Svetasvatara Upanishad Lecture 17 on 29 April 2023

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGAD GURUM PADA PADME TAYO SHRITVA PRANAM AMI MOHOR MOHOR By the grace of God, we have completed the second chapter of the Shrita Ashvatara Upanishad. Today we are going to start the third chapter. Very briefly, let us recollect what we have done in the first and second chapters. In the first chapter, there were some seekers of God called Brahmavadins and they wanted to know what is the ultimate cause of this universe, including themselves. The purpose of this enquiry is because of the inevitable rule that the effect must go back to the cause. They explored many other aspects but they found that whether it is time, whether it is accident, whether it is natural law, all these things do not answer the questions. Brahman, pure, the ultimate reality is the only cause and by realizing Him, all of us can get out of limitations, all our what we call in practical terms, three Thapa, three types of afflictions and that should be the highest goal. Naturally, what is the way to reach God? The second chapter says you have to practice spiritual disciplines. There it is called yogic practices. We have seen how Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and that will lead to first Savikalpa Samadhi and then Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Also, without the grace of God, it is not possible even to have a desire for spiritual life. So the second chapter starts with a prayer to whom? To the Saguna Brahma in the form of the Surya Deva, Sun God and elaborated also how the practice of yoga should lead us slowly to the vision of God. It is also pointed out that whoever realizes the truth of Atman, that is, I am none other than the supreme reality, also becomes one with that non-dual Atman, attains the goal and is free from grief. This is what Shri Ramakrishna used to emphasize. Beautiful Bengali expression is there. Advaita Gnan Anchale Bendhe Jai Iccha Tai Kuru You can be absolutely free to do whatever you like when provided you have that knowledge of the Advaita. What is the knowledge of the Advaita? That I am Brahman. This Atman, so long I have been thinking I am an individual, I am the Jiva Atma, but now I know there is no such division. Jiva Atma and Param Atma, whatever is there is only one. Now in this third chapter, one of the things this Shweta Shwetara Upanishad deals is that we have to meditate, pray, obtain the grace of Saguna Brahma. But in this, the unique feature is here the Saguna Brahma is named as Rudra, popularly now known as Shiva or Himeshwara, Ishwara, etc. So where is that Lord? What is the nature of Saguna Brahma? And how do we recognize Him? And the most beautiful aspect is He is also the Supreme Reality. The Supreme Reality is also the Saguna Brahma, God within our reach. Why do we need? Because our mind can never think of the Supreme Reality. That is why again and again the Upanishad tells us. What does it tell? God in His supreme aspect, nirguna, nirakara aspect. He is not available either to the mind, much less to the speech, and much less to action. Then is there any other God? No. The same God, when we think about Him, when we look at Him through the prism of the mind, then He appears as Saguna because the mind is Saguna. That is why it is called prism. And what are the gunas of the mind, time, space and causation? When we look at Brahman, it is not that Brahman has become. It is not that Brahman has created. But we are looking at that nirguna, nirakara, nirvikalpa aspect of Brahman through the prism of mind who appears as Sakara, Saguna. And it is much easier for us to think about Him. And we can name Him as Vishnu, Shiva, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus. And this is what is Ramakrishna's special emphasis in this age. As many types of minds, so many ways. Think of Him with form, without form. With quality, without quality. In whatever way it is possible. Transform your life. Change your character. Become unselfish and you will progress in spiritual life. This is the emphasis. Simply trying to think of God as a Saguna, Ramakrishna, which most people do, is not going to take us far. It will take to some distance, definitely. But we have to change our character. Transformation of character is in other words called spiritual progress. Spiritual progress without transformation of character is incompatible. That is why we call it religiosity. What is it? So many people, they do worship, etc. Does it transform? Of course it does. But in such a slow measure that it is not possible to progress fast. But when a person turns to spirituality, that is why Yoga starts with Yama and Niyama. That is first transform your external and internal personality. Then only start how to sit and how to regulate the breath and how to withdraw the mind, how to concentrate the mind, how to go deep without getting distracted. Step by step, Patanjali Rishi describes it so beautifully. Now, there are so many Upanishads. We have lost so many Upanishads. But at least around 200 Upanishads are available now. But this Shweta Shvatara is one of the very unique Upanishads. What is the uniqueness? The unique feature of Shweta Shvatara Upanishad is that it is a both mixture of Jnana and Bhakti. I think this expresses Ramakrishna's teachings so beautifully. Jnana and Bhakti, knowledge and devotion. In other Upanishads, the emphasis is more on the Upasana, contemplation of Omkara. Here the same Omkara is called Rudra or Shiva and this Shiva is equated with Brahman, the ultimate. This is very important for us as Shiva is the expression of Ananda, bliss, for whom a devotional outpouring has been made in the Shweta Shvatara Upanishad. How? As Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. I don't know, perhaps many of you can remember a beautiful cinema song, Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, sung by Latha Mangeshkar. Instead of saying Sat, Chit and Ananda, same thing has been put as Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram. And this is nothing but pure Advaita. And another feature of the Shweta Shvatara Upanishad is that many mantras with their meanings are to be found in many other popular devotional works like Rudra, Prashna, Purusha Suktam, Narayana Suktam, Vishnu Sahasranama, etc. And as I mentioned, as we discussed earlier, here in the second chapter we have seen, I think in the 8th mantra, Shrunvantu Vishwe Amrutasya Putraaha. And here it will come, in this third chapter, the rest of it, that we are going to see. So these are the specialities. So we will start this first mantra. And here, there are so many similar, it is even with Ramakrishna's teachings. So the first mantra goes like this. Here is one who spreads the net, who rules alone by his powers, who rules all the worlds by his powers. How? Through his Avarana Shakti and Viksha Shakti. If we are paying attention to the Mandukya Upanishad, we are familiar with this. But in the Ramayana system, God has got special two powers. That is Anugraha and Anigraha. What is it? If he is pleased, he will make you free, Mukti. And if you are not surrendering yourself to him, he will not get angry. But he will slowly spread his net, pull you and make first-class fish curry. And after a few times, you will come to know the only way is to surrender to him and to become free. So he who rules everybody, everything, all the creation by his powers, first he spreads the net, catches everybody, and the whole universe is the net. And nobody can escape the net. But at the same time, who is one and the same, both at the time of creation and dissolution of the worlds. And those who know Bhagavan, Saguna Brahma, thus, they who know him, thus, what do they get? They become free. We will first take the Sanskrit words, Eha Ekaha. There is only one Lord. Because God is one, Parabrahman is one. And he is called Jalavan. Jala means net. The net is called Maya. And he has got a net. And what is the name of the net? Maya. And he possesses it. He is in charge of that. This is beautifully explained in the Bhagavad Gita that God is sitting in the hearts of everybody. Ishwaraha Sarvabhutanaam Hridyeshe Arjuna Tishtate Brahmayan Sarvabhutani Yantrarodani Mayaya That Maya is called Jala here. So he is Mayavi, Mayavan. Mayavan doesn't mean he is a cheater. Because Mayavi has the meaning of cheater also. In a way, he is cheating us also, unnecessarily. But not really, he is cheating himself. One fellow was playing solitaire game. As he was absorbedly playing, one of his friends happened to enter there, observed this fellow playing, but found him cheating himself. So he asked him, don't you catch yourself cheating? He said, no, I am so clever, I don't allow myself to be cheated. What is the answer? The answer is in this answer only. That I know I am cheating, but I don't want to think that I am the cheater. Because I am not cheating anybody. I am cheating my own self. That is what Sri Ramakrishna says. When some devotee complained, Sir, why is God making me suffer so much? Sri Ramakrishna counter questioned him, Who are you, Sir? Because you are not other than God. In fact, God closes his eyes so much and then plays with himself as if he is somebody else. So he is Ekaha Jalavan. What does he do? He creates this entire universe in this Jala. What is that Jala? Maya. What is that Maya consisting of? Three colours. A white, a red and a black. What is the white colour? Satvaguna. What is the red colour? Rajoguna. What is the black colour? Tamoguna. Because his net could be of one colour, but I think he also gets bored. That's why he only has one colour. Let us have multicoloured splendour. So with this net, he creates, he maintains and he draws us back and that is being expressed here. Ishate means rules over. Ishanibehi. That is with his powers. What are those powers? One is called Guna power. In fact, the very word Guna means that which binds. Another meaning of Ishanibehi is Avarnashakti, Ikshepashakti. How does he make us ignorant? In the waking and dream states with the both powers of Avarna and Ikshepa. First he covers the truth, then he makes it appear as something else. For example, first we see that the Lord in the form of darkness covers the rope. Then we don't know it is a rope. First thing is we do not know it is a rope but we know it as a snake. So that covering up the knowledge of the rope is called Avarnashakti and making us think it is something else that is it is a snake in this example is called Ikshepashakti. So these are the ones. Or if you take Ramanuja, he has got what is called, he is also gracious, he is also Nigraha, Anugraha, Samarthavan. He is Sarvatantra, Svatantra. He is completely free. But why does he do it? Not because he requires it. It is Leela. That is nothing is gained, nothing is lost, nothing is destroyed, nothing is created. It is all a man lying down and then he goes into his, what is called Kalpana Loka. Imaginary world. It is just like that. So Sarvan Loka, Ishate, Ishnevi, whether it is Svarga Loka, Brahma Loka, Patala Loka, everything in the creation, he is the ruler because he is the creator. Not only he creates, he also pervades outside, inside, left, right, front, back, above, below, that is going to come in the next Lokas. And he is the one, Eva. When he creates, he is the one. Even when we are looking at the multiplicity, he is only one. Yeha Eva, Ekaha Eva. He remains one. Udbhave. When this world is created and when this world is withdrawn, Sambhave Jaiva, he remains alone. That means there is not I, not you, not anybody, not he, she, it, they. Everything is God only. That is called Leela. And whoever becomes aware of this, what is the awareness? I as an individual do not exist. What exists is the Divine Lord. And what happens? God says, just like the play, touch the granny. And when a person comes to know, as if this person touched the granny and granny removes the covering over his eyes. My son, you have become tired. Now you retire and eat some food and gain some strength. Take a good nap and then we will play a game. But the thing to be noted is we have to struggle our best. When a child wants to escape at the beginning of the game, the grandmother doesn't like it. But when the child tries, very hard to touch and we are all struggling to touch God only, that I don't want to die, I don't want to be unconscious, I don't want to be suffering, that is called struggling to touch the granny. Then ultimately we cannot touch her. But out of her infinite grace, she allows us to touch and then she makes us feel that we, with our efforts, have touched her. And we are clapping our hands, I touched you granny, I found you out. And mother says, yes, yes, you have done it, pats each one of us and releases us. So this is the meaning of it. And let us see, I mentioned earlier, Ram Krishna gives us a beautiful analogy that the story of a fisherman. All the people in this world, especially human beings, are divided into four categories. Bound, struggling, freed, and never caught in the net. So he says, there is a fisherman, he goes to a tank, he spreads his net, there are some fish, they are so clever, they say, this fellow is coming, let us run away. They go where the net is not there. They are never caught. And then, many fish are caught. And one type of fish is so foolish, when it is caught, it says, what can this fellow do to me? It goes to the bottom of the net and happily says, this fisherman, I cannot do anything, I am very safe here. But there are some fish which are caught, which struggle to be free. And some of them jump out. So the fisherman shouts, there goes a big fish like that. So, those who are ever free, and those who are caught, and never attempt to escape, and those who struggle, but of those who are struggling, every fish cannot escape. That means, even if a person is struggling, not that he will never escape, but in this life, he may not escape, but in future lives, definitely, spiritual practice will not go in vain. So, four categories. That is so apt, that the Svetashvatara Upanishad is echoing, or Sri Ramakrishna is echoing, the teachings of the Upanishads. So, in the Svetashvatara Upanishad, as I mentioned, Brahman is considered as a Saguna Brahma, and he has been given a name. That name is Rudra. Rudra is modern Shiva. Shiva means auspiciousness. In the Vedic times, he is called Rudra. But the same Brahman, call him Rudra, call him Vishnu, call him Shiva, call him Jesus, call him Buddha, but this Maya Jala is there, that means we are caught, that means birth, and then living for some time, and old age, death, innumerable types of sufferings, impossible to escape from here. But is there any way? Yes, there is a way. So, pray to God, and that prayer, especially like Gayatri Mantra, complete surrender to the Divine Lord, will come in the future Mantras, which we will talk about it. So everything is, creation is done by Him, maintenance is done by Him, and also in the end, He takes us back. And there are different meanings of Rudra, we will see those Mantras. But those, this particular first Mantra says, those who know, this creation is done by none other than, that Bhagawan Saguna Brahma, and He alone is maintaining, and He alone takes us back, that knowledge, whoever has got that person, evidohu amrutahate bhavanti. Now, why this Shatashatru Upanishad, is talking about Saguna Brahma, when whether it is Mandukya, or Mundaka, or Katha, Prayadharanyaka, are all advocating, Mahavakyas, indicating that only, Paramatma exists, Nirguna Brahma exists. Here, Bhakti and Gnana are combined. Why is it mentioning? The answer is given, in the 12th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagawan Krishna tells, to Arjuna, why can't I think, about the ultimate reality, Nirguna Brahma. Krishna clearly says, those who are endowed with the feeling, I am the body, they are the third class people, for such people, even to think of God, as Nirguna, Nirakara, Brahman, is impossible. I will give you a beautiful explanation. What is the Mantra or Shloka? This verse states, that the Lord, though non-dual, through His own power called Maya, projects, preserves the universe, ultimately withdraws it, into Himself. It is very difficult, to think of the Nirguna Brahman, for a person who is endowed, with the idea, I am the body. It is possible to think of God, but even those who think of God, as Nirguna Brahma, they are only thinking of Him as what? At best as Akasha, at best as a vast space, at best as a vast body of water, or at the highest mountain. Is it possible, for us to think, that God is without form? It is impossible. That is why I say Ram Krishna, makes fun. Even a six year old, young child of Brahmos, meditates on Nirakara Brahma. What it means is, he is not at all meditating. So, that is why, in this Shweta Kshetra, that Nirguna Brahma, is especially called Shiva, especially called Rudra. And he has got that net. And we are all, like Jivas, caught in the net. But really speaking, there is no I, or you, or we. It is himself. He himself is imagining, I will become many. Ekoham Bahosyam. I am one, and I get bored with myself, so I want to become many. With this introduction, now, how that name Rudra comes, we will move to the second mantra. Rudra is truly one. For the knowers of Brahman, do not admit the existence of a second. He alone rules all the worlds by his powers. He alone dwells at the inner self of every living being. After having created all the worlds, he, their protector, takes them back unto himself at the end of what we call Laya Kala. Srishti, followed by Stithi, followed by Laya. Laya means death. And Shiva is supposed to be what is called Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara. Laya Kartha. But we don't understand. He is not there to kill us. He is like a loving mother. The child has played the whole day in dust, in heat, sweat, dirt, dust, has completely destroyed the dress. Then the mother says, My son, this dress is no longer useful for you. I will give you a new shirt, new dress. So every death is a new chance, a new opportunity for us to grow in spiritual life. Let us now analyze first. Rudra Ekohi. Rudra is only one. And Brahman is also one. Through this, this mantra is equating Brahman is Rudra, and Rudra is Brahman. And besides Rudra, there is no second. Besides Brahman, there cannot be any second at all. That is why it is called Advaitha. Ekaha And as mentioned earlier, Yaha That Parabrahman in the form of Rudra having created these worlds by his Maya Jala called Prakruti or what is called Maya or Avidya, Imaan Loka all these worlds right beginning A Brahma Bhuvana Loka Punaravartino Arjuna So according to Hinduism, all this Srishti first is divided into 14 Lokas. What are they? Right from Pataala Atala Sutala Tala Atala Pataala Then Martya Loka in between Then afterwards Deva Loka Prajapati Loka Brihaspati Loka etc. Finally culminating in Satya Loka or Brahma Loka. All these. All these things he is going to rule over. Rule over means what? Just like a loving mother until the child grows up understands what should be done what should not be done. The mother doesn't schedule doesn't request she goes on commanding Get up! Brush your teeth! Take bath! Go to the puja room! Pray to God! And now you come for breakfast and then before that in the puja room you have to recite all these things. Sometimes you know children they want quickly to finish it. So they go on praying Finished! In one second 15 shlokas are finished and mother is quite happy first day and second day she will tell do it very slowly and third day little more slowly because we are all like that. So he rules over because it is his responsibility. Ruling means not like a dictator trying to suppress and give punishment to the people. It is more like I would even say not even a mother but like a grandmother. So he that is that Saguna Brahma called Rudra is one is none other than Parabrahma and he has this Maya Jala and he creates he sustains and he also takes back at the right time to give us another opportunity. This is called ruling over through his powers of Nigraha and Anugraha or Avarana and Viksha Pashakti. Not only that having created this so he is there as Antaryami as the indweller. The Gopis remember so when Krishna is chiding them he is telling Oh Krishna we know who you are so do you think that we can help coming to you? It is only you are telling that why did you come? But we are helplessly drawn into your Jala how he played the flute and that very sound just brought us here. Then they say You are not the son of an ordinary Gopi. Even Yashoda was not an ordinary Gopi. Not to speak of other Gopas other Gopis. Then if Yashoda herself is not an ordinary woman she is the greatest devotee of God. Chandramani is the greatest devotee of God. Shechi Devi was the greatest devotee of God. Maya Devi was the greatest devotee of God. Otherwise she could never have given birth to Buddha or Yashoda could not have given birth to Krishna or Kausalya could not have given birth and Mother Mary could not have given birth unless she was one of the greatest devotees of God. God is not going to be born in Tom, Dick and Harry's houses. So he is the one Saguna Brahma and then we have to establish a relationship. I am the creator you are the creator. I stop to pray to you to surrender to you and to depend upon your grace and you know better what is good for me. I don't need to dictate. At the beginning we are dictating I want money, I want some pleasurable object whether small or big doll or real life but after some time we don't want any object. We only want Ananda. In fact Vrindavan Upanishad the very first chapter fourth section it tells that nobody no there is no object, priya object in this whole world excepting one's own Atman. Why? Because if we love any object it is not because we love that object but we are expecting some juice from that object. What do we do? A senior Swami told very beautifully it is just like sugarcane. It is a beautiful sugarcane. We buy it and then we remove the outer tough skin and then we start chewing it. What do we do? We suck all the sweet juice and then what do we do? Aha! You have given me so much happiness I am going to eat you up also. No! Just spit it out. Same thing with us. Every object in this world is loved only secondarily not primarily. What is it we love primarily? Only Ananda. Why do we love Ananda? Because that is our nature and so we love ourselves and we want to be ourselves. Our nature is Ananda Swaroopa. In fact Paramananda Swaroopa and at the moment, at this moment we are not able to understand that fact. So we are searching for that very object which can remind us which can make me unite at least with myself for a short time. That is why as soon as an object stops giving happiness we discard it like a poison. We spit it out whether you put it in beautiful words or strong words that is the simple fact. So this is the one he is sitting inside everybody. Who is outside? He is sitting also outside in the form of Shabda Sparsha Swaroopa Rasa Gandha. He is sitting inside in the form of what is called Chidha Bhasa. He is sitting in the form of Jiva Atma. Then who am I? I do not exist. Only Paramatma exists. So Pratyam Janaha Tishtati and Sanchu Kocha Antakaale Antakaale Sanchu Kocha. Sanchu Kocha means he withdraws. He attracts us. He removes our Upadhis. And the beautiful meaning is there. We will come to that very soon. This is only external meaning. And then Samsarijya. What does he do? First he creates. Then what does he do? Then he sits inside us. And what does he do? He makes us enjoy the outside world. Everything is enjoyment. Is everything enjoyment? When a dictator is cutting my back mercilessly, is it also an enjoyment? At that moment it is not enjoyment. But it is an awakener, an eye-opener. If I am born as a human being, I will be, I am, anybody be subjected to this. But if I can get out of this, what is called identity in the body-mind, then this event is leading me to my future evolution. This is the idea of every sadhu. There is absolutely no doubt about it. Nobody has become a great spiritual person while sitting and then drinking mango juice and eating rasagulla. Only when slaps, beatings and slashings and whippings come, then Holy Mother says, it is a reminder, my son, in this world, so long as we are in this world, even if Brahman falls into this world, these are inevitable. Run to God and become one with Him. That is the only way. There is absolutely no other way. So, what does He do? When we surrender ourselves to Him, He does two things actually. When we don't surrender ourselves to Him, He will give us a fresh opportunity. That is called death. That is meant here. Chukocha means He withdraws, He removes our present dress. How? Completely. And that is for giving a new dress, a new day, a new life, as a new opportunity. But if we had awakened a little bit, surrendered ourselves to Him, O Lord, we don't want to be born, then that will be permanent. Samchukocha means He will cut all our bonds completely and He will take us out of this Maya Jala. There is no other way. Antakale. This word Antakale also means at the end of this particular life or at the end of our evolution, when we come to know that Aham Brahmasmi both. So now in this mantra the highest reality is called Brahman and He is one and as Saguna Brahma is called, is making the three functions of creation and sustenance or protection or maintenance and dissolution. This epithet Rudra means a destroyer of all that is false or evil. Sometimes reading the Puranas we get the doubt how can Rudra? Rudra means very interesting etymological meaning. What does it mean? He who makes us weep that is the epithet of Rudra. He who makes us weep. Why? When we are dying then I don't want to die. I want to live. You are suffering from advanced cancer. It is in the sixth stage. We want to live. No, no doctor told me if I take this chemicals then I can live for another ten hours. Why can't I try it? I want to live ten hours. No, no that is not going to be. You are going to be a burden to society. So let us I will take you. Forcibly he will take us. We are weeping and like that like a child who is taken away old dress he doesn't want to give up but immediately his face blooms into joyous. So much of joy because a new dress is coming. He will forget about it. So he who will make us weep that is why is a Rudra. But there are other meanings also. We will explore them. But he is the destroyer ultimately of what? Of all that is false or evil ignorance and their effects sorrow and suffering and who takes us into his lap says in the form of the Guru and he makes us realize and then we say Rudra and very interestingly there is a marvelous hymn. It is called Namakam and Chamakam and here there is an epithet for Rudra is Namakam Pataye Namaha salutations to the emperor of thieves because every other thief will make you weep because he takes something of you and makes trying to make you a sanyasi but you are not willing to become a sanyasi. So whereas this Rudra what does he do? He is trying to make you to pull unto himself. How can he unless your three dresses Sola Sareera Sokshma Sareera and Karana Sareera are destroyed. That is why Shiva is described as having a Trishula. By Trishula with one stroke he destroys all the three bodies together not one by one. He doesn't deal in detail. He only believes in whole self. So he is called auspicious. The very word Shiva means auspicious Shambhu. Shambh means Sukham, Shanti. Shanno Mitra Shambhurnaha Shanno Bhavatvaryama. So these are the epithets of Mahadeva. He is Devadi Deva He is Mahadeva and then you remember Ram Krishna one day went to one of the Shiva temples and then embraced Lord Shiva's Linga and started that beautiful hymn from the Shiva Mahimna Stotram Asita Giri Samamsayat Kajjalam Sindhu Patre Surat Aruvara Shakha Lekhani Patramurvi Likhati Edhi Grihitva Sarada Sarvakalam Tadapina Tava Gunanam Isha Param Nayati Who can describe the infinite qualities of the Lord Shiva and that is the Shiva we are talking here He is Shiva Mahimna He is fierce He is fierce because He wants to destroy our Maya Jala He is Saumya When you turn your face towards Him So Rudra Ette Dakshinam Mukham Tena Mam Pahi Mam Nithyam So there are Rudra is another name of Shiva Rudra Shiva means the auspicious one Rudra means auspicious one Rudra is one who makes others cry Rujam Dravayati Rudraha. Somebody has given a beautiful meaning to this Rujam means devotees and then when the devotees are singing the glories of God like Shri Ram Krishna. He went into ecstatic state. What was he doing? He was weeping Dravayati means they melt into tears. That is why he is called Rudra. But Rudra is one who gives the results of action. Karmaphala Data. And so when evil doers get suffering they cry and they receive the punishment for their own evil deeds But let us never think that Rudra is a cruel God There is no cruelty and God do not go together. It is God's law that we reap what we sow So therefore Rudra is one who makes his devotees cry when their hearts are filled with Bhakti for him. Rudra is one who removes, who melts, who destroys who burns the disease of transmigration Samsara and he is also called Bhavaroga Vaidya called the doctor or medicinal cure for the disease of Samsara. Bhishaje Bhavaroginam We are all Bhavarogis and who is the greatest Vaidya? It is only the Divine Lord So this Upanishad is speaking about Brahman as Rudra because it wants to emphasis Rudra is one who destroys What does he destroy? He destroys our Ahamkara false ego because that is the only thing that obstructs our spiritual progress. So this Rudra, he is the creator having created, he enters into every object as there as Sat, Chit and Ananda and after some period of play he again withdraws all of us into himself. That is why Hindu scriptures never omit Pralaya Srishti, Stithi, Laya Even in this Sarvamangala Mangalya, what do we see? See that Srishti Stithi Vinasha Nam Shakti Bhute Sanatani Srishti, Stithi and Vinasha. Simply Srishti Stithi will not do That is the symbolism of Mother Kali having four hands, right two hands. First upper hand is Srishti, the hand below is Stithi or maintenance and the left side hands one is having a sword indicating Mrityu or Laya and one decapitated head one skull indicating where there is Srishti it follows in a cycle that is called Srishti, then progresses into Stithi, ends up in Laya, again comes back With this background we will enter into the third mantra What is the third mantra saying? What is the first mantra saying? Parabrahma can be thought only as Saguna Brahma for meditation and one of the names of Saguna Brahma is Rudra. What is the second mantra is telling? He is the creator, He is the maintainer and He is the destroyer and without His grace nobody can progress nobody can get out of the Maya because this is what Sri Ramakrishna says in a beautiful way, unless Maha Maya is pleased and allows us nobody can get out of her kingdom because she has to give us that passport and visa that's why it is not possible and that's why when Sri Ramakrishna had that marvelous vision of Shiva granting Mukti at Manikarnika Ghat to each Jivatma whose body is dead comes and then whispers the Taraka Mantra which is called Omkara which is also called Mahavakya Tattvamasi but what the scriptures failed to record but is made clearer, much more clearer by Sri Ramakrishna's vision is that the Maha Maya, Maha Kali she takes a big sword and cuts all the bones of the Jiva and releases him into the kingdom of Mukti this is the graphical way or poetical way of saying that without God's grace God in the form of the Saguna Brahma and this Saguna Brahma is only called Shakti that's why Sri Ramakrishna says when no activity activity means Srishti, Stithi and Laya creation, dissolution and maintenance creation, maintenance and dissolution when there is no activity what I call that reality as Brahman and when there is activity I call the same Brahman as Shakti that is what we are talking about Maya Jala so now in the third mantra the Shweta Shetra Upanishad wants to tell we are all devotees of Rudra, Rudra means Saguna Brahma, Rudra means Sri Ramakrishna Shiva, He is Vishnu He is Shiva, He is Brahma, He is Shakti He is all the Gods and Goddesses and this idea that we get in the Narayana Sukta Purusha Sukta and many other places that is going to come here this is the mantra Vishwathas Chakshu Utha Vishwatho Mukaha Vishwatho Bahuh Utha Vishwathas Path Sam Bahubhyam Dhamati Sam Patatrayi Dhyavabhumi Janayan Deva Ekaha What does it mean? Sahasra Sirsha Purusha etc His eyes are everywhere that means whoever is seeing that Rudra is seeing His faces are everywhere that means whoever got as a face whether it is mosquito or man or mouse it is all His His arms are everywhere that is every arm is only Rudra's arm every foot is Rudra's foot the same thing is beautifully presented in the story of Trivikrama meaning exactly the same He it is who endows men with arms birds with feet and wings and men likewise with feet having produced heaven and earth He remains as their non-divine manifested Brahman Ekaha Devaha again the idea is there so it is very familiar Vishwathah Chakshuhu all eyes are His eyes that means He is only seeing Utha Vishwatho Mukha all faces, all mouths are His only Vishwatho Bahuh wherever you see a hand that belongs to Him that means Rudra is appearing in the form of the human beings animals etc. Do animals have hands? Yes of course whatever is grasped that is called a hand Vishwathah Path Path means feet so every foot belongs to Him only Sam Bahubhyam Dhamati that He is only endowing every bird everything Sam Patatrayi Patatraya means a bird and every human being all with hands with feet that means with every other limb not only hands and feet not only eyes and ears the whole body in the form of Pancha Bhutas He only has become Pancha Bhutas and He is only manifesting the entire body, mind and the three body complex Dehava, Bhumi then He only created the heavenly world He only created the earthly world, we have to add He only created the what is called netherlands not the netherlands I mean Patal Loka the Ekaha Devaha He is only one call Him Brahman call Him Shiva, call Him Vishnu that is why in the Vishnu Sahasranama many times I have told you there you will get the whole, the same idea Vishwam, the very first name is He is Vishwam Vishwam is Vishnu then only Vishnu comes so we find same idea repeated is only for the sake of reinforcing what we discussed Sarvata Pani Padam Tat Sarvata Akshesi Romakam Sarvata Shruti Malloke Sarvam Avrutya Tishtati with hands and feet everywhere with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere with ears everywhere that Brahman alone exists in this world enveloping all and in the 11th chapter what was Arjuna saying Aneka Vaktra Nainam Aneka Adbhuta Darshanam Aneka Divya Bharanam Divya Neka Udyata Ayudham Divya Malyam Baladharam Divya Gandhanulepanam Sarva Ascharyamayam Devam Anantam Vishvatomukham and then Divya Surya Sahasrashya Bhaved Yugapad Uthitha Edhibha Sadrushi Syad Sahasyad Bhasa Tasya Mahatmana if a million suns rise in the east exactly at the same time even that splendor of these million suns will not be even one billionth part of the splendor of this divine being then we have seen Sahasrashirsham Devam Vishwaksham Vishwashambhuam Vishwam Narayanam Devam Aksharam Paramampadam further Ramkrishna reinforces I always bring Ramkrishna because I enjoy it and because you are devotees of Ramkrishna and because he is confirming the teachings is it all true? Ramkrishna narrates I saw him from this side of the mirror peeping at me also I saw him peeping at me from the other side of the mirror when you look at mirror you see your reflection but what is he seeing? God not reflection, God is peeping and then from behind the mirror God is peeping so a whole life, whole body all the three bodies everything is nothing but that Paramatman hands and feet everywhere suggests the principle of consciousness pervading the entire universe as the one subject of all objects of experience he is said to envelop all and have hands and feet ears and eyes everywhere in the absence of this seeing light of consciousness there cannot be any life at all, perception at all the ignorant may see diverse objects of the universe but the wise will see in all of them only one reality, what is the point? wherever you see an eye it is Brahman, wherever you see a hand it is Brahman wherever you hear a sound that is Brahman, wherever you see something touching, soft and hard heat and cold that is Brahman, whatever fragrance comes that is Brahman whatever taste comes that is Brahman, everything is nothing but Brahman, our body and mind are mere instruments to experience that Brahman and how do we experience through that pure consciousness that means with consciousness everything is without consciousness only consciousness is beautiful ideas we will discuss in tomorrow's class may Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti Jai Ramakrishna