Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 25 on 17 August 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Chandogya Upanishad which belongs to Samaveda. In our earlier classes, we have briefly discussed about the essence of the Upanishads from chapters 1 to 5, which consists of many number of Upasanas and also beautiful stories. One of the stories, if you recollect, is of a king called Janashruti and an enlightened soul called Raikwa. And he taught him what is called, Everything is nothing but that Brahman. Sambarga Vidya. Now we started the 6th chapter. And there is a beautiful story. It is not only a story like a peg to hang on our dress, that is to say the teaching, but there is a deep meaning in the story itself. There was a Rishi. He was a householder. That's what Swami Vivekananda used to say. Many Rishis lived a very normal life, not going out of society, not taking to Sannyasa. There were some Sannyasins, undoubtedly, but many of them were Rishis. What does it prove? It proves that even if one becomes a householder, one can still lead a spiritual life. And definitely one can realize God. Yajnavalkya was a beautiful example. Not only the Rishi. In this case, that is Aruni. He was an enlightened soul. His father must have been an enlightened soul. So he did not want his son, a very brilliant son. The father must have recognized that his son was also a very great intellectual. But for whatever reason, 12 years, as was the custom in those days, to send the children to a Guru Kula into the presence of the Guru, practically at the age of 7. But for 5 years, the father neglected. Shankaracharya gives a small excuse. Maybe his father went out somewhere. Otherwise, he himself would have given. But it doesn't seem very reasonable. Maybe also, we don't know. But according to Shankaracharya, the father himself could have taught. But then we know, many children, most of us, we have faith only in other people, not in those people with whom we happen to live. Familiarity breeds contempt. One of the brightest examples of this is Swami Yogaranda. That is, at that time, a yogi. He started visiting. He was impressed by Sri Ramakrishna. One day, he asked him a question, Sir, how to conquer lust? And Sri Ramakrishna told, Take God's name. But the young man said, This man doesn't know anything. That's why he is just covering himself up. Take God's name. Of course, God's name can do anything and everything. But then, he thought there must be some special Yogasana, some mantra, some tantra, by which he can easily conquer lust. So, there was a Hatha yogi, at that time, living in Panchavati. And this yogi was also living in Dakshineshwar, very near to this mother's temple. So, he must have heard. And he visited. And he was deeply fascinated by the yogi. But one day, Sri Ramakrishna caught him, pulled him out and said, What are you doing? The very touch of Sri Ramakrishna, as I mentioned many times, is not merely to touch. There is a deep significance behind it. Sri Ramakrishna, unbeknown to anybody, used to remove any mental or spiritual obstacles in the way of receiving Sri Ramakrishna's teaching by the simple act of touching the person. And of course, we know now. But Yogin came out. So, Sri Ramakrishna's touch must have removed that obstacle. He said that maybe Sri Ramakrishna is right. Let me try. And if it doesn't work, then only I have a right to judge Sri Ramakrishna. But I have prejudged him. See, how beautiful these examples are. And immediately, he practiced. And he got the result. That is a wonderful story. Another story Sri Ramakrishna mentions was that of Shukadeva. His father certified him, you are a perfect knower of Brahma. But the son thought, my father loves me and therefore he doesn't. He naturally gives the certificate. Then Vyasa understood it and he sent him to Janaka Maharaja who already knew his boy was coming, young man was coming. But he deliberately created a test. Seven days, as if Shukadeva did not exist. Even though everybody was seeing him outside the gate. And the second seven days, as if he was the emperor of Videha, Mithila. And then nothing happened. When Shuka was not being taken care of, completely indifferent, then he was not affected. Same mentality. And when he was being paid so much attention, especially very beautiful young woman, Janaka Maharaja must have employed. Because if an ugly woman is kept nearby to tempt, probably it will not tempt even an ordinary person. But the most beautiful person in the whole world. And then nothing happened. As if he was a piece of stone and you pour milk or you pour poison, hot water, nothing. No reaction will be there. Don't take it too literally. So Janaka then certified, My child, you are a perfect knower of Brahman. So what is the point? That if someone who is near and dear tell us something, there may be a doubt about their certificates. But if a distant person gives, then it will be certain. And many times, the parents also cannot really correct the children out of affection. If they have to punish, they won't have the heart to punish. Of course, rewarding they might do. So this father, Aruni, Aruna's son was Aruni. His other name was also Uddalaka. So he called him and said, My son, our family, there are many realisers of Brahman. My father was a realised soul. He did not say about himself. But we don't want anybody who is a non-knower of Brahman. So please go to the Gurukula. What was the Adesha? Commandment. In our family, there was no person ignorant of Atma Jnana, Brahma Vidya. That is, he who is not a realised soul. Not ordinary knowledge. So go to the Gurukula. What is the point of going to the Gurukula? In the Gurukula also, we can get so many people who are interested only in secular knowledge. A Guru doesn't merely teach only Brahma Vidya all the time. We have seen in the Mahabharata, there is Dronacharya. So he was a Brahmin. But he gave up all spiritual endeavours. He behaved like the worst worldly person. And he took it up in order to take revenge against a perceived insult by Drupada. And whole life, he led only an Adharmic life. But now and then, some nuggets of truth also come from it. Mahabharata is a very fascinating study. Not only reading, but study. Anyway, so this Uddalaka or Aruni, he told his son Arunaya, My son, we don't want you to get the title Brahmabandhu. Brahmabandhu means a close relative of a Brahmana. Brahma means Brahmana. But here it means a person who is only a known person, a relative, but not worthy of being called a Brahmana. So Kshatriya, Kshatrabandhu, means a coward is called a Kshatrabandhu. So Vaishyabandhu, a poor man is called the friend or relative of a very rich person. India is very rich in giving names. So the very name of India is Bharata Desha. Bha means light, light of knowledge. Pratha means everybody in Bharata, in India, so called India at present, we are all completely immersed in the knowledge of light, means Atma Vidya, Brahma Vidya, far from the truth. But a person who is squint-eyed, he is called Padmalochana or Padmakshi, if it is a lady. So these are all just to remind ourselves. By the way, why Indians give such beautiful names of Gods and Goddesses? So maybe the person, one in a billion, may try to become, or justify the name, but for mostly, I want to call you, instead of calling fox, or inferring Bullock, Bull, it is better to call, at least I am calling the name of God. So it is an art, how to give, not to keep, not to people, but some name of God or Goddess, so that at least unconsciously, we are calling. Remember the story, of this, who was named Narayana, by just calling Narayana, it is said, his father, as if he recalled, Bhagavan Vishnu himself, but that is a different story. Let me come back to this story. So, I also want you, to be a realized soul, and Soumya, I love you, you are very dear to me, Soumya means, my dear one, Asmat Kulinaha, he who is born in our family, Ananotsya, without obtaining, beautiful learning, not merely, titles like, MBA, PhD, etc, but really learned person, Brahma Bandhuriva, so just an empty title, he is also a Brahmana, such a person, so far has not been born, I do not wish you to become like that, you please go, even though, it was 5 years late, almost 12 years old, so this boy's name was Shweta Ketu, and then he goes, 12 years he studied, he was really very intelligent, he was the son of such a great soul, and then he came back, but what happened when he came back, that is what the Upanishad says, He went to his teacher's house, when he was 12 years old, sent by his father, after this admonition, and studied the Vedas, till he was 24, that means for 12 years, then he returned to his father, serious, considering himself, very well read, learned, but arrogant, his father observed it, immediately, because a Brahmagamani, to progress in any life, secular or spiritual, one must be very intelligent, the first quality of intelligence, or characteristic of intelligence, is a very keen observation, Sri Ramakrishna's observation was very keen, so also Holy Mother, so also Swamiji, so also all the direct disciples, what about us, I am so sorry to tell, 99.999% of the people, in spite of being told time and again, that this is your problem, this is a defect in you, but the people will never understand it, they don't have the buddhi to understand, and that is understandable, but they do not even have the desire to pause and think, why is this person telling me like this, is there any truth in it, the ability to become an object of one's own self, that power of observation, just as if we very often, I mean it is a very common practice, just enter into the bathroom, and a huge mirror is there, and there are 10000 watt bulbs glowing all around, whereas in the living room, there is only a dim light, and that too it is in a corner, and it doesn't give sufficient light, excepting for a small reading, it is a surprising thing, so we pay so much of attention, for what we call correcting our body, thinking that we are beautiful, so the others when they perceive us, most of them are also like that, but some of them are very intelligent, when they look at it, this person had put on a lot of this, what is called bodily adornments, lipstick, etc., but really the person is not beautiful, do you know what is attraction, so many people think, that by making our body beautiful, we can attract the other person's attention, only animals can do that, but human beings are inevitably attracted, by only one thing, if they are human beings, that is in whose presence, a person obtains a kind of joy, happiness, which cannot be obtained from other people, and if we are a little bit careful, we can understand, is it an animal joy, or is it something higher, then we will not commit such mistakes, so the real power of attraction, comes from character, and not from a talent, a talented speaker, a talented actor, a talented singer, they seem to be attracting millions of people, but then when we actually come near to that person, then we will see that the person is different, a talent is different, and then only through a shocking experience, we come to know, that there is a vast difference, between a talent and character, a person may have three types of person, or four types of person, just for a little bit of fun, there are people, who have neither talent nor character, there are people, who have talent, but no character, there are people, who have character, but no talent, and there are people, who have both talent and then character, we can say, if not Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna praises him, where is Keshav Chandra Sen, world famous Keshav Chandra Sen, and where is Narendra, this is our opinion, but Sri Ramakrishna's opinion we know, where is Narendra, if Narendra is a full moon, then Keshav Chandra Sen, is only the first day moon, if my Naren, is a thousand petal lotus, all others are at best one petal, or half a petal, or one tenth of a petal, I don't know, so of course, being a Bengali, the inevitable fish also creeps in, if all other minnow fishes, then my Naren, is like a, I forget the name of a huge fish, is there, so that is the kind of fish, you can say whale, you can say shark, or whatever it is, so where is the comparison between them, where is our side, and where is Sri Ramakrishna's side, so there is something, a person of character, always attracts everybody, everybody trusts him, a person of talent, temporarily attracts, how do we know, a person is a person of character, or person of talent, the inevitable test will be, a person of character, will always bestow character, nobody else can do that, a person of talent, can perhaps pass on his talent to others, of course that is what we see, a master, a maestro, musician, player, he can teach the lessons, and help other people, but permanent attraction, permanent change of character, is possible only, by a person of character, but it doesn't mean, everybody will be changed, only those people, who want to change, who are struggling to change, and who are open to change, only such persons, can really change, anyway, this son, Shweta Ketu returned, and the father's attention was immediately caught, and now what we have to understand, that the father immediately addresses, that oh my son, you have returned back, Shweta Ketu, oh Shweta Ketu, Soumya, my dear, because there are also wonderful characteristics, wonderful talent, what is called, potential divinity, the father perceived, after all he is the son of that, Ennusoumya idam, Mahamanaha, that means great mind, Maha means great, Mana means mind, but here it means, vastly learned, Anochanamani, is a very beautiful word, so what is it, there are people, who are very learned, and there are people, who are very great conveyors of knowledge, they have the talent of conveying the knowledge, they don't have knowledge, but they can convey, there are Pandits, they know many things, they don't have the capacity to convey, and this Shweta Ketu, was not only a person of vast learning, because he has studied, and the Upanishads doesn't tell us what he studied, but all the Vedas, Vedangas, everything for 12 years, Siksha, Kalpa, Yakarana, Nirukta, Chandas, Jyotisha, everything he must have learned, and very well mastered, not only that, Anochanamani means, the ability to convey his knowledge, to other people, I cited the example of Swami Vivekananda, how in one night, he coached one of his colleagues, how to pass an examination, the methodology he adopted, was very unique, simple with illustrations, so that even that person, who was perhaps not that intelligent, could grasp immediately, and then when we study, the talks of Swami Vivekananda, we can see, that the highest truths, how wonderfully, he teaches even to people, who are perhaps, not so much, capable of understanding, he had a capacity, simplest words, that's why when Sri Ramakrishna, used to teach, he used very simple words, that is why it is said, Saral Kothai Shekhale, he did not use, hard and difficult words, where we require, the help of a dictionary, but it is another matter, to understand the depths, only Narendra, future Vivekananda, he could understand, to the very depths, the words of Sri Ramakrishna, but even he said, even now, do you think I have understood, everything what the Master had said, there is a lot to be understood, if that was the statement, of Swami Vivekananda, what to speak of other people, so this Shweta Ketu, he was vastly learned, and he must have studied Vedas, he must have studied Upanishads, and what is being taught, later on by his own father, must have been studied by him, but how did he come, Stadhaha, as if he is a piece of stone, that means, completely arrogant, Stadhaha Asi, and I see, it has gone to your head, as we say, you are so proud, but where pride is, learning will not come, I will quote something, very interesting, that is a little later, so where there is true learning, it brings, what is called humility, like, if you have to clean, a window, which is completely dirty, you just clean, a small bit somewhere, and it will lighten up, all the dirt, all the more, and with the help of that light, then we are able to clean that one, and more light comes, reveals more ignorance, more dirt, more impurities, so thus, more light, more, so when a person learns, really speaking, it will make him humble, humble means, it tells him, oh, I thought, I knew, a great lot, now I see, that, I am just giving, this is what was told of Newton, that when somebody, praised him for his great learning, he said, I sit by the seaside, and then when a thirsty person comes, I just take, a few cupfuls of water, and quench the thirst, of course you need not, literally take the word ocean, you can take the word, a huge river, and that is what, M used to say, about himself, that, I sit, by the side of Shri Ramakrishna, and, what I could receive from him, are only a few, cupfuls, that's all, and even those, cupfuls, I will just distribute, a few spoonfuls, and that is more than sufficient, for most of us, so, then straight away, the story doesn't tell us, but we have to understand, so addressing his son, the Aruni, that is, Uddalaka, he further says, that means, he recognized, you are Mahamana, you are highly learned, but, Anuvachanamani, I also know, how does the father know, because, we have to assume, the story doesn't tell us, that he must have, tested him, maybe for days, maybe for months, maybe for years, and that we have to, fill up the gap, and then understood, this boy, is tremendous, incomparable, talent, how to convey, what he had learned, this is called, Anuvachanamani, and the boy himself knew, not only the father knew, but he himself knows, I am a learned person, and if I wish, I can convey it to others, and that has gone to his head, and he became as it was, Stabda, Stabda means what? Like a piece of stone, what does it mean? That means, when a person, is puffed up, with this kind of pride, he is not open, for learning anything new, he thinks, I am full, so remember, the Zen story, a man came, this kind of, Shwetaketu like condition, he approached a Zen master, and then asked him, requested him, to give some teaching, and then the master said, prepare a little bit of tea, and bring an empty cup, and first I want to drink the tea, and the person brought the tea, poured until the cup is full, but the master said, I did not ask you to stop, go on pouring, and of course, so much of extra, every drop that was added, to the full cup, had flown down, the cup could not retain it, and the student, the person who came, could not understand it, then the master explained, you came to me, with this, like the full cup, that means your mind, is full of arrogance, that I know everything, if you know everything, whatever I give, even out of compassion, you will not be able to retain, you have to come, like this empty cup, even if there is, if the cup is empty, or less full, even by one drop, then you can receive one drop, if it is half empty, you will receive half empty, if it is completely empty, then only you receive, complete cup full, your full, but, means, he is incapable of doing, so as I said, we do not know, how much time has passed, and the son, he was a very intelligent person, that is why the father addressed him, as my dear, and then, the child understood, Shwetaketu understood, but, the father must have imposed, like Prajapati imposed, 32 years, 3 times, plus 5 years, for Indra, 101 years, we do not know, but, until the teacher, was convinced, now my son, all that arrogance is gone, he had become like an empty cup, then, he asks him, did you, receive that knowledge, so did you ask, because, if you have, real intelligence, when your teacher taught you about, the Vedanta and Upanishads, you should have asked, that sir, you told me about Brahman, and, I am convinced, that must be the truth, but, how to realize, how to realize God, this is the, constant theme, in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, so, this is what, tam adhesam, aprakshya, aprakshya means, have you questioned, and this, without questioning, the teacher will not tell, because, when the child, does not say, I am hungry, the mother will not give food, if it is a baby, the mother understands, how does the mother understand, most probably, as soon as the baby is hungry, it gets up from sleep, start crying, and then the mother understands, my baby, has digested, whatever food, whatever milk he had taken, and I will have to replenish it, similarly, a grown up son also, comes, Ma, I am very hungry, I am starving, please give me something, or, even if the right time comes, even before the child opens the mouth, the mother or the father, the provider, understands it, very well, but, here it is said, if you had understood, then you should have understood, I know intellectually, I have faith, but, how to attain to that, how to realise it, how to make it my own, then, your whole attitude would have changed, as Bhagavad Gita says, then you should approach, 3 conditions, first of all, Sharanagati, what is the Sharanagati? Complete readiness to receive, then Sevaya, and you must, please, that shows, I have faith in you, when you know, when you think, I am ready, you are going to give me, until that time, is Karma Yoga, serving the Guru, serving the Guru Patni, by collecting firewood, and by doing various chores, etc., yes, that is called Sevaya, then, don't ask irrelevant questions, like stupid fellows come and ask, please teach me about Nirvikalpa Samadhi, I sometimes encounter these people, so, how to attain Savikalpa Samadhi, no, they will not ask, I know how to attain Savikalpa, tell me, I don't even have the capacity, that I cannot withdraw my mind, I cannot focus my mind, I cannot keep any thought continuously for some time, not to speak of Savikalpa Samadhi, and the fellow's question is, how to attain to Nirvikalpa Samadhi, what is the question? Sir, I want this knowledge, and you teach me, I am in this condition, then, when the teacher is not a fool, he understands, now, this baby is ready for food, my student is ready to receive the answer, that's why Sri Ramakrishna did not touch, on the 1st January 1886, he touched many people, but he did not deliberately touch two people, on that occasion, but later on, of course, he did, so, did you ask, and, of course, Shweta Ketu must have, by this time, put Sir, what should I have asked him, we have to supply that word, Bhavati, so, this Shweta Ketu, he became perplexed, and he asked, what type of questions, Adesha means here, spiritual teaching, that is given only, to a fit disciple, only, alone will be initiated into, thereafter, he has to do it, but, this is called Adesha, there are different meanings in Sanskrit, for the word Adesha, Adesha means commandment, but here, we can take it, Adesha means, that you ask, I want to do something, tell me, what shall I do, in order to realize my own nature, then, the Acharya, accordingly, he will tell you, he may tell you, the lowest step, or middle step, or highest step, he knows, what is the, right thing to do, so, Shweta Ketu, in return, asks, now, the relationship of the, Aruni, and Shweta Ketu, has changed, as I mentioned earlier, now, Shweta Ketu became, an earnest student, like Arjuna, he says, Prapannam, means, I surrendered myself, I am ready now, so, then, whatever you give, that is called, Adesha, even then, at the end, when Bhagavan Krishna, puts only, one question, did you hear, and then, the categorical, unthinking, instantaneous, reply of Arjuna was, my delusion is gone, that means, my understanding, has become perfect, and then, now I know, who I am, I am not Arjuna, I am not the commander of the, I happen to be Arjuna, I happen to be a human being, I happen, at this moment, in the course of, events of life, the commander, in this war, between Kurus and Pandavas, but, really speaking, I am Atman, and similarly, Bhagavan also, He knows, I am not the charioteer, I am not Shri Krishna, so, this entire, Prakruti, under my control, control means what, by my mere presence, anything that is kept, in the presence of fire, becomes absolutely, acquires the same qualities, of fire, and heat, and light, if you touch that object, which is sufficiently near to the fire, you will also get, after some time, it starts glowing also, giving light, similarly, that he, whoever is, in the presence of Bhagavan, he must get, and then he, the student, who is in the presence of the, realized soul, must also acquire, slowly, but surely, those, very qualities, Sat, Chit, and Ananda, but here, Shweta Ketu, had become, an after disciple, for the first time, what type of questions, should I have put, to my teacher, while I was studying for 12 years, in that Gurukula, now, my father, he used to address, perhaps, Papa, Baba, no, Bhagavaha, Bhagavan, because, he had become, a student, of Adhyatma, Gnanam, I am the, spiritual aspirant, and you are the, spiritual teacher, the same thing, Maitreyi, she also addresses, Bhagavan, and Ramana Maharshi, was called, Bhagavan, we also called, Shri Ram Krishna, Bhagavan, Ram Krishna, what Adesha means, absolute commandment, when the teacher, tells, it is not a suggestion, it is not, merely, some kind of, academic learning, but, you must, listen, with all your heart, you must, do Manana, and you must, practice, Nidhidhyasana, then, what type of this one, and then, what is that instruction, venerable sir, and then, the father, Aruni, Arudhalaka, he gives, through three examples, what is the, what is he going to tell, and as I, already mentioned, in my, in my previous class, it is, we have, we have to learn, that we see, in this world, and we think, every object, in this world, is different, and, there are some objects, which are related, there are some objects, which are related, there are some objects, which are related, in close, friendship, some are related, in enmity, some are eaters, some are eaten, some are enjoyers, some are enjoyed, in fact, everything, by turns, is both the eater and the eaten, he is not only eater, eaten also, he is both the enjoyer, and enjoyed, Everything in this world is in one turn is the eater, another turn is the eater. For example, I eat every day my meal consisting of rice, etc. But food is that rice, that chapati, that curry, that vegetable is the food. But when I am lying down, a mosquito approaches me. I don't want to give the example of a tiger approaching me because I have given sufficient number of times. But it is food. I am the food. But this is only one aspect of the food. It is only that which is related to the tongue or sanendriya. We are not talking about. When I am looking at a beautiful flower, it is food for the eyes. When I am hearing sweet music, that is the food for the ears. When beautiful fragrance is coming or fowls, that is the food for my nose. And when I am touching something which is pleasant, that is food. Something unpleasant, that is also for the touch, the sense organ of touch. So shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa, gandha, all these, when we are experiencing, that becomes food. And when we are being experienced, and we are being looked at, heard about, and then somebody touches, somebody smells, somebody is enjoying me, I become food. That is why a realized soul says, Ahamannadaha, Ahamannadho, Ahamannadaha, Ahamannam, Ahamannam, Ahamannam. I am the food. I am the food. I am the enjoyed. I am the enjoyed. I am the eater. I am the eater. I am the enjoyer. I am the enjoyer. Because Brahman alone is manifesting both as the subject and object, the experiencer and the experienced. That is the point. Now what is our problem? We don't want death. We don't want ignorance. We don't want suffering. In other words, we want to exist always. That is called Sat. We want to be all-knowing. That is called Chit. And we want to be always happy. That is called Ananda. In other words, we want to be God or Brahman. Because Brahman is Sat, Chit, Ananda. So I mentioned, remember, recollect, Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Chaturgamaya, Mrutyorma Amrutangamaya. So that is the knowledge. By knowing, by one particular knowledge, all knowledge is obtained. What is that one particular knowledge? By knowing. By knowing the cause of everything. In this world, what do we see? You see a pot. The cause is the clay. We see a golden ornament. Gold is the cause. We see furniture. Wood is the cause. We see a human baby. Human beings are the cause. We see a calf. Cows are the cause. So every species, everything in this world has got an effect, is an effect. Nama Rupa, Nama Rupa and Guna. But can we imagine that finally everything has got only one cause? That means the whole universe has different effects but one cause. And what is the law? Whatever is the nature of the cause, all the effects will have exactly the same knowledge. Therefore, this is an inviolable law. Therefore, if we can have that knowledge of the single cause, one cause, by which the whole universe, from where the whole universe has come, then we know everything. Then what happens? Then we understand that since it is Brahman in Vedantic words, which is the Moolakarana, the one cause, therefore the whole world is nothing but Brahman. That is the teaching. Now Shataketha's father, Arunibuddha or Buddhalaka, wants to convey. For this, he gives three examples. First example is the example of clay. Second example is the example of gold. Third example is the example of iron. So that means even at the time these great souls were alive, people were aware of not only this knowledge, they know about golden ornaments, they know many things. Especially the third example is called nail cutter. By knowing about the nail cutter, a nail cutter is a modification of the iron. That means they also were suffering from nail problems. Maybe they are being scratched by the nails of a tiger, nails of an Ayana, dog, cat or human beings also, whatever it is. So when the nails grow very strong, so many things go inside and by accident one can scratch oneself also, injure oneself also. Remember that Hiranyakashipu was killed by the nails of that half lion, half man. So you see, even in those days people were intelligent. We must keep our nails under control. So some innovative, creative personality had understood. The point is they know how to melt. They could distinguish what is called metal, what is called gold, what is called clay and then they used to prepare many things out of clay, out of this metal, out of this gold and we have to add etc. It may be silver, it may be copper, it may be many other things. We get these examples. So these three examples are given. But that bhavati is not there. We have to supply it. Then what is the effect? It is nothing but a word. Vikaraha is nothing but whatever is the main cause or the material that with different names, different forms, different names, different prayojanas or utilities about which I have elaborated enough. But just to remind you, supposing out of clay you make something like a tumbler. It is very convenient to keep water nearby and drink. And if it is a plate like, very convenient to put rice, curries, etc. and eat food. If it is in the form of a pot, then if it is a small pot for cooking, it will serve well. If it is a big pot, we can cook for large number of people or it can be for storing or people used to bring water from the rivers, from the wells, etc. Or sometimes worshipping is also done. So the clay is one, but the shapes, the forms are many. And why are the forms are many? Because there is a purpose. We will come to that later on. There is a purpose in the mind of the potter, let us say, that there is a demand for tumblers, there is a demand for plates, there is a demand for pots of different sizes, shapes, etc. So let me prepare these things with my potter's wheel. Therefore, if you look at any product of the clay, say, let us take the example of a plate, clay plate. You know, Sri Ramakrishna was not able to touch metals. And therefore, for him especially, what we call Chinese plates. That is, they will be very strong. Of course, they can break very easily. But they are very finely cleanable and very, very nice also. So for him, those heads are there. Even now, if you go to Belur Math, you can hear about all those things. So these, from one material, main material, which is called Upadana Karana, so many products will come. What is the point? Point is, I want to have knowledge of tumbler, I want to have knowledge of the plate, I want to have knowledge of the pot, etc. If we are often knowing, one after the other, the products of, all the products, all things, products of the one clay, then we get knowledge of what? Sizes, forms, shapes, prayojanas. But that is not the knowledge of the clay. If we want, then you take a small lump of clay, then you examine it, then you know whatever was created out of clay in the past is being created at present, is going to be created. It is all nothing but different names, forms, etc. And to understand this properly, when we are touching, say, a plate, we are touching clay. When we are smelling, a smelling clay. When we are sounding, it is the sound of the clay. When we are hearing something, touching something, smelling something, tasting something, everything is nothing but, through all the five sense organs, it is nothing but pure clay only. Therefore, then what is this nama and other things? It's a convenience. As I said just now, it is all prepared to be so that we cannot use a raw clay, a lump of clay, either for cooking or for drinking or for eating or for storing or for carrying something, but it can be modified. These are all modifications. What is meant is, every product is nothing but pure clay. It weighs, say, out of 1 kg of clay, you prepare a pot. How much the clay was weighing? 1 kg. How much was the plate weighing? Only 1 kg. And when we are touching, touching. There is no second object. That is, substance is one, but objects are many. And what is an object? As one Swami put it so beautifully, what is this world? World is nothing but nama and rupa. Brahman in the form of forms, shapes, sizes, names to distinguish one form from the other and prayojana, different purposes. So that is the world. All the individual beings, myself, yourself, everybody else, male, female, mosquitoes, men, mice, living, non-living, they are nothing but the outcome of the Brahman. That is one first point. The second point is, what is the world? So here he says, mrutvikaraha namadheyam What is this name and form and quality? It is only world. But what is the truth? mrutthikaya thiyeva satyam Giving the example of the clay, the clay alone is the truth. Even when it is in the form of a billion pots of different sizes, shapes, purposes, etc., it is only nothing but clay. Then what is the other world? It is all world. So a little bit of pun. World. W-O-R-L-D Remove that word L. What remains? World. What is the world? Nothing but world. There is nothing. To understand this properly, in today's class, I will just give you an example. You, when we are in the waking state, all this analysis, all these problems come. You go to sleep, have a dream. Because in dreamless sleep, you can't have any experience. So in dream state, you see the same world. And then it looks exactly the same, different from me and different from each other. But when you wake up, you understand it is unreal. Unreal means what? There are no different people. My thought alone, I myself have become myself in the dream, other people in the dream, other objects in the dream, entire, the whole world. But I am giving different names. That name, Namadeyam, is a beautiful idea which we will talk about in tomorrow's class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Hey Ramakrishna!