Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Introduction Lecture 02 on 25 January 2026

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Introduction and Commentary

Opening Invocation

Om Jananīm Śāradām Devīm Rāmakṛṣṇam Jagadgurum

Pada Padmetayoḥ Śritvā Praṇamāmi Mohur Moho

Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate

Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādhāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate

Om Śānti Śānti Śānti

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 to the Upanishad

We started the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. Yesterday I gave you considerable amount of introduction, and today we will take up the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad itself.

Let us recollect: Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad belongs to the Śukla Yajur Veda, and the author is Yājñavalkya. He obtained this entire Veda, the White Yajur Veda, by the grace of Sūrya Deva. Sūrya Deva is also equated with Īśvara because he is the giver of life. Giver of light means giver of life. He is both the subject as well as the object.

So this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is one of the not only biggest but I would say the best of all the Upaniṣads. Why? Because every idea that we get in any other Upaniṣad is also available here and in greater detail, and also what we do not get elsewhere, we get here and crystal clearly.

The Three Kāṇḍas (Sections)

So this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad has got six chapters, but it can be divided into three parts.

1. Madhu Kāṇḍa (The Honey Section)

What is the first part? It is called Madhu Kāṇḍa. Kāṇḍa means a section, chapter. So here Kāṇḍa is a chapter and Brāhmaṇa is a section. Now in this Madhu Kāṇḍa are the chapters called Madhu.

The word madhu means honey. What is honey? That in this world everything is Brahman, and Brahman is manifesting both as the subject as well as the object. Everything is a subject and everything is an object at the same time. There is an interrelation between the subject and the object.

Not only that, there is an interrelationship between every little thing in this Sṛṣṭi, manifested world. And as the scientific saying goes, if a butterfly flutters its wings here, there would be alteration in the course of the stars. This may not be an exact phrase, but very nearly that.

So we may wonder: how can this tiny insect's fluttering alter the course of those stars which in their turn, when they alter their course, you will have to understand what tremendous cataclysmic effect it can have on the entire creation.

Universal Interdependence

So this Madhu Kāṇḍa wants to prove to us what is called the interrelationship not only between the subject and object but between everything in this world. Is there a relationship between the iceberg which are found in the northern side, arctic area? Yes. If that ice starts melting, cataclysmic changes in temperatures take place all over at least our known world. So that is the effect. Everything is totally interdependent.

And what is it that we want? Why are we dependent? Because everybody wants Ānanda. In fact everybody wants three things: Sat, Cit and Ānanda. I want to be. I do not want not to be. Then I want to know. My infinite mind wants to know infinite, wants to have infinite knowledge. When a mind attains to that infinity, it cannot be called a mind any longer. It has to be called Īśvara, Sarvajña or Brahman.

Of course we all want Ānanda. What is Ānanda? Ānanda not limited by time, space and causation. That is called Ānanda. What is Sukha? That which is the Ānanda, which is limited by time, space and causation is called Sukha. And if it is more Sukha, it means less Duḥkha. If it is less Sukha, means more Duḥkha. This is how we have to equate.

Madhu Kāṇḍa as Upadeśa Kāṇḍa

And this first Kāṇḍa, chapter Madhu Kāṇḍa, the primary teaching is called Upadeśa. That is why it is also known as Upadeśa Kāṇḍa—the chapter giving Upadeśa. Upadeśa means spiritual teaching. And what is the spiritual teaching? That which leads finally to the knowledge of Brahman.

So Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad as well as some other Upaniṣads also—because the basic ideas are there practically in every Upaniṣad. For example, the very first mantra in the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: that Īśvara, the ruler, he alone is manifesting as this entire world. Just as an example, clay alone is manifesting as any number of its products—small, big, different sizes, different shapes, different capacities, different even colors, etc.

You know, you are familiar, many sādhus, they take, there is a particular type of clay and if they melt it, put it in the water, it takes on the color of the ochre. And in that, when white cloths are dipped, they also become colored. So different colored earths are there. Nowadays people are discovering this earth has rare minerals and rare things that are needed by the most modern technical objects to create a mobile phone or to create a chip. These rare earths, rare materials, it is all nothing but pure earth.

But the point is not that. The point is that the earth cannot be existing without depending upon Brahman in the form of the sun. So the relationship between them is so: the benefactor, supporter, unsupported. So madhu, the word madhu means that one.

The Principle of Harmony

And whenever we are in harmony, in relationship, harmony always means relationship. When we are in harmony: first of all, body-mind harmony. Second, the individual and also the body, physical body also must be in harmony with the entire nature. Then this individual called a combination of body and mind complex along with consciousness must be in favorable relationship with everything in this world. Whether it is earth, water or fire—everything is necessary. So oxygen, air and space.

What happens? Without understanding this, when we pollute it, the consequences—like a person spitting into the space, it falls on his own head. This is what we need to understand this. So everything depends upon everybody else. And as I mentioned yesterday, all that relationships are categorized as five. And is a constant, life is a constant receiving and giving. And we are receiving and we do not wish to give.

And voluntarily to give after understanding this fact is called a Yajña, a sacrifice. So Pañca Mahā Yajña. So this is the first Kāṇḍa. And this is also compared to Śravaṇa.

Because once only we understand this, that I cannot be existing, I cannot be having knowledge, I cannot be happy unless I am in very close relationship, harmonious relationship with everything else in this world. Even the slightest differentiation can create big problems. Then if I understand this and transform our life, my life, then I will be the happiest person. But the purpose of all this harmony is to lead us to that ultimate Prajñānam. And that is the Upadeśa. One gets it. This is how the first part of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is divided.

2. Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa or Muni Kāṇḍa

The second part is called Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa, or it is also called Muni Kāṇḍa. Yājñavalkya is the main teacher here throughout this second part, second chapter. And he is also called a Muni.

Yājñavalkya was an enlightened Ṛṣi, but he was leading a householder's life. We will come to the details later on. But he gradually progressed and he wanted to enter into Sannyāsa Āśrama. And that proves that the whole Hindu's life as per the teaching of the Vedas is to go step after step towards self-knowledge.

The Four Āśramas

So we have to confine ourselves to the first stage, learning stage as I said, Brahmacarya Āśrama, Gṛhastha Āśrama—practicing stage and experiencing stage. Third stage is the stage of withdrawal from the external and identifying with the internal. This is corresponding to the Vānaprastha Āśrama.

And finally when we are ready, we enter into that state of Kevalatvaṃ—that is aloneness. That is identity with the universal self. No differentiation at all. Pure non-duality. That is called Sannyāsa Āśrama.

And Yājñavalkya beautifully illustrates this Sannyāsa Varṇa Sannyāsa Dharma through his life practically. That's what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had done, if we have the capacity to understand his life properly.

Manana and the Path to Śraddhā

So in this particular second chapter called Munikāṇḍa, after hearing, what is the next step? Manana. After Śravaṇa comes Manana. So the Manana has to be done. What is Manana? Removing any possible doubt.

And when all doubts are removed, we are convinced of the truth. That is called removal of doubt. If we still doubt, that's not conviction. That is not Śraddhā. When we succeed in that Manana stage, then we will be possessed or Śraddhā possesses us. Then our whole goal of life will be only towards Brahma Vidyā.

So this is also called, as I said, Munikāṇḍa, Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa. But not only this one Kāṇḍa—the entire Śukla Yajur Veda is attributed to Yājñavalkya. So it is also called Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā. So Vājasaneyī, that is, since he obtained this knowledge from the Sūrya Bhagavān. Saṃhitā means his experiences elucidated through statements.

So Yājñavalkya is the main Guru and he has debates over many—not ordinary scholars, but sādhakas in themselves. But he clears their doubts, helps them from wherever, where they are, to move forward to higher state. That is the second part.

3. Khila Kāṇḍa (The Supplementary Section)

And then we come to the third part. It is called Khila Kāṇḍa. So in this part, we get many, many karmas, upāsanas especially, and rituals. It is called Khila Kāṇḍa because Khila means a compilation of many, many topics.

For example, how a husband and wife can convert their union into one of the greatest yajñas. So creation of a child is one of the greatest yajñas—whether we understand it or not. How much father and mother had to labor just so that their children grow up and try to become worthy. Parents can only try that much. But the sacrifice, their selfishness for the sake of the children is a great sacrifice.

But that's a lower meaning. Higher meaning is: because they are my children, I am instinctively sacrificing myself. That is what animals also do. Now, consciously, I convert into a spiritual practice. So, this is also included in this third part, which is called Khila Kāṇḍa.

Hindu Saṃskāras

So everything in life, right from birth until death—Hindu Saṃskāras, we call them. The whole life is full of sacraments. What is a sacrament? That which makes us sacred, pure, gradually takes us towards our goal, which is, in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words, God realization. That is called a sacrament. And there are many sacraments, but usually around 40 plus are counted—42 according to some. And there are some special textbooks which deal only with Hindu Saṃskāras.

Understanding Upāsana

So there are also various Upāsanas. We have dealt with this. What is Upāsana? That which takes us nearer to our own self. That is called an Upāsana. And we have to speak a little bit more about it, which we will do that when we are discussing the meaning of the word Upaniṣad. Because Upāsana, Upavāsa, Upasādana—that is approaching the Guru, fasting, Upa, Upa is a prefix.

In a language, there are prefixes and also postfixes. And that enhances the meaning of the word or sometimes alters the meaning of the word. For example, Aśoka was a great soul. He was full of sorrow, but he overcame following the teachings of Buddha. So that Śoka turned into Aśoka—that means great bliss. Śoka, Aśoka, Hiṃsā, Ahiṃsā, etc.

So these Khilakāṇḍa is like various baskets and having various mixed objects, grains, food materials, etc. They are not arranged in a systematic manner. Such supplementary sections are also called Anubandhās, appear in various parts of the Vedas. They are usually called appendices.

Structure of the Upaniṣad

So each section, we said three chapters and each of these again sub-divided into two chapters. So Bṛhadāraṇyaka has a total of six chapters. Each chapter contains several sections and every section contains several mantras, and these sections are called Brāhmaṇa. We should not misunderstand the caste Brāhmaṇa, but as a section, a chapter sub-divided into sections.

The Meaning of Bṛhadāraṇyaka

Now what is the meaning of this word Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad? First we will take out Bṛhadāraṇyaka. Bṛhad means huge. Āraṇyaka means a forest. So the name of this Upaniṣad is Bṛhadāraṇyaka.

Bṛhat - The Vast

So Bṛhat means very, very, very big. And really it is one of the biggest of the Upaniṣads, and even the commentary of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya upon this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is also the largest—even slightly larger than Chāndogya Upaniṣad. Chāndogya Upaniṣad is the next largest Upaniṣad that we get.

So this Bṛhadāraṇyaka is large—we can understand it in two ways. It is large in size and large also in quality. Quality means the highest spiritual teachings we find them here. In fact that what we call:

Asato mā sad gamaya

Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya

Mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya

These three mantras are called Abhyāroha Mantras—gradually moving from a lower step to the highest step. First we make our life healthy and strong, and secondly we use this life to obtain more and more true knowledge. And even a true knowledge of the world helps us in spiritual life.

Once we come to know everything in this world is changing, Nitya not dependable, then our mind becomes anxious to find out something upon which we can without any doubt depend. Of course once we know who we are, we are Brahmānanda Svarūpa. So then not only in the teaching but in size also—that is why this is called Bṛhadāraṇyaka.

Bṛhat—that is the meaning we discussed. So in this Upaniṣad we see that a distilled teaching of Vedānta is available.

Āraṇyaka - The Forest Teaching

Next word is Āraṇyaka. So Āraṇyaka means—you know when after Gṛhasthāśrama a sincere true Hindu retires, then as a preparation for Sannyāsa he wants to go to a solitary place or a forest. Forest in the olden days: outside you step outside their villages you find huge tracts of forest, and there it is not that every forest is infested with dangerous animals.

There are so many forests where it is very peaceful and of course there will be some animals, birds, insects—everything will be there. It is full of life but danger is very, very less. Everywhere there will be danger, no doubt about it. Every forest is not crawling with ferocious mammoth tigers and mammoth elephants. If somebody fears snakes he perceives snakes everywhere.

So because these profound truths require that solitude and no disturbance, Araṇya is a place where there is so much of solitude available and it also supplies most often roots and fruits and vegetables which can improve our sattva guṇa but at the same time very healthy also. And many ṛṣis and munis used to dwell there living a very simple life, cultivating whatever is available there very easily, not laboring the whole day. And rest of the time they used to here discuss—sometimes alone, sometimes in groups, most often in groups, most often under the guidance of a loving competent teacher—and preparatory for Sannyāsa life.

Saṃnyāsins also they also live in forest usually. So that is why Araṇya means forest, Āraṇyaka means that knowledge where people strive to obtain in forest areas. That is why it is called Āraṇyaka. And it is also studied in the vānaprastha state, in Āraṇyaka state. It is not meant for household—they have to live in a place where they can labor, they can earn money and they can educate their children, they can interact with society and carry on numerous activities but all as directed by this scripture, as guided: do this and don't do this.

We got this glimpse of it in brief in the eleventh section of the first chapter of Taittirīya Upaniṣad called Śikṣā Valli.

Forest Life and Spiritual Practice

So normally ritualistic parts of the Veda belong to the Gṛhastha, but the Āraṇyaka part belongs to vānaprastha because it is a preparation to progress into Sannyāsa state. But there are so many Upāsanas, and these Upāsanas can be done when we are not disturbed and they have to be practiced for a long, long time.

But if you still remember we see Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa that how Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is at night: as soon as the temple is closed he will run towards that Pañcavaṭī area which is a mini forest and full of snakes and people believed full of ghosts also because remember it was a crematorium, Muslim crematorium, belonged to a purchased by an Anglo Indian and Rāṇī Rāsmaṇi purchased it.

There it is a quite a big area now because of the huge buildings, shops, malls, everything that came, the whole beauty is completely destroyed. But even when my first visit to Dakṣiṇeśvara was so memorable, there were very, very few shops, they were at a distance on the way to the temple. But once we enter into the temple compound it is all only those three buildings and then full of this ponds and other that forest area.

So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to enter there and spend practically whole night until the time came for him to again do, take up his duties in the temple. And Hṛday as we know tried to disturb him and you have to recollect that incident.

The Upāsana Kāṇḍa

So in this Upāsana Kāṇḍa, meditative practice—so here the Vānaprasthis attain concentration, expansion, then their understanding becomes deep and that is where they do the Manana or deep thinking so that is how slowly the desire, the faith in God increases. As the faith in God increases the desire for the realization of God: He is my mother, my father, my guru, my friend, my well-wisher, everything. I don't have anybody in this world.

Here after attaining mental maturity, a person by this—maybe the same guru is initiated into the Vedāntic three-stepped sādhana: Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana. And here Śravaṇa has a special meaning: not merely listening to the Upaniṣads etc., but obtained from a qualified teacher and given only to a qualified student—Mahāvākya Śravaṇa—and finding out usually to which Veda the guru belongs or the guru tradition belongs.

So each guru accepting one—one guru, one—sorry one, one Veda, and every Veda as we discussed has a special Mahāvākya. So for example this Yajur Veda has got Aham Brahmāsmi etc. So that is the mantra given is also compared to a Aruṇika state because that is everything is given up. Sannyāsa means complete transference of one's body, mind to God. That is called Sannyāsa.

The Nature of Ṛṣis and Sannyāsa

And there were many individual Ṛṣis. In fact throughout every teaching of the Veda is nothing but a revelation by one spiritually advanced Ṛṣi or other. That is why it is called Ṛṣi: Ṛṣati Jānāti—one who realized a small bit of the Brahma Jñānam, and that is because the mind can—mind is limited so it can only grasp to its full.

Like an ant, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa compares them to an ant. It just takes one grain of sugar and it fills its stomach and then it takes one and then it thinks: next time I will come, I will carry the whole sugar hill which is never possible. It is like you touch any part of the ocean or Gaṅgā river, you have touched the entire ocean, entire Gaṅgā.

So once we have that idea that I am Brahman, that's it. No more. Afterwards if the body remains, such a person will be known as Jīvanmukta. And then he is specially controlled and regulated by Brahman himself in the form of Īśvara for the good of the world. Whether he does anything consciously or not, every breath of his will be for the welfare of the world. This is the power of vibrations.

Two Types of Sannyāsa

So a Saṃnyāsī—here we have to understand there were so many Ṛṣis who were realized souls. Yājñavalkya himself was not only a married person, he had two wives, but he was a Vidvat Saṃnyāsī. Sannyāsa is divided into two categories: Vivedeśa Sannyāsa and Vidvat Sannyāsa.

Vivedeśa Sannyāsa means one takes up Sannyāsa in a proper manner if there are no unavoidable responsibilities for the sake of progressing in spiritual life to obtain Brahma Jñānam. So he doesn't have Brahma Jñānam but he wants to obtain Brahma Jñānam. He is very keen to obtain. Vivedeśa means to know and to realize Brahman, that deep desire. So that Īśa means desire: Bubhukṣā—desire to eat, Pipāsā—the desire to drink, Jijñāsā—desire to know. So Vivedeśa—desire to know, to have Brahma Jñānam.

But the higher—as he progresses one day he realizes, then he becomes a Vidvat, means a realized soul. So Yājñavalkya was such a realized soul. Still his—make that ideal of Sannyāsa bright, there was no need for him to take Sannyāsa. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had no need to take Sannyāsa. Similarly Jesus Christ, Buddha or Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they had, Rāmakṛṣṇa they had no need to become Saṃnyāsīs. Kṛṣṇa was a householder Brahma Jñānī, Rāma was a householder Brahma Jñānī.

But some people take for the sake of establishing an ideal and keeping it bright. That's why Swami Sāradānanda says in his Great Master that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa even though he was a married person, he took Sannyāsa and yet kept Holy Mother by his side because he was a Brahma Jñānī, true era Brahma—very interesting.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example

Because Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa specifically asked, "I am a married person." Totāpuri replied, "If you are a Brahma Jñānī, then these relationships will all be burned by the knowledge of Brahma." That's why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted to test himself: whether I am a real Brahma Jñānī or not. He found out through testing that his mind never wants to come down from that state of Brahman—only with great difficulty a little bit he will come down.

How much he will come down? If we have to have faith in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words: the person whose Kuṇḍalinī has risen to Sahasrāra, whose Jīvātmā became merged in with Śiva in Sahasrāra Cakra or thereafter, his mind can come down at best to the level of Anāhata Cakra, the heart Cakra—not more than that. It won't come below because below means is not a non-spiritual state is called the three lower Cakras.

Householder Saṃnyāsīs

So these Saṃnyāsins, Gṛhastha Saṃnyāsins—that is, Sannyāsa is mental state, not a physical state. Some people take physical Sannyāsa when opportunity comes: they have no responsibilities, probably is not married, parents are dead and family is being looked after by others or there is none. He says, "Why should I waste my time in this world state? Let me take Sannyāsa and devote my life exclusively to a spiritual, to spiritual practice."

But many of the householders—for example, Nāga Mahāśaya was more than a monk as far as we know. Holy Mother never took physical Sannyāsa even though we should not think she is the Divine Mother, but from ordinary point of view she was the greatest householder Saṃnyāsinī, no doubt about it.

So there are so many householders who lived absolutely—even M lived like a Saṃnyāsī but fulfilling the commandment of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa to distribute among thirsting spiritual aspirants what little he had understood. But he lived—I will give a small example even though I had given it earlier.

M's Example of Detachment

Once a senior Swāmī—and of course our senior Swāmī is very much a junior to M who was very much older—and they wanted to keep company of M. Why? Because M never speaks any worldly thing. He speaks only what he understood, what he heard from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. He was also deeply learned man. He was a scholar in Bhāgavatam. That's why he named the very gospel as Kathāmṛta. That word Kathāmṛta I had taken from the Gopī Gīta:

Taptajīvanaṃ kavibhir īḍitam kalmaṣāpaham

Śravaṇamaṅgalaṃ Śrīmadātataṃ Gopī Gīr enanti ete bhūridā janāḥ

So this Swāmī—I forget his name, he was elderly Swāmī—he visited one day all of a sudden. There was nothing called a phone and visit, and then M immediately with a joyful face came and he received him and then took him to his drawing room, visitor's room. And according to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's instruction, every sādhu, every devotee must be offered a bit of sweet or at least water. So he offered some sweets and some water.

And then the Swāmī later on was recollecting, "I noticed so many people coming into the house and going out of the house and he heard also loud weeping." He asked him, "What is that weeping for?" And then you know what M replied, without the least bit of change in his very serene spiritual face, "Oh Swāmī, in householder's life so many ups and downs will be there and please do not pay attention to them. Let us talk joyfully about Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa." And then they spoke for some time.

Of course we have to understand M was the speaker because he was considered as Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's representative. So after that the Swāmī went away but he came to know one of the children of M died that previous night or that day. But the serenity and the face of M never wavered because he understood the instruction of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "Live like a maid servant in a rich man's house."

So most of the people can be sannyāsins even while living in the household. No need to take external, but if somebody is free, if they want they can take Sannyāsa. And both Vānaprasthis and the renunciates they prefer to live in undisturbing places. That is why it is also called Āraṇyaka. Araṇya also means cultivating complete detachment by being away from worldly affairs which would be easier rather than being in the midst of worldly situations—try to cultivate detachment which will be very difficult.

That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to advise his devotees: now and then go into solitude.

The Meaning of Upaniṣad

Now what is the meaning of Upaniṣad? So Śaṅkarācārya gives us beautiful explanation. This word Upaniṣad is equivalent to Brahma Vidyā. How do we come to that? So according to Śaṅkara this word Upaniṣad is divided into three parts: Upa, Ni and Sad. Sad is the root. Ni and Upa are the prefixes.

So these indicate that this Upaniṣad helps us in gaining Brahma Vidyā and all the rules, practices required to attain that Brahma Vidyā and how one should get that Brahma Vidyā, the methodology.

The Root 'Sad' - Destruction

So let us look briefly at three of these things. Sad means that which destroys. What does this? We are talking about the Upaniṣad or the knowledge, precisely the knowledge—not the book but what the book teaches. And that is Brahma Vidyā. If heard, if thought deeply and accordingly transform our lives, then it will give us the knowledge: I am what I am seeking. That is called Aham Brahmāsmi.

And when a person attains to this state, two things will happen:

First: Avidyā, ignorance. What is ignorance? "I am not Brahman." That is ignorance, is destroyed. "I am Brahman" is automatically revealed.

Second: So destruction of the ignorance, destruction of the result of ignorance which is called Tāpatraya, threefold suffering, and automatically—we don't need to do anything to obtain the knowledge "I am Brahman" because I am Brahman—and that is called liberation.

So Brahma Avidyā Naśe Saṃsāra Kārya Nāśaḥ. So once the ignorance regarding Brahman is totally annihilated, destroyed, its result which is called Saṃsāra, that is the effect, is also completely destroyed.

The Analogy of the Rope and Snake

As an analogy, when light is brought, first of all the notion that this is a snake, and that is called Avidyā, and the result is fear, palpitation, heart attack—that also will be destroyed simultaneously. We don't need to say the result is to know that it is a snake. There is no need because when Avidyā is removed we know instinctively what it is, what I am. And when the cause is destroyed, the effect also gets destroyed simultaneously.

So cause destroyed, effect also is destroyed. So this Brahma Avidyā gives us two fruits:

Pratyakṣa phalam - destroys ignorance as well as its result which is suffering.

Parokṣa phalam - it immediately liberates us and makes us know automatically without any effort that I am Brahman.

Just as light is brought into a dark room, it destroys the darkness and there is no need to say "you reveal." That is not a second act. Its purpose is remove the darkness, remove the ignorance of what things are there. Both take up, take place simultaneously and we know what are the things that are already there—just as an example.

The Two Results of Brahma Vidyā

So destruction of the ignorance and its effect and revelation, automatic revelation that I was free, I am free, I will be free. These are the two results of this Brahma Avidyā and that is what the root meaning of Sad. Complete, non-returnable, non-repeatable because it won't come again, of the destruction of Avidyā.

Beautiful thoughts are there. We will talk about them in our next class.

Closing Prayer

Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum

Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.

Jai Ramakrishna!