Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 18 on 21 July 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Chandogya Upanishad of Samaveda. And in our past classes, we have been discussing about Upasanas. As mentioned earlier, Upasana is the middle step between Karma Kanda and Jnana Kanda. And just as a person cannot reach the roof without taking the aid of the staircase, so also without Upasana or deep contemplation, one cannot enter into the realm of identity with Brahman. The difference between the knowledge of the world and the knowledge of Brahman is this. The knowledge of the world is knowledge of multiple things, especially three. The knower, the instrument of knowledge and the object of knowledge and the resultant knowledge. These are Pramata, Pramana, Prameya and Prama. But the knowledge of Brahman is where the duality completely disappears. One becomes identified with Brahman. And just I wanted to introduce a few samples. In my last class, I have outlined five types of Upasanas. Like Prateeka, Pratima, Prateeka, then Sampad Upasana, Adhyasa Upasana and Aham Graha Upasana. Now, we also have taken up certain number of mantras from the first chapter, first section itself. What is the essence? That there are eight things mentioned. The eighth, the last one is Aum. By contemplating on Aum, one attains Brahman. Because Aum is the doorway for both the personal Brahman or Samuna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman. Brahman with qualities and Brahman without any qualities. So is Omkara Upasana. And Aum is the essence of everything. How did our Rishis arrive at it? They have gone through seven steps identifying Omkara with the ultimate cause. What is the essence means what? Cause. So the gross object has a grosser cause. The grosser cause in its turn becomes an effect and a subtler cause will be there. In its context, the subtler cause becomes an effect and it has a still subtler cause. And ultimately if we trace, then we have to come to one without a second and that is called Brahman. And that Brahman is identified with Omkara. And this is done in about four mantras. Then the Rishi, because every Upanishad is the outcome of either one Rishi or a combination of Rishis. So what is he telling? What this Rishi has discovered from the 5th onwards, what he is telling is that we have to pair both the cause and effect. So just like there is a pair, husband and wife, parent and child, friend and friend. What is the purpose of this pairing? The distance, the separating factor becomes removed. So the cause becomes the effect and the effect becomes the cause until one reaches that what is called philosophically the cause of all causes, which is Brahman. And this Brahman from our viewpoint is represented by a name. But name and the named are one and the same. We intellectually can separate the name and the named. We can say here is a table. So the utterance of the word table is the Shabda. But the object indicated, pointed out by this word is called that object's table. But when we start to think, we cannot utter the word table without remembering the object table. And we cannot think of the table without remembering this name. This is the relationship between Nama and Namni. Similarly, slowly we have to try to go from the gross to the subtle, to the subtlest and beyond the subtlest, that which is indefinable. And that indefinable which is the cause of all causes and which eliminates every type of difference that can take place and that is called Brahman. And at the beginning, before we become one with Brahman, this process of Upasana functions. Because once we become with Brahman, there is no thinker, there is no thought, there is no object. This threefold division, what is called three putti, it completely disappears. Remember, all this division is only for us to transcend every type of division and to identify ourselves with the supreme reality. Until that time, we necessarily have to keep this three putti, but in the process. And this is called spiritual progress. We step by step and we are going to the subtler. And when we start moving from the gross to the subtler, what happens is we are removing slowly the limitations. Limitations of space, limitations of time, limitation of object. So for example, when Sri Ramakrishna meditated upon Hanuman or Radha, at first there were two objects, Sri Ramakrishna and Hanuman. But as the contemplation progressed, then Sri Ramakrishna became Hanuman, Hanuman became Sri Ramakrishna. This was so beautifully described in the Sri Ramakrishna, the great master, in the form of... Do you know what? That Gopala's mother, at first Sri Ramakrishna is different, her Ishta Devata, chosen deity, Gopala, the child Krishna, is different, I am different. And then suddenly she had the vision of child Gopala, Bala Gopala. And then that division was there. Then she came to Dakshineshwar. Immediately her child Gopala left her, entered into Sri Ramakrishna. And this, several times he went, he entered into Sri Ramakrishna, came out of Sri Ramakrishna, until this devotee understood there is absolutely no two objects called Gopala and Ramakrishna. Krishna and Ramakrishna, there are no two, only one, but appearing as two. That is how she came to be called Gopala's mother. So in her vision, Krishna and Gopala, that is Ramakrishna, are one and the same. Then the same thing repeated in the direct disciples. Every direct disciple, Gopala enters, comes out. So not only Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna's important disciples also, they were also manifestations of Krishna. Finally, one day she saw a chariot festival where Sri Krishna or Gopala had assumed the form of both the living and the non-living. All the people inside the chariot and outside the chariot. And all the inanimate objects like the chariot and the earth, etc., which we call non-living, they all are only manifestations of nothing but her Gopala. And then if this was her vision, she was one with Gopala. It is only for description purpose that she had a vision of Gopala, etc. With this universal vision, like Arjuna had seen the revelation by the grace of Sri Krishna that in one person, people were going, people were coming. And this illustrates Bhrigu Valli's teaching of the Varuna to Bhrigu, from where every being is coming out, because of which every being is living, and unto which every being ultimately returns. Not only body, but even the subtler body and even the causal body, everything returns. Because the effect must merge ultimately in the cause. This is the process. Whatever religion, whatever path we trod, but the effect will be to remove the limitations imposed by time, space and causation. And Upasana is that process. Upasana is common. A Christian devotee may contemplate Christ. And there is a beautiful incident where it was said, Saint Francis of Assisi meditated so intensely upon Christ that like Christ, he was crucified. And all the symptoms of this crucifixion had become manifest in the body itself of Saint Francis. Similarly, there were many saints who had the same experience. In Sairam Krishna's life, we get many, many incidents, especially the incident where two boatmen were quarreling, and one boatsman slapped the other, gave a blow on the back of the other boatsman, and then that blow landed on Sairam Krishna's back, who was witnessing this sight from a long distance, from Dakshineshwar. That shows that the identity, self-identity in one with one slowly melts away. Like if you have got 100 sweets made up of the same material, and when you melt them down, they all become one indistinguishable mass. That is how our spiritual progress will continue. This is the purpose of the Upasana. So this is what has been outlined in eight steps, finally establishing Aum. I hope you remember that the essence, the cause of earth is water, and the cause of the water is all the plants, and the cause of the plants is Purusha, the essence, or the outcome is the Purusha, and the essence of the Purusha is in His thought called here Vaak, and that Vaak, it finally merges in Rig Veda. Rig Veda merges in Sama Veda. Sama Veda merges in Utkita, and Utkita merges in Omkara. A beautiful analysis has been made. That is what we have seen. Now this is one type of meditation on Utkita. Utkita means Omkara chanted loudly is called Utkita. So in the very first section of the first chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad, Mantras 1 to 4, that is a sample of the Upasanas actually in effect. So from the 5th to the 10th, there are 10 mantras there. Now the next is pairing up. So this is called Mithuna. Like what happens, husband and wife, they join together, and they fulfil each other's desire. So like that, parents and children, they fulfil their desire. Friends and friends, they fulfil their desire. So what is the summary of this? That slowly to get rid of the multiplicity. This is one type of contemplation. This is what is started from the 5. I will just read the English translation and come to the kernel, to the essence. What then is the Rig? What is the Samana? What is the Utkita? We are familiar by now. So Rigveda is the very essence of speech. And the essence of Rigveda is Samaveda. And the essence of the Samaveda is the Utkita. But we have to contemplate on them. So what do we mean by that? That is said in the 5th mantra. Speech indeed is the Rig. The vital breath, Prana, is the Samana. The syllable Om is the Utkita. Speech and the Prana or the Rig and the Samana form a couple, Mithuna. That is to say, previously it was separate. Now it is one and the same. If we just take a little bit of trouble, then this mystery will be opened up to everybody's comprehension. What is it? Speech indeed is the Rig. Speech here means the very knowledge. Representation of knowledge is expressed only through speech, isn't it? A professor, whether it is a physics professor, chemistry professor, music professor, whatever be the professor, he has knowledge in a particular field. And how do we know that? Because when he opens his mouth and talks, and then those who do not have that knowledge have the opportunity to have that knowledge. So, Rig means knowledge. And this Rig has a very special meaning for what we call Hindus. To use the word Hindu actually is a misnomer. We have to use the word Vaidika. The follower of the Veda is called Vaidika. Somehow these Parshiyans came and they could not pronounce properly, so they called the people who are living on the other side of the Sindhu river, which they called Hindu river. So Hindus have become Hindus. But it is a misnomer. It is not a correct word because India does not consist only of Hindus. There are Christians, there are Muslims, there are Parsis, there are Buddhists, there are so many other people out there. But those who follow the Vedas, they alone deserve to be called Vaidikas. So Vaidikas, they believe in the Vedas. Veda is co-existent with God. Where there is God, there is the knowledge of God. That knowledge of God is called Veda. And this Rig Veda is the representation of that Veda. And some of the Rig mantras are chanted. So they are chanted. And that singing of some of the Rig Vedic mantras is called Sama Veda. So indeed it is said here, speech is nothing but knowledge called Rig. And this knowledge is sometimes sung. And to sing something, one requires energy. And that energy, not only energy, there must be power of the lungs, there must be strength to send that Vayu, that air upward. So we require that energy is called Prana. In fact, such a profound concept, everything that we do from birth to death is the manifestation of Prana. I am seeing it is a manifestation of Prana. And it represents all the other four sense organs of knowledge. Hearing, smelling, tasting, touching. Similarly, I have five sense organs of action, movement, the legs, the hands, and attending calls of nature, etc. So everything requires energy. So this Prana is divided into five activities. Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana. So all the five are only one Prana performing different activities. It is called by different names. As I mentioned earlier, when a person is a doctor, he is a doctor only when he is attending the patients. He is a husband when he is with his wife. He is a father when he is with his children. He is a sportsman when he is playing. And he is a club member when he is in the club. Only one person, like one Prana. Now we also have to keep in mind what is this energy. So according to Western science, energy is unconscious. It doesn't have any consciousness. But the Vedanta uses a special word. It is called Shakti. And where there is Shakti, there must be Shaktiman. So Shakti is only a manifestation of the Shaktiman. Who is the Shaktiman? He is called Brahman. What is the Shakti? Shakti, Maya, Prakruti. These are all synonymous terms. So this Prana we are talking about. What is this Prana? This Prana is nothing but only Brahman. But Brahman as the activator, as the energizer. So everything. I want to think, energy is needed. I want to speak, energy is needed. I want to act, of course energy is needed. So whatever I want to do, energy is needed. So that is called the sustaining function of Brahman. Srishti, creation, sthiti, maintenance, laya, reabsorption. All these are synonymous terms. What is the idea? I as an individual does not exist at all. So every one of us, everything in this world is a manifestation. And this manifestation is consisting of two items. One is called consciousness. Another is called the instruments through which consciousness functions. So both are necessary. That is what we have to understand through this from fifth practically to the end. That Rig Veda and Sama Veda is identified with Prana or energy. Rig Veda is identified with knowledge. So knowledge expressed in action is called Prana. Prana in theory is called knowledge. These two are a pair. And they are both exchanging. So because when a student learns, Prana is needed. When he becomes a teacher, Prana is needed. So knowledge and Prana. And this is what in Raja Yoga Swami Vivekananda had introduced it. Akasha and Prana. Akasha stands for Purusha. And Prana stands for the Shakti. Where there is a combination of this, that is called creation. But both of them finally merge like two rivers merging themselves in the ocean. Nama, Rupe, Vihaya. Giving up their individual names, individual forms, individual tastes. They become one with the ocean. Samudra. Just like that. Akasha, individualized consciousness. And Prana, individualized energy. Both of them become merged. That means these are the effects. But every effect must have a cause. And that cause is Brahman. So Brahman is manifesting first as knowledge and Prana. And knowledge and Prana is slowly becoming what we call the five elements. So everything that we experience in this life. The living as well as the non-living. Anything that is existing is endowed with consciousness and endowed with bliss. What is all this we are talking about? That at this moment our knowledge is incomplete. We have some knowledge but it is incomplete. And Upasana slowly fulfills this incompleteness, removes the incompleteness. It becomes complete. So this is how we have to do Upasana. That is the essence of this remaining of the mantras in the first section itself. Which I am going to read out. This is put in the form. What is the nature of the rik? What is the nature of the samana? That is to say, if I have to put it in separate words. What is the essence of the rik? That is knowledge. Samaveda. And what is the essence of Samaveda? Utkita. And what is Utkita? Prana in action. So Prana and knowledge. And that is elaborated. Speech indeed is the rik. The vital breath Prana is the samana. The syllable Om is the Utkita. And speech and the Prana or the rik and the samana form a couple. Couple means cause and effect. And the effect is grosser and the cause is subtler. And the whole what scientists call the evolution is nothing but the effect slowly getting merged in the cause. That is all. And that couple becomes united in the syllable Om. Sama becomes united. Rikveda becomes united in Samaveda. Samaveda becomes united with Omkara. Utkita. And Utkita is the expression of Omkara. So Om is everything. This is what it finally boils down. And that couple becomes united in the syllable Om. When a pair comes together, they fulfil each other's desire. Naturally, when a person like me and you hear these words of the Rishi, what am I going to get? So for every mantra, some illustration has to be given to make it more understandable. And for that is given. When a man wants to enjoy, woman wants to enjoy, both of them have to fulfil. Man wants to enjoy woman, woman wants to enjoy man. This is only a sample. Similarly, I want to enjoy food. Food also wants to enjoy me. Parents want to enjoy children. Children also want to enjoy parents. Friends also, they want to enjoy each other. Then only they are called friends. What about enemies? Of course, enemies also require. Because enemies, they want to fight. And that is how they become pleased. So sometimes this person wins. Sometimes the other person wins. So this game goes on and on and on. And this is called symbolically, Taiva Asura Yudha. The eternal battle between the Taivas and the Asuras. But what it means is, when a pair comes together, they fulfil each other's desire. So pair means, as I just now mentioned, need not be only living things. Living, coming with non-living. Non-living, so-called non-living, also coming in contact with so-called non-living, both. What do I mean? So supposing there is what is called water. According to modern science, water is non-living. And there are so many food materials in the water. So the earth also is non-living. Then water and earth, they come together. Then suddenly life springs. This is what we have seen earlier. So they fulfil each other. But according to Vedanta, there is no non-living. Where there is existence, there is consciousness and there is bliss. Inevitable. And this background, we have to keep that idea. Then only we can understand. So some illustrations are given. But what did we learn so far? That cause and effect, they fulfil each other. And then ultimately, everything has to go back to its cause. So the gross becoming subtle, subtle becoming subtler, subtler becoming subtlest, subtlest going back to the cause. Everything ends up with Brahman. And the doorway to that Brahman is the syllable Aum. That is called Utkita. So this greatness of the symbol is being described here. And we have to imagine a great worship is going on. Of course in the olden days. And that is called Yagna or Yaga. And there would be so many priests. So Udgatru, Adhvaryu, Brahma, etc. And then different step by step procedures are there. So the person who is doing this actual puja, he will have to perform step after step correctly. So sometimes the rituals are so elaborate, the person loses like what we call Bhul Bhulaiya. So whether the second step I am doing first and first step I am doing second. That's why there is a supervisor by the side. So the person who has to take the step, he will tell Aum. Aum means I am going to follow this particular step. And the supervisor also replies Aum. That is fine. You are doing right. Go ahead. I give my permission. So this getting permission, seeking permission and getting permission, both are done only with Omkara. And that is the greatness of Omkara. So the syllable Aum is used to give ascent. For wherever one ascends to something, one says Aum. And there are some examples given. I am not going into the details. But then there was somebody. So he wanted to clarify with somebody else who knows whether what I understood is right. So he expresses this what I understood. Is it right, sir? In English language, we say yes, yes. You are correct. But instead of saying this, in Vedanta, it says Aum. Correct. You have done well. Now you can proceed. So the syllable Aum is used especially in the Yajnas Yagas to give ascent. For wherever one ascends. And instead of saying yes or correct or you are right, etc., he uses this word Aum. Now what is ascent is gratification. So when the person who is seeking the permission, when the other person gives that permission, with the utterance of Aum, it brings, okay, my request is granted. So it brings gratification, fulfillment. And he who knows this and meditates on the syllable Aum, the Udkita, becomes indeed a gratifier of desires. What is the sense, what sense can we make of this particular mantra, especially 8th mantra? That is to say, see, a devotee is praying to God. Instead of Aum, he uses the name of the God. Lord Shiva, I need this thing. Please fulfill my desire. And you know what happens? Sometimes, it is said in the stories, biographies of saints, he appears, he smiles. That means I am pleased with you. That means I am going to grant your desires, fulfill your desires. He need not utter the speech. I am pleased with you. I want to fulfill your desires and all those things. Simply smile. So a baby goes to a mother and then, Ma, I want to eat a sweet. Give me something. Then the mother, what does she do? She smiles. And she opens the... The moment the mother smiles, the child also smiles because the child knows my desire is going to be fulfilled. What are we talking about here? Brahman. And Brahman, understood as a personal God, is what we call Pauranic God, Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesha, Jesus, Buddha, etc., etc. This is the sense we have to understand. So Omkara is nothing but another name of God. And whoever contemplates, thinks, and then if any unfulfilled desires are there, so he is begging like a child. And in this context, I have to clarify a point. You see, I have heard so many devotees saying, we should not ask God small things. And this is one of the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna. And these people somehow, by fluke, they read this statement. And then they have thousands of desires. But outside they are saying, we should not ask Sri Ramakrishna. Then I put an innocent face. And I ask, then whom are you going to ask? I have a trick up my sleeve. I will go and ask Holy Mother. Foolish fellow, who is Holy Mother? Sri Ramakrishna's smiling ascent is Holy Mother. And Holy Mother is none other than Sri Ramakrishna only. So whatever way you put, be like a child and say, I have nobody else. Only you have to fulfill my desires. With this Shraddha, if a person goes on, he says, Om. Om means what? Om means I have these desires. Because you don't say, I have this desire. Om, simply. So at 12 o'clock, the child is hungry. He goes to Mother. Om. He shouts, Udgeetha. And the Mother also says, smilingly, Om. Food is ready, cooked. You wash your hands. Come and sit. And I will serve you. And then the child eats to its heart's content. And the Mother is beaming. I suspect sometimes, Mother is beaming because this fellow usually complains, your cooking is not very good. But one day, with shut mouth, he is eating, swallowing everything. And the Mother becomes gratified. My cooking is very nice. This is a certificate. And then he eats. And then Mother wants to say, Om. Shall I serve you a little more? And he also, he nods his head crosswise. Om. Om. No, no. Enough. Enough. Enough. I don't want any more. Om. The Mother says, a little more. Om. Okay. Give me this one. So, what we need to understand is, become like a child. And Divine Mother is the Mother. And whatever desires you have, you freely express. Don't go on becoming a, what is called, pedant, a scholar, saying this should not be asked for, that should not be asked for. You leave it. Ma, if you think, this is good for me, give me. If you think it is not, then don't give me. I rely upon you. Whatever you give, I accept as Prasadam. So, this is how we have to understand, in simple language, what is this ascent, etc. So, the syllable Om is used both, by the person, who is asking permission, and by the person, who is authorised to give the permission. And this is very common, while performing Yajnas and Yagas, etc. etc. And in plain English language, sometimes, shall I do this one, if the person who is worshipping says, no, no, the director, supervisor, no, no, or if it is okay, yes, and that yes, or no, no, that is expressed only with Omkara. That is the greatness of the Omkara. In other words, Omkara is indicating the name, Omkara is the name, and God is the name, to put it in plain, simple language. So, this is how, depend totally upon God. This is the plain meaning. And God knows better than you, what is right, what is not, what is good, what is not, and when it is right, when it is not, everything He knows. But you be a child, and then simply surrender, and He will look after you. That is the meaning of Yogakshemam Vahamyaham. So, whoever totally depends upon me, I look after that person. So, then the last, tenth one, it may be contended, that he who knows the true meaning of the syllable Om, and he who does not, perform the same sacrifice, and therefore must reap the same fruit. But this is not so. The results of knowledge and ignorance are different. Work that is done with knowledge, faith, and the Upanishad, meditation on the eighties, produces more powerful fruit. This is really the detailed explanation of this syllable Om. A marvellous summary of this first section. What is the essence of this last section, tenth mantra? So, the glory of the syllable Om. What does it mean? There are two types of people. Whether you are performing worship, whether you are doing cooking, whether you are doing exercise, whatever work we are doing, people can be divided into two categories. The one category belongs to people who do not know why they are doing, who do not know what they are doing, who do not know what would be the right way of doing. That is the first category. What is the second category? The person knows exactly what he is supposed to do and he does it with Shraddhaya, with intense faith. There is no failure. I am going to get the result which is promised if I do this one. So, with complete knowledge, with complete faith, and with complete sincerity. If a person does, then there is a vast difference between the results obtained by an ignorant person. So, what the Upanishad wants to convey to us, a person without knowledge, without faith, without prayer to God, will he not get any result? Because every action must and will yield its result. That is not the problem. What is the problem? What if a person does the same action with complete knowledge, why and what, and how of everything, and he does it with complete faith, and he does it with a prayer to God, taking the name of the God. These three, knowledge, with complete faith that I am not going to be a failure, I am going to get the result, and of course, with the faith that the grace of God alone can bring about this effect. So, that knowledge with faith, knowledge, faith, and prayer. When these three are combined, and the same work is done, then that second type of worker gets much, much superior result, and this particular idea has been elaborated, and we also have seen it in many places when we were dealing with the other Upanishads. So, one path is called Shukla Gati. Another is called Krishna Gati. One is called the path of the night or the path of the smoke. Another is called the path of the light or the path of the sun, etc. White path, black path. And these are the terms familiar in the Vedic times, but that is what is being illustrated here in simple words for us, and even that simple words cannot be understood by many until they are explained, and that is what we are explaining. I am trying to explain here that there is a vast difference. The same work can be done by people who do not know why they are doing, who do not know how they are doing, and who do not have faith in themselves and in the work, and who do not pray to God. That will certainly... You do 1% action, 1% result must come because action and the result of action, Karma and Karmapala are very closely interlinked together. That is the understanding. But if the same work is done with the right way and with complete faith and seeking the blessings of God, that can give the highest result that is possible. And I will give an illustration. We are all eating food and this is a normal thing we do many times a day, but here is a devotee. What does he do? First of all, he prepares the food with purity. Then he offers that food to the Divine Lord. It is called offering food to the God. And most people, the Christians, what they call it, saying grace before eating. It is there. If you turn to Islam, probably it is called Halal. So like that, the sages in every religion have evolved a particular pathway, the right way. How to do any work? Halal is not confined only to food. So any work that we do, including sleeping also. I sometimes make a little bit of fun. So what happens? Somebody complains, I am not getting sleep. Why? Because you are not taking God's name. So you start repeating Ramakrishna. And you get so bored that you fall asleep. So even taking God's name with or without faith is very effective. But if you take God's name, your fear will go away. He is looking after even though I will be unconscious. And with a peace of mind, you have a profound good sleep, which will be the foundation for next day's good type of work. So this is the answer given. And what is the essence of what we discussed? That the essence of everything, the whole universe, the living, the non-living, the whole creation, all the activities, and finally what we call death, birth, growth, death. Everything is nothing but a continuous circle emanating from Brahman and again rejoining Brahman. That is to say, the whole thing is the support, the action of Brahman, the will of Brahman. That is what some historians have said. What is this history? It is the will of God in action. And that is what we have to understand here. And what is the second thing? That the contemplation on Aum. Aum is the staircase. Aum is the step ladder that takes us to the causeless cause, which is Brahman. So contemplate on Aum before doing anything. You want to eat? Say Aum. Or in our modern terminology, do Brahma Arpana. But simply say Aum. Aum is the essence of Brahman. So Aum, I mean, eat then eat. And you feel, you have to feel that I am offering food that is given by Brahman unto Brahman. Let Brahman be poured into Brahman. That is, see God in everything. And every work that we do, if we exercise our buddhi, our intelligence, which is given by God, then that will be more effective. So we have knowledge and we have the faith. If I do this way, so many people have obtained the result. And I am also going to obtain the result. That's called Shraddha. Of course, we may sometimes, our evil mind can create doubts. So pray to God, O Lord, please protect me from evil mind, evil thoughts and laziness, etc. And God will protect us. The power of the prayer is most marvellous prayer. So this is the essence that to do it, everything is coming from Brahman. Brahman is interacting with Brahman and I am what I call, I separately do not exist. I am also a manifestation of Brahman. You are also a manifestation of Brahman. Every single thing that we see as existing is very Brahman itself. But at this stage, I only have faith in this through scriptures, through the Guru. I do not have direct experience. So with Shraddha, let me do everything sincerely with a prayer to God to correct what mistakes we have committed. And this is in Indian lore and in every religion it is there. This is called Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram. O Lord, I did my best, but I might have committed. I am sure I have committed. Please forgive me and please guide me. So what is the essence of this? Everything is Brahman and you are not aware that you are Brahman. But if you contemplate on Aum and express your life and every activity of your life with this prayer to the Aumkara and do your best but be very sincere and then you will get the result. You will become Brahman at the end. And this is not only the essence of this first section. It is the essence of everything else. Now we move on to the second section there. So what does the second section want to say? So there is a beautiful meaning is given. He who knows about Aum and he who doesn't know about it both do the same thing, live the same life but it makes a lot of difference if you pray to God, offer it to God, etc. This concludes the first section. What is the second section? So the second section, complete second section all the mantras in the second section of the first chapter of this Chandogya Upanishad which belongs to Sama Veda want to eulogize, praise the greatness of Aumkara but in the form of the Mukhya Prana. A story is created and this story is also based upon the reality of our life continuously from the beginning of creation until the end of creation, continuous warfare. Life is a warfare and whether people are aware of it or not it is nothing but war. What is it? One type of understanding leads to destruction. Another type of life leads to construction. So there is a pull. This is symbolized by the words Deva means there is a power which wants to slowly take us back to infinity and there is another power which wants to take back to primal ignorance, to multiplicity, to more limitation. This continuous fight is called Deva Asura Yudha. Now there is a story created to praise the contemplation of Prana or Upasana as Mukhya Prana. Remember, my Prana is individual Prana. Your Prana is an individual Prana but all of our Pranas combined together is called Universal Prana. That Universal Prana goes by the name of what is called Saguna Brahma or you can call Hiranyagarbha. So if we can contemplate, remember, Om is the name, a doorway both of the Saguna Brahma as well as the Nilguna Brahma. So taking help of the Omkara, if we can contemplate Omkara as Saguna Brahma, then any obstacle that is arising in our struggle will be met with failure and we will easily overcome the obstacles and reach Brahman easily. For that, this story is created. Once there was, there is always a battle between the Gods and Demons. Now what happens, the Demons want to hurt, want to create suffering for the Devas and then they succeed. But then the Devas, they want to remove the obstacle, overcome the opposition of these Demons. So what did they do? They took recourse to the contemplation of Mukhya Prana or Omkara identifying with Saguna Brahma. As soon as they succeeded in it, so the Demons could not do anything. And an illustration is given that just like you take some small pieces of clay and then throw it at a strong stone wall. As soon as this mud reaches the stone wall, it just becomes powdered and helplessly falls down. It cannot dent even to the smallest extent. So through this story, if somebody becomes like a stone wall, that is by contemplating upon God and you take shelter, you go behind that shelter and God becomes like the stone wall, any amount of obstruction in this world will not be able to throw you off course. This is the only way to attain success. That is the essence which we will talk about in our next class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.