Svetasvatara Upanishad Lecture 14 on 16 April 2023

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM PRAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU OM SAHANAVAVATU SAHANAVUBHUNATU SAHAVIRYAM KARAVAVAHE YASVINAVADHITAMASTUMA VIDVISHAVAHE OM SHANTE SHANTE SHANTE HARE OM OM May Brahman protect us both. May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge. May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge. May what we both study reveal the truth. May we cherish no ill will towards each other. OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL We have been studying the second chapter of the Shweta Shwetara Upanishad. The first chapter outlines Tattvam and Purushartha. What is the truth? We are all Brahman. So what should be the goal of life? To know that we are Brahman. And the second chapter, it focuses upon the sadhana, also technically called Hita. Tattva, Purushartha and Hita. And here, as we discussed earlier, Shweta Shwetara Upanishad takes a good deal of help, a big chunk of help from Patanjali's Yoga Shastra. In fact, Bhagavad Gita takes a lot of help from it. Some other Upanishads also do take. And this proves to us that Patanjali, especially the Raje Yoga, because Patanjali Maharshi was also famous for commenting on the Sanskrit grammar called Mahabhashya. We are not sure whether they are the same people, but it doesn't matter. Without any craving for name and fame, they want to do good to the world, whatever they know, through their personal experience, they want to propagate to others. As we have seen in our last class, when there is a Rishi who realized God and he knows what a marvelous place it is and he wants that message to spread, so he declares with a loud voice, whoever you are, a Devata, a Rakshasa or a human being, it doesn't matter. You want to obtain that immortality, then there is a way out. What is the way out? How did I obtain that realization? By knowing that Purusha completely, thoroughly. And what does it mean? It means there is no second Purusha, there is no other Purusha, I am that Brahman. And everyone is also the same Brahman. We are all one Brahman. And without accepting this knowledge, there is no other way. And that is what is the declaration of the Rishi. So how to realize that one? So here Patanjali Yoga Sutras have been taken. In our last class, we have seen in our last two mantras that there is a beautiful harmony. There are many paths. Gnana Marga, Raja Yoga Marga, Karma Yoga Marga in one shloka. And in the last shloka, it is the Bhakti Yoga. Without Bhakti, one cannot realize it. Then we have seen how to realize it? That you have to sit and meditate. And there are certain rules, regulations with regard to meditation. What are they? The head, neck and back or the face, throat and chest should be kept straight and breathed evenly. And that also indicates Tri-Prunatam Sthanam. It also is interpreted in a spiritual way by combining Gnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga. It is also interpreted that we have to keep a harmony of three bodies. The physical body, the subtle gross body, subtle body and causal body. Or we must develop that tremendous control over our thoughts, over our speech and over our actions. Yoga is possible only when we truly control our body, mind, make it pure and very beautiful expression. When we succeed and really can make our body, mind pure. Purity means getting rid of worldly samskaras and developing spiritual samskaras. What happens if our aim is not very high? We get tremendous joy. I discussed about it that Ananda is the fourth obstacle for perfection in spiritual life. And most of the time that is where many people get stuck. If at all they reach that state. But then the same thing is continued. But in the yogic language, Patanjali, Rajayogic, Ashtanga Marga language, but we can give it a beautiful meaning. Now before I proceed further, very briefly I want to remind ourselves. Swami Vivekananda has translated Patanjali Yoga Sutras and before that he gives a beautiful introduction. What is this Prana and what is its relationship with Akasha? Because Akasha stands for the Atman. Prana stands for the energy. Akasha stands for Purusha and Prana stands for Prakruti. When both these are combined, this entire universe results. But Prakruti has got three variations. One can be having an animal nature or human nature or a spiritual nature depending upon which guna is dominant. So our goal in life is naturally to climb, to evolve from Tamoguna to Rajoguna, from Rajoguna to Satvaguna and get out of even Satvaguna because even Satvaguna as Ramakrishna gave in his beautiful parable to three robbers. It is also one of the robbers, but a very noble robber who takes us to the very edge of our spiritual life, to the edge of God, nearer to God. But it cannot come because Prakruti means duality and duality is not the ultimate truth. So Ramakrishna explains beautifully and this separation or I would rather put it this way, we are perceiving one reality as two, Prakruti and Purusha. We must get rid of that wrong notion. Prakruti is also God, Purusha is also God. How do we know that what I am saying is right? Because refer back to the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. There he says Prakruti is what I call Apara Prakruti. It is my lower nature whereas Jivatma is the higher nature. Actually there is no separation like Sankhya Yoga. They are not two opposed or inimical principles. Both are eternal and there cannot be two eternal principles. And there are also two eternities cannot go on quarreling with each other. But eternity, infinity is one and what appears to be Purusha to the mind, viewed through the prism of the mind, appears as Prakruti, another word. This world, Jagat is another name for Prakruti. Maya is another word. Avidya is another word. Duality is another word. We must know our nature to be non-dual, infinite. One without a second, Advaitam. And that is the goal of every path. Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga or Karma Yoga. In this Svetasvatara Upanishad, the Rishi Svetasvatara realized his soul. Just like Ramakrishna, he is declaring throughout the world there are many paths and you take help of any path that suits you. Important point is to progress forward and that is the only thing. In my last class, while dealing with the eighth mantra, I promised that there are inner meanings for Pranayama. Swami Vivekananda, he said Pranayama is not control of the mere Prana. Prana is only the manifestation of the body, of the sense organs as well as of the mind. And the easiest venue to control this Prana is by controlling the ingoing and outgoing breath. Incoming and outgoing breath. This is popularly known as Pranayama. But that's not the real purpose. The purpose of Pranayama is to control the mind. And why do we want to control the mind? Because it is the mind which creates either bondage or liberation. Both are vrittis, ideas in the mind. We are never bound. We are not going to be bound because bondage is not our nature. Freedom is our nature. And to bind, there must be something else. And besides Paramatma, Brahman, there is nothing else. So Swami Vivekananda says Pranayama is to control the Prana. And in our Upanishads, we get other meanings. Prana means sense organs. Prana means body. Prana means mind. So by controlling the Prana, we control our sense organs, our body. What is the controlling? Controlling means purification. What is purification? To see things in the right way. And when we acquire that power to see things in the right way, then we see that there is nothing else except Vishnu. He who is all-pervading, that means like Akasha. If we say Akasha is all-pervading, everything is Akasha. You see a brick, that is an Akasha. You see a house, that is Akasha. You see man, woman, mosquito, a mouse, everything is nothing but Mahakasha. How do we come to that understanding? I have explained umpteen number of times. So this Akasha is the product of Atman. Akasha manifests as air. Air again further grossifies into fire, Agni. Agni grossifies into water. Water grossifies into earth. And earth gives the entire, what we call the entire cosmos, our food, our body, our mind, our bones, our nerves, everything including our mind is the product of Panchabhutas. Five gross elements, five subtle elements. What we call our personality is nothing but a combination of these. Therefore, who is the great, great, great, great grandfather of the earth? It is the Akasha. So a pot is Akasha, a tree is Akasha, a house is Akasha, an animal is Akasha, anything living, non-living, everything is nothing but Akasha. So that is how we come to know the whole thing is nothing but Atman or Brahman. For that purpose, Pranayama can help us even to make our mind calm and quiet and thereby our concentration will increase, our understanding will increase, our Shraddha will increase. All these are the benefits which are outlined in this ninth mantra. प्राणान्प्रपेड्यः संयुक्तचेष्टः ख्षीणे प्राणे नाशकयु उच्छसीथ तुस्ताश्युक्तमिवः वाहं एनम् विद्वान्मनोः धारयेत अप्रमत्थः What does it mean? Moderate and disciplined in all his activities. The wise person regulates his breath in the seat of meditation and when the breath has become gentle, that means when the mind becomes quiet, he breathes out through the nostrils. And what happens? Like controlling a chariot drawn by wild horses, he holds the mind single-pointed and alert. That is what it means. प्राणान्प्रपेड्यः रिगुल्प्रिपेड्यः usually means, if you know Sanskrit, a torturing. Here it is not torturing, here not पिडण, but here it is controlling, regulating. Then संयुक्त चेष्टः The whole energy becomes completely harmonized, संयुक्त. Then क्षीने प्राणे Then what happens when the mind becomes regulated? When the sense organs become regulated, what happens? क्षीने प्राणे So प्राणा becomes, क्षीना here means again, a wrong meaning can be there. That is when the प्राणा is on the last minute verge of departing. No, no, that is not the meaning. क्षीने प्राणे means the breathing becomes absolutely elongated, deep, rhythmic with a calm and quiet mind, a calm and quiet mind and a regular breathing. They go together. Observe a sleeping man. So how rhythmic the breathing will be. Of course, if you are fortunate to get a person who is doing orchestra with his nostrils, then you can understand regularly the stomach is rising up and falling down. So there is a tremendous rhythm is there. You can practice some thala there when you are singing there. When the breathing in and out becomes very calm, mind becomes calm. When mind becomes calm, the breathing becomes very even, long and rhythmic. And they are completely harmonized that way. So if the mind is calm, automatically the breath is regulated. But if we find ourselves overcome by emotions, karma, krodha, etc., we can do a bit of pranayama and it must be accompanied by proper instruction and supervision by a great teacher who knows what he is talking. But without a teacher, for a few minutes, we can practice rhythmic breathing and that will be very good actually. Kshine prane means when the breath becomes very gentle, non-hesitating. Nashak yoho uchwa setha, then slowly prolong that process of breathing in and breathing out, deep, slow, rhythmic. These are the three rules. What happens then? What is the result? Dushta ashvayukta meva vahanam. Supposing there is a chariot and untrained horses are yoked to it. So this is our normal condition without pranayama, without spiritual practice. But when we start practicing, just like all these untrained... Dushta means wild, not evil, but wild. Wild means untrained. These untrained horses slowly have to be brought under control. And that is what are these horses here, the sense organs and the thoughts of the mind, which are running after sense objects. So all sense organs try to pull us towards sense objects. But slowly we have to bring them under control. Violent means it is completely forbidden. It takes time. You cannot become a Yogi in one day. There is a chance you can become a rogi, a great chance, in one minute, but not a Yogi, not even a bhogi. What do I mean? Bhogi means a person who wants to enjoy. You want to enjoy some nice sweet or ice cream. You must give sufficient time. If you want to have a cool drink, you must, in an appropriate place, give sufficient time. Don't go on gada gada like that, lift up the bottle, and then drown yourself or your stomach. Not like that. If you want to enjoy, then everything needs sufficient time. And our ancient people tell us always, every mouthful should be chewed 32 times. And how boring it is, we all know about it. I don't advocate 32 times, but don't go on swallowing it. So what I am trying to tell you, slowly through this practice of Yoga, and practice of Yoga means really controlling body and mind. Controlling body and mind means slowly bringing them, making them pure. And when they are pure, something magical happens. I will come to that point, the Upanishad itself comes to the point, a little bit later. So this Pranayama really means complete spiritual practice, not merely breathing in and out. So if we do it, slowly the body becomes pure, the sense organs become pure, which are here compared to untrained horses, and our mind goes only to what is good. That means discrimination is developed. That means what is not suitable, what is not for our welfare, that slowly we are able to give it up by the practice of spiritual disciplines. And such a person who practices with patience and with infinite willpower, such a person is called Vidwan. A Vidwan is not a person. Vidwan means a wise person. It doesn't mean here in this context, because if a person has become Vidwan, he did not do, he had already reached the goal. But here a person who would like to become a Vidwan, then Manaha, so he has to keep an eye upon the mind, dharayeta apramattaha, without forgetting, without letting the mind slip. Mostly our thoughts are done unconsciously. Somehow we have developed that habit, including japa, dhyana, etc. We should be very careful. Are you reading a book? Read with alertness. Are you talking with somebody? Talk with alertness. Are you listening to a talk? Listen with alertness. Are you eating food? Eat with alertness. Whatever we do, are you sitting? Don't go on moving your hands, feet, etc. And this is the aspect that Zen Buddhism places most importance upon. So sometimes the beginners become a little bit confused, but you observe your breath. So what they advocate has nothing to do with breath, but you start with breath, observing, not controlling like pranayama, but just observing the power of observation as a witness, as a sakshi, and with full alertness is what is meant. That's why that is one of the ways to become enlightened. I would say that is the only method. There is no other method. Consciously we don't progress towards spiritual life. The more we become conscious, the more we develop progress in spiritual life. And when this consciousness becomes unbroken, that is called Atma Sakshatkara or Brahma Sakshatkara. For that purpose, we have to moderate all our activities. That is why it is called Sanyukta Cheshtaha. It is not possible, as Bhagavad Gita says, युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसो युक्तस्वप्नअभोधस्य योगः भवति दुखः Otherwise, नात्यश्णतस्त्योगवस्ति नचेखान्तम् नर्ष्णतः The person who eats too much, the person who doesn't eat at all, the person who is completely running after activities, and the person who doesn't do anything. For such a person, what is called progress in spiritual life is completely barred. It must be golden mean. That is what he meant. So Pranayama, the control of the breath by regulating, inhaling, exhaling, and it is a science and it can be done. And Swami Vivekananda wanted to learn it from a Yogi called Pavahari Baba. Sairam Krishna became jealous and he did not allow him to progress in that path. That is a different issue. So we have to be careful. Don't call when you are doing Pranayama, Sairam Krishna, who knows what he is going to do to you. What it means is that Swami Vivekananda had a different mission. And he was a perfected Yogi even by birth. He doesn't need to waste his time in all those things. He had a mission to accomplish. And Sairam Krishna said that you be about your job and you don't need all those things at all. So Bhagavad Gita also tells, shutting out all external contacts and fix the gaze in between the eyebrows, equalizing the outgoing and incoming breath, moving along with the nostrils, senses, mind and intellect ever controlled, having liberation as his supreme goal, free from desire, fear and anger, that spiritual practitioner will become very soon one with Brahman and becomes liberated forever. So we have also seen how a person for meditation should be able to sit and calm and quiet and without looking here and there, etc. So all Pranayama practice starts with breathing out. They are called Pura. And then breath is taken in called Puraka, filling up. And then you throw it out. It is called Rechaka. And you retain it within. It is called Kumbhaka. And most of us, we know, Swamiji also indicates to eight and four like that. But for the moment, it is not necessary. However, the simplest and harmless form is to observe our natural process of breathing. This also can result in a concentrated, pure and subtle mind. That is Pranavikshana. Just observe. By observing, the Pranayama effect will come slowly. Because you are dividing yourself into two, not identifying with the emotions, so you are making the body separate from yourself. And that is how the body becomes less agitated. That means if you don't poke your nose, the body can very well look after itself. But we poke. I require this. Remember here, the body never says, I require Rasagullas. It is only the mind which says, I require Rasagullas. Some things are needed by the body, definitely. Proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, a few essential things to produce energy are needed. But Rasagullas and pickles are not part of its regime. So we have to do many things. What are the things? Pranayama is not meant just for the sake of Pranayama. After Pranayama, we have to do Pratyahara. What is Pratyahara? When our mind is again and again going and sitting on a particular object, that means we are terribly attached to that object. But our goal is to think about God. Therefore, every time it goes and sits, we should observe and pull it back and make it face in the direction of the Divine Lord. This process of withdrawal is the very first process and it is called Pratyahara. Ahara means pull it back. Where? Prati, towards God. Then, after Pratyahara is over, then it has to be put because the mind cannot tolerate laziness or inertness. It is restless. And if it has to be quieted, then it has to be given its job, some work. Because restlessness means I want to do something. Then turn it towards God. That is called Dharana. Dharana means just even for a few seconds, keep the mind completely focused upon the subject. Then again it will run away. Bring it again through Pratyahara. Fix it to Dharana. Slowly Pratyahara makes us succeed in Dharana. Dharana means concentration. And then Dharana leads to Dhyana, meditation. What is meditation? Prolonged concentration is called meditation. And meditation leads us to that one-pointedness. And when we succeed in it, first we attain what yogis call Savikalpa Samadhi, where I am there, God is there. But very soon there comes a state where there is neither God nor I. Whatever is, is there. It is impossible to describe because there is no person to describe and there is no person to be described to. And that is called Nirvikalpa Samadhi. This is what is indicated here. Controlling the senses. One has to practice. Regulation of breath, etc. The purpose of the Pranayama, because so many people think they can also get Siddhis, special types of powers, like Akashagamana, etc. Can one get? Yes. Because Ramakrishna had proved definitely one can do it. But that is not the purpose. The only purpose of life is to go to God. There is no other way. In this context, Swami Vivekananda definitely tells, before Pranayama is attempted, what is called Nadi Shodhana, that is the nervous system, should be purified. For that purpose, one has to practice regulated breathing in and out. As I mentioned, slowly, deeply, slowly, and rhythmically. Of course, controlling what type of food, how much food we have to eat, which is suitable for us. Everything falls in place only when we observe that one. So, once some progress is made, and the body becomes quiet, the mind becomes quiet, that means it is capable, and it is eagerly looking forward to think of God, and it gets a lot of joy in thinking about God. One has to find out. So, our Yoga Shastras go to enormous lengths to indicate what type of Asana, what type of place. Both, not only a place, but how the place should be, what type of atmosphere should be there, is beautifully outlined. That is what we will see. We are going to see in the Mantra 10. What is a good place to sit for meditation? So, the Mantra 10 says, Samay Shuchav Sarkara Vahini Valuka Ivarjite Shabda Jala Ashraya Adibihi Mano Anukule Natu Chakshu Pedane Guha Nivata Ashrayane Prayo Jayate These are the rules and regulations. We need not go too deep into it. There is no need for that. Samay Shuchav The place where we want to sit, spread our Asana and sit, should be uniform, not up and down. Shuchav, it must be a clean place. If it is a dirty place, and the dirty smell is coming not only in that place, but nearby places also, it is not going to help us. So, the place should be free from certain things, especially three things. Sarkara means pebbles. You know, so many small pieces of stones will be there. And if it is full of that, and you may step, your feet may step on them, and then sometimes they are very sharp, and they can even injure. Blood can come. In any case, spreading an Asana on such a place is definitely not convenient for sitting. As it were, as it is, we are so much disturbed by even if everything is first class. But if all these things also go against our grain, then we will be suffering more. So, pebbles should not be there. Not only that, we should not be having a lot of burning things, fire, smoke, etc. Because the smoke can cause terrible smell, etc. Then, Valuka. What is this Valuka we are talking about? Sand. Even sand should not be there. So, sand should not be there. Pebbles should not be there. Fire should not be there. Smoke should not be there. Bad smell should not be there. But is that all? No. Then, Shabda, Jala, Asha, etc. The place should be completely free from Shabda. So, some types of Shabdas will come. And the Shabdas can disturb us. Maybe we are looking for that Shabda. We don't want to meditate. We can take advantage. Oh, I could not meditate because these damned frogs are making noise, crickets are making noise, or birds are making noise, etc. No, it is better to have no sound at all, as much as possible. Then, there will be Jala, Asha, etc. Suppose, nearby some wetland is there, some river is flowing, especially if you go to the Himalayas, the sound when the water is falling from the upper region to the lower region is terrible. Of course, some people say that Omkara Shabda is being made by the constant fall of that water. It may be true for a short time, but unless a Yogi is quite well advanced in spiritual practice, this is not a very helpful thing at all. So, it should be free from any type of sounds and it should not be wet. And then, Adi Vihi means any type of disturbance. This is the general rule that anything that can distract our mind from thinking about God, that should be avoided so far as it is possible. And then, here I have to add something. Nowadays, we are living in modern times and then, it is not difficult at all. It is slightly expensive, but I am sure many people can afford it. Just make one small room air-conditioned. That means, you know, like sound recordings are done where no sound can penetrate. So, if you can afford to do it, just one small room where you can sit comfortably. I am not even talking about worshipping, but just where you can sit. Some people reported to me even that noiselessness disturbs them terribly. One has to get accustomed, but if one can do it, it will be very, very useful. Let there be a billion sounds outside, but this place, as long as we sit for meditation, can be extremely helpful. Not only that, Mano Anukule Nathu Chakshu Pedane When you look at it, it is so horrible. Horrible sights are being seen, horrible sounds are coming, and it only disturbs the mind. No. Mano Anukule The mind becomes absolutely quiet and that is why yogis, sadhus, spiritual practitioners, run to the Himalayas because every spot in the Himalayas, unlike many other what you call mountains in other countries, our Himalayas are unparalleled in beauty, in quietness, and filled with spiritual vibrations because how many thousands of rishis used to practice spiritual discipline there. So, Mano Anukule and especially, we can go to some high places and some kind of guffas, caves, plenty of caves are available, and then Nivata Ashrayane where there is not wind too much, but it is cool, not cold, not hot, but the moment you look out, beautiful nature will spread out its beauty which is also a glory of God, which is a poetry of God, and then we also that helps us, and then there are certain other things that think of an ocean that is almost a representation of infinity, think of the sky, think of a deep desert, you know vast desert, anything that reminds us of vastness that will help us in directing our mind towards Brahman which is vast, Brihat, Brahma, and that is why all great religions they are all born where there are deep deserts and the most highest mountain peaks are where there are oceans, people live in oceans because when we look at them our mind naturally cannot help but be uplifted and that is why it is very important not to be cooped up in a rented house where all around you see concrete jungles, but what is the way? Well, I don't know whether I am right in saying it, there is a way so you can put electronic wallpapers beautiful Himalayan mountains on four sides your TV is making those wallpapers and at least for the time being you can really direct your mind. After all these are representatives. If we cannot go to the real places then we can put at least wallpapers and you can see sometimes moving wallpapers are there and nowadays magic can be done. We can take advantage of it. I don't know whether anybody told you but if anybody told you, fine I am only thinking that it will be really wonderful when you look at this vast sky filled with billions and billions of stars you cannot but think about God. So that is a very important thing for us to do. So this is the place where you spread your asana. Real asana with the quietened mind but all these, what they call in the west every little helps. All these things they are very very useful. Concentrate the mind in a place like a windless cave, a place that is clean, free from pebbles fire or smoke or sand which is not noisy or near a water source public place or a place that is pleasing to the eyes and conducive to concentration on God. Let yoga be practiced within a cave. That is why a cave is always given as an example. Even in our day to day prayer also Jyoti Rajyoti Ujjwala Hridi Kandhara. Kandhara means a cave. So that is very very useful. So many sadhus and desert fathers from Christianity which started after 400 A.C. after Christ they went to the Egyptian deserts and those deserts have really made their mind first by not allowing them to come across any tempting sight normal which can remind them of worldly samskara second that vastness that quietness that also helped them. Thousands of people literally have progressed in spiritual life in the desert land and some of them like Saint Anthony they wanted to be in a cave so they chose some mountain caves and there is no way to reach those mountain caves so they took help of from the villagers nearby they made a basket and then the basket will be lowered and then once they enter into the cave unless they are sick they will not come out of it whole day. They use it to think about God, sing about God but do some work at the same time like weaving mats etc mats, baskets useful things for the villagers and the villagers once in a week they drop bread water and a few eatables like that and these people they will take it in whatever works they have completed in exchange without asking whether it is equal amount or not. So this is how without Saint Anthony had spent 40 years repeating God's name, fighting the demons means puru samskaras of kama, krodha especially kama, krodha lobha because that is the danger when we are alone then time becomes very heavy on our heads and when we are alone all these old samskaras in glorious glowing colors like seeing as if we are seeing all the demons, temptations everything in front of us but they were so sincere, they struggled for more than 40 years whole life and then they gave up their goals, they became enlightened some of their sayings sometimes I have put in the WhatsApp application are the sayings of the Desert Fathers collected by Great Soul so this is what is being said. Same thing is given reference yogi yunjita satatam atmanam rahasasthitaha ekaki yata chitta atma nirashihi aparigrahaha Bhagavad Gita says a yogi should always try constantly to concentrate his mind on the supreme self remaining in solitude, living alone with the mind and body controlled free from desires and possessions having established in a clean spot, his firm seat, neither too high nor too low made up of a cloth, a skin and kushagras, one over the other there having made the mind one pointed, with actions of the mind and sense purified and controlled, let such a yogi seated on the seat practice yoga for the purification of the self what is the point? The point is to keep the mind to concentrate on Brahman and not allow it to move here and there so this is beautifully pointed out. If a person is progressing, practicing this way and by the God's grace earlier we have seen without God's grace it is impossible to progress only instead of saying God here the word used is Savita the Sun God in fact Sandhya Vandana is done only addressing the Sun God. So when we look at it, you are the Pratyaksha Devata, Pratyaksha Brahma you are creating beings you are creating you are sustaining them you are looking after them by supplying sufficient energy in the form of food etc. and when these people need a new instrument which we call death here the Sun is always ready to absorb the old materials, refurbish it, renew it and then give it back to us so that we can continue until we realize God. Now, how to know we are progressing in the path of Sadhana, especially this is relevant in through the teachings of Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Certain signs are indicated here and what are those signs when a person progressing in the aforementioned method sitting quietly earnestly, having faith in the Divine Lord and striving his best as he progresses certain things are said to appear to him but it is not necessary we have to be very cautious. I am meditating for the last 50 years, I don't see anything. No what are those things it is just I am mentioning it Nihara, Dhooma, Arka Anila, Analana Khadyota, Vidyot Spatika, Shashina Etani, Rupani Purasarani, Brahmani Avivekti Karani Yoge. When Yoga is practiced, the forms which appear first and which gradually manifest to Brahman taking us nearer and nearer to Brahman are those what are they? First of all Nihara means snowflakes these are not you go to Mount Athos and you see a snowstorm that is not what is meant what is meant is when you sit for meditation as if the whole world, Sri Ramkrishna mentions some of them, I saw as if the whole world is sparkling like stars, like a wax etc. or I have also seen as if snow is falling all around me these are Yoga Drishti, the sight it automatically comes not because you are imagining if you are imagining that is only imagination but if it is automatically manifesting, how do we know, how do we distinguish very simple, when our minds are imagining them, then our senses will not be under control but when they come to a Yogi, all as a grace of God they all manifest in the form, Brahman manifesting as the snowflakes etc. so what are the things snowflakes smoke, sun wind, fire fireflies lightning, crystal and the moon so Nihara, snowflakes Dhooma, smoke Arka, the sun Anila, fire wind Anala, fire that is the Pancha Uthas then Khadyotha, fireflies Vidyut, lightning Spatika, crystal Shashina suddenly the moon even on Amavasya night full moon is seen not with open eyes but with closed eyes when a Yogi starts perceiving them he must recognize that he is progressing first secondly he must think is all God is slowly telling, I am pleased with you I am appearing in this form you are coming towards me and very soon you will be with me but what is the caution that these are the four runners to the revelation of Brahman if somebody is specially practicing Patanjali Yoga Marga but one should keep in mind that visions do not occur to all and some people do not have any visions at all and the essence of the matter is that our character selfishness to unselfishness, attachment to money, sex etc slowly becomes lesser and lesser and after that we are not interested at all if that character which can love, which can bear which doesn't entertain any enmity then certainly that person has progressed it is only to indicate the progress but as I mentioned the most important pointer is when a person has these experiences of snowflakes etc he is more reminded of God than of snowflakes, not a natural phenomena that is important then not only that so something very interesting that is also mentioned here the five attributes of the elements means pancha bhutas, akasha, vayu, agni, jala and prithvi mentioned in the books on yoga they become manifest, how do they manifest? Mantra 12 discusses it prithvi, ap, tejaha anilaha, khe these are the five elements samuthite, panchaatma khe, yoga gune pravrutte, natasya rogo, najara, namrutyu, praptasya yoga, agni, mayam, sharira when earth, water, fire, air and akasha that is to say when the five attributes of the elements what are they shabda, sparsha, rooparasa, gandha mentioned in the books on the yoga become very clearly manifest in the yogi's mind and he becomes purified by the fire of yoga and he is free from illness old age and death so two parts are there in this mantra the first part tells what are the signs that the person is progressing towards it, how do we know we are becoming yogis earlier 11th mantra also told the same thing but 12th mantra has something very special what is it, you see all these five elements they give us experience of akasha gives shabda and vayu gives us sparsha, agni gives us roop or form water gives us taste that is called rasa and the characteristic element of the earth is fragrance so what does this 12th mantra say, supposing a yogi one day he is concentrating his mind and remember all these shabda, sparsha, rooparasa, gandha have their specific sense organs for example for shabda it is the ears, for sparsha it is the skin, for roopa it is the eyes and for the rasa, taste it is the tongue and for the gandha it is the nostrils now suppose a yogi concentrate, wants to concentrate on the 5th element called prithvi or earth, what does he do, it is what is the element smell fragrance actually that fragrance is for that what is the sense organ, nostril so he completely concentrates on the nostril and the nostril only can give us fragrance when the concentration becomes very strong on the nostril, the nostril is forgotten and the prithvi tatwa is forgotten and the essence of the element called prithvi which is called fragrance, a divine fragrance will be experienced by the person similarly now you can apply the same thing to others, supposing a person is meditating on the shabda, beautiful sounds which only remind him of god yogis call sometimes this shabda anahata dhwani that will be experienced, otherwise most pleasant musical experiences will be there, suppose somebody he is focusing on the tip of the tongue what is the nature of the tongue that is rasa that is taste anarthali taste there is no object there but by this concentration the yogi enjoys unalloyed anarthali taste which cannot be obtained in any shop nobody can sell them only yogi through concentration he becomes one with the what is called jala tattva and he experiences unimaginably tasty experience similarly if somebody as I said so sparsha concentrate on the any part of the skin what happens if it is very cold but very hot doesn't matter outside but the person as if he is in such a place just as when a person coming from a very hot climate comes into a beautiful air conditioned room how the body becomes absolutely delighted calm and quiet for a second it attains to heavenly bliss that kind of experience not for one second but continuously he will be thinking about it and these are the experienceable things some of us have experienced them and we should not focus upon them because they can also become traps for us because earlier we said that where the mind is born and there the mind can get attached ananda is the last obstruction in spiritual progress but these what do these things do they convince us what is written in the scriptures is absolutely right and these experiences encourage a person to move with what is called multiple enthusiasm forward towards his goal and I have something to say about it but this mantra tells such a person rarely becomes a victim of disease and old age his body remains as if it is young and he is not fearing death that means he can live even for a long time there are stories of people who could live even 250 years or 300 years but the whole body becomes the body of a yogi prapta asya yoga agni mayam shariram this is the meaning of this 12th mantra there are a few things I would like to mention which we will do in our next class may Ramakrishna holy mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti Ramakrishna