Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Introduction Lecture 03 on 31 January 2026

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Invocation

Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum

Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE 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 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Of all the Upanishads, this Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is not only the biggest, it is the most important. And that's why Shankaracharya had written an elaborate commentary upon it. Earlier, I have given some introduction.

The Author and Origin

Who was this author, the writer or the manifester of this Brihadaranyaka Upanishad? The real author is only God, Brahman. But Brahman had revealed this Upanishad to Yajnavalkya through the deity called Surya Deva, the Sun God. And that is why it came to be known as Shukla Yajurveda.

The entire Shukla Yajurveda was a kind, graceful revelation of this highest spiritual truth to Yajnavalkya because he prepared himself to receive it.

The Nature of Prayer and Grace

Many times we do not understand what is the meaning of prayer. And even more important, why prayers are not answered.

It is just like an analogy: Two persons go to the ocean. One person goes with a small glass. Another person goes with a huge tanker. And then both of them receive water. But the person with a glass complains, "Why are you bestowing so much upon the other person? Whereas you have given me only a small glass full."

Of course, the ocean will not reply. But common sense will tell us that it is not that the ocean refuses to give you. But you are not ready to receive it. Or whatever capacity of reception you have, that much you got full.

This is what Sri Ramakrishna used to call, "The breeze of God's grace is always blowing. But you have to unfurl your sails." That means you should be ready to receive the grace, which has not started at a particular point of time, but forever it is blowing. Here grace means knowledge.

Sadhana and Mental Purification

And if we do sadhana, gradually increase our capacity of our mind, then we will be able to receive as much as our mind is ready to receive.

Imagine there is a room full of objects. And you want to buy something huge and put it there. You cannot because there is no space. So you will have to throw out, remove many objects, sufficient at least to keep that newly bought object.

In the same way, our mind is full of thoughts about the world—mithya jagat, avidya world. Sadhana is not meant to receive the grace of God. I repeat, sadhana is not meant to receive the grace of God. Sadhana is meant to make our minds pure. Purity means emptying the mind of all thoughts.

And just like space, as soon as a place is vacant, immediately it becomes available. That is, the space becomes available. You can keep whatever you want there. God's grace, you don't need to invite. You don't need to pray.

Yajnavalkya's Realization

So Yajnavalkya completely removed all thoughts. That is called purification of the mind. That is called destroying all attachments instantaneously. As soon as a place is vacant, space enters there. Rather, it is already there. Now it becomes more manifest.

This is the clear concept of what is called receiving the grace of God. And Yajnavalkya received it to the full. That means he removed 100% of his mind. Then what remained was Brahman. And that's why he was called Brahmavid.

And Brahmavid, as we saw in the Taittiriya Upanishad, āpnoti param—he attains everything. He becomes Satyam Jñānam Anantam Brahma.

The Setting for Study

So in the introduction, we have seen this is the biggest of the Upanishads. And it is usually taught to renunciates in the forest. Forest means a place where one can pursue the spiritual studies, spiritual sadhanas.

Spiritual study and spiritual sadhana are not two separate things. Just like a scientist: Scientific knowledge is not a dry knowledge. It is first thought about, then experimented upon. It becomes a provable knowledge. Proven knowledge becomes forever provable knowledge. Take the same steps, one should get the same result. Brahma jñānam is no exception to it. That is the real meaning.

Benefits of Forest Environment

So where there is no distraction, the mind also, because of the absence of distractions, can also remain equanimous, more calm. We have not developed so much that we can afford to be in this, what is called huge storm on the ocean, and remain in that ocean called Samsara Sagara, and expect to be calm and quiet.

So we have to help ourselves by going into solitude, which Ramakrishna used to call nirjanasthāna. Do not depend upon anything. Everything is perishable, non-dependable. Only God is dependable. That is called solitude.

And it is for the solitude, and there is also another thing: A forest is the most natural expression of nature. And to be in contact with nature itself is extraordinarily calming.

The Importance of Pure Food

So when a person starts to live and enjoy the bounty of the forest—fruits, roots, etc.—without contamination by artificial fertilizers, etc., the mind of a person becomes very, very pure.

Whereas we are all living cultivated with fertilizers and pesticides, etc. How much harm is being done? Now scientists are astonished how much plastic is going into the fishes, into the animals, into our own bodies. God alone knows.

And when the food is impure, when āhāra is not sāttvic āhāra, śuddha āhāra, then our remembrance of who we are also will be affected by it. That is why the sister of the Vaishnavas, Vaishnavas' bhaktas, is so much of importance for food.

An Incident About Food Purity

I have narrated an incident: Once Holy Mother bestowed her grace upon one of her disciples and asked him not to eat food in anybody's house excepting at the Jayrambati, Holy Mother's prasada, or the next best choice, the cooking of one's own mother.

The devotee disobeyed it, thinking that after all I am taking food from a devotee's house. Instantaneously his mind came down, fallen, and he received a shock. Then Mother must have told him, "Why did you disobey me? You should have come back here." Such is the effect of food.

Sri Ramakrishna could not touch the food, let alone cooked, even touched by impure people.

The True Meaning of Forest

So forest affords us natural food, healthy food, and also healthy environment. And there distractions are very, very less. If distractions are not less, that's not a forest, even if it is a forest. We have to understand the inner meaning.

Forest means where a person's mind can remain naturally, without effort, calm and quiet, equanimous. That is a real forest. A house also can be like that.

There is a beautiful Sanskrit verse: So one's own home, svagṛham, itself can become the greatest ashrama, provided the environment is kept like that. Sri Rama's home became such a heaven of peace.

Students of the Upanishad

Anyway, we already introduced Brihadaranyaka, and people used to study. Two types of people used to study there. One is the vanaprasthis, householders, and then another is monks who renounced.

After living for some time as a vanaprastha ashrama, then when he becomes ready, some of them don't—they occur robe, but not necessary. Sannyasa, vanaprastha ashrama, are not physical external stages. They are development of the purity of the mind. That's what we might discuss in the future.

Three Main Divisions (Kandas)

This Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mainly is divided into three parts: Madhu Kanda, Muni Kanda, Khila Kanda. Kanda means a chapter.

1. Madhu Kanda (The Honey Chapter)

Madhu Kanda means the chapter called honey. Honey means everything is interconnected. Why is everything interconnected? Because the source, the ultimate cause is Brahman, and everything comes out Brahman. Like many children of the same parents are interconnected, blood related. That is how it is called Madhu Kanda.

If we do not realize it, that I am separate, you are separate, I can do whatever I like with you, so also you can do, and that brings disastrous results. So it is called Madhu Kanda.

2. Muni Kanda (Yajnavalkya Kanda)

Then the second part is called Muni Kanda, Yajnavalkya Kanda, because there are marvelous discussions about the highest knowledge and also about many of the important contemplations called upasanas.

Yajnavalkya explains everything to his challengers and he also becomes the guru of Janaka Maharaja and he also becomes the teacher of his own, one of his own wives called Maitreyi, and most marvelous teachings are there.

3. Khila Kanda (Miscellaneous Chapter)

The last Kanda is Khila Kanda. This is what we call appendix or appendicitis or whatever, where various distorted things, disconnected things, kept together, some of them are marvelous things.

So these are the three important divisions of his Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. And again each Adhyaya or Kanda is subdivided into two, so three into two, total there are six chapters.

And then some of them are repetitions, especially the conversation between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi repeated in another section. And there is also remembrance of lineage, spiritual lineage, guru parampara system, that also is there.

Comparative Understanding of the Three Kandas

In Madhu Kanda, the primary teaching is upadesha of Brahma jñāna. Therefore it is called also Upadesha Kanda. And second, this is compared to śravaṇa because that is our goal.

Second is Muni Kanda, Yajnavalkya Kanda. In this second chapter, the teachings given are supported by logic. Logic or upapatti is used. That is why it is called logical explanations of these real teachings are given in the first chapter.

And the person who explains such with superb intelligence and clarity is none other than Yajnavalkya himself. So if the first Kanda can be compared to śravaṇa, the second Kanda, Muni Kanda, Yajnavalkya Kanda, Upapatti Kanda can be compared to manana. That is deeply churning, thinking.

Manana means churn the mind, keeping all the acquired knowledge and all the dirt, dust and unnecessary things are removed. Pure, what is called, butter is distilled from there. And Ramakrishna often uses this: There is no harm after being churned. If butter is kept in what you call buttermilk or water, it never mixes. But without that, the milk can get spoiled.

So this is the second chapter and the main guru is Yajnavalkya, Khila Kanda. That is what is called a miscellaneous chapter. In this part, various kinds of upasanas, that is contemplations, various types of rituals are found.

The Logic of This Division

Why are they found? It doesn't seem logical. First there should be what is called rituals and contemplations. Then logical explanations about Brahma jñāna. And lastly, pure Brahma jñāna.

No, sir. First the goal is explained. Then it is made to be understood with various logics, etc. Supported by logic, the teachings become much more acceptable. But to transform them into practical Vedanta, we have to start from where we are standing or even sitting or even lying down and move forward.

So this is the very logical way of dividing.

Etymology of "Upanishad"

Now we will talk about what is the meaning of the Upanishad. In many of the Upanishads we have explained, but it is very necessary to go through it. First, because of our memory. Second, because repetition only drives deep the meaning into our subconscious and unconscious minds. That is what we need to understand.

This word Upanishad, according to Shankaracharya, is divided into three small words: Upa, Ni, Sad. And Upa and Ni are prefixes. The real word is Sad.

Meaning of "Sad"

Sad means, according to Shankara himself, that which destroys. What does it destroy? Sad means knowledge. What does knowledge destroy? Knowledge always destroys, only ignorance, nothing else.

Ignorance in Vedanta is called avidya. So Brahmavidya is that which destroys ignorance. If one attains Brahmavidya, then Brahman-ignorance, ignorance of Brahman is destroyed. They are simultaneous process. As soon as we bring light, darkness disappears, things are revealed, stand revealed.

Avidya as the Cause of Bondage

So according to this scripture, our Vedas, the cause of our bondage, called worldly existence, samsara, is ignorance of Brahman. If Brahmavidya, that is true knowledge, about whom? About our own nature, who am I?

So Brahmavidya destroys the very cause of worldly existence, which is called avidya. And when the cause ceases to exist, the effect of the cause also will be destroyed. As soon as you come to know that this is a rope, not a snake, the fear, the palpitation, will be automatically destroyed.

Not only so, destruction of the false knowledge, but the result of the effect of the false knowledge will also be destroyed. Brahma-avidya-nāśa, its effect, samsara-nāśa, that's what happens.

The Problem of Samsara

Why should we destroy samsara? If anybody is doubting, worldly existence, samsara means problems arising from gaining, loss, everything. Many times, gaining also causes great sorrow. How does it cause? If somebody is promoted, a hundred or thousand eyes will be glaring at him, scorching him. "What right have you got to get what you got? Each one of us should have got that."

Whoever rises to that position will get the same looks. How many people are waiting to kill the presidents, prime ministers, in every country? Worldly existence means problems. Problems means sorrow. Sorrow is opposite our nature.

How do we know? Because we never lift even a small finger to what is called destroy happiness. But the moment even the slightest sorrow comes, immediately, automatically, we want to get rid of it.

The Three Sources of Sorrow

And according to Vedanta, all sorrows come from three factors. What is that? This external world represented by gross body, internal world, our mental reactions caused by what is called the mental world. And the root cause of both is karana, cause, causal world.

So, gross body, subtle body, causal body. Any sorrow comes only from these three.

So there is another way, explanation also is there. So that which causes sorrow from our body and external world is called adhyātma. But that which comes from God is what is called from the external world, earthquakes, or lack of rain, or occupation by other people, people who cheat, or punish to people's savings, etc. And that also because of one's own prarabdha actually.

So, there is a third: God or Brahman, also is not only creator, but he is also a supporter, sustainer. And if we do not recognize, if we are not grateful what we are receiving for, then great destruction will come. They will send what is called too much rain, too less of rain, unseasonal rain, earthquakes, or wars, pestilences, or germ warfare.

All these things come. Unfortunately, we blame them on other people, not knowing we are the other people. Our government is nothing but our representation. Collective representation is called our government.

Liberation from Samsara

So, world existence means problems arising from tapa, sorrow, tapatraya. Liberation from world existence is moksha. Cessation from sorrow. Brahmavid, you know the supreme. So, along with Brahman, he enjoys everything.

Brahmavidya gives two fruits. It destroys ignorance and it grants liberation. There is no separate thing called liberation. To know that I was, I am, I will be ever free, that is, to know that is called liberation.

Second Meaning of "Sad"

That is one meaning of the word sad. There is another word. It means that which leads us to the right goal. So, what does lead us? Sad means knowledge of self, Brahman. Brahmavidya, where does it lead us?

So, Brahmavidya leads to Brahman. It means what? Leading means what? It means it makes us completely become one with Brahman. Or to know there are no Brahman and me, only one thing and that is Brahman. I am that Brahman. That is why it is said Brahmavid āpnoti param.

So, one meaning of sad is destruction of ignorance. Second meaning is that which leads us to Brahman. And what is the good of it? The nature of Brahman is what? Sat, Cit, Ānanda. Ānanda means bliss.

So, sad means that which leads each one of us to Brahman which means to bliss, which means to counter death, which means complete knowledge, all consciousness, I am Brahman. Thus, attainment of Brahman means I am ānanda svarūpa.

So, we have seen both.

Meaning of "Ni"

Then, we have to see what is the meaning of Ni. Ni is a prefix and niśaśena nāśayati. We have to presume that meaning. That means there would be not even a little bit remnant of avidya completely. That which eradicates, destroys, so uproots the samsara vṛkṣa.

That is called—that what does it mean? What does it do? Who does it? Sad. So, Ni means there would be a little bit of samsara, a little bit of Brahman. No. Completely.

The Problem of Mental Conflict

So, what is the problem? Sad. Whatever knowledge we have, that is our problem. Knowledge is received by the mind, developed by the mind. But then, mind means there is also intellect.

So, our mind, our understanding, buddhi and manas are ever at conflict. I know aham brahmāsmi. But, my mind says, "You idiot, you liked this sweet very much. Now, get to work and enjoy that sweet."

This ever opposing force, that is why it is called dvandva, is haunting us ever since creation. So, therefore, mere knowledge will not do. Our identity with the body, our identity with our possessions, our identity with the family and our hatred of other people, both of them lead to bondage only.

That's why it is said, pāpam is also gives us sorrow. Puṇyam also gives us more sorrow. How come? Because if pāpam is like a person who falls a little bit down, from a short height. Puṇyam, you go to the Svarga Loka, the pāpa, you fall down, which is extraordinarily painful.

That's why we must rise beyond both virtue and vice. But in the beginning, get rid of the vice. Later on, we have to get rid of virtue also. We must go beyond that. So, we must go beyond dharma, beyond artha, beyond kāma, then only moksha is possible.

Obstacles to Knowledge

So, in spite of knowledge, we have got passions, hatreds, aversions, desires, kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mātsarya. These are called obstacles to right knowledge.

So, these feelings have not only come from the past birth, but in this birth also, unfortunately, we reinforce them instead of cutting them down. So, all these things are sure to affect the mind, but Vedanta knowledge also arises in the intellect. Doubts also arise in the intellect until definitive knowledge arises.

If the mind is not kept under control, śama, dama, ādi, ṣaṭ, sampatti, this knowledge does not really work. That is why, even when we understand intellectually Vedanta, we are unable to keep serene and quite equanimous in the face of ups and downs of life. And this is the problem of all humanity.

Only just a selected few manushya, nāma, sahasreṣu try to jump out of the net, as Ramakrishna gives the analogy of the fish, and only a few succeed in it.

The Path Through Dharma Shastra

That is why, we have to start our life in having faith not in Vedanta Shastra, but in Dharma Shastra. What does Dharma Shastra do? Like a spiritual doctor, like a physical doctor, this is a spiritual doctor, it says, if you want physical health, mental health, every type of health, then you will have to stop doing these things and start doing these things.

They are called niṣedhāda, do not even think of doing them, or if, because we have already done, then slowly try to reduce them by replacing them with what should be done. That is called vidhi.

So, only when one leads a dharmic life, these obstacles of vidhi or misconception will become absent, it takes time gradually. So, that knowledge which arises in an intellect free from all doubts and in a mind free from the obstacles of misconception or jñāna, that is called in Vedanta, Sanskrit knowledge of the absence of all the obstacles.

The Process of Learning

So, to remove misconceptions, how do we do that? So, as I said, first we have to go to a guru and then what does the guru do? He first prescribes rituals and then contemplations. First rituals, then contemplations and then when the guru finds a fit person, he starts giving us what is called upadeśa, teaching and that teaching is called śravaṇam.

Śravaṇam is not merely listening to a lecture like this. For that, we have to be ready and then whatever is received must be made firm through the process of churning the mind until the last vestige of doubt is totally removed and when that happens, then we have to fight with the old samskaras, bring in new samskaras and that is called nididhyāsana means remove the unspiritual samskaras, replacing them with spiritual samskaras until we reach the doorway to Brahman.

So, Ni means definitive knowledge.

Meaning of "Upa"

Upa, what is Upa means method of attaining self-knowledge and there is only one path. Upa means near.

First Meaning: Approaching the Self

First meaning of Upa is we have to approach the self who is within every object in this world, living or non-living.

In the non-living, it is in the form of existence. In the living, it is in the form of not only existence sat but cit and ānanda but even this cit and ānanda are very very minimal, miniscule at the beginning as the soul evolves further, it evolves its brain. Brain means the ability to understand an appropriate body and mind and it culminates in human body and even then the human body has to go through three steps of rajoguna.

The Three Gunas and Human Evolution

First it would be enveloped with tamoguna. Tamas means darkness. Then slowly like a train approaching the ground, traveling in the tunnel, a faint glimpse of light comes and that is where rajoguna comes out.

Then after the rajoguna as the progress is made, the light becomes more and more and when we come out it becomes perfectly clear which is called sattvaguna. That is how Hinduism divides people into śūdra, vaiśya, kṣatriya and brāhmaṇa but even in a Brahmin's life and that includes other varnas also.

The Four Ashramas

So life is divided into four as you all know very well, should know very well: learning process, experimenting and experiencing process and being disappointed with the results attained thus slowly turning our face away from the external into the internal which is called vanaprasthāśrama and finally trying to abide with the self in the self called sannyāsāśrama.

So that is the only process and we see this in several of the Upanishads since we have discussed what we call Chandogya Upanishad in the 7th chapter that great learned person who knows everything but whose mind was not under control. He approaches Sanatkumara without guru that is called approaching guru. Approaching guru in Sanskrit is called upasadanam.

Guru Upasadanam

Guru upasadanam—you stay with the guru and then serve him: tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. So gradually one learns to surrender to the guru. Guru means right knowledge so that right knowledge as much as we surrender right knowledge penetrates into the depths of our darkest unconscious lights up destroys old samskaras slowly reveals the self that is abiding there not reluctantly but with the greatest eagerness.

The Three Meanings of "Upa"

That is the three meanings of the Upa finally the Near. Upa means Near and the nearest thing to us is our own true self or God and approaching him just as a dry straw as soon as it approaches blazing fire it becomes completely burnt out becomes fire itself or like the clarified butter ghee poured into blazing fire it only feeds the fire so one becomes completely one with one's own true nature not becoming somebody else Brahman is our own true nature.

These are the three meanings of Upa:

A deep desire to approach God
Follow the teachings of a guru by surrendering and guru tells him first you do this second you do that any number of steps that are needed and that is what is called rituals then contemplations finally śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana
So Upa means Brahma vidya

This is the primary meaning of the word Upanishad.

Pramanas: Valid Means of Knowledge

So now we have discussed but just a brief recollection just to recollect what are these in Indian philosophy particularly within the school of Advaita Vedanta. Pramanas are the valid means through which we acquire accurate valid knowledge of the world and the self.

Note down we are not only talking about self or God we are talking about the world what is the condition of our present knowledge. God may or may not exist but the world definitely is existing and therefore it is real therefore we should act and react according to this concept.

What does Vedanta teach? Brahma satyam jagan mithya. It goes completely opposite to what we know.

A sincere student has to and will question the teacher, "Sir, my experience shows this world is real your Vedanta teaches this world is unreal God alone is real my knowledge is just the contrary complete 100% opposite how come?"

Two Categories of Pramanas

Anyway for that purpose knowledge or the means of knowledge called pramanas are divided into two categories.

The first category of pramanas should give us valid knowledge about this world and we employ five means and the first means that we employ is called direct experience called pratyakṣa pramāṇa and based upon this pratyakṣa pramāṇa another four subsidiary pratyakṣa pramāṇas are added so you can say one pramāṇa or you can say one plus four five pramāṇas.

The second category of pramāṇa is called śabda pramāṇa because there is the knowledge of things of which we have absolutely no knowledge because they are not pratyakṣa they are not directly experienceable.

For example that there is life after death there are other worlds and there are higher worlds and lower worlds and there is also a God and we are all experiencing the results of our own past lives these are not available for any scientific knowledge.

So science employs and we also consciously and most of the time unconsciously experience five types of this means of acquiring knowledge and most of the time we don't employ them properly and that's why our knowledge will be not only defective knowledge but positively harmful knowledge.

The Five Pramanas (First Category)

But to go briefly so first category is and only category really speaking is called:

1. Pratyaksha (Direct Perception)

Pratyakṣa—perceptual knowledge. This is a knowledge gained directly through the five sense organs. So sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch and combined with the mind. Mind is the internal perception of emotions like joy or pain happiness unhappiness.

So as a simple example you see a blue book on a table your eyes our eyes perceive the color and shape directly giving us the valid knowledge that here is a blue book and that also separates by the adjectives what is the adjective it is a book therefore it is not a table it is not a tree and it is blue so it excludes all other colors that is called pratyakṣa pramāṇa.

And as a derivative of this pratyakṣa pramāṇa there are another four pramāṇas briefly we will discuss in today's class and go to the śabda pramāṇa in our next class.

2. Anumana (Inference)

The second is called anumāna—inference. So what is the inference? This knowledge reached by using a reason to arrive at a conclusion based on a previously known universal relationship also called vyāpti.

For example this is a famous example there is a hill in front of you and one day you see smoke arising from behind the hill and you don't know what causes the smoke but you have observed in day to day life when you lit a fire and then smoke arises so smoke will not come unless there is a fire therefore even though we do not see the fire we infer that some fire is going on and the result will be the smoke.

Smoke is definitely caused by fire therefore we infer but for this universally we observe wherever there is fire there is smoke that is very necessary that is called vyāpti.

Apply this to all these inferences therefore when you see one part of our experience not the other part by seeing one part of the fact we infer the other fact and that is called anumāna pramāṇa.

For that very important to understand so we must have experience of both things together invariably suppose you see fire no smoke so this inference becomes invalid no every time we see a fire there is a wisp of smoke even from the driest firewood and that is called vyāpti means universally applicable observable so we see only part of it which is called smoke and therefore wherever there is fire there would be smoke so if you see the smoke only we infer there is fire that is.

3. Upamana (Comparison/Analogy)

The third is called upamāna—comparison or analogy. What is this? This is knowledge gained by identifying any unknown object based on its similarity to a known object.

For example you know a person he is such and such but his brother is somewhere in America you have never seen and one day suddenly you encounter this person he looks almost like the person you know and you observe carefully and say "Oh I heard sometime back my friend telling me that his brother is coming back from America" that knowledge will come but even without knowledge this person looks like a person I have already known very well and therefore this person must be related somehow to that person whether it is cousin, brother etc.

The famous example given in Vedanta is we all know what is a cow but suddenly in the forest we see another animal almost resembling like a cow called gavaya then we understand somebody told us there is a animal you might see in the forest it is called wild ox and it resembles our cow in great way great extent and as soon as you behold that immediately you find out so this must be that animal which was described to me.

So seeing resemblance and inferring this must be that particular animal that is called upamāna pramāṇa.

4. Arthapatti (Postulation/Presumption)

Then fourth is called arthāpatti. Arthāpatti means artha means meaning that is reasonable inference. Seeing a person famous example is you know or many people know a person and nobody seen has seen him eating during day time but he is growing fatter and fatter everyday.

What is the inference? Nobody can grow without eating and nobody can grow fat without eating oily substance fatty substance so this person must be gobbling up oily foods plenty of it more than he can digest at night where nobody can see him.

So by seeing an effect and you don't see any what is called contrary contradictory reason so you guess this person must be doing this thing secretly at night so to resolve this contradiction not seeing him eating and still growing we postulate that he must be eating at night not only eating plenty not only plenty most unhealthy subjects that is called arthāpatti.

5. Anupalabdhi (Non-Perception)

And fifth I already mentioned anupalabdhi. You kept a book always you keep a book in a particular place one day it is missing and at night eleven o'clock after closing all your doors you kept there next morning it is not there so that absence of that object leads us to infer that book must have been taken by somebody to another room if it is not in this room it must be in the other room.

And all the time we use this arthāpatti where is the officer "oh we saw him just entering into the office" so you rush to the office but he is not there in his chair that is you don't see him can you guess he must have gone to some other room to inspect or to ask or to have a cup of coffee or toilet whatever it is this is called anupalabdhi or non perception of an object.

Proper Application of Pramanas

And all of us use them wonderfully well all these five pramanas are useful applicable and they must be applied meticulously if we want right knowledge but they only apply to sensory knowledge.

But with regard to supersensory knowledge we require another type of pramana which is called Veda pramāṇa, śabda pramāṇa. So we will discuss about it in our next class.

Closing Prayer