Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 59 on 15 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: Yājñavalkya's Teaching to Maitreyī
In our last class we have seen how Yājñavalkya started teaching his beloved disciple – no longer a wife, but one of the greatest disciples, equivalent if not more to Janaka Mahārāja. He started teaching about the Ātman.
Why Should We Love the Ātman?
One of the very first questions that pops up in our minds can be: Why should we have love for Ātman? We equate, we experience, and we love only what gives us joy. So earlier we have seen how Yājñavalkya wants to identify that Ātman alone is the true source of every type of joy.
The Pañcakośa Viewpoint
So if we look at it from the pañcakośa viewpoint, whatever happiness we derive from anna – that is nothing but reflection of Brahman's ānanda through the annamaya kośa. Similarly, we have to understand about the rest of the four kośas also: prāṇamaya, manomaya, vijñānamaya, ānandamaya.
But kośa means limitation. And so we have to go beyond all limitations. We also discussed that if Brahman is infinite, why are we experiencing limited happiness? And this limitedness of the limited happiness is unlimited.
Happiness Depends on the Object
If a person is eating a small bit of a sweet, his happiness would be only a small bit. But if he gets a stomachful of sweets – by sweets I mean any food that gives him greatest joy – we have so much of specification – we want only this if we can get it. Our happiness depends upon how much the object is yielding, both quantitatively as well as qualitatively, and to that extent would be our love for that object.
We do not love the object for its own sake. In fact, if we delve deep into the mysteries of the Vedānta philosophy, even the very existence of any object is derived only from the infinite existence of Brahman.
Consciousness and Infinity
Any type of consciousness every living being has – whether that awareness is small or big, for a short duration or long duration – it is also deriving its sustenance only from the infinite consciousness called cit. From sat, from cit. And besides infinity, there cannot be anything else, unlike mathematical infiniteness.
In the knowledge of mathematics, strangely, there can be many varieties of infinitudes. But unlike that, this infinitude of Vedānta contains every infinitude of the mathematician and much more. In fact, we cannot think about it because our thinking runs through the prism of time, space, and causation, which is highly limited.
The very word "time" means limited, "space" means limited, "causation" means limited. So Yājñavalkya wants to drive this wonderful, ultimate, supreme truth into the mind of each one of us, but through Maitreyī.
No Bar to Realisation
And there is another significance: Maitreyī being a woman and being a wife – that is no bar. Age is no bar. Gender is no bar. Time is no bar. Nothing is a bar. If at all there is a bar, there is an obstruction – we are the creators of that obstruction.
But once anyone decides to get out of this limitation, that person can expand himself until he becomes the Infinite, in which case "I" and Brahman, God and "I", do not exist at all. There will be no dvaitam – ekam sat advitīyam.
The Medium of Teaching
So that is the lesson. He himself – Yājñavalkya himself realised – but he wants to convey it through Maitreyī, like Arjuna conveyed his message of the essence of all Upaniṣads through the Bhagavad Gītā. Yājñavalkya, through the medium of people like Maitreyī, Janaka, and other great seekers of Brahman in the court of Janaka Mahārāja, wants to teach all of us.
The Starting Point
And just as there is a lot of differentiation between the various scholars in the court of Janaka Mahārāja, so there would be vast difference from a just‑born baby to the most ripened old man who spent the whole life in doing sādhanā. We generally say there is infinite amount of difference. So it does not matter – there must be a starting point. The first step has to be taken. That is what Yājñavalkya started.
What did he say? He said: "You analyse your life." He is sending that message to all of us: "You analyse your life, and if you are honest about yourself – how to analyse: What am I doing? What am I thinking? What am I talking?"
Goals of Thoughts and Actions
And then these are not without any goals. Every thought that arises has a goal in life, including the most wasteful thought. There is a goal. When a person cannot pass time, he will be thinking all sorts of rubbish.
So what is the purpose? Maybe many times that person is quite aware: "I should not be thinking these thoughts. I should not be speaking about these thoughts." But in spite of being aware, the person helplessly is carried away, as it were, by his own mind.
Everything Is in the Mind
Everything is in the mind. Bondage is in the mind, liberation is in the mind, happiness is in the mind, and unhappiness is in the mind. Everything is in the mind. You remove the mind, nothing will be there.
That is what we had discussed: how Ajātaśatru was analysing the state of deep sleep, and when deep sleep can be achieved permanently with full consciousness, then we become knowers of Brahman.
Why Am I Thinking This Thought?
So you ask yourself the question: Why am I thinking this thought? Because boredom inflicts injury upon me. I want to counter boredom, so I think a lot of things. I speak a lot of irrelevant things. I do also a lot of irrelevant things.
The Monkey Mind
What does a monkey do? Every millisecond it is exhibiting restlessness. And we are no less. And these are not my words – Swami Vivekananda compared every human being, especially the mind, to a monkey.
So he said: "Normal mind is like a monkey's mind – restless. Then it drank – it was drunk with intoxicating liquor. Then it was stung by a scorpion, and it was possessed by a demon. Now, who can describe the condition of that man?"
Total Identification with the Mind
Because remember, we may use the word "mind", but we do not know anything else excepting total identification with the mind. "I am happy" – that there is a thought in the mind, and I feel I am happy. Unhappy, restful, restless – that is our condition.
Why Are We Restless?
What does Swami Vivekananda mean? By nature, we are restless. And here is the most important point: Why are we restless? Unconsciously. We are restless because we recognise the fact: I do not belong to this world. Nothing in this world belongs to me. And yet I cannot fathom the mystery of this life, this universe.
The Greek Philosopher
I am missing something, but I do not know what I am missing. I remember a beautiful Greek philosopher's action. Every day he used to go to a big shopping mall – he never purchased anything – he goes on going from one department to the other department. So some of his own disciples saw him there and asked: "Sir, you never buy anything. Why do you waste your time visiting this shopping mall?" Then he smiled broadly and said: "I have come to see all the things in this shop without which I can live very happily. I have not found so far a single object without which I cannot live."
The Pinnacle of Renunciation
We also live without happiness, but happily I can live without them. This is called the very pinnacle of renunciation. Of course, do not go on to any shopping mall after this and go on seeing how many things I could be without. This is a great lesson we have to learn.
The Unconscious Search
So what is this anecdote for? We are completely restless. What for? Our unconscious, irrepressible knowledge that this world does not belong to me. My parents are not here. My source is not here.
And why am I here, roaming about? Akāraṇe – here, a beautiful word: akāraṇa means "without any cause." You ask any ordinary man: "Why are you here?" – "Oh, I have come for such and such a purpose."
The Bhajan – Manohara
But Swami Vivekananda or somebody composed that most meaningful bhajan: Manochalo nija niketane, saṃsāra videśe, videśir veśe, bhramo keno akāraṇe – "Your dress is complete, not only you are in a foreign land." What is foreign land? The anātma world, and you are dressed as one of the anātmas – videśir veśe, videśe bhramo keno – "Why do you roam about? I do not know why I roam about. If I know why I roam about, I would be the most wonderful person in this world. I am seeking something, but I am not clear with what I am seeking."
The Real Purpose
So this is the real purpose. Unconsciously we are seeking our own true nature. Not knowing that, we run – say, husband runs to a wife: "Perhaps I can find myself in this object?" – no? So you apply it to everything else.
So what is it that I am seeking? Myself. And the scripture tells us what we are. What is it? "I am ānanda svarūpa, brahmānanda svarūpa." So that is – we have already seen in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, second chapter – that the only goal of life is the realisation that I am Brahman.
Realisation of Brahman
Realisation of Brahman means realisation of the knowledge that I am Brahman. There is no other Brahman excepting Me. And that was the realisation, that is the realisation, that would be the realisation of every knower of Brahman – put in devotee's language:
You go to Vaikuṇṭha, go to Kailāsa. What is the assumption? "I will be permanently happy, because Nārāyaṇa will protect me there. I will be seeing Nārāyaṇa. I will be experiencing Nārāyaṇa." This is a better word – not "seeing", but "experiencing" Nārāyaṇa. And what is Nārāyaṇa? Sat-Cit-Ānanda. I will be experiencing Śiva, Devī, Paradise, Kingdom of Heaven. That very word – "Kingdom of Heaven", "Paradise" – they all represent only pure unbroken happiness.
The Source of Happiness
So we are seeking only happiness, and what is the source of happiness? Brahman. And who is Brahman? Myself. That is the realisation. But what is this world created for? For us to climb to that state – as if I want to play with myself.
I dwell on the roof of a five‑storied house, but I come down to the ground now and then to amuse myself, and then I get tired, I want to rejoin my mother, and I go back. That is the purpose.
The Final Light
So what is the final light by which we have to understand this whole section? The mantra says: "Nobody loves anybody. Everybody loves ānanda." So everybody loves ānanda. Ātman is of the very nature of ānanda. Ātman does not have ānanda – Ātman is ānanda.
"Having" is a possession, and one who possesses is separate from what is possessed. "I have a house" – but I am not the house. "I have a dress" – I am not the dress. That is how we have to understand.
Every Object Is a Reflection
So in this world, no object loves any other object, but every object serves a purpose. What is the purpose? I can look at myself and get glimpses of that nature of mine, because every object is a reflection.
And we have to understand: when we see a good reflection – which means I become happy – that is a good experience. And when it is obscured, I experience suffering, unhappiness – I start counting time.
Ananda and Time
I explained earlier that ānanda, bliss, happiness, and time – they do not go together. If you are happy, you transcend time. If you are unhappy, you are counting time. If you have a headache, time passes very slowly. And if you are very happy, time does not exist, because you alone live – that is called "one without a second."
The Teaching
So Yājñavalkya wants to teach this: Do not discard any object, saying that "this is mithyā, unreal." No – see, you try to see your reflection and try to awaken yourself, become aware.
If this changeable object can give me so much happiness, even though for a short time – changeable time – how much happiness can I derive if I can get a reflection of myself which will remain permanently?
And Brahman or God is that mirror in which I get permanent reflection of myself. And once a person gets this permanent reflection, he forgets the reflection and the reflector and remains as himself or herself alone. That is the experience Aham Brahmasmi.
The Eleven Examples
With this background, we can very quickly go – as I said earlier in the last class – Yājñavalkya repeats it, giving eleven examples.
Example 1: Husband and Wife
We have also discussed: a husband does not love his wife for the sake of the wife. Remember what is the wife? It is a complex of the body, complex of the mind – jīvātman. What happens? Body is changing. Every change brings what is called restlessness within us. So the mind – is it permanent? No, it is also changing. Is the deep sleep permanent? No, that is also changing.
So that is the lesson we have to learn here. And so Yājñavalkya wants to arouse in her: never think that any object is going to give you any happiness. First, no object can give you happiness, but we cannot stop seeking happiness. And the only source – one and only source – of that happiness is only the Ātman, and nothing else.
So that is how we have to understand this. So a husband doesn't love for the sake of the wife, because even the dullest person knows body changes, mind changes, we don't require any scriptural teaching for this. You just look at the marriages of people, at the relationships of people, at what is happening. So there are a lot of sermons going on. I am trying to put a little bit of fun into it.
American people have elected thinking this person loves us, and he gives us tremendous. He promised, "I will make you very happy people." But this teaching has to be applied.
Nobody loves anybody. Do you really love your president? No, not at all. If he becomes an instrument in your happiness, then you say, "I love my president, my country's president, because he's creating my happiness or assisting in making my life a happy life."
So every object is like that, and so do not rely upon them. Our mistake is we are mistaking that any object can give us happiness. So that is the first example. We have to apply it 11 times.
A Wife Loves for the Same Reason
A wife also gives back to her husband this in the same coin that he receives. Do we do it consciously? I would say yes – consciously, mostly unconsciously, but consciously also. How do we do? Because consciously, if we try to get happiness, nobody would ever criticise anybody. Criticism means finding fault; finding fault means "I am not getting what happiness I expected from this object" – as simple as that.
Example 2: Children and Parents
The third one is putrāṇāṃ kāmāya – parents love children, children love parents. So you have to extend that meaning. Friends love friends, etc. So enemies love enemies – beautiful example.
So if there is a common enemy, then his enemies join together and they pretend to love – they pretend, we unite. Really they do not. They want to finish off their opponent, but a single one cannot do it, so they combine together and attempt to try to suppress, oppress, kill, destroy, etc.
Lessons from History
And then we have to learn lessons. If only our devotees study a little bit of history – and what does history say? That there is no time when there are no wars. There is no time when people did not oppress, suppress, destroy, kill, loot. History will not tell you that there was a period – sometimes a little bit of time, relatively short bit of time – when there is not that much conflict. But the very conflict is not only outside – between people, between nations – but between even family members.
The Essence of the Bhagavad Gītā
That is the essence of the Bhagavad Gītā: the Kauravas represent one end, the Pāṇḍavas represent another end, and it is categorised – the fight between the struggle between the good and the evil. Finally, the good wins. That is why satyameva jayate – but what they do not put in brackets is: satyam conquers, gives the result, maybe after a long, long, long time. That we should not forget.
The Purpose of Creation
So all this is created by God for us to learn a lesson. You strengthen your muscles of running away, of dispassion, of discrimination by observing these things. And the more you love, the more you have to struggle, suffer to get rid of this attachment. And that loving to the very highest pinnacle is the pre‑condition for turning it towards God.
Examples from History
Remember the stories of Bilvamaṅgala, Tulasīdāsa, Ratnākara, Saint Augustine who led a very irresolute life until his conversion had come. And if we study history, we learn a lot of valuable lessons – a lot.
Why So Many Examples?
So Yājñavalkya is citing: why so many examples? Why are the same words repeated? Because our Upaniṣadic ṛṣis had realised a fact: unless we repeat these things several times, the truth does not sink into our unconscious mind. We do not remember it.
So that is why nowadays I am sending the teachings of Bhagavān Buddha. If you notice the linguistic expression, the same idea is expressed in both positive and negative languages, and it is repeated.
Repetition and Habit
So many people question themselves: "Why is this man wasting my time?" What he wants to tell is: everything – if anybody is evil, evil will make him get paid back sooner or later. Somebody is righteous, he will enjoy felicity, will enjoy upliftment – but the same thing has to be repeated. How long? Until that sinks into our very unconscious mind, and once an idea enters into the unconscious, in modern language we call it a habit.
What is a habit? That even without thinking, when we think in a way, speak in a way, act in a way – that is called a habit. So that is the purpose. This is no fault of the Upaniṣadic teacher.
Distractions Then and Now
And remember, in the olden days – the older time, the further back we go in time – the fewer distractions are there. Nowadays, the greatest enemy, according to Yuval Harari – and which is absolutely true – is social media.
A Caution About Social Media
So one just a small precaution here. The social media – like WhatsApp, etc. – in many cases sends a wrong message. Not only that, according to Harari, the same message is edited to each individual so that it can exert the strongest influence upon that person. Of course, I do not know about it – I have not come across because I do not read your social media. But then, it is possible – probably they are doing it, I do not know. So what would they do? Repeat. Repeat again and again: "This nation is bad, this religion is bad, these leaders are bad, these people are bad." Go on doing it. And what we hear many times looks like obvious truth.
That is why we have to be very cautious – avoid it if possible, or if you want to have WhatsApp messages like what I am sending. But many people, even our own devotees, they take to these WhatsApp channels. They create their own channels. What type of rubbish – especially meaningless trivial matters – they are posting on their posts, and they want the whole world to notice them. I cannot believe this horror. Our own devotees – I am not talking about any other devotees – Rāmakṛṣṇa Mission devotees – they are sending the most possible rubbish on their channels. Be very careful – at least do not waste your time. As Lāṭu Mahārāj says: "If you want to waste your time, you go to sleep."
Summary of Examples so far
Coming back to our subject, I think I have given you enough background. So, a husband doesn't love his wife for the sake of the wife but for whatever reflection of happiness he could squeeze but he only loves happiness. And he wants infinite happiness, unbroken happiness. And the only source is Atman is infinite, Atman is unbroken, one without a second. That is what said Satyam. Satyam means that which never changes. Jnanam, this is the highest knowledge. Anantam - Infinite. So realise yourself to be the infinite. That is the message and it is of the nature of Happiness (Ananda). You may say, then why Satyam, Sat and Chit are posited? Because you have to be alive to experience. The experiencer must be present, alive. That is represented by Sat. Not only a person must be alive, but to know that I am not unhappy, but I am the happiest person in this world. Just to give an illustration. So you have to be aware. That is why SAT comes first. Ananda comes. Why do we live for Ananda? How do I experience Ananda? That awareness. What is the awareness? I am Ananda Swaroopa. I am SAT and Chit. I SAT am awareness, Chit. Ananda swaroop Ananda. So they are not three separate things, three ways of describing Brahman. All the three must be taken together. So Jagnavalkya continues. Similarly wife, if at all she loves her husband only for the sake of the Ananda, that is, she tries to see that Ananda bit of Brahman inside her husband And so long as she could get, then she loves. The moment she doesn't get, even if she be with him, she will not love him anymore. It is a terrible burden that's all. Because by tradition, society imposes certain restrictions - divorce is not permitted in Catholicism. So this is how our beautiful analysis continues. Putranam. So husband, wife, children, that covers practically a person's personal life.
Example 3: Possessions (Vitta)
Then vittasya kāmāya – vitta means possession. Vitta means money, but it means possessions. So possessions also – a person loves a possession only because if he can derive, so long as he can derive – and that happiness should be proportionate to his labour – then only he loves it.
Suppose a man has inherited a big house, and then it has become a source – he thinks: "I am very happy." Very soon he realises: it is a big house – so many rooms – and I have to keep it neat and clean; I have to wash it, I have to wipe it, I have to keep it presentable – and it is more than the worth of the labour, and money has to be wasted. So so many people I have seen – they will move especially after retirement, when the children are living separately – then they say this is counterproductive. Then they buy a small house and try to accommodate themselves, they are very happy because they do not need that space, and so they do not need to work so much cleaning, etc.
Vitta represents every type of possession, including beauty of the body also – we have to understand – including intelligence of the mind. Maybe a person develops amnesia – what is the use of his previously what he did? Now he cannot remember what he did at all. We see some aged people suffering from it, and we see some young people also deliberately developing that symptom.
Example 4: Kṣatriya
Then after vitta, he says kṣatrasya. We have to live in a society – there these Kṣatriyas are more like police or military people – so nobody loves a military just for the sake of what service they are rendering.
Example 5: The Four Varṇas
And then we have to understand: Kṣatriya, Brāhmaṇa, Vaiśya, Śūdra – nobody loves anybody.
Example 6: Worlds (Lokas)
Then he said lokānāṃ kāmāya – that is, a man can think: "I love the world – not only this world, Svargaloka, etc." Does he love Narakaloka? No, absolutely no. But he loves Svargaloka, Indraloka – we have seen nearly I think twelve in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, second chapter.
But a person śrotriyasya cha akāmatasya – they derive the same happiness and much more happiness, because they have identified themselves with the source of happiness – bliss, which is called Brahman. So there is no desire in them, and desire will not stop popping up until we become fulfilled – the source of all ānanda. Every desire is for ānanda only. Nobody says: "I want to suffer, and so I desire suffering." No – nobody will say that.
The Different Lokas
Then loka means Bhūloka, Bhuvarloka, Svargaloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka, Indraloka, Bṛhaspatiloka, Varuṇaloka, etc., etc. No – nobody loves this world or any other world, but if it yields happiness, so long as it yields happiness, he thinks: "I love." That is not love – that is an attachment for the happiness.
Example 7: Gods (Devatās)
Then devānāṃ kāmāya – so many devotees say: "I love God." Devānāṃ means gods – plural. Hindus especially belong – because other religions do not mention deities, they mention angels, but they do not mention devāḥ. But Hinduism is one religion which says the whole universe is the outcome of five deities: Ākāśa Devatā, Vāyu Devatā, Agni Devatā, Jala Devatā, and Anna Devatā. And I also explained they are sustaining us every millisecond of our life from birth to death.
If God Does Not Give Happiness
Then from the devānām – and we also can extend it and say not only devānām, but deva means God – Brahman. Suppose a devotee is praying to God: "Lord, I love You very much, please grant me this and that." God appears – just imagine – and says: "So you believe in Me? Yes. You want Me? Yes. But you know, I have to tell you a truth" – God tells them – "I can give you anything you want, excepting happiness. Let me find out – let you find out and inform me – how many devotees of God will remain there."
We all love God, thinking He will remove all obstacles for our happiness. What we really love is Ātman, and that Ātman is ānanda svarūpa. If any God turns out to be nirānanda svarūpa – that is, no happiness, only suffering – then immediately he will divorce from God. So even God – if God does not fulfil my desires, then I am likely to discard Him – and especially God.
Example 8: Beings (Bhūtas)
Bhūtānāṃ kāmāya – bhūta means any living creature. And in Sanskrit language, bhūta also means after death, before rebirth takes place – there is an in‑between state – and bhūta means a kind of spirit, ghost, etc. Do people love them? Yes – some people worship them; they believe that these bhūtas can give tremendous happiness.
So there are some powers – some bhūtas can give these powers. So there are mantras, and they do this what is called upāsana. And is it true? Yes, really it is true. I have already told you about how many people worship what is called Hayagrīva upāsana – Hayagrīva is none other than our Sun God. Why do they do that? Because they want power. Some people do Añjaneya upāsana, Hanumān upāsana – Hanumān Cālīsā they recite. Some people do Lakṣmī Devī upāsana, hoping that she will grant them possessions, etc.
Really speaking, I have to tell them: Mahālakṣmī is the embodiment of happiness. After all, if she gives money – and money makes you many enemies – and you are fearing for your life every second – or the Mother gives you, makes you president – how many people have to protect you, and every millisecond you are frightened: "Who will come and then kick me out?" That is why many dictators, before even the thought arises, they go on killing or eliminating – they call it "eliminating" – so many whom they call potential rivals – not only rivals, but potential rivals.
Example 9: All Creatures (Bhūta – Another Sense)
So one does not love God; one does not love any of the world; one does not love bhūta – here means any other creature, whether it is a tree or an insect or an animal, etc. – bhūtānāṃ kāmāya – "I love this bhūta" – no. It is ātmanas tu kāmāya – for the sake of only Ātman, which means happiness, bliss.
Example 10: Sarva – Everything
And then he concludes the eleventh one: Nava arye sarvasya kamaya sarvampriyam bhavati atma nahat kamaya sarvampriyam bhavati. So it is only Nava arye.
sarvasya kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – ātmanas tu kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – I am telling you the highest truth which I myself have realized in anything in this world. or everything in this world becomes the most beloved only so long as it yields happiness. Sarvampriyam Bhavati.
The Sweet Analogy
But the moment it stops giving, or we are unable to squeeze happiness from it – what does it mean? Let me explain. Suppose a man loves sweets, and he strives to get as many sweets as he can – healthily, possibly, digestibly – eats, and he feels: "I am so happy." Supposing he is rich and he can eat sweets as long as he wants, however many he wants, at any age he wants – suppose after some time he develops a terrible stomach problem, and he cannot retain even a single thing.
So the object is available, but he is not able to derive any happiness from it, because the instrument of enjoyment has gone bad. So the instrument can go bad, the circumstances can be unfavourable, the instrument of enjoyment can be sick or diseased, or anything like that – or mentally there is a terrible worry. Any of these are sufficient to block that happiness. Yes, you can eat – that person can eat – but not only will it not give what he expects, it gives what he does not want to get.
The Essence of the Teaching
That is why na vā are sarvasya kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – ātmanas tu kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – it is only for the sake of Ātman. And we have seen earlier also that everybody – Ātman is dearer than a son, dearer than everything else in this world. We have seen in the very first chapter – I hope you will remember it – nothing, nobody loves anything in this world – that is the essence of it. But then what do we love? We love happiness.
What Type of Happiness?
And what is the source – what type of happiness we all want? Infinite, eternal, unbroken happiness with full consciousness. And where is it available? That source is called Ātman. Here instead of using the word Brahman, only the word Ātman is used.
Yājñavalkya's Conclusion
So Yājñavalkya concludes – so we have to understand here something marvellous. What is he telling? O Maitreyī – each one – she is telling – eleven times. We have to presume – we have to presume that immediately that truth sank into the very unconscious. That means she will never again love anything else excepting Ātman.
So she has reached the very peak. It is a negative teaching – we have to keep in mind – nobody loves anybody, one loves only Ātman, and Ātman is the source of the only source – not only the bigger source, but only source – of eternal, unbroken happiness.
The Positive Teaching: Ātmā Vā Are Draṣṭavyaḥ
Not only that – that is a negative language. What is the positive language? That is what he comes to – he imparts that invaluable teaching: ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ.
The Only Goal of Life
He says: the only goal of life – as Swami Vivekananda says, or Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says – "God realisation" – speaking in the words of a devotee, not an Advaitin or Vedāntin.
Draṣṭavyaḥ – To Be Realised
So this Ātman alone has to be draṣṭavyaḥ – means "to be realised." Draṣṭavyaḥ means "to be seen" – but here "seeing" means what? Understanding. Because we use in English language also – when somebody is speaking to us or when we are reading something, we say: "I see." "I see" means what? "I understand." So realise what is Ātman? What is that realisation? "I am the Ātman – therefore I am the source of infinite, eternal, unbroken happiness."
The Three Steps
What is the way? I am here? It looks as if the infinite Ātman is somewhere else. Draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ – so śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ:
- Śrotavyaḥ – First you hear about it, go on doing japa of it.
- Mantavyaḥ – until the last doubt is totally eliminated and one hundred percent convinced – like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says to Girish Chandra Ghosh, that he has got 125% of faith, śraddhā – that is what is being referred.
- Nididhyāsitavyaḥ – transform your life, acquire those qualities, become an adhikārī – a fit person – and slowly progress by going beyond the pañcakośas, and remember that "I am the Ātman, I am the Ānanda Svarūpa."
Transcending the Kośas
Ānandamaya has to be transcended – etam ānandamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramya, etc. – idaṃ sarvaṃ viditaṃ bhavati – then after realisation, vijñānena – what happens? Idaṃ sarvaṃ viditaṃ bhavati – you understand the mystery of life. You understand who you are – not only you understand who you are, you understand what everything else is – and that is called sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma.
Conclusion
We will talk about this in our next class.
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!