Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 107 Ch3.9-10 on 03 June 2026
Opening Prayer (Śānti Pāṭha)
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः
Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum
pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu
ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ हरि ॐ
OM SAHANAVAVATO SAHANAV BHUNAKTO SAHAVIRYAM KARAVAVAHAI TEJASVINAVADHITAMASTUMA VIDVISHAVAHAI OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTIHI HARIHI 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 feeling toward each other.
OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL
Introduction to the Third Chapter, Bhriguvalli, of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad
We are studying the 3rd chapter called Bhriguvalli of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. In our last class we completed the 8th Anuvāka. A series of vows, prathams, are being expounded here by the Upaniṣad, and all these vows belong to Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga means spiritual sādhanā. Every sādhanā must have a goal in mind called sādhyam. And what is the sādhyam? We have seen that Bhrigu wanted to know how I can realise that I am Brahman. He must have had theoretical knowledge that I am Brahman, each soul is Brahman, this world is nothing but Brahman. I know theoretically, but how do I get out of these limitations? How do I become Satyam Jnanam Anantam? So we know he approached, and the guru happened to be his own father, gave him beautiful directions. He said you go to the ultimate cause from where this whole universe is coming.
What does the father mean? He meant if you once find the ultimate cause, whatever is the nature of that ultimate cause, the effect also will be exactly the same. Any number of ornaments made of gold will be nothing other than gold. Any furniture, past, present, future, cannot be anything else except wood. So even though for the sake of expanding ourselves we give a peculiar name called Māyā, Avidhyā, Mithyā, our real goal is not to think about Mithyā but to realise the real nature of this universe, creation, my own self and everybody else. The purpose of bringing light when a person has mistaken an innocent rope as a ferocious, poisonous snake is to become free from the consequences of that ignorance.
So what are the consequences of ignorance called Māyā? We are all suffering from repeated births and deaths, sixfold changes, unfulfilled desires and especially fear. And what is fear? Not knowing one's own nature is called fear. So that is the goal of Bhrigu, and the teacher had given him the right directions on how one has to transcend step by step from Annamaya Kośa and then make Annamaya Kośa Brahman, annam brahmeti vyajanāt, then find out its limitations, move on to the next higher or subtler, more pervading cause. The cause of Annamaya Kośa is Prāṇamaya Kośa. Then sanctify it, make it sacred: prāṇo brahmeti vyajanāt, then mano brahmeti vyajanāt, then vijñānaṃ brahmeti vyajanāt, then ānandaṃ brahmeti vyajanāt. So the clue to understanding these steps is vyajanāt: "I understood", but whatever I understand is not me. Whatever I am, that is me. So Bhrigu understood Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi.
Now after that, the Upaniṣad enumerates as if it is telling to all of us, giving a hint, a clue that just as Bhrigu had done tapasyā. And what tapasyā did Bhrigu do? He performed this Karma Yoga. What is Karma Yoga? That everything is God. It is God who is the doer. It is God who is the action. It is God who is obtained, who is attained. So God is the one who does; God is the one who enjoys – kartā and bhoktā. Everything is God only. Brahman does the action; Brahman enjoys the results of the action. Sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma, nothing else exists. So Karma Yoga must lead us to that knowledge that Brahman alone is manifesting in this world as nāmarūpa. As we have seen in the 6th section of the first chapter of Bṛhadāraṇyaka – nāma, rūpa and karma – that Karma Yoga by which we can understand that I am Brahman with nāmarūpa, I am none other than Brahman. For that, this Karma Yoga has to be done.
For the purpose of Karma Yoga, certain fundamental spiritual practices were enumerated here. One of them is: make everything sacred, look upon everything as Brahman, the whole universe as Brahman. But we have to start from the beginning, and especially according to the division of the Hindu scriptures, the life of a human being is divided into 4 categories. It is not according to the age of the body; it is according to the development of the consciousness, states of consciousness. Learn first, then practice, experiment, experience, then the knowledge will come. What knowledge will come? That what I am seeking, even if I get, will never give me satisfaction. What I am seeking is not an object. What I am seeking is unbroken happiness, and nothing in this world can give me unbroken happiness. Why? Because everything is opposite to Satyam; Anātma is Asatyam. So I want Satyam.
Then the person turns inward. How does the person turn inward? It is only through Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga first purifies the mind, advances us in concentration, expands our identity, finally opens the door to the Suṣumṇā Mārga. That is how, according to the tantric explanation, we progress from a lower state of consciousness to higher and higher states of consciousness and finally become one with consciousness, knowing "I am pure consciousness, I are Chaitanya, I am Brahman." For that purpose, some vows have to be taken. A vow is that which forces us to develop willpower because I am promising to God, and we have seen that 3 vows were taken.
The First Three Vows (from the 9th Anuvāka)
What is the first vow? Never ever criticise annam, annam in the earth. What does it mean? Never criticise anything or anybody in this world. Annam means the whole universe. Then annaṃ na paricakṣīta – never waste. Do not waste your time, do not waste others' time, do not waste your energy, do not waste other people's energy. Whatever promotes your welfare, your happiness, and also others' welfare, others' happiness – go on doing that one. And then annaṃ bahu kurvīta – the food must be made much. This is the third vrata that has come in the ninth section, and we have progressed to some extent in the ninth section.
We have seen that it is the duty of every householder to produce as much food as possible, and this is part of Karma Yoga. One takes a vow, promises God that "I will try to increase food." Food means that which gives life, that which increases happiness of not only oneself but everybody else. First oneself, then the family, then the neighbours, in fact the whole world, including the birds, insects, etc. I hinted earlier that when a person, especially a brāhmaṇa, an orthodox brāhmaṇa, takes food, he divides it, takes a small bit of it with utterance of particular mantras, puts it in front of the plate, symbolising that "I will try to share all that I have. I will earn righteously, dharmically, and I will also share with others." And we have also seen that sharing is not losing; actually sharing is saving. The Upaniṣad gives a very peculiar, beautiful concept: you save the annam, and annam will save you. How do you save annam? Not by putting it in the walls of the bank or in the silos. No, you distribute it, and you are storing it in everybody. And then when the time comes, you can borrow because, whether people like it or not, it is not the people – it is God. So if you give with the idea "I am returning it to God because God has given me" – that is the idea of Pañca Mahāyajña, and that produces puṇyam, and according to the quantity and quality of what we have done, it comes back to us in the form of karmaphala, and that is beautifully expressed. We will see it in future.
So let a householder multiply as much as possible, but with a condition very important for us. Life should be divided not only for earning one's own livelihood but also for helping other people, sharing with other people because that shows our love, and not sharing with people, but offering it to God who appears to us in the form of people, animals, etc., etc. So this is what we need to understand.
The Holistic Attitude: Interconnectedness
Then we were seeing that this whole universe is an inextricable net. Every thread is interconnected with the other thread, and if anybody separates oneself, that person will not survive. So we have to integrate ourselves as part and parcel. This is what Viśiṣṭādvaita wants to emphasise: each one of us is a part of God's body. The whole world is, the whole creation is nothing but the body of God. So there are certain relationships mentioned here to emphasise the fact that we are all related to the world.
First Relationship: Annam – Annādā (Enjoyer – Enjoyed)
The first relationship is annam and annādā. Annam means that which is enjoyed; annādā means he who is the enjoyer. I enjoy you, you enjoy me. I enjoy food; food also enjoys me. So I enjoy the world; the world enjoys me. And this is the invariable and impossible-to-cut relationship. This is called holistic attitude. So everybody is related to us. We are dependent upon them; they are dependent upon us.
Second Relationship: Pratiṣṭhitā – Pratiṣṭhitam (Supported – Supporter)
That is the second way of the Upaniṣadic expression, and that is called pratiṣṭhitā-pratiṣṭhitam relationship – supported-supporter relationship. For example, we have already dealt with it: when we are children, our parents support us, and when we grow up, we are capable of supporting, we support them. Then we, of course, support our own children, then we will be supported when we become incapable, weak, old, etc. So this is just as an example. Everything in this world has a supporter-supported relationship. This is called holistic attitude, and we are exploring this idea.
Ākāśo annādāḥ pṛthivyam ākāśa pratiṣṭhitāḥ ākāśāy pṛthivī pratiṣṭhitā tadetad annam anna pratiṣṭhitam. Sa ya etad annam any pratiṣṭhitam veda pratiṣṭhati. Annam annādaḥ bhavati, mahān bhavati, prajayā bhavati, paśuvir bhavati, brahma varṣa saina bhavati, mahān kīrtyā bhavati.
So anybody who does this particular contemplation – annaṃ upāsanā, annaṃ bahu kurvīta upāsanā – he will never be lacking enjoyment. He will never be lacking support from somewhere at the right time. Everything that is necessary for enjoyment will come; everything necessary to support us will come, provided we did the same thing when we were in a position able to do.
This is what Swami Vivekananda observed and said: India had become a frog in the well, neither receiving nor giving. And the law of life is give and take. You have something excess valuable, give it to others, and others have something valuable, receive it from them, and both of us will get the benefit. This is the law that Swami Vivekananda was expounding. The moment India stopped giving, becoming a frog in the well, it stopped. It lost its capacity to receive. As a result, it started to become rotten. The famous example is: if you are in a room and never open your doors and windows, never allow fresh air to enter, the air that is within will soon turn to poison and then kill the person who is inside. But open the windows. What is inside will go out, and what is outside will come in. And when we say "what is inside will go out", we should never misunderstand that we are giving our waste to others. No, there are certain creatures, living beings, who require what we breathe out, and we require what they breathe out. So parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyāḥ paramam avāpsyatha – this is called. Te devā bhavayantu vaha. In the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā it is said that both gods and men have this supporter-supported relationship. Men must support the gods by offerings, by worship, by praise, through gratitude, and they in their turn bestow upon us everything that needs to be offered to them. So you also enjoy; you also make gods pleased. Parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyāḥ paramam avāpsyatha – marvellous truth again and again presented in these prasthānatrayam: Bhagavad Gītā, Upaniṣads and Brahmasūtras.
So let the knower of Brahman – here means let the person who wants to realise Brahman – make food plentiful. That is the vow, remember. This is an instruction for the householder. It doesn't apply for the student, for the retired person (vānaprasthi), much less for the sanyāsin. All the three āśramas depend upon this person.
Earth and Ākāśa: Cause and Effect
So the earth is verily food. Ākāśa is the eater. Ākāśa rests on the earth, and the earth rests on the ākāśa. Thus food rests on food. Both are food; each depends upon each other. So ākāśa is the supporter and the earth is the supported; earth becomes the supporter, ākāśa becomes the supporter. We discussed it. I am just summarising the point. Supposing there is a vast empty space, and then if you don't do anything, it is not going to help you. So you construct a house. Now what happens? That ākāśa becomes very practical. Ākāśa means empty space; space means emptiness. So you construct a house and you fill it up with things. What supports these things? Space. If there were to be no space, you can't keep anything, you can't even enter into it. So the house, which is nothing but space, supports you. And then how do you support the house? By putting four walls and the ground and then the roof. Then the pṛthivī is supporting the ākāśa, making it practically useful; otherwise the space as it is is not very much useful. Of course it is useful – whenever we move, we require the space. So by moving, the space supports us, and if we are not there, the space is useless. That is why rich people who do not have children feel empty. So everything in this world is dependent upon everything. Actually both the ideas – enjoyer and enjoyed, supported and supporter – if I translate them as experiencer and experienced, as subject and object, then it covers up everything. So without object, the word subject cannot even exist. Of course without the word subject, the word object also has no meaning. They have full meaning only when both words exist.
So the whole world – God in the form of the world – He is the supporter, He is the enjoyer. And I, who am part of Brahman, am also both the supporter, enjoyer, subject. So the whole thing is subject and subject-object. Then the next same idea put in a different way is cause and effect. See, if there is no effect, the word cause loses its meaning, and if there is no cause, we can never recognise any effect. There is an avinābhāva sambandha – unbreakable relationship – between these two that is being expressed here. And he who knows this, that means understands this, his life is transformed: "I cannot live without the world, and the world cannot live without me, and therefore it is my duty to share whatever I have with the world, and the world also will support me if I do this." So by giving, I am becoming a proper recipient, making space for receiving whatever the world has got to give me. So this is how supporter and supported, subject and object, cause and effect are irrevocably, unbreakably related to each other, and both are manifestations of Brahman.
So we have seen annaṃ bahu kurvīta. A householder would be committing a heinous sin if he doesn't multiply food. So what for? Share the excess food one accumulates with those who do not have. So food doesn't mean only that which is eaten through the mouth. Food, water, press, shelter, safety – all these must be plenty. Whoever can do according to their means. So annaṃ bahu kurvīta.
Vedāntic View of Ākāśa
Then this earth and ākāśa. From the Vedāntic point of view, ākāśa is the cause, and this earth is the lowest manifestation. Remember, the effect is nothing but cause. So space is nothing but air; air is nothing but fire; fire is nothing but water; water is nothing but earth. So if you remove earth, then ākāśa will lose its title of cause. It cannot exist, and practically speaking, space supports us. If you want to cultivate food in a vast field, maybe 1000 acres, but of course you will use a tractor instead of bullock carts or horse ploughshare. But the ākāśa, how does it support? Through the atmosphere, through seasons, through rain, and it must be appropriate. Every season must be the right season. So this whole creation – creation means universe, universe means creation – is absolutely interconnected and unbreakably having this relationship, equal relationship of supporter and supported, enjoyer and enjoyed, both in their turns become. That is the meaning of this ninth section we have seen.
So what we have to remember when we are talking about ākāśa: the moment you see ākāśa, hear the word ākāśa, you are remembering space according to the scientists. But we have to remember we are studying the Upaniṣads. So remember ākāśa according to our scripture, especially Taittirīya Upaniṣad: ātmana ākāśa. What is ākāśa? Space – nothing but manifestation of Ātman. The unmanifest Ātman becomes a little bit manifest, though it is still unmanifest until it becomes fire to all of us. So according to scripture, it is not emptiness. Space is the subtlest manifestation of Ātman, and it is the subtlest form of matter. So any manifestation is matter. That matter only became air, fire, water, pṛthivī, and every object that we experience in this world. So ākāśād vāyuḥ, vāyor agniḥ, agner āpaḥ. So this is the relationship, and tad etad annam annane pratiṣṭhitam. Thus earth becomes the support and supporter and also supported. Space becomes again a supporter and as well as the supported supporter. So there is an unbreakable relationship. And sa ya etad annam annane pratiṣṭhitam veda, he who realises the whole universe is ultimately related to the ākāśa – finest manifestation of matter or finest, grossest manifestation of Ātman – and he who knows, what does he get? Whoever meditates, does this upāsanā on this relationship of support-supported, enjoyer-enjoyed between the earth and space, will have no lack in life. Everything is obtained in abundance.
But that is not enough because I may have plenty of food, but if I don't have the capacity to eat, to chew, even to digest, then it is no use. Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj used to say: when I was capable of eating, hardly I got anything to eat, and when I am not capable of digesting, everything has come plenty, and I have helplessly to look to my sevaks and devotees who are so eager to share this mahāprasāda, and I have to be happy thinking that my happiness lies in their happiness. Even from that angle also, this upāsanā will help a great deal. Are you not eating through everybody's mouth? That was the realisation Divine Mother Kālī gave to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Could she not have given a little bit of hunger and say "Achchhā Bābā, you eat some nice suji payesh, rava payesh and fill up your stomach"? Okay, pain will be there, but at least a little bit of enjoyment. The funny thing is this Divine Mother wants to pull – everybody is like – it really means she is pulling her own legs. So many years before, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had a vision in which the Divine Mother assured him: "Since you love this rava payesh, suji paisa so much, in your old age, every day you will be getting." And Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was in the seventh heaven after having this vision, hearing mother's words; he knows it will come true. But when he realised that it is so painful to swallow this suji payesh, he said, "Is this called enjoying? You cheated me, oh mother." He did not say it aloud, but I can guess, I can hear it very much. So this person will be endowed with everything – not only abundance, but he will also be given the boon of the capacity to enjoy. That is the point.
So through these beautiful meditations, the following points must become clear in our minds.
Three Points of Realisation
What is the first point? What are we talking about? That this relationship – intricate, unbreakable relationship between the enjoyer and enjoyed (that is anna-annādā relationship) and the supporter and supported relationship – must, if we successfully contemplate, give us this knowledge. What knowledge?
1. First: The entire world is nothing but the body of Saguna Brahma Īśvara. Therefore, Īśvara is not somewhere far away sitting in Brahmaloka or Īśvaraloka. That unmanifest Īśvara is revealed to us through this upāsaka, and any upāsaka who does that sees Īśvara as manifest as this world.
2. Second: If everything in creation depends on one another like this, nothing has an independent existence. According to Advaita Vedānta, whatever is dependent upon something else is called Mithyā. Mithyā not non‑existence. Mithyā means that which is unreliable. You can't rely upon it because it is changing continuously – unreal, relative. Therefore, everything – my body, my mind and the entire universe – is Mithyā.
3. Third: If everything is Mithyā, Mithyā has no independent existence. It must be supported by some Satyam, and that Satyam, that substratum, is called Brahman. So the true substratum for this entire creation, which includes "I" and the whole world, is nothing but Brahman. So this realisation – "Brahman alone is real; this world is a manifestation of that Brahman only" – would be the firm knowledge of this person.
Once a person has this, his joy knows no bounds. So then pramātṛ-prameya relationship – pramātṛ means the person who obtains knowledge, the knower; prameya means the known. It also falls under subject-object, and both depend. If I am not there, what am I to know? And if there is no object, how do I become a pramātṛ? It is impossible. Without the knower, the known has no existence. Without the known, the knower also would not be a knower. One of the teachers gives a beautiful example: if there is no teacher, the disciples cannot be called disciples; and if there are no disciples, then a teacher will not be a teacher at all. Both must be there – sahānāvavatu, sahanau bhunaktu, sahavīryaṃ karavāvahai.
But one must understand: Brahman is manifesting as the knower and the known, as the enjoyer and the enjoyed, as the supporter and the supported. And this is called Virāṭ Upāsanā. This is called Viśvarūpa Dhyānam – that is seeing Nārāyaṇa, seeing Śiva, seeing Īśvara in the form of this Viśvarūpa. That is what Arjuna had seen and could not get any peace of mind. In the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā – Viśva Rūpa Sandarśana Yogo Nāma Ekādaśo Adhyāyaḥ.
With this, the ninth anuvāka is over.
Tenth Anuvāka (Daśama Anuvāka) – The Fourth Vrata
Now we enter the final; this is the last anuvāka, and it has got many mantras, and it also contains one of the Mahāvākyas. We will explore this as far as possible.
Chant
Na kañcana vasatau pratyācakṣīta tad vratam. Tasmād eṣā kāyācchavitayā bahvannaṃ prāpnuyāt. Ārādhyaṃ sma annaṃ itīya cakṣate. Etadvai mukhato annam ārāddham mukhato asmāt annam ṛādhyate. Etadvai madhyato annam ārāddham madhyatau asmān annam ṛādhyate. Etadhvā antatau annam ārāddham antatau asmāt annam ṛādhyate. Atha ya evaṃ veda – beautiful vrata..
Meaning of the Fourth Vrata
What does it mean? Na kañcana vasatau pratyācakṣīta. Let me first read the English translation, then we go śloka by śloka. This sādhaka who wants to realise Brahman, who is keen on practising this Karma Yoga as indicated in this 3rd chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad – such an honest seeker, let him not deny lodgings to anyone. This is the vow to God. Therefore, he should procure much food by any means whatsoever. To guests, he should always say, "The food has been prepared for you." If this food is given first, food comes to the giver first. If this food is given in the middle, food comes to the giver in the middle. If this food is given last, food comes to the giver last. He who knows this obtains the fruit mentioned in the earlier contemplations. He will get plenty. Not only that, he will also get that special capacity of enjoying whatever he gets.
Now let us analyse this.
Analysis: Not Denying Shelter to Anyone
Na kañcana vasatau pratyācakṣīta. Vasatau means vasati – to stay. Vasati means a person is seeking shelter. He wants to spend one day, one night, whatever it is. Some wandering monks want to stay one or two days. I will give some examples also at the appropriate time. Remember, these instructions are given to people when hotels, motels, transportations were not available. Often people had to walk for long distances, maybe hundreds of miles. On the way, they have to stop somewhere. So if you remember, even at Kamarpukur, some dharmachatras (they are called satras – satra means where food is given freely for pilgrims) – on the way to Himalayas, many places like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Rishikesh, Uttarkashi, so many of these dharmaśālās, they are called dharmaśālā. Śālā means a place of residence. Vidyāśālā means where vidyā is given; dharmaśālā means where pilgrims, sanyāsins, wandering monks, etc., are given shelter. Some places give shelter, some places give food because without giving food, shelter becomes practically useless.
So it is a pratham. God has given you plenty. We presume that the person was putting into practice all those contemplations practically, not simply sitting and meditating "I am doing this, I am doing this." So he must have food ready, and if somebody approaches when there is no such previous intimation – "I am coming at noon" because of the phone – it is possible, but in those days that is why they are called atithi. Atithi means a particular time; atithi means no specified time. They can come at midnight also sometimes. So if somebody comes, pratyācakṣīta – never be turned away. For what purpose? Vasatau. So this word vasati indicates two meanings: vasati means to take rest, for shelter. But it also means that if a guest comes, you say "Okay, you sleep in that room outside. Do not disturb us, but you will not get any food." No, it is the burden of the responsibility of the householder to provide food. And how do we know? Because that is going to be indicated immediately. Nobody should be rejected.
Caveat for Modern Times
But we also have to be careful. Just blindly do not follow this rule. If anybody comes and knocks, don't just open, especially when there are places where hotels are there, motels are there. So if somebody comes, we don't know; especially strangers, don't trust. Many people lost their lives, but very few people are harmful. These harmful people, their percentage is very less. But then, since we do not know who is who, it is better to be cautious about it. So we have to be very careful. That is the condition nowadays. But in the olden days, if anybody comes, especially if you know somebody – your relatives or friends who happen to be there because of some accident or because of some unplanned reasons – then never say "Get the hell out of here." Don't behave like M.'s friend. At midnight his carriage broke down on his way. He was going to Baranagar, and he knocked at the house of his friend. After long knocking, his friend opened, thoroughly scolded him, asked him practically to get out, then banged and bolted the door and went back. That was unacceptable, but it was a great eye‑opener for him. So if anybody comes, say "atithi devo bhava" – he must be God in that particular form. Even Christian morality tells us the same thing.
So one has to be ready. Tasmād eṣā kāyācchavitayā bahvannaṃ prāpnuyāt – so one must be obtaining plenty of food either by cultivating or by begging, whatever it is, more than what is necessary for the day must be there. Not only that, if possible, you prepare more. That is why in some areas like Bengal, they prepare more food, and if there is no guest, excess food is there, then that food is called pāntā bhāt. They add a little bit of salt, ginger, etc., to make it tasty, and it is very cooling. Especially in North India, and especially in the so‑called previous Punjab, everybody would prepare a few more chapatis so that any wandering monk passes in front of them. Voluntarily, these people used to call them "Bābājī, āp kuchh khāye hai?" If he says "Yes mother, I have just now, somebody has given me. Thank you very much, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, bless you." But if somebody says "So far I have not eaten" – saupajāyi – even if you give one or two breads, chapatis (huge chapatis), then at least temporarily the hunger will be assuaged. So whatever be the name, but whatever means – not by hook or crook, but through righteous means – store plenty of food. Not only that, prepare it.
The Attitude: "Food is Ready for You"
Then the Upaniṣad gives us beautiful ārādhyaṃ sma annaṃ itīya cakṣate. If I explain one, then you understand and apply the same thing with the other. Supposing so: ārādhyaṃ sma annaṃ itīya cakṣate. As soon as the guest comes: "Oh welcome, food is ready for you." So do not worry whether we have finished eating and there is no more food left. No, food is cooked and plenty of food is there. Even if it is not there, you welcome him. You just wash your hands and feet, take your bath, take a few minutes rest, and the housewife meanwhile prepares emergency food. But usually one has to be ready - when God is going to come? God alone knows, we do not know.
Three Stages of Giving and Their Results
Then he says – I am just giving one beautiful example from this Upaniṣad, and then we can apply it to all the three stages that are there.
- First (best): If anybody treats guests in this manner, thinking that God has come to me, and prepares tasty food with a beautiful idea "I am serving God" and keeps everything ready, then the result is: whenever he requires food, food will come as the result of this, and it will be offered with respect. So three ideas are there: the feeling with which a person welcomes, the cleanliness and tastefulness of the food itself, and the respect with which this person welcomes – makes him sit, makes him feel "you are most important in our lives" – and then feeds him as if God Himself is eating. Keep these ideas. Then what is the result of this karmaphala? Either in this birth, wherever, whenever, wherever food will never lack; it will come with respect, tasty food, and with the tenderest, loveliest feelings. If it is next birth, he will be born in a family where plenty of food is available.
- Second (middling): Same idea if somebody's feelings are neither worshipful nor hateful but a little bit mechanical, and the preparation is not so good, and the respect he shows to the guest is also not so good – then the exact result will come to him. When he requires food, food will come, but it is not given with love, it is not given with respect, it is not prepared very well. In the next birth also, in the middle age when he requires food, then this kind of food only will come – either in this life or in the next life it will come only in the middle age, but not really, it can come in the early age also, old age also. But as the karma, so the karmaphala. As is the action, so also is the result.
- Third (worst): But there are people with terrible, inimical, disrespectful, hateful feeling – "This ghost has come." So the guest becomes a ghost. And then the preparation is the worst preparation, and with terrible insult the food is given. Then in this life, he will get exactly the same thing returned to him when he requires, or in the next birth. Whenever he requires food, this kind of food will come.
Therefore, be careful how you treat the guests. And he who knows it, he does the best, and he gets the best result. Beautiful thoughts. We will talk about them in our next class.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः
Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deviṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu
May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!