Mandukya Karika Lecture 061 on 27 July 2022

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Shritva Pranamami Mohor Moho Om Bhadram Karne Bhishrunyama Devaha Bhadram Pashyam Akshavirya Jatraha Sthirai Rangai Stushtu Vagam Sastanu Bhe Vyashem Adhevahi Tanyadayo Swasthina Indro Vrithashravaha Swasthina Pousha Vishwa Vedaha Swasthina Starksho Arishtanimi Swasthino Brihaspatir Dadhato Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hare Om Om O Gods, may we always hear with our ears what is auspicious. O worshipful ones, may we with our eyes always see what is auspicious. May we live our allotted life hale and hearty, offering our praises unto Thee. May Indra of ancient fame bestow auspiciousness on all of us. May the all-nourishing potion be propitious to all of us. May Garuda, the destroyer of all evil, be well disposed towards all of us. May Brihaspati ensure our welfare. Om Peace Peace Peace be unto all. In our last class, we have been discussing the Gauda Pada Karikas, both 17 as well as 18, in explanation of the mantra number 7. Mantra number 7. In so many negative terms, explains to us what is the 4th Pada of the Atma. Let us recollect from the 3rd mantra onward, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th. 3rd mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad is explaining the 1st Pada, Jagrat Sthana, called Vishwa. The 4th mantra is explaining the Swapna Sthana, the 2nd type of experience we have, that is the dream state, Swapna Vastha, Taiyasa. And the 5th and 6th mantras are explaining the 3rd state called Sushrupti, both in its individual aspect as Prajna. And in the 6th mantra, in its universal aspect called Ishwara. The idea is to tell us, there is really no difference between the individual Vishwa and Virat, Taiyasa and Hiranyagarbha, as well as Prajna and Ishwara, that is the essence. And then, earlier the Upanishad declared Atman has to be understood first as having 3 Matras, 3 parts, Chatus Pada, 4 parts. But 4th is not a part, 4th is like a rupee coin, which in itself comprises the 4Ns, the 8Ns and the 12Ns. That means we should not stop with these 3 experiences, but that which is the background of all these 3 experiences. Without that Turiyam, there cannot be any experience at all. But Turiyam is not limited only by these 3 experiences. These 3 experiences, waking, dream, deep sleep, depend totally upon that Turiyam. But Turiyam comprises all these 3, but goes much, much, much beyond. It is slowly, by pointing out the limitations, the defects of these 3 states that we will finally understand. When we succeed in removing these limitations imposed by time, space and causation, then we understand Turiyam as it is. How do we understand? Not standing aside from Turiyam and say, I am here, Turiyam is here, I understand Turiyam. No. I am Consciousness, Turiyam is Consciousness. There are no two Consciousnesses. Whatever is there is but one. This is the idea that we have to take as a tag. And for that the whole Mandukya Upanishad, every Upanishad wants to tell us that everybody is Brahman, everything is Brahman. Before I go further, we have already discussed these points. For re-emphasis, I am bringing out these matters. What is important is, what we call the world is not a second object, but the same Brahman looked at with a limited instrument called Mind. Mind is time, space, causation. And if we can go beyond Mind, there is no I and You, there is no Turiyam, as well as Jagra, Swapna, Sushupti, which means there is no Vishwa, Tajasa and Prajna. This is the summary of what the Upanishad wants to tell. There is absolutely no difference at all. And in order to explain that one, Gaudapada has given to us about 9 Karikas, starting from 10th, ending with 18th, of which in our last class, even in fact I think class before that, Karika number 7, Gaudapada. Karika means Gaudapada. If this world, which is perceived as manifold, were really real, then by some means, it can be made to disappear. Actually, it doesn't happen also. Because what is real will never disappear. But when we think something is real, our thinking doesn't make something real and ultimately this knowledge, just like when light is brought, the snake disappears. Until that time, we are not convinced that there is no snake. So if the snake were real, then it can disappear. But really it doesn't disappear. That means Advaitam is impossible. But if we think it is real, it is a thought in our mind, it is not real reality, there is no need to make it disappear because there is nothing outside that needs to be made to disappear. It is only what is in our thought. Wrong thought has to be made to disappear. So the whole problem is with our thinking, not with Brahman, not with the world. Why do I say so? Because if we know that this Brahman is only my perception of that one reality called Advaitam, Brahman, Turiyam, there would be no problem at all. That is how Jivanmuktas, so long as body-mind is there, they see this whole world, but they know just as we are seeing a cinema, they know that we are seeing, but it is only an appearance, there is no real reality at all. So this duality is mere illusion. Illusion means Maya. Maya means, once I gave definition, Ya Ma, Ya means that which, Ma never existed, just like the snake never existed, but we are thinking the snake is existing, so this world is nowhere. But it doesn't mean there is nothing. There is something. What is that something? Pure Brahman. So non-duality alone is the supreme reality. That is the essence of the 17th. Then he comes. Then Purvapakshi, an opponent, which is here Shankara himself, anticipating some possible doubts from his devoted audience, readers, brings up. In case it doesn't come, in not that deep thinking a person, he himself brings up and then he says that everything is Kalpita. Kalpita means, it is only a phantasmara, it is only fantasy, only imagination. That is the meaning of Kalpa. So in this 18th, with this, the commentary of Gaudapada on the 7th mantra is over. So the number 18 goes like this. I will give a small introduction which I had already given. The Purvapakshi thinks if the world doesn't exist, there is no bondage. If there is no bondage, no sadhana is necessary. If that thought comes, but the man had not realised that the world really doesn't exist, that is a real state, after realisation. Before realisation, it is just faith. So if the sadhaka hearing this stops practising any sadhana, stops having no faith in the Guru, because if the world is unreal, what is the point in going to a Guru? If the world is unreal, Guru is also unreal. Sishya is also unreal. There was a funny example, you know. Once Swami Vivekananda had met Holy Mother and he was issuing, Ma, nowadays everything appears to be meaningless to me. And immediately Holy Mother said, Baba, I hope you will not throw me out with that thought. Immediately Swamiji made pranams to Holy Mother and said, If any disciple denies the very grace existence of a Guru's lotus feet, then he will go to rags and ruins. Meaning what? That if any disciple misunderstands this extreme Advaithism of Gauda Pada, Shankaracharya, philosophy of non-duality, and thinks the world is unreal, everything in this world is unreal, therefore Guru is unreal, Sishya is unreal, scripture is unreal, teaching is unreal, sadhana is unreal, realization is unreal. If he thinks before realization, he will definitely go to rags and ruins. Sri Ramakrishna embodies this teaching in one of his teachings. He says, what is the use of saying, suppose somebody had stepped on a thorn, the thorn has entered into his foot, and it is giving him pain. He studied a little bit of this kind of Advaitha Vedanta. He says, no thorn, no entering into my foot, my foot also doesn't exist, and thorn also doesn't exist, and nothing exists. He is a hypocrite because even though he is saying no thorn, no foot, but his pain is there. Why? Because he is 1000 times convinced there is a body, not only that, it is his body. Because if anybody else is suffering from the thorn, he would not feel it, but he is feeling it. And while feeling it, to say that it doesn't exist, is sheer hypocrisy. But after realisation, if the same person, like Ramana Maharshi, has let the body look after itself, and even an operation on a very painful part of his body did not make any difference to him. Similarly, Swami Turi Anandaji also, when his carbuncle was removed, simply said, I will withdraw my mind. So, there was a funny incident, funny but serious for us. There was a monk, he belonged to this type, but he was having an immoral relationship with a woman. And then he went, Sri Ram Krishna came to know about it, and he went putting on wooden sandals, making khat-khata sound, straight. Sri Ram Krishna can never talk indirectly. He said, what is this I hear? You are telling everybody, the world doesn't exist, but you are having this immoral behaviour. That man said, absolutely I am right. I am not doing anything wrong, because when the world doesn't exist, when my body doesn't exist, then my relationship with this person also doesn't exist. Sri Ram Krishna said, I spit upon this hypocritical Vedanta. Why did he say that? Because if that same sadhu can declare like this, only after having a heavy breakfast, supposing you have to starve for one day, or even more, then he will crystal clearly realise how real this world is. So this is called hypocrisy. Before realisation, these are all hints what would be the state of realisation, but we should never be hypocritical to say the world doesn't exist. In fact, Sri Ram Krishna tells this in another way. A disciple was taught by his guru, everything is Narayana. One day the disciple was walking, and a mad elephant was running. A moth was shouting, this elephant has become mad, run away and escape with your lives. But this man said, my guru told everything is Brahman. And then the elephant came, fortunately for him, it did not kill him, just threw him aside. And then he was brought to the ashram with some injuries. Then he was asked for an explanation. And he said, our guru only taught, everything is Brahman. So I thought, the elephant also is Narayana only. Then the guru said, my child, it is true. But why did you not say, the moth also is Narayana. Why did you not heed to his words? That means the understanding of the disciple was kacha, very very immature. So we have to escape from there. And then, funnily, even in this, I think, 42nd or so, verse of the 2nd Adhyaya, which is called Vaitadhyaprakaranam, Gaudapada himself tells this, there is no sadhaka, there is no sadhya, there is no sadhana, there is no bondage, there is no striving, there is no attaining, ityesha paramarthata. Hence, this is the real truth. But that is, we have to understand after realisation, not now. So 18th verse, karika, gaudapada, yadi kenachit kalpitaha. By somebody, if this world is imagined, and actually, there is so much of truth in it. I am not only talking about Gaudapada's intention, I am talking from ordinary psychological point of view. If you ask, do you see a tree? Yes. You ask 10 people, do you see this tree? Yes. If you ask 10 people, do you see this tiger, ferocious tiger? And then they all say, yes, we see. But what a difference, in each man's perception. If it is a person, who likes that tree, then he will say, this is a very good tree, beautiful tree, very sweet mango yielding tree. And some people hate the same tree. All sorts of people are there, God bless them. And if you ask the man, what do you see? I see a tiger. You ask the tiger, what do you see? It doesn't say, I see a man. It may say, but what it means is, I see very nice food. And suppose there is a cub, tiger cub, you ask the tiger cub, what do you see? And it says, this is my loving mom, and she is ever ready to take care of me, to feed me, to protect me, to play with me, and I am completely happy, my business is to play and grow up. What am I driving at? I am driving at, there is something, and we call it a world, because anything that we experience, a vastu is a world, but at the same time, we experience individually, in a different way, a child looks at the world in one way, a young person looks in another way, a middle-aged person looks another way, and an old person looks completely another way. So everything is a Kalpana only. But here, Kadupada wants to caution us, if anybody is imagining, then definitely that imagination can be removed. But this world is real, Guru is real, disciple is real, bondage is real, sadhana is real, progress in spiritual practice, spiritual path is also real, and these are all meant for what? Upadesha, Ayam, Vadaha, all this stack of accepting the world, this is called Upadesha, because earlier I mentioned, if you straight away say this world is not there, and the person to whom this teaching is given, sees nothing, no Brahma, no God, but only this sheer world, he will develop more Ashraddha, he will lose faith in you, what little faith if he had, that also you are removing. That's why it is called, you first accept this, called Adhyarupa, means superimposition, is very real, you don't say superimposition, it is a real world, but this real world has got some problems, but there is a way to overcome those problems. When a person applies those remedies, then he understands, but actually there is no problem, and then if there is no problem, there is no remedy. First there is a problem, there is a remedy, later on there is no problem, and so there is no remedy. Like we do this in dream, somebody is troubling us, and it is true, it is real, and we shout, and then our own shout wakes us up, and then the problem is dissolved, and so there is no need for any answer at all. That is the way Advaita has to be understood, very important, so long as we are aware of our body, our mind, world is absolutely real, but slowly attachment needs to be reduced, and as we reduce attachment, our attachment to God also will go on growing, Bhakti will grow, Viveka will grow, Viragya will grow, Shamadamaadi Shatka Sampati will grow, ultimately Mumukshutham will grow, and by Guru's grace, which is nothing but God's grace, we reach the goal ultimately. This is what we need to understand. If anyone has ever imagined the manifold ideas, such for instance as the teacher, the thought, the scripture, they might disappear. In fact, they will disappear when realisation comes, but this acceptance of the world, which contains Guru, Sishya, Upadesha, is for the purpose of teaching. Reality implied in accepting the scripture, the teacher, and Brahman, and then the Sadhana is for the sake of spiritual progress. And this reality ceases to exist when the highest truth is known. When a person, after a long time of Sadhana, Shravana, Manana, Nidhityasana, and he progresses, and Guru's first word, Tat Tvam Asi, Thou or That, now he realises it, and he says, Aham Brahmasmi. Aham Brahmasmi is not saying to anybody. Aham Brahmasmi means pure, non-dualistic knowledge. I am Brahman. So, that is the meaning of this 18th Kodapada Karika. With this, the explanation of the 7th mantra is over. Now we are entering into mantra 8. So, I will give you a small introduction, so that, so that it will be very easy for us to understand. Now we have seen 7 mantras. Now first mantra says, Everything is Omkara. This is called Abhidhana. Name. Every object has a name. And all names are included in Omkara. A, U and Ma. Then the second mantra says, Everything is Brahman. In fact, one of the most famous Mahavakyas comes in this second mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad. Soyam Atma Brahma. You, when you really understand who you are, what is real understanding? I am the Atman. In this Atma, there are not many Atmans. Not even two Atmans. Not even Jiva, Atma and Brahman. But only, either call it Atma, call it Brahman, only one is there. And you are that. Because you are thinking, I am different, world is different, God is different. This triangle is there. That is called Maya. Abhidhya. Ajnana. When realization comes, this triangle disappears. Only whatever is existing, Nitya, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Chaitanya. But that is practical. Realization has to come. So, in the next, from third mantra onwards, the second mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad, this Atma has got four quarters. That is Vishwa, Taijasa, Prajna and Turiyam. And as just now we discussed, third describes the Jagrat, that is Vishwa state. Fourth describes the condition of the Taijasa, in all its details. Fifth and sixth discuss the Sushupti Avastha. Fifth mantra discusses it, Sushupti, from the individual point of view. Sixth mantra, Sarvajnaha, Sarveshwaraha, etc., is a description of Ishwara, from the universal point of view. Why? Just to point out, when we are in ignorant state, we are called Prajnas. And when we progress, we identify with Ishwara through Upasana. That is what is going to come now, from eighth to twelfth mantras. It is a pure description of the Omkara and Upasana. Omkara as Brahma Upasana or Brahma Upasana with the help of the four Matras of the Omkara. Akara, Ukara, Makara and Amatra, etc. Okay. So, in this up until seventh mantra, seventh mantra describes Turiyam, because it is unthinkable, therefore unimaginable, therefore indescribable and therefore it can be only described as not this, not this. That is what we have seen elaborately. So, it has been seen in the previous Karikas that the manifold is Brahman. That is manifold means world is Brahman. Just like the wave is non-different from water. Here is ocean, here is a wave. Both are under bondage, because ocean is nothing but water, a large body of water. Wave is nothing but water, but a small bit of the water. So, also the world is non-different from Brahman, means it is nothing but Brahman, like the rope is mistaken for a snake. The idea that what we see is a world and it is not Brahman, because what we see we call Jagat. We see attributes such as birth, Shadvikara, changeability, destruction, mrutyu, janma, mrutyu is illusion which being negated enables one to realize the highest truth. So, similarly the manifold is non-different from Brahman. No, the Jagat, a second object doesn't exist. How do we know? In sleep, practically 50% of the bondage is gone. Only we enter into causal state and even that 50% of the removal of the bondage that is anyatha agrahana, mistaking Brahman as something else is absent. But agrahana is still there. That is why as soon as we wake up, we are in the same condition like yesterday, like day before yesterday, like last birth, like 84 lakhs births before. So, as in dream, these objects that are experienced as the elephant, etc., with their names and forms are nothing but the mind stuffed. Very beautiful explanation. That's why dream description comes again and again. In dream, while we are having a dream, dream is first of all real. Dream is non-different from the waking state. Everything that we see in the waking state, exact same experience is there in the dream state and we act and react accordingly. But as soon as we wake up, immediately we know this is nothing but our mind's imagination with the experiences gathered from the waking state. But can we not explain further, extend further and say this waking state is also a dream state compared to the dream state? We can say that. But we cannot say that. Why? Because it is a common experience. Everybody has a dream. Even a mosquito has a dream. Every child has a dream. Baby has a dream. Old person has a dream. And every old person, young person, mosquito, everybody will wake up into this Jagrat Avastha. So easy to understand. But excepting realized souls, nobody has woken up from this Jagrat Avastha Swapna. From this Jagrat Avastha, which is exactly a Swapna Avastha, until we wake up, it remains there as real, as dream remains real for all of us. So that is what we have just now discussed. So slowly, we have to have faith in the scripture. Yes, this waking world is also a dream. How to get out of the dream? Then you approach. If you have real, real intention of escaping this bondage, then God will provide you a guide because He is Antaryami. He understands everything. And you go through that sadhana. And through that sadhana, really you progress. And as you progress, the concept of reality of the world recedes, becomes weaker. And the concept, everything is my mind, it increases. Is this just brainwashing? Or is it a fact? It is absolute fact. I can tell you. That is somebody insults you. Somebody insults Ramakrishna. When somebody insults Ramakrishna, he is doubly happy. Why is he happy? First of all, he knows the person who is criticizing me, abusing me, even beating me, is none other than my own Divine Mother. First. Secondly, the person who is abusing, so long as he is abusing, he is only thinking of Ramakrishna. And you think of Ramakrishna as Ramanasura thought, as Kamsasura thought, as all the Asuras thought. And they are thinking nothing but God. And they will get Mukti through that. So somebody criticizes Ramakrishna. When this news came to him, he said, I am so happy. Somebody is thinking of me. That person is thinking of me. And it will do good for that person. So what is the lesson? If you have to progress in spiritual life, and if you can't get rid of your habit of fault finding, you try to find fault, criticize Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, Swami Vivekananda, good sadhus, like Ramana Maharshi, then slowly you will progress. So the cognition of ideas as teacher, etc., as separate Brahma, Param Brahman, is for the people who have not realized Brahman, but who are extremely restless, yearning to realize that Brahman. And this is the only way for the realization of the truth. But when a person reaches enlightenment, what is the truth? The truth is that the manifold, as well as Varanthakarana, various thoughts that are associated with it, are identical with Brahman. What is the ultimate truth? The ultimate truth is Turiyam, non-duality, aloneness. No teacher, no disciple. That is why Janaka Maharaja says, first pay the fee, then I will give you. And if it comes from Janaka Maharaja, Shukadeva would be instantaneously enlightened, illuminated. But the fact was, Shukadeva was already a realized soul, but he was not a realized soul, because he had a doubt about his own realization, as soon as he went to Janaka, that doubt was totally removed. That is a marvellous episode, so we will have to understand it that way. Shukamaharshi, by the way, is the greatest soul in the whole world. Now, the Padartha Vichara is important to know what are Manis. Later on, it will be equated to Pada. So from the third mantra up to the seventh mantra, there is Atma Vichara, as four Chatus Padas. What are the four Padas? Waking state, dream state, sleep state, Turiyam state. This is called Abhidheya Vichara. Abhidheya. Abhidhana means in Sanskrit, name. Abhidheya means the object to whom that name belongs. Name and named. Sri Ramakrishna is the name. And the person whose idea comes into our mind by hearing or reading the word Ramakrishna, that is called Abhidheya. Now, in the past, all this Atma Vichara, Padartha Vichara, Pada means Vastu. Vastu means truth. Satyam. Atma Vichara was done from the third to the seventh. But Omkara was indicated in the first mantra, but not elaborated. Now, from the eighth onwards, Omkara Vichara is going on in the form of four Matras. Remember, Atma Vichara, Padartha Vichara, Abhidheya Vichara had been done in the form of what? Waking state, or Vishwa, Taisa, Prajna and Turiyam. Now, what Upanishad wants to do is to elaborately discuss about Omkara. And finally, earlier also we saw Omkara is Turiyam. Turiyam is Omkara. Omkara means Atman. Atman is Omkara. So, this Atman has got four Padas. This Omkara also has got four Padas. The Named has four Padas. The Name also has four Aksharas. Matras. They are called Matras. What is the purpose? The purpose is, take one Pada of the Atma and take one Matra of the Omkara and do Upasana. Contemplate Akara with Vishwa, Ukara with Taisa, Makara with Prajna and where is the fourth Matra? This doubt will come. Because everywhere they write, usually they write OM for Om. But those who are very correct, they write AOM in capital letters. A-U-M Where is the fourth? That is called Amatra or Arthamatra. Either way we will do. Ramakrishna gives a beautiful illustration. You strike a gong and then it says OM. That vibration continues. After clearly sounding, what goes on slowly vibrating and diminishing in volume that is called Amatra. Until this diminishing reverberation becomes completely merged in silence and that silence is the complete identification of Omkara with Atma. This is for the purpose of Sadhana. For the purpose of Upasana. What is Upasana? Upa means near. Asana means, not Asana, a seat for sitting. That is approaching the reality as we approach the fire. That is a beautiful example. As any object, say a dry piece of paper, a dry paper slowly approaches. When it comes sufficiently near to the fire, it starts radiating the heat. Same thing. Fire means heat. Fire means light. So the paper also starts burning. It becomes fire. It also emits light. See, you just light up a paper, put a match to the paper in deep dense darkness. You will crystal clearly see that light and in that light you can faintly see something else also. That is the way we have to understand. As we do Sadhana, we approach God which is compared to light and slowly we start becoming light. We start reflecting light. Finally we become merged in light. Like this piece of paper becomes fire. Even a dead body. Put it on the funeral fire. You will see that after some time, first it takes a little time, after some time, when the body is sufficiently, all the moisture, water, everything removed, it itself starts burning and you put anything into that burning body and that also will become equal. So any number of things slowly become one with fire. You cannot make a distinction. This is fire number one, this is fire number two, this is fire number three. This becoming one with the object of our meditation or contemplation is called Upasana. So here Upasana is how to equate Omkara with Atman. So for the sake of contemplation, Atman is divided into four. Like rupee is divided into four. You can say in a rupee there are four numbers of foreigners. Or you can say two numbers of foreigners. Or you can say this rupee contains 4 annas also, 8 annas also, 12 annas also, 13, 14, 15, 16 annas. The idea is you cannot cut the rupee coin into four, but you have to understand the idea it contains all the values. So this Atman contains all the values. As we go on equating, Akara and Vishwa become one and Akara merges in Ukara, Vishwa merges in or Virat merges in Hiranyagarbha, Ukara merges in Makara and Hiranyagarbha merges in Ishwara and finally the whole lot, which is nothing but one, gets rid of all dualities called Brahmakaaravrttis and what remains is indescribable for the sake of instruction. We call it Atman, we call it Brahman, we call it Advaita, we call it Ananta, we call it Ajam, Shashvatam, Nityam, etc. So this is what is going to come, but here a few words. Padartha means the real object, which is Atman and then this Padartha is called Abhidheya, that is named Atman, Vastu and the Ukara is called Abhidhana, name and both have got four parts and all the four parts have to be merged in their respective four parts of the counterpart and slowly move forward and ultimately what remains is you can call it Atman, you can call it Turiyam, you can call it Brahman, you can call it by whatever blessed name you want to call it. So this is what is going to come in this first Adhyaya, which is called Agama Prakarana. So we have seen that the essence of the discussion is that Atma or Turiya seen with a particular Upadi is called Vishwa, Taijasa and Pragnya. Similarly Omkara seen as Akara, Ukara and Makara is also another way of looking at Omkara, but really speaking Omkara is really Amatra, Atman is really Turiyam. This Amatra and Turiyam is absolutely one and the same. So this is where the eighth mantra is entering into this Abhidhana means name, Nama, Pada, Vichara. Pada means world. This is in the form of Omkara Vichara and every single letter is already there in Omkara. We have discussed, I don't want to go into deep analysis of that, Omkara you can split into three A, U and Ma. But what we need to keep in mind in case we have forgotten, Akara merges or modifies itself into Ukara, Ukara modifies into Makara and Makara finally merges into Amatra. So this is the first part of the Omkara. Now that is what is going to come. So this Omkara which has got four Matras, they are called Matra, four syllables. What is a syllable? A complete pronounceable combination of letters, letter or letters is called a syllable. That is why those who understand the grammar, they use this word syllable. And syllables are usually vowels because without vowels, consonants will not work out really. So here where the Upasana is starting, Upasana means what? Merging the four parts of the Omkara or four parts of the named name, sorry, four parts of the name A, U, Ma, M with Vishwa, Tajasa, Prajna and Turiya. Then the Sadhana is complete. This is a Sadhana Pada. Earlier it was a Description Pada. This is a Sadhana Pada. So this is where the groundwork is prepared until the 12th Mantra because the first chapter called Agama Prakarana has 12 Mantras. The essence of this 8th Mantra is that Atma is equated with Omkara. Omkara is equated with Atman. When both are equated, forget the name Omkara, forget the name Atma and use the word Brahman. But really Brahman, Atman, Omkara is all one and the same. When the Atman is seen as one complete unity, then it is equivalent to complete word Om. But when this Atman is looked upon as individual quarters, then the parts of the Atman are equated to the four Matras of the Omkara. That is the essence of this Mantra. Essence is given in the beginning. In this Mantra, the Upanishad first of all uses two words Atma, Saha, Ayam. That this Self. By the word Saha, we have to understand what is called Atman, which was represented earlier from Mantra 3 to Mantra 7 as having four quarters. Ayam means the world, very much evident to us. And this world, what is there? Names are there. Tree, you say T-R-E-E. Man, M-A-N. Table, T-A-B-L-E. All these letters are completely comprised in A, O and OM. From Akara to Makara, that comprises all the letters in this world. And every name is made up of a combination of some letters. Swami Vivekananda explains this in his Bhakti Yoga lecture. The meaning of the OM. OM is the best representation of every single name in this world because OM comprises within itself every blessed alphabet in the whole world. So, that is what Abhidheya Pradhanena Nirdesha means describing in terms of the object. So, that is what is the actual listing. What for this section is for Upasana? So, in Shastra, we see every Upanishad is a Vasya Upanishad. For example, Taittiri Upanishad is another example. Kato Upanishad is another example. Practically, whether it is Chandogya or Brihadaranyaka, every Upanishad contains the purest essence of pure knowledge but also the means, the Upaya, the Sadhana for realizing that highest truth. And Sadhana that we do, you can call it Upasana, meditation, contemplation. So, here some help is given. Simple example, we are going to give. What is the example for Upasana? For example, if you want to meditate upon Narayana, then you require some substratum. So, Salagrama is the substratum for Narayana. And Linga is a substratum for Shiva. Sri Chakra is a substratum for Divine Mother. So, you take a lower something which you know and then ascribe to it, you superimpose upon it all the qualities of the highest reality called Saguna Brahma, called Narayana, Shiva, Jaganmata, etc. A cross for example. So, Omkara, or a Guru Granth Sahib, they all stand as Alambana substratum. So, sometimes we just light a lamp and we invoke Jyotirlinga. Then the lamp becomes Alambana or substratum and the Devi becomes Upasya. So, these are the examples. And in Mundaka Upanishad, we get that example of two birds. A higher bird is the Alambana. A lower bird is the Sadhaka. And looking at that higher bird, slowly he hops higher and higher and higher and ultimately finds out that higher bird is nothing but his own true Self. This is the equation with which in the next class, we are going to go actually into this mantra. With this, I will stop here. I hope you understood. From mantra, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 6 mantras are meant for Upasana and the result that we get also becomes indicated in the mantras. So, what is it? Sadhana. Earlier, the goal is described beautifully. Now, the path is described beautifully. If you understand that, you have understood. What is the path? Upasana. Upasana means meditation, contemplation, etc. OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADME TAYO SRIDHVA PRANAM AMI MUHURMUHU May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.