Pratah Smaranam Lecture 4 on 26 November 2020

Uncorrected machine transcription

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जननीम् सारदाम् देविम् रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहरमुहुहु ।।

Oṃ jananīm sāradām devīm rāmakṛṣṇam jagadgurum |

Pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuhu ||

We have almost come to the end of the first shloka in the Prathah Smarana Stotram. Prathah Smarami Hridesam Spurad Atma Tattvam Sachet Sukham Paramaham Sagathim Turiyam Yath Swapna Jagara Sushupta Mavaiti Nityam Tat Brahma Nishkalam Aham Nacha Bhoota Sanghaha We are dealing with the last line of this shloka. Tat Brahma Nishkalam Aham Nacha Bhoota Sanghaha I am that Brahman which is indivisible and not the aggregate of the five elements that this universe or this nature or the five elements Panchabhoothas is made up of.

Tat Brahma Earlier also we have seen I am not the Jagradhavastha. Yath Jagra Swapna Sushuptam Mavaiti Nityam The Atman is a witness. A witness and that which it witnesses can never be one and the same.

There is a tremendous difference, absolute division between the seer and the seen, the knower and the known and the experiencer and the experienced. Many examples I have given. If I see a tree, I am not the tree.

If I am knowing a table, I am not a table. Whatever object I see, that or I experience, that's not what I am. Then what is my nature? I am the eternal witness, Sakshi.

Usually we all go through the three states, waking, dream as well as dreamless. But I am completely a witness, that means I am not any one of these states. This is a very important Vedantic doctrine.

Whatever I see, that's not what I am. This is not a philosophical speculation but a fact of life. Whatever we experience through the five sense organs, that's not what we are.

And we also experience the body, experience the mind. Therefore, neither the body nor the mind. Then what remains? That's what I am.

I am the body, mind and soul. It is a dream. Swami Vivekananda categorically issues this statement.

You as body, mind and soul are a dream. But what you really are, existence, knowledge, bliss. And then he goes, you are the God of this universe.

Because whoever is the witness, he is that one who has nothing to do. So whatever we are witnessing is divided, finite, consisting of parts. And whatever is witnessing is just the opposite.

If the world is finite, I am infinite. If the world is divided, I am undivided. That's what this particular shloka is telling.

Nishkalam, it is indivisible, partless, whole. Ramakrishna had a wonderful experience. One day perhaps he wanted to know who was Narendranath.

So he said, my mind started ascending through the path of Samadhi. What does that mean? Means ascending one plane after the other. Like Bhrigu giving up the Annamaya Kosha, ascending to Pranamaya.

Then giving it up, ascending to Manomaya, Vijnanamaya, Anandamaya. Finally reaching. So he said, I have seen so many worlds.

And in every world, there are beings who are enjoying experiencing that particular world. Finally, I have reached that state called Akhanda. And I was surprised to see seven great Rishis absolutely still in the merged in meditation.

Now, these are mystical experiences hard to understand by people like us. How can in the indivisible world, first of all, there could be division. Here are seven Rishis meditating.

And Sri Ramakrishna says later on, I also belong to this realm. And he also issued a very strange statement. As I said, very difficult to understand.

There are places in this world where the ice becomes solidified, never melts. That means what? Even in that indivisible world, there will be certain beings who are as if manifestations of that indivisibility. And they are supposed to be rule this world.

Please do not ask me how we know. I am only quoting Sri Ramakrishna. We are all indivisible.

It means Ananta. It means infinite. Infinite is not a sum total of many, many finite things.

You cannot even talk about that it is one. That is why the double negative has to be not one. Advaita, Advaitiya, Akhanda.

These are forced terms which our Rishis were forced to use to convey what cannot really be conveyed. And by the way, it is not possible to convey even an ordinary experience. I mentioned earlier in my talks.

Suppose a person had eaten a sweet and he wants to convey it to somebody else. Supposing there are two people. He wants to convey to these two people the taste of this sweet.

One person doesn't know what is sweet. The other person has not eaten this particular sweet, but he had eaten other sweets. Maybe he has eaten a sweet fruit or he had eaten a sweet root.

You know, there are sweet roots like sweet potato, etc. And there are so many things which are quite sweet. But through the known, the unknown can be conveyed.

So you can say, did you enjoy that sweet? Is it not something different from other tastes? Yes, yes. So what I have eaten is one such kind of sweet, but far superior to whatever you have tasted. This is how knowledge can be conveyed from one person to the other person.

Through the known only, the unknown, means unexperienced thing can be conveyed. Sriram Krishna is giving voice to this that God can never be described. That's why, is he with form? Yes.

Is he without form? Yes. At the same time? Yes. At the same place? Yes.

It looks paradoxical. Now, one of the linguistic models, examples to convey certain inexpressible ideas is usage of what I call paradoxical language. We have dialectical language.

We have negative language. We have positive language. We have what we call paradoxical language.

For example, At the same time, the Atman moves. It doesn't also move. It is very near.

It is very far. It is inside. It is outside.

It is everywhere. This resembles Zen Buddhism's koans. How can you make sound, clap with one hand? It is impossible.

So, to break down the limitations of the so-called rations of the mind, these koans were designed. So, this paradoxical language, Not this. Not this.

I will give you some example of that also. So, here, Shankaracharya's very famous verse or six verses called Panchakam means a group of five shlokas. Shatka means same thing, a group of six shlokas.

Ashtakam, Bhavani, Ashtakam, a group of eight shlokas. So, how does it go? The very first verse in the Nirvana Shatka. The soul is not composed of any materials.

It is unity, indivisible. This is what Swami Vekananda says. In fact, Swami Vekananda translated this particular Nirvana Shatka.

But in another place, Swami Vekananda, he describes about our true nature, man's true nature. At the Parliament of Religions, he said it is a blasphemy to call a human being a sinner. So, he addressed a kind of initiation.

I consider it Amrutasya Putraaha. You are all children of immortality. How do we know? Because one of his disciples, Priyanatha Sinha, asks Swami Vekananda, Did you, Swami, have many disciples? He said, yes.

Will there be 500, 600? He says, more than 3000. We do not know. We have no record that he sat down, called them together and then initiated.

But then, his very classes, some people he initiated, some people he initiated into Brahmacharya in the West, some people he initiated into Sanyasa, especially two people at the Thousand Island Park. But a Rishi uttering like Ramanuja, climbing to the top of the temple, Om Namo Narayanaya, he initiated thousands of people. So also, if Ramanuja could initiate, why not Swami Vekananda? And that's what so many people's life was transformed by this kind of spiritual baptism.

In Christianity, baptism is a very important thing. Describing the Atman, and Swami Vekananda said, I have not preached anything but the Upanishads. And the Upanishads do not say anything excepting, Davat Brahman Tattvam Asi.

So here goes, what Swami Vekananda says, The soul is not composed of any materials. It is unity indivisible. Therefore it must be indestructible.

For the same reasons, it must also be without any beginning. So the soul is without any beginning, and therefore without any end. And then what is the implication of it? There is no such thing as good and bad.

They are not two different things. The same thing is good or bad, and the difference is only in degree. The very thing I call pleasurable today, tomorrow, under better circumstances, I may call it pain.

The fire that warms us can also consume us. It is not the fault of the fire. The whole universe is one.

There is only one self in the universe. Only one existence. And that one existence, when it passes through the forms of time, space and causation, is called by different names.

Buddhi, fine matter, gross matter, and all mental and physical forms. You as body and mind or soul are a dream. But what you really are is existence, knowledge, bliss.

You are the God of this universe. What are we talking about? Let us not forget. Tat Brahma.

I am that Brahman. This was what Swami Vivekananda is elaborating. We are spirit.

Spirit that has no form or shape. Spirit that is infinite and not matter. Mother, father, child, wife, body, wealth, everything I can lose, excepting myself.

Bliss in the Self. This very soul is the Self in all. So if I am the Self, if I am Brahman, Tat Brahma Nishkalam Aham Naja Bhoota Sangaha I am that Brahman.

I am not one of the parts. I am not one of the five elements. This is what Swamiji is summarizing here.

If I am the soul, what about the universe? Is it something different? Is it Asatya, non-existence? Nithya, a mere delusion? Swami Vivekananda says that is the greatest delusion to think that there are two things called the Self and the non-Self. To think that there is Self and non-Self is the greatest Nithya. Swami Vivekananda says we believe that every being is divine, is God.

Every soul is a sun covered over with clouds of ignorance. The difference between soul and soul is owing to the difference in density of these layers of clouds of ignorance. He who says he is the body is a born idolater.

That is what we are discussing here. Nishkalam. I am the indivisible.

Kala means part. The moon is called Shodasha Kalatmaka. 16 parts.

A woman who attains 16 years of age and many countries consider when a lady turns 16 it is called sweet 16 and in the heaven everybody enters there as only 16 years old. Stay there until their punya phala comes to an end as 16 years old. That's why it is called sweet 16.

Shodasha Kala. Kala means part. 16 parts means 16 years.

Nishkalam. Nish means no. No division at all.

Indivisible. Partless. Whole.

Nacha. I am not also. Bhoota Sangaha.

What is Bhoota? Pancha Bhootas. Akasha. Vayu.

Agne. Apaha. Prithivi.

The whole visible as well as invisible universe is made up of these 5 elements. The Sokshma Sarira is made up of these 5 Sokshma Bhootas which are unmixed. Apanchi.

Kruta. Sokshma Bhootaha. Whereas the gross 5 elements are mixed up with each other.

That is the only difference. I am not the Bhoota Sangha. That means I am not the body.

I am not the mind. I am not the gross body, subtle body or even the causal body. So whatever is other than these 2 bodies, gross, subtle, that is what I am.

That's why it is said I am the Yath Swapna Jagara Sushuptam Avaithi Nityam. I am the witness. So what are we discussing? We are discussing the moment you say I am not body, mind, as if there is a witness and there is something it witnesses because without something to be witnessed, there cannot be any witness.

Without Sakshya, there cannot be Sakshi. That means there are 2 realities because if the Sakshi is real, Sakshi also must be real. To remove that misunderstanding, therefore in this verse it says Nacha Bhoota Sangha I am Nishkalam, not Bhoota Sangha.

If I am not parts, then who am I? I am partless. If I am not the 5 elements, who am I? I am that infinite Brahman who appears. So the Jagat, the universe that we witness, both the gross, subtle and causal universe, it is not something different.

It doesn't exist separately. But the same one Brahman is mistaken. This is the right understanding.

We will have to always accept that in the beginning to get Viveka, Viragya, discrimination and dispassion, we have to go on detaching ourselves. So we say I am not the body, I am not the sense organs, Mano buddhi ahamkara chitta ninaham. But a time will come when I know I am infinite.

Besides the infinite, there is no finite. There is only one. So who am I? I am the Brahman.

What is its nature? That it is ever shining in my heart, always saying Aham, Aham, Soham, Prathasmarami Hridhisamsparat Atma Tattvam. Atma Tattvam means my own nature. So I have to remember I am that Brahman.

But how can I reach that state? In the first of these three verses, the nature of Brahman has been beautifully described. But we will have to come now to the second verse where it says that how can I progress doing sadhana. This is called Prameya Pramana Vichara.

The first verse says Prameya, what is to be known. The second verse as well as the third verse, it is describing Pramana. What is the Pramana? The right means of knowledge.

And let us discuss it in this second shloka. I worship when? In the morning. We also discussed what is morning, when the mind is comparatively quiet, when the body, mind are not tired, when the mind is calm but completely alert and very focused.

At that time, I wanted to worship. It has certain meanings. We will discuss about it.

I want to worship that my own nature or Brahman or if we are not that daring, Saguna Brahma or Ishta Devata. How? Manasa, Vachasa, through the mind and also through the words. Agamyam is not possible either for the mind or for the speech.

It is not reachable. It is not describable. It is not even thinkable, imaginable, experienceable.

But without which, without the grace of which, it is impossible for the body-mind complex even to function. All sorts of speech. Speech means what here? If we analyze, when you want to talk, you will have to think first.

First comes a thought even when you are not aware of it. That's why we say sometimes slip of the tongue. What does it mean? It means there is a thought but you are not paying attention to it.

Whatever we have to say or do, it starts in a very subtlest form and that subtlest form has got two names in Sanskrit. One is called vritti or vibration, thought formation. Another is called pratyaya, an idea.

For example, suppose suddenly you see a table. The moment you see the table, you recognize there is a table. The table is outside.

That is called existence. But you recognize it, cognize it. Why do we say recognize? First time, what is that? Someone explains, this is called a table.

Ever since that time, you keep it in memory. Second time when you see, what do you see? You recognize. Cognize first time.

Recognize every time thereafter. So you say this is a table. But that is in the form of thought.

So thought and first. Then it becomes a speech. Even when you do not talk about it, but you talk to yourself.

I want to go and place something on the table. There is a nice chair. I wish to go and sit on it.

There is a nice sweet. I would like to go and eat it. This is how it starts in a very subtlest form, in the form of vritti or thought.

And then it goes and then expresses in the form of speech. And then actual physical action follows. And the results of physical actions also follow.

But before I think, what is that that comes? I think. I speak. I act.

That I, I, I, that is what is being described here. By the presence of which. Here anugraha means presence.

The very existence of it. Anugraha. Or it is in the devotee's language kripa.

Because God exists, I exist. Because Brahman exists, I exist. Because Brahman is knowledge, I know.

Because Brahman is of the form of bliss, so I have happiness. And sometimes I have less happiness, which is called unhappiness or dukkha. Sukha and dukkha are not two separate things.

Less sukha is dukkha. Less dukkha is sukha. That's all we have to say.

Only by the presence of which, which is there already before any activity can take place. All the speech, it comes out. It is expressed.

Whatever it is. And speech is of two types. One is external.

You speak, I listen. Another is internal. So 24 hours a day, excepting during the deep sleep, Sushupti time, we go on either talking with ourselves or talking with somebody else.

Here, there is a beautiful Sandhi. Avocam is when Sandhi comes. When the two vowels come together, that conjunction is called Sandhi.

When this Sandhi comes, it becomes Avocam. But if you split it, Avocam. They speak.

This is a plural. Why is it plural? Nigama Vedas. Vedas are speaking.

Because that is only Pramana. What are they saying? You want to describe anything in this world? You can describe more or less. You want to describe Brahman? There is no way.

Excepting one way. What is that? Is this? No. Is that? No.

Ramakrishna's help we will take. He gives a beautiful example. Such a telling example from day to day experiences.

There was a girl. She was married. And one day, her husband had come.

And he brought many friends. They were all sitting and talking. And this girl, along with her friends, was watching from within the room.

Now the other girls did not know who was the husband. So they point out. Is that your husband? She says no.

Is that the other one? No. The other one? No. Finally, they come to the fellow and they have to say Is that the one? Just mark Ramakrishna's expression.

She doesn't say anything. She doesn't even say no. Not this.

Not this. Simply, she keeps quiet bending her head down. And her face is a little bit shy and flushed.

The others understand. Oh! That is her husband. Such a beautiful description.

And this is the finest description. Ramakrishna also gives another description. But which is a little bit more gross, I have to say.

He says, Imagine, it is midday. The sun is shining. There are ten pots full of water.

And how many suns are there? One real and ten reflections. One pot is broken. How many suns are there? Nine reflections and one real sun.

Supposing, nine pots are broken. How many suns are there? One real and one reflected sun. Suppose, the last pot is broken.

How many suns are there? And this otherwise man, he goes on talking. Oh! There is one real sun. Because all the pots are broken.

All the reflections are gone. Ramakrishna acts, comes down. He says, No.

Because, who is asking? One of the reflected suns is asking. Who is replying? One of the reflected suns. With the destruction of the last pot, who is there to ask? And who is there to reply? So, you cannot even say, it is one.

That's why, this Advaita Advaita is a double negative. Is it Dvaita? No. Not Dvaita.

So, Advaitiya. Is it second one? No. It is, there is no second one besides it.

Akhanda. Such expressions are there. So, Yat Neti Neti Vachanaihi Nigamaha means Vedas Avacham They express.

How many times? Once? No. 100 times? No. How many times? Millions of times.

All the scriptures tell is only about that. Tam Then, what am I supposed to do? I cannot think about him. Yes, you can think about him.

It is limited thinking. But, you can think about him. You can speak about him.

And, you can also worship him. Go on pilgrimage etc. So, you can do it.

Therefore, he says, Tam Devadevam Ajam Achutham Ahuhu Agriyam There are sages, intelligent, guides and they know our condition. If we say something is indescribable, then, it is tantamount to saying it is non-existence. Because, one of the important things that we have to understand is somebody at some time must experience something.

Then only, we come to know something is existing. Perhaps, there is something. Maybe, after billion billion years or light years, somebody experiences it and says, yes, yes, there it is.

Either through telescope or a microscope or some scope or ultimately Vedanta scope. So, what do they say? There is something is existing. If something is existing, it must be experienceable by somebody either in the past, present or in the future.

If nothing, if somebody says there is something and nobody experiences it, then, that is a false statement. That means, such a thing doesn't exist. So, this is important to keep.

There are some people who understand our condition and say, ok, my children, Saumya, you do not need to worry about all these descriptions. You know, you worship Rama, yes, yes. Krishna, yes, yes.

Chaitanya, yes. Jesus, yes. Buddha, yes.

Allah, yes. He is the Parabrahma, but worship him now. Worship always involves a dualism, the worshipper and the worshipped.

So, tam deva devam ajam. But remember, you cannot say God is born. Even though you are worshipping him, he is unborn.

But, for the sake of meditation, contemplation, worship or even doing stotram to him, we have to imagine. That's why Swami Vekananda gave a good blow to one of the Rajasthan Maharajas. He said, should people not be told that they should not worship idols? Immediately, Swamiji, you remember that incident, most of you, he asked the minister, you bring down that painting which was hanging there and spit on it.

How dare a person could speak? Only Swami Vekananda could get away with it because he was so powerful. In the presence of a Raja in those days who had the power of life and death to say, I say, spit upon it in public, in front of everybody, in front of the Raja, spit on the painting of your own father. How dare anybody can do it? Then, Swamiji made an impression on the Raja, look here, your highness, this is nothing but a piece of paper with some drawing upon it.

But by looking at it, people do not think this is a piece of paper with some writing upon it, painting upon it. They see the likeness of your father, remember him and respect him, revere him and bow down their heads. So also when a man bows down in front of a piece of stone or piece of photograph, picture or an icon, etc., they are not worshipping.

These are called Upasanas, Vidyas. Then the king hopefully, I hope he understood, but he refrained from asking any silly question. He asked also another silly question.

Instead of living life like me and you, why did you become a monk? And then Swamiji, instead of answering, he put opposite question. Why do you go on hunting instead of performing your duties? Then he said, oh, I think I enjoy it. Swamiji said, yes, for the same reason, I enjoy being a monk.

That's why I have taken to the monk. Of course, he did not explain. It is not for his enjoyment.

Swamiji was born for our sake. He became a monk so that we understand that ultimately Moksha is only Paramapurushartha and Sanyasa is the ultimate stage of life in spiritual growth. That what every Hindu must know ultimately, we have to become monks in course of time.

Anyway, coming back that you worship Deva. Deva means he who is the originator of every celestial being by implication the human beings, non-human beings, living things, non-living things, everything but do not compare him. Oh, I have got my parents so they are mortal.

I am also mortal. So, if my originator Deva, he is because I am mortal, he is also mortal. This is called reverse engineering.

No sir, he is Ajam, he is unborn and he is Achyuta. Achyuta means to deviate from one's nature. What is the nature of Brahman? It is indivisible, infinite, unborn, Ajam, Nityam, Shashvatayam, Puranam, all these epithets we have to remember from the Bhagavad Gita at least and Kata Upanishad.

Achyuta means to deviate, to slip down, fall down from one's true nature. In fact, nobody can slip down from one's true nature. What about me? I also cannot fall down.

Then you say I am a human being. Yes, he is like a person who says I am Napoleon. He has never become Napoleon.

He is only cherishing a wrong concept idea in his mind but everybody knows this is not Napoleon, this is so and so. So, a realized soul knows we are that Brahman, we are nothing else, we are unborn, we are also Achyutas, we are also Anantas, we are also the witness to all the three states. In other words, I am that Brahman, I am partless, divisionless.

Agriyam means the cause of this delusion. Remember, in Advaita Vedanta, we don't accept God is the cause and the universe is the what we call the effect, but we explain it through the popular analogy. The snake never is born, really, it appears.

This theory is called Vivartavada. So, there are two theories about creation, Parinamavada. All dualists cling to this Parinamavada.

God really, in truth, transforms into this world. These are called dualists who claim such a thing, but no Advaitin worth his salt ever says God has become this world, that means the unborn has become born, infinite has become finite, and the all blissful has become a mixture of happiness and unhappiness. It is unacceptable for all rationality.

So, we say it appears, that means really, Brahman is not a cause, this world is not an effect. This relationship is totally destroyed, but for the beginning, as I explained many times in Katha, as well as Mundaka Upanishad, you have to understand, because your relationship, your identity of yourself depends upon your parents. If your parents are Brahmanas, you are a Brahmana.

If parents are what is called divine beings, you are a divine being. That's why Amrutasya Putra, you are children of immortality. So, I am Agriyam, means the foremost, the original, but these explanations are from the Advaitic viewpoint, you worship your Ishta Devata and like you know, for example, Krishna, you say, is incarnation of Vishnu and Vishnu is an incarnation of Ishvara.

Ishvara is a modification of that Parabrahma. That is how we trace these things, Guru Parampara. So, you worship Him.

Tam, Deva, Devam, Ajam, Achyutam, Ahu, Agriyam. So, what are we supposed to do? Pratar, Bhajami. It is not Upadesha, instruction for you.

It is an instruction for each one of us. We have to say early in the morning when the mind is very quiet, I will have to remember, I have to worship my Lord only through His grace, I am going to move forward. It is just like as we say, our Ishta Devata is as we keep a big mirror and then correct ourselves.

Our Ishta Devata is to correct ourselves. How come? Earlier, in one of my talks, I explained there are four stages of spiritual progress gradually that through meditation, contemplation. What are they? Nama Dhyana, Rupa Dhyana, Guna Dhyana and Swarupa Dhyana.

Easiest thing for us is close your eyes and with one pointed mind repeat your mantra. This is called Nama Dhyana. It is also called Japa Dhyana.

Then a little more labor is required. Then you have to imagine, for example, if you have to meditate upon Sri Ramakrishna then imagine the, take the photograph of Sri Ramakrishna and go on staring at him for sometime. Close your eyes and go on reproducing that same form in the mind in the beginning.

Later on that form also has to be made alive because in the photo we see only a dead form. That dead form must be made to come out alive and it will come alive during the course of our spiritual progress. So, first the Nama will be going on even unconsciously then the form that impinges itself upon everything that we see.

This was the experience of Kuntanath Sanyal on 1st January 1886. Sri Ramakrishna touched him as a result of that divine touch. He started seeing Sri Ramakrishna on the earth, in water, in the objects that he was witnessing.

This is only on the way to spiritual identity. Afterwards, when we become a little better in this Rupa Dhyana then we realize we have so many defects and to remove these defects, these defects are called Vigunas, defective qualities. We have to make them Sagunas.

In the Bhagavad Gita, we get these Vigunas and also Sagunas. Daivi Sampath, Daiva, Asuri Sampath, divine characteristics and demonic characteristics. Beautifully described and all of us have got these demonic qualities.

How do we know? Because if we have only spiritual qualities, we would have been realized souls long back and more important what is the Pramana? Proof that you would not have attended my class if you are realized souls. So, we have to remember Guna Dhyana. What does it mean? That is where Patanjali Yogi comes to our aid.

Pratipaksha Bhavanam. If someone is a miser, remember this God is an ocean of compassion and giver of everything to his children. If somebody is restless, God is just like a deep ocean immovable.

The figures of Lord Buddha as well as Swami Vivekananda in meditation remind us what is the true state of meditation. That is if somebody has got short temper then one should be like that Brahmana. There is a Brahmana Gita in the Bhagavatam.

People spit on him, they go on throwing stones upon him, they abuse him, sometimes they beat him but he remains ever safe. I have done something wrong, I am only reaping the prarabdha, sorry not Brahmana Gita, Bhiksha Gita. Bhiksha Gita is there.

Like that we have to think Pratipaksha Bhavana means whatever quality we want to acquire we have to meditate God as the embodiment of that quality only when we want to get rid of its opposite either anger, short temperedness, miserliness, restlessness or hatred or envy etc. This is called Guna Dhyana and when we succeed to some extent then only we are taught this is what is called in Advaitic language Sadhana Chatushtaya Sampatti only then Brahma Jignasa has to come Athato Brahma Jignasa then what is that Brahman then Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma Truth what is called Truth Ultimate Truth Absolute Truth or Jnanam Absolute Knowledge and Infinity which is in Puranic language translated as Sat Chit and Ananda this is called Swaroopalakshana one has to meditate first on Sat then on Chit then on Ananda this is called the proper way of progressing in spiritual life and a time will come when we progress and the mind has only one vritti that is called Brahmakara Vritti and that assumes the form of Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma and then there is only one stage more and that can be done only by the grace of God as the Upanishad describes on whomsoever the Atman is pleased to him it reveals its own true nature this is what Sri Ramakrishna has come to say without God's grace nobody can progress in spiritual life this is the meaning of this second verse Prathah Bajami Manasa Vachasa Magamyam Vacho Vibhantini Khila Yadanugrahena Yenneti Neti Vachanaihi Nigamaha Avocan Tam Devadevam Ajam Achutam Ahuhu Agriyam it is a beautiful word this word Bhaja and Bhaja has got many meanings one of the meaning is Bhaja Sevayam Seva means if I am a devotee whatever I do I serve the divine Lord so that is what we get in the second verse of the everyday we sing Omrim Ritam Bhakti Bhagascha Bhajanam Bhava Bhedakari Bhakti means devotion Bhagaha means knowledge Bhajana what is that Bhajana Sevaha Nishkama Karma Yoga Karma Yoga is indicated by Bhaja Sevayam and then there is also this beautiful word Vacho Vibhanti Nikhila Yadanu Grahena by whose presence by whose very existence first all the activities of the mind speech and body are possible that is what Swami Vivekananda everyday we sing that one in the hymn Khandana Bhava Bandhana what do we say Namo Namo Prabhu Vakya Mana Adhita so Enneti Neti Vachanai Nigamaha Ocham so it is not possible for the mind as well as for the speech and that means actions also without the Ashraya without the Adhishtana without the very presence of that Atman and but that is what he says Namo Namo Prabhu Vakya Mana Adhita Mana Vachana Ek Adhar he is the only resort he is the only support for the mind to think for the mouth to speak and for the sense organs to function but he is beyond beyond means what only in his presence in the presence of pure consciousness, it is possible to think. First comes I. I means pure consciousness, pure awareness.

Then only comes everything else, the mind, the speech, the actions. The whole life of man can be divided into thinking, speaking and acting. So this is every day we have to remind but here not only morning, in the evening only at the Vesper service we do this thing Namo Namo Prabhu Vakya Mano Ateetha.

Vakya Mano Ateetha. Mana Vachana Ek Adhaar. Jyoti Rajyoti Kujjala Hridi Kandhara.

Tumi Tama Bhanjana Haar. That is what we are taking. There is a famous Vakya, Mahavakya called Yagnivalkya.

This teaching of Yagnivalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad we get Neti Neti. That soul is not this, not this, not this. What does it? Twice what does it mean? First not this means nothing to do with the gross world, gross body and second time he says Neti Neti.

That's why he has employed it twice. Not anything that can be done by the mind, neither by the gross body nor by the subtle body. Of anything there is no body, it is mind.

So Yagnivalkya is describing the self. It is imperceptible because it is never perceived. It is indestructible because it is never destroyed.

It is unattached because it doesn't attach itself and it is unfettered because it cannot be fettered. It's beyond suffering and injury. That's why it is described as Neti Neti, not this, not this.

This doctrine of Neti Neti suggests the indescribability of the Brahman. Absolute Yagnivalkya attempts to define Brahman as not definable. Therefore it is described as Neti Neti, Naiti Naiti.

And in the Taittiriya also the same idea is echoed. He who knows the bliss of Brahman, whence all worlds together with the mind turn away, unable to reach it, such a person attains fearlessness because there is nothing, no second object for him to fear. This is the simple meaning.

Let us worship the Saguna Brahma, our Ishta Devata, so that by his grace we can go beyond this body and mind and we can become one. We can never experience Brahman but we can become one with that Brahman which is none other than my own Tattvam, Atma Tattvam. With this we will conclude the second verse also.

We have discussed it in our next class which is day after tomorrow. We will be talking about the last verse.

Oṃ jananīm sāradām devīm rāmakṛṣṇam jagadgurum |

Pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuhu ||

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti.