Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 96 Ch2.9 on 18 March 2026
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Taittirīya Upaniṣad, Brahmānanda Vallī — Chapter 2, Ninth Anuvāka: Lecture Transcript
Opening Prayer (Śānti Pāṭha)
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
Recapitulation of the Second Chapter
We have almost come to the end of the second chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. So long, we have been discussing elaborately what the Upaniṣad is describing — higher, and still higher, and still higher layers of Pratibimba Ānanda, that is, reflected Ānanda, or Brahmānanda as reflected in our minds, which are becoming more and more pure.
Brahmaloka Ānanda is the such highest Ānanda. Once a person reaches there, then he gets a glimpse. As Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa so beautifully describes — once the Kuṇḍalinī (Kuṇḍalinī means our entire personality, the Jīvātmā) rises to the sixth cakra called Ājñā Cakra, that represents the Brahmaloka Ānanda. Then it gets a glimpse of its true nature. Also, it understands: "What I am experiencing is nothing but a reflected bliss, but the original bliss is me. This is a reflection of me." Then it wants to jump. But the Divine Lord, out of His infinite mercy, pulls or cuts all the bonds, including the Ānandamaya Kośa. And then this person merges, and then he realises: "In this whole universe there is nothing else."
The Jīvanmukta's Realisation: Unity of the Individual and the Cosmic
Then, in the same eighth Anuvāka, or section, we are told by this Taittirīya Upaniṣad: sa yaś ca ayam puruṣe yaś ca asau āditye sa ekaḥ — "He who is here in this Jīvātmā, and he who is in the yonder sun, both are one and the same." There is no distinction between a reflector and the reflected. That distinction is totally destroyed by the realisation of Brahman. "I am Brahman." But this is the description of a Jīvanmukta. What does the Jīvanmukta feel? That is only a small statement.
The pure consciousness that is manifesting as the sun — who is the Brahma, creator, sustainer and destroyer — because it is because of our sun that this earthly world, what we call our world, it is created. Every believe second, how many things are coming into birth and staying for a shorter length of time, and then again go back from where they came. So this Sṛṣṭi, Sthiti, and Laya — birth, sustenance and going back — is taking place in countless numbers of lives.
Even we are not the same. When I started the class, that was another person. There were a lot of changes. But I did not notice, perhaps; I am thinking that, because of delusion, I am the same person. Every believe second, like a fast-flowing river, changes everything. That is why a Greek sage had uttered the word that no man steps into the same river twice.
So this person, this Jīvanmukta, realises: "I am not the pure consciousness which is only in the sun. I am the same consciousness which is manifesting as the whole universe, Sṛṣṭi — let us say, as all the Pañcakośas."
The Nature of Relative Knowledge and the Path to Brahman
So earlier we have seen — and this is a very important point — that so long as we do not have complete knowledge, whatever higher knowledge we have, we think that alone is the reality. But then, to move further, go higher, we have to give it up as Anātmā, non-self. But it is not to think that it is non-self; it is to attain to a greater identity.
But once a person reaches Brahman, there is no distinction — "this is Brahman and this is Saṃsāra." There is no Saṃsāra. This is called: to think Saṃsāra is not Brahman is called Mithyā. To know that Saṃsāra is nothing but Brahman is called Jñānam. Satyam, Jñānam, Anantam — this whole universe is Brahman. Brahman is infinite, so this universe is also infinite. Brahman is Satyam, so this universe is also Satyam. Brahman is pure consciousness, Jñānam, and this universe is also nothing but pure consciousness.
And we have to recollect the example I have given: everything that we see on a cinema screen is nothing but different manifestations of light falling on that background called the screen, a white screen.
So the literal meaning is: a man, a Jīvanmukta, a realised soul, knows that "I and the sun are one and the same." But that is also a limited statement. "I am everything. Everything is Brahman." So that is the knowledge. This is only a recollection of what we had already discussed.
The Process of Climbing the Staircase: The Pañcakośa Method
Then, what happens? How did he attain to this state? That is being described — the process of climbing the staircase through this Pañcakośa Kalpanā, the imagination of the five staircases.
Sa ya evam vit — one who knows Aham Brahmāsmi: what happens? How did he reach? How did he become a Jīvanmukta? That is being described in a way.
Asmāt lokāt pretyaḥ, etam annamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati.
Asmāt lokāt pretyaḥ — "Pretyaḥ" means "having been dead." But here it is not to be taken literally as the death of the body, but rather as having destroyed the Ajñāna "I am the body." No — not only "I am not the body." "I am the entire body. I am the Virāṭ body." That is called "pretyaḥ" — having attained. "Attained" means having obtained that knowledge, not going anywhere. He is only understanding better: "I am that Virāṭ Brahman." Previous to that, he was just this individual, and so fear comes. But now that fear is gone. "I don't die, I am not born. But I seem to be born, I seem to be dying — every millisecond, every trillisecond — through infinite manifestations of pure consciousness on the screen of our purified mind."
Asmāt lokāt means having transcended the identity with this Annamaya Kośa. What happens? Annamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati — he understands now: "I am the Virāṭ Brahman."
So we have to apply the same rule: etam prāṇamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati. So even this Annamaya Ātmā is limited, because it is the effect, and every effect must have a cause, and the cause of this Annamaya Ātmā is the Prāṇamaya Ātmā. So he identifies himself. He includes his Annamaya Ātmā — it is not discarded, but it is included. Like one anna, two annas, four annas, eight annas, twelve annas, fifteen annas are all included. Or, if you want a modern example: one cent, ten cents, twenty-five cents, fifty cents, seventy-five cents, ninety-nine cents — all are included in that one dollar. So like that, this person is expanding his identity.
Then the same thing we have to apply to the remaining kośas. So: prāṇamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati.
The Importance of Sādhanā
One important note we have to understand here: simply reading this will not do. We have to do Sādhanā to know that "I am not this mere individual body — I am the universal body. I am not merely this individual prāṇa but universal prāṇa. I am not this individual mind; I am the universal mind. I am not merely this individual buddhi or understanding, but I am the universal understanding. I am not merely the small enjoyment, the bliss I am experiencing; I am the universal bliss." But even this universe itself, the entire universe, is a creation.
In the very first section of this second chapter — called Brahma Vallī, Ānanda Vallī, Brahmānanda Vallī — we have seen, and we will summarise: etam manomayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati, etam vijñānamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati, etam ānandamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramati.
The Meaning of Upasaṃkramati and the Transcendence of the Kośas
How do we know he attained? He has gone beyond the Ānandamaya Kośa. Ānandamaya is also a limitation, because it is part of the mind or personality. All the three — the gross body, subtle body, causal body — are all limitations by time, space and causation.
To confirm the above understanding of ours, there is this Ṛg mantra that is being quoted, which will come in the next, or last, Anuvāka.
So what we have to understand: this Sādhaka, what does he do? He does not see any difference between his own physical body and that of the Virāṭ, which is the aggregate of all physical bodies — this is called the Annamaya Ātmā. Then, and then alone, he loses attachment to this individual self, because like a patriot who identifies himself with the entire country — but he is a super-patriot — he identifies himself with the whole of the creation, and every saint is a super-patriot. So he tends to that being in whom the physical universe takes its rise as its being, and in the end becomes one with that. This is how a slow progress continues.
In the realm of Māyā, that is creation, the supreme self becomes both the knower and the known. This fact — that the cause and effect are Brahman, that Brahman is that which is without any creation, but after creation also Brahman alone is the creator, Brahman is the creator, Brahman is the created — like the example in a dream: we create the entire dream world, but we do not realise it at that time. Just like our waking state, we think everybody is separate, but upon waking up we have to wake up.
So when we follow these well-laid, definite steps of spiritual progress, we understand: "The whole thing is a creation of my mind, and the mind is able to create because of consciousness, and the whole thing is a creation of consciousness. I am that consciousness. I am the uncreating, uncreated consciousness. I am both the creator and created consciousness." That is the called the state of a Jīvanmukta. But if a person is completely in Nirvikalpa Samādhi, all these descriptions will not apply at all.
So here the question comes: what is the meaning of "attaining," Upasaṃkramati? The "attainment" here denotes the disappearance of limitation or illusion as a result of right knowledge — "I am not the individual body, I am the Virāṭ body. I am not the individual mind, I am the Virāṭ mind, or Hiraṇyagarbha. I am not the individual mind; I am the universal mind. I am not the individual buddhi; I am the universal buddhi. I am not the individual happiness which we experience in the third state called deep sleep, but my very nature is bliss." Until now, "I am separate, my bliss is separate — I am deriving bliss from something else. The subject-object division is very clear." But after this realisation, there is no such division. It is Brahman who is the creator; it is Brahman who is the non-creator. "Creator" means, without the understanding of creation and acceptance of creation, the question of creator does not arise. When you see a table, you have to understand there is a piece of wood, and there is a carpenter, and there are some instruments — they are all taken for granted. If one is missing, then that product will not be in existence at all.
Phalaśruti: The Result of This Knowledge
So what is this person called? He is called a Jīvanmukta. So now comes Phalaśruti. What is the result? As a result of this knowledge — "I am Brahman," whether in Nirvikalpa or non-Nirvikalpa — what is the result? The result is: he becomes fearless, and he becomes free from guilt. And that is the subject matter of this last section, the ninth Anuvāka.
So this ninth Anuvāka highlights a transformation of the individual into a Jīvanmukta — liberated even while living. Even this word "liberated while living" is an invention of the ignorant people. A Jīvanmukta doesn't go on saying "I am a Jīvanmukta." If you hear anybody saying "I am a Jīvanmukta," you had better take him to a lunatic asylum.
Entering the Ninth Anuvāka: Ātmānam Spṛṇute
So now we enter into section nine: Ātmānam spṛṇute. With this, the ninth Anuvāka, the second chapter comes to an end. What does it mean?
He who realises "I am Brahman and bliss — I am that Brahman, Sat-Cit-Ānanda — I am Sat-Cit-Ānanda; I am not getting bliss from another object; I am of the nature of bliss." Every object only becomes a mirror to find out my own nature. Like when we stand in front of a mirror, our reflection in the mirror only helps us to correct ourselves, to decorate ourselves — like that, the whole universe, the whole creation, is only to correct ourselves. What is the correction? "I am a Jīvātmā" — that is the greatest disease, Roga. "No — I see in the mirror of this highest knowledge I am Brahman. I see my reflection of Brahman, Sat-Cit-Ānanda, Satyam Jñānam Anantam Brahma — crystal clearly." Then it helps me to correct.
Now you can understand — we can understand — why God created this universe: so that He can pretend "I am an ignorant person, I am not Brahman," and "I am not Brahman" means "I am an individual, I am not the universal," and slowly He tries to pretend, to play with Himself, slowly progresses. And this ever-never-ending circle of Brahma Cakra goes on and on and on and on.
Freedom from Fear: The State of the Jīvanmukta
So what happens when this person realises "I am Brahman"? Ya evam veda — he who knows that bliss of Brahman, when words together with the mind turn away unable to reach it, he is not afraid of anything whatsoever. So he doesn't distress himself with the thought: "Why did I not do what I should have done? Why did I do what I should have avoided?" The evil that I have done — a person doesn't distress himself. On the contrary, he again and again and again dwells on both these and derives supreme bliss from both of them.
Like an actor who played superbly, creating an emotion called fear and anxiety in every onlooker — and then he understands. Many times the actors themselves, the singers themselves, they admit: "I have acted — I did not act so well in that picture, but in this picture I was in my glory. That means my talent has come out. I could not sing the same song in that performance — my throat was bad, or I was not in good mood — but today I could sing so well." Everything — the players, the Śruti, the Tambūrā and the Tablā, the rhythm or Mṛdaṅgam, and the accompaniments, and the audience — everything was in a positive mood, and I was in my own element, so I could sing so well.
But what is the condition of a Jīva like ourselves? That we regret every second. We are regretting: "I should have done that, I did not do it. I should not have done that, but I did this." So even though we try to avoid it, these regrets — life is nothing but regrets as to what is done and what is not done.
But, on the contrary, both of them give the greatest joy to the Jīvanmukta. Why do they give joy? Because he knows that both are nothing but play, Līlā, of the Ātman. And not only that — the Upaniṣad assures us: whosoever realises Brahman, regards both these — the good and the evil — as one's own self, as Ātman, and thus strengthens it. Indeed, he cherishes both these good and evil. "Why did I not do good? Why did I do evil?" Both these become tremendous sources of bliss. Because when we really hurt or help others, then regrets can come. But when we are playing, acting a role in a drama or a cinema, and if we do it properly, then our very action becomes supremely enjoyable.
"How wonderfully you acted!" So the person — imagine both the hero and the villain and the heroine sitting, previewing the to-be-released film. And then the hero says, "Oh my goodness, how wonderfully you started beating me black and blue!" And the villain also admits, "Oh, how wonderfully you acted — I did not feel a single pinch." You acted so well! And the heroine: "I wept so much, I wanted to jump!" — of course she didn't want to jump anywhere. "I played it so well!" They were all congratulating each other on how well each of them had played. And then — something very important for us to note — they were not comparing their individual personalities; they were comparing their inherent talent, how well it had been exhibited in that particular cinema or drama. It all depends upon the director, and the person who sponsors the whole lot, and the audience, and the cooperation of all the cameramen and everybody else. There is something called perfect harmony, and even the slightest disharmony can create a tremendous problem.
The Bliss of Brahman and the Limits of Language
So then he attains — he understands: "I am Brahman. I am Satyam Jñānam Anantam Brahma." Anantam brahmano vidvān — he who knows the bliss of Brahman.
Then what is that bliss of Brahman? What is that knowledge of Brahman? Who can tell? It is not possible. When words together with the mind come away unable to describe — why is it? Because Brahman is indescribable, indefinable. And then that is why we have discussed this point: to describe anything, to give any new knowledge, to describe any new object to another person who had never experienced it, we require five types, five categories, five classes of description. So this we have already discussed: Rūḍhi, Jāti, Guṇa, Kriyā, Sambandha.
Rūḍhi means — oh, you don't know what is the moon? You look on the full moonlit night: "That which is the brightest star, what is called light, that is called the moon." Or Jāti: "So what is this? Is it a flower?" "You have seen other flowers — this is also belonging to that species." Then we also have Guṇa: "So what is that flower?" "Oh, it is a rose-coloured flower, a rose with a rose colour." And what is a rose colour? You know — black, green, white, yellow — or other guṇas — "this is sweet, this is sour, this is astringent," etc. Then Kriyā, to describe: "What is this man?" "Oh, he is a secretary of such an association, he is a driver, he is an actor, he is a cook," etc. Sambandha: "He is my uncle, he is my grandfather, he is my son, he is my grandson," etc.
Rūḍhi, Jāti, Guṇa, Kriyā, Sambandha — we have seen that. But all these are limited, and therefore unable to describe. The mind cannot comprehend. When the mind is incapable of comprehending, it cannot express in words. So both words — or speech — and mind turn away.
And then what happens? Such a person is not frightened. He who has realised Brahman is a Jīvanmukta, a Mahāpuruṣa, and he has nothing to be afraid of — why? Because fear comes only from the second, and there is nothing other than Brahman. Bhaya comes from the second; we will see it in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka also.
Yoga and Kṣema: The Two Sources of Fear
Some commentators give a beautiful explanation. In human life, there are only two things which produce Bhaya. Every human being does any action only for two purposes: Yoga and Kṣema — nothing to do with Patañjali's Yoga. Yoga means to obtain, to acquire, to possess things which one wanted but did not have. Having acquired, then protecting them is called Kṣema.
So, possessing things, obtaining things which one doesn't have but which one desires — that is called Yoga. Kṣema means protecting them. Here is a person: he bought a car, and the neighbouring goon has come and broken all the glasses, tyres, everything — it is possible everywhere, but especially in India. So not only acquisition, it applies to also what is called protecting it. Online scams — how many intelligent, what is called, techies go on losing crores of rupees. Old people lose it. These are called victims of hackers, and all their intelligence flies through the window when this comes.
So that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted to teach. Once, Svāmī Yogānanda — in the future, Yogi — went to buy a small utensil, and the shopkeeper, giving him the responsibility — Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had given him some spiritual instructions, and the man said "I am a very spiritual person" — gave him, being a spiritual person, a very holy utensil. And only after coming home did Yogānanda discover it, and he was ashamed to show his face to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had to send for him on some silly pretext and then scold him: "You can be a devotee, but why should you be a fool on that account?" So a spiritual person will be more rational, more alert, more careful.
So acquiring things which one thinks give one happiness — money, possessions, even a marriage partner — but keeping them, without getting into conflict, without losing them, is an entirely different matter. Human life — animals do not bother about this thing — human life is nothing but Yoga and Kṣema. Fear comes because "I may not get what I want," and fear comes because "what I have obtained might be lost." Worry — "What happens if this war goes on, inflation will increase, then the value of my money" — how many people must be wondering about it, God alone knows.
But for a Jīvanmukta, there is no second, no Yoga, no Kṣema, because he has become Anantam — infinite. In the infinite there is no minus, plus, multiplication, division — nothing will work out. So that is why he is free from all these things. So if a person sees the slightest differentiation anywhere, there is fear for him. Avidyā or ignorance is the cause of this differentiation. But in Vīra Brahman, he has rid himself of Avidyā — he became a Vidyāvān. So the same idea about this fearlessness we have already seen in this very second chapter, section four, very first mantra.
Freedom from Puṇya and Pāpa: The Jīvanmukta's Ālambana
So in that fourth section, the meaning of the text is that in Vīra Brahman our fears — but the present verse states that even the cause of the fear is destroyed totally. And then he doesn't suffer: "Why did I not do what I should have done, and why did I do what I should not have done?" He doesn't distress himself with the thought: "Why did I not do what is prescribed by the scriptures? And why did I do what is forbidden by the scriptures?"
So we can slightly change that word: "Why did I not do that Puṇya Karma prescribed by the scriptures? Why did I do?" — remember, Puṇya means the seed for the mighty tree called happiness; Pāpa means the seed for that mighty tree that is called suffering. So what has he to do? He doesn't suffer at all.
And why doesn't he suffer? What a beautiful expression: whosoever knows this regards both these — good and evil — as play of the Ātman, and thus he becomes strengthened by it. That means they become the playthings of the Ātman, the Brahman. Or the Ātman — how intelligently the Upaniṣad first uses "Brahman," now it uses "Ātman." And then he says: this person who realises "I am the Ātman, pure consciousness," what happens? Both these become sources of the greatest bliss. Because it is the Ātman which has become Puṇyam, which has become Pāpam, which has become Dharma, which has become Adharma, which has become the result of Dharma, which has become the result of Adharma.
Because the person who suffers and the person who enjoys, and the person and the enjoyment and the suffering — like in our dream, exactly like in our dream, everything is just a play. Just as when we wake up we enjoy recollecting what we did: suppose you dreamt that you were pushed into a cesspool and it was horrible, unbearable, and then suddenly you wake up and you are in your bed, which you have spread with so much of this rose smell or jasmine smell or something like that. "Oh, what a horrible dream I had!" But you are enjoying it. Both. If you are intelligent, you will enjoy — why? How could you enjoy? Because it is, first of all, an imagination. Secondly, it is your own imagination. Nobody else is to blame. If somebody comes and slaps you in your dream, it is you only who has assumed the form of that person and slapped you.
So as long as you are dreaming, you feel the effect. You feel the effect of the slap also. I don't know — just my imagination runs wild — say, Rāmakṛṣṇa had slapped Rāṇī Rāsmaṇi; this much we know as an incident. But just imagine: after she returned home, how much gratitude! "The Divine Mother has slapped me." So if the Divine Mother at least slaps me or you or anybody — how wonderful it will be! I can remember it again and again and again and again, because when the Divine Mother slaps me, it is like taking us very lovingly into her lap. Her slap is to take us into her lap.
So from the standpoint of Ātman, good and evil are both projections of action — like a cinema screen. But this is possible only when Avidyā is completely destroyed. And then a person who realises — he will not be reborn again. So this knowledge of the Ātman cannot lead to future births. That is the end of it.
Ya evam veda. Iti Upaniṣad.
So indeed this Upaniṣad — that is to say, the second chapter — this Taittirīya Upaniṣad has come to an end. Thus has been revealed in this section a supreme wisdom, a supremely sacred science of all sciences. This is the consummation of knowledge. Here ends section nine of chapter two of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad.
A Reflection on Artificial Intelligence and True Knowledge
Now I want to tell you something very interesting. Nowadays there is a lot of talk about AI — Artificial Intelligence — and everybody is on an edge: "When does this General Artificial Intelligence come?" And that means, like a human being, like the most intelligent human being, almost like God, it knows everything. But then we realise, to our great dismay, it is not knowledge which can lead to happiness, or prosperity, or to fulfilment of life. It is not knowledge — it is the usage of knowledge.
So if somebody knows how to pick the pocket of another person expertly, that is knowledge. But whether that person wants to do it for his own selfish purpose, or wants to protect other people, that is a totally different issue altogether. So what we see now — immediately, at least this is the immediate prediction and also predilection — that if millions and millions of jobs are lost, what are human beings going to do? An idle brain is a devil's workshop. But that is not real knowledge. Brahman knowledge is the real knowledge.
What happens when Artificial Intelligence becomes Artificial General Intelligence, AGI? When that becomes, everybody will be blessed — of course, that is not going to happen; that is not the intention of God. That is a different issue. Meanwhile, I suspect — I hope not, but I suspect — a lot of misery. If you observe carefully, that is why only I am mentioning it: all these wars are being fought with AI, and in future, who knows where it is going to lead. So knowledge is like a double-edged sword. If there are people who have the knowledge and who know how to use it properly, and have the intention of using it for the benefit and good of everybody, that would be the greatest blessing. And the opposite side will be the greatest — "blessing" means "be-less": "you are nothing, I am everything." That is what is going to happen. We will see that.
Overview of the Brahmānanda Vallī (Second Chapter)
So with just a few minutes left, I want to bring out the essence of the Brahmānanda Vallī. The Brahmānanda Vallī — also known as Ānanda Vallī, Brahma Vallī — is the second chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. It contains nine sections and thirteen mantras — even though big mantras — thirteen mantras only.
What is the overview? The Brahmānanda Vallī is primarily focused on the following subjects:
First Anuvāka: There is only one mantra. Seven categories we see in the very first section of the second chapter.
- Brahmavid āpnoti param — attainment of Brahman is the greatest goal, the greatest blessing, the ultimate goal of life.
- Definition of Brahman.
- Where is this Brahman? It is there inside the cave of everybody's heart — Jyotiḥ, Jyoti, Ujjvala, Hṛdikandra.
- What is the result of Brahman realisation? — that is the fourth subject matter.
- Then, for that purpose all of us have to be led: so creation is described.
- This creation is divided into five categories called Pañcakośas — Pañcakośa Vivecana — and each kośa is imagined as a form of a bird: left wing, right wing, this is the tail, this is the head, this is the middle portion, this is the back portion. And we can also take Puruṣavidha eva — just like left hand, right hand, the head, then the backside, and the legs.
- Then the eighth part describes the Ānandamaya Kośa.
So these are the hints given in the first section. Then from Anuvākas two to five — I told you the eighth category describes, starts with, Annamaya Kośa, not Ānandamaya Kośa — Anuvākas two to five discuss four Kośas: Annamaya, Prāṇamaya, Vijñānamaya, and Ānandamaya.
Anuvāka six again discusses creation and the existence of Brahman, and therefore how do we know Brahman — through seven arguments. So even though logic doesn't prove God, logic can help us understand the statements of the Śruti.
Anuvākas seven to eight give an elaboration on Brahman as the cause of creation in seven logical arguments, and also describe the nature of the reflected bliss in the eighth section — what is called Ānandamīmāṃsā: a very beautiful description of progressively higher and higher reflections of happiness. Higher and higher — the greater the purity of the mind, the higher will be the happiness. And a Loka, a world, is nothing but our state of the mind. In the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha, there are seven Lokas. They are called Sapta Bhūmi — that is, seven planes of consciousness, from the lowest to the higher, corresponding to the seven cakras of the Tantras.
Ninth Anuvāka: There follows the Śruti that a person who knows and follows, slowly does Sādhanā, and through the Pañcakośas transcends the Ānandamaya Kośa, and then he becomes — he realises — "I am Brahman; I am not a Kośa." Then he becomes a Jīvanmukta. And what is the effect? Just now I said — everything becomes a wonderful, blissful drama, Līlā. That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: Līlā.
So the journey started from the Sambandha Bhāṣya of Śaṅkarācārya to Ānandamīmāṃsā, and then ultimately Upāsanā leads to Hiraṇyagarbha, and then Jñānam leads to the realisation of Brahman. What is the ultimate takeaway? It is that Brahman is not a destination to be reached — it is not that we are going to reach somewhere — but it is obtaining better and higher knowledge until we realise that Brahman is not some other object but my own self.
With this, Brahmānanda Vallī is over. In our next class, we are going to enter into the third and last Vallī of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. It is called the Bhṛgu Vallī — a beautiful story.
Closing Prayer
Om Saha Nāv Avatu, Saha Nau Bhunaktu, Saha Vīryam Karavāvahai, Tejasvi Nāv Adhītam Astu, Mā Vidviṣāvahai. Om Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ. Hari 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 towards each other. Om, Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!