Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 66 2.2 on 20 August 2025 Q&A

Q&A Session with Swami D

Question 1: Individual as Product of Samskaras

Student: For an Individual, the cause is Annam but we also say an individual is a product of his or her Samskaras so Samskaras are nothing but Annam because they are effect of all the experiences. So, if I am a product of Samskaras then I can look upon everybody else as products of Samskaras also correct?

Sri Ramakrishna's Teaching on Understanding Others

Maharaj: That is, if we can really look at everybody as you said. I will give an example Ramakrishna was disturbed by Hazra, Pratap Chandra Hazra. Then Sri Ramakrishna he was disturbed, then after sometime he came back from Divine Mother's place being consoled by her, said "Poor fellow! How is he to know that I am having the true vision of the Divine Mother?"

So what did Sri Ramakrishna do? What can this fellow do? His Samskaras are like that. That is what in Hindi we call it you know what does the monkey know the taste of ginger?

So this is also great spiritual practice - what can the other person do? He is like that.

The Higher Understanding: Prarabdha Karma

Maharaj: But even better than that would be that there is no fault of anybody it is not the Samskara of that person or this person but because of my own Prarabdha Karma that I am suffering or I am enjoying - both.

If somebody one lady she had fallen in love with a boy and he presented her with a very costly diamond ring after sometime this lady lost her affection towards that man so she broke off the engagement but did not return the ring her friends asked how come that you have not returned the ring he said I have broken with that person my relationship I have not broken my relationship with this ring I am still in love only with this ring.

The Proper Attitude

Maharaj: So even to say what can that poor fellow do it is his Samskara it is ignoring our Prarabdha Karma so we should be careful about it as if we are taking pity upon that fellow and somehow tolerating that fellow. No no, it is my own Prarabdha Karma that is coming back to me at the right time at the right place in the right quantity, that should be the attitude.

Student: Okay thank you Maharaj

Question 2: Annam and Ahara - Are They the Same?

Student: You have explained so is Annam and Ahara is it the same thing?

The Sanskrit Meanings

Maharaj: Yes it is the same thing two different words are used but there is a Sanskrit meaning is different Annam means that which is usually we say identify Annam with what we call food F O O D.

Ahara means whatever that is Ahara also we use commonly identified with food only but the Sanskrit derivation is whatever is taken in so that means whatever we take through the eyes through the ears, through the nostrils through the mouth, through the skin in means that which is taken in the form of thoughts in the mind that is called Ahara.

Student: So this is an experience as you said for Annam as well anything which is experienced is Annam that is how we have to understand it.

Question 3: Ahara Shuddha from Chandogya Upanishad

Student: So in that Chandogya Upanishad the mantra which was there Ahara Shuddha so how does the Annam become Shuddha? Is it the way it is processed by the mind that it becomes either Shuddha or not Shuddha?

Different Interpretations

Maharaj: Ramanujacharya interprets it as the type of physical food that we ate that which is taken by the mouth into our stomach that is what the meaning Ramanujacharya had taken but our Swamiji interprets it what Shankaracharya had taken in the second meaning that we were discussing whatever is taken inside our mind through all the five sense organs not merely by this one, that is called Ahara.

The Need for Control

Maharaj: So we have to have great control over what we take in what we see, what we hear what we smell, everything. Most of our slavery to food is because of tongue or because of nostril? Think deeply. It is the flavour of the food - the pakoda is not tasty because of the onion pakoda is tasty but because of the smell of the fried onion, you understand now?

Student: Yes.

Swami Vivekananda's Teaching

Maharaj: So that Chandogya Ahara Shuddha Sattva Shuddhi - Swamiji in his Bhakti Yoga, he says a devotee, a Bhakta or who wants to acquire Bhakti should be careful about what he sees what he hears, what he smells, etc so both senses are correct but then most of our slavery is what we see or what we eat, the physical food sweet, savory yes, we are so much concerned about tasty food, otherwise boiled vegetables would be the best item isn't it?

Question 4: Mind State and Experience

Student: So ultimately the way the any of this annam is experienced is dependent on the mind state isn't it? And the mind is further dependent on if you are talking about that Ahara Shuddha,

Annam in Taittiriya Upanishad Context

Maharaj: But in this Taittiriya Upanishad, annam means the entire experienceable creation entire creation is nothing but annam here is a table what should you call it? Annam because you are seeing it if you are seeing a table that is called annam, if you are seeing the wood that is called annabrahma; it makes a vast difference in practical experience.

Sri Ramakrishna's Example with Sandesh

Maharaj: So what is called 12th century king's table I purchased in auction what is there? it is nothing. That is why Sri Ramakrishna had a desire to eat sandesh and he started chewing it from one side of the mouth to the other side (and I am very jealous of him he made it last for a long time) and while shifting it in his mouth, he started discriminating "Oh mind! this is also made up of the pancha bhutas"; there is no difference between what he said (mud) and what I am saying (cow dung) and for this, people become mad in order to enjoy it.

The Practical Application

Maharaj: So like that one shawl also, what is this? nothing but goat or sheep hair, anything will do. So what I am trying to tell you is to try to look at everything as product of annabrahma which is called earth. Mother earth means entire physical creation. When we reach that state, seeing everything as nothing but Mother earth then we discover that annabrahma that is called annabrahma, Earth brahma, or prithvibrahma, that also is only an effect, it is not the cause, so thus we transcend from annamaya kosha to pranamaya kosha which we are going to discuss slowly.