Chandogya Upanishad 5.10.7-10 Lecture 171 on 10 January 2026

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.

Introduction to Pañcāgni Vidyā

We have been studying the Pañcāgni Vidyā, one of the most marvelous upāsanas which will lead ultimately to the realization that I am Brahman. We have come almost to the end. In this tenth section, we are discussing—or we are about to discuss—what happens to the third category of people who are beautifully called by the Upaniṣad as "kapūya cāraṇāḥ."

Cāraṇa means ācāraṇa, behavior. We have earlier seen two classes, both of them are virtuous people. What is the difference between them?

The First Class of Spiritual Seekers

There are people who have done a lot of spiritual practice, lot of unselfish activities. They have progressed very high in spiritual life and there is still a little way for them to go. So they attain to Brahmaloka, and then if still there are desires, they come back. So even in this first class people, there are two classifications: one without any desires, another still having some desires. What do we mean?

Before going to Brahmaloka, still there are some desires to be fulfilled. So because of their extraordinarily virtuous life, they attain to Brahmaloka and there is a particular path. It is called the path of the light, Śuklagati, or it is also called the path of the gods.

Krama Mukti: Gradual Liberation

Having reached there, most of them perhaps exhaust their desires because Brahmaloka gives the highest type of happiness which is called dualistic happiness—not Advaitic happiness, but Dvaitic happiness. For most of them, once they enjoy, then most of their desires or all their desires will be completely satisfied. Then paramavairāgya, intense dispassion arises in their mind. "I don't want to come up and go down. I want to attain to that state, reaching which I will never return. I want to become one with God."

For such people, after reaching Brahmaloka, this is called Krama Mukti, gradual liberation. And then along with Brahmājī, they will never return and they become one with Brahman.

Those Who Return

But there are a few people—maybe they still have some unfulfilled desires, unsatisfied desires—they will come down and they will be born in very fortunate families, homes where people are spiritual, pure, which will help them positively to progress still further. And then they might attain in this very birth itself to liberation.

Or still, if there are some desires left out, the power of pūrvajanma saṁskāra, the power of the strength of the desires acquired through millions of births is incalculable. Such people, they go again to Brahmaloka and then they will get all their desires fulfilled and they will not come back. So these are the two types, first type of people.

The Second Class of Spiritual Seekers

Second type of, second class of people: they have not done that much of purificatory rituals. They have progressed definitely to a much higher degree of spirituality, but still desires are very strong. So they go through what is called Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa, dark fortnight, meaning lower type of what is called experiences. We will discuss what Svāmī Vivekānanda had to say about these two paths later on, at the end of completing his Pañcāgni Vidyā.

So these people, they definitely return. There is no question of Krama Mukti. Then they progress. Then maybe they will become, they will automatically progress into the first class people about whom we discussed just now. And then they go to Brahmaloka. So maybe a few times they have to go to Brahmaloka, come down again, go up. Then all their desires will be totally exhausted. And then their only desire is to become one with God.

The Path Through a Guru

So they will attain—or like first class people, they will come back with the expression that "I am going up and down. I don't want to go up and down. I want to become liberated totally." And in this life itself, they take shelter at the lotus feet of a Guru and then finally they attain liberation by the grace of the Guru and the teacher.

Only caveat is that these people must be fit to receive the grace of God and Guru (and it is the same) and retain it and transform their lives about which I will talk a little later on. And then they also become one, realized "Ahaṁ brahmāsmi" after being taught by the Guru, "Thou art that"—"Tat tvam asi."

And they have to do this: hearing of the truth, then they have to think deeply, then they have to transform their life through meditations like Pañcāgni Vidyā. And then they will attain, finally, by the grace of God, that highest state—"yatra gatvā na nivartanti"—reaching which they do not return. That means they became liberated. They had the knowledge, "Ahaṁ brahmāsmi."

The Third Class: Kapūya Cāraṇāḥ

In contrast to these two types of people, there are third category of people. Here one point we have to clearly remember: it is not that for eternity, the third class people will remain third class.

The Process of Evolution for All Souls

Just as the second type of people, they gradually reach the first class and then attain liberation, either through gradual liberation after reaching Brahmaloka or in this life itself, taking shelter at the feet of the Guru—similarly, the third type of people, they also slowly through the experience of suffering, they become purified, they look up and then slowly they will also become like the second type of people. After that, first type of people. This is the process, inevitable process for every sādhaka. There is no exception to this.

But when we look into our lives, some people seem to be born with high spiritual yearning. But we should not forget, just like some extraordinarily talented people, like child prodigies—painting, singing, playing music, etc., like Mozart, Beethoven, Subbulakshmi, etc.—it is not that they have suddenly been born from the sky and then they became great experts. They have been practicing. How many lives? We do not know. So everybody will have to go through that.

But because we have no knowledge of the past, we think some people are very lucky, born. That is completely a wrong understanding, is a misinterpretation. All of us have to progress in the same way. So only we are not aware what we were in the past life.

Buddha's Teaching on Past Lives

How do we know what I am talking is true? Because Buddha very clearly declared after he became Buddha, "My children, do not think that I have all of a sudden become an enlightened soul. No, I had 500 births"—but I think 500 births only after he started his spiritual journey. Before that, how many lakhs of births he had, God alone knows.

Anyway, this is—even though we consider him as an Avatāra, this was his own declaration. And all these past lives have been so beautifully chronicled in that series called Jātaka Karmas. Buddha's past life history is very interesting. He is born as animals, as bullocks, as elephants, etc., etc. And in every life he seems to be progressing a little bit. So that is what we need to understand.

The Law of Karma and Divine Grace

So we have talked about the first class peoples, how they travel to the upper path through the path of the light. And the second class people, gradually, they will also go to upper worlds of higher experience of higher ānanda place. But they have to come down. That is how evolutionary progress takes place.

But then the Upaniṣad is talking about a third type of people—that is, who have not yet woken up to the fact, to the understanding of a law of karma. If anybody does the good, they reap the good; the evil will experience the evil. But that is the reason why God has introduced so-called suffering.

The Purpose of Suffering

If my child doesn't come to me through the right path, then through the path of suffering, one comes to God. Suffering is the awakening of his soul, the drum beating of awakening. That is what Holy Mother's completely authorized sentence, Vedavākya: "Misery is a gift of God. When God takes pity upon us, he sends misery."

And she is not telling alone. Bhāgavatam, there is a beautiful statement of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa that unless somebody becomes akiñcana, means possesses nothing—and those whom I want, I bestow my grace and I want them to come to me. First of all, I make them nothings. I deprive, I take away from them everything that is a cause of their attachment. Having nothing, they seem to be suffering for some time. And then they realize what a marvelous thing: instead of my struggling to get rid of attachments, the grace of God itself had removed the very sources, objects of attachment. That is the grace of God.

Then he turns towards the God and starts progressing with quick steps. So everybody will attain mukti and God has a plan, how the evolution takes place.

The Four Yugas and Divine Will

And another way we have to, we can understand this topic is: every Hindu completely believes that God had devised history, classifying them into four categories—Satya Yuga, the age of truth; Tretā Yuga, the age of rituals; Dvāpara Yuga, the age of devotion; Kali Yuga, the age of worldliness, so to say. That is, most people become very, very non-saintly, cruel, rākṣasas. And that is what you see. You open the newspaper, you will see what every politician, every person in power, every person who is wealthy, they are all doing their level best to cheat their own family, their own country, their own religion, their own people, and other people also, of course.

But that is Divine Mother's will. And that is why when Svāmī Vivekānanda had the vision at Śrī Rāmabhavānī that "it is my will, because of my will, these Muslims had come and destroyed my temple. It is not that I am incapable of saving myself." Svāmī Vivekānanda learnt the lesson when he came back and said, "Mother, Mother, let thy will be done."

That's what Jesus Christ passed away, saying, "Lord, Father, let thy will be done." Every Muslim meets others: "Inshallah," by the will of God. What do we sing? So, this introduction I am giving because this is a process of progress.

The Fate of Evil-Doers

There are a third class of people. So, when we exclude first class, second class, whoever remains, they are called "kapūya cāraṇāḥ." We will talk about this now. But those who have evil residual results of action quickly reach an evil womb. That means the action fructifies very quickly and after death, they are immediately born. Where are they born? An evil womb.

What is an Evil Womb?

What is an evil womb? Not that it is a womb that is evil, but that womb means birth. That birth means life. That type of opportunity where to think of higher things is practically closed. Always there is some opening, but it is very small opening.

So, the Upaniṣad is telling, just as an example, such evil people who have committed lot of evil actions, they are reborn into the womb of a dog or of a pig, hog, or of a cāṇḍāla. Why these differences? That depends upon the difference in their, what is called, density of their evilness.

So, some people may be born as a dog. That person's opportunity is very less. Or a hog. So, a hog is even horrible. Why? Because billions of hogs are specially cultured, cultivated, and you have to see how they are taken to the automated slaughterhouse. At the other end, here a live pig enters, and then at the end, some tins of hog meat—pork they call it—in various forms. So, it is highly, it is a delicacy, highly valued, comes out to the other hand.

The Meaning of Cāṇḍāla

But if, depending upon their evilness is a little bit less, then they will be born as a human being, but of the lowest opportunity. Cāṇḍāla means not a birth by caste. The caste has become one of the greatest evils in this world. But caste is, as Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says, "Cāturvarṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa karma vibhāgaśaḥ."

So, according to one's guṇa, one's saṁskāras, past strong habits, their actions follow their thoughts. Saṁskāras produce thoughts. Thoughts manifest, express themselves into actions, actions give result in evil, adharma, pāpa, and therefore suffering will be their lot.

The Path to Redemption

But that very suffering will turn into a blessing because nobody wants—everybody wants to escape. Sooner or later, they will also become awakened, unable to bear there. "Why am I suffering so much? So, let me try to get out of it. What is the way?"

Then, through some good fortune, you will understand: "I am the cause for my own unhappiness, suffering, because what I have done in the past, all the evil doings that I have done has brought me to this state." Then, the only solution is, if this action brings us suffering, that action should be avoided. But the strong saṁskāra will not allow us to do it like a drunkard or an alcoholic addict. So, it will take time. But already he has turned his face.

The Story of Nahuṣa

So, remember the story of Nahuṣa. So, this Nahuṣa was Pāṇḍava's ancestor and he performed extraordinarily great good deeds. He was a great king. As a result, he went to Indraloka. And unfortunately, Indra committed some mistake and he had to purify himself. So, he went out to perform tapasya, austerity.

But his wife, Śacī Devī, supposed to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, Nahuṣa saw, and he thought, "Since I am the Indra, I can enjoy this Śacī Devī." But she said, "No, I am a married woman. You, if you want, you marry somebody else." But he did not listen. That story, you can research and enjoy that story.

So ultimately, Nahuṣa was cursed by Maharṣis, whom he forced to carry him on a palanquin to Śacī Devī's palace. And then they cursed him, "May you become a python because your intellect, your understanding has become like a python's, only grasping, swallowing other people's properties, other creatures, killing."

And then they have also given a way out. "One of your own lineage people, after a long time, they will come. You will put them some questions. They will answer."

In fact, Yudhiṣṭhira answers because this Nahuṣa caught hold of Bhīmasena. Bhīmasena, of course, great man of strength, but because of this curse, his ancestor was able to make him immobile. But Yudhiṣṭhira comes there, answers, releases Nahuṣa, and releases Bhīma, and that is the story.

Examples of Grace and Redemption

So, what about a dog that took refuge with Rāmakṛṣṇa, whom he called "Captain"? For some days it was with him, totally devoted more than any devotee to him. How many stories you want to tell like this? There are many incidents are there. Of course, we have to believe.

Even Ratnākara-candra was born as a sweeper, lavatory cleaner, whose lavatories Rāmakṛṣṇa himself had cleaned to acquire that non-egotism, humility. Thinking, "Even though I should never think that I am a respectable, born in a very respectable Brāhmaṇa lineage, that is a great obstruction for spiritual progress. Everyone is a divine child in this world, including insects and everything non-human."

So therefore, we have to recollect these stories that even after attaining a higher state, until we reach God, there is always a chance of falling down.

The Eighth Mantra: The Third State

Then, the Upaniṣad is progressing in the eighth śloka:

"Atha eta yo paṭho, na katara ne ca, na tāni yāmānikṣudrayī, asakṛt āvarteni bhūtāni bhavanti, jāyasva mriyasveti, etat tṛtīyaṁ sthānam, tena asau lokaḥ, na samporiate, tasmāt jugupsaitā, tat eṣa ślokāḥ."

Translation:

Then, by neither of these two paths do these evildoers go. They keep repeatedly revolving, being born as small creatures, subject to the popular saying, "They are just born and they live and they die," meaning that their life is lived in vain. And this is called the third state.

Let us understand first this much. So what are the two paths? The path of the light and the path of the darkness—Devayāna, Pitṛyāna, Śuklayāna or Śukla Pakṣa or Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa.

So that is what is, they are the two paths. Devayāna is the highest path and below that is the path of the darkness called Kṛṣṇa Yāna or Pitṛyāna. But unlike others, those two people, this is the third state of people who live an evil life, think evil thoughts, do evil actions, speak or delight only in boasting, "I have done this evil. Asau mayā hataḥ. Haniṣya jāparānapi."

Description from the Bhagavad Gītā

Beautifully this state is described in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā when Bhagavān was graphically describing the qualities of the spiritual people, the qualities of the non-spiritual people, called respectively the gods and the asuras or the demons.

Demons means those who are attached, those who think the body and the sense organs and by hook or crook they want to get what they think they want to enjoy. Whereas the first class, second class people, they are also attached to the body-mind but they never do what is prescribed by the scriptures. They try to do what is prescribed by the scriptures.

The Third State Described

So this is the third stage and they become small creatures and there is a saying, their life is in vain, they are born and they die.

Very interesting incident was there. Once Holy Mother was very sick and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa somehow thought she may not recover. Then he said, "Vṛdhe, her coming into this world is in vain. As they say, she is born, she is going to die. What good is accomplished by this type of thing?"

Fortunately, of course, for us, Holy Mother did not die because the Divine Mother will not allow her. If she had to be born and die, then she would not be the Divine Mother. She would be just like any one of us.

So, this is the third state and therefore that region of the moon is never filled up. Hence, one should be disgusted with this state. There is this verse about it.

Spiritual Discrimination and the Third Class

So, we must look out and say, here are the first class people, here are the second type of people. For our further progress, we have to make this kind of discrimination. Not to criticize these people, but to learn the lesson.

So, if these third class of people, their evil people, worldly people, materialistic people, Cārvākas, they just are born, they never think anything higher, and that is what Holy Mother also expressed in her teachings, that they are like insects. They are born and they die, nothing much is accomplished there. For a long time, they have to be reborn like that.

So, once we understand, this is called looking at the world in a spiritual way. Find out, see, these people—first of all, some examples, sannyāsins. They live a wonderful life and they are very happy. So, naturally, we have to think, "How are they so happy?" They don't have external possessions. Don't look at sophisticated, rich monastic organizations. Think of the wandering monks and most of them are worldly people only.

Examples of Blissful Sādhus

But some people are so happy, swimming in bliss, as it were. As I reminded you, Swāmījī met many such sādhus. One was formerly a thief, and unfortunately, he went to steal in the āśrama of Pāvārī Bābā. Another was being pelted by stones. People, small children, thought, "Oh, he was laughing, he must be enjoying. The more we pelt with stones, the more will be his enjoyment."

Then, when questioned, he answered, "This is a play of father," means God. "I am enjoying it." That is his outlook. Like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's story, "He who has beat me is now giving me"—same one is giving me milk also. They have attained to the highest state.

So, these people, they can say, "We are born, we die," but there is nothing much accomplished excepting evil. And these are the people who neither go by the northern path, Uttarāyaṇa, nor the southern path, but as soon as they die, immediately they are born and they immediately—so they are reborn as dogs, as pigs or as cāṇḍāla.

Depending, of course, there will be degrees of evilness. So, even there are first-class evil people, second-class evil people, third-class evil people, etc. This is what in this eighth mantra the Upaniṣad is telling.

These evil people do not travel. Of course, the question doesn't arise of going either through Śukla Pakṣa and not even Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa. But what happens? These people are born and then immediately they take birth in very inferior wombs, non-human, as animals, as even insects, as pythons, snakes, as birds, etc., etc. So, that is being graphically described there.

So, who are these evil people? That is not clearly said. It is only said, evil people are there and they live evil life. Only a type of life determines whether they are first-class people, second-class people or these unthinkably lower types of people.

The Ninth Mantra: The Five Great Sins

So, what type of sins or evil deeds do they commit? That is being graphically described in this ninth mantra:

"Stenaḥ hiraṇyasya, suram pibancha, guruhutalpaṁ āvasan, brahma-hā ca, ete patante catvāraḥ, pañcamaḥ ca, ācaran taihi iti."

Translation:

So, four types of sins are described here:

One who steals gold
One who drinks wine
One who dishonors the teacher's bed
And one who injures a Brāhmaṇa, that means environment

These are the four types of evil deeds. And the people who perform, who do these evil deeds, all these four types of people fall, as it is said, into that third category. As also, there is a fifth one. What is it? There are some people, even if they associate with these four kinds of people, they will also go down. And I will have something to say about it. I will talk about it.

The First Sin: Stealing

Stenaḥ hiraṇyasya—stenaḥ means one who steals; hiraṇya means gold. But don't say, "Oh, I am escaping. I only steal silver or copper." You know, in India, I don't know about other countries, in all the third world countries, so-called third world countries, you know, this electric wires, etc., huge distances. Government takes the trouble to make them electric wires. And it is made up of copper.

There are people who cut these things, not only create so much unhappiness and suffering to thousands of people, and then they strip of the coverings and melt that copper. And I heard about previously one, the lowest denomination is called one kāsu. It is made up of pure copper. Its value is much less than its original price. Government, stupid, foolish government, did not understand that. Some clever merchants understood it.

So they, from the banks and everybody, started buying left and right and then they collected thousands of tons of these lowest denomination coins and melted them and converted them into pure copper. And they at least used to get 100 times a value of their original price. And then government woke up. Like that, some coins, it's silver also. Sometimes the value of this, sometimes even gold coins were there. So if it is used as a coin, its value is much less. If it is used as melted gold, its value is too much.

But stenaḥ means a thief. And Śiva is also called the emperor of thieves: "Stenānāṁ pataye namaḥ." In Rudram, Namakam and Camakam, we get these names: "Stenānāṁ pate namaḥ, taskārāṇāṁ pataye namaḥ." And this is anybody who is a thief. He can be a thief of food, thief of anything.

The Second Sin: Drinking Wine

Surān, suraṁ pibancha. There are some people addicted to drinks. Once a person starts drinking, he will lose the capacity to discriminate what should be done, what should not be done, what is right, what is wrong. That is why, when they can commit to murder, they can lose their morals.

Nowadays, what you call nightclubs, they go on drinking and dancing, and that atmosphere makes everybody feel "we are in Svargaloka now." And then they do all sorts of evil things. They think they are very clever. They escape the karmaphala, but no, they will have to pay very heavy price. So, second category of these evil people, which leads to evil, is this addiction to drinking, forgetting their proper sense of understanding, so decision, and then taking wrong decisions, etc.

The Third Sin: Dishonoring the Guru's Bed

And third is one of the worst type of sins. It is called Guruhutalpaṁ āvasan. Talpam means the bed, Guru's bed, dishonoring the Guru's bed. So what does it mean? Really what it means is this person tempts the wife of the Guru and develops an immoral, illegal relationship with her.

The Story of Candra Deva

It is said Candra Deva, he was a disciple of Bṛhaspati. Bṛhaspati's wife was Tārā and Tārā was one of the most beautiful women. I don't know. Maybe her husband was very ugly fellow because usually scholars would be only like that. So this Candra was one of the most Mr. Universe and she was attracted. He was attracted and then he defiled the bed by having relationship with her. So he was cursed.

Only later on that curse was modified a little. "All right, you will develop what is called a terrible disease. Kṣayaroga will be there." But Śiva became gracious to him, said, "All right, so for 15 days you will go down, 15 days again you will recover your health, etc., etc." Purāṇic stories are there.

So if somebody does something with the wife of a guru or he pretends to be a guru, that is a secondary crime. So main crime is developing immoral relationship with one's own guru. What does it tell us? That guru may be a great person, but his wife may not be greater person.

The Story of Ahalyā

I should not repeat that, but Purāṇas tell us, even in the Ahalyā, the wife of Gautama, she also fancied Indra. So the same thing happened. Without her consent, Indra could not have even approached. So it was a relationship, mutual relationship. But Gautama understood because this Indra, he assumed the form of Gautama in order to deceive Ahalyā. That is why Gautama said, "You have committed a great wrong."

"The only thing which can absolve you of this sin is you must go, become like a stone, and Rāma's feet will come and touch you, and then you will be freed from this curse."

The Inner Meaning

But what is the inner meaning of this story? Gautama was a ṛṣi. Do you think he was a fool? He understands. He was very wise. He understood that she was an ordinary person. In a momentary weakness, she gave in herself, but a very good woman. But that had led to her spiritual downfall. And therefore, what did—and she had children also. Gautama had a grown-up son there. But even then, such things can happen.

So he said, "Become a stone." What does it mean? That means "you devote your life totally to meditation on Śrī Rāma's lotus feet and be like a stone." As Rāmakṛṣṇa used to say about himself, "I when I sat for meditation, even birds used to peck for food in my sitting, snakes used to crawl, they used to think that this is a stone, it is not a living creature." Such was the absorption.

So śilā doesn't mean she became a stone. A stone doesn't evolve. That means she was absorbed in the meditation on Śrī Rāma. And then the Ṛṣi himself said, "When your meditation is complete, Rāma will come and he will bring you back. But by that time, you will have to, until that time, you will have to do complete austerity, not thinking of anything else."

Like Vālmīki, Ratnākara entered and sat down after being initiated into Mara Mantra. And he never came out until a valmīka-ant hill grew all around him. And then God appeared, gave him his darśan, vision, and then said, "I am going to use you for a great purpose. I am bestowing upon you the gift of knowledge. That is to say, you are going to become world's first poet and you will write the life history like Svāmī Śaradānanda of Śrī Rāmacandra, which is known as Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa."

Vālmīka means anthill. So, these stories we get there. But it is one of the greatest, not only Guru Talpa. Even one should not covet other person's wife.

The Ten Commandments

One of the ten commandments that Moses received from God, Vidhi and Niṣedha, "Thou shalt not covet the wife of another man." And one of the great founders of this, what is called Jesus Christ's ancestor, he, I think King David, he saw a naked woman bathing with purpose or without purpose—I do not know. And then he desired her.

Deliberately, he sent her husband to the front in a war where he is sure to be killed so that he can possess her as a legal wife. What a horrible stories we hear there. So anyway, this is what is happening. Guruhutalpaṁ āvasan means dishonoring the gurus. That is the greatest sin one can do.

The Fourth Sin: Harming a Brāhmaṇa

But even greater sin than that: Brahma-hā, one who harms, one who kills. A knower of Brahman is called Brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānāti te brāhmaṇaḥ.

Ete patante catvāraḥ - these four types of sinners who belong to this third class of people, they fall down.

The Fifth Sin: Keeping Bad Company

Pañcamaḥ ca, ācaran taihi iti. Taihi ācaran—and whoever keeps company, delights in their company, and slowly the power of the company, that will make them also behave like that.

What is fashion? If a lady, especially ladies, if they are exposing themselves too much to the gaze of the male population and other women think that this is the latest fashion, so they keep company. So I don't need to give lot of examples.

But what is interesting is this: what company we keep can fashion our character. That is why some wise man had said, "Tell me what books you read, tell me what type of friends you keep, company you keep, I will tell you who you are."

On the contrary, Rāmakṛṣṇa's first very first commandment for spiritual life is: cultivate holy company, then you will become pure and slowly progress in spiritual life.

The Importance of Good Company

So, what is the Upaniṣad telling? We should not do anything. But even if somebody is not at moment not falling into those four categories of the third class of people, they should not even mix with evil people because the vibrations of their thoughts will definitely degrade them. And we have to be very careful about it.

There is a beautiful song in Kannada. He says, "Let us come to a business agreement, O Lord." So Purandara Dāsa and Viṭhala, what is the agreement? That if I don't keep good company, then I will be forfeiting my promise to you. But if you do not, what is called, remove me from evil company, that is your part of the agreement—"You remove me from evil people, I will consciously cultivate the company of the good people. And if we deviate, then I will be guilty, you will be guilty." An agreement, a promise to both of us.

Beautiful songs are there. Even studying these songs is one of the greatest spiritual aids.

The Protection of Those Who Practice Pañcāgni Vidyā

"Adhā ya eta evaṁ pañca agni veda na sahatai api ācaran pāpmanā lipyate śuddhaḥ potaḥ puṇyaloka bhūti ya evaṁ veda ya evaṁ vedha."

Adhā ha—so, moreover, now is coming back. What is the result of the persons who know about this Pañcāgni Vidyā and deliberately they make their life to do this spiritual practice, contemplation on this Pañcāgni Vidyā? What would be the result for them?

What is the first result? Even by accident, by mistake, unknowingly, if these people happen to fall into the company of evil people or wicked people, they will not be touched. Because Bhagavān, God, immediately He will make this person understand and then remove him from their very surroundings and puts them in a good company.

Very interesting incident was there. Let me narrate it after completing this one.

The Mantra Explained

So, it is said, "Athaḥ yaḥ eta evaṁ pañcāgni veda"—he who knows, that means whoever knows this Pañcāgni Vidyā and practices them, even by mistake without knowing, if they happen to fall into the company of these any of these evil people, all the five people, not only those who commit the sin, but those who are keeping the company of the sinners—even if this person comes into contact with them, pāpmanā, by pāpa, sin, na lipyate, he will not be contaminated.

Why? Because, first of all, his very practice of the spiritual discipline will immediately wake up. God's grace will tell, "What company I am keeping, what is this fellow talking, what is this fellow thinking, what is this fellow doing? I should be far away from here."

That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to say, "Go and see the buildings," because he understands intuitively these people are not fit.

The Results of Practice

But those who practice, not only they will not have any sin attached to them, because they will never even think, talk, do any of these sinful actions. And these five are not the only ones. There are so many other things, like killing a Brāhmaṇa, killing a woman, killing a baby, and putting other man's house on fire to get it, etc., etc. So many varieties of sins are there.

On the contrary, one who is sincerely practicing this Pañcāgni Vidyā, what does it become? Śuddhaḥ bhavati, pūtaḥ bhavati, puṇyalokaḥ bhavati, yaḥ ayaṁ veda, yaḥ ayaṁ veda.

Yaḥ ya vaṁ veda—he who knows about this Pañcāgni Vidyā. Veda means to know. To know means not to read or just to listen to talks like we are having, but actually to have faith in it and then put them into practice.

What happens? Gradually, as he practices, he becomes śuddhaḥ, pure. Pūtaḥ, all his dirt, impurities will be slowly removed. And then third word, puṇyalokaḥ bhavati—he becomes fit after the death of fall of this body to enter into higher states.

It doesn't mean that he will not be enjoying higher happiness in this world. As long as he lives, he lives in puṇyaloka only. As I mentioned, loka means the abode of experience. Since this person's mind is high up on the seven cakras, on the list of the seven cakras, this person, he will be nearer to God. The nearer to God, the more ānanda, sat and power of discrimination will come.

Conclusion

And with this, the Pañcāgni Vidyā is over, but there are a few points which we will talk about in our next class.

Closing Prayer