Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 04 on 12 June 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Taittiriya Upanishad on Wednesdays. Of course, the Chandogya Upanishad on both Saturday and Sunday. So, we were in the introduction part of it. Before we proceed to dive into the Upanishad itself, I said, 'Let us remind ourselves of very important fundamentals before we even begin to study. It is very important.'

So, first of all, our scriptures are called Vedas, and every Veda is divided into four parts. There are four Vedas: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharvana Veda. These Vedas speak of four desirable ends. We have to be precise in the usage of the words. 'Desired' is not the right word. 'Desirable'—that which ultimately leads to the highest bliss, highest welfare, that is called 'desirable'.

But what is the problem? Each one of us, we do not need to be told to desire. Life itself is based upon desire. As Holy Mother says, 'If any person gives up hopes, desires, then the body itself will not survive.' So, desirable goals are there. What are they? Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Life is divided by our Vedas into four parts so that we can progress towards these highest goals. These are called stages of learning, Brahmacharya Ashrama; experiencing after experimenting, called the householder's life, Grihastha Ashrama; slowly withdrawing and developing the power to contemplate, called Vanaprastha Ashrama; and lastly, these three merge in complete total identity with the Supreme Reality called the Sanyasa Ashrama.

Similarly, every Veda—all the four Vedas—are again divided into four parts corresponding to these four stages of evolution. The first stage is meant only for what is called Guru Kula Vasa, that is called Samhita. The second part is called Brahmana—how to experiment in the right way as directed by the scriptures and experiencing the fruits. And that gives us the benefit. Two benefits are given: one is we get the results if any of the Vedic rituals is done in the right way; and secondly, it instills a deep faith called Shraddha. There is no substitute for this Sanskrit word 'Shraddha'; it possesses us.

But very briefly, what is the difference between faith and Shraddha? What we possess is called faith, and what possesses us—like madness possesses a person, or a ghost possesses a person, and what possesses us does not give us any freedom to do what we like but takes us to the place where it wants us to go—that is called Shraddha. So, this is the second result. The first result is the fulfillment of every possible desire—any desire: Artha, Kama, Dharma, Shraddha—every desire can be fulfilled.

All this is detailed in the first part of the Vedas called Karmakanda, the ritualistic part. And the first part is only to prepare us and make us fit so that we can enter into the second part. Now, the Vedas speak of these four Purusharthas: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. So accordingly, the Vedas are also divided.

And we have to understand that our whole life—until we turn towards God, until we realize God actually—there are three types of activities.

Now, whether we want to live a worldly life or a spiritual life, these are the only two options, and they are completely opposite to each other. One can be in the world. Be very careful in understanding this statement. The world is where we stay, whether we are worldly or spiritual. The world can be an appropriate instrument to give us what we desire. But whether we would like to be worldly or spiritual, they do not go together. 'I want both. I want to be worldly. I want to be also spiritual. I want to be selfless and also selfish. I want to have both light and darkness.' That is not going to be possible. At one point in time, we have to choose.

To be in the world, as Sri Ramakrishna says, is absolutely fine. But to be worldly is not fine. Sri Ramakrishna's beautiful analogy similes, like Kalidasa, 'It is fine for a boat to be in the water. But the water should not be in the boat.' That is the distinction. So, whether we want worldly happiness—and everybody wants happiness—or whether we want spiritual happiness, all our efforts are directed towards being happy. That is the final conclusion. We don't want to suffer. We want to be happy all the time. So, for that, we have to work and engage in activities.

So, all activities are divided into three types. Assuming you are also attending the Saturday and Sunday classes where I am interchangeably trying to convey this very important part: there are three types of activities—mental, verbal, and physical. We have what are called actions—physical, verbal, or mental. Any action done must fall into one of these categories. And there are also three types of goals for which activities are done. Everybody engages in activities automatically.

First of all, we want our body and mind to be absolutely fine. This is the first condition. Even if I have everything else but the body is not okay or worse, the mind is not okay, it is totally useless. Then what am I going to do? It is like possessing a car, for example. But if there are no roads, what are we going to do? Even with a Formula 1 car, there must be appropriate roads so that we can travel to our destination. Then the road itself will not do. A proper destination is necessary.

So, what are the destinations? First of all, we want to enjoy whatever is available in this world. So, that is one. But this has two parts again. What is it? That we also want to possess everything. We want food, clothing, and whatever contributes to the welfare and happiness of the body and mind—good friends, safety, security, good health facilities, everything we want. Any object because our body and mind are instruments. For what purpose? We want to possess things. And we also want two types of things. We want the best available in this world, but we are also quite aware that anyone who is born is going to die. Therefore, we not only want happiness in this world but most people believe in the concept of another world after death. Most religions insist upon it, including Buddhism, which is often misunderstood. Many people think that Buddha taught only complete annihilation. Nothing could be further from the truth. He taught that we should not be caught in these small happiness, but there is a state, what he called Nirvana, where eternal, infinite bliss can be obtained.

If we want to be happy, we have to be alive, we have to exist, and we have to be aware that we are alive.

So these are the three types of activities, three types of strivings, three types of obtaining results. We have seen this. But after many births, each one of us discovers there are three defects in this world and in the other world as well. What are these three defects?

Firstly, every happiness comes with a mixture of unhappiness. Secondly, everything is unsatisfactory; it will not give us complete satisfaction at any given time, even while providing happiness. This is okay, but if the other one is there, it would have been better. That is the second problem, what is called a defect.

The third defect is that every experience we have in this world or the other world binds us. So this goes on for a long time. Then what happens? Slowly, it is an evolution. Many times I have told you we are all standing on an evolutionary escalator. Whether we want it or not, it is slowly taking us, and life's experiences are only meant to awaken us and propel us towards this evolutionary development. First worldly, then spiritual.

So at some point, man wakes up and then he says, 'I am not getting what I want. Is there any way for the complete fulfillment of my worldly desires either in this world or in the higher world?' Then he understands that the only way is to follow a guide, and that guide is called the Veda. Usually, the teachings of these Vedas are scriptures. It could be the Bible, it could be the Koran, etc. It will come through an enlightened person who has already travelled that path.

And when we discover that we require a scripture to teach, even if there are Gurus, it doesn't always mean only spiritual Gurus. Even in this world, for how to prosper, we need Gurus—whether they are financial Gurus, computer Gurus, or pickpocket Gurus—whatever Gurus, we require teachers. A teacher is one who has the skill and the ability to convey that skill to a disciple.

So when a person follows the first part of the Vedas called Karmakanda, then certain results will come. The outcomes come in the form of four parts. Four results will come. Firstly, when we follow any Vedic ritual or the direction, the teachings of the Vedas, first, there is instantaneous satisfaction. Secondly, it will produce a Samskara, a deep habit. Since this gave me happiness, I must do it.

The third result that comes is, as a result of following the scriptures, a person tries to avoid what is not right and follow only what is right. Then what happens to that person? He will obtain the result. And finally, it also slowly clears away all the dirt, dust, or impurities of the mind. So four results. Let us keep this clearly in mind.

Firstly, it gives instantaneous satisfaction. You do a Puja properly and you get satisfaction, 'I have done this properly.' Or you feed a hungry person and you get immediate satisfaction. Seeing the other person satisfied, you feel, 'I have done something good.' Very good, instantaneous result.

And that instantaneous satisfaction strengthens our desire. Let me repeat it. That is called the strengthening of the Samskara. That is how our Samskara becomes stronger and stronger. A good person keeps becoming better and better. And a worse person—the psychology also works in the opposite way. So a wicked person becomes more and more evil. A good person becomes better and better. But here, we are talking about the scriptures.

Thirdly, every karma, every action, gives us a result. So, if we are following the scriptures and presume it will give us only good results, it is called Punya—reducing sin and increasing virtue. That would be the result of every good action.

Many times, the result of these good actions will come only after a long time, which is that more happiness comes—immediate happiness, strengthening of the Samskara, and a very high type of happiness.

Following the scriptures also does something really miraculous. It purifies our mind. This is called Chitta Shuddhi. And when the mind becomes pure, what do we mean by that? Our understanding becomes pure. Our buddhi, the capacity to understand things in the right way, because we are following the scriptures of any religion, becomes clearer and clearer. Then we understand that everything in this world is dissatisfactory. It has these three types of defects, which you remember: every happiness comes along with unhappiness, everything ends in dissatisfaction, and everything binds.

At that point, this person also discovers there is a higher life, an eternal life, an infinite life. That is what is indicated in most of the Shanti Mantras and one of the Shanti Mantras,

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate

Puurnnashya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih

So what does it mean? That we came from that infinite perfect being, and this world is also none other than that same world. So we get that we are perfect, even though we are not aware of it and have never become imperfect. We didn't have to become perfect. We just forgot we are perfect. We think we are imperfect. So we have to become perfect. But in this world, nothing can make us perfect. We don't become perfect. We just discover—our memory comes back, 'I am perfect.'

Then what happens? This first part of the Vedas becomes completely meaningless, irrelevant. The person says, 'I have given up the world. Do I have something to follow?' Yes, the second part of the scripture, called pure spiritual life, Gnanakandam. And then one approaches, 'How can I progress?' There are guides, people like mountaineer guides. Many times, these guides have climbed to the peak. I am going only for the first time. They know the good side, the defective side, and the problems, and they can give us expert guidance. They themselves come along with us.

So this person turns to a teacher. He must turn. The Vedas, the scriptures, are crystal clear: without a teacher, it is not possible. It is possible to have a desire. We have to prepare through all these preparatory stages—what we discussed—we become Adhikaris, that is, we become fit.

So, the ultimate purpose of the first part of the Vedas is to equip us so that we can become absolute instruments to take up the second part of the inquiry: to know who I am. The Veda tells us. Because intellectually, even without a Guru, we can study the Vedas.

And what do the Vedas say? They say—and it may shock us—'Tattvamasi,' you are not going to God, you are God. For many religions, this is an offense. How many realized souls, especially in Islam, who declared 'I am Allah,' 'I am that supreme reality,' have been burnt, tortured, murdered, and killed in endless ways? But fortunately in Hinduism, the weirder you are, the more respect: 'Oh, my Guru is so great, I can't understand him at all.' This is a good thing. So Hinduism never tortured any great saint because that tolerance is there. That is the specialty of Hinduism and Buddhism, etc.

These declarations of the Vedas, 'Tattvamasi,' you are that supreme reality, go directly against our experience. But how to understand it really? Then I also gained intelligence by God's grace, that is Saguna Brahma Upasana. Because all the rituals are meant only for pleasing the Lord, the supreme reality, in His benign aspect, which is called the personal Brahman, Saguna Brahma, who listens to our prayers and bestows His grace.

Ya Devi sarva-bhuteshu, Vidya rupen sansthita, namastasye namastasye namastasye namo namah

She manifests in the form of intelligence, right knowledge, etc.

Then it also dawns upon us: I require an expert guide. So nobody can go to God directly. 'But if you teach me, then what happens?' 'So I will teach you, but I will come to you in the form of a teacher.' So this person approaches a teacher and has acquired all the qualifications. This is beautifully indicated in the Upanishads.

Samyut Pani, So, how should a disciple approach a Guru? With firewood on his head, meaning in his hands (though usually carried). What is the symbolism? You carry some dried firewood and that will also be light. If you carry wet firewood, then you will have to suffer. What is the symbolism? This firewood helps one to make fire. But for what purpose is fire evoked in the olden types of Ashramas? For the purpose of Homa, Yagna, Yaga? What is the symbolism? The symbolism is, 'I am ready, O Guru, O Teacher, to burn my own opinions, to humble myself, to get rid of my selfishness, because I am trying to surrender myself to You.' This is beautifully indicated in the Bhagavad Gita.

How should one approach? 'Tad viddhi pranipatena.' Pranipata means complete faith in the teacher. That is called true surrender. Not just bowing down or touching the feet. 'Pariprasnena.' But you have to please Him to ask the questions. Why? Because you think, 'This person is going to give me something extraordinarily valuable, which is not available in this world. And therefore, I have to surrender myself first. Then I have to please Him.' 'Seva' means service. Service means what? I have to please Him. The Guru, you prepare first-class food, and you think that the Guru will be pleased. No! He doesn't require all those things. He is not a slave to food or other objects of enjoyment. But He understands. You show your humility, selflessness, faith, etc. That is called service. And then you ask appropriate questions.

So if you want to study chemistry, don't ask, 'What is the best book in the world on music?' or 'On zoology?' No! You should go straight to the heart of the matter and ask, 'What is the way I can become a good chemist?' This is the right way of asking. Most people don't even know what to ask and they ask questions that are completely unintelligible to them. So even when the Guru speaks, they say, 'You have answered, removed all our doubts,' but nothing has gone into their heads at all.

Even to wash the brains of the people, there are two types of brains—unwashable and washable brains. One should have a washable brain so that the Guru can wash. That is the symbolism of Samyut Pani. Even though my direct experience of the world shows me a completely different understanding of what the Veda teaches, scripture teaches, your teaching, I have that faith in you. I am ready to burn my understanding and I am ready to replace your understanding into my brain. This is the meaning of Samyut Pani.

So nobody should take, even in ordinary things, self-enquiry. 'Who am I? What is God? How can I reach God?' You will be making the greatest mistake. And then the Guru tells, 'You will not reach Brahman. You will not have God-realization. It is not possible and whatever you do, it is not necessary.' Then what is necessary? To discover the fact that you are what you are seeking.

They give an example. Karna in the Mahabharata thought that he was the son of a charioteer, Sudaputra. 'My father is a charioteer. My mother is called Radha.' Nothing to do with Radha Krishna. This is in the Mahabharata. Until on the eve of the Kurukshetra war, Kunti, his real mother, goes and calls him. He comes, and at night she reveals, 'My son, you are my son. You are not the charioteer's son.' Until then, everybody looked down upon him as the son belonging to an inferior caste. But this revelation did not make him Kunti's son. It only revealed to him what was hidden from him, and instantaneously he understood. He bowed down to his mother, and then she also explained why she had to abandon him. Karna was a very great character in Mahabharata. But the point is, we have very wonderful things to learn from this Mahabharata. That itself is a tremendous revelation, Mahabharata. Of course, the Bhagavad Gita, which is the essence of all scriptures, occurs only in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata.

So what is important here for us is that we do not realize Brahman, but we realize that we are Brahman. This goes contrary to our experience. So we must have tremendous Shraddha, faith that Guru is right, scripture is right, then there is something wrong with me. So he has to sit and then, after acquiring the necessary qualifications, become a yogya, fit, adhikari, fit disciple. To receive that teaching, he will have to proceed.

Swami Vivekananda makes a marvellous statement in his Bhakti Yoga. He says, 'I am going to read out this one.

So, without a Guru, is it possible to progress not only in spiritual life, but even in worldly life? It would be far, far easier and certain if we can take to a right teacher. And Swamiji, in his Bhakti Yoga, he says, this is what he says, but this, the shaping of our own destinies does not preclude our receiving help from outside. Nay, in the vast majority of cases, such help is absolutely necessary. This quickening impulse cannot be derived from books. The soul can only receive impulses from another soul and from nothing else. The person from whose soul such impulse comes is called the Guru, the teacher. And the person to whose soul the impulse is conveyed is called the Sishya, the student. The soul from which this guidance proceeds must possess the power of transmitting it as it were to another. And in the second place, the soul to which it is transmitted must be fit to receive it.

The Guru, in other words, must have the capacity and that knowledge to transmit. And in the second place, the soul to which it is transmitted must be fit to receive it. The seed must be a living seed and the field must be ready ploughed. And when both these conditions are fulfilled, a wonderful growth of genuine religion takes place and then Swamiji proceeds to enumerate. What are the qualifications of a teacher? This is called Avarijnaha, Akamahataha, Shrotriyaha.

In regard to the teacher, Swami Vivekananda says, we must see that he knows the spirit of the scriptures. The second condition necessary in the teacher is sinlessness. The question is often asked, why should we look into the character and personality of a teacher? We have only to judge what he says and take that up. The third condition is in regard to the motive. The teacher must not teach with any ulterior selfish motive.

It is highly risky to engage in self-enquiry without the help of a teacher. But I will just revert back. Swami Vivekananda says, first of all, the person who is what we call the Guru or the teacher, he must know the spirit of the scriptures. What is Swami Vivekananda trying to convey? That his teachings must never go against the spirit of the scriptures. There are so many religions and they are completely misinterpreted, bringing misery to billions of people even today. Because the Gurus or the teachers think that their authority, they know better than God because every scripture is a word of God. There is no doubt about it. But the proper interpretation, a person who is selfish, worldly and power monger, utterly cruel, such a person dominates nowadays as a teacher and they try to propagate and make other people also get spoiled. And millions are spoiled that way. But the ultimate result will be terrible suffering. That is the condition of anybody who misbehaves in this world.

Now, the second condition: a teacher must be sinless. When a person is spiritual, needless to say, they cannot commit any sin. Moreover, when a person realizes God, their individual "I" is completely replaced by God's "I". Therefore, even if they were to wish to do wrong, they would be unable to. Sri Ramakrishna's life exemplifies this perfectly. He used to say, "An expert dancer cannot make a false step, even in jest." It is impossible for him because he has practiced the right way for so long, life after life. Many incidents illustrate this. Once, Sri Ramakrishna went to Nahabath, where Holy Mother used to stay. After finishing his food, he used a bit of spice to cleanse his mouth. Holy Mother knew this and sometimes gave him a small amount to chew. Once, she tied a small amount of these spices to his garment, intending for him to go straight to his room. However, instead of heading to his room, which was only a few yards away, his feet carried him towards the Ganges. He cried out helplessly, "Mother, do you want me to drown?" Hearing this, Holy Mother sent for Hriday, who forcibly brought him back. Later, Sri Ramakrishna explained that as a monk, he had vowed never to accumulate anything, trusting that God would provide. Holy Mother had unconsciously tied a tiny amount, but the Divine Mother did not allow him even that.

I recall the first Christian who renounced the world, Saint Paul—not one of Jesus Christ's disciples, but another Saint Paul. He lived in the Egyptian desert, in caves, before Saint Anthony the Great. When Saint Anthony heard of Saint Paul and sought him out, a lion led him to the correct cave. Saint Paul greeted Saint Anthony joyfully. Saint Paul's daily sustenance was a bird, something like a kite, which brought him one piece of bread each day. On one occasion, it brought him two pieces. Similar incidents abound in Swami Vivekananda's life. Once, in North India near the Himalayas, he climbed a tree, requesting hot food. A devotee, awakened by his Ishta Devata, quickly prepared hot Khichdi and found Swamiji exactly where his deity had indicated.

The essence is to completely rely on God. That is the idea.

For such a person who is possessed by God, he can never take a wrong step. That is why he can never be sinless. But then the third condition is that you should not have any motive, including thoughts like, "I am a great Guru, my disciple must always obey me," etc. Such thoughts inflate the ego. Whatever I say must be done. No, you should not have any motive. If you are fit, you will do it.

It is highly risky to engage in what is called self-enquiry all by oneself. There is an incident that comes to my mind. Once, there was a monastic disciple of Swami Brahmanandaji. He used to be in what we now call Rishikesh. He sincerely practiced meditation and scriptural study for many years and felt that he experienced Samadhi. He was convinced of it and began telling others, "I do experience Samadhi." Many people believed him because he led a wonderful and sincere spiritual life.

Once, Swami Brahmanandaji was in Kankhal, Haridwar, a few miles from Rishikesh. The disciple came to see his Guru. Later, Swami Brahmanandaji told others, "I looked into his eyes, and he had some kind of spiritual experience, no doubt about it, but it is far from Samadhi." Many aspirants become misled by their own understanding of what is called Samadhi or self-knowledge. Without the aid and right direction of a teacher, it is highly risky. A Guru can help a person avoid many obstructions because he himself had guidance from his own Guru long before. It is like taking a mountaineering guide who knows the shortcuts and obstacles and can safely guide one to the top of the mountain. However, it is not enough to have the qualifications of the Guru; the disciple must also have qualifications.

Why are we discussing all these things? Because the Upanishad presumes that we are approaching a Guru. Even in the very first chapter, called Sikshadhyaya, there are many prayers where a person has to pray to God. This is a marvellous prayer. We will come to that when the right time comes. A disciple must also fulfill, like the teacher, three qualifications. What are they?

Swami Vivekananda said the conditions necessary for the taught are, first of all, purity; second, a real thirst for knowledge; and third, perseverance. Many people become very disappointed and say, "Probably there is nothing. Our teacher did not know what he was teaching, and he himself is completely ignorant. I have been practicing for such a long time, and nothing seems to help." No, he must have purity, because pure teaching and pure knowledge can come only to a pure person. He must have what Sri Ramakrishna calls Yakulata, a real thirst for knowledge. Whatever the teacher says, he must persevere.

A wonderful, marvellous example of this perseverance comes to us in the story of Shabari, a great devotee of Sri Rama. It is a marvellous story. Most of you, I think, will know it, but it is well to recollect even now. This is called a disciple possessing complete Shraddha, or faith.

There was a maidservant serving in a monastery, and she had a daughter who was five years old. This maidservant suddenly died, probably bitten by a poisonous snake, and the girl was left alone. For some time, the monks looked after her. But, as you know, these monks do not want to have this kind of burden. So when she grew up a little bit, probably five or ten years old—we don't know—they wanted to shift to another place.

One of the monks called this young girl, initiated her into the Rama Mantra, and said, "My daughter, I assure you, Rama will come to you. He is your chosen deity. Do not move from this place. Stay here. Any time He can come, and you will get liberation." And then they went away.

This lady had complete faith in the teacher. Every morning, she would go and collect some edible fruits and then come back. The whole day, she would wait, because the Guru did not tell her when Rama was going to come. Days passed, months passed, and years passed. She became almost 99 years old. She became bent and blind, but she never doubted her teacher's words, not even for a single second. Every day, even at this advanced age, she would go nearby. She could not see properly, probably suffering from cataracts, but she would collect some fruits.

On the last day of her life, Sri Rama came along with Lakshmana. Who can describe her joy? She did not say, "Oh, you are coming after a long time. I have been waiting for you for almost 90 years. How cruel you are. How heartless you are." No. She said, "My teacher told me you would come. I knew his words would never fail, and I have been waiting." She offered the fruits she had gathered that morning. Not knowing whether they were ripe or not, she would bite a little bit to see if they were fit to be given and then offer them to Sri Rama. He happily accepted whatever was offered, whether it was a flower or a bit of water.

She then said, "Lord, after seeing you, I do not want to see this world again. Let me be looking at you and give up this body." In his presence, this lady, looking at her Ishta Devata (chosen deity), merged with him. The wonder of wonders is that Sri Ramachandra himself performed her obsequies, or last rites. What a great lady! This is called real Shraddha in the words of the Guru. Such Shraddha is very much necessary.

How are we going to develop this Shraddha? For that, our Vedas and scriptures provide a way. There are two particular Sukthams. One Suktham, which we have discussed in our Thursday classes, is called Medha Suktham. The other is called Shraddha Suktham. By chanting these faithfully and with devotion, Shraddha is generated within each of us. This is what Shraddha Suktham accomplishes.

One develops Shraddha not merely by prayer but by praying to God, repeating one's Ishta Mantra, and offering complete prostrations. In this respect, Swami Adbhutanandaji says in his teachings that every Mantra is the name of God. He advises saluting Nama, the name itself—the name of God will lead you to God. This is a unique type of teaching: not only should we salute God, but we should also salute the very name of God.

To develop that Shraddha, we will discuss several more points, including how the Guru teaches, what is called Pramanas (means of knowledge), and whether his teaching aligns with the correct teachings of the scriptures. How do we understand these fundamentals? We will talk about this in detail. As I mentioned, I am integrating the Saturday and Sunday classes into this discussion, so it will be beneficial for you to attend both.