Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 23 on 23 October 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Taittiriya Upanishad. We have entered into the fifth Anuvaka which is called Swarajya Phalaka Upasana. That contemplation which will make us attain oneness with Omkara in the form of Hiranyagarbha. And that gives the greatest joy. It is not Brahman but it is a lower state. And we have seen earlier how these Upasanas have come. So these are the Upasanas we will have to remember all the time. Upasana. What is a Upasana? We have seen earlier what is called Upasana. That is giving up our smallness, our finiteness. Slowly we become identified with larger and still larger whole until we reach Brahman. And by definition Brahman is that which is the largest. Brihat means largest. Largest means infinite which includes everything else. And when we say which includes everything, we have to remember very clearly. We are in the world of duality, ignorance. So we are talking about small and big and wide and narrow, tall and small, good and evil. So when a person becomes identified completely with Brahman, he doesn't have that mind to speak about whether this is smaller or bigger. Simply he doesn't think at all. He knows I am. For many of us it is a puzzlement. If I do not know, what kind of happiness will I be experiencing there? Well, that cannot be described. Only those who know, they know about it. In fact, every single day, every single second, we are getting absorbed into that albeit unconsciously. When we are thinking, two thoughts, in between two thoughts, there is a gap, maybe very slight. And in that gap, we are identified with pure consciousness which is not identified either with the earlier thought or with the later thought. So that is what we need to keep in mind. Now in this fifth Anuvaka, there are three mantras and we know three Vyahrutis. We have discussed about it. No Vedic education, no Vedic ritual. In the olden days, no one, even children, even students, even householders, cannot but be familiar with three of the Vyahrutis. Vyahruti means divine utterance and they are called Vyahruti. I have given two definitions following Shankaracharya's Bhashyam. One is that which has come out of the mouth of Brahma. Brahma means Veda or the essence of the Vedas. And second, that which destroys all the sins. When all the sins are destroyed, a person attains to Brahman himself. And in this word sin, we have to include also virtue, Punyam. Why Punyam is called Papa? Sin. Because just as sin gives rise to next birth, Punar Janma. So that we have to experience the results of that. And also Punyam exactly, what is the difference? If somebody had done something evil, he has to suffer as a result of that. And if somebody had done a lot of good, he has to enjoy. Without exhausting the results of Karmas, one cannot escape. And therefore, from the highest Vedantic point, Punyam is also called Papam. And this Papam has to be completely removed. And Vyahruti has that virtue of destroying all sins. Which means there would be no rebirth because there are no results of actions, Karma phalas. So there were three, which were very familiar. They were called Bhuv, Bhuvaha and Subaha. You must always keep in mind. So first comes the essence of Vedas, which is called Aum. Aum has got three syllables, A, O and M. And Akara, which is expanded, is called Bhohu. And Bhohu, compressed, is called Akara. So Bhuvaha is the expansion of Ukara. Or Bhuvaha or Ukara is the compression of Bhuvaha. Subaha. Subaha means what? That which is the highest world. The whole world called Loka. Loka means that which each one of us experience. And we experience because of our Karma phala. What about non-human beings who do not have Karma phala? Remember, if somebody doesn't willingly, consciously, schemingly do something, then such a person will not have Karma phala. A child, for example, even a madcap, he doesn't have that. I am the doer. I want to do this. Only consciously, I want to accomplish this. And there is a proper pathway to that. Only a person who is highly conscious of this, only he or she, human beings, self-conscious human beings, grown-up human beings, who know what they are doing, only they will get Karma phala. Naturally, the question comes. So many non-humans, they are killed, they are eaten, they suffer. Then what Karma phala they had? No. There is a second meaning of Karma phala. Karma phala will gradually make a lower creature evolve into higher creatures. As I mentioned many times, we are all standing or sitting or walking on the evolutionary escalator. Let us say, all the non-human, even many human beings are also, they are not aware of their true nature. But evolution will not allow them to go on and on forever. A time will come through the experience of good and evil. It will make them really follow. And they will have to suffer. And suffering is increased only through the experience of happiness. When happiness is experienced and is deprived, then we experience what is called Dukkha. And that Dukkha, the real purpose of Sukha, Dukkha, happiness, unhappiness, is actually to make us move towards God. Remember, Holy Mother saying that everything, even misery, is a gift of God. The more we suffer, the more we have to understand it is the special grace of God. Now, what are we talking about? In this particular section, so the Vyakhrutis are taken for the purpose of contemplation. And that is very necessary, no doubt about it. Now, in this fifth section, we are all familiar with Bho, Bhuvaha, Swaha. Just now I was mentioning, you know. So, Bho represents Yajur Veda. Bhuvaha represents Yajur Veda. Swaha represents Sama Veda. Earlier, there were only three Vedas. Later on, one more was added. Now, there was a great soul. He is called Maha Chamas. And he was the son of a very great performer of sacrifices, Yajnas, Yagas. Because the very word Chamas means a small utensil from where the offerings, oblations are offered into the fire. And he got this title, the great person who always carries with him, just like a soldier carries a gun or a knife, this vessel. Really, he was not carrying, but as if he was always dealing with that utensil. And that utensil is used in sacrifices which indirectly indicate that that person had been performing great Yajnas and Yagas. And as a result, he got purified. And he had a son. And many times, we can also take a son means his understanding becomes new understanding. So, the birth of a new goal in life can be called the birth of a child. So, he discovered a fourth Vyakruti, great utterance, sacred utterance, divine utterance. And it is called Maha. That is why this is called Maha Chamasaha. So, this is the one. And before I go further, I was just now giving introduction again and again and again. What is contemplation? It is every day we are doing it, contemplation. So, you should be able to think deeply and connect. Is a scientist doing contemplation? Yes, a scientist, a business person, a cook, excepting a Tamasik fellow, a dead fellow who has no interest in anything higher. Anybody who is capable of thinking, whether it is a president, prime minister, ministers or employees, everybody has to think. I am doing this work. This is fine. How can I improve it? That deep desire to improve something, how does it come? Once that idea, which will never disappear until we reach Brahman, this is called teleological urge. In the philosophical language, there is something and that is what Swami Vivekananda expressed in plain language, each soul is potentially divine and it is not that there is a choice whether we make divinity or spirituality as a goal of life. It is slowly driving, like bullocks are driven by its owner for some purpose. Until we reach Brahman, there is no way to stop because there is this urge and it is beautifully expressed. If you plant a seed in the right soil at the right time and with a little help of water, then that person will be, that seed will give birth. And what does it do? It has a very natural tendency, it is called heliotropy, that is it grows towards the light. How does it grow? Because there is an unconscious urge and that is the very essence of even the western concept of evolution. A small animal unable to reach food, which other animals which are taller, stronger, they exhaust the food, has a terrible urge. I want to survive because survival is our birthright, not death. Death is considered by Hinduism as a change only, not our real nature. So like that, teleological urge is there and I also am inclined to think, it is not that some people have greater urge, some people have smaller urge. So there is no urgent urge. What I think is, everybody follows the same route, standing on the escalatory, evolutionary escalator, but because we see some people actively striving, we think that these people are more evolved, definitely, surely they are, but previously they were also exactly standing where we are standing now. Because this nature is acting like that escalator. Now coming back here, there is an urge to become identified with greater and greater and still greater and not to stop anywhere until we reach Brahman or anything like that. So that is what exactly, in this also we are seeing it, our Rishis have experienced it and then they are putting it beautifully, helping us. How are they helping us? They themselves have reached that state of Brahman through this methodology and what they discovered, they are teaching all of us. This is what we need to understand it. Now I want to tell also something very very interesting. So what is that interesting something? We will have to discover about it. Now you see what happens. There are four Yajurutis. Earlier there were three, Bhu, Bhuvaha, Swaha and representing Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda. And there whenever we think of Rig Veda or whenever we remember Bhu, remember Rig Veda. Whenever we remember Bhuvaha or remember Yajur Veda, remember these people were following these teachings earlier. Now of course we are following a different methodology but we may be following the same Veda, not exactly in that way. But for example, teachings of Swami Vivekananda are the guidance given by our Gurus based upon the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna etc. So we are also following the same thing, slightly different way. We are also doing contemplations. For example, if you are initiated, you are supposed to meditate on God or your Ishta Devata as directed by the Guru etc. So what is spiritual progress? Contemplation. What is scientific progress? Contemplation. What is artistic progress? Contemplation. Without contemplation, it is not possible. So what is contemplation? Giving up the small and growing or progressing towards unity with the greater and larger. That is called contemplation. Now why am I bringing this subject here? Here, there was a great soul, a Rishi and he discovered a fourth and that is called Brahma. That is what is going to come. But what I want to emphasize here is that there is an urge to become larger in everything. Even from birth, it is growth. What is death? Death is to grow further. But since this instrument has become decrepit and not very useful, one has to grow further. For that, a new instrument is necessary. A new body. Remember these beautiful ideas. Body alone will not help. Mind alone cannot do. Mind requires body. Body requires mind. So if the mind is growing, appropriate body also is very necessary. So many scientific discoveries are being made. For example, aeroplanes are made which are faster and quicker. Even some things can fly even several times faster than the speed of sound. Now for that, an ordinary body will not do. Special type of bodies they have to discover. So when the mind grows, it requires a special body. And when the body is appropriate, new ideas also step in. So that is how helping each other. So the growth will take place. How in this 5th Anuvaka, this progression is there? I will tell you briefly. So Bhu, Bhuvaha, Subaha and Mahaha, which was discovered newly, which is added to the already existing three Vyagrutis. And this Mahaha is highly praised here. With Brahma, here Brahma temporarily we can take it as Hiranyagarbha or the Omkara, which represents the Saguna Brahma and later on which will lead to the Nirguna Brahma. So when we open our eyes with intelligent mind, open intelligent mind, open your eyes, where are we? We are in this world. For example, we are in India. Somebody is in America. Somebody is in Australia. But supposing tomorrow somebody discovers life is possible on Mars, Saturn, somewhere. Already plans are being made. And that is where they go. And wherever one lives geographically, that is called a Loka. That is a very common but very uninteresting, low type of understanding. What is the higher understanding? In the same family, everybody lives in his own world, in her own world. A baby, for example, lives in his own world. If it is a girl, she lives in her own world, even as a baby. The same person when grows, then he discovers new meanings. So the very beautiful definition of Loka. Loka means the region, the world. That which we are continuously experiencing, I am here. That is called Loka. I am trying to compress these marvellous ideas in as simple a language as possible. For example, a person is very happy. Where is he living? In a happy world. Another person is living in a very unhappy world because he is unhappy. An animal is struggling very hard to escape possible death and to survive. That is our fate until even today. That is our fate, I would say. Whatever we are experiencing, our experience defines in which Loka we are living. Even our scriptures tell us that when a person becomes realised, if he wishes he wants to be in Gandharva Loka, musical or artistic world, he finds himself in it. What does that mean? If you are deeply desiring, Oh, I want to be in such and such a beautiful place and go to bed, where do you find yourself? In that world, in your dream. But for these people, because they have become one with Brahman, whatever thought comes, just like in our dream, whatever thought comes, that is a dream world. But when daydream, it is only imagination and we cannot make it concrete. That is the difference. In waking state, it remains imaginary. In dream state, it becomes as if you are living in that world. What a marvellous thing it is. If you can really master this technique of making your wishes come true, every day you will be in Swarga Loka only and in no other Loka. So this is the definition of Loka. Whatever we are experiencing and wish to experience or wish to avoid that experience, that is our Loka. So a person who is happy generally is called in Swarga Loka. Oh, he is in high heaven, seventh heaven now. That is what they say. If he is unhappy, it applies to everybody. I am only using the he means everybody, he, she, etc. Then if he is very unhappy, even though he may be living, he or she may be living in an air-conditioned room, it will be only what Loka? Hellish Loka. There is a beautiful expression in English language. Hell is other people. It has lot of meaning. I am not going to deviate from here. So we are living in this world. Now according to Vedanta, every world is controlled, presided, ruled over and the fate of each individual within that Loka is controlled. They are called Devatas. Now there are two meanings of Devatas which we should understand. First meaning of Devata is without whom we cannot survive. That is the Devata. For example, we cannot survive without food, without water, without heat, without air, without Akasha, Panchabhutas. And therefore they are called Panchadevatas. The whole universe is made up of Panchadevatas, both subject and object. So there are presiding deities about which we discussed in other places, other Upanishads also. But gradually we understand it better and better and better. So this is what we have to understand. Each one of us is in a Loka and this particular Loka, for example, our eyes are ruled by the Sun. Our mind is ruled over by the Chandra Devata. Our legs are ruled over by Vishnu Devata. Long strides. Just now we have chanted. And our hands are presided over by Indra Devata. If you remember Sri Ramkarna's story, where a Brahmana kills because a cow entered into this one. Every part of our body. That means what? There is nothing that can be called I. Everything belongs to these Devatas. They preside over and if we are cognizant of that fact and if we behave accordingly, then it will be fine. But how do we know how to behave? That is where these Devatas, not only the Devata I said without whom we cannot survive. And second is they watch over us. They control our lives and they award stick or carrot according to whatever we have done. That is called Karma Phala. So these Devatas have this dual function. Protecting us and at the same time awarding us whether it is punishment or reward, whatever it is. So they are called Devata. But these Devatas, how do they rule? What guides us? That is where the scriptures come in. Vedas are our primary scriptures. For Christians, it is the Bible. Simple example I am giving. So these people, the Christians who are really genuine Christians, then devotees, they believe God created this world and then God is keeping a watch over us. And there are angels, whether it is Saint Peter or Gabriel, etc. They are not only enjoying God's presence like our Devatas, they also come to our rescue when we pray to them. And they also protect us and they also are very strict. They give us rules, regulations and that knowledge by which or with the light of which we are supposed to guide our own life. And they are called Shastras. What is a Shastra? Beautifully it is described, Shastra Deepa. Shastra becomes light in this world where we do not know anything about the future and we cannot do anything about the past. What guides us? It is the scripture. That is why who is a Guru? Funnily also I have defined what is a Guru. A Guru is one who guides us, who tells us what to do, what not to do, what do we get if we follow the right path and what do we suffer from if we do not. Then also there is this beautiful concept. The scripture and Guru are not different things. The Guru is the scripture and the scripture is the Guru. Of course I am talking about real Gurus. I am not talking about people who are selfish. In some of the religions, in most of the religions at least I can tell you that it is the priests that create all problems. They are selfish, they are utterly cruel and they want to control everybody for their own selfishness. So they misguide people. This is what the scripture tells. If you do not do this then dire punishment will come. If you do this then you will be rewarded and we are the people who will plead with God to mitigate your sins. We will even if you have committed 100 murders, we will give you a certificate. All that you need to do is give some money to us. Whether it is Hinduism, Christianity or Islam, most of the Gurus are like that. I am not talking about that. Here we are talking about who is a true Guru and that is why Guru, Shastra Vakyeshu, Satya Buddhi Avadharana is called Shraddha. So what are we talking about? Scriptures are necessary. What is a scripture? That which tells who we are, where we are and where we are supposed to go and how to go and become blessed. That is called a scripture. So a Guru is none other than right interpretation of the scripture according to the understanding capacity of the disciple. So third factor is scriptures. And what do the scriptures tell? That you have been given a body, you have been given life. What is the purpose of this life? Slowly you evolve towards whom? Normal language, towards God. But esoteric language, towards yourself because that God is only within you, in the heart. That is what we are going to get in the next Tanu Vaka. There is a space within the heart and in that heart Bhagawan is staying there when we come to that. So what did we discuss now? We are living in some worlds and every world is presided, controlled by a Devatha. They protect us, they guide us and they punish. But it is not with the idea of revenge but with the idea of help us progress towards our goal. They are called presiding deities. But who guides them? How do we know that they know? What is their knowledge? And they are the embodiments of the scriptures. And these scriptures, they tell us God has given you the instruments for this each individual soul to progress itself, the body and mind. And he has given us through the Pancha Bhutas, the bodies and minds are the outcomes of these Pancha Bhutas and there is a way to keep them healthy and full of energy and right direction so that with the vehicle called body and mind and Kathopanishad describes it as a chariot. A chariot without a charioteer is completely useless. And even if there is a chariot and a charioteer unless there is a traveler sitting there that is also completely useless. Car and driver are useless unless there is somebody traveling. See how beautifully this progression is given in the form of the contemplations. Now, what is it? Take each one of the Yajurutis. What are they? Bho, Bhuvaha, Suvaha and Mahaha. And remember, when we remember Bho, we have to remember this world where we are living. Then you remember how by leading a particular type of life we progress to the higher world and after reaching there again these Yajurutis help us to progress still further and the highest of such world is called Suvaha. Now, don't confuse with this 14 Lokas and other things. That there also the idea is more or less the same but what I am telling is, it is a continuous progression from the lower then higher then the highest or last which is called Brahman. This is the process. Then each Yajuruti is associated with one world. That means what? You take Bho and progress into Bhuvaha, you take Bhuvaha and progress into Suvaha, you take Suvaha and progress into Mahaha and that Maha is called finally leading to the highest supreme reality called Brahman. So for that purpose, these four Yajurutis, first they are identified, each Yajuruti identified with one-one Loka, one-one residing deity called Devata, one-one scripture and one function of the Prana which falls under the body-mind. I hope you will keep this in mind. Then only this fifth Anuvaka will make a sense. If you have understood, we will dive in because it will not be difficult at all to understand. So here it goes. These are really the three utterances which are of course known to every Vedic student or a person living in Vedic age. But here a fourth one is introduced. Besides this, there is a fourth and it is called Mahaha. Mahaha, the fourth Yajuruti called Mahaha which became known or which was discovered through spiritual progress to the son of Maha Chamasa. So that Mahaha Yajuruti is Brahman, that is the Self. All the other Gods are its limbs. So here a concept of body and limbs are introduced here. So Mahaha is the body and what is it? That which includes every part and that means the whole thing, that is called body. So if you point at it somebody and say, so that is your body, that person can ask. So you tell me, where is my body? So he will touch your hand, that is your body. No, no, that is my hand. He will touch your head. No, no, that is my head. Touches your leg, that is my leg. No, my son, if you take individually, they are all parts. But if you combine all the parts together, the idea of wholeness comes. Holistic attitude, that is called body. So in this first mantra, every other Devata, Devata means what? Part of our body, part of our mind or what is called, if you understand the concept of body, he is the most important. He includes Bho, Bhuvaha, Suvaha, everything is included. Bho, Bhuvaha, Suvaha, they are called limbs, parts. And Mahaha is called, all the three completely combined, it is called Mahaha. Does any bell ring in your minds? So Omkara is that. Because Brahmanah Koshosi is earlier. You are the scabbard, that means you are the covering of Brahman. Brahman, not Brahma. And this Brahman, actually Brahman, that N added, that is not never used in Sanskrit. You don't say Brahman, you only say short Akara, Brahma. It means Brahman. And if it is long, Tergha, that is called Brahma, creator. It is only Saguna Brahma. What are we talking in this first mantra? There are three Vyaghrutis, they are well known. So we all know that, especially Vedic students. Of course, students of these days, they do not know unless we are studying the Upanishad itself. But besides these, there is a fourth one. Oh, I never heard about this fourth one. Yes, a great Rishi came along in the olden days, not now, Upanishadic times. He is the son of Mahachamas, that means a great performer of Yajnas. And his name is Mahachamas. Like Dasaratha's son is Dasarathi, so Mahachamasya, his son is Mahachamasaha. Chamasa means, already I told, a small utensil, that means indicating, used to store. In those days, clarified butter is used to offer. And that clarified butter is kept in a small utensil. And from there into the fire, oblation is offered. And this person is never seen without that utensil, that means he was always performing. And as a result, his mind became very, very pure. And as a result, he discovered this fourth Vyaghruti called Mahaha. Then what is the son? I told you, he might have actually a son who was more intelligent and who discovered very quickly the fourth Vyaghruti. Or when I interpreted the Katha Upanishad, who was Nachiketa, the purified higher mind of Vajashravasa, he was called Nachiketa. That is the symbolic interpretation. After some time, he looked back and said, what am I doing? I was telling everybody I am doing something, but I am doing just the opposite. If I want to reach heaven, I am not going to carry these old cows, etc. So I have to give them up. Everything I have to give up, including my family members. As I say sometimes, when people come here, Swamiji, I feel interested in my children. I long to meet them. I tell them, you are in Kashi, so tomorrow if Shiva comes and grants you Mukti, do you think you will be remembering your sons and daughters and grandchildren especially? Because if you remember grandchildren, in which Loka are you living? Not Shiva Loka, not Kashi Loka, but Kolkata Loka or Bapatla Loka, whatever it is. Just now we discussed, where our mind is, that is our Loka. So he discovered Pravedayate means he realized that there is a fourth. That means all these three combined together. And earlier we have seen, what is it? Even in Mandukya Upanishad, the very first Omkara Upasana was there. So everything is nothing but Omkara, what was, what is and what is going to be. So this Maha is nothing but Omkara. Omkara is also called Brahma, that is what is being said. Who are you? You are that Maha, you are that Brahma, you are that Omkara, you are that Atma. So all these are only limbs. This is how we have to understand. So the terms Boho, Bhoha, etc. indicate the various fields of experiences, which the mind can indulge in. But if it rises itself to be in unison with these realms of experiencing, then it will reach the fourth. I told you earlier, life is continuous evolution. So from this Loka of limitedness, one rises willy-nilly. Otherwise, nature will force us to enter into a higher Loka. But for that, there is a beautiful royal path prescribed by many of the people, if we can follow. And who is going to tell us? Our Gurus are going to tell us. I have travelled through this path. I know where it is going to take. And this is where you long to reach. Come with me, I will show you the path. Like in Chandogya, we are going to get a person who was bound by robbers. Remember the story of Sairam Krishna's three robbers. So one person comes and releases. Only he is slightly different. A Guru. It is that particular chapter, which we are going to study, is to indicate Acharya, Vaan, Purusha, Veda. Only a person who has a guide, he alone can reach the goal. Otherwise not. This is a beautiful idea. We will explore it when the right time comes. But here, what is it? Every Loka we live is, for example, the Loka we are living right now is very gross. That is a waking state. Higher than that, subtler than that, more pervasive than that is the dream world. Even more pervasive than that is the third state, what is called the causal. But that which cannot be described, which comprises all these things, that is called Turiya Avastha. And that is what we have to reach. But slowly, gradually. The study of these three states of experience is to tell us that we have to merge the gross into the subtle, subtle into the subtler and the subtler and go beyond all these three states. If you have understood that, then this is very easy for us to understand. So each one of these Vyakrutis is considered to be subtler than the one which is lower. Bhuvaha is subtler than Bhuvaha. Suvaha is still subtler, subtlest than the Suvaha. And Mahaha is far superior. That is Atma, that is Omkara. This is how we have to understand it. So this plane of experience called Maha was first recognized by a great Rishi. And he was called Mahajamasya. And therefore, the very experience of that state, that Loka is called Mahaha. So this is how the contemplation. Sit there and contemplate. I am in Bhuloka, how can I reach Bhuvarloka? Having reached Bhuvarloka, how can I reach Suvarloka? So this is called Bhuloka Loka Upasana. This is called contemplation upon where we are right now. What is the higher state? And more than that, how can we reach the other one? As I saw earlier, what is the next thing? Higher than this world, we have a desire. Because there will come a time, you know, it is very peculiar psychology. That's why I am taking so much of time. If you have once eaten, for example, rice and curry, maybe curds, yogurt, then every time you are eating, even with infinite variations in the spices, it is the same material, you are not eating anything. So to squeeze that essence, we are eating again and again and again and again and again. What? Carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, that's all, nothing else. Then you get tired. Is there something higher? Yes, there is something, definitely something. But we look up only when we are tired of it. Like that woodcutter, the holy man said, go forward. For a long time, he did not go. One day, his suffering was great. And suffering will make us go forward. And then he remembered how to get out of the suffering. Oh, that man told me to go forward. And then he went forward. And he experienced a much higher state of happiness. That is the study of these parables. We also have seen it in other contexts also. So this is the Loka Pasana. We associate four Vyakhrutis with four Lokas. Mahaha contains everything. That means that is the highest Hiranyagarbha state. And that is what he wants to tell. And these beautiful thoughts I want all of us to enjoy. We will talk about it in our next class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!