Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 123 Summary on 23 September 2026

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

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: Fitness for the Spiritual Path

So in our last class, we had discussed – what did we discuss? How the Upaniṣad – this Taittirīya Upaniṣad in the form of the Bhṛguvallī chapter – wants to guide every sincere aspirant, wherever, whatever the person may be, to become a fit person, to undertake higher paths.

Fitness in All Fields

This rule not only applies in spiritual life. Fitness is an essential part for whatever one wants to do. If someone wants to become a cook, he must be a fit person. He must know, and he must be able to stand the heat that emanates all the time – and especially if he is an Indian cook, then the flavour – so‑called flavour for Indians, and nuisance to other people – of the spices, especially of chilli. One should have that fitness.

If somebody wants to take part in games, tremendous bodily strength is needed, and also alertness. If somebody wants to take part in wrestling, lightning‑fast reaction should be there. Same thing applies to driving also.

Spiritual Fitness

So it is not surprising – but only in the field of the world, a person may be very strong, very fit, but at the same time he need not be moral, he need not be unselfish. But in the spiritual field, absolutely necessary – and the greatest fitness, we all know, is complete surrender to the teacher, one's own teacher. Why? Because the teacher represents the scriptures. And what do the scriptures represent? The highest reality, Brahman itself. So this is what we need to clearly grasp.

The Guru as Target Practice

And as I mentioned earlier, and will mention in future too many times, a Guru is not only a representative of God, but he is the greatest target practice for us. In fact, if a man is great, then there is no greatness in us in adopting him. But if a person is not at all great, and yet I want to practise something, and I take up that person.

Swami Vivekananda's Indirect Advice

Swami Vivekananda – not in these words, but indirectly – used to say that if you want to progress spiritually, go and live in such a place where you are continuously tortured, criticised, looked down upon. Then the whole world will not help you. That is the first lesson we have to learn. There is no one belonging to me in this world. Then only the other knowledge will come: God alone is my only protector, lover, sustainer, etc. But so far as it is possible, we have to cultivate.

The Miserly Attitude

And most people, I am sorry to say, they are highly philosophical, but when it comes to reducing their selfishness – sharing whatever good things they have been given by God – then they become extraordinarily calculative. And that is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to call them miserly people.

The Measure of Devotion

In fact, I do not know how many of you had noticed – in The Great Master, Swami Śaradānandaji points out specifically how do we measure the devotion of a person. And it is said: the devotee who spends the largest amount of money in the service of holy people, poor people, in the worship of God, in pilgrimages, etc., can be that person. So that unstinted distribution of his money – specifically money – that is the measurement of the person's sincerity. And every word that comes from such great souls is profoundly meaningful.

The Purpose of the Upāsanas

So we are seeing how the Upaniṣads want to guide the aspirant to be a fit person to undertake the spiritual path especially. For that, several upāsanas, contemplations, are prescribed for making our body and mind fit for spiritual progress. We had already discussed some of these upāsanas in our last class.

The Seventh Section – Anna Brahma Upāsana

For example, in the seventh section we saw Anna Brahma Upāsana. What was the vow one has to take in front of God? A word given to God: "O Lord, or O Mother." Because remember, pṛthivī is nothing but annam. Annam means every form that we see in this external world, including a stone – it is all. It has all come only from the Pṛthivī Devatā, from the earth. Annaṃ na nindiyāt, tad vratam.

The Meaning of Vratam

This word vratam is a very important word. That is why Ekādaśī vrata – on the eleventh day I take a vow. It is a promise to God. On every New Year's Day, people will take some decisions: "This is what I would like to achieve this year particularly. I will pay attention, and I take this vow in front of God." So vratam – a vow. What is it? Annaṃ na nindiyāt – "I would not criticise, look down upon food." But remember, food does not mean only what we eat. Everything that we possess is food. Every person that we encounter, every object that we encounter, is annam only.

The Interrelationship

And then the Upaniṣad wants us to relate three things: prāṇo 'nnam, śarīram annādam, prāṇe śarīram pratiṣṭhitam. Prāṇa, anna, śarīra are interrelated. Developing this interrelationship is spiritual progress. And once we realise, "If I am criticising somebody, it is as good as criticising one's own self" – and not only one's own self – "not only the other person, but I am criticising the entire visible manifest universe."

The Eighth Section – Annaṃ Na Paricakṣīta

And in the eighth section: annaṃ na paricakṣīta, tad vratam. What did we see? One should take a vow in front of God: food should not be thrown away, wasted away, for it is nothing but Brahman.

Food, Water, and Fire

So how and why? We call annam, and waters, and the agni – fire, Agni Devatā. These three are very closely interrelated. Remove one angle from a triangle – there would be no triangle at all. So these food, waters, and fire are interrelated. And either this fire is being manifest in the external world as the sun, on our earth as fire, and within each one of us as the digestive fire.

Brahmarpaṇam

That is why we do Brahmarpaṇam. Everything is Brahma. The being who is providing, or instrumental in production of food, is Brahman; and that which is helping us to cook that food and eat it is also Brahman; and that which helps us digest it is also Brahman.

The Ninth Section – Annaṃ Bahu Kurvīta

Then the ninth section: annaṃ bahu kurvīta, tad vratam, pṛthivī annam, ākāśo annādaḥ. Food should be multiplied for helping many.

Food Means Every Type of Help

So here food means any type of help that we give. A doctor can help, assist, improve the health of his patients. Like that, a teacher must improve the overall character of the student. Any cook should make healthy and nutritious food. So having plenty is not a crime, but one should not waste the entire time only for this purpose.

Increasing the Food

But I do not say it is wrong. If somebody truly feels "I will devote most of my time, excepting for a few hours of rest, in increasing the food" – food means, you must always remember, any type of help that I give, but looking upon the person or persons who receive. It could be plants, it could be animals.

Love for Birds

I have seen where the birds faint because of too much heat, and then practically in every āśrama there will be a small pool of water where the birds come, and then they take bath, or drink, everything they do there, and they come in flocks. And if we can understand how joyous they become when they come to this water! And of course, some people provide food. So I have seen various manifestations of this love for birds.

Bird Feeders

There would be – I forgot the name – some small bird nest like that will be there outside in the veranda, and they put some honey or some nuts, and a small platform for the birds to come and sit. I have seen even this one bird – honey bird – how it comes, and while flying itself sucks the honey or the nectar, etc.

Common Sense

So any form – increase. But one should have common sense. But if somebody is day and night like Christopher – Saint Christopher, whose only twenty‑four‑hours duty is to help the pilgrims cross this river at whatever time of the day or night. And as a result of that wonderful Śiva-jñāne jīva-śiva, one night – it was deep night, terribly stormy, the river had swelled and was flowing very fast – Christopher thought, "But nobody would come." But he heard a tiny voice: "Christopher, Christopher." And his ears are tuned for any such cry. Immediately he opened; he looked up and down. Nobody was there. He thought, "I misheard." And after a few seconds, again – again he opened the door, and this time he saw a tiny small boy: "I have to cross this river tonight."

The Growing Weight

Like Kṛṣṇa wanted his own father to carry him to Gokula, like that. And then Saint Christopher took up a hefty staff, and took up the child on his broad, strong shoulders, started to wade the river. And with every passing moment, every footstep forward, the child started growing heavier and heavier. Like some demon came to carry off the boy child Kṛṣṇa, and as this gleefully he was carrying away Kṛṣṇa, and immediately he started growing so heavy, the fellow – the demon – had fallen on the ground, absolutely broken down, and he shouted: "I thought you were a small child, but what is this? I am carrying Himalayan mountains on my back!"

Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

And then a similar incident had happened in the life of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was given a small beautiful necklace, and he was supposed to be the most beautiful male in those days especially. And one thief came, and he wanted to snatch. So he carried this young child. The moment he put the child on his shoulders, he totally forgot – he was mesmerised. He went around the whole village. Some people thought that somebody is entertaining him, and meanwhile the parents were anxiously searching for their beloved Nimāi. And this thief brought the young child back to the home and kept him down, because he could not bear that burden, and simply ran away from there. God supports in so many ways.

Saint Christopher's Reward

So we have to – if somebody is devoted like that through Karma Yoga, looking upon everybody as God, then God will reveal to him. So that is what happened. This small child – somehow Saint Christopher brought him to the other shore. By that time he was about to faint. Then Christ revealed Himself and said: "My beloved son, you have become dearer to Me. From now onwards, every pilgrim will only think about you before starting the travel." So if they remember Saint Christopher's name, like Indians who should remember Mother Durgā. So like that, now Saint Christopher had become the patron saint of all pilgrims wherever they go.

Food Should Be Multiplied

So food should be multiplied for helping many. Food should never be understood, or misunderstood, only that is food. Food means – it may be clothes, maybe food, it may be old school books, it may be school fees, it may be anything. If one can afford, do it. It can be money paying for somebody's school fees, college fees, etc.

Swamiji's Incident

Swamiji helped – a very funny incident had happened, just I am remembering – let us enjoy it. The exams time has come. In those days, I believe they had to pay the examination fee; otherwise the student will not be allowed to take the examination. So there was a poor student, and he pleaded: "I do not have money. I will certainly pay the money after the examinations. Please allow me, otherwise I studied hard – it will all go in vain." But the arrogant clerk would not do that. Then he approached Swamiji. Swamiji said: "Do not worry. You go on preparing. I will see that you will take the exam." Promise means promise.

The Opium Den

Then Swamiji started stalking this clerk, and soon found out that every day after the school is over, he is in the habit of visiting an opium den. And then he understood. So one day this fellow came out reeling, and this Narendra was waiting for him. And that teacher was ashamed – immediately he understood that Naren knows my secret, because in those days the whole society used to look down upon these drunkards, opium addicts, etc. So Naren said – that sir, I just am following, very diplomatic: "You see, that boy came to me, and you said that you will not allow him. So he is a poor boy. You kindly allow him." But the underlying threat, the teacher understood too well. So he said: "Of course, when you say like that, I am also thinking like that. Do not worry, he will take the examination, and afterwards, when he can, he could pay the school fees."

Blackmailing for a Good Cause

In modern language, what do we call it? Blackmailing. But for a good cause, blackmailing is not a bad thing at all. So even Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa blackmailed one of his relatives. This relative borrowed some money from somebody, promising "I will give you after some time," and after some time he did not want to give it back. Then that person took the witness of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa at the time of giving. Then he said: "I will take you to court, and Rāmakṛṣṇa will be my witness." Immediately, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa told: "You better pay him off, otherwise if I am taken to the court, I cannot tell a lie. I will tell the truth, and you will be put in jail." That is also a kind of blackmail only. Anyway, blackmailing is very, very necessary, and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to blackmail people.

Pratap Hajra

In so many ways – just a funny incident. One day he was sitting in his room at Dakṣiṇeśvara, and this Pratap Hajra – he wanted somehow – he was a moody person. He came, and he wanted to massage the leg of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa simply withdrew, did not allow him. So this fellow went into the veranda with a sombre face, sat down for japa the whole day. And in the evening, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was keeping an eye upon him. In the evening he went and said: "Oh Go, my legs are paining a little bit. Will you please pass your hand on it?" See – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted to bring about a change. So these great people get angry – not real anger, but if it can help other people, they would do it. We might call it a little bit of blackmailing – it does not really matter.

Earning Money Righteously

So annaṃ bahu kurvīta – food should be multiplied so that one can help. But as I said, with a caution. And this caution was given by Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa to M: that money should be earned through righteous means. Earn more money so that you can live, you can retire any time you want. Not only that – you can also help other people whenever they want. Money need not be only for one's own sake, but for the sake of many people, etc. So that is what he means.

Pṛthivī – The Earth Goddess

Pṛthivī means the Bhūdevatā. Prāṇam means she is manifesting as every object in this world – especially the food that helps a person to live. Whatever helps a person to live a normal human life, or animal life, whatever it is, should be multiplied for helping many.

The Five Elements

All these sections also discuss what is the internal relationship between food, water, fire, air, and space. That is, in other words, all the five elements of which this entire creation, both gross and subtle, are made up of.

The Tenth Section – Sada-ācāra Pradarśanam

Now then we have entered into the tenth section. We already dealt with certain things. The first thing is called Sada-ācāra Pradarśanam – the conduct of a gentlemanly life.

Do Not Turn Away a Guest

And then na kañcana vasatau pratyācakṣīta, tad vratam. Tasmāt yayā kāyā cit vidhayā bahūn api prāpnuyāt. No one should be sent away – no guest, no person who comes. He may be a beggar, he may be a tired person – should be sent away without giving food and shelter. Remember, in those days there were no hotels, motels. So if one comes, we will give you food. It also includes the shelter. So both of them – like a motel – food and shelter. So no one should be turned away.

The Law of Karma

And if anybody turns away, what happens? Then he will be put in the same situation. That is the law of karma. And how a guest should be treated – if a guest is treated with love, respect, with great welcome, sweet words, the best food, the best shelter, the best building, the best clothes, etc. – he will get the same result when he is in requirement, in need of the same service.

Results in Future Births

Not only that, the Upaniṣad adds a little bit of fun – says if from the very childhood a person treats others like that, so in the next birth or in future he will be also getting, especially in the next birth, from childhood onwards he will get plenty of things. That is why in some of our lives automatically so many things come out.

Different Stages

So if at first the person is selfish, but at middle age he suddenly becomes a little bit wiser and starts treating other people in the manner described above, then next birth, after middle age – that means the first stage of his life will be a miserable life, difficult life, poverty‑ridden life. But from middle age onwards, things start rolling in plenty. But this person had become wise after wisdom dawns – after wisdom teeth start giving pain to this fellow. Then next birth also, at the end, he will be looked after very well, etc. So one reaps results of one's karma; one gets food as one shares with others.

Divine Qualities

After this – this is all our day‑to‑day conduct. Every spiritual aspirant must develop all these good habits, good saṃskāras, good thoughts. Such a person with such good qualities is called – what is called – a god, Daivī Sampat – he who possesses this divine wealth in the form of the divine qualities. Such a person is called a god. That is why even in our normal life, if somebody had helped us just in the nick of time, we say, "Because God himself came to me in your form." That is what we say.

The Theory of Karma

So this is completely the theory of karma. And whichever religion, whichever people do not believe, do not admit this Karma Siddhānta, the theory of karma, then they have no explanation why some are disabled, why some limbs are missing from some babies, or they become autistic or something.

Unexplained Defects

From the very beginning, I was surprised to see cataract can come even at babyhood. One can have terrible, terrible defects from the very birth itself. No doctor will have any explanation – so they simply pooh‑pooh and say "it is an accident, it happened," instead of saying "we do not know the cause." But Hindus say it is not a random, what is called, accidental event. It is definitely the result of what one has done.

Responsibility

And that is the greatness of the theory of karma. The theory of karma places the onus, the responsibility, the burden totally upon each one of us. We get what we had done in the past, and what we are doing now, we get in the future. As one sows, so one reaps.

Past Life and Future Life

This should not be confined only to this present life, but should be also extended to past life. It is really funny to think of it – but every religion, and most people are religious, excepting a few – most people are religious. They do not admit past life, but they do admit future life in the form of going to hell, going to heaven, entering into paradise, Kingdom of Heaven, or Svargaloka, or Brahmaloka, or some other higher world. I do not understand how this rationality works out.

The Inconsistency

If we do not have past life, how do they sustain this kind of argument? Just if somebody says "I do not believe in the past life, but I believe in future life." Supposing this person goes to heaven, and a Hindu also goes to heaven. Then the Hindu meets this person happily flying all over, cavorting with a harp in his hand – big harp in his hand, whatever. And then he asks him: "That – how did you happen to enter into this heaven?" Necessarily he had to admit: "Oh, when I was born on earth, I did a lot of devotional activities. I was unselfish, and all those things." Why can't you admit the same thing in this life itself?

Observing This Life

At least even in this life – how we spent our childhood, whether watching birds, playing games, watching movies, etc. – then we can clearly see what type of future anybody can predict this fellow will be leading – a hard life in future because of what he is doing now.

Two Ways of Viewing

So all these things can be viewed in two ways. One – even if we want to live a happy life, all these vows to God in the form of "I will not criticise anything in this world; I will share whatever I have with others," etc. – it can be viewed as the foundation for the person's future life.

The Growth of Purity

In fact, it stands to reason – this kind of person, they will be thinking only good thoughts, unselfish thoughts. So when a person goes on doing this, besides the unselfishness growing, the purity of the mind also is growing. And as a result, he gets this moment – if I have acquired one percent of unselfishness, my joy also will increase by one percent in this very life, at this very moment. There is a deep correlation between things.

The Madhu Vidyā Connection

That is what I said – we were discussing in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, the new chapter, Madhu Vidyā. The whole universe is interrelated. So what we do now is a foundation for what happens in this very life. And cultivating pure, unselfish, philosophical thoughts is going definitely to help us a great deal in dealing with our future life.

The Psychologist's Advice

Every psychologist will give the same advice. Many times we cannot help the external circumstances, but what we do, how we react to those circumstances, we can certainly improve in that area. So not only for spiritual life, but for one's own greater happiness and contentment in this very life, all these upāsanas are highly useful.

Special Upāsanas for the Body

Now follow certain special types of upāsanas which, practised faithfully, can make any person great – endow any person with special qualities. This is what I call it. This is a very, very important section – that not only we are coming out of the five elements which came directly from Brahman – Brahman became the space, etc. We already know that. But this body, mind, everything – whether it is external or internal – is the outcome of the combination of these five elements, both the subtle as well as the gross.

The Human Body as a Gift

Now, how even our own body has to be cultivated, to be looked upon – because the first thing we have to do is the gift of God, especially the human body. That is why in the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, Śaṅkarācārya tells beautifully: durlabhaṃ trayam evaitad devānugraha-hetukam – mānuṣyatvaṃ mumukṣutvaṃ mahāpuruṣa-saṃśrayaḥ. Extremely rare, and only obtainable by the special grace of God:

1. A human birth – means a human body and mind – occurs.
2. Then the company of great people.
3. And a great desire for the realisation of God, a longing to be liberated.

And in that order. First human body – very rare – and so many people, they have to pass many, many lives even to progress in human body, human evolution in the body and brain, of course.

Cultivating Good Habits

Then slowly he may be cultivating good habits, good persons, good books, good movies, good places, holy places, etc. And that is also required. That also requires the grace of God. Otherwise, even if some people go on pilgrimage, if they are not fated to complete – like our Nepal floods – many people can perish. And it has nothing to do with flood. This is a point which we all have to remember constantly.

Why Did These People Die?

If a devoted Hindu is asked, "Why did these people die? Their purpose was spiritual – I wanted to go on pilgrimage" – we do not know whether their purpose is really spiritual. Every Hindu believes if we go on this pilgrimage, then we can get merit. Now, as a result of merit – it is like a credit card – we can enjoy this world or any other world. Whether it is for spiritual purpose, or whether it is because they want to accumulate puṇya, nobody knows – only they can tell why they have undertaken that.

Natural Disasters

Secondly, when these natural disasters happen, they do not take into account who is a devotee, who is a worldly person, who is a sinner, who is a meritorious person. They do not take into consideration whether it is an aeroplane, a train accident, a bus accident, car accident, or lightning – any type of accident. That has nothing to do.

The Devotee's Belief

But a true devotee, a true Hindu always believes: "The time has come. I have to be born at this exact moment. I have to die at this very exact moment." This is what I believe. When the call comes, we have to go, and we do not know when that call is going to come. So before that, what have we done?

The Present Enjoyment

Especially people who are fortunate to be born in good circumstances, they will have to think. So what you have done – that karma is getting exhausted by enjoying the present life. But do not think the same thing will continue. Just look around – how many billions of people are suffering terribly even at this very moment! Who can say whether I would not be one of those people in the next birth, or even in this very birth in future? We do not know.

The Wrong View

We forget that every time we will be born like this, every time the other unfortunate person will be born. Unfortunately, totally wrong view. So if I had done good karma, as a result I am enjoying it – I must earn more virtue so that I can continue to enjoy even from the worldly point of view. It is a very necessary thing. This is the logic we have to understand.

The Six Upāsanas of the Body

So God has endowed us with this body, and this is where six upāsanas are prescribed for us. And this also we actually discussed in our last class.

Kṣemāyeti Vāci

Kṣemāyeti vāci – cultivate your speech so that it will be full of sweetness, and it is soaked in love, and it brings about good speech, sweet speech, pleasing speech always. It is the grace of God. So kṣema – if I want my own welfare – kṣema means welfare – I must cultivate how to think good thoughts and how to speak good thoughts. These are two important steps in Buddha's teaching.

The Eightfold Path

That is what is called a spiritual way of thinking, a spiritual way of speaking, a spiritual way of intending – that eight‑stepped way of Bhagavān Buddha, a spiritual way of living according to Buddha. Instead of spirituality, the way of a wayfarer. That is the word he has used. So we have to cultivate.

Śikṣāvallī

That is why, if you remember the very first chapter, Śikṣāvallī. Śikṣā means what? Train a person to think well, to speak well, to do well. Satyam vada, dharmam cara, svādhyāyān mā pramadaḥ, mātṛ devo bhava, pitṛ devo bhava. So speak truth, always follow the righteous way – it is all based upon – what do we think? It is all based upon the theory of karma, what we do is the foundation of our future life.

Yogakṣemāya iti Prāṇāpānayoḥ

In the same vein: yogakṣemāya iti prāṇāpānayoḥ. Keep the body and mind extremely healthy. Through that you can get what you require – not what you want, but what you require – and what you can enjoy.

Karmaiti Hastayoḥ

Karmaiti hastayoḥ. If I am able to use my hands dexterously, it is all because of God's grace. That is why every single part of the human body is presided by a deity. So who is the presiding deity of the hand? That is Indra. Who is the presiding deity of the legs? Viṣṇu. Who is the presiding deity of the prāṇavāyu? That is Vāyu Devatā. Who is the presiding deity of speech? Fire, Agni Devatā. Who is the presiding deity of the mind? Candra Devatā. What a marvellous vision!

Worshipping God Through Speech

So if our speech is wonderful, we are worshipping God in the form of using our faculty of thinking and speaking the most refined language. That is why – the very word Saṃskṛta – it is not English is the language spoken by English people, French is the language spoken by French people. No – it is saṃskṛta, means refined speech. And for that one has to learn, study many classical books, etc.

Prāṇāpāna

Then if we can keep prāṇa‑apāna – these represent five functions of the prāṇa which keeps our body and mind in perfect fitness – through that we can achieve what is required and protect what we have acquired.

Karmaiti Hastayoḥ

Karmaiti hastayoḥ. And we have to think: if I am able to use my hands freely till death, it is the blessings of the presiding deity Indra. In that sense only we have to say, "O Lord, You are gracious enough."

Gatiriti Pādayoḥ

Same thing we have to apply – gatiriti pādayoḥ. So if I am able to walk properly, then we have to understand the same thing – that these legs are not, knees are not having rheumatism or some other thing. Nowadays, people have to undergo terrible, terrible pain even after operation. That is all we neglect. When we are young, we become ungrateful, and ingrates to God. So gatiriti pādayoḥ – it is because of the grace of the presiding deity Viṣṇu.

Vimuktiriti Pāyuḥ

Then vimuktiriti pāyuḥ. When we are able to throw out what is completely unhealthy and undesirable and troubling from within our body and mind, we should be able to throw it out. What a relief when you are feeling upset stomach, when you vomit the whole thing, or go to the toilet and get rid of it! What tremendous sense of satisfaction you will have! And the presiding deity of the Vāyu – that is also Prāṇa Vāyu, then his vimukti. So that is also God's grace.

Constipation

I have seen people suffering from terrible constipation. They feel the urge, but they cannot throw it out. And if they cannot throw it out, they do not feel appetite. So many people suffer from it.

The Five Prāṇas

So these are the five – but we also have borrowed, which mistakenly perhaps has been kept, the upāsanas belonging to these presiding deities, gods.

Prajātir Amṛtam – Upastha

Prajātir amṛtam ānanda iti upastha – the greatest pleasure any animal gets is from the union with the opposite sex. That is called prajāti – that is, multiplying the species. And that is why it is called amṛta. How do I become amṛta? If I have children, then I become amṛta.

The Monk's Immortality

How does a monk become amṛta? That is the monk who was married, had children, and after retirement takes to sanyāsa life – is different. But those who are never married – because God Himself is the protector of such people.

Giving Back What We Received

And whatever – say as an example – whatever I am speaking, I am only giving back what I got from the ṛṣis. I am not telling anything new. It is all the grace of Mother Sarasvatī. If I am able to express it well, so that you can all understand it, then that is the grace of God. So like that, we have to give thanks to them and remove this egotism as much as possible.

Immortality Through Name and Fame

So immortality is achieved through name, through fame, through progeny – and above all, if I could speak well, then if some people can understand it, I become immortal in the form of this knowledge.

The Union as a Sacred Yajña

But commonly speaking, when the male and female come together, tremendous amount of pleasure is experienced – especially in highly developed animals. And that is why so much of fight, killing – only the strongest will win to mate with the female. Upastha means the organ of generation. So do not take it lightly. It is a blessing of God. If someone is able to experience it nicely, happily, then it is all the grace of God. Even that act of union with the female in the very Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is considered as a sacred yajña. It is not simply two beings, two bodies coming together. It is a great spiritual act, as it were.

Borrowed from the Next Passage

So this last one – prajāpatir amṛtam, etc. – is borrowed from the next section, not next section, but in the same section, in the next passage. So this is borrowed from Vaiśvānara Vidyā, the last one.

Brahman Manifesting as All Bodies

Brahman alone is manifesting as the bodies and minds of the entire creation. And body means what? Even a stone is a body, because today's stone will become tomorrow's human being through a long line of evolution. It becomes one cell, then two cells, then multiple cells, etc.

God's Blessings

Then in the life of each one of us, we see when there is – in the right season, in the right quantity – when there is rain. This is God manifesting, blessing all of us when there is rain, when there is lightning, when there are plenty of cattle, etc., animals, and even to guide us at night, plenty of stars, etc. Four examples are taken. It is all the grace of God.

Everything Is a Blessing

That is why the sun is a God, the moon is a God, and the lightning is a God. Everything is the blessing of God. That is the understanding: "God is pleased with me. It is not my effort, but I am borrowing it from God. God's grace comes to me because I worship God or gods."

Rain and Food

In the form of what? When there is rain, there will be a multiplication of food, multiplication of every species. Tṛptiriti vṛṣṭau – tremendous satisfaction by eating the food, etc.

Vidyuti – Lightning

And when there is – we worship, special upāsana on the lightning, vidyuti. Tremendous force is compressed in that. If one great lightning's power can be released, the scientists say it can give light energy to the whole world for maybe many years – we do not know how they can do. Nobody can do it.

Paśu – Wealth

And if somebody is endowed with paśu – means cattle; cattle means wealth, wealth means money, wealth means so many factories, CEOs, etc. So the greater the person, greater will be his name and fame. It is all the grace of God.

The Stars

Then we see different stars at night, and every star represents, they say, a good person who lived an ideal life. After death, he becomes an ideal for all of us. If you remember in that beautiful cartoon movie, The Lion King, when the baby lion is born, then a monkey guru priest takes it, and then it is blessed by all other animals. "The future king is born." And then the father shows up all our ancestors: "They lived a marvellous life, and I am trying to live, and they are looking down. Whenever you need, they will give you advice." And according to Hindus, all the stars, our ṛṣis, our munis – what we call the Saptarṣi, seven stars, etc. So all these are the manifestations of God.

Looking Upon Everything as Brahman

So in that way, we have to look upon them – that is slowly look upon everything as the manifestation of Brahman. Not only my body, but the whole creation is none other than the manifestation of Brahman. We will talk about this more 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!