Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Opening Invocation

ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum

pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ हरि ॐ

OM SAHANAVAVATO SAHANAV BHUNAKTO SAHAVIRYAM KARAVAVAHAI TEJASVINAVADHITAMASTUMA VIDVISHAVAHAI OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTIHI HARIHI OM

OM May Brahman protect us both. May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge.

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

May what we both study reveal the truth. May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other.

OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL

Introduction to Panchakosha Vivarana

So we are studying the first section of the second chapter of Taittiriya Upanishad called Brahmananda Valli. And I have given quite a long introduction why the scripture, the Upanishad is introducing this process of Panchakosha Vivarana, the description of the five sheets, five elements, five bodies, five coverings. Why? Because we are identified at any given time with one of these koshas. We have to understand it clearly here that it is not that we are identified exclusively with one kosha. No, all the time we are identified with all the koshas but one kosha, one covering or identity with one layer becomes dominant.

Annamaya Kosha - The Lowest Level

The lowest of such koshas is called Annamaya Kosha. In simple terms it means I am a man, I am a woman, I am the body and I experience the physical world. In other words identifying with the externalness of everything including my own body and the entire world, what we call the whole creation. This is the lowest level or the grossest covering and at each level of kosha identification we experience certain benefits, certain losses. We also experience Sukha Dukha but the point is if we can identify with correspondingly higher layers then our limitations become gradually lesser and lesser and we will enjoy higher and higher freedom, joy etc.

Clarity of the Taittiriya Upanishad

This is what actually made me give such a long introduction and I do not think any other scripture excepting perhaps a bit of Buddhism which dwells so clearly. What are these five layers that bind each one of us and how do we know in which kosha we are living and how to transcend each one. All these beautiful descriptions are expressed so crystal clearly especially in this Taittiri Upanishad.

Swami Ashokanandaji's Teachings on Higher Worlds

While I was going through this and I was thinking about these things I remembered reading one of the talks of Swami Ashokanandaji, predominantly Swami Ashokanandaji used to only give talks. He was the editor of the Prabuddha Bharata in the earlier times also and such marvellous writings we rarely come across during one of his talks he has given. So the light of the higher worlds are the worlds in higher light. He was referring to this what we call the seven higher worlds as we know in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.

The Concept of Many Births and Evolution

These are the important religions which believe in many many births. We had many past births and we are going to have any number of births until we know who we are, until we realise our true nature and then there would be no more births. Until that time every new birth is an opportunity for us to practise spiritual life and progress further. Not only that, until we reach our liberation or our true nature every step in our evolution is to go back or to go back towards our own self or to climb higher and higher into higher localities.

Understanding Lokas and Consciousness

A loka means a world, a world where we experience corresponding limitations, happiness, unhappiness etc. and this process of trying to approach our own true nature or Brahman that is called higher levels of consciousness. Every higher loka represents a higher state of consciousness and every state of consciousness its purpose is to make us look into those higher worlds, aspire for those higher worlds, attain those higher worlds, experience those higher worlds and finally we find also the limitations of these higher worlds. Even the highest such experiential world called Satyaloka or Brahmaloka is also a limited experience only because even Brahmaloka that is not the liberation. From Brahmaloka there is a process of attaining what is called gradual liberation but certainly we have to give up any loka is a limitation. Liberation is to become totally unlimited to know that we are infinite, one without a second.

The Fourteen Lokas in Hinduism

So for that purpose Hinduism posits 14 lokas and depending upon what type of actions we take we do then next birth will be determined. And interestingly Bhagwan Buddha said I had 500 births that is why they are called Jataka stories, tales of what Buddha did in his previous 500 births, how he was progressing gradually and how in this birth he attained to what he calls Mahanirvana that highest state of liberation.

Buddha's Enlightenment and Teaching

And there also we get the mention of several higher lokas, devas. In fact when he attained illumination Brahmadeva himself came down, stood there and then requested Buddha not to give up his body. Buddha was thinking of giving up his body but Brahmadeva said there are a few souls and they do not know how to attain to your state of Nirvana, they require a guide, a guru, a teacher and you will have to live for those people. And by that request Brahmadeva did not mean only those few people who were there at the time of Bhagwan Buddha. He also meant that the teachings of Bhagwan Buddha, one of the greatest avatars of God Bhagwan Buddha, his marga, his jnana marga more aligned to dhyana, meditation, discrimination, reasoning, entertaining, Nirvana means equivalent to liberation.

Buddha's Alignment with Hinduism

Bhagwan Buddha did not teach anything contrary to Hinduism. He only taught the highest teachings of the Upanishads but for a particular reason in his own way which most of our Hindu learned fools they misunderstood that he was preaching against Hinduism and the whole of Buddhism was thrown out. And then we discover nowadays that we not only threw out the bucket of water but along with that we have thrown out the baby also but now we are rediscovering Bhagwan Buddha.

The Three Categories of Fourteen Worlds

He also mentions several worlds but according to Hinduism there are 14 worlds. What is each world? Each world is a state of consciousness. There are higher worlds, lower worlds, higher states of consciousness and lower states of consciousness. And just I want to remind you because in the Taittiriya itself we get later on the discussion about higher worlds wherein 10 higher worlds are described but I will come to it very soon. But here are the 14 worlds and they are called, all of them in one model, they are called, comprised into three. Bhu loka, Bhuvar loka, Suvar loka. Bhu means all the lower worlds including the earth. Bhuvah means gradually increasing higher state of consciousness until it ends up with Satya loka or Brahma loka more popularly known as Satya loka. But Bhuvah loka means it also includes all the lower lokas also. But first of all let us be very clear. The first point is every loka is experienceable by a particular state of the mind.

The Lower Lokas - Hell Realms

It could be a lower state of mind and that is what we call the hells. So here are Atala, Itala, Sutala, Prasatala, Talaatala, Mahatala, Patala and popularly known as Naraka. Naraka at the very very bottom is this Patala. When you study the Durga Satyashati you will get as soon as one of the asuras, leaders of the asuras, he is killed by the divine mother, all others go back to their own particular loka. And in Chandugya we have seen how Irochana, he also had become a materialist in which loka is living purely Patala loka. What is this Patala loka? That is the lowest state of consciousness where a person is completely identified with what we call the body, the sense organs.

Definition of Asuras and Suras

That is why in the very definition given, asuri lokas, demonic worlds, asura, one who lives there is called asura. In opposition, sura means God, he who shines, he is God. And those who are in darkness, darkness means in profound ignorance, they are called asuras. Why are they called asuras? Asushu brahmate ithi asura. Asushu means in five sense organs, their whole life consists of keeping themselves alive and trying to grab as much of happiness as possible and whatever we may think, just exercise, let us exercise our imaginations and say, what is the highest happiness an amoeba can attain to? But what is the happiness that even a rich man can attain if provided he also is a noble person, is provided that person has got a very discriminating mind, leads a virtuous life and such ananda is described here in the thaitriya which we will come very soon as manushya ananda.

The Hierarchy of Lower Worlds

So, atala, itala, sutala, prasatala, talatala, mahatala, patala. Patala is also called naraka. All these are called hells and depending upon the thickness of ignorance, the thickness of impurity, each one experiences. What does the person experience? Correspondingly greater and greater darkness or tamoguna and correspondingly greater and greater unhappiness.

Higher Worlds and Their Nature

Higher worlds are just the opposite where a person attaining to the next higher world experiences higher joy and even the next higher loka to that experiences even more ananda. The limitations become less and not only that, another fact, the higher a person attains, the higher world a person attains, the more also his subjective knowledge, his mind is correspondingly becomes purer and purer. Purity is equated to sattva guna and sattva guna produces happiness. The more sattvik we are, the more happy we become. Sattva only produces happiness, sattva produces gnanam, beautiful way of understanding. So tamoguna means thicker and thicker ignorance. Sattva guna means more and more knowledge, more and more happiness. This is how we have to understand. So these lower lokas, they constitute different levels of hells or what is called correspondingly thicker and thick, thickest, thickest, thickest hells etc.

The Physical World as Bholoka

So now with this understanding, now let us go to this how Taittiriya Upanishad leads. There the physical world we perceive is called Bholoka and it is a composite of the five principles or elements, mixed up principles called Panchabhuta. That is why it is called prapancha. So the lokas mentioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad in this Anandamimamsa, in the chapter or in the section called Anandamimamsa.

The Ten Lokas and Their Hierarchical Bliss

And this hierarchy is structured as follows. With each ascending loka representing a hundredfold increase in bliss compared to the preceding one. Now we have to understand hundredfold doesn't mean like mathematical calculation, one into hundred, hundred into hundred, ten thousand into hundred, not like that. It means indescribably higher and higher experience of happiness. So what are these? Ten.

First is Manushya loka, second is Manushya Gandharva loka or Manushya Gandharva Ananda, third is Deva Gandharva Ananda, fourth is Pitru loka Ananda and fifth is Ajana Jana Deva Ananda, sixth Karma Deva Ananda, seventh Indra Ananda, eighth Brihaspateha Ananda, ninth Prajapateha Ananda, tenth Brahmananda, Sathya loka Ananda etc. Even all these ten lokas fall only under the category of world loka.

The Limitations of Even Brahma Loka

Even a person in Brahma loka still in the grips, in the net of Mahamaya. How do we know? Because Purana has dramatically illustrated. Where do we get? The whole Mahabharata starts only with the story in a way of speaking. There was a great king, he was so virtuous, he was in Brahma loka. And this Ganga Devi, a beautiful, young, ravishing beauty also was in Brahma loka according to Puranic description. And this man looked at her just as people meet at parties and then instantaneously they forgot everybody and they were drinking each other. And immediately Brahma Deva, Brahma Deva means very discriminating state of consciousness, immediately detected, said even in this highest loka you are behaving like ordinary human beings. That means your bodies are here but your minds are in the Uccha loka, only Manushya loka. So you better go there and exhaust your karma phala, understand the limitations of Manushya loka and then only you will get what is called real Viveka Vairagya, then come back again. So both were cursed and that is how Dishyantanu was that great person and he saw Ganga Devi fell in love and then he married her and then we know the story. I am not going into that Mahabharata.

The Ultimate Goal Beyond All Lokas

So even Brahma loka called Sathya loka where knowledge shines as if the highest reality called Brahman is we can enter into it, we can touch it, we can enter into it, we can become one with it but in reality that is not possible. So one has to ascend even that. This is perhaps what we call Brahma Akara Vritti where Saguna Brahma is looked into. According to our scriptures even attainment of Saguna Brahma is not pure liberation but from that Saguna Brahma once we enter for example into Vaikuntha, into Kailasa, into Devi loka, God will purify us further and then we realize there is no difference. That's what Sri Ramakrishna also indicates. The highest word about the highest attainment is called Advaita. Advaita Gnan Aanchale Bende Jayichha Tai Kuru. Everybody they know it or not, we accept it or not, our going to any loka is not our goal but reaching liberation. We have to know that we are none other than the highest reality called Brahman, not Brahma but Brahman that the end of rebirth process. Every rebirth as I said is an opportunity.

Swami Ashokanandaji's Profound Approach

Then many years back as I was mentioning Swami Ashokanandaji, he was one of the profoundest thinkers I have come across and he was one of the greatest speakers. He may not be very popular though he became very popular at his time and like a text book explaining a subject matter to small children step by step from simple logic to more profound logic, every one of his talks is illuminating, at least it will give us a great opportunity to go deeper and deeper into higher and higher realms of thought, intellect and very rational.

The Logical Process and Its Limitations

He does not talk nonsense. I am telling you the scripture is telling me you have to believe in the scripture, you have to believe me. No, this is a very logical process but however logical a process may be, there comes a time when something is beyond our concept. This is what they call abstract thinking, whether it is abstract science, abstract mathematics, there comes a time when we have to give up these gross limitations and enter into that settler and still more settler realms where we have to accept many things on faith and our intuition tells us that they are existing. So there are settler things that cannot be manifested by any amount of intellect. Intellect is severely limited but then to the heights that intellect can take us, if we can go then that is a great achievement. By individually thinking ourselves it may be taking a long time for us to reach but by studying the works of these great people at least we can have a glimpse of what I understood, what now I understand after going seriously through the talks of such and such a Swami, it will make a vast difference and it will give tremendous joy also. Intellectual joy as I said, Shayananda, Medhananda, anyway coming back that the Swami had taken a different light, perhaps I myself would never have thought about it but when I was thinking about the Panchakoshas, what is Panchakosha?

Understanding Panchakoshas and Elements

Each lower kosha is a grosser manifestation of its cause which is settler. For example the cause of this earth, earth means here and we use the word earthly person, that means very body bound person, so the cause is waters. So his intellect of Swami Ashokananda had taken a very beautiful turn trying to explain not the Panchakoshas but correspondingly the higher lokas and how they work is a very beautiful, well drawn out conclusion and I thought if we have that background at least we will have the luxury of trying to reconcile whether it is three body theory or five covers theory or the seven higher loka theory or like Bhrigu transcending Annamayakosha and attaining Pranamayakosha and again giving it up, attaining to Manamaya, attaining to Vijnanamaya, attaining to Anandamaya and attaining to finally even going beyond Anandamaya kosha. So etam Anandamaya matmanam upasam kramatihin. In thaitriya itself we get it crystal clearly, a realized soul, even he transcends this what is called Anandamaya kosha.

The Vedantic Cosmological Journey

So the essential points of this talk I am going to discuss now even though it is taking time we are the reapers of benefit. So Swamiji discusses our Vedantic cosmology detailing a multilayered universe through which the soul journeys towards the ultimate realization. This journey is a progression that means gradual evolution from the gross physical realm to increasingly subtler and spiritual planes of existence, a process that necessitates a shift from purely objective knowledge to a profound subject to understanding of the self. This is another point in case you have not noticed. A higher loka not only indicates a higher state of consciousness, it also indicates a journey from the gross to the subtle, from the physical or objective to the subjective.

Our Current State of Being

So the starting point of this metaphysical exploration is where we are right now. It is our current state of being firmly rooted in the earthly realm. So before that we know the earth, water, air, fire and space. These are the Panchabuthas and we have to go beyond all these five. These are what we experience. These are not the elemental principles themselves but rather gross manifestations resulting from their admixture. Even though if you hear me what I am talking, you may not be able to grasp the subtle point. That's why I am pointing out that what we experience because we experience the earth, that is whatever we are experiencing through our body, through our mind etc. So these are the gross manifestations but they are not the pure elements that there were elements and elementals.

Elements vs Elementals

In case you are not familiar with these two words, we have to be elements is what we call Panchabuthas. As we have discussed elaborately, first creation is called Tanmatra or pure five subtle elements. Same elements, Akasha, Vayu, Agne, Apah and Prithvi but they are very pure. But what we are experiencing through the physical body are not pure elements. First of all they are mixed when they are very gross. So what we experience is not what a person experiences when a person is progressing spiritually. So this is what we have to understand. What we experience are not the pure elemental principles themselves but rather gross manifestations. I used two words elements and elemental. Elements means Panchabuthas. Elemental means all the worlds that are created from the mixed up five gross elements. The resultant, the outcome of elements is called elemental. If you don't understand then we have to know that we are mental.

The Reality of Our Experience

So this is the first point. We are not experiencing pure earth. We are not experiencing pure water. In fact this is literally true. How many people are drinking pure water? Very very few people. Only distilled water is perhaps viewed. Even that is not pure water. This is only the purest manifestation of that pure element called water. So this earthly existence is referred here as Bhuloka and it is characterized by the predominance of the earth or earthly element which symbolically represents gross physical matter.

The Problem of Objectivity

The defining feature of this realm Bhuloka is its stark objectivity. I can experience you. I can experience the world and you can experience the world. Everybody can experience but what is objectivity? What we experience is called objectivity. But not only that. It is what we call in Advaita Vedanta. Everything in this world is separate and external to everything else. What is the problem with this? This inherent separation fundamentally limits our knowledge. The more we are excluded the less our knowledge will be. I will never know about you. In fact I make fun a little bit. Suppose you appear in front of me and what do I see? I see only one side of you, front side of you. I don't know your sides and even when I look you are completely covered up. If you are a Muslim you are even more covered up and I don't know in which direction you are looking. So if you put black glasses on I don't know whether you are looking at me or past me or closed your eyes because you are forced to listen to me etc etc.

Limited Knowledge and Its Consequences

So this inherent separation fundamentally limits our knowledge. Very little knowledge we can have. Since we are excluded from the objects of our perception, our understanding of the external physical entire universe, our creation remains rudimentary and uncertain, not at all certain. That is why scientists are discovering new and new rules and throwing out the old understandings. What they mean is that they know very little and that what little they know is always changing and therefore they are uncertain. Tomorrow what is going to happen, what AI is going to do to most of the people, we are uncertain. When we are flying in the aeroplane, when it is going to crash, we do not know. We only hope and pray to God that everybody will be safe, at least we are safe etc. There is no guarantee. But nobody wants limited knowledge because unhappiness is another name for limited knowledge.

An Example of Divine Grace Through Adversity

I am giving an example so I am carrying on but I think it is very relevant for us. So there was a person, I am giving an example to make the point clear, and he had a job and he was very happy with the job, with the salary and with the officer and colleagues. Suddenly he was thrown out of the job. The whole sky as if had descended upon his head. He says, what am I going to do? I have got a big family, I have taken so much of loans and who can console such a person at that time not to speak of death? Then slowly a few days passed and suddenly he was not getting any job and this person thinks, I must do something. So I used to write stories when I was a child so I am not anyway getting any job. Let me make myself happy. So he starts writing some stories or telling some stories and then slowly somebody heard these stories and then they liked it so much. You know I am talking about that British author who used to, who had so little money, she used to go to the public washing places and take her clothing etc. There were some children used to gather, she started telling stories, other women started listening and even the adults were completely mesmerised, hypnotised as it were. By the way, this woman was able to weave those stories. You know what I am referring to, you should be able to know it. And then they urged her to write these. These stories became so popular, she has become herself, found herself, instantaneous, multi-millennials. So what are we talking about? So this person, he starts writing and he might become one of the greatest writers. Previously he was not enjoying his job, now he is enjoying his job but as soon as his job was terminated, what was he feeling? Horrible. But now he will thank, God is so gracious, he threw me out of the job. At that time I did not understand, now I understand how gracious he was. That is what Holy Mother meant, misery is a gift of God.

Transcending Physical Limitations

So since we are excluded from the objects of our perception, excluded means separate, our understanding of them remains rudimentary and uncertain. And then to transcend this limited existence, one must overcome the enslavement of the physical body. We are talking about physical body and physical world, that is what for most of us, that is our world, our loka. So by achieving this liberation from one's personal portion of the earthly realm, any individual can transcend earthly existence as a whole and ascend to a higher order of reality.

The Water Principle World

And the next level of existence is described as a world where the water principle predominates, that is what you call Apaha Jalaha. This is not the physical water we know but a representation of a much higher and finer reality. What is the author Swami Ashokananda driving at? Water being less rigid and more translucent than earth symbolizes a state of being where knowledge is less obstructed and there is a greater degree of blending and interconnectedness.

The Analogy of Water's Flexibility

What a beautiful way. Take a bucket for example and try to fill up with earth and then you will see that very soon the bucket is full and there is no place for any more earth. Or even better, take some pebbles and then put it in the bucket. Being very hard, strong, so you cannot fill anything there, throw them out and put mud. You will see a greater amount of volume of mud can be accommodated. Then look at the miracle. Just pour a little water, you will see all the earth will become more liquid and more earth can be accommodated. So this is what the Swami is trying to derive, that this water principle. So it is much more flexible, much less what is called grosser. So it symbolizes a state where knowledge is less obstructed and there is a greater degree of blending and interconnectedness. If you are the body and if I am the body, there is a limit to how much we can come closer. But if you are water, I am also water, then there is interconnectedness, blendingness is much more easier. This higher world, often referred to as the world of the fathers Bhuvarloka, is a significant step up from the grossness of the earthly plane.

The Fire Principle World

Progressing further, one encounters a still finer world governed by the fire principle, that is Agni Tattva, that is the cause of the waters. This is the realm of the Devas or shining ones known as Swarloka, Swarga Loka. See how beautifully the Swami can analyze these Panchabhutas. And what are the Panchakoshas? Gradual refinement of the Panchabhutas only. They higher the Kosha, they higher the Bhuta that is functioning there. That is an exercise for your intellectual understanding. So this is called fire principle where everything is reduced to one principle only. So like that as fire is inherently luminous, that is why those who live in this Swarga Loka or Agni Loka or called Tejo Loka, according to Chandogya Upanishad, this world is characterized by greater brilliance.

Maharloka and the Beginning of Spiritual Journey

Next is Maharloka, the world of the great Mahan, Mahatma, Mahatma Gandhi like that. Maharshi, Maharshi, Ramana Maharshi, the world of the great which is also constituted by the fire principle. While these heavenly worlds are subtler and often finer enjoyments than the earth, still they are considered unspiritual only from an objective standpoint. So the journey of the spiritual element soul does not end in these heavenly realms. After physical death such souls transcend these intervening worlds to reach Janar Loka, the world of man. It is here that according to Swami Ashokananda, true spiritual journey begins and one starts to comprehend the real nature of these worlds.

Tapo Loka - The World of Meditation

Though still associated with the fire principle, Janar Loka marks the threshold of the spiritual worlds. Beyond this lies Tapo Loka. Just look at this Sanskrit word Tapo Loka. If somebody, a great spiritual aspirant is doing austerities, we call it, is a great Tapasvi. Where does this Tapasvi live? In Tapo Loka, when Sri Ramakrishna used to retire into the neighbouring secluded forest area whole night in which the world is living. Tapo Loka, the world of meditation. By the way, Tapas means not hardship but deeper states of meditation which is the authentic spiritual realm. This world is made up of the air principle that is you transcend the Agni Tattva, Tejo Tattva and enter into the Vayu Tattva and here the truth is or spiritual world is even more transparent and does not impede vision.

Transparency and Unity in Tapo Loka

This transparency is symbolic of a state where knowledge is unobstructed. The higher the Loka, the knowledge becomes more and more and more unobstructed. That means more and more available and there would be profound sense of unity with all that lives in those Lokas. Those who have achieved a higher degree of spiritual advancement whose minds are constantly fixed on the divine or on God attain this world. In Tapo Loka, one perceives the underlying reality of spirit in everything and everyone. The form being transparent no longer obscures the luminous essence of spirit. It is a world of infinite light and joy from which many souls may not return to earthly existence.

Satya Loka - The Highest Realm

The ultimate destination in this cosmic journey is of course the highest called Satya Loka or the realm of the truth Brahma Loka, the world of Brahman. This highest of all worlds is composed of the ether principle or Akasha from Bhoomi or Prithvi to Jala waters, from Jala to Agni or Tejas, from Neeg Tejas to Air or Vayu. From Vayu we have now come to this ether principle Akasha which is even finer and more subtle than air. Souls who have reached, nearly reached the principle of elimination, that is to say only one step further. That is why it is called Brahma Loka. It is also equated to Brahma Akara Prithvi. So they ascend to this Satya Loka. It is also Satya Loka means Satya or truth is so obvious for them that everything is God and a Jeevan Mukta always lives only in this Brahma Loka or Satya Loka.

Unity with God and Satya Yuga

Here the last vestiges of relativity dissolve and the soul realizes its ultimate destiny, its identity or unity with God. And by the way, Hinduism divides history into four categories. The first highest period of time is called Satya Yuga where Satya, Satya means God, Brahman becomes so evident. That is why Swami Vikaranda said that Satya Yuga started with the advent of Sri Ramakrishna because Sri Ramakrishna is an embodiment of truth. Truth means Brahman. Truth means God. And therefore, whoever lives in that Satya Loka are supposed to be living in Satya Yuga. Not only it is what is called concept of what is called innocence, purity, but even today those who are living a life of Satyam Andhritham, Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara etc., in which world are they living? This Brahma Loka. Here the last vestiges of relativity dissolve and the soul realizes its ultimate destiny, its identity or unity with God.

Correspondence with Chakras

But having described so beautifully, so logically, the higher and higher experiences of what we call higher worlds are nothing but approaching truth gradually, nearer and nearer. And that is the purpose of what tantras describe as chakras. Chakra means straight up consciousness. If you are in a mood to think deeply and do a bit of research, you can also find out about the seven chakras, how they can be corresponding to all these things.

Critique of Materialistic Worldview

But then Swami says something very interesting that Charvak are materialistic view. Then Swami critiques the modern materialistic world view which dismisses the existence of other worlds as cock and bull or fairy stories. And He says this so-called enlightenment is in fact a form of thick ignorance as it fails to perceive the subtle realities beyond the physical body.

The Superiority of Subjective Knowledge

And then Swami also says that true wisdom lies not in the objective knowledge of external things, but in the subjective investigation of the Noir, the I which we are. Then He also dedicated to emphasizing the superiority of subjective knowledge. He says that which is valuable and worthy of having knowledge, that is only subjective knowledge. But those who neglect it do not even believe that is called living in Asatya Loka or Kalikala. So this neglect of the inner self is identified as a sign of spiritual decline.

Modern Spiritual Death

The modern tendency to externalize our focus, to be constantly preoccupied with the outside world leads to an inner emptiness. This the author warns is a sign of spiritual death or in my own words it is called the world of madness. We are all mad. That is what the Ramakrishna says. Those who are not thinking about God, they are all mad people. People are mad. They shed bucketfuls of tears because they lost some money or some family members etc.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Then the text concludes. We are in our next class and our progress should be quite fast because once we understand this background then it will be very easy for us to understand first of all why is the Upanishad devoting so much of time giving the description of how this creation has come. The only purpose is to say, Manachalo nijaniketane, O mind, try to go back to your own home.

Closing Prayer