Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 63 on 28 December 2024

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU OM APYAYANTUM AMANGANIVAKPRANASYAKSHUH SHROTRAM ATHO BALAMINDRIYANICHA SARVANI SARVAM BRAHMAHU PANISHADAM MAHAM BRAHMANIRAKURIYAM MAMA BRAHMANIRAKARO ANIRAKARANAM ASTVANIRAKARANAM ME ASTU TADATMANI NIRATE YAUPANISHAD SU DHARMA TE MAI SANTU TE MAI SANTU OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI HA RE HE OM OM May my limbs, speech, vital force, eyes, ears, as also strength, and all the organs become well developed. Everything is the Brahman revealed in the Upanishads. May I not deny Brahman. May not Brahman deny me. Let there be no spurning of me by Brahman. Let there be no rejection of Brahman by me. May all the virtues that are spoken of in the Upanishads repose in me. I am engaged in the pursuit of the Self. May they repose in me. OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL We are studying the seventh chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad, which is called Bhoomananda. In our last class, we completed the eleventh section known as Tejo Brahma or Agni Brahma Upasana. How did it come about? Gradually, Sanat Kumara was teaching Narada. From all the manifestations of the Panchabhutas, directly he has come to the Panchabhutas. The first one was called Annam. Annam means Prithvi Tattvam or the grossest, the fifth, lowermost manifestation of Atman, the solid cosmos, which we call the world, our world, including our bodies, our minds. Remember, we have three bodies, the gross, the subtle and the causal. Sthula, Sukshma and Karana. Everything is included, living, non-living. Everything is also included. So, that is Brahman. Slowly, like the steps of a ladder, all this time, as if we have traveled to the foot of the ladder and now we are approaching the ladder, which will take us to higher and higher levels, which is called Karya, Karana, Upasana. First, meditate on the Karya, gather everything and then find out what is the cause, not only of me, but the whole universe, the whole cosmos. And once we reach that Karana, it becomes evident, obvious that that itself is not the final cause, but only a middle cause. So, then it is not complete. Our journey has to be continued. Then what is the higher than that? That is to say, what is the cause of the higher step? What is the cause of that higher step? Finally, a causeless cause, which is called Brahman, had to be reached. But this is a very important point we have to note down. And that is, at every step, we have, as if we are reaching, stepping with our whole being. That is called meditation. Meditation means complete oneness, one mind with the higher reality. For example, when we are meditating upon the earth, then everything, earth means everything is included in it. And everything is the manifestation of the earth, like all the pots that were, that are, that will be in the past, are all included in that clay, because there are no pots. It is only earth or clay. Once we understand, that is called Moola Karana and identify with it, then we will be able to go to the next step. Its cause means that which is its cause, which is subtler, which is more pervasive and which has more freedom. So the result of this Upasanas are also, in the casual speech we say, a person is going to attain higher Lokas. Higher Lokas means less amount of limitation and all limitations is of three types, time-wise limitation, space-wise limitation, object-wise limitation. Desha Parichcheda, Kaala Parichcheda, Vastu Parichcheda. And finally, we reach that final cause which is limitless, infinite. Sathyam, Gnanam, Anantam, Brahma. This we are going to study in the Taittiriya Upanishad, second chapter called Brahma Valli, Ananda Valli or Brahmananda Valli. So Sanat Kumara or any teacher for that matter slowly leads an aspirant from where he is to the next step. Then from there to the next step. This is the process. So from the Prithvi, what is its cause? Aapaha, water. Aapo Brahmaiti Upasva. We have seen that. Then what is the cause of water? That is called Agni Tejas. In this Chandogya Upanishad, in the sixth chapter, we have seen only three elements are, three Bhutas are represented. Fire, water and earth. Tejaha, Adviyaha, Annam. Annam means the entire cosmos, earth. But in this chapter, we are going to get more. How do we know? So first we have seen Annam. Then what is its cause? Aapaha, Jalam. That's we have seen. Then what is its cause, root cause, whose manifestation is this Adviyaha, water, Agni. And Agni is called, another name for Agni is called Tejaha. That is what the sixth chapter of this Upanishad specifically names it. Tejaha, Agni, same. And then the next step should be Vayu. According to the Panchabhuta scheme of Srishti Prakarna. But then in this chapter, so the next step Vayu is included in Agni. Where is it included? In the very beginning. Tadva etadvayum agruhya aakasham avitapati tad ahuhu nishochati nitapati varshishyati va iti tejayeva tadporvam darshaitva atha apah shrijyate. So without Vayu, without air, fire will not work. Try to sit and think over it. Suppose there is a windless place, you want to light up any lamp, oil lamp, etc. It is not going to work out. Why? Because for the fire to burn, so it's what is called at least a small amount of air is necessary. And if it is, let us say forest fire, how does it come? A terrible wind is necessary. And it is because of the wind, even tsunamis are created. So we have to take it for granted. Since the teacher has not included Vayu or the immediate cause of this fire or Tejas is not included. So we have seen this one, section 11. The root cause of the waters is this Agni. Agni aided by Vayu or air. It becomes very powerful. Then it heats up the whole space and then it lifts up all the waters from there and converts them into practically itself. And then it takes that water in the form of clouds to the highest heights, mountain tops or forests, etc. And then it pours down. So it acts as a carrier of water. Without wind, it is not possible for the clouds to form or even to be carried. So simply heating up also is not possible. Therefore, we have to include that air also in that. So this Tejaha and Tyabhaya, this is also, we have studied it, that fire surely is greater than water. It is this fire that having seized the air warms up the Akasha. Therefore, when there is terrible heat, what happens to the people? Ahuhu, Nishochati. It is hot. Nitapati. Extremely hot. Therefore, what is the conclusion? Inference. Parsishyatva iti. So, soon it is going to rain. Teja eva tad purvam darshayatva ata apahsha jate. So fire itself is going to create these clouds, watery clouds, rainy clouds, etc. And this fire is also manifesting how tad etat, urdhva, abhisya, tiraschivishya, above, below, sidewise, pidyudbhi, lightenings, aharadaha, thunderings, charanthi, tasmad ahuhu, pidyotate. So people look at it, it is lightening and it is thundering. Therefore, sthanayati. Sthanayati means it is going to give. Sthana means breast. Just as mother's breast yields milk to the baby whenever the baby is hungry. Similarly, all the clouds are called sthanaya. That is, they have full of water and that water is going to rain. Parsishyatva iti. Teja eva tad purvam darshayatva ata apahsha jate. So first comes this fire or Agni principle having shown that one. Apahsha jate. From there, it becomes manifest. It is not creating like a potter creating a pot. Many times I told you a potter creating a pot, he is separate, pot is separate. But clay becoming a pot, that is the apt example we have to take it here. So fire itself becomes water. Water itself condenses and becomes the earth. Earth itself is coming in the form of everything. The mountains, the rivers, the forests, all the plants, all the creatures and then the cycle continues. So Teja upahsha. Therefore, you are quite near. Already two steps you have climbed, O Narada. Now climb the third step. What is it? Aham Tejvaha Asmi. And interestingly, when a person becomes very powerful, that power is also Tejas. When a saint becomes a realized soul, that's why they always draw a hollow behind him. So he is shining, shining with knowledge, shining with realization. He has become very pure. So this Tejas is manifesting in different forms. Whether we see a sun, a moon, the stars, the lightenings, the thunderings, anyth and our fire which outside cooks our food and the fire inside which digests or cooks again what we eat in the form of food. All these are manifestations of Agni Tattvam only. That is why it is called Jathara Agni, Vishwanara Agni. So fire surely greater than water. It is this fire that having seized the air, warms up the Akasha, etc. And so, O Narada, contemplate the fire. As what? As Brahman. As what? I am the fire. Every time remember, I am the earth, I am the waters, I am the fire, I am the Vayu, and I am the Akasha or space. And space itself is a product. That is why even though from our viewpoint about the space or Akasha, we are going to very shortly enter into it. But from our viewpoint, it is infinite. It has close resemblance with Atman in several respects. But then, as Swami Vidyaranya shows it so beautifully in his Panchadashi, even Akasha itself is a product. And by definition, any product is a limitation of a cause. The cause is more pervading. And since Atman is the cause, Atman is infinity, so looking at infinity through our limited mind, which is another name for time, space and causation, so Atman appears as limited. That first vast glimpse of the Atman through the mind is called Akasha or space. So, O Narada, you must recognize and identify yourself. And until you identify yourself, the further teaching is not going to come. And Narada must have done it. Then only he approaches, yes, I have become Agni, so I know that. Is there something superior to it? Definitely. This is how the questionary goes on and on. And then Sanath Kumara says, yes, surely. And as I mentioned, he skips this Vayu, Vayu Devata, because according to Shankaracharya's commentary, that is already included in this meditation on Agni itself, in the very beginning, as we just now discussed. So, is there something superior? Yes, of course. So, Sanath Kumara straight away goes to the Akasha and very, very interesting topic. So, Akasha is called ether, but then that's not a very happy translation. Space is a better translation. And why? We will discuss it during this topic. So, Narada asks, is there something superior than Tejas? He says, yes. Akasha means space. What is Akasha? According to Shankaracharya's beautiful definition, Akasha is defined as Avakasha Datru. So, we use two words. Actually, one word would have been sufficient. Empty space. There is no need to use two words. Emptiness itself is more than sufficient. So, space means emptiness. Emptiness means space. You want to sit on a chair, it must be empty. If someone is sitting, you can't sit in the exact place. You cannot keep a pin if someone is occupying a chair, let alone you. You can keep above him, by the side of him, in his pocket, but not the space occupied by him. Even the space needed to keep one pin is completely occupied. So long as it is occupied, you cannot keep it. So, that which makes it possible for this entire creation to move about, to go about, and then to do what life is meant for all the created beings to do, space is the first one. So, even in your house, you want to cook, you need a space. When you want to make a workshop, you need a space. When you want to write something, you need a space. Everything needs a space, Akasha. So, avakasha dhatru, that which affords us to place things. Things means me, you, living, I am living, everything. So, the importance of space cannot be appreciated. Why? Because if there were to be no space, I and you and this entire world will not be existing. There would be no vayu, no agni, no jala, and no prithvi. And that means the entire Akasha. And it is the primary element, that means the first element necessary for the existence of this entire creation. Everything comes from space as an effect. Because remember, these words look very innocent, but full of deep meanings are there. Everything comes like a pot comes from the clay, an ornament comes only because of the existence. So, the very easiness, I-S, the air is, the fire is, the water is, and the earth is, not to speak of the various infinite amount of what is called the effects of all these things. So, everything comes from space and everything merges in space. The sun, the moon, the stars, lightning, everything is in the atmosphere on account of the presence of the space. And we hear things on account of space. That means what? There is, remember, every bhuta has got its own special guna and the guna of space or Akasha is Shabda sound. So, suppose there is no Akasha, Shabda will not be able to travel. Akasha alone, space alone will create or when I am speaking, if there is no Akasha, so my lips will be moving, but I can't hear, even I can't hear, let alone you. And my speaking is not possible without space. And very interesting also, how do the words come out? Because of the lungs, the air in the lungs. And the lungs must be strong to expel the air and that air must start traveling upwards and it must pass through the sound mechanism from the beginning of the throat up to the lips. We have discussed this in Mandukya, how Omkara covers everything. Now, even for the lungs to exist, for the air to exist and for the sound box to exist, that means for our bodies to exist, Akasha is needed. Without Akasha, nothing is possible. No transaction is possible. So, therefore, if somebody wants to speak, Akasha is necessary to convey that sound. Somebody wants to hear, that is necessary. Without this zoom carrying my sound, what does the zoom do? It efforts, it works on behalf of the space. So, it takes my words and exactly produces the echoes on your side. Echoes are produced on account of space. Not only that, all our pleasures and pains, the entire life is possible only because of space. What does it mean? I want to eat a sweet. Where is the sweet? It must exist in space. First, in the form of a plant called sugarcane. Then sugar is extracted. You have to keep that extracted sugar, sugarcane juice and then convert it into either jaggery or refine it into sugar and it must be kept somewhere and it must be carried through aeroplanes, ships, etc., etc. So, you see, without Akasha, it is not possible at all. And then space is necessary because here is a sweet and here is me. Both of us must exist in the space and we come near to each other only in space. So, either I go to the sweet or the sweet comes to me. Either I go to another person, a baby crawls towards the mother or mother comes and takes up the baby and to keep the baby on her, there must be space. Imagine a mother who is covered with 50 layers of some plastic coat. How can she hold her baby? So, space is necessary. You want to get what is pleasure, come into contact and if that contact produces favorable reactions, that is called pleasure. Unfavorable. So, very interesting. If a burning piece of fire, wood, doesn't come near you, it is very pleasant, especially in winter season. But then, if it comes too near to you, then you will cry out in pain. So, whether you want to experience pleasure, pain, space is necessary for things to approach each other and react according to this. So, if without space, there would be no objects, including all of us. The whole creation will not be there and if there is no creation, who is going to be there even to come to near each other and it is the Sanyoga coming nearer and Sanyoga can produce pleasure or pain depending upon and Vyoga means separation, union and separation and even separation can create always not painful. When something unpleasant is going away from you, how happy you feel. You are traveling, some foul smell is coming and you are closing your nose and trying to breathe as little as possible and then slowly in course of time, distance, distance means space, nearness means space and you pass that influence of that bad smell and what a sigh of relief you will have. Space is very necessary. Otherwise, what happens? Nothing exists. So, enjoyment or suffering of every and any kind and pleasure and satisfaction of every kind are all due to the spatial distinction among things where when there is sorrow or even if there is absence of pleasure, it is due to the presence of space only because space keeps that object which either gives pleasure or pain and as mentioned Everything is the manifestation of Akasha only that is the primal element, first element. So, an effect cannot be produced from a cause unless there is spatial distinction between the two. This is another point we have to remember. So, you want to transform for example, raw wood into some table or that you require space. You want to transform raw food into cooked food. Space is necessary, time is necessary. Not only that, even the trees and plants, you put the seed and that seed grows. Growth means space and it expands root wise, trunk wise, girth wise, branch wise, height wise, every wise and then it has to be pollinated. How is it possible? So, some of the insects including butterflies have to move. How do you think they are moving without space? They cannot exist. They cannot move. So, everything grows in space and because of space and it occupies as much space like the banyan tree of the Adyar, famous Adyar which occupies nearly one half of an acre of land at Chennai. So, beyond Akasha or space, nothing is possible for the mind to think. This is the next point. The highest thinking we can think is only Akasha or space and that is the highest physical or created object available for us to cogitate, to think, to do manana. So, O Narada, this Akasha is to be meditated upon as the absolute beyond which nothing is. So, the unbounded space, the unlimited expansion space, the Akasha is to be considered as none other than Brahman because Brahman is the cause of Akasha and they are very near. Therefore, Brahman's many qualities, unhas are imbued or manifested in this space. For example, space is almost infinite but as I said it is a product. A product cannot be unlimited. Only Atman is unlimited. So, if something is unlimited, if you are a little bit rational about it, deep thinker about it, infinite cannot produce anything. Why? Because infinite requires space to make something else. There is no second object. It is infinite. Akasha is infinite. Space is infinite and Akasha is the most subtle. Atman is the most subtle. Akasha is untouched, unaffected, completely detached. So, Atman or Brahman is exactly the same. Akasha doesn't have any of the qualities of the other four elements. Only Shraddha Guna is there but Atman is nothing. So, that which is untouched is the greatest pleasure in the whole world. That is why when we are in deep sleep, there is no Srishti at all. Only mind in its subtlest form called Karana Rupa, causal form is available and there is no second object and that is why it gives so much of Shanti which is called Anandamaya Kosha. So, O Narada, this Akasha is to be meditated upon as the absolute beyond which nothing is. So, this unbounded space like the unbounded Atman, the unlimited expanse of sky like the Atman, this Akasha is nearest in Brahman both as an effect and also in qualities. Therefore, meditate upon it. As I mentioned, why you skipped but we have to include it in Agni Tattva. In short, what it means is if we succeed in identifying ourselves, this is what Sri Ramakrishna in his simplest words is telling, live in this world like a maid servant completely unaffected by what happens. Then so far as the pleasures and pains of the owner, house, landlord under which she is working, nothing affects her. We have to live in this world like that. So, if we can expand our mind to the extent of Akasha in meditation, to that extent will be our freedom, success, power and of course all this it means happiness. Then Akasha is luminous because it is the nearest expression of consciousness. Another name for Atman is consciousness. Consciousness means knowledge. Knowledge means luminosity. Knowledge illuminates. You see a tree and the knowledge of that tree is illuminated by the coming into contact of the eye and that object. So, luminosity that means all these people will become luminous with knowledge. That is the hollow that we draw behind signs etc. So, this Akasha is also luminous because of the Sun. But this person who identifies himself with Akasha Brahma will be luminous by the consciousness present therein. Unlimited would be the possession of this person. A space itself contains everything. This person contains everything and a person who contains everything enjoys everything. So, so far as space is concerned this person is free and this in a way of speaking is called Brahma Kaaru Vritti and the next is even give up this Vritti and become forever identified with Brahman itself. This is the essence. So, now we will dive into the actual mantra. So, in answer to the question, query of Narada, Sanath Kumar says, yes there is something subtler, something more pervasive which is the cause of even this Agni and Vayu. What is it? Akasha Vava Tejaso Bhuyan, the Akasha, space and then as we discussed Akasha Vayu, indeed Vayu means not W-H-Y, indeed Akasha in space, Surya Chandra Masao Bhau, the Sun, the Moon, Vidya, all the lightenings, Nakshatraani, all the stars, Agni, the fire that we know, external as well as internal. There is also a subtle Agni, that is why it is identified with Vaak. Somebody is a powerful speaker, fire is coming and Swami Vivekananda used to become very excited, fire used to, literally people used to see sparks coming out, fire coming out. How do we know? Just as fire affects people, these words, they give so much of energy to those people. So then Akashena Ahvayati, Akashena Shranoti, Akashena Pratishranoti. What is it? Ahvayati means when a person wants to speak something, he can only speak if there is a space, otherwise nothing will come out. Supposing your sound box is completely clogged up, let us say with Rasagulla, what sound is going to come out of your mouth? So it is not possible without space. For any activity, space is necessary, not to speak of speech. So because of the Akasha, space, a person is able to talk and what he talks will be heard only because of the Akasha, Akashena Shranoti. Another person hears it, Akashena Pratishranoti. So that person might talk, then he becomes the speaker and the person who first spoke will become the listener. So this is the second example given, the greatness of space. Akashe Ramate, Ramata here, but we have to, because of the Sandhi rule, so we have to say Ramate Akashe, if you want to, any man, any animal, any insect, any plant, by the way, when a plant, when it is hot summer and the plant is drying up because of lack of water and you, a lover of the plants, what do you do? You take beautiful water and then water the roots or above. You know what happens? Just look at after long summer when there is a beautiful drizzle, all the plants are sprinkled. How do they look? As if they are revived and that is called Ramate, means enjoys, delights in ecstasy. Akashe Ramate, that is when two objects which are favourable to each other come together, then there is a pleasure as a result, but two objects come together. For example, a man who is accustomed to eat chicken and he comes across a chicken and catches hold of a chicken and is it a good event for the chicken? So it starts crying, a buffalo starts crying, a goat starts crying, a cow starts crying. We don't hear it because we don't want to hear it. Look at its face, then you will see. Even look at the face of a mosquito, you will see. So whether you want to be happy or you don't want, two objects have to come near, then what happens? There is something called subject-object relationship. There is an experience is possible and then it can lead either to pleasure or pain depending upon the situation and therefore Akashe is necessary for even to live. Akashe Jayata. Everything is born, the root cause of the entire cosmos. In the first, we take the external objects and it has the manifestation of earth and the manifestation birth of earth is because of the waters and the birth of the waters because of the fire and the birth of the fire because of the air and the birth of the air because of the Akasha. Everything has come out of the Akasha. Akashe Jayate, Jayante. Akasham Abhijayata. And then in the end what happens? It must go back to Akasha only. Whatever comes from wherever it comes, it goes back. Therefore Akasha is the nearest to Brahman. Therefore contemplate Akasham as Brahma. This is called Akasha Brahma Upasana. Akasha surely is greater than fire. In Akasha indeed exist both the sun and the moon lightening, stars and fire external and internal. Through Akasha one calls, through Akasha one hears, through Akasha one hears the response, in Akasha one rejoices, in Akasha one does not rejoice, in Akasha a thing is born and towards Akasha it grows and in the end it also merges back into Akasha. So worship Akasha. This is the essence. Therefore Akashe Vava Tejaso Bhuyaan. So as I mentioned earlier why did Sanath Kumara miss the Vayu because according to Shankara it is already included in the Agni Tattvam also. Then another thing also is there. This Vayu, there is another reason why it is. This Vayu, that is the Bhuta called Vayu and it is what we roughly translate as air. Air means actually oxygen for us, whatever keeps us alive and it is because of this it manifests in every creature in the form of Prana and that is going to come in the 15th of these meditations. So according to Shankaracharya this is one reason. Prana Tattvam is nothing but Vayu or air's expression or manifestation. So therefore Sanath Kumara says don't think I am leaving it out. I am going to deal with it very elaborately later on. So he says continuing Akasha or space is superior and what is the reason? Because one reason is whatever contains must be bigger than what is contained. The whole universe is contained. Even if you want to keep a sewing needle you will have to have some space even for that. Suppose there is a space smaller than a sewing needle. Do you think you are going to keep that needle? It is not possible. Think over it. So Sanath Kumara says all the lower elements, the Vayu, Agni, Jalam, Prithvi, all the suns, moons, stars, planets, all living beings, everything living, non-living, everything exists or rests in Akasha. Not only that they reside in Akasha. Any transaction is possible only in space. You want to scratch your back and you are tied in such a way that your hand cannot move to the back. Then you will only suffer. Akasha is needed for your hand to reach that itchy place anywhere. Not only backside, front side, any side also. And therefore Akasha is all-pervading. No transaction is possible. Even birth is not possible. That is why sometimes the babies die in the wombs of the mothers. Why? Because the womb is not growing. That means what? Womb is not providing sufficient Akasha or space for the baby to grow and some people choke either accidentally or they may drown in waters or somebody catches hold of the throat. What happens? The air cannot move up or down and that is how one type of death will be coming. So therefore he says Akasha is everything that is there. Anything that is there and as we discussed because of the space only one can utter words, speak and another listens, another responds and that response is again heard by the person who provoked that response only because of Akasha. Then the next point also we discussed Akashe Ramata, Akashe Na Ramata. One has pleasure only because of Akasha and one suffers or he undergoes some sorrow because of Akasha. That is to say two objects must come. So I must come near some object. It might give me pleasure but Akasha is necessary for that for both me and that other object to be existing and similarly if I have to suffer also I have to come into contact with another one and therefore Akasha Jayata, Akasham Abhijayata. All the things, all the seeds, causes produce their Karyam effects in Akasha only. Not only everything grows in Akasha, it grows into Akasha. So we are also, are we growing into Patala after birth from our mother's womb? Where are we growing? When we say what is your height? Six feet height. So is it in Akasha or is it down below? Actually even if you growing towards down below that is also Akasha only. So it needs a place to sprout. That is to say the whole creation requires. That is why Bhagawan is slightly more intelligent than us. He understood I cannot create without space. I need, if I have to create a huge universe then I need a huge much much whole space. That is why this cosmos is considered as unimaginable almost infinite and they are right. Almost infinite but it is not infinite really. Why? Because any product is limited but among all the other objects space is the greatest, largest, biggest etc. Therefore O Narada you meditate. This is one meaning but the other meaning is this Akasha is luminous we said. Luminosity means consciousness. Consciousness is that is Atma. Another name for consciousness is Chaitanyam or Atman or Brahman, Paramatman anything that you call. Therefore that consciousness Gnanam, it is also called Gnanam. So when we are not able to conceive do we know what is the extent, the nature of your consciousness? No. We don't even know how much it is reflecting as Chidavasa that is called because even the scientists are forced to accept what we call the physical brains has got billions and billions of cells and everybody even the greatest world's genius is only using only five to six percent of the possibilities manifesting only five to six percent of the consciousness and they have become so immortal by their discoveries for example Einstein or Kalidasa anybody who is great. So Akasha nearest so it reflects Chidavasa the greatest and if anybody is advised to meditate upon Brahman then the Akasha is referred. You meditate on Akasha. Why? Because there are so many parallels are there so at least five parallels are there. What are they? Akasha, Atman is formless and Akasha is formless. Atman is all-pervading, Akasha is all-pervading. Atman is indivisible. You can't take a knife because there is no space and Akasha is also indivisible and Atman accommodates everything that is why it is said in the Puranic literature the whole universe is contained in Lord Vishnu that is why Brahma. Brahma means the whole universe where from he has come from the Navi from the navel that is within Vishnu he was there and at the time of Srishti he came out that means he manifested always remember Brahma means entire universe in a way Brahma means Akasha also so like that meditate upon everything it is everything is accommodated he is called also Sarvavyapi he is all-pervading he is called Vishnu because he pervades everything and he is also called Purusha, Purisete or Purayati he who invades everything and everything is made up of see we say suppose there is a house inside the house outside the house what divides this inside and outside walls and walls are made up of what they are also made up of Akasha only Akasha space became air, air became fire, fire became water, water became earth, earth became bricks, cement and all the instruments and this wall is nothing but pure Akasha and the scientists also give a beautiful example that if you take a huge elephant and remove all the space and that whole elephant can be accommodated on the tip of a needle try to understand what it means so Akasha Atma both can accommodate everything and both are uncontaminated there would be good things, bad things, good color, bad color, good smell, bad smell, good taste, bad taste and good sound, bad sound everything will be there but Akasha is completely unattached and nothing can attach itself to it and therefore it is blissful therefore we have to meditate both are uncontaminated how many there is no form both are all pervading both are indivisible both can accommodate everything and both are uncontaminated that this Akasha Upasana a very profound Upasana and it is also found rarely but in some for example in this very 12th section which we are now discussing is also Akasha Brahmaite Upasva in the as part of the Bhuma Vidya and then in Taittiriya Sarvam Iti Akasha everything is in the space Akasha is the foundation for everything because everything is kept as it is only in the space and he who meditates on this Akasha as the foundation he becomes the foundation for everybody else and he becomes greatest he becomes an object of meditation everybody so he is adorable salutable so namyante asmai kamaha and then people with various desires they meditate upon this person who identified himself with this Akasha therefore O Narada so he will become Brahman and so Sant Kumara said Akasham Brahmaite Upasva and Narada must have done that one and then he became one like then he is ready ready for what for that particular identity with Brahma so this is how we have to understand Akasha is the highest type of meditation and Sairam Krishna and Mahapurush Madaswamy Sivananda they also express it so Sairam Krishna had indicated to him one day so there is one seals garden and there is a big pond and lot of fish are there and nobody harms them so they move about with complete joy and freedom and people also feed them and without any fear joyfully they'll be moving here and there and then Sairam Krishna also indicates those who are highly developed because I cannot meditate you cannot meditate on Akasha only have like Narada having passed from the grossest from the most solid to the more pervasive less solid still less solid etc maybe in a billion then maybe one person who is capable of meditating like that and then strangely also there is another type of meditation it is called Shabda Brahma Upasana actually this Shabda Brahma Upasana also is closely related with this Akasha Brahma Upasana only so say Akasham Brahmaite Upasate So Sanat Kumara advises meditate and what is the result he says infinite will be the result infinite joy will be the result infinite knowledge will be the result infinite existence will be the result this is the closest to Brahmananda so Sanat Kumara is taking Narada to Bhumananda and he will be free free means he will be happy person not constrained by anything he who meditates upon Akasham as Brahman and as usual is there something superior to Akasha and definitely there is something superior Tanmay Bhagwan Bravitviti so please instruct me in that because I have already qualified myself by identifying myself with Akasham Brahma may the Ramakrishna holy mother and Swami Vaikunanda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna