Chandogya Upanishad 4.4.1-5 Lecture 135 on 06 September 2025
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Opening Invocation
ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :
Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.
ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः
श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि।
सर्वम् ब्रह्मोपनिषदम् माऽहं ब्रह्म
निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म
निराकरोद निराकरणमस्त्व निराकरणम् मेऽस्तु।
तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते
मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ
śrotramatho balamindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi.
sarvam brahmopaniṣadam mā’haṃ brahma
nirākuryāṃ mā mā brahma
nirākaroda nirākaraṇamastva nirākaraṇam me’stu.
tadātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmāste
mayi santu te mayi santu.
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
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.
The Story of Satyakama Jabala - A Spiritual Journey
Introduction: The Quest for Truth
We have been studying the story of Satyakama Jabala. So we have seen so far this wonderful young man endowed with Shraddha and endowed with Tapasya.
These are the two important spiritual qualities. Naturally, a sincere intense Vyakulata to realise Brahman had risen in his mind. So he approached his mother, who was a widow, and asked some details.
The Mother's Honest Reply
"Who is? What is the Gotra lineage? To which Rishi do I belong?" And the mother frankly replied. She was a very truthful person. She said, "I was so busy in serving all the guests etc. that there was no time for me. Not even the question had ever risen in my mind to ask your father, my husband, to which Gotra you belong. So she said my name is Jabala and your name is Satyakama. Since you are born from us, your name henceforth will be Satyakama Jabala. So this is all information I can give you about our family."
Approaching the Teacher
Then Satyakama approached one Gautama Rishi with the intention of learning Upanishadic truths. He is not coming here to learn like other Brahmacharis. The Vedas may be in his past life he had learnt. That intense desire seeking truth had risen in him. So with that purpose: "How can I realise Brahman? How can I know who am I?" That was the only quest.
So he approached, and as was the custom, the teacher asked him, and he replied exactly as his mother had replied him. And then the teacher—he was a great person—he understood no non-Brahmin could ever tell the truth. Thereby proving it is not the caste system but it is the "Chaturvanyam Mayasrishtam Guna Karma Vibhagashah." And that is proved in this case that what is the caste system which has turned into caste by birth? But no Guna Karma. But Guna—he who has got mostly Satva Guna is a Brahmana. And his activities, spiritual activities—such a person is a Brahmana.
The Example of Sri Ramakrishna
Here is a person who never deviated from truth, like say Ramakrishna or say Ramakrishna was like him. Remember Ramakrishna must have heard from his father all the wonderful truths. All the Puranic stories, Upanishadic stories. He was Kshatriya Ram, who was not an illiterate person. He was qualified to do puja and many other rituals. He was trained in it.
Besides, he was a real Brahmana who never deviated from the path of truth. And therefore say Ramakrishna must have heard a lot of things from him. We do not know, but at least Ramakrishna had heard from lot of wandering monks who used to stay at Kamarpukur—what is called guest house—on their way to and fro from Ganga Sagar. So he has learnt many beautiful bhajans, Hindi language. Ramakrishna could understand Hindi language very well. He could speak with Totapuri fluently.
So that is an instance I gave you the example of say Ramakrishna. He clarified once for all, not only to his family members to all the upcoming future generations, that the purpose of being invested into the sacred thread is taking a vow before God that "I will speak the truth, think truth and meditate on truth. I would not want to deviate from the path of truth itself."
The Guru's Recognition
So we have seen this Gautama Rishi. He said, "No such harsh truth could ever escape the mouths of anybody unless he is a Brahmana." A Brahmana is not afraid to tell the truth because he had firm faith. And immediately he takes him under his wing, says, "You go and bring a firewood. I have accepted you as my pupil and I will teach you."
The Mission with the Cows
So a time gap is there. We do not know for how long the Satyakama had started staying there. But then at some point of time the Guru called him. He must have had a large number of cows because he must have been a famous teacher. There must have been, besides Satyakama, so many other pupils. And it also teaches us the lesson why of all the so many disciples of this Gautama Rishi that only the story of Satyakama had become so popular.
So to illustrate the fact that he alone really deserves the name because of his practise or his worship, Vasana of Satya. So he called him and said, "My son, I have got many cows, but some of them are very weak." So he chose Abala. Bala means that which is very strong. "You don't need to look after them, but there are some. I want them to become strong and also increase in numbers. You with the cow head drive them to the forest. In those days forests are not very far away and it is full of grass and natural elements. So you protect them and then bring them back."
It is not mentioned. So immediately without any protest, Satyakama immediately got up, bowed down to the teacher and said, "Sir, I will look after according to you. It is God's commandment to me what you have asked me to do. So I will not return to this ashrama until these weak cows had become 1000 in number." So with that he made pranams, took leave of his teacher, went to the forest and he was so completely absorbed how much time had passed. He did not look up at all.
The Nature of True Concentration
Just see his mother also was so much absorbed how time passed. Her husband passed away and she did not have time to ask that which Gotra you belong etc. So Satyakama was also very hard worker. We don't know several years must have passed by, and one day suddenly when he was sitting and even then because he was a Brahmana, because he was initiated into Gayatri, he was instructed both at dawn and dusk you must lit up the fire and then sitting facing the east you must contemplate, and then he was doing very faithfully. So the Guru must have initiated him, instructed him and then after fulfilling those duties he would look after the cows, and then so much of Shraddha.
"My Guru told me he never thought that when or how long am I going to be here. I came to learn Brahma Vidya, why did my Guru use me like a third class villager, a servant to look after the cows?" None of them. "My Guru commanded and that's it." So he was completely absorbed day and night, both spiritual practises and also his only duty in life at that particular point of time to look after the cows.
The Nature of Real Concentration
As I said, we do not know how much time had passed, and one day as he sat for his spiritual practises suddenly there was a fire in front of him. In the olden days fire also protects one from cold, from wild animals. Forest means wild animals will be there. So as he was completely absorbed, just as he was absorbed in serving the cows, he was absorbed also in meditation.
Any person who has the ability to concentrate will be able to concentrate in every matter. But there are some people, and because of their selfish desires, they are able to concentrate only in what they are interested in and not anything else. It will be a nice thing, surprising thing for us, a good experiment to ask these people who are working under these meta companies. They work 14, 16, 18 hours in creating coding, creating AI, intelligence, etc. It will be interesting to ask them, "Can you meditate on God, on scriptures, on some other things completely non-related?" They won't be able to do it. Why? Because they have some selfish desire, interest, joy only to a limited few subjects, not no more than that. Sometimes they even neglect their good health also.
The real meaning of concentration: a person who has mastered concentration not on this or that subject but he can command his mind. It is a mastery of the mind. "You now concentrate on reading this book. Now you concentrate on eating food."
The Zen Teaching on Concentration
Actually this is what a peculiar, particular branch of the Zen Buddhism does. That's why it is called Zen. The word Zen is a corruption of the word Chan in China. And this Chan is a corruption of the word Dhyana. Because some Buddhistic teachers migrated from here to China and started teaching them these meditational techniques. So Zen Buddhism means meditational path.
So many Zen masters. So one Zen master was asked, "Sir, you are called a Zen master and what do you do?" He said, "I eat and I sleep." The questioner probably didn't understand the implication of it. He said, "Sir, we also eat, we also sleep. What is the difference between us and you?" Immediately he replied, "When you eat, a thousand things, thoughts are passing through your mind. When you sleep, a million dreams are passing in and out of you. But when I eat, I just eat. I focus upon eating. When I dream, I just focus upon sleeping. When I sleep, there will be no dreams." So that is a mastery of the mind. Meditation is a technique whereby we can master our own minds.
The Divine Manifestation
So Satyakama fulfilled that condition. Completely absorbed. Whatever he does, he does. And then here it kicks in that each soul is potentially divine. And when we are ready, the divinity manifests. And this divinity also is termed as pure knowledge by Swami Vivekananda and also Upanishads. And this pure knowledge is within each one of us. When we develop or we rather uncover—that is called discover—any of these truths which is already within, then we are called Rishis. So that is what is going to happen.
This person was not thinking about Guru, thinking about anything, excepting completely observing or absorbed in the commandment of the teacher to look after the cows. Suddenly it looks as if a bull came near the fire and then addressed him in human language: "O Satyakama, Satyakama!" while it is a Tirga. Because the Upanishads tells, Satyakama, if you observe the scripture, the book, then you get the number three. Three means that last vowel is multiplied three times: "Satyakama." So we also call, if somebody is there, we address "Krishna," "Rama," "Ramakrishna," "Ma," "Ma"—like that. "O Satyakama."
And immediately Satyakama understood because he was in that condition of understanding, that intuition. "Yes, sir. Bhagavan." "O Lord, I will teach you one-fourth of the Brahman."
The Four Divine Teachers
Like that, four evenings, whenever he sat for performing his evening worship at dawn, Sandhya, whenever he was performing, the inner knowledge took four different forms, as if four different gods. One is Vayu Devata. First is Vayu Devata. Second is Agni Devata. Third is Aditya Devata. And fourth, I do not know. Some Devata had come. If I come to know, I will let you know. But all are Devatas.
Why do we say that? Because Devata means shining one. Knowledge always shines. Those who have that knowledge, they are called the shining ones. That's why even the five sense organs of knowledge, they are also called Devas. The eye, the nostril, the ears, the tongue and the skin. Why? They bring in the knowledge of the good and bad. So Deva means to shine. From that word has come Devaha.
So these Devas, in four different forms, same Deva, same Bhagawan, same Ishwara, appeared in four different forms and each one taught one-fourth of Brahman. That is the idea.
Lessons from the Story
Before we delve into that, first of all, what are the lessons we have to learn?
1. Spiritual Knowledge Transcends Caste and Birth
As Sri Ramakrishna appreciated Dhani's spirituality. And later on so many people had come. So, spiritual knowledge. Nowadays, only strict class rules and often constructions kick in. "We will not teach you this one. We will not do puja at your home." Even some Gurus are there. They will never go to low caste people, Sanyasins. And thereby, they are violating their own vows they have taken that "I will rise beyond all the ashrama dharmas, varna dharmas, like God." And yet, they go on telling "Aham Brahmasmi." And in practise, they do everything that is possible. So, like preening peacocks, only neglecting their castrols, etc.
So, knowledge can be obtained by anybody provided they are truthful, longing, sincere and pure.
2. Knowledge Can Come Through Nature
What is the next lesson we have to learn? Knowledge can come not only through human teaching. It can come through nature. It can come through self effort.
In Ramakrishna's case, we have seen so many things. Once, his mother got a person who could control a Chanda, a demigod. And the demigod came. And then, really, he came. And then, he addressed, "Oh, God, why do you eat so much of betel nut? Don't you know it is harmful?" So, it can come through animals also.
So, it is said that once Ramakrishna was returning from answering calls of nature. On his way back to his room, suddenly he saw a dog standing, looking at him, smack on the way, right in the path. Ramakrishna stood with folded hands. "May be, mother wants to tell me something through this dog."
So, if you study the Bhagavatam, Avadhuta's story, 24 Gurus, all the five elements, so many animals, so many birds, even a public woman—from everybody, there is a lesson to be learned. Lesson is available. Knowledge is open. It is not hidden anywhere. When we say knowledge is within, potentially, it doesn't mean it is hidden. It means we are not ready to receive.
3. The Accessibility of Knowledge
Simple example will clarify this point. If somebody is admitted into the physics class of Einstein, Einstein may not object. But the person may not have the capacity to understand what Einstein wants to teach. So, that is why the Vedas have to come to the level of the Puranas in the form of Amar Chitra Katha, illustrating the highest truths. That is the real meaning of the Purana.
Pura Api Nava, in the very meaning of Purana, one of the titles of Bhagavan, God, is Puranaha, Shashvataha, Shashvataha, Ajaha, Nityaha, Puranaha, Nityaha, Shashvataha. Purana means what? Pura Api Nava. Even though He is ancient, He is as if just now He is born. That means that which is changeless. Change comes only in time. So, anything which is beyond time, that is called Purana.
But mythological stories are there to illustrate marvellous truths in the form of the stories. But also there is another purpose. These stories act as mnemonics. That is easy for us to remember. Oh, Pancha Pandavas, Yudhishthira especially, followed the path of Dharma and Truth through that story. Then what about so many Rishis? They never deviated from the Truth. What about Harishchandra? He was called Satya Harishchandra. So, they held on to Truth, held on to their promises, even at the cost of their own suffering. But in the end, they became glorified. Even today, we bow down to them with reverence.
So, knowledge is there within. Anybody can attain that knowledge. Only we have to be ready to receive it. Problem is not giving. Problem is receiving. That is why Ramakrishna often repeated the teaching, "The breeze of God's grace is always blowing. Unfurl your sail." That is the important thing.
The Parable of Two Yogis
So, knowledge can be obtained through nature and self effort. With dedication and meditation, a seeker can gain wisdom directly from the universe. He also mentioned in my last class how Sreenam Krishna's practise or spiritual sadhana, the first sadhana, without gurus, without any scriptures, purely through his intense yearning, longing, with complete surrender to the Divine Mother.
But at the same time, most of us don't have, we have to grow very slowly. That intuitive understanding is meant for very few people at the beginning. But then for us also, intuition is the only way. But for us, we require the aid, the help of the scriptures, especially as interpreted by a great soul who is called our Guru. That's why so much of importance.
So, the importance of the Guru-Disciple relationship. This story highlights the role of a wise teacher who can recognise a student's true potential and guide him on the path to self-realisation. So, this Gautama Rishi's test allows Satyakama to prove his dedication and develop his spiritual capacity independently.
What does it mean? If this Gautama Rishi had told Satyakama, "In this life, my child, you are fit only to look after the cows. But by this, you will get purified. And next life, you will get fit." And then immediately, he would have accepted. He would never say, "Oh, I have to wait for many, many lives."
In fact, a story goes around. Once a disciple is praying to his Guru, "Please grant me a teaching." And Guru was refusing. And one day, somehow the Guru became a bit melted. And then he said, "Alright, but not now." And the student started almost like dancing. He asked, "Sir, when am I going to get it?" Then he mentioned a huge number of numbers. "After so many births, you are going to get this self-knowledge." And the student started dancing. "Oh, it is nothing. It is there."
And Sri Ramakrishna's beautiful story also. You remember, two yogis were meditating. And Narada was passing by. And they asked him, "Where are you going?" He said, "I am going to meet Lord Narayana. You please ask Him on our behalf." Both the yogis requested. "But when are we going to have His darshan?" And then Narada returned back on his way. Again he met them.
So the first yogi asked him, "Narada, did you ask? Did the Lord reply?" He said, "Yes. He said, He is very pleased with you. But you will get His darshan only next life." And then this man started weeping. "What is this? Since childhood, I have renounced the world. I have been practising spiritual disciplines. I was expecting, hoping against hope, I will have the darshan of the Lord in this very life itself. I have to come again, be born next birth only." Narada said, "What can I do? This is what the Lord asked me to answer you."
And he passed to the next yogi under the shade of the next tree. And that yogi also asked, "Did the Lord reply?" Narada said, "Yes. You are going to get His darshan only after a million births." And the devotee could not contain his joy. He went on dancing. "Oh my God, so soon."
Narada said, "That is what the Lord said." But the Divine Lord was so pleased. Immediately, He gave His darshan to the other devotee, other yogi.
Now, what is the symbolism of this? For the first yogi, spiritual practise is a dreadfully painful action. So, with great difficulty, He was repeating the name of God. That means, He was not deriving any joy, any happiness. But for the second yogi, what did he say? He said, "Only this much. So soon." That means what? When a person is very happy, he is not conscious of time. So, this person loves God so much. Doesn't matter. God said, He is going to give me His darshan. Meanwhile, how am I going to pass my time? Joyfully. So joyfully.
In fact, He should have given me more time. Not one million births, but one billion births. So that I can go on enjoying the joy I derive from repeating His name, from singing His glories, from meditating on His divine forms, and from meditating upon His auspicious, blessed qualities. Asesha, Kalyana, Guna, Sagara. An infinite ocean of blessed qualities, auspicious qualities, as Ramanujacharya puts it.
Naturally, God is so pleased with him, He immediately appeared. Only for those people for whom spiritual life is a very arduous, very painful journey. For such persons only, they will have to wait a long time.
So here, Sathya Kama belongs to me. "I am going to get it. My Guru had accepted me. That means, He is not going to leave me." Like Holy Mother says, "I have accepted whoever called me Mother and received Mantra. I have accepted their responsibility. Whether they do anything or not, I will have to do everything for them." That faith on the Guru. Sathya Kama had that faith.
That's why, what happened? The truth came out. That is, the Guru taught him. Who is the Guru? Bhagawan is the Guru. And where is that Bhagawan Guru? Not only in His human form as Gautama Rishi, but that same Bhagawan is there in the hearts of everybody. So that is what happened.
This is what Swamiji calls, whatever is natural, when we are ready, it just has to manifest. There is no other way. And that is the lesson we have to learn. That it is not always necessary that a human being alone should instruct us. When we are ready, anything, everything can become a teacher. To see the whole universe, the whole cosmos reflected in one dew drop on the petal of a rose flower. As a poet puts it. And Swamiji quotes it.
So that is another lesson we have to learn. Are we ready? Do we want reality? Then all things are manifestations of Brahma. Sarvam Kalvitam Brahma. That is what we are going to see.
The Universal Teaching
So the wisdom Sathyakama gains in the forest reveals that the universe and all its elements, including the directions, natural phenomena, aspects of the human body, are all manifestations of the one supreme reality called Brahma.
And what is the condition? Shraddha. The Sathyakama had that Shraddha. And he wants only Sathya. Sathyakama was not after any other Kama. But only Shraddha. And only Bhagawan. Only Brahma. And he did Tapasya. What was the Tapasya? So following the instructions of the Guru, he was looking after the cows. He was not thinking as a thief. But he was thinking it is the best of the Tapasya. "My Gurudeva had commanded me to do this Tapasya. And I am going to do it."
So this Shraddha and Tapasya. So this made the Sathyakama ready to receive the truth which is always already within. To come out in the form of the four Devatas who are going to teach. That is what we have to understand.
The Upanishadic Mantras
This we are now going into the real mantras. This comes as we said, Chandogya Upanishad, 4th chapter, 4th section, mantra number 1.
First Mantra
Once upon a time, Sathyakama Jabala approached his mother and addressed her. "Oh mother, I desire to live the life of a celibate student of sacred knowledge in a teacher's house." And the custom was, the first thing they asked, of which lineage you belong? Gotra. "Of what lineage am I?"
Sathyakama Jabala. Sathyakama means like once upon a time there was somebody. So there was a person called Sathyakama. And he was called Jabala. And as soon as he came to his, what is called, grew up a little, became discriminative, approached his mother. And his mother's name was Jabala.
So Jabala Mantra Mataram Amantrayam Chakra. Amantrayam means what? Approaching, addressing. He addressed, he approached and addressed the mother. What did he say? "Bhavati. Oh mother, goddess, Bhavati, Bhagavan," like that. Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi. And then somebody addresses mother Annapurna. Bhavati means Bhagavati, a substitute for Bhagavati. "Brahmacharyam Ivatsyami. I wish to be a Brahmacharian." And for what purpose? For the realisation of Brahman only. Not for anything else. "Kim Gotron Nu Aham Asmi. Nu means now I want to know. Kim Gotraha. So what lineage? Aham Asmiti. So to what lineage do I belong?"
Second Mantra
Now we are entering into the second mantra. Actually this is a story. We have not much to discuss about it. But I have already discussed the important points. Whether his mother was a Brahmani. Belonging to a Brahmin. She was a married woman or not. She was a truthful person or not. All those beautiful points we have discussed already. You should keep in mind.
"Satyakama Eva. Jabalo Pravitha Iti." So what is he telling? Sa. That means the mother of Satyakama. Enam. Being addressed by her son. Enam means turning to her son. Vacha. Replied thus. What was her reply? "Na Aham Eta Dveda." What did you ask? To which lineage I belong? That means to which lineage my father belongs. "Aham Na Tat Veda. I do not know about the lineage of your father."
"Tata. My darling child." In many languages. Especially in Telugu language. Tata means grandfather. Why? Grandfather is more affectionate. Even than anybody. So even a darling child, dear child, a young child is also addressed as Tata. That which is addressed with great love, that is called Tata. Our father is also addressed as Tata. Any great person can also be addressed with love as Tata. "Tata. My darling child. Yat Gotraha Tvam Asi. Tvam. You. Yat Gotraha Asi. To which lineage? Or you belong to which lineage? You belong. I do not know. Aham Na Tat Veda."
But what is the reason? What is the cause? "Bahvaham Charanthi. So Paricharini Yavane Tvam Alave. Yavane. When I was very young. Tvam Alave. I obtained you. I became pregnant. And I gave birth to you." But then why did I not know? "Paricharini. I was completely merged in serving. Parichara means serving other people. And Bahvaham Charanthi. Whole day. Day after day. Year after year. I was completely busy. Bahvaham Charanthi. I was serving. Bahv means plenty of people."
Who are those people? Maybe a big relatives. Maybe the father was running as a teacher. Maybe. We do not know. At least large number of people used to come there. Stay at the home for so many days. And not only beggars might come. And relatives might visit. And people in need may also visit. Because there is a tendency. If somebody is lovingly giving something. Then when others get that news. Very soon that news spreads. And everybody who needs, they will go there.
The Story of Swami Turiyanandaji
Swami Turiyanandaji Maharaj was giving. When he was leading a wandering life. Parivrajika life. I do not remember. Somewhere in Bombay or some other place. So he reached there. Some of the sadhus. Immediately they said, "There is a very rich man. And he serves sadhus with great love. Real affection. If you go there. You will get good bhiksha. Food." So he said, "I went my way to that person."
We do not know. How much time it took him to walk there. Anyway he was received with great love and honour. He was seated. He was served with food. And the host had a habit. After every sadhu was served. He would put some spiritual questions. He was really a good spiritual householder.
So seeing Swami Turiyananda. He must have been attracted. So he addressed him. And then he said, "Maharaj." In North India. Sadhus are addressed as Maharaj. "Maharaj. So how to get vairagyam. How to get dispassion." And you know what reply Swami Turiyananda had given. Immediately he said, "If I had so much of vairagyam and viveka. Do you think I would have come in search of food to your house. Meaning. If I had so much relied upon God. I would have just gone for begging. Or even waited for God to provide me food."
"But. Because I don't have so much of vairagyam. Somebody informed me. To come to you. Immediately. I knew that. If I come here. I will get some food. How am I going to teach you. About viveka and vairagyam. When I myself do not have." And a host understood it. But afterwards. He never put any questions. And all the other sadhus. Appreciated his answer. Probably they did not have that courage. To tell to the host. But. Because. Food was good. And it was given. Very lovingly. So. Everyday. Whoever knows. They would approach him. That is the thing.
So here. "Tata. I do not know. I have been serving all the guests etc. When I was very young. And then a lot of work. I never had the opportunity. Nor the thought. To ask your father. That which gotra you belong. So. I was completely busy serving people. How many? I don't know how many. And at that time. I obtained you. Because of that reason. For this reason. I do not know. To which lineage. You belong."
"But this much only. I know. I know. That my name is. When you were born. You were given. Given the name. Your name is. And therefore. Combine these two names. So when your Guru. Asks him. Tell exactly what I have told you. So simply say. My mother's name is. Therefore I am known as. And she told me. That she doesn't know. What is the gotra."
And many people misinterpret here. Sorry. Such a great soul cannot be born. In an inferior type. An inferior type of couple. Both of them must be belonging. To the greatest Brahmana family. I explained to you. In my past classes. So with this. The second mantra is over.
Third Mantra
Now we are entering into the. Third mantra. "Haridrumatam. Gautam." So he went to. Haridrumata Gautam. His full name is. Haridrumata Gautama. And he said. "I desire to live under you. Privyet sir. As a Brahmacharin. May I approach you. Venerable self for the same."
Haridrumata. Gautam. Having come to the ashram. Haridrumata Gautama. And he saw. His great Rishi. And he approached him. Must have made pranams. And then he addressed him. "Under you. I would like to observe. So I. Came to your ashram. Exclusively with this purpose. One desire."
Addressing him. Indirectly. "You are Bhagwanta. You are Guru Brahma. Guru Vishnu. So far I am concerned. You are God himself. Present for me. So I have approached. Venerable. Great teacher like you. Only for the purpose of. Obtaining. Some spiritual instructions."
So this is what. Naturally. What he was expecting. That he would be asked. Same thing. This Haridrumata Gautama. Gautama Rishi. He asked. Looking. At Satyakama. So the Guru addressed him. He became very pleased. Satyakama must be. A very pleasing personality. And seeing. When you see some children. Immediately you feel like. You are attracted. Because their faces are. So joyful. So. What is called. Gentle and pure.
"No means. Indeed. To watch which lineage. You belong." Now in reply. To the Guru's question. Or Gautama Rishi's question. Means. Satyakama. Jabala. This was the reply he gave. "I do not know. Means. I do not know. To which Gotra. I belong."
Exactly. What his mother told. "I approached my mother. And then I asked her. About this. To which Gotra I belong. And then my mother. In reply. She said this. I was completely. Merged in serving." So. So he repeated what mother said. And then he says. Therefore. This is what he replied.
Now. And after hearing this reply. Teacher. What did he say. Addressing. Looking directly. He. Addressed him. "No. This harsh truth. I do not know what my Gotra is. That is. Only a non-Brahmin. Will hide this truth. But this harsh truth. Can be told only. By a real Brahmin. That means. Only. A person who speaks the truth. He alone. Can be really called. A Brahmin."
"So you come with me. According to the tradition. Bringing firewood. Firewood indicates. Maybe the Rishi does. Lot of Yajnas, Yagas, Rituals. So gathering the firewood. Especially a type of. Special firewood. Called Samith. Or. They use this to carry on their heads. Indicating. Symbolising. I am ready to burn myself. That means. I will burn all my Ahankara. All my old tendencies. Old Samskaras. And I will follow you. Whatever you instruct me. That means. Sampoorna Sharanagati. That is what he means."
"Soumya. So my dear boy. Your pleasing one. O pleasing one. Ahara. Bring the Samith Pani. The firewood. Upatva Neshe. I will accept you. Neshe means I will lead you. I will teach you. Whatever you desire me to teach you."
And then he says. "Na satyat aga iti. Satyat. O Satyakama. Satyat from truth. Na aga. You have never deviated. Therefore I am accepting you. You are a Brahmana. There is no doubt about it."
Fourth Mantra - The Mission Begins
Then after some time. We don't know how much time. "Tam upaniya. So then. Pandey. He took Satyakama Jabala. Krishanam Abalaanam. Chato Shataha. Chato Shataha means 400. Krishanam. Very lean and thin. Abalaanam. So deprived of strength. For whatever reason. So 400. Ga means Gaaha. That means cows. Nirakritya. He chosen. He selected. All the weak ones."
And then addressing. Satyakama Jabala. He told him this. "Imaha Somya. These are the cows." Very briefly Upanishad is telling us. "I wish you. You drive them. Take them to the forest. Make them strong. Make them well fed. And then Anusamraja. Just you look after them. Anusamraja means you follow them. But what it means is look after them. Protect them. See that no harm comes to them. See that they are well fed. Well drunk."
But he did not say anything. That's all he said. "So you come back. They become 1000." Such thing he did not say. Who said? Gautama Rishi said. That's all.
"Ta aviprasthapayan. So Satyakama accepted. Without any doubt or very humbly. Yes I am going to do it. Ta means those cows. Aviprasthapayan. Starting to drive them. Addressing the Guru. Uvacha. What did he say? Na asahasrena avarteyam avarteya iti. I am not going to return until they become strong and 1000 in number."
This Guru did not say. But he himself said. "Na asahasrena. Until they become 1000. Na avarteya. I will not return iti. It is a vow. It is a promise."
The Years in the Forest
"Sahavarsaganam provasa tayada sahasram sampedohu. Satyakamajapala. Indeed. Varsaganam. So many years. We don't know. Provasa. Stayed with the cows. Looked after them. Protected them. Saw that they are well fed. Well developed. Tayada sahasram sampedohu. Yada. When they have become 1000 in number. Until that time. So much time. So much time had passed."
What happens? Then the divinity from within had become to manifest which we will see in our next class.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :
Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.
May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!