Chandogya Upanishad 4.1 Lecture 126 on 03 August 2025

Sanskrit Invocation

Oṁ jananīṁ śaradāṁ devīṁ rāmakṛṣṇam jagad-gurum pāda-padmetayōśritvā praṇamāmi-mohurumō

Oṁ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇas cakṣuḥ śrutra-mathu bala-mindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi sarvam brahmau paṇiṣadam māham brahma nirākuriyām mā mā brahma nirākarot anirākaraṇam astva nirākaraṇam me astu tadātmani nirate yau paṇiṣadsu dharmā te mayi santu te mayi santu

Oṁ śānte śānte śānte

Hāre he Oṁ

Translation

May my limbs, speech, vital force, eyes, ears, as also strength and all the organs become well developed. Everything is the Brahman revealed in the Upanishads. May I not deny Brahman. May not Brahman deny me. Let there be no spurning of me by Brahman. Let there be no rejection of Brahman by me. May all the virtues that are spoken of in the Upanishads repose in me who am engaged in the pursuit of the Self. May they repose in me. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace be unto all.

Introduction to Samvarga Vidya

Today, onwards we are going to study a particular type of contemplation Contemplation is called vidya It is also called upasana in the Upanishadic literature This particular vidya we are going to study is called samvarga vidya.

The Meaning of Samvarga Vidya

Samvarga means all absorbing contemplation. What does it mean? I absorb the entire objective world into myself. Am I not doing it right now? No. In fact, the world is following us and we have become slaves to the world by the usage of the word slave. What does it mean? It means there is someone who is a controller, who is controlling me. I am not the controller, I am the controlled.

Becoming the Master

Now how can I reverse this process and become the controller, the master? And a master can do whatever he likes. He may do, he may not do, he may do in an entirely different fashion. He is completely free to do whatever he likes. There is a beautiful terminology in the Upanishadic language. A master is one who can do in one way or he can do in another way or who can decide and say, I am not at all going to do something and whatever he decides, the object has no power, abstract. So this is beautifully called herein as Samvarga Vidya.

The Purpose of Spiritual Life

How can I become master of everything? And that is what real spiritual life means, that me who is acting like a born slave all along, now I would like to be the master and not treat the world as a slave. No, but treat the whole world as my own self. This art of looking upon the entire manifested world, unmanifested world, as well as the cause of both the manifestation and non-manifestation. In other words, to remain purely as Atman, Ekam or Satyam, Gnanam, Anantam Brahma. That is the purpose.

The Transformation Through Vidyas

How beautifully these Vidyas lead us slowly from being slaves, being bound, being limited, being unhappy, to the opposite effects, being the infinite, being the unlimited, being the master and obtaining unbroken bliss. And this is the essence of this one. And I will also in this introduction give you a few more further details.

Teaching Through Stories in Upanishads

But very often the Upanishads start teaching this through a small story. We have seen in the Svaricandha Upanishad, in the chapter 6, how the son Swetaketu was sent to obtain his education. And he came back, his head full of pride, arrogance, egotism. But the father perceived him because father was a true knower of Brahman. And how fortunate such a son would be, we cannot imagine. So he broke the egotism by asking the question, Have you mastered that knowledge by knowing which you become liberated forever? Oh, I never heard about it. Have you mastered? Have you been taught? Have you acquired that knowledge by which there would be nothing unknown? Everything known and unknown becomes completely known. By knowing which a person knows everything.

The Story of Narada and Sanat Kumara

In the second or next chapter, seventh chapter, we have seen how Sanat Kumara was leading Narada, an apt disciple, that all your worldly knowledge is completely useless. Is it really useless? That's not what is meant. It is useful if you are the master, if you are free from bondage, if you are a liberated soul, if you are a happy person all the time. But if you are the other way around, unhappy, full of problems, you think you are ignorant and other people are tormenting you, Ignorance means exactly that, that others have mastery over me. I am just a puppet in the hands of other people.

The Puppeteer Analogy from Bhagavad Gita

And that is the word Bhagavan Krishna uses in Bhagavad Gita. Like a puppeteer. And how is Ishvara making us dance according to his will? Because Ishvara is not as the Lord of the universe, but Ishvara manifesting in the form of the entire creation, especially in the form of the five sense objects corresponding to the five sense organs. Every time we see nice food, nice smell, nice touch or nice music or sound, all the five sense organs, they are drawn helplessly and being drawn helplessly because I do not get that happiness from within myself.

The Secret of Inner Happiness

If I get happiness from within myself, I don't need to bother to go anywhere because I can be happy and it is the most economical thing in the whole world. That's why a little bit lighter vein, I am telling you, why are sadhus so happy? See, we are all wearing the dress, this ochre dress. Perhaps once in a while, at least in the olden days, we used to get only every 2-3 years one pair of dress by our senior monks or some devotees, most often by senior swamis and that used to go, especially some austere sadhus, they will go on using the same shirt, the same wearing cloth, the same upper cloth until practically whole life. Even if it becomes holy, they don't want the cloths to become holy, so they stitch them again and again.

Simple Living and Contentment

And that is why apart from being very economical, it makes what is called living very inexpensive. So what is the food also? Rooty Dal. There are quite a number of sadhus who are quite satisfied with them. If anybody can be satisfied, be very happy with these few requirements. One cot, just as those who have visited Varanasi, they have seen the cot that was slept on by Swami Adbhutanandaji and it is that old time, what is called, cloth type of, small cloth type of cot, small cot. Was he unhappy? He was most happy. Now you must have thick, what is called spring mattresses, water mattresses or air mattresses and so many new new things are also coming, messaging mattresses etc. So are the people happy with all those things?

The Source of True Happiness

The point is, are we happy? If any person is happy, first thing that we notice is his requirements are few, his mind is totally satiated with the simplest of things. Next thing that we indicate that whatever be the income or whatever money the person is getting or if he is maintained by an ashrama, is quite happy. What is the secret? The secret is, happiness is not derived from any one of these things. In fact they are kept at the very minimum so that they do not distract a person's mind. So such a person must be deriving happiness, not from the possession of objects, from something else. What is that something else? From the Self, from God, from Sri Ram Krishna, from Holy Mother etc. etc. This is just a hint that we are all slaves until we reach Brahman, until we know who we are, we are all slaves only.

The Method of Samvarga Vidya

So this special vidya, it is called samvarga vidya. Samvarga means what? All absorbing. Instead of my being absorbed by external things, I will absorb everything into myself. By which method? By looking upon the whole world that as my own self. Nobody seeks his own self really. Nobody desires I want to be myself. Everybody desires what a person thinks he doesn't have. So this is called samvarga upasana. So which means the process of complete absorption of the entire creation into oneself, not being selfish but looking upon the whole universe as non-separate from one's own self. So whatever I am enjoying, I am that. It is not separate from me. So this knowledge of the all-absorbing one is the actual meaning of this word samvarga vidya. And we are introduced into that which all-absorbing vidya.

The Purpose of Stories in Teaching

How is it taught? How it came into being? That story, there is a beautiful story and a story is not for entertainment here. It is like a mnemonic peg. You see, sometimes we put up notices. There are also softwares, reminders. You have an appointment, you have to meet with somebody at such and such a time etc. So in the olden days the writing methods were not there. So often they used to tell stories. The way of telling true stories has certain benefits. First benefit is easier to understand through a story. Second benefit is that the moment we remember the name, the whole story comes up and stands in front of our memory. But when a story is there, then we also remember what is the story about. Oh, there was a king called Janashruti and he one day heard the conversation of some swans flying above. And then he became agitated. His curiosity was aroused and he sought a person about whom he came to know from the birds etc. So the whole thing that the teacher has taught comes back to them if it is in a story form.

The Power of Stories in Memory

That's why this Mahabharata story, Ramayana story, so many stories from the Bhagavatam, the moment we hear that story, immediately the whole subject matter comes into our minds. So the story reminds us easy to understand, easy to keep in memory, easy to recollect and then it also fulfills tremendous satisfaction by giving us the more we dwell upon it, the more meaning is squeezed out of the same thing.

Swami Vivekananda's Orange Analogy

There is a funny saying that Swami Vivekananda used to say comparing some other atheist, there was an atheist who used to tell the whole world is an orange, you squeeze it and then you spit it out. Swami Vivekananda referring to that he says, I also accept that the whole universe is an orange but the difference between you and me is once you squeeze the world then it will not give you even a single drop more than that. But I know the art how to squeeze this orange so that I can enjoy the whole orange complete juice again and again and again as many times as I can and with each squeezing the quality and the quantity of the juice will also increase.

The Experience of Divine Names

That is called prasa, the experience is called prasa swadhana, so God's name is like that, every time a true devotee gets this prasa swadhana, God's name, pratekshanam vartamanam, every millisecond this happiness is increasing. Normally what happens with any object or objective enjoyment, once we had it we become satiated, sometimes we do not want to even see, even remember them or we feel like vomiting but it is completely opposite with regard to God's name. The more I chant God's name, the more enjoyment I derive and every time the enjoyment is on the increase, that is what is said pratekshanam vartamanam, the more I repeat the next time I repeat my happiness goes up like anything. So that is the secret of studying the Upanishads but of course to squeeze, to be able to squeeze we must have that technique and that technique can be clearly obtained but it will take time, many lives but it doesn't matter, it is worth.

The Source of Samvarga Vidya

So there was a story and this is the story behind this samvarga vidya, this comes in the Chandogya Upanishad, fourth chapter, the first, second and third sections, so fourth chapter, first, second and third sections of Chandogya Upanishad. Last we should not forget, Chandogya Upanishad has got eight chapters and number one, chapter one to chapter five is mostly considered as what is called upasana, contemplations but as we have seen Sandalya vidya which we just now completed yesterday that brahmaiva idam sarvam.

Understanding Brahman

So this brahmaiva khalu sarvam idam, the whole universe, the whole creation is nothing but Brahman because it came from him, it originated from him, from Brahman and it is sustained by Brahman and it is absorbed back into Brahman and it is never ever separate from Brahman, it is nothing but Brahman. Brahman without manifestation is pure Brahman, Brahman with manifestation of name and form is called personal God, Saguna Brahma, the difference is very little actually but as Hiram Krishna says unless we reach the roof we cannot understand what is the staircase and other floors are made up of. Once we know what is the nature of the roof we know the nature of the whole house, so unless we know what is impersonal God, he is Guna Brahma, we cannot know what is Saguna Brahma. So without any further ado we will delve deep into this because the story itself is a marvellous story.

The Story of King Janashruti

So there was a king called Janashruti, he was a very famous charitable person, he gave so much in gifts and not only he gave but he gave with greatest humility, with love and gave much that his glory spread everywhere, not only in his kingdom but the Upanishads use a super relative degree. He says his glory rose up like a burning flame reaching up to the heavens, so one day the king perhaps summer season and he went up to the roof maybe he was enjoying the coolness of the breeze but what happened when he was resting like that then suddenly he saw two flamingos, some flamingos were flying like birds flow in the sky and then as soon as they came near there was a conversation between two of these flamingos.

The Conversation Between Birds

So you may wonder is it like what is called cock and bull stories, Aesop's fables, by the way don't degrade Aesop's fables, the highest wisdom we can acquire through these Aesop's fables is a way of imparting wisdom to us in the form of stories. Here also there in the Aesop's fables we see so many animals talking, birds talking, in the Upanishads we have seen already how we will also explore those things.

Examples of Divine Communication Through Animals

Then Satyakama Jabala, he was sent to tend the cows and his Guru commanded him to not come back until these cows become fat, very strong and reach the number 1000 and he was so totally absorbed in observing the commandment of the Guru. Several years have passed and the head grew and then he forgot all about, he was so absorbed in looking after the cows, one day the bull in the evening time when he sat for contemplation suddenly the bull addressed him, Oh Satyakama, we have reached 1000, drive us back to your Guru's place but I will teach you, I am pleased with you, I will teach you one fourth of the truth and next day a bird came or fire came and taught him and next day one fourth was taught by another bird. Last day another bird taught him one fourth, so four into one fourth that is 100% knowledge of Brahman he obtained. Is it possible? Yes, when a person develops intuition then from within it may take in the form of a Guru, the form of a fire, the form of an animal, it doesn't matter.

Sri Ramakrishna's Understanding of Nature

But it is called Daivavani or the voice of the divine and we are convinced, we are not bothered. How do you know that birds cannot speak, animals cannot speak because there are people who can communicate with them. There is Sri Ramakrishna at one point of time he could speak, he could understand he said the language of the birds, insects, trees, animals and who are we to control that statement. Anyway he could also know what is in our hearts, so is it a wonder he could also know what is in the hearts of animals etc., even not to speak of Sri Ramakrishna.

Understanding Communication Beyond Words

Supposing a mother is a baby two months old and it is crying and the mother knows my baby is very hungry, baby's language it cannot speak, it is called grammatical language but that cry is a peculiar cry but the same baby wants to play, it is not hungry. Mother also understands baby doesn't want food but it wants to get some entertainment, some interaction with mother, with father etc., so various types of cries are there. So we are so blinded that other than human beings everything is dumb and even human beings like Africans, like women, they are also slaves, animals. How much we have enslaved, mistreated, suppressed, killed, mass murder has taken place. In the name we are cultured people, we alone have the soul and others do not have the soul. Whereas every sage for him the whole nature is called Bhoomata, not only Bhoomata, not only mother earth, it is father waters, father fire, father air and father sky. Many native languages have worked. Anyway coming back to our story, this Yana Shruti was an extraordinarily great person. He believed he was possessed of Shraddha, he was possessed of humility, he was a very charitable person and not merely giving but with great love and plenty he would give.

King Janashruti's Charitable Nature

He constructed so many what we call pilgrims' inns for the pilgrims to stay at night and he will provide plenty of food with the idea, in my kingdom let nobody starve, anybody who passes through my kingdom let them have plenty so long as they are in my kingdom. Even if they are passing through, they are my guests. So this is a beautiful attitude and because of that attitude, like the father of Nachiketa, Vaja Shravasa, Shravasa means well known, very famous because of what? Vaja, Vaja means the gift of plenty of food in Katha Upanishad we get. So we see such a person here, even better than Nachiketa's father. So this person, this King's Yana Shruti's glory spread everywhere. Not only that, that his glory started rising like a flame, like a burning flame even up to the skies.

The Conversation Overheard by the King

So one day he was reclining, he was perhaps resting or entertaining himself, he was watching, then some flamingo birds were passing, so one bird was behind and it was addressing the bird that which was flying a little bit in front and that is called Bhallaksha. Don't worry about the names, it is addressing and said because these birds are passing over the roof of the royal palace where the King was resting. So one of the birds addressing, Oh Bhallaksha, be careful that you do not go very near to the glory of this King Yana Shruti. It is rising up to heaven like a burning flame. If you go anywhere near, you will be burnt. This is to praise such a great soul. And then the second bird said, Who is this Yana Shruti you are talking about? As if he is a great person. I know another person who is a million times greater than this Yana Shruti. And then the first bird, it realized there is something it doesn't know. Oh, who is this Raikva? He was a great realized sage. He always lives in a remote village under a court and compared to the glory of this Raikva, the glory of this King is absolutely nothing as it were.

Understanding True Greatness

The dollar is equal to 100 cents. Imagine another person, somehow or other he obtained one cent and he has become quite proud. Then the person who has got one dollar, what should he think of himself? No, the greater a person, the more humble a person becomes. So this was the conversation and the King heard. Clearly the King was astonished because he could understand. Not only the birds were speaking, were they speaking in their own language? Were they speaking in a human language? If they were speaking in their own language, this King also must have that ability to understand what these birds were speaking. But if they are speaking in a human language, that means those were not the birds.

Shankaracharya's Interpretation

So our Bhashya Kara, Shankaracharya comes to our rescue and he says this King Yana Shruti, he had become so fit, what we call in Vedanta, he became a Sadhana Chatusthaya Sampannaha. He acquired all the qualifications to receive the highest knowledge, so he became fit. Now it is the time, he also doesn't know because when the field is ready, the seed will come, as Swami Vivekananda says. So the field of Yana Shruti was ready and the seed must come and that seed was the starting point, the birds were talking about. There is a great sage, his name is Raikva and compared to his glory, this King's glory is not even one hundredth. So don't talk to me as if Yana Shruti is the greatest person in this world, as if the second bird were chiding the first bird. But what is the meaning? Shankaracharya comes and says the time has come for this person to move forward and he requires a teaching, a teaching must come from a Guru and the Guru must be realized soul and so some Rishis, some great people in the form of the birds, they were trying to convey this message. O Yana Shruti, whatever you have achieved so far is great, glorious, but this is not the end of the reaching goal. You will have to move forward, so you must approach this person and then only your journey will be complete. Without him it is not going to complete. So very beautifully this conversation is being narrated in this story.

The Birds' Exchange

The bird to the rear said to the one in front, O foolish one, O blind one, don't destroy yourself. Don't you know the glory of this King Yana Shruti? It is rising to the skies like a flame of fire and it will burn your wings if you cross it. Be careful. And the bird who heard this glory of this King called Yana Shruti immediately retorted, O King Yana Shruti of great glory you speak of, who is this fellow called Yana Shruti? As if he is equal to Raikva who is always living under a cot, with a cot. This remark of one of the birds was clearly heard by the King, understood by the King and he became, the Upanishad is describing, he was disturbed and he felt he was humiliated. Because until then he was thinking, I have reached the goal, I am complete. And then now from nowhere these birds come and tell you are nowhere near, you have a long way to go.

The King's Realization

So this is what the Upanishad is telling. But we have to interpret it and say, out of the mercy of God, God inspired some great people and they took as if the form of two birds, flamingos and then they were trying to convey, O King you are great, your glory is great, you have become pure in your heart, you have become fit to receive further teaching and there is a Guru, you go and seek, take refuge in him and he will teach you this Vidya. So this discussion between these two birds upset the mind of the King and he did not sleep the whole night. That means what? I do not believe this interpretation is right because a great person is great who always looks, thinks about what he has heard. He will not simply feel, I am insulted. It is only an inferior person, a weak person that always feels inferior. Any remark in flames is egotism, is disturbance. But the King, he heard these words and he became thoughtful. Whole night he was thinking. Then he decided, I must seek out this Raikva and then if he is worthy, I must sit humbly at his feet like a student and I must move further.

The Morning Awakening Ritual

So he got up early in the morning and then there was a custom, you have to understand that custom. Many stories of the Kings narrate this one. As soon as, when it is the time for the King to rise, like Tirupati Venkateshwara temple, before he rises they sing peculiar type of hymn. So you can watch on YouTube, the doors will be closed, somebody brings beautiful water from the tank and they will have to wake him up and then how do they wake up? These people carry these loads of what is called potfuls of, bucketfuls of water inside and then they do certain rituals as if a person has to be roused and then these people from outside, they will be singing songs. That is where I said very peculiar construction. I will share with you what is that peculiarity. So this God will be sleeping and he is sleepy, doesn't want to get up, it is already 3 o'clock and then these people, they go and start praising him. But how are they praising? So this is called supravatam. Early morning, uttishta uttishta govinda, uttishta garad dhoja, uttishta kamalakanta, pralokyam mangalam kuru. Get up, get up, get up. Okay, like a king, God is awakened as if he is asleep, as if God also sleeps like us and it is a wonderful bed and therefore he sleeps very very well and is reluctant to get up early in the morning.

The Dawn Hymns

Then these fellows are singing, you know what? He says, Oh Lord, it is already, it is dawn, the sun is about to rise and the birds have risen much earlier than you and they also start singing. So this was one of the shlokas that has been taken from the Ramayana. Vishwamitra Rishi was taking Brahma and Lakshmana in order to destroy all the demons who were obstructing the performance of certain Vedic rituals, Yajnas, Yagas etc. So there he starts, Kausalya supraja Rama, purva sandhya pravartate, uttishta narasardhula, kartavyam daivamanikam. So the child of Kausalya, oh Rama, oh Lakshmana, you wake up. Kausalya supraja, good, very sweet son of Kausalya Devi, uttishta uttishta govinda, oh govinda, please wake up. Why? Because purva sandhya pravartate. It is already the dawn has started, very soon the sun will rise and it is the tradition one has to perform, finish all the morning ablutions even in the early morning itself. So kartavyam daivamanikam, what is called your morning rituals, ablutions, that is washing your mouth and then answering calls of nature and then brushing your teeth and then taking bath, after that doing sandhya, all these rituals. Kartavyam daivamanikam, uttishta uttishta govinda, uttishta garuda dhaja, uttishta kamalakanta. So the birds have already risen, your devotees are waiting eagerly, that means the devotees have risen earlier than God himself. I don't know if they rise early and are in trouble and God is still sleeping, what they are going to do, God alone knows.

The King's Response to His Court

So in the olden days kings are woken up with tremendous what is called eulogies, praises, you are Indra, you are Chandra, there is nobody equivalent to you in these three worlds etc etc etc and they are paid for that only. So he wants to hear. So this King Janashruti, of course he was an early riser because he was a great spiritual sadhaka. So early morning these people who praise and it is a custom to wake the king etc, they are called birds. So they started singing, oh great Maharaja, wake up, wake up, there is nobody equivalent to you. But the king was already awake and then he said, all you fellows stop, whom do you think you are praising, as if I am equal to Raikva with a cart, go and find out who this Raikva is. That means the king had thought, he understood his limitations and he also understood there is somebody who has crossed these limitations who is a knower of Brahman by far superior than him and then he is telling, don't go on praising because I am in no way worthy of comparing, comparable to Raikva the great teacher.

Description of Raikva

That Raikva was not a king, he was not an emperor, he was an ordinary person, he doesn't even have a house, so he had got somebody had donated an old cart and he used to keep a few things or perhaps he doesn't have even horses or any buffaloes to pull that cart. He himself used to drag it, he used to sit if it is raining underneath it and then he has got some skin problem, he goes on scratching himself but he was one of the happiest persons on earth. So you please stop singing my praises, I want to find out where this Raikva is. So they were all surprised, he commanded them, there is a person far greater than me, a person called Raikva who has a cart with him, now go and find out.

The Search for Raikva

The messengers, the attendants of the king ran to all quarters of his kingdom to every town and every city and found nobody of that name, that means they must have inquired and people did not know about it, so they returned disappointed and told the king, Your Highness, Maharaja, we can't find any such person in any town or city in your kingdom. But this Janashruti knows, there is a person and where did you search? Oh we went to cities, we went where well known people are there, then the king understood his own mistake. No, where spiritual people live, where great holy men reside, where austere people live, where people who want to be absorbed in the contemplation of God live, you search for places where sadhus live, holy people live. So second time they went and this time they know where to search, so they started asking, is there a holy person etc etc and then in one village they found that yes there is one person, we never took notice of him, he sits under the tree and he is suffering from a skin rash and he goes on scratching. But there is something in him which is anybody who even passes that way, his mind becomes absolutely still and the greatest happiness comes out from him, all these things the Upanishads doesn't say, we have to infer.

Finding Raikva

Then they came, said yes you gave us the right direction, we found out. So then they went according to their information so that Raikva and they wanted to confirm, are you Raikva with the card? He said oh yes, so I am that. So they confirmed that and what does Raikva say? They say that, that is he is not saying, I say that. They say people say that I am that Raikva living under a card. So Ramakrishna rarely used the word I, always this. So these messengers ran back and informed the king that they had found Raikva. Then immediately the king went, how did he go? He went not with just rushing there but there is a tradition.

The Tradition of Offering Gifts to Teachers

When you meet Brahmana visiting a baby, one should go with appropriate gifts because they expect it. That is why when Sri Ramakrishna used to visit some of his Brahmote devotees etc., they admired him but they were completely ignorant of the fact of this Hindu tradition. So they won't offer anything. At that time Ramakrishna himself said can I have a glass of water and the host, of course everybody will give a glass of water and immediately he used to fetch. Not that Sri Ramakrishna was thirsty nor that he might have been thirsty, he might have been hungry but if he comes away without accepting something from his devotees then he will do as if some harm will take place. How do we know?

The Story from Katha Upanishad

Because another Upanishad, Katha Upanishad if you recollect tells the same tradition. When Nachiketa reached Yamadharma Raja's house, he found he was out on business and for three days he had to live there without food waiting for Yamadharma Raja to come. And as soon as Yamadharma Raja returned, his house people went up to him and said that oh, a Brahmin guest has come, he is there without food etc., anyway I did not understand why they can't offer food. Only perhaps the host has to offer the food but maybe, I don't know why, three days he lived there like that. So Yamadharma Raja being a house holder, even though he was a Brahma Gnani, he rushed, fell at the feet of the guest and said please pardon me. In Leo of the three days and nights you spent without being entertained with food etc., I am offering you three booms and then these house people informed Yamadharma Raja if a Brahmana comes as a guest he will be like a burning fire and if he is not offered this hospitality then he will burn. This is the virtuous deeds, virtues the house holders acquire and whatever good activities they have done, all the results of that, what they are expecting and what they are hoping to get, all these things will be burnt so go and just apologize to him and make him peaceful by offering something. And that is what exactly Yamadharma Raja says, it is a beautiful story but this is just to remind you that tradition is there.

The King's First Approach to Raikva

So the king took some money, some horses, some chart, a cart or a horse carriage and then some clothes, maybe other things, he went and fell at the feet of the Raikva and then teach me that knowledge of which you know and then this Raikva, he was not happy. He said, he addressed the king as, even though he was a Kshatriya, O Shudra, that means O unworthy person, you are not yet ready for the Vidya, you go back, I am not going to teach to an unworthy person like you. And then the king understood, he went back, he must have practiced Tapasya, all these details we have to fill in, it is not there in the Upanishad, very briefly, just like Katha Upanishad, very briefly only the story is told but behind that story tremendous tradition of Hindu religion lies as the background.

The King's Second Approach

So the king when he thought he was ready, he went second time with lots more gifts, not only that, he also wanted, this Raikva was a Brahmachari, perhaps he wished to become a householder, so he offered his own daughter even though he was such a poor person. And this time the guru, the teacher found out the king is ready and he started teaching the Samvarga Vidya about which we will talk in our next class.

Conclusion

But the point is, these details I have outlined today, how we have to interpret the story, this is even more important, even than the so called important, even comparison, comparing to that original teaching, we will talk about this in our next class.

Om jananim sharadham deviham

Ramakrishnam jagadgurum

bhaadapadmetayosritva

pranamami mohor mohoho

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

Jai Ramakrishna.