Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 40 on 06 October 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Chandogya Upanishad which belongs to the Samaveda. And this entire sixth chapter which we are studying now is called Sadh Vidya or the entire creation as well as Brahman. Everything is pure existence, pure Brahman. Sat means pure existence. And we have been studying the eighth section. And what does this section want to say? That cause alone is the reality and not the effect. Why not? Because even though the effect cannot be different from cause, but cause doesn't have names, forms or qualities. But cause alone exists. But the effects without or minus name, form and qualities is the cause. Cause with names, forms and qualities is the effect, cause. They are the same. Perception. But the effect creates problems. What is the problem? Duality, multiplicity. And in this sixth chapter, eighth section onwards of which we have been dealing with the second mantra, first we have completed. This is what the Uddalaka Aruni wants to teach through Shweta Ketu to all of us. What does he say? He gave the analogy of a bird and many scriptures quote this one. And Shri Ram Krishna slightly elaborated this and which we discussed in our last class. But just to remind you, I will speak about this. Just as a bird tied by a string to the hand of the bird, first hand up, that is a pole, first flies in every direction and then finding no rest anywhere, settles down at the same place where it is bound to the pole. So also the mind of every individual, my dear student Shweta Ketu, the mind after flying in every direction and finding no rest anywhere, settles down in the prana, means pure being. So flying in every direction, we have interpreted it according to the Bhashya in the not finding happiness, security and peace in the waking as well as in the dream states. And it comes back to its own self to which it is tied, which is pure existence, which is called prana here. The mind comes back and it resolves itself into that prana, into that pure being, into that pure existence. And then it gets what it is seeking and what it failed to get in other directions, means in waking as well as dream states. And Swami Vekananda complimenting this, he says the whole life is a struggle. Struggle what? To go back to our Moola Karana, original cause, which is called the pure being, pure existence or Brahman. So in that context, he says that because our nature is pure being and we have forgotten, therefore the struggle is as if we have lost our pure being, but actually we have not lost, but we only forgot. It is a cognitive forgetfulness. Sadhana is an attempt to bring back that memory. Realization is to know that I am what I am seeking. So I have given some quotations and so Swamiji says all of us are struggling to be free. Freedom is our birthright and therefore if anybody questions whether we can be free from this struggle, we can be at peace by giving up some desires. No. However, reach a person, however endowed a person until he knows what he is, there is no rest to be had either in the waking or dream or even in deep sleep. Why not in deep sleep? Because it is temporary. That is why it is called Karana Sharira. Karana means cause. Cause means it gives birth to the effect, effects which are waking as well as dreaming and Shri Ram Krishna has given a beautiful meaning. So what is that meaning to this particular mantra? What is the meaning? After quoting this story in his own way and we all have the freedom to quote this analogy in our own way, but only one condition we should not forget what it is meant for. That is to lead us until we reach God, there is no rest at all. And the master is remarking as long as a man feels that God is there, that means he is not here. That means here there is something other than God and so Shri Ram Krishna says he is ignorant so long as man feels that God is somewhere else. But he attains knowledge when he feels that God is right here. Here means what? Everywhere. And he remarks what a man seeks is very near to him. Still he wanders about from place to place. After this conversation, teaching of Shri Ram Krishna, Ramchandra Dutta, he remarks and a remarkable statement. Sir, I now realize why a guru asks some of his disciples to visit the four principal holy places of the country. What happens? Once having wandered about, the disciple discovers that it is the same here as everywhere. That means if somebody has it here, he has it everywhere. If somebody doesn't have it here, he is not having anywhere. And that also shows God only comes to us in the form of the guru. And that guru teaches us nothing but only what God teaches. In other words, God speaks in the eyes of another being whom we consider as our guru. And then when the disciple after wandering, he returns, he understands that I thought I did understand my guru. Now I understand what I get here, I will not get anywhere. So all this wandering about is only to create faith in the guru's words. And then after Bahudhaka state, wandering state, he becomes Kutichaka, firmly settled down in the opinion. And this particular analogy of the bird has been rendered into beautiful Bengali song and it goes like this. This was written by Akshay Kumar Sen, who also wrote a beautiful book called Sri Ramakrishna Puthi. Pakhi, a bird, you just sit on the mast called Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna means Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, God, Allah, etc. You are searching here and there is completely a waste of time and energy. In this infinity, you will not get any resting place. Whichever direction, leaving God, you fly, you will experience everything. It is like a shoreless ocean. There is no end, no shore to this ocean of infinity. You can search in every direction. This ocean is without any path, means you cannot attain it. That illustrates beautifully what is the lesson we have to learn. Let us search for happiness, peace and rest. We will not get anywhere. That is why we also have seen in the Taittiriya Upanishad that God is called a rest house. Let me take rest in you. In our last class, we have explored that point. With this, the second mantra is complete. We will enter into the third mantra. शुंगं उत्पतितं सोम्य विजानेहि न इदं अमूलं भविष्यतिति The English translation follows. Learn from me, my dear child, Shweta Ketu, what hunger and thirst are. When a man is hungry, as they say, it is water that has led the food carried away. What was eaten? Just as they speak of a leader of cows, leader of horses, leader of men, so do people speak of water and the leader of food. So, my dear, know this shungam or the offshoot of the body has sprung forth from a cause, for the body cannot be without a root. So, we will just analyze a little bit this Sanskrit, then discuss about it. अशनापिपासि So, this third mantra is introduced. It is an analysis of food and drink. What is the purpose? The body is made up of food and drink and this body is called अन्नम्. अन्नम् means earth and the earth is an effect and this effect, earth, every effect must have a cause. The earth must have a cause. It must lead to water and that water should lead us to its cause and that cause should lead us to the final cause of which we can never ask what is the cause of that final cause. Final cause means causeless cause. It is for this purpose, this particular mantra is introduced. Here, he gives an analogy. There is somebody because of whom the cows are led, because of whom the horses are led, so because of whom even human beings are led. That is to say, a leader of the horses, leader of the cows, leader of men, etc. What is this leading us to? That you should not be satisfied, we should not be satisfied, no one should be satisfied with the effect because effect is always limited whereas the cause is much subtler and much more pervading. There is a law. The gross is very limited but the subtle is much more unlimited and the subtlest is even more unlimited and the final cause is all pervading, one without a second. If you remember, very sadvidya ekam eva advitiyam, one without a second. The entire this six chapters or consisting of 16 sections is only to lead us but in this eighth section directly having described the effect. What is the effect? The creation and how did the creation come about? Brahman put on the dress of fire, tejas, agni and tejas put on the dress of apaha, advyaha, jalaha, waters and water put on the dress of annam and the entire creation is nothing but the vesams of annam only. That is why the whole universe is nothing but annam. Annam means what? Food. Food means what? An object to be experienced. What does it mean? So generally the word annam is confined only to food eaten by the mouth but no, when we are looking at a beautiful object that is the food for the eye. When we are hearing very beautiful sounds that is the food but I am not only speaking about beauty, any kind of sound, so any kind of food. Food could be what is called nectar or it could be poisonous, could be very much liked, disliked, healthy, unhealthy that is the object of the eyes is the form, colors, object of the ears is the sounds, the object of the nose is smells, object of the tongue is tastes, the object of the skin is touches, cold, hot, soft, hard. So food means any one of these experiences and that is the function of the body but what for this analogy we are searching for our own pure reflection in everything. Sometimes we are temporarily satisfied, sometimes the opposite and then after a long time we become tired like the bird and where are we searching? Both in the what we call the waking as well as dream states and after searching everything we go to the root cause that is which is also rooted in ignorance only. What is that state? Deep sleep. So this 8th chapter started with analysis of a deep sleep remember. So the subsequent mantras are only leading to that particular one to say that what you are seeking, what you are searching is none other than your own self. So please learn asana, pipasa, somya. Oh dear pleasing student make from me asana, pipasa, the analysis of food. Asana means eating, pipasa means thirsty, so hunger and thirst, vijanihi. Janihi means no, vijanihi means a beautiful analysis, deep understanding about hunger and thirst. Then when a person eats and drinks, he gets the name, he is the eater, he is the drinker. Yatra etad purushaha asesha shati means consumes food, both forms, nama. So then so what happens when we eat food? The food must be mixed with water, the process starts with the mouth itself, mouth waters and then that water becomes mixed with the hard food, it becomes soft and it becomes easy for us to swallow and not only the water, the same water has assumed the form of digestive fire and also becomes blood, various ingredients which help not only in the digestion but in the distribution of the energy that we get. So all these things we have to understand. So this food, when a person eats the food, he is the eater, he gets the title, he is the eater, he has eaten the food, nama, but what happens after he swallows? Apahyeva tat asitam nayante. So water right from the mouth takes him to the stomach, first to the big stomach and then the small stomach and then there the hydrochloric acid, that is also manifestation of water only, then it helps. For that the Rishi gives an example, tat yatha. So just like there is a person, go nayaha, nayaha means leader, leading, directing, taking, go means cows, ashwa means horses, ashwa nayaha, a person who directs the cows is called go nayaha, a person who leads the horses is called ashwa nayaha and so also a person who leads human beings is called purusha nayaha and this word also purusha, purusha means puriseth eti purushaha, one who indwells within the body, that means a guru, a teacher who slowly leads the disciple to the highest state, but this analogy just like the bird analogy is to make us understand that this body, this mind are not the final reality, eti evam, so therefore tat apaha, the waters which lead the food, which helps the food to digest, then which helps the digested food in the form of energy to both, to distribute to the various functions, functionaries of the body, that is pancha prana and at the same time whatever is not digested, one of the pranas also will throw it out in the form of excreta or what we call sweat, etc. Now, where is this leading us? It says, so the cow cannot know where to go, so food doesn't know where to go, so it has to be led to the water, so the food is led by water and in the next mantra we are going to get this water by itself also, it cannot, it only leads the food but itself cannot go anywhere, so it has to be led by what? By agni, that point we will see later on, so therefore apaha achakshate, asana eti, asana means what? Hunger, hunger or food that is also gets another name apaha, waters, not only annam but even waters get the name annam or hunger and thirst, etc. And then a rishi leads us, shungam means a small seedling, an offshoot, supposing suddenly you see an offshoot peeping out from the earth one morning or any time of the day, you behold it, is there anybody who thinks that without a root it can come out and can anybody think that the root can come out without a seed, there must be some seed, shungam means offshoot, just as when we look at an offshoot, we definitely think it cannot be without a root, that is what is telling Soumya, O pleasing one, pijanihi, know it from me in detail, na idam amoolam bhavishyati thi, this body which is nothing but a combination of annam and water, but I have to add here, not only food, not only water but it is also a combination of even the third element, the first element which is called heat, fire, thejas, but here only these two are mentioned here. So this mantra discusses the analysis of hunger and thirst to reveal what? To reveal the nature of sat according to Vedanta philosophy. How is it going to do? First of all the mantra begins by examining hunger and thirst, asana, pipasa, asana means the desire to eat, hunger, pipasa means patum, iccha, pipasa, pitum, iccha, pipasa, the desire to drink, when a person is hungry, he desires to eat food and then he eats food, the body absorbs food and then it is assisted by various liquids, apaha, such as enzymes, digestive juices and blood and these liquids digest the food converting into required nutrients, only then they can be absorbed by various parts of the body, distributed. So blood distributes, that is why is blood flowing throughout the body, its function is, functions are many actually, one is to fight infections but main function is to carry the nutrients continuously to different parts of the body. Now the word asanaya is introduced, what is asanaya? Asana means hunger or food and naya means leader, that which leads, carrier of food. So this term highlights the role of the bodily fluids such as enzymes, water, digestive juices, blood etc. From this analysis the mantra concludes, what does it conclude? That the body is a product of the food consumed with the help of the water. What is the point now? This body is at that point we have discussed in our earlier sections, so what does it mean? Then the mantra doesn't stop there, that the Uddalakaruni introduces the concept of shungam. Shungam means an offshoot, just as an offshoot cannot be without a root, this body which is constituent mainly of annam and water, food and water but as I said, you have also to include fire. So then this body is compared to an offshoot and this body just like an offshoot cannot be without a root. So what is the root? The root means what? Root means the effect, karyam and then every karyam must have its cause. So body is the effect, effect of what? Effect means what? Karyam. Of what? Karanam. What is the karanam? Food. You eat food, there is body. Don't eat food, there is no body. For some time, yes, not afterwards. Drink water, body will be helping, body is helped by the waters. Don't eat, don't drink water, that is not possible. So don't do what is called, if there is fire, Tejas, Prana and that cannot sustain if you don't breathe oxygen every second. Slowly the Rishi is leading us from the grossest to the subtle, from the effect to the cause and from the viewpoint of grossness, the subtleness is the cause but from the viewpoint of the subtler, the subtle becomes the effect and the subtler becomes the cause and that which is the subtlest or causal, that becomes the cause and the subtlest becomes the effect and even that subtlest which is called Karana Sharira becomes effect with regard to pure existence because these are the three states. States means grossification, grossification means effects. This is the process. So the body is the effect of what? Of food, Annam. Food represents earth element and earth is the effect, it comes from its Karana which is called Chala Tattvam or water and water comes, water is the effect in its turn and fire Agni Tattvam is the cause and fire is also an effect with regard to the Atman. So fire ultimately comes from Sat Brahman that is pure existence. That is what Rishi wants to say. This is called slowly leading from the gross to the subtlest, from the effect to the cause and where you cannot ask a question, no one can ask the question that what is the cause of pure existence that is eternity, Ekam, Eva because it is beyond time, space and causation. Whatever falls within the region of time, space and causation can never be questioned. Whatever is beyond time, space and causation, unfortunately, there is no one to question about it. All questions, all answers, all doubts are resolved only in the waking state or dream state but never, not even in the deep sleep state. But we know that even deep sleep state is in effect because we are coming back to waking state and dream state like a wheel that which is at the uppermost goes slowly down but again only to come back. So pure existence, another name what is called Sat in this chapter, that is why it is called Sat Vidya, entire six chapters. Pure existence, Satta, Sat and another name for it is Brahman is the cause and every individual Jiva is the effect. During the sleep, individual merges into Brahman experiencing temporary non-duality, absence of individuality, limitations, location, division, agency, karta, bhokta, etc. Why? Because all these are functions of the mind and the mind remains in a suspended inactive stage which is called Karana Sharira. Then this mantra also outlines a series of cause-effect relationships just as we discussed, food is the effect, water is the cause. Water is the effect, fire is the cause. Fire means Tejas, Agni and Agni is the effect, Sat or Brahman is the cause and this sequential logic leads us to the conclusion that none of these elements, that is to say fire, water, earth, body, entire universe, none of them exist separately from Brahman. How? Just like an ornament, even if there be a billion ornaments cannot remain without gold. So just to take one simple example to make the point clear, suppose a person has a golden ornament, remove gold from the ornament, what remains? Nothing because gold alone is the ornament. Why do we call it ornament instead of calling it gold? Because gold plus form plus nama, name plus quality. What is the quality? Quality means prayojana. What is the prayojana? Gold is in one particular form, it is called ring, another form ear ring, another form necklace, another form crown the waist, another form crown, etc., etc., etc. So the effect limits, any effect limits, only the final cause, Brahman, pure existence, satta, sat is unlimited. So this sequence is meant for what? That all these cannot exist without Brahman. Thus what is the conclusion? Sarvam khalvidam brahma. Sarvam brahma mayam jagat. There was a great saint, a marvellous story, I have mentioned it in other classes, his name was Sadashiva Brahmendra and he has written most mellifluous Sanskrit bhajans. We call them hymns, stotras, but really they can be sung to the tune, to a particular raga, thala, etc. And there is one particular song sarvam brahma mayam re re sarvam brahma mayam. O man, everything is nothing but Brahman only. And then Sri Ramakrishna's gospel, if you still remember, you will see that towards the last, when Sri Ramakrishna was at the Kashipur, almost on deathbed, one day the pain was intolerable, so he simply withdraws his mind from this body-mind complex, enters into samadhi and then again he comes back out of compassion for devotees and he finds Leto was leaning and then half erect position, half lying position, says I see Leto lying with his hand underneath his chin. I see God himself is there. And then only Leto, no, everybody else, everything else, because when that goggles or lenses called divine chakshu, divya chakshu are put on, we don't have any option. I will see only this particular object as Brahman and the other objects I will see as normal or something else. No, there is no option. If your specks is a black color, every object takes on the black hue. But if your specks are red, everything appears as red, etc. So if somebody puts on divya chakshu, divine eye, then he is bound to see only divinity everywhere. Then why was Arjuna afraid? Because even though God has given, he was not able to really stand that vision. How do we know? Because at the end he says, so Lord, I do not have any rest. I am feeling terrible, terrified. So whatever you are appearing to me before you gave me this vision, grant me. Same thing happened to Madhur Babu also. He requested, he prayed and he pestered Sri Ramakrishna until Ramakrishna granted him bhava and then the next thing is he pestered Sri Ramakrishna until Sri Ramakrishna withdrew that bhava. Only Madhur Babu, even Swami Vivekananda, when Sri Ramakrishna touched him, immediately he said, what are you doing to me? I have my father and mother in Calcutta and immediately Sri Ramakrishna touched him once more. One touch put him in that higher state. Another touch, bring him back because he could not stand it. Okay, everything will come in time. It is only at that time Sri Ramakrishna created a funny story. Once a man died and became a ghost and he was very lonely. He was feeling terribly lonely like all of us, like especially people. The greatest disease in the modern world is called loneliness and then he heard somewhere in his previous janma that those who die on Tuesdays and Saturdays, they will become ghosts and then every Tuesday he will visit the crematorium but there will be so many people dying. Somebody or other will be praying for them so the fellows will not become ghosts and so the ghosts remained alone. Sri Ramakrishna created this funny story. I think so or he might have heard. I don't know. He was quite a creative person and then he says my condition is like that. I thought I will put Narendra into Samadhi and thereafter we will happily exchange each other's experiences but then it is not to be. I am left alone like a ghost. Even later on, even Mahapurusha Maharaj used to quote Swami Brahmanandji and say that even when sometimes Raja enters into Samadhi, we cannot understand what he was experiencing. So he said to whom shall I tell? Who will understand me? He used to feel a little bit dejected. So even the highest state can also bring a little bit of dejection. When we become Jevanmuktas, a little bit of dejection like any other person but this is a divine dejection. So don't reject this divine dejection. So this consequence, sequence leads to the conclusion Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma Sarvam Brahma Mayam Jagat. The entire universe is nothing but. What was at the beginning? According to Shankaracharya, Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya. That was before realization. After realization, what is it? That Brahma Satyam Jagat Satyam. Oh! Did you hear about it? Yes. Swami Triyanandaji lived in Varanasi. Why? Because there is a belief that at any given time in Varanasi, two or three Jevanmuktas will be living there to uphold that spiritual vibrations. So Swami Triyanandaji, Swami Adhutananda, two Jevanmuktas lived in Varanasi. Definitely we know about them. So Swami Triyanandaji, His experiences are also like that only. He used to speak so highly. But then how many people can really understand? It is not possible for them, for all of us to understand. Anyway, so this is the essence of the Mantra 3. That is, what is it? It is a sequence. First find out what is the cause of the body. Because body we can perceive. We can hardly think that we are they. The body is the food. We think what we are eating the food. But just as my example recollected, whenever any tiger looks at you, in what way it looks at your body, that will conclusively prove. We also have to think this body is the outcome of Annam means Prithvi Tattvam, the element of earth and it is an effect. Its cause is Apo Jala Tattvam and that is also an effect. Its effect is Agni or Tejas and that is also an effect and it is the manifestation of or the dress of what is called Brahman, Sat, pure existence. Now we will enter Mantra 4. It is in what is called very easy Mantra and again the sequence only is elaborated. What has been said in the Mantra 3 has been a little bit more elaborated. How does the third Mantra ends? So Amulam Nabhavati. So Shungam. When you say an offshoot, you will have to understand there is a root. It is impossible that without root we can see any offshoot and that is being elaborated here. This is the first part of the fourth Mantra. The second part is the conclusion. First English translation. Where could this root be except in food? Suddenly what is this? Where could this root? Root of what? Root of the Sharira or the body. Where could the root of the body be except in food? Food means remember the element called earth and in the same way my dear as food too is an offshoot like body. Body is an offshoot. Food is its root. So food is also an offshoot and its root is water. So as food too is an offshoot, seek for water as its root and as water too my dear is an offshoot, seek for fire as its root and as fire too my dear is an offshoot, seek for being, sat, pure existence as its root. Yes, all these creatures my dear have their root in being. They dwell in being. They finally rest in being. Let us analyze the Sanskrit Mantra and this is helpful even to people who know a bit of Sanskrit. Do you think it is rootless? No. The question is an assertion. Where else can I go? Can we say like that in English? That means I have gone to the place only that is the only place. It is not a question. It is an assertion. So where could be the root of this body? Accepting annam means the earth element. Therefore, evam eva. means indeed. Evam eva. Exactly in the same manner. My dear pleasing disciple, student, so now imagine the food as the shungam. Shungam means remember offshoot. Offshoot means what? Effect. So when you consider a food also as the effect then it must have a root. So shungam means effect. Mulam means root or cause. Shungam means effect. Mulam means cause. Effect and cause. Cause and effect. Find out. That means you will have to learn from just like you know in the third palli of the Taittiriya Upanishad when the son exactly like Svetaketu became a student of Brahmavidya. He asks teach me about Brahman. Says that from which everything srishti, sthiti, laya are done and that is Brahman. So seek that Brahman. I cannot reveal that to you. You will have to understand for yourself. So he says brahma vijnana sasvaha. Try to realize that Brahman as the causeless cause. Paramakarana. Moolakarana. Original cause. Causeless cause. Infinite. Tapasa brahma vijnana sasvaha. You will have to purify your body, your mind. That is called tapas. Tapas means austerity. Austerity means purifying both the body and mind. Tapo brahmeti. And once your mind and body are purified like tapas itself is Brahman. So your very purified body and mind themselves will reveal their true nature as Brahman. So here also O Svetaketu. So you find out what is the root of waters. Adbhihi somya shungena. Tejo molam anvich. Similarly, exactly in the same manner. He somya. Pleasing one. Adbhihi shungena. By the effect called waters. Shunga means offshoot. Meru means effect. Tejo molam anvich. Find out its root. And what is that root? Tejo molam. That is called agni tattva. Anvich. But that tejas is also in its own turn is an effect. Tejasa somya shungena. That means somya. O pleasing one. Tejasa shungena. By catching hold of the effect called tejas. San molam anvichha. Seek to find out its root which is none other than sat. What is the molam? Cause of this fire principle. San. San means sat. Sat means pure existence. Another name for Brahman. Pure existence. San molam and Brahman. Synonymous words. And then having told him you will have to seek for yourself. Anvichha means what? Tapasa. Brahma vijitnasasva. And then exactly like Bhrigu. What did he do? First he did tapasya. What revelation he got? Annam brahmeti vijanat. And he thought he realized Brahman. But then he found out. Came. And then father repeated exactly the same thing. Four times. So again he did tapasya. The root cause of this annam is pranam. Root cause of pranam is manas. Root cause of manas is buddhi. Root cause of buddhi is vijnanamaya kosha. These five are called pancha koshas. The model of five sheaths. Here three sheaths. There five sheaths. It is only just like that. Here three elements. There five elements. So they correspond to each other. Then what is the conclusion? Saumya. Oh my dear student. Sanmoolaha. So imaha sarvaha prajaha. Sarvaha imaha prajaha. Sarvaha means every single living creature. Which of course have to be potentially that is that which is going to become a living. Which is the non-living. Which is without life. That is called jada padartha achit. Ramanuja calls it imaha sarvaha prajaha. All the pranis, living creatures. Means not only human beings. Trees, plants, even insects, everything else. Sat ayatanaha. Sarvaha prajaha. Sanmoolaha. They are originating. Moolaha means what? From Sat. Means from Brahman. Sat ayatanaha. How are they sustained? By Brahman. Ayatana means what? A resting place. A living place. A sustaining element. Sat moolaha. Sat ayatanaha. Sat pratishta. Here ayatana means sustaining principle. Sat pratishtaha. That is they go back. They merge back. Every effect at some point of time or other must merge back into its cause. So Brahman is the moolam and therefore everything in this world living or non-living they are created or originated from Brahman. They are sustained by Brahman and they are again going back to merge in Brahman. And that is what Shiva does exclusively in Varanasi. Only thing is everywhere else Shiva doesn't function. So a person has to be reborn. But he promised if you come and die in my city, not in Vishnu's city, but in my city, then I will give only liberation. But Vishnu says the same thing without saying you come to Vaikuntha and you will never go back again to Shiva Loka. Because what do you get in Shiva Loka? Bhasma, Bilvapatra, water and Bilva, Bilva fruits. Nothing else. Here morning what is called first class thairoda. Afternoon first class laddu and evening first class payasam. Everything that is most happiness, oh happiness, bliss, oh bliss. Anyway so from Brahman everything originated. Brahman sustains everything in the form of of course five elements and sat pratishtaha. First we all go back to that five elements. Five elements go back to their root cause which is Brahman. So this mantra elaborates on the Vedantic concept of the relationship between the effect and the cause. Food, body, ultimate reality. That illustrates the principle that the effect does not, will not exist apart from Karna. No ornament can exist without its root cause which is gold. No furniture can even exist if it is removed from wood, only because of wood. That means to say wood is the only reality. So what is that? Names, forms and qualities and prayojanas are only a temporary phenomena. This is what Shankaracharya calls mithya, jagat mithya. So the mantra then describes chain of causation. The body comes from food which we have seen in the earlier also and which that means food comes from water, water comes from fire and ultimately from pure existence this fire also comes from Brahman. Brahman is presented as the absolute and ultimate cause, not a product. Therefore, the Uddalakaruni concludes, Then all the beings originate from, rest in or sustained by and return back to Brahman temporarily in the form of what is called dreamless deep sleep but permanently in Samadhi state. This is the essence of it and that is why he says everybody is bound to realize God. That is what Sri Ramakrishna says and every day what do we sing at the evening Vesper service? Of course, Vesper service means evening service only. What do we say? Srishti sthiti inoshanam shakti bhute sanatani unashraye gunamayi narayane namostu te. That is the mother is the origin, the sustainer and the creator, the sustainer and the dissoluter of everything and it is happening every second of the day. We will discuss further in our next class but this is the essence. We are all from Brahman, we are sustained by Brahman, we are destined to go to Brahman but in the meanwhile all our struggles are to know that we are Brahman. Om Jananem Sharadam Devem Ramakrishnam Jagat Gurum Pada Padmetayoh Sritvah Pranamami Mohor Mohoho May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.