Dakshinamurti Stotram Part 03 on 07 January 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananem Sharadam Devyam Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Sritva Pranamami Mohur Mohur Om Yo Brahmanam Vidadati Purvam Yo Vai Vedamscha Prahinoti Tasmay Tamma Devam Atma Buddhi Prakasham Mumukshu Ruvai Sharana Maham Prapadye We are studying this most marvelous stotram called Dakshinamurthy Stotram. After invoking the grace of Lord Dakshinamurthy, we are studying this stotram called Dakshinamurthy Stotram. And we have seen in our last class, every stotram, eulogy, hymn must contain six characteristics. Namaskaraha, Salutations, Asishaha, Blessings, Seeking the Blessings, Siddhantokthi, Manifestation of the essence of all the scriptures, Parakrama, Valour, Vibhuti, Glory of the Divine Lord through the mediums of different deities, and finally we seek what is called liberation. We have also seen the word Dakshinamurthy has two meanings, two ways of splitting this two words Sandhi, Dakshina, Dheerga Akara and Murthy. Dakshinamurthy is one special form of Lord Shiva. In the traditional understanding of Vedanta, of course I mean Advaita Vedanta because Dvaita Vedanta posits only Lord Narayana. Sadashiva is always considered the Adiguru, original teacher of this Brahma Vidya. After all, who can talk about God? Only God can talk about God. Only God can really teach others about Himself. That's what Shri Ramakrishna used to say. A police inspector is going at night with a torch. He can see everybody. Nobody can see him until someone requests him, Sir, please throw the light upon yourself. Then, only then, he will turn the torch light towards his own face. So God is the original teacher, the first teacher. We have seen it even in Mundaka Upanishad, Brahma Prathamam Sambhava Devanam, the first born, and through him this Brahma Vidya is coming through teacher-disciple tradition, Guru-Sishya Sampradaya. So Dakshinamurthy is really a manifestation, a special form of teaching the highest truth. How do we arrive at that meaning? There are two ways we can arrive at that meaning. One is Dakshinamurthy. It is a special form, always facing the South. What does it mean? South is ruled by Yamadharma Raja. Mortality, fear of death always besieges people like us. But the Lord Shiva in the form of Dakshinamurthy can face anything. Why? Because he is Amrutaha. He is immortal. He is eternal. He is not frightened. He knows himself that I am Brahman and all of us through him will also come to know that we are also none other than him. Why? Because if God is infinite, we cannot be anything but the infinite and one infinite. So he is not frightened of death, not frightened of mortality. Not only that, by facing the South, we who are frightened of facing the South, we will be facing Dakshinamurthy, Shiva and then he will be radiating that Brahma Vidya. Then we will also get that fearlessness, Abhayam. How? Because he says I am Brahman, you are none other than me and this is what we are going to expound in the very first verse of Vishwam darpana drishyamana nagari tuliyam The reflection that we get when we stand in front of a mirror is nothing but an indication of what we really are. This is one meaning Dakshinamurthy. Murthy means a form. Why form? Because we have got form. God cannot teach, need not teach that which is formless because it is himself. But anything that thinks I am a form, I have a name and that is called mortality, that is called martyatva. We require that teaching and Lord Shiva in the form of Dakshinamurthy gives us. This is one meaning. A sub meaning of this is people after some time get tired of mortality. What do I mean? If you ask an ordinary person, do you want immortality right now? Do you want to enter into Samadhi? He will categorically say yes, I want but not right now. Swamiji used to tell, I have narrated that joke. A Christian priest was preaching and he got carried away by his own preaching. So he shouted, all of you who want to go to kingdom of heaven, gather at the left side of the church and all of them had rushed to the left side excepting one and the priest glared at him and shouted, John, don't you want to go to heaven? He said, yes, sure. I want to go to heaven. But I thought we are all going right now. I am not prepared to go right now. Even we after so many years, if Ram Krishna comes, we will have terrible objections and this is a pure psychological truth. Because I am talking, if you ask, if Ram Krishna comes now, what will you say? Of course, I will say, I want liberation. But suddenly if he comes, then we will say, no, I have not completed. The tea bell has right now gone and I have to go and finish the tea. Please wait here. Why? Because he can't drink tea. Therefore, you wait here. I will finish my tea and come. Meaning, any number of urgent works intrude. We want to go with him, but not right now. This is the tragedy of life. But after some time, we also get tired of this being born and then going through all this happiness, unhappiness for a long time. We become tired of mortality. It's a beautiful explanation. We become tired of mortality and then the soul like a fish out of water struggles. I want that state of immortality. I have had enough of this. So then we turn to the North. North always indicates a spiritual state. That's why in our Vedas, the two paths are delineated. Dakshina Margam, Dakshinayana and Uttarayana. And those who die in Uttarayana, when the sun starts travelling from the South to the North, which is the beginning of what we call summer season and the Sankranti is going to come, I think 14th of this month is Uttarayana. This is called Uttamagati, a superior state worthy of attainment. First of all, we do not need to fear ignorance because Lord Shiva is there to give us exactly the antidote. But we may not want this immortality right now. For us also, step by step, Dakshinamurthy, Lord Shiva, that is the potential divinity, slowly guides us through the evolutionary process with more and more complex brain. That is the first meaning. The second meaning is even more important. Here, the compound is split into slightly different way. Yo Dakshinaha Murthycha. Here, it is not the long akara but short akara. Dakshinaha. Dakshinaha means Dakshaha. Dakshaha means very capable. Of what? Of Srishti, Stithi and Laya. So what does this mean? Spiritually, Srishti means the beginning of Jnana, sliding down from the original state into the state of bondage. And then we go on again ascending as Swami Vivekananda is stressing, Manachalo Nija Niketane. Slowly, through body and mind, we will be evolving into greater and greater, what Swami Vivekananda calls, a journey from a lower truth to a higher truth, from a lower state of consciousness to a higher state of consciousness. Here, this Lord Shiva in the form of Dakshinaha Murthy is very Daksha, Samartha because He is the Mayadheesha. He is the Ishwara. Because He is the Ishwara and Maya or ignorance, partial right knowledge is in His hands. Slowly, He is leading us by holding our hands through this process of evolution. And He is capable of giving us liberation at any time. Dakshinaha, but the next is Amurtha, Amurthi. Dakshina plus Amurthi. Dakshinahamurthi. Murtha means what we call finitude, limitation. Anantha is infinite. Samtha is finite. Murthi is finite. Amurtha, formless. That is why in Advaita Vedantic tradition, it is not enough to have Brahma Karvaruthi. And by the way, what is Brahma Karvaruthi? That last one single thought, thinking about Ishwara, who is called Saguna Brahma, but through various names. It could be Narayana. It could be Shiva. It could be Kali. It could be Jesus. It could be Buddha, anybody. Dakshinaha, Amurtha. Only when we understand formlessness is our true nature. Form means limitation. Limitation means bondage. Bondage means fear. So if we wish to go beyond all fear, then the only way is we must become Amurtha. That is why Shiva is also called Mrityunjaya. He is the conqueror of death. Actually, there is no death. It is only a notion in the mind. So the travel is always from a lower knowledge to a higher knowledge. This is the second meaning. Mrityu means samsara. Samsara means limitation. Limitation means fear. Fear of what? Fear of going from the manifested to the unmanifest and again coming back from the unmanifest or non-manifest to the manifest. This is called birth and death. Generally, people are extroverted and going towards south means going towards what we call ajnana or avidya. This is the real meaning, two meanings. I hope let us remember all the time. Then only Dakshinamurthy Stotram will be very meaningful to us. This is not only a hymn that is fulfilling all the six characteristics. And there is a tradition especially in south India. You know many people believe in Navagrahas. One of the grahas is called Guru graha. So they say Guru dasha. If this Guru planet occupies us, it does some good but it does also some harm. There is a belief. You go to a temple, sit in front of this Guru murthy or even better a Dakshinamurthy and go on chanting this Dakshinamurthy Stotram. If there is any Guru dasha that is the planet called Guru influencing for the worse, then by the grace of Dakshinamurthy this Stotram if done properly, God's grace will come and then it will make us free from that whatever called dukkha, limitation or unhappiness, unfavorable circumstances, etc. In fact, this also could be a fulfiller of what is called unfulfilled desires. Many times I have mentioned Sri Ram Krishna came across a Pandit called Pandit Gauri and this Pandit Gauri had propitiated the Divine Mother and she granted him two boons. One, that he will be able to die in Varanasi. Second, he will have miraculous powers. As I mentioned, he used to perform what we call Homa for nearly two hours. On his left hand, he used to arrange all the wooden faggots and light it up and go on offering with the right hand, stretching his hand to the very limit straight. That can be done only by God's grace. And secondly, if he repeats a mantra No Pandit, no opponent could defeat him in the debate. And Sri Ram Krishna came and taken away his special power but granted him dispassion as well as discrimination. This is a wonderful thing. But like this, so many stotras are there. For example, Maha Mrityunjaya mantra is there. Shiva is Mrityunjaya. That's why always you can find a small figure like a baby beneath the feet of Lord Shiva. What is that figure? This is called Shanta. Finitude, Samsara, Mrityu. Samsara means Mrityu. These are synonymous terms. He is standing on that figure called death. That means he is the master of life and death. On whomsoever he is pleased, he can bestow fearlessness in the form of conquering the death. He is called Mrityunjaya. That is why many people who are frightened of death with great faith they go on chanting which mantra? Maha Mrityunjaya mantra Do not deprive me of that amrutha immortality. But you conquer on my behalf. Remove the threat, the fear of death. We know the story of Markandeya. When the messengers of death came, simply this man went and then embraced Shiva Linga. And the Mrityu, a Madanmaraja in the Puranas did not understand this fact. He came to claim the soul of Markandeya and Shiva gave him such a kick that he had fallen at the extreme corner of the southern direction and since that time he had only power in the southern direction. He cannot come anywhere near. That is about the Stotram and these two special meanings of what is called Dakshinamurthy splitting into separate ways Dakshina plus Murthy Dakshinaha plus Amurthy formless. Then we also mentioned this is a Prakarana Grantha. What is a Prakarana Grantha? This is the definition. Wise people call certain work as a Prakarana Grantha auxiliary book which elucidates some points of the main scriptures in great detail. For example, every scripture tells us we must be endowed with discrimination and also have dispassion. Now what is discrimination? It is called Viveka. In general, everywhere definition is given. But there is one particular book which is a Prakarana Grantha. It is called Dhrig, Dhrishya, Viveka. Dhrig means this year. Dhrishya means that which is seen. Viveka, discrimination. Whether you call it subject, object, discrimination, knower, knowledge, discrimination, seer, seen, discrimination, etc. There are two separate things. Pure consciousness is the seer, is the subject, is the knower, is the witness, etc. And anything that he experiences is called the object. In the beginning, we must clearly distinguish these two so that we won't be identified with the body, with the mind, with the external family, property, etc. And then in the end, there should not be any differentiation because the differentiation between the seer and the seen is called ignorance. But in the process, we come to know just as in our dream and that is the example simile given in the very first verse of this Dakshinamurthy Sutram, like a dream. As if a person sees in the dream the whole world is outside. But when we are in the waking state, same way we see everything. The whole universe is outside. Everything is outside. But in the dream, we also see the same experience. But when we wake up, what do we say? The whole dream world was within me. So this entire universe is within me. It is a thought process within me and if I choose to get out of that thought process, that is called Mukti or liberation and that is the essence of this particular Dakshinamurthy Sutram. A Prakarana Grantha takes some general beautiful teaching of the scripture and elucidates it, explains it in great detail until there remains no doubt about it. This is what is being said, Shastra Ekadesha Sambaddham. One particular part of the scripture, teaching of the scripture, Shastra Karyantare, getting out of that scripture and then Ahu Prakaranam Nama Grantha, expounding it in great detail as far as possible. This is called Prakarana Grantha. Who says? Vipashchitaha. Wise people say it. So Dakshinamurthy is an aspect of the Lord Shiva as Brahma Vidya Guru. That is why usually in the Advaita tradition Sadashiva Samarambham we say and he is the Lord of Mrityu, Nacchanjaya and this serpent, that Lord Shiva traditionally is seen to be wearing. It has two meanings. One meaning is serpent, time, death comes, creeps very silently. But Lord Shiva is not frightened. Just I will give you a quick meaning of the symbolism. Lord Shiva is wearing a tiger skin and he is riding a bull and he will be, the ornaments will be poisonous snakes and he has got a trident and he has got a this half moon on his head. So what is the symbolism of it? First of all the bull represents the almost unconquerable egotism, Ahankara, Mahishasura. Remember Mahishasura came in Devi Mahatmya in the form of a buffalo. But Lord Shiva rides, that means he knows you are under my control. I know who I am. You cannot delude me. In our case Ahankara rides us. Very interesting in Zen Buddhism this is beautifully represented. A man went in search of a missing bull and then he comes carrying out that bull. The bull was supposed to be carrying him but he comes out carrying the bull representing that our own what is called impure uncontrolled mind acts like a bull controlling us. That is called ignorance. But Lord Shiva is the master and bull is extremely strong. If it is conquered then it gives tremendous joy. That's why it is called Nandi. Nandi means he who gives Ananda, Nandana, Nandasuta. Okay, what do the tiger skin represent? Tiger is the most ferocious animal. Ignorance is the representation of this. Tiger represents ignorance and it eats up, eats up all the called sorts of New Year resolutions. But here is one who killed the tiger of ignorance and wearing it meaning I am death. Then what does this snake represent? It has two meanings. We get it. Lord Vishnu sleeps on a bed of Ananta, this serpent with a thousand hoods. He wears it. What does it mean? That means I am the Yogeshwara, Yogeshwara. This serpents represent Kundalini which is dangerous when it is not conquered but that which is the only means which can take us and unite us with the divine Lord. A Vidya Maya can destroy us. This is the highest state which is called Muladhara through the path of Sushumna and unites us with Sadashiva who is ever residing in the form of Guru in the Sahasra Dala Padma which is represented in the top of our head or it is also called as Brahma but Brahman that is pure Brahman that is the symbolism of the master of yoga is a conqueror of death both. Then what does the moon represent? If all the devotees of Sri Ram Krishna should remember India is very superstitious and the real monarch always follows the movements of the moon and we in the Ram Krishna order can you guess by now what I am trying to tell you we follow what is called the movements of the Chandra Vishuddha Siddhanta Vishuddha not only tryo but other direct disciples etc. Everything differs from year to year and there is also an Adhika Masa an extra month that comes also. Now, what am trying to tell you do not get lost is That means what? I am Kalaadheetha. I am Mahakala. Kala means finitude. Kala means death. Birth is a date. Death is a date. So I am conqueror of death. I am Mrityunjaya. Another indication of the conquering of death or time. This is called Mahakala aspect of the Lord. So the whole figure is nothing but symbolism. He is the Paramatma. He is the conqueror of death. But then what is all this? This is nothing but his Chidvilasa. It is the divine sport. We are all players. What Swami Vivekananda used to say, we are all what Swami Vivekananda calls buffoons. Tumbling about in this circus created by the divine Lord. Swami Vivekananda explicitly tells it in America to one lady who heard it from his own mouth. Life is a school where we learn our lessons. Life is a gymnasium where we put into practice what we have learnt and suddenly he turned upon her and said who told you that? Nothing doing. We are all buffoons tumbling about being played upon by Ishwara. And that is the fact. We get in the Bhagavad Gita. The Lord is controlling everything. Then we come to the main point. There are some very beautiful commentaries. Even though this Dakshinamurthy Stotram only has got 10 original shlokas written by Shankaracharya. But there are commentators, especially there are two commentators Sureshwaracharya and another Acharya. This Sureshwaracharya has written a vartika. This Sureshwaracharya is one of the disciples of Shankaracharya. Supposed to be AD 800. A well-known disciple of Sri Shankara and the author of Prahdarnyaka Vartika, Taittiriya Bhashya Vartika. So what is a vartika? It is a commentary upon the bhashya, elaborate commentary. Bhashya is a commentary. There are varieties, tika, tipani, then bhashya, then vartika. So tika is small help. If there is a word, what is the right meaning of the word? Tipani, little more elaboration than tika. But let us for example, Sridhariya tika on Bhagavad Gita on the commentary of Shankaracharya. But what is a bhashya? Elaborate commentary explaining each word in that alphabetical order. A commentator cannot simply take one word at the beginning, another word at the end, another word in the middle. He must take it alphabetically, first word, second word. What is the relationship between the first and second word, second and third word, etc. This is one part of the elaborate commentary. So the commentary contains importantly two parts. One is to explain words. Why? Because first of all, they are all in Sanskrit. Secondly, as the passage of time goes, many words have changed their meaning. And thirdly, so many words have lost the present usage, especially Sanskrit words, because it is not a spoken language, mostly, excepting for a few pandits, it is not spoken usually. But to explain what a word really means, this is one part of the commentary. Second is every acharya. Remember, the most important acharyas are three. Those who explain, Dvaita and Visishta Dvaita and Advaita. These are three, each opposing philosophical schools in India and they are prevalent even now. Just for the sake of information, if somebody wants, before these acharyas, there were six schools of philosophy and two schools, two of them really are together. For example, this Sankhya and Yoga, Nyaya and Vaiseshika, Purva Mimamsa and Uttar Mimamsa. And they are slow evolutionary development of human thought, making things clearer and still more clearer. But at some point, these six schools of philosophy all merged into one great crocodile, which swallowed all these things and that ultimately came to be known as Vedanta, the real essential teachings of Vedanta. But this Vedanta again is split into three stages of evolutionary development. Remember, before Swami Vekananda, before Sri Ramakrishna, these three schools, each school considered themselves as only truth and they were terribly opposed to each other. But with the advent of Sri Ramakrishna, whose teachings have taken the form of Swami Vekananda and he is the voice. That is why Swami Vekananda is called his master's voice. I am the voice without a form and what is that form? Sri Ramakrishna's teachings are the formless form. Swami Vekananda came and clarified for us, these three schools are not opposed to each other. They are not teaching different things. They are teaching that highest truth suitable to three different types of spiritual aspirants. Those who are at the beginning stage of spiritual sadhana, Dvaita, I am different, everything is different, God is different, everything is different. But remember one important point, whether we are following duality, qualified non-duality or non-duality, all of them are earnest spiritual aspirants firmly believing that they are Jivatmas. They are not body-mind complexes merely, but I am a combination of both pure consciousness plus body and mind. This is called individuality Jivatma. Those who believe I am a Jivatma, the only problem is what is my relationship with Paramatma? What is the relationship between Jivatma and Paramatma? We are totally different. That is called duality, dualism. I am both one as well as different. This is why qualified non-dualism. Vishishta Advaita, I am not separate from God, yet I am not completely one with God. Vishishta Advaita, not Vishishta Dvaita, Vishishta Advaita. I am a part of God like a cell is part of the body. This is called Vishishta Advaita, qualified non-dualism. Finally, Kamsa Advaita, there is no difference between me and the person. It is only a wrong thought, an ignorant thought in my mind. Manayeva Manushyanaam Karanam Bandha Mokshayo. Mind alone, mind means firmly convinced thought alone can be both bondage as well as liberation. Swami Vivekananda preached this realization of Sri Ramakrishna. These three schools are not opposed. On the contrary, they are a graduated course of moving forward in our journey. When our understanding is less, we are in the state of Dvaita. When we progress a little, when we come nearer to God, we understand we are part of God. And when we come very near, just as a fire consumes everything that it comes near, so also I am not different from Brahman. This is the interpretation given by Swami Vivekananda. Of course, I know that most of the followers of dualism and qualified non-dualism will not accept this. They stubbornly still hold to that idea each one of us is superior to even Advaita. We will not go into that controversy now. So a Bhashyakara had to confront and here we are talking about Advaita Vedanta, non-dualistic philosophy, school of philosophy. So this Shankaracharya is remember not the founder but the propagator. Swami Vivekananda categorically stated all the ideas of these dualism, qualified non-dualism as well as pure non-dualism can be found in the Upanishads. Why contradictory ideas? They are not contradictory. They are taught according to the suitability of the student's power of reception or yogyata. What is a Bhashya? Bhashya is elaborate commentary. First of all, it clarifies the meaning for us of the original Upanishads, Brahma Sutra as well as Bhagavad Gita. Besides that, each propagator of the school of philosophy have to defend their own particular tenets, siddhanta of their school of philosophy and that is what is called a Bhashya. For most of us, we do not need to go into that what we call the refuting the opinions or teachings, tenets of the other schools of philosophy. But so far as elucidating the true meaning of the original words of the scripture, if we take that much part, all of these people, they are very helpful. This is one important point of any Bhashya, whether it is Shankaracharyas, Ramanujacharyas or Madhvacharyas. But there is a bright light is there, a silver light. What is it? These acharyas may differ in their philosophical views but as far as sadhana is concerned, they are absolutely one. What does it mean? We are ignorant, we are selfish, we are worldly and nobody will say, no school of philosophy will say you are the body and mind. We are something other than body and mind. So how to get rid of this ignorance and for that we have to do spiritual practice. That is where all of them in different words, they completely have to agree there is no difference. One point of difference you will not get in the spiritual practice. Simply ignorance has to be destroyed. What is ignorance? To know I am not Atman, I am something else. What is that something else? BM complex, BMC, that's all. There is another thing called Vartika and as I said this Dakshinamurthy Sutram has a Vartika. What is a Vartika? A Vartikakara, he usually elaborates the Bhashya and here is something we have to take off our hats and salute is Indian schools of philosophy because what is it? Ukta, Anukta, Durukta, Chinta, Vartikam. What is the Bhashyakara, commentator? So whatever he said that has to be elaborated if it seems to be obscure. Then Anuktam, something he left unsaid. Probably his mind is somewhere, he has left out some words or a point is not clear and that point has to be brought out especially by this Vartikakara and it has to be clarified in accordance with the commentator's view. Then Anuktam, Duruktam, there is something a Bhashyakara has not done it properly. He might have said something which goes against logic, which goes against our daily experience. Pratyaksha, Yukti, Virodha. Then this Vartikakara has to point out in a very respectful manner. Probably our Guruji did not have time or he was hungry, he finished it in a hurry. But this is what, this is not done properly, I differ from him respectfully and this I think is the right way of doing it. So Ukta, whatever is said. Anukta, whatever is left unsaid or unclear. Durukta, whatever the Vartikakara thinks is wrongly said or incompletely said, he will complete it. Ukta, Anukta, Durukta, Chinta Vartikam, he should elaborate. That means anybody who goes through this Vartika really, he will have a much better understanding. Even Shankaracharya's commentary. Shankaracharya by the way has not written any Vartika, he has only written Bhashyas. So a Bhashya upon Bhashya is called a Vartika. This Sureshwaracharya has understood this Guru's written, Shankaracharya's composition, Dakshinamurthy Stotram. He thought this gives the very essence of the entire scriptures and it requires an elaboration. In about I think 144 odd verses, on these 10 verses of original composition of Shankaracharya, he wrote this Vartika, elaborate commentary, it is called Manasa Ullasa. When we split this word Manasa and Ullasa. Ullasa means that uplifts the mind, exhilarates the mind and fills it with indescribable joy of right understanding. So it really if we understand, it is a truth. This is called Manasa Ullasa. He said there are 144 verses, I will only follow the spirit of the Vartika but put it in simple English language. And there was another great soul, he was called Swayamprakashayati Indra, 17th century. Remember Sureshwaracharya was a disciple of Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya was what we call early 8th century and this Sureshwaracharya was his disciple. And therefore he must be late or a little bit later than his early 8th century. But this Swayamprakashayati belongs to the 17th century AD. And in prose he has given another commentary called Tattva Shudha. There is another sub commentary is there, we will not go into that. But before we go into this Stotram, there are what is what we call Dhyana Shlokas. And Sureshwaracharya has given us in his Vartika Manasa Ullasa one particular what is called Meditational Shlokas. And this word Meditational Shloka is very significant one. Supposing we want to understand Bhagavad Gita, simply don't dive into it. You meditate upon Krishna, meditate upon Gita. What is Gita? It is Sarvopanishad, O! And then it awakens, O! Bhagavan Krishna himself had sung this beautiful song which awakens the sleeping soul to its real glory, real nature. So Meditational Shlokas help us first of all to focus our mind, to prepare the mind for what is about to come. You can say in a fun way that this is something like an appetizer. When you drink appetizer then you will get more hungry for what is about to come. There are five such Shlokas are there. As I mentioned just now this Sureshwaracharya has only written one most beautiful Meditational Shloka and the other four have been taken by somebody else. Remember these are not written by Shankaracharya. The other by Swayamprakashayati Tattvasudha, four such Meditational Shlokas are there. What are they? First Shloka written by Sureshwaracharya. Mounavyaakhya Prakatitha begins like that, this is the first Shloka. Second, Vata Vitapi Sameepe and then third, Chitram Vatataror Mule. Fourth, Nidhaye Sarvavidhyanam. Fifth, Om Namaha Pranavarthaya. These five Shlokas, verses are called Meditational Verses and by themselves they are of most marvelous meaning and also the profundity expressed in that. We will first take up the first Dhyana Shloka. This Shloka is attributed to Sureshwaracharya. Some people say it is also written by Swayamprakashayati but doesn't matter. What is the meaning of it? I propitiate that Dakshinamurthy who is the transcendental absolute, declared by an eloquence called silence, who is a youth, who is the best of the gurus, surrounded by great disciples, who are themselves firmly rooted in Brahman, who is the prince among preceptors, who shows by his hand the Chinmudra, who is bliss personified, who revels in his own self and who always radiates happiness. This is the Dhyana Shloka taken. Some say Sureshwaracharya, some people say it is Yathiraja. It doesn't matter. Tattvasudha. It doesn't matter. So what is telling? We will briefly deal with this. There was a youth, very young person. Like what? Like Shukadeva. You know that story of Shukadeva? According to Shri Ramakrishna, Shuka is the greatest ideal Rishi for all Sannyasins. And that's why Shri Ramakrishna used to call Swami Vivekananda, my Shukadeva, because his father, Vedavyasa, who is supposed to be the writer of so many Puranas, 36 Puranas, then Bhagavatam, then Mahabharatam, then so many other works. Even he was not considered as a greatest man. First of all, he was a knower of Brahman, but he was very conscious of his body, etc. But his son Shukadeva, supposed to be the greatest ideal Sannyasin, absolutely naked, Paramahamsa, born knower of Brahman. This Dakshinamurthy is considered as Yuvanam. What is Yuva? That just at this age, he has completely realized Brahman. Why is it called Yuva? Youth is where the greatest potentialities are manifest. And when are our potentialities manifest? When we are in the full potentiality, the body is fresh, energetic, absolutely alert, very intelligent, that is the nature of the youth. Youth is the best period. That is why a knower of Brahman is called Yuvanam. Then what is he? Parabrahma Tattvam, personified knowledge of that Parabrahma. If he has to take a form, he will take the form of Shukadeva or here in this case Dakshinamurthy. He is none other than Dakshinamurthy. And then what is happening? There are so many disciples surrounding him. Who are they? Brahmanishtayi, completely devoted to the realization of Brahman. They were not people, scholars. They were not sadhakas. They were not upasakas. They were only devoted to Parabrahma. And these are called Rishis. Aavrutham, surrounded completely. Who are they? Rishiganai Aavrutham. And who are they? Varshistanthai Vasath. They are old people, very old. Who are the Guru? Very young. Who are the disciples? Very very old. And they all surrounded him. And he was expounding the knowledge of Brahman. How was he expounding? Maunavyaakya Prakatitham. Prakatitham means just as a person opens his palm and shows a banana. This is called banana. And nobody will have any doubt about that fruit because he is showing them in front of their eyes right then and there. He is not telling you do this and you go there and you might see, might not see. In broad daylight, if you show an object to somebody, that somebody will not have any doubts about it. A doubtless expression and bestowing the grace, this is called Brahman. And it is very interesting because how is he telling? Was he talking? No. Was he even whispering? No. Then what was he doing? He was completely merged in Brahman. Maunavyaakya means this is completely expounding the true nature of Brahman. Showing them like in broad light, we show an object. This is such and such an object. All the rishis who are fit, that means who are endowed with sadhana, chatushtha, sampathis, they have done upasana, meditation. For a long time, they are all endowed with what is called brahmanishta. What is brahmanishta here? They have all been completely endowed with what we call brahmakaravrttis. So they were only waiting. Just one small transformation, one small hint and immediately they will merge in Brahman. So this is what this great Dakshinamurthy, Shiva himself, what is he doing? Maunavyaakya Prakatita Parabrahma Tattvam. He is demonstrating the reality of Parabrahma. How? Through pure silence. And why silence? And can silence really teach anybody? It's a most important word because I have heard some of the other commentaries. No teaching can be given in silence. But I will give you one small example from Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna once visited Trilinga Swami in Kashi. And then Sri Ramakrishna later on he was certifying if Lord Vishwanatha is the unmoving in the form of a rock, in the form of a stone, Shiva, Shila, Shivalinga. Whereas this Trilinga Swami is moving Shiva wherever he moves. He met and immediately he understood and then he fed him with his own hands. Who fed? Sri Ramakrishna fed this Trilinga Swami payasam with his own hands. And he gave that certificate. Here is the living, moving Chala Shiva. And he was telling, I don't know whether Sri Ramakrishna himself has witnessed it. Once one man came and asked him, Sir, how can I realize God? And this Trilinga Swami, he did not answer for a few minutes. And the devotee was waiting. Suddenly a Trilinga Swami burst into uncontrollable sobbing. Went on sobbing, went on sobbing. After a minute, he started laughing uproariously and probably even dancing. Of course, I added that word dancing. It was not Sri Ramakrishna's expression. The devotee who put that question to Trilinga Swami did not understand anything. But later on Sri Ramakrishna was explaining this. My child, you want to realize God. Then you must weep for this realization in front of God. Like as I wept uncontrollably, I am sobbing. Like a child who misses his mother and sees only darkness and fear everywhere. Uncontrollably he sobs, goes on sobbing, crying. If you can cry like that, God's grace will come. And then you will see immediately you will be swimming in the ocean of Brahmananda. And that was indicated by the expression of uncontrollable joyous laughter. So these great people, how they express these teachings. We also have got many examples of these things. And I will just give you one example. Swami Vaikunanda was in the West. There was one person who came and said, Swami, I am suffering so much. So Swami said, okay, come tomorrow afternoon and I will see you. And it was a lady, very famous lady of course, in fact a great singer. She came next day and Swamiji totally forgot about it. He was dressed to go out. And then when the devotees of Swamiji informed, Swamiji is about to go out. She said that he asked me to come. Then they understood and then asked her to sit in a room. After a few minutes, fully dressed, Swami Vaikunanda entered. There was not one exchange of words. Swamiji sat and she looked at him and burst into weeping and weeping for nearly 20 minutes. She went on weeping. After 20 minutes, Swami Vaikunanda said, Madam, come tomorrow also. So few days she came and after 3-4 days, he gave her some mantra. He said, you meditate in this way, simple instructions. And for life, that lady was totally changed. Now, what is the explanation? In the very presence of Swamiji, all her impurities she was seeing, like in the presence of Yamadharma Raja, what are all the things she had done. And she could not control herself. In the form of sobbing, that's what we say, when some person is dead, let a person go on weeping, that will relieve that person. So this lady is completely purged. That process, I think, has taken 2-3 days. After that, when her mind is totally free from all these negative thoughts, regretful thoughts, what is called guilty conscience, Swamiji instructed her, now you are ready and you meditate like this. And her life was changed forever. If at all we have to understand, this is one example of Mauna Vyakhya Prakatana. But I might also tell you about Ramana Maharshi, how many times he used to give this beautiful teaching. We will discuss it day after tomorrow. Om Jananim Sharadaam Deivim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Shritva Pranamaami Muhurmuhu Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda. Bless us all with Bhakti.