Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.6-10 Lecture 64 on 30 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 Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya Brāhmaṇa

We are studying the Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya Brāhmaṇam. It has fourteen mantras. In our last class, we saw how everything can be reduced to existence, and this pure remaining existence is another name for Brahman. In Sanskrit, it is called Sat. We have to keep in mind: where there is Sat, there will be Cit, and there will be Ānanda.

Each Soul Is Potentially Divine

This is what Swami Vivekananda said: "Each soul is potentially divine." If we can transpose that word "soul" and say "everything is potentially divine" – there cannot be anything other than divine, which is Brahman. And so we have no choice. Life does not give a choice whether I should realise God or not realise God, because consciously or unconsciously we are struggling, we are praying. In fact, every millisecond: "Let me not die, let me not be unconscious." We can translate it as "let me not be ignorant, let me be knowledgeable."

We All Want Infinite Happiness

If we can translate consciousness as true, real knowledge – satyam satya-jñānam – then I want to be, we all want to be infinitely happy for infinite time. That means unbroken bliss. Unbroken happiness is called bliss – Ānanda. Broken Ānanda is called sukham, and every sukham is nothing but duḥkham. How? If we had experienced a certain quality and quantity of happiness, and next time we fall down from that happiness, we call it duḥkham. It is a matter of comparison. When a person is getting sufficient food, he should be very happy. But he looks up and says: "The other man is eating costly, rich, tasteful dishes." So he suffers: "I am such an unfortunate person." But if you ask a person who is starving – not getting food – "What will you do if you are provided this poor man's food every day?" He would jump up for joy and say: "I feel I am in Svargaloka."

The Zen Master Story

If we can achieve that state consciously, then whatever be the circumstances, we would be extremely happy. I cannot refrain but recollect a beautiful Zen story. There was a great Zen master who never entertained, cherished any wrong feeling towards any woman, and he died. He had a very devout but somewhat foolish disciple. So the disciple was always remembering his guru, and he also died. And then he found himself in heaven in the presence of his old guru. And what was his greatest delight? A beautiful woman was sitting in the lap of that Zen master. The disciple said: "Guruji, now I understand clearly – God exists. He is rewarding you for all the austerities you had performed." The Guru shouted at him: "You stupid idiot! I am not being rewarded – she is being punished!"

Developing the Right Mindset

So we always, whenever we are unhappy, remember the things that we have and the way we are right now in comparison with when we did not have these things – then we would feel very happy, and we will never feel sad and bad and worried. Just as an example to make this point crystal clear: suppose a person had suffered terribly – let us say from terrible stomach ache for a long time – and then he somehow was cured. Previously he was not able to eat anything, digest anything. Now he is able to digest simple things – semi‑liquids, boiled vegetables, etc. How happy he feels! "Previously, I was not able to swallow anything and digest anything. Now, by God's grace, I am able to enjoy."

The Japanese Philosophy

By the way, there are many people, especially the Japanese people, who enjoy boiled vegetables, and their philosophy is: every vegetable has its own unique special flavour and taste, and only when we add heavy spices, we lose that peculiar sāttvika ānanda. I myself once tasted this – had this experience in Argentina – and I cannot express how tasty the food was there. Just varieties of vegetables only, purely boiled – and that Japanese restaurant knows how to boil in the right proper manner, not like Indians who boil so much that practically, excepting the nāma-rūpa, nothing is left out.

Everyone Wants Happiness

Anyway, coming back – if we can compare it, develop that mindset, then we will be a happy person. So everybody has the right to think "I want happiness" because that is their own nature. In fact, no human being, no living creature ever wants anything. And Swami Vivekananda expressed even in greater depth: not only living beings, even every atom is whirling, trying to get away from this bondage – it wants complete freedom. We have to think deeply about this statement. How can a lifeless atom? It is lifeless for ignorant people like us, but it is nothing but Sat-Cit-Ānanda for a person who knows the truth.

The Three Instruments – A Review

So we had seen that everything by giving the examples of three instruments – what are the instruments? A drum, a conch, and a vīṇā – and the teaching of Yājñavalkya was: unless we first understand the common sound of each instrument, we cannot grasp, we cannot understand. As a result, we cannot experience the joy that we can get from the variations of that common sound belonging to each specialised instrument. But we should not stop there. Even those sounds – common sounds of the conch, of the drum, of the vīṇā – are really special sounds from the viewpoint of sāmānya śabda – just "sound." And that sound is reduced to existence. So go on reducing everything – that means we are destroying the differences. We arrive at pure existence, and that pure existence – another name for that is Brahman.

Mantra 10 – The Whole Creation Has Come from Brahman

Continuing the same topic, now Yājñavalkya wants to teach in this tenth mantra that the whole sṛṣṭi – how did it come? If, for example, a potter had to create a pot, here to gather the clay, he had to acquire a potter's wheel, then he has to shape that clay into a particular shape. It is not that he can take it – there is a great process of kneading it like we knead the bread before turning it into toast, and then put it on the wheel. Otherwise, nothing will come out – it will just fall apart. So it can be malleable, shapeable, and at the same time it should hold on. That consistency when he gets it, he knows it, he puts it, and then he makes it, and then he dries it for some time. When they are a bit stable, he puts it in fire and bakes it for ten to fifteen days, and that will bring out a beautiful pot.

Labour Involved in Creation

So the point the Upaniṣad wants to tell is that a lot of labour is involved. Take another example: a couple get married and then they have a child. The mother has to sustain that child in her womb for nine months. And after that, also the mother has to be awake twenty‑four hours, keeping an eye on the child. Tremendous labour. Then whether the child turns out to be a saint or a rogue, a good or evil person – that is all again a separate issue.

Brahman Creates by Will

Did Brahman or Brahmā – Brahman as the creator, working the job called creation, is called Brahmā – does He have to really create in that way? No – saṅkalpa eva – everything springs out just by His will. That is just like in our dream: the moment a thought comes – "here is a tree" – and a big huge tree is present in front of us. "Here are fruits – plenty of fruits on the tree, and I am hungry" – and the person approaches the tree – either it is climbable or shakable – and then some of the ripe fruits fall down. So whatever thought comes, without any labour, the next very instant, we find everything becoming real for us.

The Mind Is Kalpavṛkṣa

That is why the study of the dream state is a most marvellous state. That is why the mind is called Kalpavṛkṣa – whatever one thinks, that becomes a reality. But if one does not have control over the mind, he can destroy himself. Suppose a thought comes: "A tiger has come" – and immediately a tiger will come. Suppose it eats me up. Nobody can think: "A tiger is approaching me – it is my pet tiger. It is so glad to see me and it is leaping up and down like a dog – so it recognises its master." Such a thought perhaps comes to very few people – but saints. That is why it is said: wherever a saint lives, there is no enmity – so a deer and a tiger – the prey animals and the predators – they all live in perfect peace.

Creation Effortless

So such kind of people are very rare. So as an example, this dream for us to understand clearly – how did this creation come out? Just like breathing out. When we breathe out, there is no effort. That is what we have to understand. But even breathing out or breathing in can require tremendous amount of effort – we have to understand it clearly. But of all the activities, that is the easiest, especially when we are lying down flat on the bed. But if a person is suffering from asthma, you can understand how difficult it is. So this is how we have to understand – so naturally, so effortlessly. That is one of the important points Yājñavalkya wants to point out in the next mantra, not in this one.

Reinforcing the Idea

The tenth mantra's purpose is to reinforce the same idea that the whole creation has come out of Brahman – "has come" means what? Brahman Himself is manifesting as this. For that, we have seen the three examples – that by understanding everything is existence – pure existence reduced to pure existence – then we see no difference between this inert smallest thing and the highest jñānī of Brahman – a-sthambhaḥ ā-brahma stambha-paryanta – we do not see any difference at all.

From Common Sound to Existence

So to me, having given the example of those three instruments – first we have to understand their peculiar common sound, then out of that common sound, specialised modifications of that common sound, and then every sound of everything, anything, is to be reduced – and that is the manifestation of this animal, that human being, that musical instrument, etc. But we have to understand: we are not talking about sound or form or smell or touch or taste. What we are understanding is – everything is reducible to pure consciousness. So first pure existence, then to pure consciousness, and that is pure bliss. That is the point.

The Wet Fuel Example

So to reinforce this, in the tenth mantra, Yājñavalkya is trying to tell us something. He gave an example: suppose there is wet fuel – some firewood, but it is wet – not completely wet, but a little bit wet. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also gives this example: when you put wet wood into the fire, it catches the fire, but from behind, the moisture tries to come out – plenty of smoke will be there. So this wetness creates smoke, and there is no need – as soon as the fire is applied there, whatever wetness is there is now thrown out, comes out in the form of smoke. So that is the example he wants to give.

The Mantra

Sa yathā ārdre āgnau abhy-āhite pṛthak dhūmāḥ viniścaranti – "As from a fire kindled with damp fuel, clouds of smoke distinct from one another issue forth." That is to say that when we feed wet fuel into fire, smoke comes, sparks come out – different small, big sparks, etc. And they seem to be separate from the fire. In fact, they are not separate from the fire – they are all different formations of the fire alone. That is the fact he wants to give. This is also an analogy, a small example for us to understand.

The Four Vedas Came from Brahman

Now he comes into the core teaching. This one beautifully tells: evam vā are asya mahataḥ bhūtasya niḥśvasitam etat yath Ṛgvedaḥ, Yajurvedaḥ, Sāmavedaḥ, Atharvāṅgirasaḥ – how the four Vedas have come out. "Even so, my dear – Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, and Atharvāṅgirasa – that is Atharvaṇaveda – these four Vedas came out."

Brahmā and Sarasvatī

That is why the Purāṇic equivalent of this Upaniṣadic statement is: wherever there is a Brahmā, there would be Sarasvatī. For ordinary people, I say "Brahmā is the husband, Sarasvatī is the wife." But what it means is they are two sides of the same coin – that is most important. What is Sarasvatī? Knowledge. And what is Brahmā? Pure Consciousness. Pure consciousness, when it comes into association with knowledge – pure knowledge – then only the consciousness can manifest itself.

The Poet and Memory

Let us say there is a poet, and the poet has got beautiful mastery of tremendous vocabulary – so many dictionaries are at his fingertips, like AI. Previously, I give the example of Śaṅkarācārya – he is the master of all existing literature. That is why, without any AI or PC, he can recollect. This Śruti also tells the same thing – he goes on quoting from Prasthānatrayam, which is Bhagavad Gītā, Upaniṣads, and Brahma Sūtras – and he had written commentary on all of them. On ten Upaniṣads he had written, but he remembers everything. His memory power was extraordinary. Swamiji's memory power was extraordinary. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's memory power was super‑extraordinary.

The Grace of Sarasvatī

So not only memory power – one may have tremendous power of memory – but to bring it out at the right time and at the right occasion – that is the greatness of great people, and that is possible only by the grace of Mother Sarasvatī. Coming back: Brahmā is associated with Sarasvatī because his job is creation. Creation requires: what should I create? How should I create? Because creation is not of one object – a billion objects, uncountable, innumerable objects have to be created. Not only that – that which is divine, that which is natural, that which is very subtle, like our mind, Buddhi – anything other than the annamaya kośa – it has to be created. For that, tremendous knowledge is necessary, memory is necessary.

Brahmā and Sarasvatī Cannot Be Separated

So the point is – Brahmā and Sarasvatī cannot be separated. Similarly, Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa cannot be separated. On the one hand, Nārāyaṇa has got weapons like the cakra, like the gadā – mace – and he has got so many powers, mental powers. So all this is called "stick," and Lakṣmī is called "carrot." What am I referring to? When people want to train animals, they give a peculiar sound. Dogs, for example, do not understand human language – whether it is Indian language, French language, whatever – they understand certain sounds. That is how at the beginning, when we are babies, we only understand sounds: "Baby, I love you." Somehow those words stick in the mind of the baby, and the moment it hears that cooing sound, immediately the baby's face breaks into the most lovable smile you can see anywhere in the world – a pure joyous smile.

The Hypocrisy of Adults

When we smile, it is like a bhūta-preta-piśāca laughing like that – so we have developed that hypocrisy where we feel like laughing, we weep; when we feel like weeping, we laugh; when we feel like laughing, we weep. So this is how we want to cheat the entire external world. But children – whatever they are doing – so much concentration. If a child is playing with a doll, that person's ekāgratā is indescribable. But as we grow, the distractions also grow, and the mind also becomes more and more restless, and added to that saṃskāras – it is indescribable.

The Restless Mind

That is why a human being is described by Swami Vivekananda: by nature a monkey, it is stung by a scorpion, then it got drunk with liquor, and then it was possessed by a demon – and who can ever describe the restlessness of that monkey? Such is our mind. But as an example, you look at a baby – it trusts everybody until somebody proves to be dangerous.

Sound and Language

Animals understand only peculiar sounds, not the language. Sound is separate, language is separate. When a Chinese makes a sound, we do not understand anything, and when we speak something, they do not understand. We cannot understand each other's language – it takes time. So what is being said here? First, knowledge is required – how to create, what to create, and in which way to create – and memory: "Did I create this previously? Then I must have prepared some mould, and I do not need to repeat and go through the same process once more from the beginning. I just bring the mould and pour the raw material, which is Brahma Himself."

The Moulds

And then there is a mould for a man – man mould; tree mould; dog mould; donkey mould; tree mould; amoeba mould – whatever it is – a mould for everything. Then we pour into that mould. Then we see the same thing will come out. And some – it is said, but not literally to be understood, only significantly – he breathed life into some.

Knowledge Helps Creation

So this is how first knowledge is created, because that knowledge helps the creator to create. Not only that, that knowledge again helps us to go on gradually learning more and more, and the more we learn, along with our learning or understanding, our body also grows, our brain also grows. This is scientifically proven today: as a person goes on understanding more and more, the capacity of his brain also grows.

The Potential of the Human Brain

But it is said that if AI can master everything – some human brains have got billions and billions of bits of information, of which even the world's greatest geniuses use only perhaps four to six percent potential. Just imagine – Swamiji says in his Rāja Yoga: if somebody can develop one hundred percent of that potentiality, then he will see his own true nature. And that is what we are struggling for, because we are trying to regain our memory of our own forgotten knowledge about our own true nature.

The Four Vedas

So what is the first creation? Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, and the fourth Veda is called – there was one ṛṣi called Atharvaṇa, and he is also called Aṅgirasā – and he mastered tremendous pieces of knowledge, including black magic, several remedies for diseases, etc., and how to control the departed spirits, etc. That is why the previous ṛṣis did not include this Atharvaṇaveda for a long time. But then, when they perceived that many, many people are getting benefit out of this, they probably were forced to accept it as part of the Veda.

Veda Means Knowledge

Veda means what? Knowledge. So not only that – Swamiji used to say that if somebody discovered some tremendous improvements in AI, he is a ṛṣi – AI ṛṣi. Somebody discovered some new mathematical formula – he is a mathematical ṛṣi, like our Bhāskara, etc. So anybody who adds some bit of truth to the existing body of knowledge, he is called a ṛṣi. Any great knowledgeable person has to be revered as a ṛṣi, and truly that is a fact. But then if somebody discovered something destructive – do not blame the person, because knowledge is neutral. The same knowledge can save a person, can destroy – can save a life, can take away any life. The same gun can save a person, can also destroy a life – it depends upon the usage.

The Oligarchs

That is why some of these oligarchs – the whole power in this world is concentrated in just a few – just imagine ten or fifteen number of people – they are the CEOs of these mega companies. So my point is: knowledge is the first thing to create anything – some knowledge is required, and how to transform that knowledge into appropriate things. Knowledge is eternal – it always existed every time. The first thing Brahmā creates is these Vedas.

The Essence of Every Veda

The Vedas also give us that knowledge – what is the goal of life, who are we, and how to get back to our own real nature. That is the entire essence of every Veda, every Purāṇa, supposedly the essence of every Dharmaśāstra – so many rogues have misinterpreted, miswritten Dharmaśāstras, creating terrible amount of misery to billions of people even today. Yesterday as an example – some religions they torture, stop the education of women, etc. Why? What wrong have they done? They are also creation of God – that may be even better than men. But what right have you got? Because you have the power, you are the ruler, you create the laws, and you want to spread these laws everywhere across. Anyway, that is not our subject.

The Veda Must Be Understood

So that is what he said – the Vedas and these Vedas have to be understood. There are different degrees of intelligence – very highly intelligent, less intelligent, even less intelligent, very poor intelligent. So Bhagavān has to help them also – disturb His grace.

The Ṛṣi Atharvaṇa

So let me complete first. There was a ṛṣi called Atharvaṇa. He was also called Aṅgirasā. Some people say they are two separate ṛṣis, but they work together anyway. So after many centuries, this Atharvaṇaveda was added. So that is the first manifestation or out‑breath of Brahman before creation, and these Vedas contain how creation can be done.

The Need for Explanation

Then to understand these Vedas properly, we require to understand them – otherwise, even if the truth is there, but I do not understand it – in the form of a book or in the form of a teacher – it is like a strange language. You go on telling an ignorant person: "You are God" – he will not understand it. But nevertheless, he thinks he is a God – there is no doubt about it. So Yājñavalkya is telling: these very Vedas have to be made available in easily understandable, digestible, helpful scriptures.

The Secondary Scriptures

For that, what happened? Itihāsaḥ, Purāṇam, Vidyāḥ, Upaniṣadaḥ, Ślokāḥ, Sūtrāṇi.

Itihāsa – History

Itihāsa means history. So just in this Upaniṣad, in this particular Brāhmaṇa, who was Yājñavalkya? Not the complete history, some history is given. He was a householder, he married two wives, and then he was a great jñānī, and he argued with the court paṇḍits of Janaka Mahārāja. This is called itihāsa. Itihāsa means iti – thus; ha – it is just a supportive word – asā – "It was like this." That means "thus it happened." That is the meaning.

History Inspires and Teaches

So Itihāsa – history – is very helpful for us to understand, both to inspire and to learn lessons from them. So studying the life history of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Rāma, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, etc. But at the same time, the teachings they have given have to be put in a baby‑food formula – they are called Purāṇas.

Purāṇas

So thirty to thirty‑six Purāṇas are there – eighteen they are called main Purāṇas, and eighteen smaller Purāṇas – all together thirty‑six. But they are all stemming from the Vedas only. I will tell you how very soon.

Vidyās – The Arts

Then different types of vidyās – that is how to contemplate, and then arts. Vidyā here is translated as "arts." So sixty‑four vidyās are there according to Indian study – arts. Whether it is instrumental or vocal – South Indian, North Indian, or Beethoven's symphonies all over the world – even ancient people have discovered some instruments which they were playing in their own way, and it had exactly the same effect. Do not think they were crude – this is a misunderstanding we have to get rid of completely.

Happiness Then and Now

How we are happy today – our ancient Stone Age man also was so happy, probably happier even in those days, because life was simple. You work hard, try to protect yourself from preying animals – ferocious big animals, especially in the age of dinosaurs, etc. – and try to obtain food. Do not think they were having a horrible time living. No – even if they got something, they were very happy, and God had provided them with a tremendous power of digestion so that they could eat three‑four days' food at one sitting and then digest it slowly. So even if they did not get food for three‑four days, they were quite happy. But when it is digested, then they will go there. Most of the time it is uncooked food, and it did not give them any trouble. But as we developed cooking, our power of digestion has also come down – there is no doubt about it.

The Many Arts

So Vidyā – arts – not only arts, but even Dhanur Vidyā – archery – or Khaḍga-yuddha, Gadā-yuddha – these are all arts which human being, being a creative animal, can create. Animals are also very creative – how birds build their nests, some of them so beautiful, so intricate, so deceptive also sometimes. But then their creativity is limited only to survive themselves. But human beings surpass everything – there is no doubt about it. And he invented this thing called language so that we can communicate easily what we learn to any number of people.

The Future of AI

A time is going to come – definitely in another few years – how AI can be injected into the human brain. So this is a combination of a human living human brain and also somehow they will transmit an AI so he can think like AI and do things like AI, but at the same time he also remains a living human being. I do not know how it is going to coordinate, what problems it can create – because everything works in both ways. Every piece of knowledge is a double‑edged sword – we have to understand.

The Sixty‑Four Vidyās

So Vidyā means arts – sixty‑four are supposed to be the vidyās, including medicine, Dhanur Vidyā – the art of archery, Astra Vidyā – the art of inventing ferocious weapons like the atom bomb, etc., which was called Brahmāstra in those days.

Upaniṣads

Then Upaniṣadaḥ – because the Vedas – at the end of the Vedas, each Veda has been divided into certain sections like Brāhmaṇas, and at the end of it the Upaniṣads will come. As we have seen, first is Mantra, then it is Brāhmaṇa, then it is Āraṇyaka, then in the end it is called Upaniṣad. So every Veda has produced several Upaniṣads. All these have sprung from Brahmā – Brahmā Himself, God Himself, is manifesting as knowledge. Sarasvatī is not somebody sitting there and doling out knowledge – Sarasvatī herself is manifesting in the form of knowledge like water: wherever it finds a lowly place, immediately it flows there and fills it up. So when a mind is ready, that Sarasvatī flows in the form of knowledge, and knowledge manifests in the form of speech and also appropriate emotions, etc.

Ślokas

Then Ślokāḥ – like Bhagavad Gītā ślokas. So if it is not Upaniṣads, these are called ślokas usually. Sometimes Vedic mantras are also called Upaniṣads.

Sūtras

And then Sūtrāṇi – there are so many people who mastered this higher knowledge and wanted to pass it to their disciples. They taught them. Having taught, let us say, chapter by chapter, point by point, they give a sūtra. What is a sūtra? A mnemonic which helps people to memorise.

The Mnemonic Method

Just like you memorise a list of items to be purchased – some people have invented a mnemonic method. So the wife tells or somebody tells: "You buy some fruits. And you buy some leaves – also lettuce, etc. You buy some white paper, notebooks, or some pens or pencils – like that." Make a list. But how to remember all the items? So imagine you are going there, and then you climb a tree and then pick up some fruits, and also you notice beautiful some plants are growing below around the tree – that is the leafy vegetables – so you pick them up. And then suddenly you come across in imagination a big book and a big pencil – so that is how connect one thing to the other – or gather these fruits, gather the lettuce, and suddenly you are searching for something to carry them, and a huge sheet of paper bag is there. Oh, that paper bag reminds you: for my child, I have to purchase a notebook. And then at the end, maybe a broken pencil is there – you remember it. This is how you connect one object with the other object. And if we make a practice of it, it is highly effective – memory also improves, and it improves by practice. So this is called Sūtrāṇi.

The Loss of Original Teachings

But then in course of time, the original people who taught it as well as who understood it have disappeared. But then somehow the sūtra literature – because it is only very short aphorisms – was memorised, and that memorisation was passed in course of time to the later generations. By that time, the art of writing had developed on old palm leaves, etc. Then in the thirteenth or fourteenth century, China had invented the printing press – China had invented many wonderful things, and it is doing it with more vigour even today.

All Scriptures Spring from the Vedas

So this is how from the Vedas – they are the main source – all this history, mythology, arts, Upaniṣads, ślokas like Bhagavad Gītā, etc., and even the Tantric Śāstras, etc., and then Dharma Sūtras – then Sūtrāṇi, whether it is Brahma Sūtra, Dharma Sūtra, Yoga Sūtra – like that, all this have come.

Commentaries and Sub‑commentaries

But then in course of time, people required somebody to teach them. So vyākhyānāni, anuvyākhyānāni – hi asya eva etāni niḥśvasitāni – Brahman has manifested Himself in the form of knowledge as Sarasvatī in the minds, Buddhi – intellect – of some people, so that future generations will not be able to understand these particular things. So like Śaṅkarācārya's commentary, and then commentary upon commentary – that is Sureśvarācārya's Vṛtti – called beautiful Taittirīya-Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, then Vārttika it is called. Then people like Ānandagiri – he has written so many beautiful notes clarifying some of the terms used by Śaṅkarācārya.

Vyākhyāna and Anuvyākhyāna

So Vyākhyāna means elaboration so that other less intelligent people can understand these original scriptures or even sūtras. And then even those commentaries had become tough, so somebody had to really find out what are the difficult words that are used and combined together – how to make them easily understandable to other people. So they have done anuvyākhyāna – commentary upon the commentary, then ṭīkā – like Śrīdharasvāmī's ṭīkā on the Bhagavad Gītā, or Śrīdharasvāmī's ṭīkā on the Bhāgavatam – Śrīdharīya ṭīkā. So many great ācāryas have done like Ānandagiri himself had explained the terms used by Śaṅkara in his commentaries, and without that help we would not – or it will be very difficult for us to understand the complete meaning.

The Outpourings of Brahman

Asya eva etāni niḥśvasitāni – all these things are the outpourings, out‑breathings, as if – breathe in, breathe out. So it is also commented: breathe in means what? So the whole thing take inside yourself, keep it inside for some time, then breathe out. So create something, maintain that something which was created, and then take it back again. So from kāraṇa to kārya to again kāraṇa.

Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī

As I was telling earlier, Viṣṇu was supposed to protect this world like a policeman. So he has to reward those whose behaviour is approved with happiness – positive – and some people's character has to be corrected – actions have to be corrected – for that, "stick" is necessary. So Lakṣmī is the reward for living. Lakṣmī means – never misinterpret as only money – Lakṣmī means Ānanda. After all, if you have money, your money may not make you happy – in fact, most of the time it will make us unhappy.

The Paradox of Choice

Just a funny example was given by the Future Shock book. Previously, there was only one radio that was manufactured by Philips, and there is no conflict in your mind – you pay the price and then you buy it and bring back – no conflict. But now for the same price, there are one hundred different companies manufacturing, and everything has got something special – the moment even before buying, even at the pay counter, you are having: "Have I made a mistake? Should I have bought the other one?" So is somebody planning to rob me of my property, etc.?

The Cause of Jealousy

Not only that – I have to tell you something very interesting. If somebody had married a beautiful wife (and vice versa – a very beautiful but at the same time very talented rich man), so the men will be very jealous: "Why could I not marry this woman?" And the other wives – women will be very jealous: "What right has this woman got to get such a husband? My God!" Anything that makes other people jealous is a cause for worry.

Reward and Punishment

Anyway, what I wanted to tell: if somebody behaves properly, then that person must be encouraged – and that is called Lakṣmī – or give Ānanda. If somebody is misbehaving, he should be taught properly, trained properly. For that, punishment is necessary. That is how animals are trained – dolphins, whales, sharks were trained, horses are trained, anything is trained – even children. Also, in the previous time, teachers used to slap or pinch the thighs of young children, etc. So this is part of growth, evolution.

The Purpose of Evolution

So from Brahman came the entire knowledge that we have, and we have to make that knowledge our own. And then we have to translate that knowledge into making our life more productive, more creative, more happy, less worrying – and that would be our job. That is called evolution. And ultimately, if we do it properly – and we will be forced to do it properly – any number of births will be given. There is no choice – we have to go back from where we have come.

The Essence of the Tenth Mantra

And this is what in this tenth mantra Yājñavalkya wants to teach: the whole universe – sṛṣṭi – first in the form of knowledge, has come out. And then we have seen at other places – how Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, Śūdra have been – cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ – then how in the Chāndogya we have seen – each pair – just reciting the male and the female – the bull and the cow, the male horse, the female horse, male dog, female dog, male bird, female bird, etc. – the whole creation has come out.

The Real Parent

So what is the purpose? The purpose is: your real parent, your only parent, is Brahman. You are a child of God, you are potentially divine. So you will have to really understand your true nature, and you have to go there. That is the essence – that is the meaning we have to understand. And still again, we have to go back only to that source. So wherever from we have come – that coming down process is called evolution, and going back process to the source from where we have come and become one with that final ultimate cause – is called evolution. Purpose of evolution? Once we realise we are Brahman, then the purpose of creation is over – we need not be reborn at all.

Conclusion

We will talk about these lofty subjects 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!