Mandukya Karika Lecture 069 on 21 September 2022

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARATAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADME TAYO SHRITVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHUR OM BHADRAM KANNE VISHRUNAYAM DEVAH BHADRAM PASHYAM AKSHABHIRYA JATRAH STHIRAY RANGAYE STHUSHTU VAGUM SASTANUBE VYASEMA DEVAHI TAYYADAYO SWASTHINA INDRO VRIDDHA SHRAVA SWASTHINA PURUSHA VISHWA VEDA SWASTHINA STHARKSHU ARISTA NEMI SWASTHINA UMBRIHA SPATIRUDDHA DATO OM SHAMTE SHAMTE SHAMTE 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 here 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 all our welfare. OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL In our last class, we have been talking about Upasana of Omkara. Omkara has got four matras, four syllables. A, O, MA and MMM And they have to be equated with the four parts of the Atma. CHATUSHPAT ATMA With Vaishvanara, with Hiranyagarbha and with Ishwara. With the totality of the waking state, totality of the dream state, totality of the causal state. And if we practice these three continuously and the way it is supposed to do, then these meditations, the first meditation, Akara and Jagratsthana will lead us to Ukara and Hiranyagarbha. And next step, this Ukara and Hiranyagarbha will lead us to Pragna and Makara and Pragna. Pragna means Ishwara. And the next step is to come and that is what we will have to go into. So in our last class, we are dealing with studying the Gaudapada Karikas on mantra number 11. And in our last class, we have dealt with Karika number 23. If it is properly done, what do these Upasanas do? That's what Gaudapada is paraphrasing actually. What is he telling? If this Upasana of Akara and Virat, Vishwa and Virat, so that sound, the letter Akara helps its worshipper to attain to Vishwa and Ukara to Taiyasa and Makara to Pragna. But we have to understand Vishwa, Taiyasa and Pragna in their universal aspect because we are already in the individual aspect. There is nothing special about it. Upasana is to expand, is to break that narrow selfishness. So Akara helps us to become one with Virat, Ukara helps us become one with Hiranyagarbha and Makara helps us to merge ourselves in Ishwara. So this is called merging. Upasana means merging. Slowly, like a small dry piece of paper, as it approaches fire, first it becomes hot, then sparks come out, finally it catches fire and it becomes one with the fire. Remember, this is a very good example. How is it a good example? In merging, you take a small piece of paper, this paper approaching the fire, and fire also requires firewood. So the firewood produces the fire. Firewood doesn't really create fire. There is fire already. Fire is everywhere, not only in the firewood, but firewood is a place where it is easy to obtain fire. That's all. Even if you rub your hands, heat is produced and if you rub too much, fire is also produced. But that power of the fire in firewood doesn't come to us because these hands do not have that capacity. So everything contains fire. That means fire is everywhere. So now, take this example. Firewood produces the fire. Similarly, there is fire also in the paper. That is an important point. But as the paper is brought nearer and nearer, the fire which is potentially there in the paper becomes more available, accessible, and finally we obtain that one. And then once it comes sufficiently near, then the fire pulls it, and then only fire is seen. That is the example we have to take. So a gross becomes subtle. Subtle becomes causal. Causal finally helps us merge in that which is indescribable. That is what we have to understand. Gati means attainment. Amatra means that is the final. That is not something which we approach and we separate. We become one with it. So we have to understand, if we have done it properly, slowly Upasana makes us completely one with the Upasya, with the Ishta Devata. There will be no Dwaitam. Pure Adwaitam will remain. That is the purpose of Upasana. So if we do this Upasana properly, then we attain the causal state, Ishwara state. Then what happens? What about the fourth one? From the Atman point of view, Turiyam is the fourth state. From the Omkara point of view, Amatra. Amatra really is silence. Silence means, you see, we can misunderstand the word silence. A person is speaking and he becomes silent. But inside he is going on talking with himself. The sound is not audible. But sound is going on inside. It is not coming out of the mouth. It is coming up to the mouth, but not beyond the mouth. But that is not silence. Silence means, there is nothing else besides it. That is called Amatra. Slowly, gradually, it becomes. So one should practice these three meditations as stepping stones to the attainment of the fourth Pada. It is called fourth Pada. It is Apada, not really a state, because there is nothing beyond it. Similarly, the M, that fourth syllable, is not really a syllable. That is what we need to understand. So this is leading, this Amatra, fourth, that means completely merging in Brahman. Jeevatma merging in Brahman. That is going to be described in this twelfth mantra. And this is not only the twelfth mantra, this is the last mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad. So mantra at number twelve, the last mantra in the Mandukya Upanishad, goes like this. Amatra, chaturthah, avyavaharyah, prapancha upashamah, shivah, advaitah, evam omkarah, atma eva, samvisati atmana atmanam, ya evam veda. That which has no parts. Matra means part. Amatra means no parts. Actually, here we have to understand silence, soundless. Then it is actionless. Avyavaharyah, actionless because that Triputi called, here is an actor, here is an action, and here is something with which the action has to be done. Everything becomes one. That is why it is called avyavaharyah. Normal meaning of the word vyavahara means worldly transactions. Even in dream we have transactions. In the Sushupti alone, we have no transactions, but the seed of the transactions are there. But in this final state, there is no transaction because there is no separation. Transaction requires duality, separation. By the way, duality doesn't mean only two. Duality means many. So there is somebody who has a desire. He wants to do something and he wants to obtain something. Because the question comes, why do you want to do something? Because I need to fulfill my desire. So there is an object of desire. There is correspondingly a thought called desire. Then to fulfill the desire, the person takes certain instruments. Maybe his legs go to that object. His hands grab that object. So that object should be there. Instrument should be there. The person who is doing or acting should be there. This is called tri-puti. Tri-ed. Tri means three. Tri-ed. Without this, no evahara, no transaction is possible. Another example, to make the point clear, you want to speak with somebody. So you are the speaker. There must be somebody who has to listen and there must be an instrument. It could be telephone, it could be zoom, or it could be just you stand in front of that person and that mouth is necessary, throat is necessary, that air is necessary, everything is necessary. Those who are what we call, some people cannot speak dumb. So they want to speak but instrument is not there. But they can use other instruments. They can show the alphabet and then painfully go on pointing out. Whatever it is, three are necessary for completion of an action. But the main question is why do we want to have an action? What is the origin of action? Origin of action is desire. There is a desire. Desire means, I do not have something, I want to have something or I have something, I want to get rid of something because both are creating unhappiness in me. So I feel unhappy and the root cause of the unhappiness is some object, either non-attainment or it is creating trouble, whichever way. So I have to do some action. But with regard to Brahma, first of all, it is Ananda Swaroopa. It doesn't have any dukkha, any kasta, any suffering, any tapatraya. Secondly, it is all-pervading, it is infinite, it is eternal. When something is infinite, there is no doer, there is no object for doing and there is no instrument and that is called Amatra, Avyavahara. So what are we talking here? Amatra means silence. What is the silence? Silence of all desires. Just look at it. So nice. When we are in the Sushupti, there are no desires and what is the root cause of non-desire? Because we are very happy and so long as we are in the Sushupti, we are happy and the people around us are also probably happy but we are happy. Therefore, there is no desire. Therefore, I feel I don't require anything. Therefore, I abide in myself. If this is even the description of a temporary condition called Sushupti, just imagine for eternity and all the... I don't obtain Ananda. I am Ananda. My nature is Ananda. I don't lack anything. I am Paripoorna. I am infinite. I am eternal. I am Sat. I am Chit. I am Ananda Swaroopa. Sat means another existence. There is no other existence excepting Brahman. Chit means consciousness. There is no other consciousness excepting pure consciousness. Ananda means there is no division. There is no separate Ananda. It is Poorna Ananda. And therefore, Brahmani Sat Chit Ananda and therefore, there is no second. Therefore, there is no Triputi. Do here, doing, and an object for doing something. That is what is going to be described here. Amatra means there are no parts. That means it is complete. Paripoorna. Remember, Infinite. Everything is infinite. There is no everything actually. Because the world, everything, is only for people who are believing the scriptures and saying that we are Brahman. But we still see the world. We don't really see the world or experience the Brahman, even though we are experiencing all the time. That is why we use everything. There is not one thing. There is no everything. It is indescribable. In fact, there is no mind. If there is no mind, there is nobody even to think. It is a state of being, not becoming. Amatra. So it is chaturdha. From our viewpoint, it is called the fourth. From its point, there is no first state, second state, third state, or fourth state. That is why it is not the fourth. Avyavaharyaha. So you cannot do any action there, actionless, and therefore incomprehensible. Prapanchopashamaha. This entire dualistic world. Prapancha means what? That which is constituted of the five elements. Panchasokshmabhutas is the Sokshma and Karana Prapancha. And Panchastholabhutas is what we call our bodies and everything else in this world, living, non-living, with consciousness, means with life or without life. Prapanchopashamaha. Shivaha. Here Shiva means all auspiciousness. There is no inauspiciousness. Remember, all these descriptions are from the ignorant person's point of view, from the worldly point of view, from the vyavaharika point of view. The Brahman is not going to say, I am amatra, not chaturdaha, I am vyavahariyaha. He is not going to say that. We are saying that just to be able to contemplate on that subject. This is a description for Upasana or Manana and Nidhidhyasana. Shivaha. The word Shiva means auspicious. Mangalakara. Why Mangalakara? Because there is no amangala. There is no inauspiciousness. And it is Advaita. Remember, Advaita means you cannot even say it is one. If you say one, if I say black, that means I know what is white. If I say two, I am aware of one also. So similarly, if I say one, I am aware of two also. Then there is no mind. Whether it is Dvaitam or Advaitam, that particular understanding itself will not be there. And this is the description. Thus, with this description, Omkara means all the four matras. Atma means all the four parts. Full Omkara is Purna Atma. Purna Atma is full Omkara, not part Omkara. Then, Yayaivam Veda. He who knows this. That means he realizes this. How does he realize? Through this Upasana mentioned earlier. So when a person realizes this one, that is, there is no four parts, there is no four syllables, then what happens? One enters, merges into oneself. What does it mean? This beautiful word merging or pravisha, to enter. So much of discussion is there by Bhagavan Shankaracharya in the Taittiriya Upanishad. Having created, he entered into it. Such a marvelous discussion, explanation, we rarely come across in the field of philosophy. It is only available by these great souls and they are talking out of their fullness of experience. So, simple example is in this Taittiriya, Tat Srishtva. Brahma, Tat means this world, Srishtva. Having created this world, he entered into it. How does Brahma enter into it? Does clay enter into the pot? If pot is separate, clay is separate. If the house is separate, you are separate. You constructed a house and you fixed an auspicious date and you enter into it because you are separate, house is separate. So, if clay and pot are separate, oh, here is a pot and I must enter into it. And then the clay finds a small aperture and slowly squeezes itself into the pot. Is that that way? No. What it means is that it is available through this world. How is Brahman available through this world? In my earlier classes in Prashna Upanishad as well as Mandukya Karika also I have indicated. There was a wonderful commentator called Vanamala. Vanamala is the commentary on Taittiriya Upanishad by Achyuta Krishna. In my last class by mistake I told you that this is a commentary on Brahma Sutras. No, that is not a commentary on Brahma Sutras. It is a commentary on the Taittiriya Upanishad. And he has given a wonderful, marvelous, very subtle idea. I was not aware until I read about it. What is it? See, I gave you the example in my past classes. Supposing a room is dark. There are many objects are there. So let us say there is a table and suddenly somebody brings light or electricity was off but it comes. The whole room becomes lighted up. Immediately you say, I see a table. So what is the light doing? It is revealing the table. And we stop here. Light is the revealer and table is the revealed. But Vanamala says no, no. You have to go still deeper. Supposing there is no object. Will you know there is light? I gave the example of astronauts travelling in the satellite. Once they go beyond the stratosphere, it is pitch dark. They can see the sun, the moon, stars, brightly, brilliant. But all around them, they don't see. But if there is one bit of dust, immediately they can see the piece of dust. How do? Because light requires an object to reveal itself. Not only light reveals the dust particle, the dust particle also tells us there is this light is there. That is necessary. So another not such a good example, supposing you want to make a clap. What do you require? You require at least two objects. That is your both hands are necessary. You can't clap with one hand. Of course, you can say if you are very clever, I bang my hand against a door or against a floor, etc. That is okay. But we are talking here clap. Now two hands are necessary. One hand cannot do. Take this example and apply it. Both object as well as light, both are necessary. If there is no object, we don't know whether there is light or not. If there is object but no, there is light but no object, we don't know neither the object nor the light. I hope I am making some sense. Similarly, in this Mandukya Karika, why so much of description about the Jagrat and Swapna and Sushupti? Why? Because if it is a waking state, I know I am the waker. Without that Chaitanya that I am in the waking state, the whole world doesn't exist at all. But at the same time, the world also reveals there is somebody who is aware of me. Just as the object reveals the light, light also reveals the object. If it is not there, it is not possible. That is what we discussed also. Without the subject, object will not be there. Without the object, subject will not be there. That means in the absence of one, both will fall down. You should not say object is not there but subject is there. Subject is not there but object is there. Both are necessary to cognize both. And so, the Jagrat Avastha, waking state, dream state, dreamless state, all these crystal clearly reveal to us that Brahman. That is what is most important for us. That is why all this Upasana says, oh, this is part of that. What is the part of what? The gross Jagrat Avastha is part of the Sookshma, that is the Swapna Avastha. And the Sookshma Prapancha is part of the Sushupti Prapancha. And all these three, the Jagrat Swapna, Sushupti are mere parts of the Brahman or Turiyam. That is the point a person will understand through if this Upasana is really done and it becomes successful what happens? That is one correctly understands I alone exist. Again I am warning you. I alone am Brahman. This is from expression, verbal, linguistic expression from our point of view. Really speaking, there is no such thing. Because when only one thing is there, it doesn't even say I am one thing. That is called Advaitam. That has to be understood. So then all the Avyavaharyam that means there is no world pure Advaitam. Cessation of all phenomena. Shivam. Shivam means all auspiciousness. Means all Ananda. Ripurna Ananda. Advaitam, non-dual. And Shankara Atma both give up their special identities and merge in that indescribable something Samvisati Atmana Atmanam ya evam Veda. This is called Gnanam. And what does this Gnanam do? That is what is said in Bhagavad Gita. Just as the fire of knowledge completely burns out all Karmas. Karma means what? When there is no Karma, there is no Karmi also. When there is no action, there is no doer also. When both of them disappear, what remains? In our human language, Atman alone remains. So the person who knows it, he abides forever in that place. So long as there is, we have that world. World means ignorance. We will have desires, ambitions and because of that whirlpool of Karma, everything will come to an end when we attain to this knowledge of Brahman. When we know that we are Brahman, there is no more Karma. A side point we have to understand here. So what happens with Jivanmukta? After all, Jivanmukta is one who attained to complete knowledge. All his Karmas are burnt out. But here is a person. He is alive. His body is there. Before attaining Mukti, he is 50 years old. After attaining Mukti also, his body will be 50 years old and he may be having cough, cold. Is this not Karma? What happens? That is why the scriptures tell to ignorant people, Sanchita Karma will be destroyed. Agami Karma will be destroyed. Prarabdha Karma will remain. But this is also a partial ignorant understanding. Real understanding is the person simply says he knows, he doesn't say, I am not the body. I am not the mind. When a person says I am not the body and mind, all Karmas which belong to body and mind automatically give up. Just like when you sell a house to somebody, whether it is a leaky house or richly furnished house, everything belongs from now onwards to the person who purchased it. You have nothing else to do with it. So Jivanmukta is like that. Mukta Purusha I am Atman. What about the body-mind? Well, you call it a body-mind. The realized soul doesn't call it my body, much less body because what does he see? Does he not call that as a body? No, he doesn't call it a body. Does he not call it his mind? No, he doesn't call it his mind. What does he call it? Sarvam Brahma Mayam Jagat. That is everything is Brahman. Body is Brahman. Mind is Brahman. The whole world is Brahman. Brahma Satyam Jagat Satyam and Jivaha Satyam. Everything is Satyam only. So that is how we have to understand. But from ignorant people's point of view, like a potter's wheel. There is a potter and then he prepared the pot, took it out, but he whirled it while making the pot and then he took it out and without bothering to stop the wheel, he goes away. But the wheel continues for some time until the initial momentum comes to an end. So this person's, the body's Prarabdham, when it is over, that body will fall. That is nothing to do with the Jivan Mukta. So that is what we have to understand it. Now, this mantra number twelve is actually a repetition the later half of the seventh mantra. If you remember, here is the mantra. Naatha Pragnam, Na Vahish Pragnam, Na Ubhayata Pragnam, Na Pragnana Ghanam, Na Pragnam, Na Apragnam. This is the first part. Not this, not this, not this. Then, from the second part, a few of these descriptions of the Atman are taken and that constitutes the twelfth mantra. Just now, what we discussed. That is Adhristam, Avyavaharyam, Agrahyam, Alakshanam, Achintyam, Avyapadesyam, Ekatma Pratyasaram, Prapanchopashamam, Shantam, Shivam, Advaitam, Chaturtham, Anyante, Saatma, Savigneyaha. This is the second part of the seventh mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad. In the twelfth mantra, to elaborate, He has only taken part of it. What did He take? Avyavaharyam, Prapanchopashamam, Shantam, Shivam, Advaitam. This is what He has taken. But at the same time also, we will see slight changes there. Evam Omkara This is Omkara. Atma Eva Samvisati Atmana Atmanam Ya Evam Veda So He says Saatma Savigneyaha. That is the Atma that should be realized. This is the mantra in the seventh mantra. Here it is slightly changed once a person comes to know. In the seventh mantra, it should be realized. In the twelfth mantra, having done these three Upasanas, a person is supposed to have attained to that knowledge Samvisati Atmana Atmanam This is the conclusion. Now we go to a little bit of the Shankara Bhashya. Amatraha means soundless. In my last class, I mentioned soundless means silence. Silence means not that the mind is not talking or the mind is not even thinking. This is happening in the Sushupti state also. There also, it is soundless and it is also completely mind is Avyavaharya. It is not working. That is not called because that is not called silence. Why? Because after some time, again it wakes up like a tiger and goes on devouring this whole universe. But here, silence means all the world has come to an end. All thoughts of the knowledge of the world has come to an end. The mind itself becomes destroyed. Like when there is no oil, a wick itself burns itself and then ashes only remain. Here ashes also will not remain and that silence is another name for Brahma, Brahman. That silence is another name for realization, for Mukti, for Shanti, for Maunam. Ramana Maharshi used to say Maunam and Brahman are one and the same names. Naturally there is no Avyavahara etc. That is what we have to do. Now here, for this twelfth mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad, Gaudapadacharya is giving us his own karikas 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. Six karikas with this, the first chapter called Agama Prakaranam will come to an end. Now we will go to this Gaudapada but he is not telling something new. He is merely paraphrasing or rephrasing what has been explained in mantras 11 as well as 12. Omkaram. This is the karika number 24. Omkaram Padasho Vidyat Pada Matra Nasamsayaha Omkaram Padasho Matva Nakinchidapi Chintayet Omkaram Padasha Vidyat Omkara has to be completely known. Padasha means with each Pada. And what Pada are we talking about? Akara, Ukara, Makara and of course Amatra. Omkara. And what is the difference between Padas and Matras? Remember Matra is four syllables of the Omkara. Pada means four states of the Atma. Through that Upasana which we discussed earlier in greater detail. So Akara is equivalent to waking state and Vekar and Virat. Ukara is to be completely identified with Taijasa, Swapna state and Hiranyagarbha. And Makara has to be identified through Upasana with Sushupti experience with Pragna and Ishwara. If this is done what happens? So Pada, Matra, Nasamsaya without doubt. What happens without doubt? That he attains to that highest state Omkaram Padaso. Gnatva. Here earlier Vidyat. Omkaram Padaso Vidyat means here Vidya means Upasana. Doing Upasana equating the four Matras of the Omkara with the four states Padas of the Atman. Go on doing it and now that Upasana has become successful. Such a person what happens? Gnatva here is realized. Omkara and Atman there is no difference. Omkara is Saguna Brahma and Atma is Nirguna Brahma. And then He need not think. He should not think. He need not think. In fact he cannot think. The plain English meaning Omkara should be known quarter by quarter. There is no doubt that quarters are the letters of the Omkara. Having grasped the meaning of Omkara that is it is nothing but Atman pure Atman. Nothing else should be thought of. That means he must become completely silent. That means what Gaudapada is telling us students should carefully note the four equations as described earlier and between Omkara and Atma and the equations should be understood not as individually but in totality. Means I am not only Vishwa, I am Virat. I am not only Taijasa, I am Hiranyagarbha. I am not only Pragna, I am Ishwara. And in their four components then that total equation what is it? Omkara is Atma. After understanding one should practice this Vidhi Dhyasana with the Omkara Mantra. So how can we do that? Let us chant Om and then if we do the Upasana successfully we come to silence. What is silence? Pure knowledge. What is pure knowledge? I am Brahman. Again I told you this description is not given by the realiser. This description is for our sake. You have to dwell upon that knowledge that there are two components in that silence. One is the silence and the other is consciousness. This is the most important point. Silence has got two parts. The first part is the whole body mind becomes silent and there is nothing to think about because they are completely melted, merged in that Atma. But who is it that merges? Who was it that was experiencing waking? Who was it that was experiencing the dream? Who was it that was experiencing the dreamless deep sleep? That is pure consciousness. But now that pure consciousness which was bound in a way with the waking dream and dreamless now becomes free of those boundaries, boundaryless. That is called Amatra and that is how we have to practice meditation. Of course it will take God knows how many how much time. It may be definitely many many lives but it doesn't matter. But if you have faith in the scriptures, you want it in this life, come to Varanasi and give up your body. I guarantee you you will get complete Mukti by the grace of Lord Shiva. So first of all we do this meditation. After that gradually we come to silence. Thereafter we become merged in silence and that is the meaning of this 24th Karika. Thereafter one should not think means you should not think, you cannot think. First of all you have to strive not to think but after some time slowly thoughts become less and less. After that you should never think you cannot think also. That we should not think can be understood by the illustration Aptha Ko Samadhi Shri Ram Totapuri Maharaj instructed him that you remove all thoughts. Shri Ram Krishna said I can easily remove in fact the thoughts never come excepting one thought that is of my Divine Mother. No no that is also a thought that is why it is called Vritti. Brahma Aakara Vritti. Vritti means thought. Thought means you are the consciousness which is illumining that thought. Without you that thought will not be there. Cannot be there. So you have to do Nidhidhyasana upon this. You should not think anything and say what did Shri Ram Krishna do with a little help from Totapuri who found out a broken piece of glass and pressed it against forehead middle of the forehead and then Shri Ram Krishna took up the sword of discrimination and cut off that Vritti of the Divine not Divine Mother. Vritti of the Divine Mother into two and then what remained was that Vritti disappeared that silence disappeared and that pure Consciousness remains and that is what is being said here. So this is continued in the Kanika number 25. Through this Upasana Chetaha means the mind that purified, that sharpened, that concentrated mind which is endowed with Shriddha, Pranave Yunjita. Merge it completely in the Pranava. Pranava is another name for Omkara. So Yunjita, Pranavo and what is this Pranava naturally we want to know. For the first time Gaudapada is using that word Pranava. It is Omkara. What is this Pranava? Pra and Nu, Dhatu Pra Nu That means that which very specially takes us to that Infinite Brahman that is called Pranava. Not only that, it means Nitya Notana That is why Purana also it is called Nitya Notana. Pura Api Nava. Even though it is old, it is ever fresh because fresh means timelessness. Suppose there is a baby he is born and one hour passed. He has already become old. Some changes have taken place. Within one hour time the fellow who was almost like a collapsed balloon now becomes full after drinking the milk of the mother and day by day his cheeks just swell and we can see all these changes. So he is not the same old. He is new. He is ever new. That means he is changing. But Pranava means, Pura Api Nava means that there is changelessness. That means timelessness. Pranava means that which is timeless. That which takes us infallibly to that highest Brahman and that is called Pranava. So Pranave Nitya if anybody succeeds in becoming united with that Pranava. Pranava is another name for Brahman. Where did we see in the Karika 25? Pranavo Brahma Nirbhaya Pranava is none other than Brahma. And what is Brahma? Nirbhaya. Nirbhaya means Nirdwanwan. Because Bhaya means fear. In our normal vocabulary Bhaya means... Bhaya comes from only some second source. Somebody is there. Some object is there. Somebody is there and he may be my friend. There is Bhaya. I may lose him. There may be an enemy. I have fear that he may harm me. Suppose there is no person. There is an object and I may have that maybe it is a very desirable object by me. Somebody may take it away or it may get destroyed. I have fear always. I may lose it. For example my body, I fear if there is no body, there will be no fear. So I may have fear. Why? Because I may lose what I love or there is fear. There is an object and which is giving me any amount of trouble and I want to get rid of it. My fear is I may not be able to get rid of it. So if there is a beloved object, fear that I may lose it. If it is unpleasant, uncomfortable object, I may not be able to get rid of it. If it is a person who is beloved, I may lose that person. If that person is intending to harm me, I may not be able to protect myself. Fear always comes from the second. Suppose there is no object, no person, nothing is there. And that is called Ananda. Nirbhaya is another word for Ananda. That is why there is no second object in deep sleep. And that is why we get so much of happiness. That is why it is called Ananda. Ananda Maya Kosha. So that is Brahma. That is fearlessness. And he who has realized that Brahma and Pranava is one and I am through Upasana, I have become one with Pranava. I have become one with Brahma and I have become fearless. Pranave Nitya Yuktasya. One who is ever become one with Pranava Na Bhayam Vedyate Kochit. Not the least of the fear will be there. It was not there. It is not now. It will not be there in the future. This is the meaning of this Karika 25. And there is not much really to discuss but we will discuss it a little bit in our next class. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padmetayo Sritva Pranamami Mohan Mohoho May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Ramakrishna.