Dakshinamurti Stotram Part 05 on 14 January 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYO SHRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHUR MUHUR OM YO BRAHMANAM VIDADHATI PURVAM YO VAI VEDAM SHCHA PRAHINOTI TASMAI TAMHA DEVAM ATMA BUDDHI PRAKASHAM MUMUK SHARUVAI SHARANAM AHAM PRAPADHYE We have been studying the Dakshinamurthy Stotram. In this we have been studying before we enter into the main text which consists of 10 shlokas, 10 verses. There are certain dhyana shlokas are there, meditational shlokas. Some people take only the very first one, MAUNA VYAAKHYA PRAKATITA PARA BRAHMA TATVAM but there are some others who also take another six. I have decided, chosen to take all the seven because even dwelling upon these dhyana shlokas is a most wonderful education entering into this text itself. Not only this particular text but any other text which can take us to God. A scripture by definition is one which can take us to God, simply putting. This particular Dakshinamurthy Stotram some people have written dhyana shlokas. The first one MAUNA VYAAKHYA as we discussed earlier, written, composed by no less than Shankaracharya's own disciple who has written a most beautiful commentary upon it called VARTIKA. And let us remember the catholicity of Hindu teachers. A disciple has every right to expediate, to elaborate, even to criticize if he thinks the guru hasn't done enough to explain the truth. Whatever has been said, UKTAHA. Whatever has not been said, what has been badly said, UKTAHA, ANUKTAHA, DURUKTAHA. A disciple has been given. So if Shankaracharya hears this criticism of his own composition, will he get angry upon his disciple? Swami Vivekananda used to say, I will be most glad if my disciple can excel me in everything. Of course nobody can excel Shankaracharya or Swami Vivekananda or Shri Ramakrishna. In the very first one, the Dakshinamurthy is teaching people. There are two important points which we need to highlight. One is MAUNA. MAUNA VYAAKHYA. VYAAKHYA means elaborate commentary. How he is conveying through MAUNA. What is he telling? Instead of talking volumes of books, neti neti and trying to explain as the post Shankarites has done by defining Maya as indescribable, went on elaborating what is called indescribability and it made people terribly confused. But there is a way to convey things. This is a wonderful point we have to dwell upon again and again. MAUNA is not physically observing silence. One meaning we have already seen the deep contemplation, MANANAT. A person becomes MAUNI or MUNI. Second meaning that we have seen when a person is contemplating, there takes place a tremendous transformation in the whole personality including the physical personality. That is called MAUNA VYAAKHYA. And most of the learning by most of us is taking place only through MAUNA. I'll give a small illustration though I have given it many times. There was a householder. He had a 7 or 8 years old son and this householder was a what we call orthodox Brahmin. He has been teaching to his son SATYAM VADA DHARMAM CHARA etc. So the boy is being brainwashed every day. I have to speak the truth. I have to speak the truth. So one day this father saw from a distance through the window that a poor teacher was approaching, coming towards his home and this teacher was known to borrow money. So the father understood this man is coming to take money, borrow money from him. Immediately he called his 7, 8 year old son and said, you go and when this man knocks and asks, is your father in? You reply him, my father is not at home. So after few minutes that poor teacher came, knocked at the door. The boy opened and the teacher asked him, is your father in? The boy replied, my father told me to tell you that he is not at home. Now the teacher understood of course went away. What is the point of this story? Now there is a terrible conflict in the child's mind. My father tells me, brainwashes me, I have to speak truth but his behavior is MAUNA VYAAKHYA. He behaves otherwise. So it is okay for me to behave otherwise. This is called MAUNA VYAAKHYA. Parents go on telling, you have to be very loving to your brothers and sisters and they go on quarreling with their own brothers and sisters and through the MAUNA VYAAKHYA the children also learn, it's okay, we have to only to talk about how to be harmonious and loving but you go on flouting it and doing whatever you want to do. From the very beginning we learn not what the parents speak out through the mouth but how they behave. The greatest example is Shri Ramakrishna's own father and mother. Shri Ramakrishna was so learned, in fact we do not come across Shudhiram telling some stories from Puranas, Bhagavatam etc. but we do not know, he might have told a little bit but his very behavior, how devotional he was, how truthful he was, he will never deviate from truth. These are the things that had impressed upon Shri Ramakrishna the greatest. Now there is something very wonderful here also, Shri Ramakrishna as a child was not like us. He was a what we call child wonder, child prodigy. He had a very keen sense of observation. He could observe everybody, make fun of them but the same power of observation also went into studying both his father and mother very objectively like a great psychologist. First step, if we wish to progress in spiritual life, you objectify. We also objectify everything else excepting our own selves. We have to learn how to objectify not subjectively but objectively. What do I mean by that? Just let me explain very simply. These are very great hints how we have to develop spiritually. We are looking at the world and we are experts in finding fault with others but we are finding faults in the worldliness of people, not in the spirituality of the people. What is the nature of the world? What do I mean by objectification of the world in its real nature, not how we want to be or how we are influenced by the world? What is the nature of the world? According to us, it's absolutely true. The person who earns more money, he is more powerful, he leads a very comfortable life. The goal of life is to get as much money as possible. Now if you ask anybody, why are you opting for computer science or that which gives the greatest amount of money? Medicine, computer science, engineering, these are the most sought after subjects in today's world. Supposing it so happens these three subjects, they will give the poorest income. Would the child go for those subjects in the college? Suppose somebody says by playing cards you can get more money, it is a wonderful science. Then everybody will beeline only for those which will give money. Now the person has the power of objectification. What is it? He discriminates. These subjects will give me great money, the other subjects will not give me very poor money. Therefore, I must object to those subjects which will give me the greatest amount of income, makes me money, etc. This is called false subjective way of objectifying the world. Now let us look at Sriram Krishna. He saw two brothers are quarrelling over perhaps an inch of land and they get ruined because the only people who benefit from anybody's quarrel when they go to court are the lawyers. So therefore, this person doesn't understand why are we wasting so much of money. With that money perhaps we can buy more amount of land if only we do not go to the court. But no, ahankara comes. Let me be ruined. But I will see my brother is ruined. This is called ahankara. If they have that keen power of real discrimination, people are born, people die. How long are we going to live? Why are we to run after these ephemeral things? That is the real discrimination and that's what Sriram Krishna had developed. That keen power of observing everything is the first step. But observing both the falsity and truthfulness of the world is the second point. But if this discrimination is not followed by dispassion, it is mere intellectual curiosity but nothing is going to happen really in their lives. This was what Sriram Krishna had discovered especially after his father passed away. He became extremely serious and when his eldest brother brought him to Calcutta because the divine mother made them extremely poor after some time, then Sriram Krishna's eldest brother also whom he considered as a substitute father next to his father, he also happened to pass away and Sriram Krishna became what we call a baptized person, completely converted person. Now he became very thoughtful and he became spiritually oriented person. That is what is meant by really objectifying the world. Now very curious thing we get. We are living in this world. We are born of course in this world and we grow up, we interact and then we die in this world. We are supposed to get knowledge about the world. We don't know anything about God. So scripture tells us. But we are supposed to know about this world. The scripture only tells us Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya. Why does it tell us? After all are we not 24 hours observing the world? We are observing without learning the lesson, without understanding the true nature of the world. That's why in Advaita Vedanta, we are giving that most wonderful example, mistaking a rope for a snake. After seeing the snake instead of bringing light, we are trying to find out even when we bring the light, what is the best way to kill or to escape from the snake but not to get what is the real nature of this snake. Anyway that is Mauna Vyakhya means that deep power of observing is one meaning of the Mauna Vyakhya. Second point I have already pointed out. Most of us learn our lessons silently. You just look around you. Newspapers could be the greatest scriptures in the world. One of the point I am telling you, you just look what is the most powerful nature in this world. Today most people consider USA. And who is the most powerful person? The President of the United States. Such a person has been banned from most of the social media. What is the lesson? The lesson is the President of America is not the most powerful one. He could be tossed about like a broken doll by ordinary people who are running the social media. Now my only point is that nobody is powerful and everything can change in a single second. Though we all know, I have repeated it an empty number of times. I'm still giving. One year back nobody understood that there comes a disease which can wreck literally the lives of billions of people. We are all under the power. We can't sit very near as we used to sit one year before. Tremendous change has come. And is there any guarantee? We are fools thinking there are great scientists. They are making vaccines. Once we get the vaccine, we can go back to our old foolish life. But never thinking any second a new type of disease, more virulent, more powerful can come. And this is called Mahamaya. Shri Ram Krishna used to describe this Mahamaya. Once Hriday, his nephew bought a small calf. Shri Ram Krishna saw this calf tied and being fed by Hriday. Hriday, whose calf is that? Uncle, I bought it. And what do you want to eat? Oh, after a few days I will take it to our place, Shihar. And then we are going, it will grow. And then I will use it for cultivating the land. Shri Ram Krishna's real power of observation came to him and said, My goodness, this calf, small calf, which can hardly walk, it will grow. And then it will be made to walk all the way to Shihar from Calcutta. And then it will be yoked whole life. It will be beaten up. This is called Mahamaya. His imagination made him fall unconscious. Oh mother, how powerful you are. Now a small part of this explanation is, why did he, is this not a general thing that is going on all over the world? Why did he fall unconscious? Because nobody is learning the lesson. Next day I may not be there. And next day this calf may die. But we are sure, I will be living forever. This calf also will grow up. I will go cultivate, make money, make profit and live a very happy life. My God! Anyway, this is one of the points, the important point is, we learn mostly not by what people talk, but how people behave in their day-to-day life. And that is called Satsanga. Not simply you go and sit somewhere where people do bhajans or where people go on giving endless learned talks. That is also necessary. What is important is, open your eyes, observe properly. At least it is very economical because if we only know how to observe ourselves, we save lot of money that otherwise goes to, in USA they call shrinks or psychiatrists. We are all patients, inmates, etc. In our last class, we have dealt with the second Dhyana Shloka. Vata Pitapi Sameepe Bhoomi Bhaage Nishannam Sakala Muni Jananam Gnanam Gnana Dataram Arat Tribhuvana Gurum Esham Dakshinamurtya Devam Janana Marana Dukha Cheda Daksham Namami Sitting on the ground near the Banyan tree, Vata, were all the sages who were sitting near to the bestower of knowledge, Gnana Dataram, who were sitting near to the Guru of the three worlds, the Lord Himself, Dakshinamurthy, personified of Sadashiva as Dakshinamurthy, who were sitting near to the one expert in severing the sorrows resulting from the cycles of births and deaths. To such a Dakshinamurthy, I bow to Him. To that Dakshinamurthy. Vata means Banyan tree. We discussed in our last class, Banyan tree in Hindu philosophy, Darshana, is taken as analogical to Samsara. Why? Shankaracharya goes into ecstasy commenting upon it both in the Katha Upanishad as well as in a Sankshipta, in an abridged manner, the 15th chapter, the very first shloka, Udhvamola Mathashyakam. And they say, what is it? This tree called Samsara is the supporting place for millions and millions of birds and every type of bird occupies its own level and the whole night they are going on quarreling with each other like we are going on quarreling with each other and there will be some sweet fruits, some bitter fruits. We cite in the Mundaka Upanishad, So this is subjected to all the Jivatmas, this Samsara Vriksha. And this Samsara Vriksha, what is its specialty? It is Chhedana Yogyam. It can be completely destroyed, uprooted. Just as a tree can be cut down. So this Samsara Vriksha also can be cut down. But it is such a strong tree with such deep roots. Who can cut it? Only an elephant can cut it. When I visited Assam, I saw this peculiar strength of the elephant. There were some trees out of which the tea boards are made, you know the boxes made for transporting tea and that boxes are made out of a tree and the roots are very deep and they cut of course with the electric saw until the ground level. But unless they remove that root, it is not possible to plant another one because immediately they will plant some more trees which are grown elsewhere and then transported and planted there. Trees which have grown for several years. Transportation of the very highly grown tree. Now that is where the elephants come. These elephant owners bring them and the root is chained and it is tied to the back of the elephant and then I have seen three, four times with all their strength they pull the entire root, it comes out. So Dakshinamurthy can be compared. That's why in our last previous classes I have told Dakshinaha means Samarthaha. Samarthaha means he only creates, he only sustains, he also can destroy. What? Samsara. What? Not only Samsara but the way out of Samsara. What is Samsara? Maya. What is out of Samsara? Jnana. The Ajnana can be destroyed by the same person who created this Ajnana. Sri Ramakrishna. That is why he says he who can make a law can also break the law. He had a wonderful debate with Mathur Babu. Of course I am reminding you the incident that happened at Dakshineshwar. Mathur Babu and Sri Ramakrishna had an argument. Mathur Babu was English educated person. Says even the people who make the law cannot break the law. It is absolutely true from a worldly point of view. For example a parliament makes a particular law but none of the members of the parliament can break that law. Of course India is a very wise country. Here all the parliament members regularly break the rules and regulations according to their sweet will. That is another proof of the scriptures. Anyway Mathur Babu did not accept Sri Ramakrishna's wise and real advice. He who can make, God who makes the laws, God also can break the law. Next morning Sri Ramakrishna saw a pure red flower, red color flower, a hibiscus bearing plant bearing on the same tree. One is spotlessly white. Sri Ramakrishna cut the whole branch. Lest Mathur Babu's English educated brainwashed intellect can suspect you have brought two separate branches from two separate trees, plants and then he threw it in Mathur Babu's room and Mathur Babu's Ashtanga Pranam. I hope he made it and said Baba I accept. So he who can make, he can also. Now who is Dakshinamurthy here? He is the Daksha. He creates, he maintains and he also destroys and remember Dakshinamurthy is the manifestation of Sadashiva and what is Shiva's role? It is what we call Srishti Stithi, Laya or Samhara. That's why I mentioned last time Trishula, Trident. Trident is a symbolical of destroying Sattva, Rajas and Tamas or the gross body, the subtle body or the causal body in one stroke and I also mentioned Ramakrishna had a vision at Varanasi at Manikarnika Ghat, Ramakrishna saw Shiva whispering. Now this is the argument here. It is how can a man get Mukti just by dying at Kashi? It is not a matter of logic. It is a matter of faith. He who can make the law. You cannot get liberation unless you get knowledge. You can also break it and say that you do not need to do any Sadhana, Chathustaya, Sampathi, just you come, die in Varanasi and I will give you liberation. Now are you going to court to take him to court? Now you cannot do that. Vata Peetapi Sameepe near that Banyan tree. Bhoomi Bhaage Nishannam. Dakshinamurthy Guru. Each one of our Guru we should salute him as the form of none other than Dakshinamurthy. So Sakala Muni Jananam. All the Munis. Who are the Munis? They who do Manana Shelanaha. Whatever the Guru taught earlier, they have deeply contemplated. Their hearts have become pure. They were endowed with Sadhana, Chathustaya, Sampathi when they are ready. Why? Because it is not that they are ready, the Guru is not ready. In fact, it is the other way round. The Guru is ready, the disciples is waiting for the disciples. And when they are ready, Gnana Daataram. Immediately by Mauna Vyakhya, by silence, by touch, Sparsha Deeksha or Nayana Deeksha, by just looking at. How do you know? Because every day we sing. What do we sing? Gnana Anjana Vimala Nayana Veekshane Mohajai. We are singing. I hope we have faith in that. Gnana Daataram. Aarat means what? There is not one millisecond delay. The moment he says, let my disciple be enlightened, that very moment the disciple stands enlightened. We have innumerable examples. How Sairam Krishna touched Narendra many times. But once he did not even touch. He was upstairs in his room and then Shivaratri night, Swami Vivekananda was begging and pestering and then from upstairs Sairam Krishna just thought, let my Naren attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Instantaneously Narendra had attained. The question may come that why did he not give earlier? Of course, we all know he wanted to give on his second visit or third visit. But what was the reaction of Narendra? My parents are at home. That means he was not ready. And why was he not ready? That great Rishi who was sitting in Saptarshi Mandala. Why was he not ready? The simple reason is not that he was not ready. He was ready. In fact, he did not need. Sairam Krishna used to say Narendra was perfect in meditation from the Dhyana Siddha. But he was not ready to become a Jagadguru, to preach the message of Sairam Krishna. He was not ready because he had to go through certain poverty, great suffering and then wander India and study the conditions of people, go to the West, study the condition of the Western people and he must formulate a teaching which is suitable for both of them. Remember, this is a very deep study. Indian people, they are experts in Vedanta. They don't need the teaching of Vedanta. But they need muscles of iron, nerves of steel, technological advancement so that their bodies will be strong, minds will be strong. Let them have some bhoga, enjoyment, then only they will be ready for yoga. Now, neither bhoga nor yoga. As I made fun in many of my talks, man at any given time will be in one of these three states, either yoga. Are you in yoga? Absolutely, we know the answer now. But are you in the state of bhoga? Most of the time, no. What is this? Swami Vivekananda used to make fun, a torn mat and half boiled rice and then adding a little bit of pickle and swallowing it. Is this what you call bhoga? Come to America, one yogurt, 500 varieties of yogurt you will get with all the flavors of the fruit. Nowadays, we know it. We are all getting pineapple flavor, strawberry flavor, mango flavor, so many fruits, banana flavor, etc. That is called really bhoga. To say the western country is bhoga bhumi. If we are not in yoga state, not in bhoga state, which state are we in? Only one state, the state of roga. That is what Swami Vivekananda understood that you first enjoy, then yoga will come. Your next development should be bhoga. But to the western people who are tired of this bhoga, most people, for them he preached this highest vedanta philosophy. You have forgotten, you are not suffering from physical depravities, but you are suffering from mental problems, manasika roga. So the only remedy for any type of roga is pure vedanta. Thou art that, you are children of immortality. So he gave out the same vedanta teaching suitable whether you are a small baby, you are a child, you are an adolescent, you are a young man, you are a middle-aged man or you are an old man, but helping all of them. To make himself to understand what teaching should be given to what type of people, he had to go certain very painful experiences. That's what I meant. He was not ready to be touched by Sri Ramakrishna and enter into nirvikalpa samadhi. But when he was ready, Sri Ramakrishna was ever ready and by one thought he put him into nirvikalpa samadhi. Jnanadatharam arath. Arath means there is no delay, even one millisecond delay. The moment Guru enters. Guru means always remember, not a human being, but in the form of knowledge. Guru, knowledge, Shastra, God, Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahma. We have to understand. Immediately he transported, transformed the other person. Such a person is none other than Tribhuvana Guru. He is the Krishnamurthy, Sadashiva is Tribhuvana Guru. Not only at this time, in the past he was, in the present he is, in future also he will be Tribhuvana Guru. Isham, Isham means he is the one who is guiding everybody to the same state that he is. Dakshinamurthy Devam, such a divine being as the Dakshinamurthy. What type of Dakshinaha? Janana, Marana, Dukha, Cheda, Daksham, Namami. I salute that Dakshinamurthy who is Daksham, absolutely capable of what? Janana, Marana, Dukha, Cheda, Daksham, Namami. In this regard, I am going to tell you something very very important. Dakshinamurthy, he is talking about. Every day the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna say about Sri Ramakrishna, what do they say? Khandana, Bhava, Bandhana, Jaga, Vandhana. The whole world salutes Sri Ramakrishna. Not the Sri Ramakrishna, the person at Dakshineswar, Sri Ramakrishna as Parabrahma, as Dakshinamurthy. The whole world salutes. Why? Because in the form of the earth, he gives us food. In the form of the water, he quenches our thirst. Wonderful. Why does the world salute Sri Ramakrishna? Remember, when we say Sri Ramakrishna, we are talking about Krishna, talking about Rama, talking about Sri Ramakrishna. We are talking about what we call God. Swami Vivekananda explained this. When Sri Krishna says, take refuge in me, in the last one, Sarva Dharmaan Parityaja, Maam Ekam Sharanam Vraja. He says that Maam, not Krishna, but the all-pervading Brahman. And of course, Arjuna, we know, could not hold such a vision. Some of the followers of Krishna say, if you don't take Krishna's name, you will go to hell. What if I take Rama's name? You will go to a special hell. What about I take Brahma's name? And all Advaitins will go to a very special hell, where they will be mugging, suffering for a longer time than the greatest sinners in the world. This is what even now preaching is going on. Swamiji was wise enough to point out. When Krishna says, I, he was not referring to the body-mind complex. He was referring to that Tribhuvana Misham, Gurum, Asangaha. Then every day, we are also singing this particular song. He is the Godhead, not any personality. We are also not saluting Sri Ramakrishna, but represented by the name and form of Sri Ramakrishna. But he is the really Parabrahman. That is the best understanding we can have. Sri Ramakrishna or Rama or Krishna are our Guru. We should never treat them, take them as like ourselves, as an individual with body and mind complex. Such a Dakshinamurthy Devam, Janana, Marana, Dukha, Cheda, Daksham. He is capable. He is alone capable. Why is he alone capable? Because what is the disease we are suffering from? Ajnana. What is the remedy for Ajnana? Jnana. So he is Daksham, means he is an embodiment of pure knowledge. But lest we may think Dakshinamurthy is helpful only for ordinary people, not really for those who are worldly people. He is an embodiment of knowledge. Not only knowledge spiritual, but also worldly knowledge, what you call Aparavidya also that is there. I salute such a Dakshinamurthy who is capable of giving whatever knowledge a person requires, but the highest knowledge is that which makes us immortal. Sat, Chit and Ananda. Chitram vata taror moole, vriddhaha sishyaha gurur ivaha, gurostu maunam vyakhyanam, sishyastu chinna samshayaha. It is indeed a strange picture to behold, at the root of a banyan tree are seated old disciples, aged disciples in front of a young guru. The guru is silent and silence is his exposition, the highest knowledge and that silence is everything and it severs the doubts from the minds of all his disciples. We see this very clearly in the life of Ramana Maharshi. Most of the time, he never used to talk. Only when somebody is honestly asks something, he opens his mouth. In the shortest possible words, he used to remove the doubts of the people. It is the experience of so many people, as soon as they went into his very presence, they used to go with lots and lots of real doubts, imaginary doubts, fully understood doubts and half understood doubts but the moment they went into his presence, their minds become absolutely what we call real peace, shanti and they have forgotten all the doubts. Like when we go into deep sleep, all our joys and sorrows are completely forgotten but when they go out of his presence, again all the devils were sitting on the branches outside the ashrama and they jump onto their shoulders. We have seen chitra means wonderful. What is wonderful? So this is what is being expressed. What is wonderful? In the Katha Upanishad, we get and also in the Bhagavad Gita, we get. In the Katha Upanishad, we get chapter 1, section 2, mantra 7, that is everything is wonderful. Same thing is borrowed by the Bhagavad Gita and 2nd chapter 29th verse. What does it mean? It means Brahman is beyond mind, beyond words. In this world, there may be a few things which we have not seen but with mouth again we go on seeing but when a person enters it, how to say? It is wonderful. Shri Ramakrishna's words echo these Upanishadic words. Somebody from a remote village somehow happened to go to the seashore and he saw the ocean and then he never saw such a sight in his own life. Perhaps he was seeing a small tank or a small, still smaller, a small river, whatever it may be and he returns and the others ask, what did you see? I saw this great sea. Okay, describe it. Observe Shri Ramakrishna's answer. He doesn't say anything because what to say? How to say? Such a thing cannot be described because these fellows have not seen even something very big. Had they seen a huge lake, perhaps they would have had some idea. So, there is no way and I mentioned earlier something very interesting. A small fish from a small pond went and fell into the ocean. Oh, what a wonderful thing this ocean is and he met this fish from the small pond, a fish from the sea and they became friends and as soon as the sea fish heard these words, what a wonderful place this ocean is and it said, this is a wonderful place but what is the meaning of ocean? Because he has never seen anything else excepting the ocean. The small fish, it has seen both a small pond and can compare with the bigness of the ocean. So, it has an idea what is bigness. But this fish from the sea has never seen. So, it could never understand. Like my saying, you go to the sun and say good morning. He says, good I understand. What is morning? Because there is no morning, afternoon, evening to the sun. It is impossible. Here is something Dakshinamurthy has described. Nithaya Sarvavidhyanam. That is what is going to come. Right now, we are going to speak about it. Nithaya Sarvavidhyanam. Vishajaya Bhavarvaginam. Guruve Sarvalokanam. Dakshinamurthy Namaha. Now, earlier we have seen, it is a wonder. What is a wonder? The Guru doesn't open the mouth. The Guru is young and the disciples are very old. Old means, we have understood earlier, old means a mature person. A person endowed with discrimination, dispassion, mind control and deep desire to realize Atman. Such a person endowed with Sadhana Chaturthi Sampatthi acquired over a number of lives is represented by this oldness. Not really. Old means mature person. A person of discrimination. But who is the Guru? Guru is young. Because as soon as he realized it, immediately, I am Nityaha. I am Anadhi. I am Anantaha. I am not born. I am not dead. So, one who is beyond, he is called Purana. Purana means Nityanothana, ever new. There would be no change in that person. From an ordinary imagery, youth means a person who is full of understanding, full of energy, full of capacity to enjoy the life, he is called a youth. And here is a one who is enjoying nothing but pure Satchitananda. That's why he is considered as a young man, happy man. Mudita Vadhanam. Dakshinamurthy. Earlier we have seen. Now, who is this Dakshinamurthy? In the 4th Dhyana Shloka, we are coming, a beautiful description. Nithaye Sarvavidhyanam. Vishajye Bhavarvaghinam. Guruve Sarvalokanam. Dakshinamurthy Namaha. Salutations to Sri Dakshinamurthy, who is a receptacle of all knowledge, who is a medicine to all the diseases of worldly bondage, who is a Guru to all the worlds. Salutations to such a Dakshinamurthy. I referred earlier, Khandana Bhava Bandhana. The whole world salutes you. How? There are many what you call non-believers in God. How do they salute? Every child. When a child is hungry, he is fed by the mother. When the child is frightened, mother consoles him. When the child wants to play, mother is the playful companion. When the child is tired, mother arranges for the rest. When the child is sick, mother tends to the health of that child. And the child, he may not say thank you. Of course, in the West, everybody is taught from the very childhood, thank you, thank you, thank you. Indians never say thank you. But the Westerners, most of the time, as soon as the parents become old, they put them in an old age home. And once in a while, they phone, happy birthday, mommy, mommy, daddy. Whereas in India, if it is possible, they will keep the parents with them, serve them till they pass away. This tradition, fortunately, is still going on. This is the best way of saying thanks. Not simply verbalizing and saying, I thank you for giving birth. I thank you for bringing me up. I thank you for feeding me. And occasionally, I will say good morning and happy birthday, etc. The real thanking is to be grateful whole life and to do one's best to look after such a person. This is called true gratefulness. Anyway, what we are coming here, everybody salutes God. Even evil people also, it is interesting. Indian Puranas are most interesting. When these Rakshasas want to become cruel and it requires strength, extraordinary strength, intelligence, what do they do? They approach God only and do Tapasya and get boons and God also gives them boons. And then with that God-given boon, they declare war against that same God who has given them that boon. Of course, many times I referred to this, there was one Asura, he prayed to Lord Shiva and Shiva very much pleased. He is called easily pleased and he came. What do you want? On whosoever's head I put my hand, let him be reduced to ashes. Shiva said, yes, I give you that boon without thinking. That's why he is called Bholanath. Bhola means foolish fellow. That is what really means. Easily pleased and then the Rakshasas said, let me test. You sit down. I will put my hand on your head and then we will see whether you will be reduced. And Shiva knows it is to be true and then he was running away. Of course, Bhasmasura was running away and then Sankatakale Venkataramana. He said, Bhai Baddi, Narayana, come and save me. Immediately Narayana came, took up the form of Mohini and stood in front, told Shiva, you run away. I will deal, I know how to deal with this fellow. As soon as this fellow saw this young beautiful woman, forgot the whole lot and then this Vishnu went on dancing beautifully and that is, he is an expert in that. How do we know? His incarnation Krishna, the greatest disco dancer in the world, that is how he enlightened all these young ladies, gopis at that, on the banks of the river at night. Only the modern stupid fellows, smoke filled room and it is dark and after drinking, they go on bumping into each other and they think that is a disco dance. Krishna gives one or two lessons in how to really enjoy a disco dance. It must be full moonlit night, must be on the banks of a beautiful river. It must be having a very enjoyable climate and then only all the ladies should be extraordinarily beautiful ladies. I am making fun, please excuse me. And there should not be any other male accepting you and everybody else will be only a young female. That is called true disco dance. Many people can learn wonderful lessons from there. Anyway, coming back, here is a person, he is the Bhishaje Bhava Roginam and he knows the Vaidya. He is the creator of Ajnana. Therefore, he also has developed a vaccine for this COVID. Whoever has propagated this COVID, they are one step ahead in producing the vaccine. So, the creators of any roga can know how to counteract also. Anyway, I am just telling, don't take it too seriously. Every day, we are all saluting because through the Panchabhutas, he is giving us food, giving us water, giving us pranavayu oxygen, giving us enough warmth to keep ourselves alive and he is allowing us to communicate with each other and he is giving us more than enough space to freely move. That's why we go on holidays and all these things. So, all these five elements are nothing but God in the form of these five elements helping us, helping us to be happy and healthy in every way. That's why the whole world indirectly saluting the divine Lord. This is what we are talking about here. Chitram, what are the role model, Ruddha Sushya, Gurusthu Mounam Vyakhyanam, Sushyasthu Chinnasamsaya. When they became free from the doubts, what are they seeing? Oh, we got knowledge and where from this knowledge came? Only from one person. Who is that? Nithaye Sarva Vidyanam. That is most wonderful thing. Nithaye Sarva Vidyanam. His Dakshinamurthy is, another name is Saraswati. He is Brahma. Remember in the Mundako Upanishad, what did we take about? Brahma Devanam Prathamaha Sambhuta. The knowledge came only from Brahma. From the tradition of Sanyasins, Sadashiva Samarambham, Shankaracharya Mathyamam, Asmadaacharya Vande Guru Paramparaam. This Guru Parampara means knowledge Parampara. The tradition of that highest knowledge started from Sadashiva. That Sadashiva in the form of the Dakshinamurthy, in the form of the Chinmudra, he is telling all those things. What he is telling through Chinmudra? Of course, I hope you will remember. What is he telling from the Chinmudra point of view? You are not a bound soul represented by the index finger. You are identifying with your gross, subtle and causal body. You need to identify with me, the Angushta, the Thambu. The Thambu stands for Paramatma. Through Mahavakya of the Guru, if you can understand that there is no difference between Jivatma and Paramatma, then they all remain perfectly well. And then the whole world cannot do anything to you. This is how through Chinmudra he is indicating that highest knowledge. He is the repository of all knowledge. Lest we may think that he is a repository of only spiritual knowledge. No. Do you want physical knowledge? Physics knowledge? He will give you. Do you want musical knowledge? He will give you. Do you want the knowledge of how to cook delicious dishes? He will give you. Any knowledge comes only from Mother Saraswati. Another name for Mother Saraswati is Brahma. Another name for Brahma is Sadashiva. Another name for Brahma is Dakshinamurthy. He is the greatest doctor, Bhavaroga. And sometimes we also sing the same thing. We are also singing, Vande Bhavesham Bhavaroga Vaidhyam, Swami Abhedanandaji composed that most beautiful stotram. What is that stotram? Omkara Vedya Kurushaha Puranaha. There in the seventh shloka, I think, this is what we are doing all the time. We are doing this one. So we have to understand this samsara is nothing but a roga. Why roga? Because anything that doesn't give us full happiness is a disease. Not only that, every happiness that we go through brings more unhappiness and then we try to refill it. But the permanent happiness is only by knowing who we really are. What is that knowledge? I do not want to have happiness. I want to become happiness. I do not want to eat sugar because it gives happiness, but it is broken. But if I become sugar, then I become the very embodiment of nothing but pure sukham. That is what it means bhava. Bhava means samsara. Samsara means transmigration. Transmigration means being born, growing up, becoming old, having diseases, suffering from the threefold miseries, dying, again being reborn. This continuous cycle of rebirth called samsara roga. And who is the greatest guru? Dakshinamurthy is the greatest guru. So bhava means birth. Wherever there is birth, there will be sixfold changes. There will be death. According to the shloka, every jiva is a bhava rogi and Ishwara is the only doctor because the samsara comes because of ignorance. And the only light which can destroy this andhakaara is called only guru. And to such a guru, I render my salutations. That is what is gurave sarvalokanam nithaye sarva vidyanam vishajye bhava roginam gurave sarvalokanam. He is the only teacher. Any guru is only a manifestation of that Adiguru who is none other than Paramatma Himself. To such a Dakshinamurthy, namah idam Sri Dakshinamurthaye namaha. Then we move on to the fifth dhyana shloka. Om namah pranavarthaya shuddha gnanai kamurthaye nirmalaya prashantaya Dakshinamurthaye namaha. Salutations to Sri Dakshinamurthy, salutations to the embodiment of pranava, omkara. Salutations to the personification of the pure non-dual knowledge. Salutations to the pure and stainless and salutations to the tranquil. Salutations to the embodiment of all these wonderful qualities who is none other than Dakshinamurthy. Namaha. First of all, namaha pranavarthaya. Pranava means omkara. What is the meaning of omkara? Om is composed of three syllables, a, u and ma. A stands for the what is called waking state and u stands for the subtle body, subtle state and n stands for the third stage which is called Sushupti. One who consists of all these three but one who is the support of all these three yet continuous witness of these three states not at all attached to the three states to such a Dakshinamurthy who is none other than this pranava swaroopa. There is a lot to be talked about this omkara but I will talk about it very briefly in my next class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.