Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 73 Ch2 4-5.1 on 08 October 2025 Q&A
QUESTION 1: On Vijnanamaya Kosha and Mental Renunciation
Student A: When we have successfully reached Vijnanamaya Kosha, is that also the same point that we are able to fully renounce our mind? Because that is now the Manomaya Kosha and we don't identify with it anymore, so full mental sannyasi is possible. Is that so?
Maharaj: Yes, once we become identified with Brahman, that is to say our body is God, our prana is God, our mind is God, our intellect is God, we are becoming more and more God Maya, full of God, understand?
Student A: Yes.
Maharaj: We are approaching the end. So this is a Upasana. It is not merely a description of a particular Kosha, Sheeth, but it is a way of approaching God nearer and nearer. And the more we approach God, the less will be the limitation and we are going to, that is called, slowly we are identifying with God more and more. That is called spiritual growth. So call it sannyasa, whatever you call it.
QUESTION 2: How the Subtle Fills the Gross
Student B: Maharaj, question from last class. You had said that when we discussed Pranamaya Kosha, the mind fills the prana, prana fills the Annamaya Prapancha. I am trying to understand how the subtle fills the gross.
Maharaj: I already discussed this point. What does it mean it fills? If you have a bottle and the bottle is filled with, let us say, Coca-Cola or milk, which is important, bottle or milk?
Student B: Milk.
Maharaj: I also told you, you will have to recollect to that. What is it? Every reaction of ours, if has to start, how can I be happy? Even to say I am hungry, I need food. It is another way of saying that I want to get rid of this problem called hunger. So I want to be happy. What happens when I get rid of hunger? It is obstructing my ananda. So I want to do ananda.
So Anandamaya Kosha, as it was the highest officer next to the Prime Minister, it commands, hey you fellow, which one Vijnanamaya Kosha? So find out how can I be happy? This example, I am hungry. Then that Vijnanamaya Kosha knows I am a South Indian. I like hot, hot food. My master likes it. And among that, which hot food will be the best for him? How? By remembering all the past experiences. So that is how it thinks a lot and this is what needs to be done.
And that presents it to the buddhi. At this moment, what is your will? My lord says, morning I have eaten the other thing. Now I want to eat something else. So the mind says your commandment. And then it will call the Pranamaya Kosha. Now activate, go and give a slap to your legs because the legs have to go to that particular shop where it is available.
The very thought that I am going to eat will bring tremendous amount of enthusiasm to every part of the personality. Isn't it? So this Prana influences, energises the lethargic legs. They don't want to go. But that Ananda, I am going to get Ananda. As if owner's happiness is its own happiness. It runs to that place and hands grab hopefully after payment and then it will bring it and then the mind says everything is ready. Now you can sit and eat. So it has to be put inside.He is a devotee. Brahmarpana he will do and then he starts enjoying. The hunger is gone. Then he doesn't have desire and that is called happiness. Removal of desire is called happiness. Desire means unhappiness. Removal of desire is equivalent to happiness. So you see, all the Pancha Koshas are involved. But the highest Kosha is "I want to be happy".
It can come in two forms. So I am not hungry but I fancy a sweetmeat. Another is I am hungry so this would be most enjoyable form of food. Either way, the purpose is to be happy. And also there is subtle difference. Any food will, good healthy food will remove the hunger. Isn't it? But it may not give more happiness. You go on eating bitter gourd juice, you have to drink four times during the food.
So this is the general way Pancha Koshas work. So without Prana, body cannot sustain. Body cannot even live. So as if prana is upholding the body—eṣa pūrṇaḥ—and the condition of the Prana, whether it is enthusiastic or "Thanda Ho Gaya" (Hindi: has gone cold) as they say, depends upon our thoughts. And our thoughts again depends upon our Buddhi, which thoughts are happy thoughts, unhappy thoughts, etc. And the deciding factor also is influenced only by Ananda.
Whether somebody wants to kill or whether somebody wants to commit suicide, they are all influenced by Ananda only. This is the correlation. No Kosha is separate from the other Kosha. Because if one Kosha is absent, Ananda will not be possible. They are one integral whole. You have to understand.
QUESTION 3: On Mantras in the Atharva Veda
Student B: Maharaj, one more question about the Atharva Veda. You had mentioned that there are mantras in the Atharva Veda which the aspirant can use to free himself or herself from problems. You mentioned that mantras can be used instead of disturbing God.
Maharaj: Yes. One must have faith in that. For example, I gave you the example, Sri Suktam. If somebody chants with that faith, Mother's grace will be there. Definitely it will come.
Student B: But isn't the repetition of mantra also praying to God, Maharaj?
Maharaj: You put it whatever way you like. We have some need. That need should be removed. That can be achieved, whether it is a ritual or puja or chanting. There are also other ways. You can join an office and work for them. That is also another way. So the point is even Vedic mantras have that power to fulfil our desires. That is the point.
So in Atharva Veda, there are so many mantras and also what is called medicinal plants etc. are indicated. We are not bothering about them. And some of the mantras are also what you call black magic mantras. I want to get rid of this fellow. I want to kill this fellow or I want to bring this fellow under my thumb. All these things are mentioned there because people with various problems require some solution.
QUESTION 4: On Panchakosha Viveka
Student C: The Panchakosha Viveka is more of a theoretical knowledge, and while Panchakosha as it is here in the Taittiriya Upanishad, this is really the practice part of it, Upasana part of it.
Maharaj: I am thoroughly confused by your question.
Student C: Panchakosha Viveka, in having Neti Neti, not this not this, is actually one way where we try and meditate.
Maharaj: No, no. There is no such. Panchakosha Viveka is a very practical yoga. When a person says "I am not the body", he must feel "I am not the body" or the body is not the highest truth.
Student C: You also said that you do not go to the next step until you have actually completed the first step.
Maharaj: Correct. That is involved there. There are now two separate things called Panchakosha. Discrimination between five Koshas and practising each one separately. There is no such division. To know that I have to go to this place, there only I will get what I want. Is it theoretical or practical?
Student C: Practical and theoretical.
QUESTION 5: On the Analogy of the Bird
Student C: This analogy given to the bird, just the maha pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā. You have been saying the wing and the legs are taken together. Is that right?
Maharaj: No, no. It is the whole body is conceived. Just as when we are identifying with this physical body, are you identifying with the whole body or part of the body?
Student C: Whole body.
Maharaj: Similarly, we are also identifying, albeit unconsciously, with the Pranamaya Kosha. So when I am breathing in, that is Apana. When I am breathing out, it is a Prana. When I am digesting, it is one particular Prana. When it is distributing, it is one particular Prana. When something is thrown out which is not suitable, that is one particular Prana. So we are not thinking them in their separate functions and parts. Simply collective name Prana is the one.
Without Prana, the body cannot sustain. That means if any part of the Prana is not working, for example, if Apana Prana is not functioning, then you won't sweat, you can't vomit, you can't go to the toilet. What would be the condition of you if you cannot do that?
Student C: [indistinct]
Maharaj: So we have to understand that God only is digesting our food. God is only distributing the energy to every part. So without that Prana Brahma, it is impossible even for the body to sustain. Similarly, what makes the Prana really tick as they call it? It is only the thoughts. And what makes the thoughts really tick? It is the Shraddha. Whatever you believe, that alone you will do. You will never do anything which you really do not believe.
Finally, the purpose of everything is to be happier. This is the answer.
Student C: When you ascend one step to other, you never ever fall back to a lower one do we?
Maharaj: Once you know higher Ananda, you will never again desire lower Ananda.