Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 41 on 26 February 2025

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGAD GURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMIMUHURUMUHUHUH OM SHANNOMITRASHYAM VARUNAH SHANNO BHAVATVARIYAMAH SHANNAYINDRO BRIHASPATHE SHANNO VISHNURU RUKRAMAHA NAMO BRAHMANE NAMASTE VAYO TVAMEVA PRATYAKSHAM BRAHMASE TVAMEVA PRATYAKSHAM BRAHMA VADISHYAMI RITAM VADISHYAMI SATYAM VADISHYAMI TANMAM AVATO TAD VAKTARAM AVATO AVATO MAM AVATO VAKTARAM OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI HARI OM OM May Mitra be blissful to us. May Varuna be blissful to us. May Ariyamma be blissful to us. May Indra and Brihaspati be blissful to us. May Vishnu of long strides be blissful to us. Salutations to Brahman. Salutations to you, O Vayu. You indeed are the visible Brahman. You alone I shall call the direct Brahman. I shall call you righteousness. I shall call you truth. May Brahman protect me. May Brahman protect the teacher. May Brahman protect me. May Brahman protect the teacher. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace be unto all. In our last class, we were studying the eleventh anuvaka of this Taittiriya Upanishad. It is known as called as Shishya Anushasanam. Instructions to the disciple, student, pupil who is about to leave the Gurukula having completed his studies and returned back to home. This is called Samavartanam and some special ceremony is held at home. And then soon after he would most likely enter into the second stage of life according to Hinduism which is called Vyas Darshana. And in this eleventh section, the essence of the Dharma or what is called Dharma Shastra is being elaborated. We have already studied in the ninth section. There also many of these things have been already mentioned and explained. But now here just before going to one or more of these students, probably a batch of students, this is what is known as in the universities nowadays a Convocation Address. And as I mentioned earlier, this is unparalleled. This Convocation Address or the instructions given here are blueprint for the life of every one of us. Not only the students who are about to enter, get married and live a practical life but to even us, young people, middle-aged people, old-aged people. How come? Because there are so many people who wake up later in life, look back and then a terrible regret that why did we waste our time? We should have done it much earlier. Even that brooding over what is past is what Jesus Christ says. Let the dead bury its dead. Let the past bury its dead. That means be aware but with tremendous enthusiasm take up what is to be needed as much as possible. So it is applicable to each one of us. But we must be made thoughtful what is it that we are really missing in life. Missing means many times we remember what we miss from the worldly point of view. But what we are missing from a spiritual point of view, very few people really give a thought to it and even understand it. As I mentioned earlier, spiritual life is nothing but an attempt to attain a larger and higher degree of happiness. If this definition is presented, many people are likely to accept it. So here goes the first part. Vedam Vedam Anucha Acharyo Ante Vashinam Anushasthi. Having taught both Vedas, Vedas means the ultimate meaning of life. What is life? Who are you? How to attain the goal of one's own life which is called Moksha. But this Moksha is not an exclusive prerogative. It is like reaching the roof and for that we have to climb three steps Dharma, Artha and Kama. And anybody who doesn't know how to fulfill his desires, even the grossest of the desires, he will never be able to reach the goal. That's why Sri Ramakrishna's beautiful saying, unless a man has gone through the experiences of a sweeper and of the greatest emperor on earth, his mind will not turn towards God. There is a tremendous meaning in that statement. So the first part of the teaching is all about life. What is life? Who are you? What is the goal of life and how to attain it? That is the first part of the teaching. But the second part of the first point is the rest. If by chance you neglect these things, they are completely useless, waste of time and they kill you. आयूर्णश्यतिपश्यताम् प्रतिदिनम् यातिक्षयं यवनं So as we go on looking, we see how babyhood, childhood, adolescence, youth, middle age, old age, time is passing. We are not yet aware of the value of time. So we have to wake up. And then he is also teaching सत्यम्वद. सत्यम्वद means speak the truth. But it also implies by speaking truth, a person has to become what is called harmonious. He must attain complete harmony with his three bodies, causal body, subtle body and physical body. And then only that is called speech of truth, truth speaking. Truth speaking leads to truth seeking. Truth seeking leads to the truth. So this is the final meaning. सत्यम्वद means through the path of सत्य. सत्येन पथ, only by the road of truth. That's what Sri Ramakrishna said that only a truth, a person who holds on to truth can reach God who is none other than the truth. But this practice of truth in all earnestness with all our body, mind that is called Dharma. But we understand to be the truth that must be practiced. So that is what we have been reading धर्मात् न प्रमदितवियम्. In our last class we stopped there. कुषलान न प्रमदितवियम्. Do not neglect to be intelligent and your own welfare. भूतिय न प्रमदितवियम्. Never neglect to accumulate wealth, health, friends and all those things. And then finally, स्वाध्यय प्रमचनाप्याँ न प्रमदितवियम्. Never neglect study of the scriptures. And why? We will discuss about it later on. Speak the truth. Practice Dharma. Do not neglect the study of the Vedas. Having brought to the teacher a gift desired by him, enter the householder's life and see that a line of progeny is not cut off. Do not swerve from the truth. Do not swerve from Dharma. Do not neglect personal welfare. Do not neglect prosperity. Do not neglect the study and teaching of the Vedas. In our last class, we completed what is the meaning of धर्मं चर. चर means live. There is an English expression. That is to say, you walk the talk. That means whatever you are talking, put it into practice. You walk the path of your talk. So what is this Dharma? Finally, we have come to the conclusion. What is the meaning of Dharma? One's own nature is called Dharma. So that is what Swami Vivekananda put. Each soul is potentially divine. That means my divinity is hidden. I have forgotten to bring it back to memory. Arjuna says, by your grace, I got back my memory. What is the memory? I am not Arjuna. I am not one of the Pancha Pandavas. But I am the pure Atman. And there is no difference between you and me. And this is what is called Dharma, one's own nature. I gave the examples. Sweetness is the Dharma of sweet. If you remove sweetness from a sweet, then it will not be a sweet. It can be anything else. Similarly, if we remove the whiteness from the milk, it cannot be milk at all. Remove the light from the sun, then it is not the sun. Remove the heat from fire, it cannot be called fire any longer. So that which is one's true nature, which never deviates, that is called one's nature. And we are the pure consciousness, that is the final. Now this we have to recollect. We have to know. We have to bring back our forgotten memory of who we really are. And Dharma, that is practice of certain principles in life, is what takes us back to that memory, what makes us regain our own kingdom called Swarajya Siddhi. So the goal of life is to know who one is. And that is known as Dharmam Chara. And why? Because anyway, we are doing it. Not that we are not trying to recover our real nature now. No, no. We are trying, albeit unconsciously. That was what we discussed in our last class. Then the next instruction is Swadhyaya Ma Pramadaha. Pramadaha means negligence. That is, do not ever forget what? Swadhyaya. That is Adhyaya and Pravachana, both go together. Swadhyaya means, first meaning is study of the scriptures. And then, it's a beautiful word, Swadhyaya. Another person studies the scriptures, that is not going to benefit me. Another person is going to eat food, that is not going to benefit me. Another person is enjoying a sweet, that doesn't benefit me. I will have to study, I will have to understand, I will have to retain, and I will have to put it into practice. So this is what is called first meaning of Swadhyaya. Swadhyaya, that is to say study. Swadhyaya, study for one's own self. Study deeply. But maybe intellectually, I understand. But whether I am walking the talk or talking the walk, that should be determined by the benefit, by the result. So Swadhyaya, study your life, study your mind, what thoughts are filling, whether it is they are positive, negative, they are idealistic, or that which creates harm to other people, that is study. Am I really practicing what I am talking with other people? And that is what we have to do. Swayam aacharate iti aacharyaha. Earlier we discussed, he who not only teaches other people, but helps other people also, aacharya, aacharya sthapayati. A teacher, an aacharya is one, the very word aacharya means he who practices aacharana, day-to-day practice, is called an aacharya. That springs from the root chara. Chara means to practice, to walk, walk the talk. Swayam aacharate, first he practices, first he studies, then he examines himself, then he will not deviate from what he understood to be the correct thing, and after that he will teach to others whatever he understood and he also tries to correct lovingly, gently, but very strictly, strongly to make other people also establish. Many times we come across in the Puranas, the Rishis get very angry and they go on cursing and we think what type of Rishi or spiritual person he is, a person who gets easily annoyed, easily angered and goes on cursing people. No, they will only curse people by the will of God and whoever cursed such a person will become a great person very soon. What does that person do by cursing? He is removing the defects in the person whom he has cursed. So some amount of difficulties or hardship has to be gone through. Maybe a person is deprived of a kingdom or power or he becomes blind like in the case of Pundalika etc., etc., but that is a period one has to go through. That is why the Rishis cursed Jaya and Vijaya as a result. They had to be born as human beings first as six lives if they chose a life of a devotee, but three lives if they chose a life of an enemy of God because the intensity is too much for that. So this is what the curse of a Rishi. A Rishi is one who is completely controlled by God. So if a Rishi is cursing, it is not that individual who is doing it, it is the God himself who is doing it and God will not easily do it unless the person is loved by God because of his spiritual practice. So if a demon is cursed, then he will suffer a lot, but if a devotee is cursed, he will also suffer, but very soon his devotion becomes even greater than what it was before. Our Puranas are full of these stories like Sathya Arishchandra, Shibi Chakravarti, Nahusha, etc., etc. So never neglect Swadhyaya. We saw study for one's own self, understanding for one's own self and after studying, Manana. After Manana, what should come? Nidhidhyasana. So Shravana and Manana fall into the part of the first meaning of Swadhyaya and Nidhidhyasana. Transform your life by examining what are my defects, what are my faults and that is what exactly Holy Mother was telling. Stop finding fault with others and start finding fault with one's own self. Both meanings are there. So this is the meaning. Even when we are at home, that is to say when the students come home or to apply it to ourselves, we are advised to study every day the Gospel of Ram Krishna and I strongly advise all our devotees to study Mahapurush Mara's beautiful teachings for seekers of God because their beautiful explanations are given quoting Ram Krishna and Swami Vivekananda coupled with the own experiences of Swami Sivanandaji Mara. So never neglect Swadhyaya even if we are at home, at office. So it is not that we are 24 hours, we have to think of doing some work. It is not that even when we are cooking, so after some time, we never cook every day new new dishes. So whatever we have done, we are trying to slightly improve them. So it doesn't really require 100% of the mind. So there is a very beautiful practice. I can think of God. I can also think of cooking but I must acquire this skill. While thinking of God, don't forget to put the salt or put double salt and then you will never want to cook yourself and no guest will ever want to visit your house. So it is very important that we must make time and when we are struggling, this study of the scriptures always elevates our mind. Repeatedly listening, God is looking after us. Do not worry about it. He knows what is happening. So He is looking after you. Then you say, if I am in difficulty, does He not know? Definitely He knows. Then He is not doing, He is doing whatever is best for us. With that faith, you go on struggling and then slowly we will definitely, we should be able to progress in life. So even if we are completely busy, we should devote some time every day to the study of the Vedas. But here Vedas must be substituted. If you are a Vaishnava, study Bhagavatam. If you are a Shaiva, study. For example, today is Mahashivaratri, so Shiva Mahim Nastotram or there are beautiful Puranas, Skanda Purana, Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, etc. Study them. So it does not matter. Even if anybody is struggling at home with breathless work, one should devote some time and nowadays facilities are there. Mobile phone, you just upload the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna or Forsakers of God or Imitation of Christ. Marvellous book. Swami Vivekananda used to carry it and practically three fourths of it, it translated for the first time into Bengali language which has been published in a magazine. Now it is available in our complete works in Bengali, I think. So some time must be put and nobody can say we don't have time. So this also we have seen in the 9th Anuvaka, we discussed also in details. And then Purushotha also stresses that the Swadhyaya is one of the best. In the 9th Anuvaka, if three Rishis were asked, what is the best? Is it Sathya or is it Dharma or is it Swadhyaya? And then Upanishad itself concluded Swadhyaya is the best. Why? Because the study of the great teachings, maybe the teachings of a saint or a scripture in the right way and that noble thoughts, let noble thoughts come to me from all directions. So first we have to fill our minds with noble thoughts and with these noble thoughts we should be able to replace all the worrisome, worldly thoughts that continuously rising like huge waves on the surface of the ocean of our mind. So there are facilities we can have. We have audio books which is a marvelous invention by God's grace. And we can read if our eyes are tired, we can listen to bhajan, analyze the bhajan. That is also study of the scripture. Unfortunately, I find most of the devotees, they love to enjoy especially sung by their favorite singers. But I am afraid they do not take much time to dwell upon these bhajans. Even to take up one bhajan and then devote a few days for it. Doesn't matter. Do you want one month? Okay. But dwell upon it. What does it mean? I'll give you a small example. So there is a beautiful bhajan in I think Gujarati language. Who is a Vaishnava? He who knows the heart rending, heart pain, deep pain of other people. He is a Vaishnava. And Swami Vivekananda's heart bled for the millions of Hindus, both men and women, tortured, neglected and even sent to death. By whom? By the upper caste Hindus. That is why they have become our enemies now. Our karma phala has become our enemy. It is coming to us in the form of our greatest enemies of Hindus. Don't think that somebody else is doing. If you accept the law of karma, it is all because of what? Because of our own karma phala. It is bouncing back upon all of us. So we can listen or nowadays we are blessed because of the internet. We can watch movies. And that is also Shri Ramakrishna himself acted at the beginning in what they call in Bengali yathras. And on this Mahashivaratri day, he was assigned the role of Shiva and as we know, he became Shiva. How blessed the people were there. They must have experienced the presence of Shiva on that day whether they realized it or not. Temporarily at least, their minds were elevated to a very high degree. That influence cannot go and it will be remaining hidden in the depths of their consciousness and when they turn towards spiritual life, towards God, it will come forth and then inspire them. This is also Leela Dhyana. We can also do that one. So Swadhyaya. And more important is whether we are transforming our life or we are only just mouthing these words. That is why walk the talk. We have to put that is called also Nidhidhyasana. This is the meaning we have to understand. So for the devotees of Shri Ramakrishna, it is the gospel. For the devotees of Swamiji, it is what you call the four yogas and we can choose which yoga is more appealing to our own hearts. And if we want to think about the mother, there is only one of her teachings. I am the mother of all. Whoever calls me Ma, I forget myself. I will come running to that person. And that idea is beautifully embodied in this stotram called Sarvamangalamangalye Saranagathathinartha Paritranaparayane Sarvasya Arthi Hare Devi Narayani Namostute. That is to say, anybody calls me Ma, I am your child. That is called Saranagathi. I am your child and this firm faith. That's why I am calling you like a child, baby calls, cries. That is all, Even a baby knows how to cry. It cannot mouth the words, I am troubled, please come and save me. That is what Sri Ramakrishna meant. The young one of a cat, what does it do? Whenever it is hungry or in pain or some problem, it just says, And then the mother, wherever it is, comes running and it knows instinctively what to do, what not to do. I am recollecting one of the stories given by a British author on animals, James Herriot. There was an old lady and she was very fond of cats. There were so many cats already she had at home. But then she noticed a wild cat would never come near to her but it will always be there in the garden watching her very carefully. So the lady understood it. So she used to keep some food far away from her house in her own garden, backyard and watch from the window. And as soon as she comes away into the room, a wild cat, it gulps the food and goes away. Many days passed, it never entered into the house of this lady. But one day she was shocked because this wild cat carried a small kitten and brought it, left it at the feet of the woman, looked at her with that fearful eyes and then it went away. And it never came back. So James Herriot was describing probably the mother was suffering from cancer. You know animals also can suffer from cancer. Whatever diseases human beings suffer, animals also can suffer, including mental problems. So they also have their own mental problems. Only they cannot express them. This lady, she brought up that kitten with the greatest love. Now the question is, James Herriot explains, why did this wild cat, mother cat, which never approached this lady, never entered into any residence but preferred to live outside, suddenly bring her baby because she understood intuitively, my baby, I am going to die. No one is there to look after my baby. And if I live with this lady, the future of my baby will be very good. If a cat can think, reason out like this, I don't know what is the difference between many of us and this way of cats thinking. We think they are dumb, they are animals. No. Ramana Maharshi's life also shows many things. So what I am trying to tell you is, if we can call upon God wholeheartedly, I am helpless, you are my mother, you come and help me. If you do not help, there is nobody else. I am also one of your creation. Sairam Krishna's gospel, there is one song, Oh mother, am I outside your creation that you are neglecting me? Since you created me, I belong to you. I have a right to say that I am your child. You cannot simply escape me. So it is your responsibility, good or bad, you will have to come and take care of me. And that strong attitude is called Sharanagati. That's why, She will come running. Very appropriate to Holy Mother's teaching. I am the mother of everybody. So I cannot neglect anybody. Everyone is my child. Everybody will get food. Everybody ultimately, sooner or later, or at midnight, has to come to me and take shelter with me. Now we will enter into the next instruction. That is, when the student returns home, then he will have to make provisions to support the Gurukula system. And that is what we have to understand. The person who moulded this person's life. Remember, Not only he teaches, he helps the other person. So if this definition is true, the teacher has been striving very much to mould the life of each one of his students. Such a person alone deserves the name Acharya. One day, Ramakrishna was found to be deeply absorbed. Then this reminds me also, one day Narada visited Krishna in Dwaraka. And then he entered into one house. There were 18,000 houses for each one of his wives. He entered into one house, found Krishna absorbed in deep meditation. Narada knew Krishna was none other than Bhagavan Himself, Krishna Himself. So he waited. Then Krishna opened his eyes. And then he greeted Narada. Narada said, Lord, we have to meditate upon you. We know that. But upon whom are you meditating? Krishna smiled and replied, Narada, I also have to meditate upon my devotees. I keep an eye, I keep a watch, who is where, what that person is doing, what that person needs, whether he needs my help or not in various ways, whether he needs a punishment, everything I have to look. So by my meditation, I'm contacting every one of my devotees for their own welfare. That's exactly how Ramakrishna was found meditating. And when he came out of his meditation, then someone asked, Sir, what are you doing? You are a God-realized soul. Not in these words, but I'm only putting in my own words. Then Sri Ramakrishna replied, I am meditating on each one of my devotees. So where are they now? How much progress have they made? What obstacles are stopping them from making progress? And day and night, whenever he gets time, so if he is meditating, he is trying to help them silently. If he is speaking, his speaking is particularly targeted to some particular devotees so that they can be benefited. The talk may look like a general talk, but it might be particularly directed towards one person. One day, Swami Turyanandaji, Hari Maharaj at that time, he went. There were so many people. And then he was sitting there and Sri Ramakrishna sang some songs. One of them is, Without taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Divine Mother, nobody through mere Vedanta vichara, discrimination, will ever reach the goal. My sweet mother alone can put a person under bondage or also can set a person free. She is the Mahamaya. And Sri Ramakrishna probably was not even looking at Hari Maharaj, but addressing everybody. And that is absolutely right teaching to everybody, no doubt about it. But Hari Maharaj went with a particular purpose and Sri Ramakrishna was addressing him. That's what Hari Maharaj thought. This is the question that was troubling me. And this is what Sri Ramakrishna is addressing. Even though he may seem to be addressing everybody, this is meant particularly for one person or people like that. Every time Sri Ramakrishna opens his mouth, there is in one way general teaching, in another way particular teaching suited for that particular person. How do we know? Because the person becomes so impressed. This is what I need. And he goes and tries to practice it and his whole life becomes completely transformed. So an Acharya is one who first has to live his own life and then he will have to make others help. And in those days there were Gurukula systems, what is called Gurukula universities. Some favourite teachers used to have hundreds of disciples, thousands of disciples. For example, Yajnavalkya was having thousands of disciples. That is why King Janaka used to give him vast amounts of things. Just imagine, once King Janaka had given away 1000 cows and that was not the first time. He repeated it many times. What does a person who has got 4-5 people is going to do with 1000 cows? And who is going to look after them? And even to milk hundreds of cows, where is the time for anybody? There is no modern machinery there. But that means there were sufficient number of people and they required so many cows for the milk, for the butter, for the ghee and for the buttermilk and of course for performing Yajnas, Yagas, etc. So I am also suspecting, there they used to cultivate some vegetables, etc. So there were specified periods of hours of time for teaching them. Rest of the time they will have to do some type of service. This we get a hint in the Bhagavatam. Krishna and this Sudama, they were sent out into the forest to collect firewood and they were caught in a raging storm. They could not come back. So if you recollect it, all these stories. So what is the matter? These what is called Gurukula universities used to be maintained absolutely free. And how do they maintain? After all, to maintain even one person, some amount of wealth is absolutely necessary. So that is why it is said Guru Dakshina. And when is Guru Dakshina demanded? As soon as a person who approaches, now have you brought enough amount of Guru Dakshina? No. Baba, first you stay here and all of us will eat the same food cooked by Guru Patni and let it be 12 years, 15 years, 20 years, 25 years. The Guru will never tell because what is to be learnt is so vast. Just to recollect how many things Narada knew. We were discussing the 7th chapter of what is called Bhumananda chapter in the Chandogya Upanishad. How many years he must have spent to become a walking encyclopedia. So this is what, how can he maintain? Therefore Guru Dakshina. When is the Guru Dakshina demanded? Only at the end of that. Most of the people used to become householders. So it says, Acharyaaya priyam dhanam ahrutya. But here is a small clarification. So as soon as the student reaches home, this instruction says, immediately you will have to bring Guru Dakshina. Is it possible? Yes, sometimes it is possible because the person is not earning. But maybe he is a prince. Maybe he is a rich businessman. The parents are rich business people. So when they see their children, immediately they will send sufficient, more than sufficient amount. That too depends upon from person to person. But in the olden days, for example, Mysore Maharaja donated so many villages for this Sringeri Mata etc. And that is what they used to do. So this land belongs to the particular ashrama and then they lend it for cultivation to the farmers and farmers have to give some agreed amount of either money or in the form of whatever is cultivated there in the form of rice etc. vegetables etc. And in our Bangalore ashrama, we also had that. I have seen for several years, every year after the harvest is over, person will bring lot of rice, vegetables and I think tamarind or mango fruits etc. But that system was very helpful. So the teaching should not be misunderstood. You go home and immediately fetch money. Priyam means what? The Acharya should be pleased. What does it mean? So is the Acharya expecting lot of money and he will make discrimination? This student is very good. He brought more than what I am expecting and the other fellow is miserly chap. No. Whatever voluntarily they give, that's wonderful. What is meant? This is one of the systems, Guru Dakshina. But if a student's parents are poor, not immediately. You take up some profession to lead your life and then when you start earning, accumulate something and one fourth of it is supposed to be given for social service and Gurukula systems were part of that service itself here. So we should not understand that very soon after returning to home, they have to give. If parents are capable, if they give, then bring it back or send it. Otherwise, start earning and after that time, you do whatever best you can do. So as soon as the student reaches home, he plunges into work and the early savings that he could make could go towards the Guru Dakshina and if somebody is not able to do that, they can wait for a long time. It is not that the Acharya is truly displeased. Also, we have to connect this. When new devotees used to come to Sairam Krishna and then they do not know the tradition, when a person goes to visit a temple or a king or a baby or a sadhu, they must take something. And if the hosts do not know, Sairam Krishna used to ask, at least I want to drink some water. Otherwise, it will bode ill to the people. So therefore, the Guru, we should never mistake him that he is expecting too much. Whatever the disciple is capable of, that is more than sufficient. And Sri Krishna was completely satisfied because the king also should not be approached by the people whom he is ruling over without taking something. When Sudama took only a handful of parched rice or flattened rice, that was the greatest gift for Sri Krishna. Why? Because So, Yoma Bhaktiya Prayakshati He who gives me with tremendous devotion. If Sudama had better things, he would definitely have given to Krishna. But that is all he was capable of, he could afford. So, these students, when they go to Gurukula, accommodation facility for the disciples, it is like an asylum. That is called Gurukula Vasam. And then food, drink, until they come home, everything is taken care of. And do you think they are not falling sick? When they fall sick, Guru Patni, Guru and other disciples also will do their best to help that person. So, education is available absolutely free. Where will such people, even if they are the princes, they are not expected at that time. You first acquire study and then go, and then if your parents give, that is absolutely fine. Therefore, students who have studied and gone out, are able to contribute either immediately or later on. Then with that money, the teacher can uninterruptedly continue the Gurukula system, educate the students, because so many poor students also used to come there. For example, Satyakamaja Balak, he didn't have anything. So, he was having only truth. So, in order for the Dharma to be put into practice, there must be arrangements for it. So, therefore, this is one of the requirements. As soon as a person enters into what is called Grihastha Ashrama, he should save some money and these instructions are going to come later on. But as soon as he comes, then he will have to put into practice some of the religious instructions, like the performance of Pancha Mahayagna, Agnihotram, if they are Brahmins or Kshatriyas or Vaishyas, etc. All that has to be done at home. Arrangements have to be done and a Grihastha Ashrama involves all these things. There is absolutely no doubt about it. All this has to be done at home. Therefore, a Grihastha Ashrama should be set up. A trust should be set up for it and money should be collected. Therefore, the Guru, after learning what is called the disciple learning from the Guru and then after that the teacher asks him to go set up his Grihastha Ashrama and then get married and live a life of a virtuous householder. And what is a virtuous householder? Study the life of Sri Ramakrishna. How? He obeyed his father. He loved and served his mother even after he became what is called realized soul. Even when he was able to talk with the Divine Mother, etc. He never neglected such a person. He always remembered my mother is the Mother of the Universe. She who is in the temple, she who is in the Nahabhata and she who is serving in the form of his Sharda Devi. One and the same. That was the attitude. That's why Sri Ramakrishna in order to show us an ideal householder's life even though he was a Sanyasi he never kept Holy Mother far away. On the contrary, he made Holy Mother the Mother of all his children for a long time to come. And this is what is telling that you must go and do. What should you do? Do not neglect to live an ideal householder's life. Get married and beget children and then continue the lineage. This topic is a very beautiful topic. We will talk about it in our next class. May Lord Vishwanatha, Mother Annapurna, Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti on this very sacred Mahashivratri. Jai Ramakrishna.