions even before – because this question "Can immortality be attained by possessions?" cannot come from the mouth of an ordinary person. So now you have become even more dear to me.

The Teaching in the First Chapter

Why did you become? Because earlier teaching in the first chapter – that there is nothing more dear to any person than one's own Ātman. So Yājñavalkya realises Maitreyī – that she is also nothing but manifestation of Brahman. But along with that, even from the viewpoint of Maitreyī herself, when I instruct, she will follow – she will become a Brahmavādinī, a great jñānī of Brahma, a great speaker of Brahman. Therefore, I am very happy that God helps me to make another person take nearer to Him – and who is the nearest? When Maitreyī realises Brahman, she becomes Brahman. Realisation means Brahman, and she becomes the Ātman – so to say – human language we are using here. Yājñavalkya would not consider "you are my dear wife, I am your dear husband" – no – "I am Brahman, you are Brahman."

Faith in the Guru

So he said: satī priyaṃ bhāṣase – "What you have spoken?" What did she speak? "Make me immortal. Whatever you know, you teach me, you make me" – because this faith in Guru is ancient in every language. So Guru can do anything – he can give. Earlier we were discussing with Swami Brahmanandaji – "Can Guru give knowledge of Brahman?" Of course, the Guru here means a jñānī of Brahma – no non‑jñānī can give Brahma jñāna to somebody else. Only a jñānī of Brahma can do. That is what he said – yes.

What Happens to the Guru?

Then the next question: after that, what happens to the Guru who has been guiding me? Then Swami Brahmanandaji gives a marvellous reply. He says: "The Guru takes one to Brahman or to iṣṭadevatā, says 'Here – here is your iṣṭadevatā – and he himself merges in the iṣṭadevatā.'" I do not know whether anybody else had expressed it in this crystal‑clear manner. What Swami Brahmanandaji wants to convey is: your iṣṭadevatā alone has come taking up the form of your Guru, and you must also think like that even if you do not understand.

Guru as Target Practice

That is why I always said that Guru should be looked upon as a target practice. I do not care whether my Guru is pure or impure, moral or immoral. But I decided to think of him as my iṣṭadevatā – Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu – and that is the target practice. I do not care what he is – I want to make him in my mind what I want to look upon him – the way I want to look upon him. And such a person is sure to make spiritual progress.

Sati – One Who Follows

So satī – you are a satī. Satī means one who follows the footsteps of the husband in every way – she is called satī and pati – Yājñavalkya gave that title. "You have become very dear to me." That means what? I am going to teach you. I am going to draw you near to me. I want you to become one with me as Brahman.

Ehi – Come Near

And then he says: ehi – "Come near." That means what? Keep your ears open, mind open – do not allow your mind to think of anything else. Āsva – "Sit down." Sit down means what? Not only the physical posture of sitting down, but "sit down" – now settling down – do not become restless. Vyakhyāsyāmi – "I am going to explain to you everything – not in obscure words, hard to understand words, but crystal‑clear words." And then he says: vyācakṣāṇasya – "As I am going on to expound to you the highest truth, mayi nididhyāsasva iti – try to absorb it, become that."

Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana

Of course, listening – śravaṇa, deep thinking – they are all there, but in some people's case, there is a very beautiful explanation that comes in some of Sureśvarācārya's works. So we have discussed about the three steps – śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana. Is it necessary for everybody to go on doing śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana? It was necessary for Totāpurī – and that is why he took forty years. But when Totāpurī just made Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa listen – "Aham Brahmasmi – do it" – what happened? Instantaneously Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa merged in his mind. How was he able to do it? Because he had developed the general idea of śravaṇa and he had no doubt whatsoever that everybody is Brahman – excepting Brahman, accepting God – nothing is real, nothing exists. Whatever exists, whatever we experience as this world, cannot be other than Brahman or God.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Experience

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa experienced it by the grace of God. Not only that – if you have any doubt about it, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa clarifies it. He says: "Long before these Gurus came, I earnestly prayed to the Divine Mother – you must be remembering all that – then Mother made me experience even nirvikalpa samādhi. Later on, the Gurus only repeated the same thing, and again second time I experienced that. But it is no new experience – it is the only old experience, once more experienced through regulated pathways, like the Bhakti Yoga, Tantra Yoga, and Rāja Yoga, Karma Yoga and of course Jñāna Yoga."

Bhakti Yoga in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa

But in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, all the yogas manifested, but especially Bhakti Yoga. Why is it so? Because he has to be an ideal teacher to all of us – in Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, in Jesus Christ, in everybody – practically whether it is Mīrābāī, Tulasīdāsa, Purandaradāsa – it is the Bhakti Mārga. Millions of people had realised themselves as Brahman through the path of Bhakti. If anybody mistakes that Bhakti Mārga takes one only to Brahmaloka – that is Vaikuṇṭha, Kailāsa, etc. – they have not understood the truth properly.

The Apt Disciple

So let me explain to you – I know you are an apt disciple – Sādhanā-Catuṣṭaya-Sampanna Adhikāriṇī – and as I explained, you reflect deeply upon what I say – and that is what he is going to tell.

Mantra 5 – The Mystery of Love

In the fifth mantra, as we discussed earlier, the mystery of love – Yājñavalkya unravels the mystery of love. What is it? In this world, nobody loves anybody else excepting Ātman. Ātman means Sat-Cit-Ānanda, and that Ānanda is what unconsciously we all wish – even those what is called Abhyāroha mantras. What are they? Lead me from the unreal to the real, lead me from darkness to light, lead me from death to immortality – the third one should be understood as: lead me from suffering to greatest bliss – Ānanda Svarūpa.

The Three Prayers

First prayer: let me know that I am Sat. Second prayer: let me know I am Cit. Third prayer: let me know I am Ānanda Svarūpa. So in this world, albeit unknowingly, unconsciously, when we say "I love my wife", "I love my husband", or a mother says "I love my children", whatever a friend says "I love my friend", or the Vaiṣṇavas say "I love my neighbour", "I love my master", "I love my friend", "I love my husband", "I love my child, my mother, my father" – these pañca-bhāvas – śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, and mādhurya – so gradually higher and higher happiness is unravelled as we progress, just as we near a blazing fire, our cold becomes less and we get more and more heat – in our turn become heated. If anybody touches us, we also become – we have the capacity to give them heat and remove their cold.

The Five Bhāvas

So there are eleven times – repetition is there. So next I will only give you one or two, then you can read the text yourself. This is the fifth mantra. We are reading it here. Sa hovāca – saḥ means Yājñavalkya – indeed, Yājñavalkya started teaching the very first mystery of love. Na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati – so you have to understand: "O Maitreyī, you are very dear to me." Patyur kāmāya – suppose you think you love me, but you do not really love me, because you get so much joy by thinking of me, and because of that joy, you attribute it is coming from me – a mistaken notion. But really speaking, there is only one which is capable of giving Ānanda – there is only one, and that is called God, that is called Brahman, that is called Sat-Cit-Ānanda. So ātmanas tu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati.

The More Happiness, the More Love

The more happiness we get – or a wife gets from the husband – she loves him more, because we also do the same thing. We get ten percent happiness – our love for that object will be ten percent. We get fifty percent happiness from some other object – maybe the same sweet, but a better quality sweet – our love for that object becomes fifty percent. If my joy is unbound one hundred percent, then my love for that object will be one hundred percent. But what happens? The same object will not give the same joy. Therefore, our love also varies according to how much happiness we are able to squeeze from that object. But as we explained earlier, it is nothing but the object acts as a remover of the obstruction for my own happiness, and that is what is called ātmanas tu kāmāya.

Nobody Loves Anything Excepting Ātman

Nobody loves anything excepting Ātman. From another viewpoint, a Brahmajñānī knows: here is an ordinary husband, ordinary wife – they love each other, but he knows who are they? The so‑called husband is also Brahman; the so‑called wife is also Brahman. Brahman loves Brahman – albeit unknowingly. That is what we have to understand.

The Examples – Reinforcement

And now he wants to illustrate – this is called reinforcement – by giving many examples. Eleven times he says this: Na vā are jāyāyāḥ kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati, ātmanas tu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati – now this time, the husband loves the wife not for the sake of the wife, but it is the Ātman which is manifesting in her, in me, in everybody. But at this moment, this wife becomes like a mirror where I can see my own nature of Ānanda. Therefore, the more joy I get from my wife, I love her more. The husband loves his wife, but he mistakes it: "You are giving me happiness, joy." No – you are only a mirror. You are only a remover of my own lacuna – I feel apūrṇa, imperfect – but temporarily you remove my imperfectness because whatever object we are enjoying, whether it be for one second or for seven hours, eight hours, the point we have to note down is we forget the whole world.

The Embrace – A Glimpse of Bliss

That is why in this very Bṛhadāraṇyaka, when a young man in complete love with his wife – and she also loves her husband one hundred percent – when the man embraces his wife, he forgets the whole world, forgets his body, forgets his mind, forgets his wife, of course. Then he only experiences bliss and nothing but bliss. This is the absolute truth. Whether we experience happiness for one millisecond, for that millisecond, we transcend time, space, and causation. And then when we transcend time, space, and causation, what are we? Our real nature – Brahman nature – manifests.

The Mistake of Attributing to the Object

So husband thinks he is loving his wife, but not really – he is loving only Ātman – but because of ignorance, that Ātman – Ātman means Sat-Cit-Ānanda – they cannot be separated – now manifests, flashes in the mind of the husband for a moment, and that he thinks that this object is yielding me that kāma. But no – there is only one source of happiness, and therefore all the objects are nothing but like mirrors reflecting that Brahmanas Ānanda.

Parents and Children

And then he also gives the example of parents: Na vā are putra kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanti, ātmanas tu kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanti – it is only – the children are not loved for themselves. First, that is why we say "my child", "our children". "Our children" means I myself am manifesting in this particular form, and I love myself. Therefore, whatever a child does, it reflects that happiness – my own happiness – but it is coming through the medium of the child. Then you can say children – boy, girl, etc.

Money, Positions, Wealth

And then he says the same thing about money, positions, wealth. Then says Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, any world, Svargaloka, etc., or any devatā or any being in this world. And then ultimately he concludes: Na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – "So anything that we love is not for the sake of that particular object, but ātmanas tu kāmāya sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati."

Having Said This

Having said this – now you have to realise that Ātman – you will get – you will not have death, you will not have unhappiness, and you will be always Caitanya Svarūpa. This is what he wants to tell.

The Only Goal of Life

Now having defined what is the nature of the Ātman, especially emphasising Ānanda, he says that Ātman has to be realised – that is the only goal of life, which Swami Vivekananda said so beautifully: "Each soul is potentially divine." That tells everything.

Conclusion

We will discuss some of these beautiful points – even though the same teachings we have been talking every class – we have to discuss these things, especially in the light of Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, Swami Vivekananda's lives, events, etc. We will do that in our future classes.

Closing Prayer

ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः

Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!