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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.6-9 Lecture 63 on 29 August 2026

2026-09-19T01:02:10Z

Sachidanand: Devanagari Invocation, missing words and sentences, and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh.''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE । PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE ॥OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH ॥

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction: The Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya Brāhmaṇa==
We are studying the Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya ''Brāhmaṇam'' – the section called Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya. Earlier, Yājñavalkya started teaching to Maitreyī when, after she rejected every possible worldly good and expressed a deep desire – "I want to follow your footsteps and I want also to obtain ''ātmajñānam'' – self‑knowledge" – then Yājñavalkya understood.
===The Temptation of Worldly Goods===
How did he understand? Because he, like Yamarāja tempting Naciketā with all worldly goods – worldly goods means we have to understand worldly happiness. Worldly happiness means limited happiness. Everything in this world, every object can give only very limited happiness, which is called "प्रतिबिम्ब आनंद", ''pratibimba ānanda''. ''Bimba'' means original, and ''pratibimba'' means reflected. Every person is a mirror, and the original consciousness – which is another word for ''Brahman'', who is ''Brahman'' – ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda''. When ''Brahman'' is reflected in our body‑mind complex, especially in the mind, then we get sometimes happiness, sometimes unhappiness, depending upon how much limited that reflection is. The less manifestation of the reflection, the less happiness we experience; more of the reflection, more happiness. But even the highest reflection, which is symbolized by the ''ānandamaya kośa'', is totally finite – limited by time, space, and object –

"देश, काल, वस्तु परिच्छेद", ''deśa'', ''kāla'', ''vastu pariccheda''.
===Maitreyī's Choice===
But Maitreyī had overcome the temptation – she wanted complete happiness, and that is what she was getting through the teaching. Nobody can give directly liberation . Liberation comes only when a person comes to know "I am not the body, I am not the mind." Even though that is a general statement, there is an exception, and we always have to keep as devotees that exception in mind.

That exception is – Kāśī. I do not know whether any other such place is available where we can really get ''mukti'' by dying, but Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, the direct disciples – of course, the ''Śiva Purāṇa'', etc. – categorically state: whoever dies, whichever creature dies – even an amoeba dies – it gets ''mukti''. Rather, not "gets ''mukti''", but it realizes "I am free all the time. But for some time I forgot my own nature."
===Recollection, Not Acquisition===
So obtaining recollection of what one is does not change one's position, but it only brings back into complete picture what we already are. We are not losing anything through ignorance; we are not gaining anything through knowledge – but it is just bringing back our true memory of who we are. Yājñavalkya understood that Maitreyī is a fit disciple. When an individual becomes a fit ''adhikārī'', a fit person, then ''śravaṇam'' will take place. Until that time, even hearing the highest truth will not stick. If there is oil on a surface, sticky substance cannot stick to anything so long as that oil is there – so we have to wash this oil thoroughly, and then only something can stick.
===The Camera Film Analogy===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to give the example of a camera film. There is something special there – whenever the light falls upon that film, then it remains permanent, so long as the coating on the film is firm. You cannot take a second picture on that film. I do not know whether any magic can be done now, but that is the general condition.
===From Our Point of View and Brahman's===
So then how do we – if we are all ''Brahman'', if everything is ''Brahman'', even to say the word "all" – from our point of view, all of us; from ''Brahman''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s point of view, there is no "all." Not only there is no "all", there is no "one" also. "One" goes with "all"; "all" goes with "one." If "one" is removed, everything disappears. So that is ''mukti'', and that ''mukti'' Maitreyī wanted, and we also want – only we are not expressing it directly.
===What Do People Really Want?===
How do we say? Do you ask an ignorant person, or do you ask an evil person: "Do you want ''mukti''?" – "Of course yes" – but his understanding is: "If I obtain this object, if I remove this obstacle, then my happiness will be full." Of course, we know that is not going to happen. As soon as one obtains something, it loses its charm. As soon as one obstacle is removed, a thousand obstacles will pop up. So that is not going to be possible. The only thing is we have to get rid of all ''citta-vṛttis'' –

"चित्त वृत्ति निरोधः" ''citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ'',

that is called ''yoga''. Then what remains is only the ''Puruṣa'' – one's own Self, true Self.
===The First Teaching: Nothing Other Than Ātman===
First of all, Yājñavalkya taught that there is nothing other than ''Ātman''. Everybody loves only one's own Self. That word "Self" should be understood not as the individual self, but as the infinite Self – true Self. And how do we know? Because everybody desires: "Let there be no death, let there be no ignorance, let there be no misery or suffering."
===Buddha's Teaching===
If you study the teachings of Bhagavān Buddha: life is full of suffering. Even ''Brahma Loka'' is full of suffering. In comparison with worldly happiness, it is an incomparably higher state. But from the viewpoint of ''Brahman'', ''Brahma Loka'' is nothing but a small happiness. So if you can understand what is the comparison between infinity and finiteness, then you can understand. ''Brahman'' is infinite; ''Brahmaloka'' is finite. Any amount of enlargement of the finite – we cannot make it infinite. It is not possible.
===The Goal: Know That I Am Brahman===
So and then he said that is the goal. So,

आत्मा वा अरे द्रष्टव्यः श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो निदिध्यासितव्यः। (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad – 2.4.5)

''ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ''

– "The goal of life is to know that I am ''Brahman''." For that purpose, one should approach a proper teacher who is a ''śrotriya'' and who is a ''brahmaniṣṭha'' – one who is not only a realised soul, but should have thorough knowledge of the scriptures. Scripture means not that he should memorise the ''Ṛgveda'', ''Yajurveda'', etc. – not that he should have scholarship. No – ''śrotavya'' means he knows the essence of the scriptures. What is the essence of the scripture? That is

सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म । Chandogya Upanishad Verse 3.14.1)

''sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma''

– "There is no other thing other than ''Brahman''." That is the essence of all scriptures.
===Śaṅkara's Equation===
Only with a bit of elaboration, Śaṅkara gave that answer:

ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः।

''Brahma satyam, jaganmithyā, jīvo brahmaiva nāparaḥ''.

We have to understand this beautiful equation. There is God alone is real. Everything else is temporary. The temporariness – that word used by Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa – "everything is temporary" – is equivalent to the Sanskrit word "मिथ्या", ''mithyā''.
===What We Think We Are===
So that is what Yājñavalkya had taught: "You must know who you are, and you must hear about who you really are." Because at this moment, however good a person you are, you are still thinking: "I am a disciple, I am an ignorant person, I am of limited knowledge, of limited power, and I go through all these changes – birth, growth, old age, disease, death, etc." This is – however advanced we are in intellect – this is our experience. Everybody has to go (through it), and everybody thinks this is the reality. But no – the teacher will tell you that is a temporary understanding, not a correct understanding. That this reality we call the world is a temporary understanding that "this is real." Just as so long as we are dreaming, we think this is true, this is reality – because I am experiencing it, I am the proof. No – when you wake up, when I wake up, I realise that everything is temporary.
===The Tragedy of Life===
We have to understand, and we do understand – but we do not go beyond a certain limit to probe into this mystery. And that is the tragedy of life. That is what these ''avatāras'' come – in the form of Kṛṣṇa, etc. – in order to teach us this lesson.
===The Dream Experience Proves Otherwise===
So we are coming back. Yājñavalkya wants to teach that this understanding that "the world is real" – because, how do I know the world is real? – because I think: "Since I am real, what I am experiencing is real. Therefore, everybody is real; what everybody is experiencing is real; and what we are all experiencing is the world. Therefore, the world is real." Even though dream experience conclusively proves that is not the truth. Deep sleep further confirms that what we call the world is not true. Only in the waking state we think it is reality, but when we change from waking to dream, dream is the reality; the waking state becomes unreal. When we enter into the deep sleep state, both states become completely unreal. This is how we have to understand.
===The Three Steps: Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana===
So first you have to hear, then you must struggle: "Am I convinced?" What my teacher says – "I am ''Brahman''" – that is called ''Mahāvākya''. For that, the teacher initiates the person, especially in the path of ''Advaita Vedānta'':

– "तत् त्वम् असि", ''Tat tvam asi''.

But even in the path of ''Bhakti'', the Guru gives the ''mantra'' in the form of an:

– "इष्टदेवता", ''iṣṭadevatā''.

What is the idea? The ''iṣṭadevatā'' is God, and He is infinite, He is all‑pervading. The moment we are told "He is all‑pervading", I say or I think or I understand: "So I am here. Everything is God, excepting myself." All‑pervasiveness includes everything – there is no exception, there is no exclusion. But still, our individual sense of individuality does not easily disappear. So slowly a person has to be taken up step by step.
===The First Step: Effect and Cause===
So what is the first step? It is to prove that this world is an effect, and every effect must have a cause – and that cause is unchanging, infinite. But the effects are many, changing, temporary, and unreliable, consisting of good and bad dualities. So that is why every ''Upaniṣad'' practically brings up the idea of creation – not to prove that creation is real, but to prove that creation is really a misunderstanding of the highest truth.
===The Endless Cycle of Cause and Effect===
So he goes on telling how, through, with the help of logic – that this world is nothing but an effect. We see everything in this world. You see a man – oh, he has got his parents. You see a puppy – it has its parents. You see the young one of a monkey or a cat – a kitten – and it has parents. You see a big tree – it has come from a seed; the seed has come from a big tree. So this endless cycle of cause and effect, cause and effect, cause and effect is going on and on and on.
===Establishing Rapport===
So creation is brought out – that is, the intelligent teacher does not want to upset; he wants to establish a rapport. Just like a psychologist, at first he does not deny the outburst of the mad patient. He says: "Yes, yes, you are right, you are right. That person really is trying to harm you. You are thinking right." And then slowly confidence grows in the madman: "My teacher understands me." And there is a relationship established – rapport. And then slowly he trusts the psychologist or psychiatrist. Once he accepts – what is it? "My psychologist is my greatest well‑wisher, and he is in a position to understand me much better than I myself understand, and if there is any person who can help me, he is the only person who can help me."
===The Rapport Between Guru and Disciple===
Once I had a talk with a psychologist in Bangalore – a very well‑known psychologist – and then he told me, Swamiji, I asked him: "How long will it take to cure a patient's madness?" And he told me: "Swamiji, nobody can tell that. It all depends upon how soon a rapport is established. With some patients, a few days; some others, a few months; some others, many, many years. The cure, the recovery starts only when the rapport is totally established."
===Transposing to Guru and Disciple===
Now transpose this situation between the Guru and the disciple. A disciple slowly develops a rapport. What we read –

''"गुरु ब्रह्मा गुरु विष्णुः", Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu''

– is the highest culminating point only. At first, there is a blind faith. Then as the disciple is slowly trained, he gives up his wrong notions, and sometimes doubts creep up, and he undergoes terrible suffering. But slowly he develops a rapport. These three things happen: "My Guru loves me, and whatever he is doing is for my good, and he is in a position to help me. Nobody else can help me. And for that, I have to surrender myself to him." So:

शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्। (extract from Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 7)

''śiṣyas te 'haṃ śādhi māṃ tvāṃ prapannam''

– this is called ''Prapatti Mārga'' by Śrī Rāmānuja. Each one of us have to go through that period without any doubt.
===We Are All Patients===
So like that, we are all actually patients only – not suffering from other diseases, but from this terrible disease called ''Māyā'' or ignorance. So creation is accepted as a temporary condition to establish rapport by the Guru, but he very intelligently connects it with ''Brahman''. Now scientists do not connect it with God at all – they say it is blind nature. But a spiritual person needs to connect everything in this world, including his own individual personality, with God.
===Creation Is Manifestation of Brahman===
So for that purpose, the Guru goes on telling – Maitreyī must have been a very advanced student, so straight Yājñavalkya goes into a beautiful explanation, which we have seen in our last class. What is it? That creation is the manifestation of ''Brahman''. What is creation? It is ''Brahman'' with name and form – that is called creation. Creation without name and form is ''Brahman''. For that, I give the analogy of a wax garden: from a child's point of view, man is different, trees are different, animals are different, insects are different – everything is different in that. But a grown‑up man looks at it: what is the value of a tree? The value of wax – that is all. There is nothing else. What is the value of an ornament? Only the value of gold. Of course, we have to accept – if it is a small ring around our fingers, so that much gold, that much value. If it is a waistband, then it is much more costly. Again, it is nothing but the value of gold only.
===Tracing Back to Brahman===
So slowly you accept: "Yes, this world is real, and this world is coming out of ''Brahman''." So slowly he wants to say: "If the world has come out of ''Brahman'', what is the point?" The point is – I am also part of the world, so I also definitely am coming from ''Brahman'', from God. So my father and mother are none other than God. This is how slowly I recognize – though he is my ancestor and everything – my grandparents came from their parents, and my grandparents gave birth to my parents, and they gave birth to me. Thus I trace back my origin to that ultimate cause, which is ''Brahman''. And that is a great progress in spiritual life.
===If I Am from Brahman, Then Everything Is===
But along with that, another progress also is made. What is it? If I am coming from ''Brahman'' and I am a manifestation of ''Brahman'', then what about my father, my mother? What about my neighbours? What about everything in this world? Apply the same rule: everything – just as every ''nāma-rūpa'' in the wax garden is made up of wax – everything in this world, the whole creation, is nothing but made up of only manifestation of ''Brahman''. And in what way is ''Brahman'' manifesting? In the form of "सत् चित् आनन्द", ''Sat'', ''Cit'', and ''Ānanda''.
==The Three Examples – Drum, Conch, and Vīṇā==
For that purpose, since Maitreyī was an advanced student, Yājñavalkya gives three examples, which we have briefly discussed in the last class. He gives the example of sound. You know, as many creatures or species, so many different sounds. But if we can understand or listen attentively – not only just as – let me first give an example: if you are growing up in a family of ten members, we recognize "this is the voice of my mother, this is the voice of my father, my brothers, my sisters," etc. So first ''sāmānya dhvani'' – common sound – then according to the person – so "this is a baby's cry, this is a grandmother's voice, this is parents' voice" – we gradually separate.
===Common Sound and Variations===
So common sound now is divided, attributed specially. Each sound differs – the sound that comes from the throat of that particular person. The sound of a baby and the sound of a grown‑up person can be the same – now we have to apply it universally. Even parrots have a common sound, but every parrot has some special variety – that is the second variation.
===Three Levels of Variation===
First variation: common sound made by a parrot – and you understand, if you hear, suppose there are three parrots – all the three parrots will make parrot sound, bring out parrot sound. But each parrot has some slight variation – that is the second level. We have to accept it, and if we hear for some time, we can distinguish: "This is parrot number one. This is the sound of parrot number two, parrot number three." This is the second variation. The third variation: each single parrot sometimes screeches with a high voice, sometimes with a low voice, sometimes with a normal voice – so it has got different variations – three variations, two variations we have seen, with one common sound.
===Applying to Musical Instruments===
Now apply it to some musical instruments. In this case, the examples taken are of a drum, of a ''vīṇā'', and of a conch – a drum, a conch, and a ''vīṇā'' sound. Any one of us, unless we are tone‑deaf, we can distinguish when a drum is being beaten – that is the common sound. So that is not the, what we have to understand – common sound is common to the whole creation. But every instrument produces its own peculiar common sound that is common to that particular instrument. But when the same instrument is played at different notes – higher notes and lower notes – then it gives variations.
===The First Point: Sound===
But, what is the point? The first point is we understand that this sound – it is a sound. That is how we hear it. Whatever we hear is a sound. And then the second thing is every single living creature – instruments of music, vocal or instrumental – they have their own peculiar common sound. That is the second. So for example, drum has its own common sound. Even if there are one hundred drums, rhythmically in the same pitch, if they are playing, it is very difficult to understand with closed eyes, but still there will be variation. We need not go into those details.
===The Three Levels of Sound===
So first: common sound, which applies to the entire universe. Second: special sound, common to each – a human being – human sound, whether it is Chinese or Russian or Indian or American – whatever – that is the second thing. But even that second sound is common, especially to that particular race or animal or creature – within that sound, there are variations – individual variations are there.
===What Yājñavalkya Wants to Convey===
So what does Yājñavalkya want to convey? He wants to say: the first thing that is common is existence. Take pure existence like wax – unshaped wax – like that. What is the first thing? As I explained in elaboration, if you go on going back – "this is a table" – and it is made up of wood. Wood is divided into atoms, atoms into particles, particles into sound waves, sound waves into mental thoughts. Very interesting analysis – according to ''Vedānta'', everything is "चित्त-वृत्ति", ''citta-vṛtti'' only. Even what scientists boast as particles or whatever – we take the atoms as common measurement. So the whole creation is nothing but atoms – living as well as non‑living. Then slowly the inorganic atoms somehow manifest themselves into living organic material. And then slowly variation – we can say almost infinite variation – until it reaches the peak in the form of the most enlightened human being – "विद् वत् महाब्राह्मणः", ''vidvat mahābrāhmaṇaḥ''. So this is how we have to understand it.
===How to Analyze the Universe===
In the same way, first you go on analyzing the whole universe: how do we analyze or make it one? The whole universe is a manifestation – I experience it. So do not call it "this is a tree, that is an animal" – call it an object. An object – whether living, non‑living – one object. Whatever is experienced, (is) subjected to my knowledge, is an object. So everything is an object. So the whole universe is nothing but objects. Then go on expansion. So you say: "All this – I am a human being." So identify – we are all Indians, but we all belong to the human race – wherever we are, even if they are on Mars or whatever it is, however peculiar they may look, they are all human beings.
===Expanding to Living Beings===
Then slowly expand – not only human beings – we are living beings. So from human beings – we are living beings. Once we reach that level, ''prāṇamaya kośa'', then we find there is no difference between one ''prāṇī''. Every creature does not want to die, does not want to be asleep so that it can be eaten by preying animals – and wants to live, wants to be happy, and expresses its intelligence. So consciousness in the form of intelligence – to survive and to try to be happy. Even fighting is for the sake of being more happy. So this is how we identify with every living creature, including the trees, the plants – anything that is living.
===Expanding to Non‑Living===
But still there is another division – non‑living – so‑called non‑living – the mountains, the rivers, etc. Then we have to identify whatever object is there – it is all there. What is the common thing? The common thing, that one particular word 'is' – "I am," "you are," "a tree is," "a rock is," "waters is," "water is" – that "is‑ness" will be there. Let us trace ourselves to that "is‑ness" first.
===Intelligence in All Creatures===
Then we notice every living creature has also got the power of discrimination – intelligence, however small it is – God has endowed it with intelligence. So let us identify with that intelligence. What is that intelligence? In other words, it is called ''Cit'' – that is consciousness as reflected in the mind, especially through the instrument of ''Buddhi''. That is called intelligence. And what is surprising is – even take a small species like crows – it is not that every crow is absolutely intelligent. There are some crows which are extraordinarily intelligent, and they even say they develop a sense of intuition.
===Jim Corbett's Observations===
Just by the way, I am referring because I used to read a lot of books – so Jim Corbett, a person who used to go and hunt and kill man‑eating leopards, tigers, etc. in the north‑eastern area – he used to observe greatly, and he used to say: "There is one particular leopard and it killed so many human beings, and then many people tried to trap it, but somehow some intuition comes to it – some people are coming – this particular smell – and it just disappears." It took a long, long time to kill some of them, and some of them he could not kill, (nor) anybody else could kill at all. So within this species, some mosquitoes are squashed immediately; some mosquitoes escape for a long time or maybe completely – we do not know. But that ''Cit'' , in the form of intelligence manifesting. That is the point.
===Intelligence Varies Among Species===
And that intelligence is not exactly the same – even in ants, etc. So there are some more evolved ants, more evolved dogs, more evolved every creature. That is how we identify some good variety of trees and make them even more sweet by mixing, hybridizing, etc.
===Sat, Cit, Ānanda===
So wherever there is "is‑ness" – "अस्तित्व", ''astitva'' – then there is intelligence called "चित्", ''Cit''. And wherever there is ''Cit'', that inevitably leads to "आनन्द", ''Ānanda'' – the experience of bliss. Let us keep this in mind.
===Maitreyī's Intelligence===
So Maitreyī was a highly intelligent woman, because without having that intelligence, she already found out: everything is unreliable, temporary, and the cause of tremendous unhappiness and suffering. So she chose the wise path, like Naciketā, and said: "I do not want any wealth." Just think for a moment – if any ordinary person gets so much wealth, even a spiritual person will be tempted. But this Maitreyī was never ever tempted. "I want to follow your footsteps, because I see that you have become an embodiment of bliss, and I want to be an embodiment of bliss. I do not want to be a slave to objects which people think will give happiness." So temporary things can give only temporary happiness – no temporary thing can give permanent happiness. She understood.
===Sanyāsāśrama===
So she has to sacrifice – that is called ''Sanyāsāśrama''. After ''Gṛhasthāśrama'', it is the ''Sanyāsāśrama''. Then he is giving these examples – only three examples he has taken: a drum, and then a conch, and then a ''vīṇā''.
===Variation in Every Instrument===
As I mentioned, that means these three objects are existing there, and every conch does not produce exactly the same sound. Every drum does not produce the same sound – however an expert the maker of drums, every drum he makes, taking care that they would be of the same type, some variation will be there. But that is not the important point. The important point is: a drum sound can be separated from every other sound in this whole universe – from every single living creature. Even wind makes a sound when it passes through the leaves and the branches of bamboos, etc. It is like a "बंसी", bansī voice, sometimes very ferocious and frightening.
===Understanding the Example===
But the point we want to remember – so every example we have to understand, and if we understand one example properly, we can move forward. So take the example of the drum. As soon as we hear at any place, any time: "Oh, this is a drum being beaten" – that is the first understanding: "There is a sound coming" – common sound. Then what is this common sound? It is a sound produced especially by a drum – that is the second stage. What is the third stage? This drum is being played at various places, touching the drum at various places, and producing from what is called the seven notes – from the lowest note to the highest note.
===Without the Common, You Cannot Understand the Special===
But what does Yājñavalkya want to say? That without understanding the common sound, especially the special sound completely of that particular object – say drum sound – whatever variations the drum is making, all that understanding or even enjoyment depends upon our understanding. – this is the variation in the common sound of a drum.
===The Vīṇā Example===
Take the other example: ''Vīṇā''. So ''Vīṇā'' – you can play so many ''rāgas'' – the seventh ''svara'' note or the middle note which is called ''pañcama'' – like a cuckoo's sound – and the lowest ''ṣa'' – like that. So everything is made by this ''Vīṇā'' only, or flute only – whatever it is. Without understanding the common thing, we cannot understand the specialised sound.
===The Teaching Leads to Existence===
Now, what does this teaching lead us to? He says: without understanding that there is existence – "is‑ness" – you cannot understand the variation of that "is‑ness." Without understanding "this is wax," you cannot understand "this is a tree, this is a bird." What we may not say it, but we mean it. So you point out in that wax garden to an intelligent person and say: "What is this?" – "It is a wax tree. It is a wax fruit. It is a wax bird. It is a wax dog. It is a wax human being." Just because they are different, just because it is a human being, its value cannot be more, because its value is the volume of the wax only – that is all. Everything is made up of wax. Takes the characteristic – all the characteristics of the wax – liquefy it, it starts melting the whole thing down.
===The Spiritual Journey Begins===
So the first thing is: be aware of the existence. Then only our spiritual journey starts. "I am" – what is this? "I am" – what is that "am"? "Here is a tree" – what is the "is‑ness"? "The tree is" – what is that "is"? What is the difference between "am" and "is" or "they are"? What is the big deal of difference? Existence – that is existence. This is existence. This is also existence. Then only further enquiry will come.
===The Common Teaching===
Now I hope I have been able to convey to you through these three examples – every example is pointing to the same teaching. What is that teaching? First, you grasp the common sound for that particular instrument. Then you understand the variations of that common sound according to the musical scale. Exactly in the same way: this tree – you first understand it exists. That existence is manifesting in the form of an object, and that object has got three things – it has a form, it has some qualities, and it has a name accordingly.
===The Mango Tree Illustration===
So I will give you the illustration of a mango tree. "This is a mango tree. That is a mango tree. The other one is also a mango tree." What is the common thing between all these three? Only "is‑ness." What is the difference? Special what is called 'form' – "This mango tree is small. That mango tree is big. This mango is round. That mango is oblong. The other mango is big. This mango is small." Then we come to the qualities , this is also a quality – big, small is also a quality only. "This is very sweet. This is sweet and sour. And this is more sour than sweet – that is why it is used as a pickle." So all these become understandable only when we understand the nature of the mango.
===The Common Foundation===
So mango's sweetness, mango's sourness, mango's colour, mango's size – all these depend upon – that 'common background' foundation, which is called "this is a mango tree." Now you analyze further: what is the difference between this mango tree and this coconut tree? What is the common? Is there something common? Yes – that is called coconut tree; this is called mango tree. Is there a commonness? Yes – a coconut tree is, a mango tree 'is', a piece of rock 'is', a stone 'is', a bird 'is', Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa 'is', God 'is' – so there is no difference. That "is‑ness" without any variation is called ''Brahman'', and ''Brahman'' with all variations – according to the form, quality, and separate name.
===Forms, Qualities, and Names===
So form and qualities and names – these are called qualities. All the three are called qualities for facilitating the separation. You bring, for example, ''Laṅgḍā'' mango; you bring ''Dāśaharī'' mango; you bring ''Chauṣā'' mango – anybody who knows about these three, without second instruction, he will go and run and bring it. So slowly, what is Yājñavalkya trying to say? That what is the problem in ''saṃsāra''? Variation – when I see many-foldness called ''nānātva'', all my suffering starts there. But as soon as I try to find what is this commonness instead of seeing the difference – so you can see, say for example, "that is a tree, this is a tree, the other one is a tree" – all tree species – trees, tree species, dog species, animal species, human species, bird species, insect species – so we are classifying a whole lot of things and reducing the complexity for our understanding.
===The Common Thing: Is‑ness===
Then what is the common thing between all – "is‑ness" and this "is‑ness"? As I mentioned, it is again divided, subdivided into two: with life, without life , that is –

''"जीव-चैतन्य", jīva-caitanya'' and ''"जड" jaḍa''.

So ''jaḍa'' – inert thing – a piece of wood does not mean it does not have consciousness – it does not mean it does not have ''ānanda''. How is it possible? Just I will give a small example. Suppose you need something to scratch your back – then you take a piece of wood, long wood – your hand cannot reach, especially if somebody has got small hands – and with the help of that wooden piece, you are able to scratch it. Now what have you done? You have extended the function of the hand – transferred that to that piece of wood, and it is acting as your long hand. So a telescope is a long‑sighted eye. A microscope is the ability to see the smallest things. A car is an extension of our legs, etc.
===Even Inert Things Are Extensions===
So through this, you understand that even a piece – what we call an 'inert' piece – in fact, most of our houses are inert – so‑called inert. Our cars are inert, our aeroplanes are inert. Just imagine if they develop their own consciousness – suddenly you are at 35,000 feet high in an aeroplane – it develops consciousness: "What the heck am I carrying for? What do I get except groaning and suffering? I will throw all these fellows out" – just see what happens!
===The Common Thing Is "Is"===
So the common thing – from species you prove, you come to the common thing called "is." Now what is the nature of that "is"? It is – if you observe carefully – every "is‑ness" is endowed with consciousness, which is manifest in the form of intelligence, and this intelligence is always seeking how to be happy. So ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda''.
===Maitreyī Understood===
This must have been understood by Maitreyī, because the further conversation is there.
==Conclusion==
This is the essence of why these three examples of a drum, a conch, and a ''vīṇā'' are given in this one of the most ancient of the ''Upaniṣads'', called the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad''. We will take up some more details in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh.''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-4.2 Lecture 56 on 02 August 2026

2026-09-18T23:25:59Z

Sachidanand: /"Devanagari script Invocation" /* Closing Prayer */ , other Devanagari script missing words and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh.''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE । PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE ॥OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH ॥

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction: The Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa==
We are discussing the Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇam''. Why is it called Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇam''? Because Maitreyī is the central figure there, and because of her, we are getting all these teachings. Just like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's ''Gospel of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa'' – the central figure, so to say, is M. Only because of him – through him – we are getting all this nectar of immortality. Because of Arjuna, "पार्थो वत्सः" (Pārtho vatsaḥ- Partha, Arjuna, is the calf) – only because of him the flow of the milk of the cow starts flowing – only because of her child, they are just instruments, but really speaking they are eternal liberated souls – what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to call – ''Īśvarakoṭi'', ''jīvanmuktas''.
==Review of the Previous Class==
In our last class, we discussed two important points:
#For God realization, ''sanyāsa'' is very necessary. What is ''sanyāsa''? We have to give up everything. Giving up means including everything connected with ''Brahman'' – look upon everything as ''Brahman''. That is called ''Adhyātmika sanyāsa'' – not physically giving up. It is not possible, neither desirable.
#The second point we discussed: nobody in this world really loves anybody in this world. Everyone loves only the ''Ātman''. And here we have to clarify ourselves: what do you mean? There are no ''your ātman'', ''my ātman'', or ''the other person's ātman''. No – ''Ātman'' means one without a second – "एकं सत् अद्वितियम्" (ekam sat advitīyam). And everybody loves because everyone is truly that ''Brahman'' only. Albeit God is playing with oneself – God is playing with Himself. "I will play a solitaire game – create a lot of people, and then I will play with them." That is called ''līlā''.
===Nitya and Līlā===
So God is said to be in two moods simultaneously: ''Nitya'' and ''Līlā''. Because just as God is eternal, this ''saṃsāra'' is also eternal. But people will grow up, evolve, realize that they are ''Brahman''. As Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to illustrate: the chicks of a bird – they travel, they fall down for many days, they grow up meanwhile, and they understand the danger and then immediately turn their face towards its mother and start flying back. That falling process is called involution, and again going back is called evolution. So there is no choice whether "I want to realize God" or "I do not wish to realize God" – there is no such choice at all. We have come down, and we have to go back. We have deliberately created our own bondage, and we ourselves will break it up, and then we feel very happy: "Now I am free" , like that.
===Conditional vs. Unconditional Love===
So Yājñavalkya commends Maitreyī after teaching about love. Hope you remember: the Self is loved unconditionally; everything else is loved only conditionally. Even our hatred towards enemies is part of this game, because likes and dislikes, love and hatred – they are all part of the same drama, same ''līlā''. The more we hate our enemies, the more we are learning how to intensify our feelings. And when we succeed in that, there comes a time when we will be gathering our power of love, our power of hatred – everything, every power – withdraw from every sense organ and direct it, make it one like a laser beam, and direct it towards God alone.
===The Purpose of Creation===
So the whole world is created only to experience the joy of Self‑realization. Do not ask "Where was the need?" – it is ''līlā''; we just have to accept. In any case, we are here.
===Attachment vs. Love===
Yājñavalkya, after teaching about the 'love' – every love we possess towards this world – Swami Yatiśvarānanda Mahārāj used to tell: "That love is not real love – that love is attachment." So there are some people who cannot live without hating somebody – what a peculiar mental condition. So loving somebody, hating somebody – both are part of this ''līlā'' only. But what is the common thing? Both are attachment – strong attachment. In fact, hatred produces more attachment, stronger bondage. But that bondage alone will now be converted: "I want to be a bondsman of Bhagavān" – that is called true ''bhakti''.
===Why We Love the Self===
So Yājñavalkya having taught self‑love – that is the only unconditional love – and why do we love the Self? Because it is the source of all bliss –

"सच्चिदानन्द" (''Sat-Cit-Ānanda)'', "सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म " (''satyam jñānam anantam)''.

''Anantam'' means what? Infinite bliss. And everybody wants unbroken, infinite bliss. And if we want to experience infinite bliss, then we have to be ''Sat'', and we have to be aware. There is no such thing as experiencing happiness or unhappiness without being aware of it. So we want to experience that unbroken bliss – it has a technical name called ''Ānanda'', but everything ''sukha'' has its opposite. But this ''Ānanda'' is eternal – there is no opposite – one only.
==The Threefold Path – Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana==
Now,

"आत्मा वा अरे द्रष्टव्यः" , ''ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ''

– as Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: "''Ātman'' should be realized. God should be realized. The goal of human life is God realization." To realize that we are potentially divine and to unfold our own divinity – to manifest that divinity – that is what Swami Vivekananda had put so beautifully: "Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within."
===The Four Yogas===
I am potentially divine, and life is created for me to manifest my own potential divinity – not only that. That is the goal. There must be a path. So ''Karma Yoga'', ''Bhakti Yoga'', ''Rāja Yoga'', ''Jñāna Yoga'' are the pathways.
===The Three Steps – Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana===
As far as ''Jñāna Yoga'' is concerned – and it also applies to every other yoga – practically speaking, there are three steps: ''śrotavyaḥ'', ''mantavyaḥ'', ''nididhyāsitavyaḥ''.
#''(Śravaṇa)''– First, we must get the knowledge: "There is a goal, there is a God, and that God should be desired" – because what we are really seeking is only ''Ānanda'', and God is the only source of ''Ānanda''. Not only is He the only source, it is the eternal ''Ānanda''. So that is what we come to know from the scriptures, and that is what one should hear, how long (?) – again and again and again.
#''(Manana)'' – Then one should sit – as Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: "Now and then go to solitary places and think of God." So we have to think: "What did my teacher, the scripture tell me?" Doubts will be there at the beginning – this teaching is diametrically opposed to our everyday, every‑minute experiences. "I am not at all the Self. I am a very limited being with very limited knowledge, with very limited energy and power, and I am born and I am going to die. Continuously I am changing. How can I be that supreme eternal – "अजः नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥"(2nd line- Bhagavad Gita 2.20) ''ajaḥ, nityaḥ, śāśvataḥ, purāṇaḥ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.''
How could I be that?" Doubts will come. But a teacher will never tell us anything that is doubtful – he always tells the truth. Scripture always tells the truth – there is no doubt about it. So if there are doubts, that is our problem. And that process of eliminating all the doubts without even one doubt remaining – that is called ''manana''.
#''(Nididhyāsana)'' – Then once my mind – our minds – are clear and we are convinced of the truth of the saying of the scripture heard through the mouth of the Guru, "I have to realize it" – that process of actually experiencing my divinity – that is called ''nididhyāsana''.
===Application to All Yogas===
So only one thing:

"श्रवण मनन निदिध्यास ", ''śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana''

– they are technical words, but at the same time they are also applicable whether it is ''Karma Yoga''. What is it? Do not desire anything – only God should be desired. Do not be attached to anything. Do not desire very temporary results – short‑lived desires. Have a desire for that which lasts forever and ever.
===Karma Yoga===
Same thing – then you go and sit, go on discharging your duties in a spirit of devotion, dedication to God. That is what ''Śiva-jñāne jīva-śiva'' – "This is not done for my benefit, but to please God, because He had created me, He placed me under these circumstances, He had given me these particular duties. It is my duty to please God – He will be pleased."

"स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानव: ॥(2nd line- Bhagavad Gita 18.46)॥"

''Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ''

– every one of us can please God by discharging our own duties. A baby has its own duties; a student has his or her own duties; a married ''gṛhastha'' , he has got – she has got – her own duties; a ''vānaprasthī'' has his own duties; a ''sannyāsī'' has his or her own duties. So everything is bound by this duty. What is a duty? That which takes us gradually – surely but gradually – to God. That is called "कर्तव्य", ''kartavya''.
===Bhakti Yoga===
So in ''Karma Yoga'' – ''Bhakti Yoga'' – cultivate holy company. What does it give? ''Bhakti''. And what should a devotee do? Earnestly pray to God: "O Lord, I am helpless – please grant me ''bhakti'' so that I do not desire." Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's prayer: "O Mother, I do not wish for anything – I want only Your lotus feet."
===The Bhakta's Nididhyāsana===
So this is how a ''bhakta'' also practises exactly – ''śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana''. What is the ''nididhyāsana'' of a ''bhakta''? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's life shows: he wanted the vision of Kṛṣṇa – meditated upon Rādhā. He wanted the vision of Rāma – meditated upon Hanumān, who is the very embodiment of ''Bhakti'', ''Rāma Bhakti''. ''Rāma Bhakti'' means ''Īśvara Bhakti''; ''Īśvara Bhakti'' means ''Brahma Bhakti''. So suppose Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted the vision of Jesus Christ, then he would have meditated upon maybe Saint Francis of Assisi – because they represent to us the highest pathway, how they achieved that goal. By following their footsteps, we will also reach the same goal. This is called imitation – following the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
===Rāja Yoga===
So whether it is ''Bhakti Yoga'' – ''Rāja Yoga'' – a ''Rāja Yogī'' has his own Guru, listen, sit in one place. How Totāpurī was trained – how to sit, how to put up with dualities like heat and cold, hard and soft. So over a number of years they were taught: wherever you are, sit in a particular way and do not allow your mind to deviate here and there.
===The Universal Sādhanā===
So what I wanted to convey: ''śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana'' are not peculiar ''sādhanās'' – they are only peculiar words in the ''Jñāna Mārga (inculcates it)''. But they are – in ''sādhanā'', everybody has to follow the same thing: become unselfish, approach God nearer. That is how we have to understand.
===The Tavya Pratyaya===
But here, a bit of Sanskrit grammar: ''śrotavyaḥ'' – that word ''-vyaḥ'' is called ''tavya-pratyaya''. ''Tavya-pratyaya'' means "you must do it; it is your duty to do it." ''Kartavyaḥ'' – "you have to do this." ''Śrotavyaḥ'' – "you have to listen to this." ''Mantavyaḥ'' – "you have to think deeply about it." ''Nididhyāsitavyaḥ'' – ("you have to meditate upon it.") So four commandments will come in the form of ''tavya-pratyaya''. The example is ''kartā'', ''kartavya''. So that is what Yājñavalkya used here, saying: "I have already told you about the glory – because you will be eternally blissful, eternally present – ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda'' – you will become that, and therefore strive to become that."
===The Mistake of Some Jñānīs===
Some ''jñānīs'' think that is the only path – they write books also: "No other path will take to God." But the mistake they commit is that even most of the ''jñānīs'' – nobody had attained ''Brahma jñāna'' only by meditating. They have tremendous ''bhakti'' for their own Guru. So many of these followers of ''Jñāna Mārga'' used to do ''upāsana'' – Rāma ''upāsana'' or Hayagrīva ''upāsana'', Sarasvatī ''upāsana'', or Bāla Sarasvatī ''upāsana'', or Lalitā ''upāsana''.
===Only by God's Grace===
So according to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, one can realize God by any path – but only by the grace of God. So according to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, these three commandments: the truth has to be heard again and again, and it has to be thought until all doubts are eliminated, and then it has to be followed in every minute of our life, every step of our travel. And then such a person will slowly realize God, become one with Him, united with Him – and that is called ''mukti'', ''mokṣa'', liberation.
===The Five Commandments===
So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to say the five commandments he has given:
#Cultivate holy company.
#Now and then go to solitude and think.
#God alone is your Saviour – nobody else.
#Always discriminate between what is real, what is permanent, what is temporary.
#Live in this world like a maidservant lives.
All these – ''śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana'' – are represented only in that manner. But the special emphasis Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa gives is: "One can realize God only by His grace."
===Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa's Assurance===
Yesterday also we have seen Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, having taught all the ''yogas'' and assuring Arjuna that ''Sāṅkhya Yoga'' and ''Jñāna Yoga'' or any other ''yoga'' – they are not separate. Any path can take us to God, and even ''Karma Yoga'' – so "कर्मणा"(karmaṇā), if one can fulfil one's own duties wherever one is placed, God will be pleased. When God is pleased, what can He give? He gives Himself. And what is the nature of God? What is God? ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda''. So He gives Himself – that is, the devotee becomes ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda''.
==The Attainment of True Bliss==
Having established that the attainment of true bliss is nothing but the attainment of one's own Self – that is a point we have to discuss – Bliss is not in Vaikuṇṭha; bliss is not in Kailāsa. Bliss is within ourselves – and our true Self is everywhere. So the ''Upaniṣad'' shifts to the methodology. What methodology?
#Listen to it.
#Think deeply what you heard.
#And then realize
– ''śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana''.
===Sarvātmabhāva===
And then ultimately, what happens through the process of this ''sādhanā'' – spiritual struggle – through continuous study, meditation, and transformation of one's character, a spiritual seeker achieves what? He achieves

"सर्वात्मभाव", ''sarvātmabhāva''.

That is to say, "I was thinking I was an individual – I never knew what is the meaning of 'individual'." The very meaning of that word "individual" – ''indivisible'' – that is called individual. We are saying twenty‑four hours "I am an individual", but we mean "I am one small object among countless other objects."

No – "I am everything." –

"सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्।"

''sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ, sahasrākṣaḥ''

So we have to understand that one – "सर्वात्म", ''sarvātmā'' – "I am everything. There is nothing else excepting God." That is what it means.
===The Psychological Truth===
So there is a deep psychological truth involved here. As long as a person views the world as "other" – that means "not me, but something else" – they inadvertently reject the world. "It is separate from me, different from me" – and the world also separates them. Since you say "I am separate from you", I also say "you are separate from me." That idea is brought out: he who thinks a Brāhmaṇa is different from me, mother and father are different from me – so Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, rich man, poor man – they are all different from me. So long, the whole world is not me – I am separate from the world – I am the experiencer; the world is the experienced. And the subject – the world is the object – and in its turn, the world becomes subject and it rejects all of us. It is a beautiful passage; we will soon come to it.
===The Love of a Realized Soul===
But earlier we said everything in this world is conditional, but the love of a realized soul is universal. What does it mean? A ''jñānī'' like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, like Ramana Maharṣi – they do not love people individually. They see ''Brahman'', and ''Brahman'' is of the nature of bliss, and that bliss is called love. So a knower of ''Brahman'' loves – that is why he cannot see any difference in this world. Everything in this world is dear, adorable – "me only."
===Samadarśī – Equal Vision===
That is beautifully expressed by Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa in his inimitable words:

विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि ।

शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ॥(Bhagavad Gita 5.18)॥

''vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini, śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ''

A ''knower'' of ''Brahman'' becomes a ''paṇḍita'' – ''paṇḍita'' means one who has ''ātmajñāna'' (Self‑knowledge) – and they become ''samadarśīs''. ''Samadarśī'' means "equal vision." They consider the whole world is me – I am the whole world – no differentiation at all. That is why they are capable of loving, and their love never produces – (it is) never time‑bound. It never produces hatred, never looks down: "I am the lover, you are the loved – so you are like an object to me." No – you are exactly like me.
===The Sufi Parable===
Swami Vivekananda beautifully describes this through a Sufi parable. There was a man who loved another woman. So this lover one day went to the house, to the cottage of his beloved, and he found that the door was closed. He knocked at it. From within came the question: "Who are you?" He said: "It is me." The door did not open. Second time he knocked – same question, same answer. Third time he knocked, and then same question. But this time he said: "I am thee, my beloved." And then he found there was no door at all. So these are beautifully said by great saints – Sufi saints, Hindu saints, Buddhist saints, etc.
===Universal Love===
So a ''jñānī'' loves everybody, everything equally. That universal love is not possible so long as a person thinks "the world is different – I am different – everything in this world is different." So the progress starts:
#First of all, I see God, I see everybody, I see everything – but I see also God's creation. God Himself created the whole world – that is called ''Dvaita Vedānta'' (dualistic philosophy).
#But when he progresses through spiritual practice, then he attains a higher state of the mind wherein he says "unity and diversity – I see also separation, I see also an unbreakable unity" – that is called ''Viśiṣṭādvaita''.
#Then something within that person says "my journey is not complete" – and he progresses further, and he reaches a point in knowledge that "I am ''Brahman''." So there is nothing else other than ''Brahman'', and this world also – even if he happens to transact with the world – it is nothing but 'only pure ''Brahman'''. That is called universal love.
===Universal Love – A Caution===
But do not worry – universal love means do not go on imagining that he goes on embracing a tiger, goes on embracing a wicked person. No. What it means is that this person loves everybody unconditionally. But if he finds somebody who is fit to receive this teaching, he becomes an instrument in the hands of the Divine Mother. And the Divine Mother – who is Divine Mother? Pure knowledge is called Divine Mother. Call her Sarasvatī, call her Lakṣmī – because several times I mentioned Hindus inject certain wrong ideas in our minds: "Lakṣmī – the goddess of wealth." No – Lakṣmī is what is called ''Ānanda''. ''Ānanda'' comes only when we become unlimited. So call her Sarasvatī, Mahālakṣmī – we have a choice, infinite choice. You like God in this form? Very good. You think of God in that form, and God will reveal Himself in that form, and He will make you one with Him – then you will know.
===The Wax Garden Analogy===
So the infinity has no form, but being so much identified with this form, we think that everybody – the truth is that no, the truth is everything is the same. Further, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also gives a beautiful analogy. He cites the example of a huge garden made up of wax – small plants, big plants, some animals, some insects, some houses. They are all made up of wax – looked at from the viewpoint of forms and names, everyone is separate, but looked at from the source material, everything is one and the same. So that is why it is so beautiful.
===Bādha-Sāmānādhikaraṇyam===
So this is called:

"बाध-सामानाधिकरण्यम्", ''Bādha-Sāmānādhikaraṇyam''.

We are suffering from this idea of separation, individuality – ''vyakti-bhāva''. We must transform it into ''samaṣṭi-bhāva'' (universality), so that negating "I am different from everything else" – that is called ''bādha''. ''Bādha'' means removing the obstruction, and then we find everything is absolutely the same.
===The Rope and Snake Example===
So a teacher may be reassuring a student. An example is given: what is this ''bādha''? So somebody walking in semi‑darkness sees a snake and is frightened, scared. Then somebody comes along – he says: "The snake you see is only a rope" – and it is difficult. But this truth – that person says: "I know this person – he is a truthful person. He never tells even by mistake any lie. So maybe he is right." And then the man, to remove the person's doubts – any lingering doubts – he brings a light, and with the help of light, he says: "Oh, this is a rope – somebody has left it here." So this is called ''bādha''. ''Bādha'' means negation. Negation means your idea that "this is a snake" is because of certain limitations you imposed upon the rope. And when the light is brought, those limitations are automatically removed. The moment light comes, all the limitations just disappear – just as as soon as light is lighted up, all darkness simultaneously disappears.
===The Meaning of Bādha-Sāmānādhikaraṇyam===
This is called "बाध-सामानाधिकरण्यम्", ''Bādha-Sāmānādhikaraṇyam''. So this statement means that what is currently perceived by all of us as pluralistic – with infinite number of objects – this world is in reality nothing but that one ''Ātman'', non‑dual Self – "अद्वितीयम् अद्वैतम्", ''advitīyam advaitam''.
===Brahman as Both Material and Intelligent Cause===
Then Yājñavalkya also goes to show: what is the relationship? You always go on saying "This world is created by God. God is the cause." And there are two types of causes: material cause as well as intelligent cause – ''upādāna'' and ''nimitta''. ''Nimitta'' means intelligent cause. Before creation, God is both the material as well as the intelligent cause. So Yājñavalkya wants to teach this to Maitreyī. Maitreyī means she is only a representation – anybody who is sincerely wanting to tread the same path and realize his own true Self – for everybody, this teaching is there.
===Everything Is Consciousness===
So he demonstrates that this world – the names and forms that we see – are the result of the material which is ''Brahman''. And that ''Brahman'' also comes in the form of consciousness which reflects in every object – that is why it is called:

"चिदाभास", ''cidābhāsa''. So "चित् चिदाभास", ''Cit'', ''cidābhāsa'' combined with body‑mind – that is the whole world, every object.

Because "सत्", ''Sat'' will be there even in inert material, and ''Sat'' cannot be separated from "चित्" , ''Cit'' and "आनन्द", ''Ānanda''. In fact, every ''Sat'' is external, so we think, and its perception, understanding in the mind, is called ''Cit'' – the knowledge, everything – "वृत्ति ज्ञानम्", (''vritti jñānam).'' So I see a tree, and that tree becomes a thought in my mind, and that thought illumined by a reflected consciousness called ''cidābhāsa'' – it becomes alive – "I see a tree" – to distinguish it from all other objects.
===The Clay and Gold Examples===
So everything is made up of pure consciousness alone. Just as any number of objects created out of clay are nothing but clay – it is only the spatial limitation – small, big, square, round, etc. – that is what makes us think every object is separate from every other object. In fact, they are all nothing but clay. Clay is one example, gold is another example, wood is another example. But everything is "चैतन्यस्वरूपम्", ''caitanya-svarūpam'', because we do not see anything outside directly – only indirectly, like on our TV monitors or phone monitor, we see everything – even something that is going on or that went on in the past.
===Brahman as Sṛṣṭi, Sthiti, Laya===
So:

''Brahman'' is the "सृष्टिकारणं", ''sṛṣṭi-kāraṇam''

''Brahman'' is the "स्थिति", ''sthiti'' (maintenance) –

''Brahman'' is the ''" लयकारणम्", laya-kāraṇam''

So ''sṛṣṭi'' (creation), ''sthiti'' (maintenance, sustenance), and ''laya'' (going back) – coming forth, staying for some time, going back again – and that is what is continuously happening. So every millisecond – ''sṛṣṭi'', ''sthiti'', ''laya'' – how many objects are coming from non‑manifestation into manifestation, and flash for some time, and again go back from where they have come:

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।

अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ (2nd line- Bhagavad Gita 2.28)॥

''avyaktādīni bhūtāni, vyakta-madhyāni bhārata, avyakta-nidhanānyeva, tatra kā paridevanā''

– "There is nothing called death, nothing called non‑existence." That is what he wants to say.
===The Examples of the Upaniṣad===
So Yājñavalkya has given certain beautiful examples: of a blazing fire, of a spider, etc. And finally for the going back, he gives the example of salt: you take a lump of salt, put it in the sea, and immediately it becomes one with the sea. Like that, everything that comes out of the ocean stays separate as if it was not the ocean, and again goes back. This play – eternal play – is going on all the time.
==Entering the Original Mantras==
That is what we need to do. With this background, let us enter into the ''mūla-mantras'' – and it should not take long time. So this Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇam'' has got fourteen ''mantras''.
===Mantra 1 – Yājñavalkya's Intention===
The very first ''mantra'', where Yājñavalkya expresses his intention of taking up the fourth ''āśrama'' according to Hinduism, that is called ''Sanyāsāśrama''. So he called both his wives, and then addressing them he said:

''"मैत्रेयीति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः", Maitreyīti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ'' –

Yājñavalkya said: "O Maitreyī!" Why did he address only Maitreyī? Because he understood intuitively that she is not going to accept my offer – she is going to be my student and follow my teachings and become a ''Brahmavādinī''. Whereas Kātyāyanī has silently accepted. She was a good person, chaste wife – but she did not have that intensity of spiritual life. So we should not look down upon her, especially the wife of a ''ṛṣi'' – ''ṛṣi-patnī''. We know very little about her.
===The Declaration===
So, Yājñavalkya, addressing Maitreyī, said:

"उद्यास्यन्वा अरे अहमस्मात्स्थानादस्मि", Udyāsyan vā are aham asmāt sthānād asmi –

but implied meaning is: "From this state of householdership, ''aham udyāsyāmi vā''

– I want to give this up and enter into another state, which is called ''sanyāsa'' – though he did not specifically mention it, but the implication is there." So,

"हन्त तेऽनया कात्यायन्यान्तं करिष्यामीति", ''hantate anayā kātyāyanayā antam kariṣyāmi iti''

– "I want to bring to a halt my relationship. I will not be a husband any longer. You will not be my wives. I will be a ''sannyāsī''; you will be Brāhmaṇīs in the form of two women."

But the doubt might arise: "You are simply going away?" No – Yājñavalkya was quite a rich person; hundreds of disciples used to study under him. That is very important for us to understand.
===Mantra 2 – The Reply===
Now we enter into the second ''mantra''. So Yājñavalkya made crystal clear his intention of taking up ''Sanyāsāśrama'' right from the ''Gṛhasthāśrama''. Why did he not go through ''Vānaprasthāśrama''? Because the result of leading a ''Vānaprasthāśrama'' – already he got that. What is it? He became endowed with those nine qualities –

"साधना-चतुष्टय-सम्पन्नः", ''sādhanā-catuṣṭaya-sampannaḥ'' – he became a fit person. Not only that, he realized ''Brahman''. He even imparted that knowledge of ''Brahman'' to Janaka, as I mentioned.

So he was called a "विद्वत् संन्यासी", ''vidvat sannyāsī'' – he need not take ''sanyāsa''. He wanted to preserve the tradition, to encourage other people. Like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa – he was the greatest ''sannyāsī'' even if he did not formally take ''sanyāsa''. Nāg Mahāśaya – he did not take formal ''sanyāsa'', but even direct disciples used to bow in awe of his intense ''vairāgyam'', etc.
===The Distribution of Wealth===
So he said: "You don't worry. How are we going to live? There is plenty of wealth – and equally both of you, Maitreyī and Kātyāyanī, would get that one."

The second ''mantra'' says: ''Maitreyī'' – this is the reply, having heard this one. So there must have gone a lot of conversation, dialogue between them. But the ''Upaniṣad'' only briefly mentions the most important teaching – that is all. The whole dialogue may be imagined; we do not know. But this is what happens – just as it happened in the life of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother.
===Maitreyī's Question===
So having heard that her husband wants to take up ''sanyāsa'' life – first, secondly, he is ready to give: "You will not suffer; you will lead a rather very comfortable life, because I am leaving sufficient wealth for both of you."

सा होवाच मैत्रेयी—यन्नु म इयं भगोः सर्वा पृथिवी वित्तेन पूर्णा स्यात्कथं तेनामृता स्याम इति ।

''(first line of Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad: 2.4.2)''

''Sā hovāca Maitreyī — yan nu me idam bhagavaḥ sarvā pṛthivī vitteṇa pūrṇā syāt katham tenāmṛtā syām iti.''

– So ''Maitreyī'' asked: "O Bhagavān, if the whole earth filled with unimaginable wealth is offered to me, it becomes my property.

– ''tena'' – ''katham amṛtā syām iti'' – do I become immortal by that? Will I attain liberation?"

– Straightforward question.
===Yājñavalkya's Reply===
And then Yājñavalkya said: "न इति ह उवाच ।" , ''na iti hovāca'' – "No."

Then what happens to all? What can all this wealth do?

Yājñavalkya:

* यथा एव उपकरणवताम् जीवितम्, तथा एव ते जीवितम् स्यात् ॥

''yathā eva upakaraṇavātāṃ jīvitam, tathā eva te jīvitam syāt''

– ''upakaraṇavātā'' means people with plenty of gadgets and many things that can make life very, very comfortable – highly adjustable AC which can control both heat and cold, first‑class food, everything at his fingertips. Great people – wealthy people – they have everything. What they do not have is ''ānanda'' – ''ānanda'' is not there.

"एवम् यथा एव उपकरणवतां " , ''Evam yathā eva upakaraṇavātām'' – – Just like wealthy people, how do they live :

– ''"जीवितम् तथा एव ते जीवितम् स्यात्।", jīvitam tathā eva te jīvitam'' – you will be very comfortable and you will live a comfortable life."
===No Hope of Immortality Through Wealth===
"But he says, –

"अमृतत्वस्य" , ''amṛtatvasya'' – the attainment of immortality –

"तु न आशा अस्ति वित्तेन इति।" , ''tu na āśā asti vittena iti'' – there is absolutely even one in a trillion percentage of hope that if I have money I will be liberated.

"आशा नास्ति वित्तेन इति।", ''Āśā na āsti vittena iti'' – categorically he said no – it is not possible."
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example===
By this also he is hinting – a saying of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa comes to my mind. Once Hṛday was begging Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa so that he can live a little bit comfortably. Actually, they were very poor people – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was poor. But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's father was quite rich – a kind of small ''jāmindār'' having thirty‑three acres of wetland in that village called Dere. So we know the incident because he was commanded to bear false witness – flatly he refused, and as a result that ''jāmindār'' had instituted a case against "क्षुदीराम" , Ksudhīram, bringing false witnesses. I do not know the details, but as a result, the court only knows what the witnesses are saying – they are not having intuition, but it is God's will. So he lost everything – with his two children, with the clothes he had on (I doubt whether he even had a shirt on – maybe some wearing cloth and something to put on upper cloth), he had to come with his wife and two children to Kāmārpukur, not knowing what is going to happen. We know the rest of the story.
===Why Did He Give Up?===
So why did he give up? Because:

"सत्यं ज्ञानम् अनन्तम् " , ''satyam jñānam anantam''

– all the three are one and the same – cannot be attained by ''vitta'' (wealth). Had Ksudhīram been attached even a little bit, then he would not have – he would have borne the false witness, he would have told the falsehood. That is what most people do, or even out of fear they can do that. So crystal clearly here the ''Upaniṣad'' is telling.
===Wealth Is Not Opposed to Spirituality===
But we should not misunderstand that wealth cannot give spirituality. Spirituality is different, but wealth is not opposed to spirituality. We have to understand: it is not wrong to have wealth or name and fame or knowledge or honour – everything one can have. But one should know the limitations – what they can give, what they cannot give. What cannot they give? They cannot give ''ānanda''. ''Ānanda'' comes only from pure knowledge, from the control of mind – nothing to do with the possessions a person has. That crystal clear knowledge one should have – no doubt about it.
===The Taittirīya Measure of Happiness===
So here is the hint that even if the whole earth becomes one – we have seen in the ''Taittirīya Upaniṣad'', second chapter, ''Brahmānandavallī'': what is the measure of one human happiness? If a young man, healthy, idealistic, learned, intelligent, full of strength, full of willpower, and if he owns the whole world – because of these qualities, he can derive, and he will derive without doubt, tremendous happiness – not a single person on this earth can obtain( that). That is only the smallest measure. But at the end, as we have seen,

"श्रोत्रियस्य च अकामतस्य", ''śrotriyasya ca akāmatasya''

(Taittiriya Upanishad, Anandavalli, Chapter 2, Verse 8)

– the same happiness and much more happiness – because nearly, I think, twelve times or so he repeats that one. That means the ''śrotriya'' – one who has tremendous faith in the scriptures and as a result practised spiritual disciplines, and as a result has realised ''Brahman'' – that means he is swimming in the ocean of bliss. He is bliss.
===The Fly and the Nectar===
We should not get that picture – there is a lake and it is a lake full of ''ānanda'', and you are separate and you go and jump into it. Funny thing – I think you remember when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was teaching this: suppose there is a huge vessel full of sweet nectar, and you are a fly – "O Naren, how are you going to enjoy this nectar?" Then he said: "I will sit on the edge of the utensil and stretching my tongue I will be sipping." Why? What was this idea? Because "I am not this nectar – if I fall into it, I will lose my life." Immediately the correction came from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "My child, this is not ordinary nectar – it is ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda'' – one who falls into it becomes ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda''." Through these small examples, how much Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was trying to teach us.
==Conclusion==
Now in this second ''mantra'', an important point is that wealth and other things are not to be thrown out. But there is a proper way of earning wealth, a proper way of using wealth – and for the good of the world. Let one enjoy it, let him also help others enjoy it as much as possible. These are beautiful thoughts. We will talk about them in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-4.14 Lecture 55 on 01 August 2026

2026-09-14T01:05:51Z

Sachidanand: inserted devanagari script mantras with translations and corrected texts to match the audio

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ओं जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुं, पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः।

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh.''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction: The Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya Dialogue==
We are discussing the most wonderful subject in this world – a statement of fact. Many facts are being discussed in this dialogue between the Guru and the ''śiṣya'', Yājñavalkya and Maitreyī, and this also emphasises the fact – the onus, responsibility. So if the husband falters, the wife has to support and strengthen him and turn his attention towards God. And if the same thing happens to the wife, then the husband must do the same thing. This is a sacred vow that both of us together we go to ''Viṣṇupada''. This is one of the seven ''mantras'' that are uttered when a couple are getting married and they are going round the fire. So they take seven vows: "Our ultimate goal is to be with You." In Upaniṣadic language, we never want to be separate from You – and that is again proved once more by the marriage of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother.
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother – The Ideal===
It is the most marvellous episode. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa need not have taken ''sanyāsa''. But he took ''sanyāsa'' to strengthen the Guru-''paramparā'' system – the ''sanyāsa sampradāya''. Swami Śaradānandaji goes into ecstasy praising how Mother Gaṅgā, knowing that one of the greatest ''sannyāsīns'' has taken a vow and he will again re‑establish that ''sannyāsi sampradāya'' once more. But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, unlike other monks, did not reject Holy Mother. "I have taken ''sanyāsa'', so I will not keep you with me" – not only did he keep Holy Mother with him, but he also asked: "Do you want me to behave like an ordinary husband, earning money, providing riches, wealth, and children, and to love you and to make you feel that I love you? Or, as I have chosen the path of spirituality, I want to be always with God – can that be also your goal?" And without a second thought, Holy Mother said: "Yes, I have not come to put an obstruction in your path. In fact, I have come to follow you."
===The Tradition of Sanyāsa===
This reminds us – this happens again and again and again in history, and these are the people who keep alive the tradition of ''sanyāsa''. Otherwise, an ideal householder's life – where along with normal pleasures, they also lead a highly spiritual life – Śudhīra and Cāṇḍramaṇī Devī is a brilliant example. Nowadays, how many couples are following? Being the followers of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, walking in the footsteps of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother, considering themselves as the very children of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother.
===The Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa===
So we are discussing this Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya dialogue. Actually, it is called the Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇam''. ''Brāhmaṇa'' means nothing to do with Brahmā, nothing to do with a Brāhmaṇa – it means a section, that is all. So in this chapter, it is the section specially dealing with Maitreyī's conversion from a housewife into an earnest ''sannyāsinī''. Because when she asked "You teach me", she is not only telling "I will remain as a housewife, but you can teach me, give me the spiritual instruction" – she also told "Give me also ''sanyāsa''."
===Holy Mother as the Greatest Sannyāsinī===
Holy Mother, formerly in our tradition, had taken ''sanyāsa'', but she was the greatest ''sannyāsinī''. In fact, there is no difference between male and female to say "this is ''sannyāsī'' and this is ''sannyāsinī''" – that is only conventionally we do that in this transactional world. But really speaking, ''sanyāsa'' makes everybody exactly one and the same. Similarly, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had categorically declared: every devotee belongs to the same caste. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa divided the whole world into two categories: devotee and a non‑devotee – ''bhakta'' and ''abhakta''. So these are the two castes. And every person who has sincere devotion belongs to what we call "he is a spiritual person" – that is all. He is a devotee – that is all. There is no other caste. Whether he be Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, or Śūdra – it does not really matter.
===The Points Left Out (in last class)===
So we are going to enter into that, but a few points are there that through this dialogue between Maitreyī and Yājñavalkya, we get – what are those points we have left out? We have not discussed in our last class – realising that material possessions are useless for liberation. Maitreyī wholly rejects the property, and it was great property in a way we can say.
===The Rich Young Man and Christ===
As Christ said to his rich young disciple: "If you want to follow Me, then go home and distribute all your riches to the poor people, and take up My cross and follow Me." That is pure ''sanyāsa''. And before that, he asks the young man – a very interesting topic – "Have you not heard our elders teaching you the ten commandments?" That is ''Karma Yoga''. And the young man says, without understanding, without realising what he was saying: "but I have been following them from my childhood." He was sincere, but very ignorant. Then Christ says: "In that case, take up My cross and follow Me." But the rich young man returned sadly. Why did he return? He was not able to renounce his property. That means his ''Karma Yoga'' has not purified him sufficiently so that he can become a monk.
===The Purpose of Karma Yoga===
The purpose of ''Karma Yoga'' is to purify our mind and equip it with what we call ''Sādhanā-Catuṣṭaya-Sampatti'' – the treasure of the nine qualities: ''viveka'', ''vairāgya'', etc. So we have to understand that particular standpoint. Only then – what does an ''adhikārī'' do? He becomes a ''sannyāsī'', or even if he does not take ''sanyāsa'' formally, he is more than a ''sannyāsī''. Anybody who is equipped with these fourfold qualities is fit to hear the highest ''mantra''. What is the ''mantra''? It is called ''Mahāvākya''. There are, as I said, hundreds of ''Mahāvākyas''.
===Nāg Mahāśaya's Example===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa deliberately did not give permission to Nāg Mahāśaya, even though he knew he was a blazing fire – more than any monk in this world. Even Swamiji respected him for that. But he said: "You have to remain in the householder's life, reminding them – just to remind them – that even in household life, one can attain the very ultimate of devotion – ''parābhakti'', supreme love, and ''parājñāna'', supreme knowledge." There is no difference, because without love, knowledge will not come, and without knowledge, love also cannot come. The moment we come to know what is the most valuable thing, automatically our mind will acquire tremendous love. We are all searching for that knowledge only, actually speaking.
===Maitreyī's Question===
So Maitreyī, when she asked – "I can accept the property on one condition – if it can give me immortality" – ''amṛtatva'' – that beautiful word the ''Upaniṣad'' uses especially: ''amṛtatva''. Devatās are also called ''amṛta puruṣas''. But that is a relative, short‑timed immortality, because as soon as the ''puṇyam'' is exhausted, they will have to come back to earn more until their minds give up their desire.
===The Three Divisions of the Vedas===
So this young man – he was following mechanically, but he did not achieve sufficient purity of mind – ''citta śuddhi''. That is why the ''Vedas'' – the greatest scriptures in the world, every scripture more or less is like that – so first part is called ''Karma Kāṇḍa''. Second part, even though not mentioned especially categorically, it is called ''Upāsanā Kāṇḍa''. So a person advances from ''Karma Yoga'' (''Karma Kāṇḍa'') to ''Upāsanā Kāṇḍa'', and from ''Upāsanā Kāṇḍa'', he naturally steps – it is a natural growth – into ''Jñāna Kāṇḍa''. So that is what the development is going to be.
===Wealth and Happiness – A False Equation===
So Maitreyī comes to know: property helps a person live comfortably. But Yājñavalkya nowhere said that comfort and happiness – comfort and pleasure, comfort and joy – they are synonymous. He did not say that – we have to take note of it, because if that is true – more money, more comforts, more luxuries, and a person is more happy – that equation is a false equation. Rich people commit suicide; rich people kill; rich people are worried. The only difference is a rich man worries in an air‑conditioned, first‑class massaging sofa, whereas a poor man suffers from external heat and cold, and he is worried. But worry is absolutely the same. Only when a person acquires a special mental aptitude – and that is called happy aptitude, happy outlook – whatever happens, he is happy because he accepts it wholeheartedly that - "Either I deserve it, therefore it is coming to me, or it is meant to teach a particular lesson," etc.
===Wealth Does Not Confer Immortality===
Yājñavalkya specifically says that wealth does not confer immortality – ''amṛtatva''. And this is the teaching, without exception, of every saint in this world – whether it be Christian saint, Muslim saint, Indian saint, or Sikh saint – they all reject wealth, not because they hate it, but because they found out something far, far superior. What is superior?– That which gives more happiness – lasting happiness, higher quality happiness, that is the supreme happiness. That is why under a tree a person can be extremely happy.
===The Zen Master's Reply===
As I repeat it many times, a Zen master was once asked – because his disciples found him always happy, cheerful, unselfish, even though externally he had to undergo so many trials and tribulations. He said very pithy words: "When it is winter, I say it is winter. When it is summer, I say it is summer." That means I am not going to complain. Summer will be hot; winter will be cold – "Oh, it is so cold" – what else do we expect in cold season? And what else do you expect excepting heat in summer season? But it is not only with seasons – in any event that takes place, positive or negative, they remain equanimous in their lives:

शीतोष्ण सुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥ (second line of Bhagavad Gita 6.7)॥

(शीतोष्णसुखदु:खेषु) सम: सङ्गविवर्जित: ॥ (extract from second line of Bhagavad Gita 12.18)॥

''śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu, tathā mānāpamānayoḥ, samaḥ saṅga-vivarjitaḥ''.

They are happy. It does not mean he will be like a stone – he will be the most happy person. Why? He is with God.
===Maitreyī Rejects, Kātyāyanī Accepts===
So Maitreyī rejects this proposition. But interestingly, Kātyāyanī was not that spiritual – very good person, chaste wife, but she does not want at this time spirituality, so she accepts meekly what is her part. Now Maitreyī also gives up. Of course, we do not know what happened after this – what happened to Maitreyī, what happened to Yājñavalkya – the story does not continue. But for our purpose, the lesson is that every husband and wife have a duty, more than physical happiness, physical comforts, loving physically, materially – they have a higher purpose in life. The purpose of marriage is to be married to God. As in Christianity, every nun is called a bride, and Jesus Christ is called the Bridegroom – and several parables are also there with regard to that; I will not go into it now.
===Maitreyī's Request===
So she rejects outright and says: "What shall I do with the wealth by which I cannot become immortal?" – and requests that Yājñavalkya bestow upon her what he knew, because he was a ''vidvat sannyāsī''. He knew – he was a realized soul.
===Yājñavalkya and Janaka===
When he was a householder, we have to presume he went to answer the announcement done by Janaka Mahārāja: "Whoever is the greatest ''Brahmavit'' – not only scholarly but practising in life – I want such a person to be my spiritual guide." That was the real intention of Janaka. So he had made even Janaka Mahārāja a knower of ''Brahma''. If he could do that as a householder, what to speak of ''sanyāsa''? Why was he taking ''sanyāsa''? As I mentioned, because they feel an inner prompt from God: "If people like you take ''sanyāsa'', other people will be also encouraged by you."
===Guru-Śiṣya Relationship===
So pleased with Maitreyī's sincere quest for what is called – "सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म", ''satyam jñānam anantam brahma'',–he accepts her as his disciple. So the relationship of husband and wife is now transformed into Guru and ''śiṣya''. Then Yājñavalkya starts: "What is the way that we can detach ourselves from the world? What is our problem?"
===The Purpose of Upāsanā===
What is the whole of ''Karma Kāṇḍa'' about, even ''Upāsanā Kāṇḍa'' about? There is a very interesting subject matter here – ''Upāsanā Kāṇḍa''. We are always speaking about thinking about God, but in India there are several contemplators of Hayagrīva, of Sarasvatī, of Śāradāmbā, of Lakṣmī, of Bālā (Bālā is another name for the Divine Mother), upāsakas of Kālī, etc. So the purpose is not spiritual – the purpose is to obtain something great. So great scholars have come out of it.
===Hayagrīva Upāsanā===
In South India, Hayagrīva ''Upāsanā'' – that is, Sūryadeva is called also Hayagrīva. ''Haya'' means horse, ''grīva'' means the head – (Hayagrīva) ''"''whose head looks like a horse" – but he is a Sūryadevatā. So Yājñavalkya himself has worshipped Sūryadevatā, and he obtained the whole of this ''Yajurveda''. That is why it is called ''Śukla Yajurveda''. Whereas previously also he learned ''Yajurveda'' – I think I had mentioned this story earlier, when we were talking about the ''Taittirīya Upaniṣad'', (but) it is better that I repeat it because this ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad'' is part of the ''Śukla Yajurveda''. And the ''Śukla Yajurveda'' was taught to him by Sūryadeva in the form of Hayagrīva.
===Pellamkonda Rāmarāyakavi===
In Andhra Pradesh, there is one of the great extraordinary contemporary upāsakas of Hayagrīva – he was called Bellamkonda Ramaraya Kavi. He was a great admirer of Śaṅkarācārya (and) has written several works improving or so that we can understand Śaṅkarācārya much better way. And one of the interesting works was :

''Śaṅkara-AŚaṅkara-Vimarsha-Bhāṣya'' (often spelled ''Śaṅkarāśaṅkarabhāṣyavimarśaḥ'')

– a beautiful four‑hundred‑page work – how to understand Śaṅkarācārya, how to reply to the opposite schools of ''Vedānta'' – ''Advaita'' and ''Viśiṣṭādvaita'' – and why Śaṅkara is right, etc.
===Upāsanā for Worldly Purposes===
My purpose is not to talk about these people, but to say that ''Upāsanā'' can be done even for worldly purposes. But these are great people – sooner or later, once this desire is fulfilled, then they turn towards God, like what happened to Paṇḍit Gaurī. He wanted to obtain ''mokṣa''. He did ''Upāsanā'' of the Divine Mother, and as a result obtained some boons – he could perform a ''yajña'' on his left hand, lighting it up with his outstretched palm and doing ''homa'' for nearly two to two and a half hours. We cannot stretch out our hand even for more than a few minutes – we immediately start getting intolerable pain. But such a heavy load of wooden sticks and nearly two hours – the fire is lighted there and the offerings (oblations) are poured into that, but nothing happens to his hand. He worshipped his own wife, as the Divine Mother – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa worshipped on ''Phalāhārini Kālī Pūjā'', Holy Mother. Similarly, his Gaurī Paṇḍit could defeat any scholar in scholarship, but along with his worldly desires, he also became purified. After perhaps fulfilling some of these desires, he wanted to become liberated, so he prayed and he obtained – he died in Kāśī and obtained liberation.
===God Gives Liberation Ultimately===
So whoever worships God – even if we begin to worship God only for a worldly purpose in mind – ultimately God will give us liberation, because a mother will not give an inferior thing to her children. So this is the reply we can give to some of these misunderstanding and mis‑talking Advaitins who say "the devotees who want to go to Kailāsa or Vaikuṇṭha – they will not get liberation." Who are these people to talk like that? Do they not know that the Divine Lord, pleased with the devotion of anybody, He can give liberation? Do you think He will withhold liberation and keep them deluded with His ignorance? Even after these people are enjoying – for some time they will enjoy – but then He awakens (to) that ultimate knowledge in them, saying: "My children, now you have enjoyed – ''līlā'' is over – now go back to from where you have come." This is the philosophy of duality we have to keep in mind.
===God's Grace Is Essential===
That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: one can realise God by any path. But then he added something again and again, repeatedly: "You can follow – anybody can follow any path they want – but one succeeds in attaining liberation only by the grace of God." That is why in India every religion is called ''Dharma'' – Hindu Dharma, Muslim Dharma, or Christian Dharma. But Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa squeezed the very essence of all the ''Upaniṣads'', and he tells in the end: "सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य", ''sarvadharmān parityajya'' – "So you practise – reach the very ultimate (that) these paths, these religious paths can bring you – but then finally, you will have to surrender yourself totally: 'O Lord, I can only come up to here by Your grace. Now You will have to do the last step. Pull us into You. Make us become one with You.'"
===Only Through Mother's Grace===
This is Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's special teaching: only through Mother's grace can one attain liberation. Even if we follow any path, what do these paths really do? If we practise them faithfully, then these very paths make us completely surrender ourselves to God. They make us understand: "O ''jīva'', you have no other way but to surrender yourself to the Divine Mother. There is no other way." This is the only way. That is what following faithfully, sincerely, every spiritual path does – it takes us to the ultimate. But the final liberation is possible only by God's grace.
===Śrī Kṛṣṇa's Assurance===
''"मा शुचः", Mā śucaḥ'' – "Do not worry. If you surrender yourself to Me, I will liberate you". So I will do whatever is necessary, because I am the mother who gave birth to you, to the whole creation." This is a special teaching. Even a ''jñānī'' cannot attain liberation without Mother's grace. Now think for a moment why Totāpurī fell into ''Māyā'' even though he once tasted ''nirvikalpa samādhi'' – because he did not surrender himself to the Divine Mother. But once he surrendered himself to the Divine Mother, then Mother's grace fell upon him, and his own disciple now bestowed His grace upon him – because Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Mother Kālī are not two separate beings at all.
===Yājñavalkya's Psychological Analysis===
So Yājñavalkya accepted. Then Yājñavalkya delves into it, says: "How can we become detached from this world?" So that is where the finest psychological analysis of what is called attachment starts here. Only instead of saying "attachment", we say "we love". Actually, we do not love. Attachment means what? We have a misunderstanding that "if I obtain this object, I can get happiness, pleasure, joy out of it. If I eat this sweet, I will get happiness." So we identify pleasure or joy or happiness with that particular object, as if that object possesses that and is capable of giving us what we are seeking. But no – Yājñavalkya analyses psychologically, and then what does he tell us?
===Desire Covers Our True Nature===
Our ''ānanda'' is covered by what? By our desire. Desires cover our true nature. A desire makes us feel that "I am not full. I am lacking something" – that is called desire. "I must become full. So if I get nice food, nice clothes, money, etc., then I will become full." No – like the seven bags of the Yakṣa, it will never be filled up at all.
===Conditional Love===
So Yājñavalkya is telling: if a husband loves wife, wife loves husband, parents love children, children love parents, brothers and sisters love brothers and sisters, or we love our co‑religionists, we love the people of our country, or of our language, etc. – that is not love at all. So we get – that is called attachment. What is love? "I can love you, but any time I can withdraw my mind from you because I dwell in a different place. I am attached to something different – but to whom? To which I am attached – that love I can bestow upon you, not to get anything from you, but out of sheer unselfishness I can share my love with you." That is the outlook of a ''jñānī''.
===The Camel and the Dog===
What about us? Why does a husband love the wife? Why does a wife love her husband? Because they have desires – physical, not only in the form of desire for progeny, children, but in wealth, servants, comforts, name and fame – innumerable desires. But no object can give us that. That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: like a camel chewing a thorny bush, like a dog worrying a dry bone – but both of them get their gums injured; then they get bleeding, they get blood, and then they mistakenly think that blood means pleasure comes from them. So that is a mistake.
===The Analysis of Love===
So what is this analysis of love? Nobody loves anybody. Everybody loves happiness, and we think happiness comes from an object. But what happens? Either happiness or unhappiness are not the intrinsic qualities of any object, because the same object can give us sometimes happiness, sometimes unhappiness. No object can give us both happiness and unhappiness at the very same moment – one after the other is fine, but not simultaneously. So what happens? That my ''ānanda'', which is my nature, is suddenly clouded over, covered up.
===The Towel Example===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa illustrates it beautifully in the example of a towel. One day he was sitting at Dakṣiṇeśvara, and a small towel would always be on his shoulders. So some devotees were there, and he says: "See, I am so near to you, but if I put this towel in front of my face – even though I am so near to you, you cannot see my face." Like that, God is everywhere – in front, behind, above, below, inside, outside – everywhere God is there, but we cannot see because we are covered by ignorance.
===How Pleasure Works===
Anyway, coming back to this subject – what happens when we enjoy a pleasure? What happens is that we have a desire: "I am lacking some pleasure, say eating pleasure." So I see some tasty food and then I start eating. So this desire covers my own happiness. Eating the food removes that desire, because as soon as my stomach is full, I feel full – I feel that I do not need food. That is called fullness. That desire is gone. And to that extent, with regard to that particular object called food, my ''ānanda'' which was covered by the desire – by the lack of food – is re‑available to us. And this is the same thing that happens with regard to every object in this world.
===Objects as Mirrors===
So what is the lesson we have to learn? No object possesses any love. We are also objects – so we do not possess ''ānanda'', happiness. But if somebody loves us or experiencing us, then that experience removes their own hidden ''ānanda'', and it becomes easily available to them. So in a way of speaking, every object acts like a mirror showing the true nature of each one of us. That is how we have to understand. That is the first thing.
===Conditional Love===
Second thing we have to understand is: nobody loves anything unless he gets pleasure. It is a conditional love: "If I get happiness, and so long as I get it, and only when I get so much – I am attached to you." That is why many times I give the example of squeezing all the juice from sugarcane – once I am able to squeeze out all the juice which gives me pleasure, the sugarcane is spat out. Nobody will keep it any longer. The same thing with everything in this world. Man squeezes some pleasure out of woman; woman also does the same thing out of man. So the moment we get, that object is no longer wanted. And so every object acts as if to uncover our own real happiness. This is the philosophy.
===No Object Is Loved for Its Own Sake===
Everything that we love is a conditional love. What is that condition? "So long as that object yields sufficient amount" – otherwise, you know, you buy a car, it has met an accident and it is not working properly, and we are not getting what we expect from that car – whether it is new or old, it does not matter – then we try to get rid of it as soon as possible. And that is with regard to every object in this world – no exception is to be found. So that is why everything that we are attached to – we are attached not to the object but to the pleasure or happiness we are expecting to get when we come into contact with that particular object. The moment the object fails to deliver the goods, then we become detached. Not only detached, we may become disgusted; we may even hate – Friends become enemies, hateable objects, because what we were deriving, now the opposite is coming to us. So this is called conditional love.
===Two Points===
What are the two points we discussed just now?
#No object is loved for its own sake – but we expected to get some amount of happiness from that object. Many times our expectations far exceed the real capability of that object.
#We love that object only so long as the yield (continues).
So no object is ever loved. On the contrary, everybody loves unconditionally one's own self. So if this object cannot give me happiness, I am in search of some other object which will give me happiness. We do not put any condition, because we are ''ānanda svarūpa'' – ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda''. So if our existence is threatened, then we become panicky. If our awareness becomes subjected to troubles, we try to get out of it. We do not want to be unconscious. Even our very existence is in danger if we are not conscious of it. Only when we are aware – "I am", then only I know I am. Otherwise, an unconscious person does not even know whether he is alive or dead, conscious or unconscious, he doesn't know anything at all.
===Every Object Is Limited===
So the two points:

1. "Every object is loved only not for the sake of the object, but for what we are expecting to derive – that happiness, pleasure, joy – whatever name you call it.", and

2. "every object is limited. Therefore, no object is capable of giving unlimited happiness. It is bound by time, space, and conditions."

On the other hand, the ''Ātman'' is unconditionally loved. We want to survive, and we want to increase our knowledge, awareness – and there is no limit to how much happiness we want – unlimited happiness we want. Why does such a desire arise within us? Because the ''Upaniṣad'' tells us that is our real nature. The body is not our real nature. Mind is not our real nature. The three states – waking, dream, and deep sleep – are not our real nature. Instinctively, we seek only our own true infinite Self, where there is no duality present at all.
===The Abhyāroha Mantras===
That is why earlier also I mentioned in this very ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad'', three ''mantras'' have come – they are called ''Abhyāroha mantras''. And even an amoeba must be praying: "I do not want to die; I do not want to be unconscious" – because there is no difference between death and unconsciousness – "and I do not want to be suffering." These are common features of every living creature. So the unconscious prayer is:

असतो मा सद्गमय ।

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।

मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय ॥

''asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya, mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya''.

This is the fact of life. We have to understand it.

===Searching in the Wrong Place===
So unconsciously we are seeking, but we are searching in the wrong place – a limited place. We are saying "we want unlimited happiness", but we are seeking only limited objects – knowing fully well that every object is changing. Changing means what? So long as it is capable of giving some happiness, but it changes – and when happiness changes, what does it change into? Unhappiness. What is attractive changes into unattractive, and what is valued changes into non‑valued. So it applies universally.
===Yājñavalkya's Answer===
So that is what Yājñavalkya wants to say. Why is he telling? Because in one way, it is an answer: "Can I get immortality through wealth?" No. You can get immortality not because you are going to get it from somewhere – you are immortal, but you have forgotten. Every teaching – spiritual teaching – is only to remind ourselves: "You do not need to seek anywhere. You do not need to obtain it. All that you need to remove is the wrong notion that 'I am limited'."
===The Notion of Limitedness===
That means: "My happiness is limited, my existence is limited, my knowledge is also limited." So with the idea of limitedness – when we remove that idea of limitedness, we remain alone. Not only we remain alone, we become one with the entire universe. Because in infinity, there is no minus, plus, division, multiplication – nothing is possible. This is the essence.
===Yājñavalkya's Instruction===
So Yājñavalkya begins his instruction by logically establishing a wonderful truth: the Self is of the nature of supreme bliss – only the Self, nothing else. He proves this by conducting a psychological analysis of the nature of human love. He reveals the unpalatable but universal truth that nobody loves any object or any person for the sake of that object or person – everything is loved solely for the sake of one's own self.
===The Example of Mother's Love===
Another beautiful example: every mother loves her children – she will not extend that love even to neighbour's children. And I am afraid to speak out – even one sister will not extend that love to the children of (her) other sister. How many murders have taken place when it is a question of one's child going to inherit the property or the kingdom – how many murders have taken place and are still taking place, positions, etc., etc.
===Unconditional Love===
So Yājñavalkya beautifully analyses unconditional love. So this love is directed solely towards one's own self. Why? Because it is important, universal, completely independent of any external conditions. That means we do not need to do anything – it is always available in unlimited quantities everywhere. Time, space, and conditions , they do not obstruct or limit it. Because this love never wavers, never grows, never becomes less. So it is our own true nature – that is, unconditional love is only towards the Self.
===Cultivated Temporary Affection===
And conditional love that directed towards everything other than the Self – that is called ''anātma'' – is cultivated, temporary affection. Why is it cultivated? You do not know somebody – the baby does not know its mother; mother does not know its baby until she conceives. And she cherishes tremendous attraction: "This is my baby" – and goes on looking after (it), mainly for the purpose of protecting the baby. So no object can ever replace our love for the ''Ātman'', because every object is changing, limited, and therefore temporary – and temporary affection can only give temporary joy. And we have to remember: temporary joy can turn into temporary sorrow also. So when conditions are favourable, a bit of that bliss is squeezed – which we call happiness. When not, then we suffer a lot.
===From Love to Hatred===
The moment an object or relationship brings pain or ceases to fulfil our expectations, that very love will turn into not only rejection, sometimes even untrimmed hatred. So by analysing this, Yājñavalkya proves that ''Ātman'' alone is of the nature of real bliss. We are that ''Ātman'', while everything else is either a source of sorrow or fake joy – the fleeting joy, some people call it : "fake joy".
===True Detachment===
A true seeker must develop dispassion – not by hating the world, but by ceasing to expect. That is the true detachment. A housemaid does everything in the house – calls "my Rāma, my Hari" – but she knows nothing belongs to me; I have my own home. So what are we doing? Whom we love, we expect them to give. If they fail to give, if they give it to others, then we become murderers – even kill other people. So we are expecting permanent joy, even though our bodies and minds are themselves changing every second, even though we are impermanent – we are expecting joy from worldly objects which are only temporary.
===The Self Is the Only Source===
So according to ''Advaita'', the Self – we are the Self – and we have to realise the Self, because the Self is the only source – infinite source – of ''Sat'', ''Cit'', and ''Ānanda''.
===The Command to Realize===
Now Yājñavalkya turns his mind and commands practically: "आत्मा वा अरे द्रष्टव्यः", ''ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ'' – like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: the goal of life is to realize God – and then for that, that is what ''draṣṭavyaḥ'' means – "to be realized."
===The Threefold Way===
Then what is the way? ''Śravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana''. Probably more or less we can say:
*''Śravaṇa'' – belongs to holy company – cultivating holy company.
*''Manana'' – go into solitude and think of God deeply, pondering how temporary are objects, and also discrimination – everything is changing. And that we have to do – develop in solitude. That is ''manana''.
*''Nididhyāsana'' – "Primarily the ''Jñāna Mārga'' – I am really the Self. So I have to know that I am the Self, not that I have to one day get the Self which I am not now. I am – I was the Self, I am the Self, and I will be the Self. But I have forgotten temporarily – and that is why it is called ''Māyā''."
===The Three Steps===
For that, three steps are given:

''ātmā vā are śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ।''

''ātmā vā are śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ''.

Here you get the exact words: first ''śravaṇa'', then ''manana'', then ''nididhyāsana''.
==Conclusion==
So about these beautiful subjects, there are some very important points. We will discuss them in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ओं जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुं, पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः।

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 2.1-3.6 Lecture 52 on 19 July 2026

2026-09-03T22:12:33Z

Sachidanand: inserted devanagari script mantras with translations and corrected texts to match the audio

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction: The Analysis of Deep Sleep==
So we are studying the second chapter of the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad''. Ajātaśatru was instructing Gārgya in the true nature of the ''jīvātman''. For this purpose, he had taken the example of a person who was in deep sleep, and they went to that person and then woke him up by violently shaking. Then the king asked: "Do you know when this person was in deep sleep, where was he and how did he go there? And how did he again come back to this world?" This was the topic, and this is called the analysis of the three states of consciousness, which each one of us undergo every single day.
===The State of Deep Sleep===
So during deep sleep, all ''karmas'' and all individuality are completely suspended. Why are they suspended? Because there is no duality. Without duality – "I" and "others", subject and object, experiencer and experienced – that division is totally annihilated. But then, as I said, ''suṣupti avasthā'' is closest, nearest to being ''Brahman'', but it is not the state of ''nirvikalpa samādhi''. That is why it is called causal body (''kāraṇa śarīra''), because it is also a temporary state.

But during that state, where does the ''jīvātman'' really reside? What does he do? So, before going into deep sleep, this ''jīvātman, he'' gathers the body and the mind and then withdraws himself into ''hṛdayākāśa''. So that ''hṛdayākāśa'' is called ''Paramātman'', ''nirviśeṣa caitanya''. So temporarily, albeit completely helplessly, not consciously but forcefully, he was withdrawn into the ''hṛdayākāśa''. There he rests for some time, but then the ''karma'' – which means body and mind, which means ''prārabdha, are'' awaiting in a causal form – at the right time, the person is violently pulled back from that state which is of indescribable bliss. He is pulled back into a waking or a dream – it could be either: from deep sleep he might slowly enter into the dream state, then into the waking state, there is no fixed routine, or he might wake up totally into the waking state and then as usual thereafter go into dream state.
===Why Analyse Deep Sleep?===
But this is what Ajātaśatru wanted to tell. And why did he want Gārgya to learn about this deep sleep state? As I said many times, that is the nearest understandable state. Why is it understandable? Because every one of us – every living creature, every ''prāṇī'', including perhaps amoeba – I say "perhaps" because we have no knowledge what amoeba thinks, there is a teeny‑weeny bit of mind there. Where there is mind, consciousness will be there, because without consciousness, mind cannot function. And so it gets tremendous amount of rest. Scientists have conclusively proved every animal sleeps – specifically, how whales sleep: one eye keeps open for danger, enemies, and another eye that means to keep completely merge into deep sleep, and how it manages to do that – God has given that special talent to it. Horses also (do) the same; I think many other animals are the same. So this is how Bhagavān has ordained: every creature has to go through these three states.
===The Three States Compared===
In the waking state, we are furthest from ''Brahman''. In the dream state, a little bit nearer. In deep sleep, we are the nearest. So that is why the deep sleep state is being explained by Ajātaśatru to Dṛptabālāki – now he is no more ''dṛpta'' (arrogant); he has become a very humble student.

So what does the ''Upaniṣad'' – because Ajātaśatru is only a medium through which the ''Upaniṣad'' is coming out – what does the scripture want to convey to us? That there is a state which is indescribable, but we can point out the nearest state is deep sleep state. And by analysing the deep sleep state, what is the first thing that we see?
#There is no projection – a person may be ignorant but is free from all projection (''vikṣepa śakti'').
#There is no duality.
#The person has no desires.
#The person is supremely happy – unbroken happiness called bliss, ''ānanda,'' is experienced by him until he wakes up.
The next point we have to remember is: whether it is an amoeba or a tree or an animal or a human being – any being – they are all exactly the same. Among human beings, whether it is the greatest president of the greatest, most powerful country, (or) a person who does not even have clothes to put on, who sleeps out on the street and who is satisfied with the barest minimum possible – all these differentiations manifest either in the waking and also in the dream state. But as soon as a great emperor, an animal, a child, a great learned man – let any other creature, we have to add – enter into this deep sleep state, they all become completely one. There is absolutely no difference at all, because there is no duality there. And that is the most marvellous state. That is why every one of us longs for deep sleep.
==The Purpose of the Instruction==
So that is the purpose for which this instruction was being given. Ajātaśatru was teaching about ''suṣupti'' so that we can have a glimpse, an idea, a fore‑knowledge of what it is to be one with ''Brahman''. During the deep sleep, all ''karmas'' and individuality are suspended, and the ''jīvātman'' fully withdraws into the heart‑space, ''hṛdayākāśa,'' resting in its original, pure, and unqualified ''Paramātman, nirviśeṣa caitanya''.

Then the ''Upaniṣad'' goes on telling that during the waking, dream, as well as deep sleep, what is common – the ''prāṇa'' is working. Minus ''prāṇa'', waking cannot be experienced, dream cannot be experienced, and also deep sleep cannot be experienced. So it is common to all. ''Prāṇa'' is everywhere, all over the body until the person is dead – it is all over the body, all over the senses, all over the mind in all the three states.
===''Prāṇa'' Is Not the ''Jīvātman''===
So one lesson that Gārgya has to learn is: even after violently shaking, if ''prāṇa'' is ''jīvātman'' by any chance, he should have woken up. But even violent shaking took a long time for that sleeping person to wake up. This is to convey the message: the ''jīvātman'', the real ''Paramātman'', the divinity, is not even the ''prāṇa''.

Now the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell that this ''prāṇa'', which is otherwise also called ''Hiraṇyagarbha'' – remember, if that ''prāṇa'' is working in an infinitesimal manifestation in each one of us, that is individual ''prāṇa''. We are not talking about individual ''prāṇa''; we are talking about collective ''prāṇa'', because as soon as mind and body are absent, this individuality disappears because duality disappears. Along with the absence of waking and dream, when there is no duality, the distinction "I" and "all of us" also vanishes. At that time, he will be absorbed into Mahā''prāṇa'', which is also called ''Hiraṇyagarbha''.
==The Śiśu Brāhmaṇa – The Calf Simile==
And this ''śiśu, that is'' is why ''prāṇa'' is compared to a baby (''śiśu''). Why is it compared to a baby? Look at any baby – in future, a baby might turn out to be the most diabolical person on earth, but that is not the point. During deep sleep, ''prāṇa'' is equal to everybody. Even while it is manifesting in our body, in our mind, through our sense organs, bringing knowledge from outside, carrying it through the ''nāḍīs'' to the mind inside – the ''prāṇa'' does not attach itself to anything. It is absolutely detached, whether the ''prāṇa'' is in a Mahārāja or in a (so‑called) cruel animal.

Actually, we should never use that word "cruel animal". Some animals are cruel, they are not cruel – they kill because they have to eat. And who is more cruel? ''–'' Human beings, or tigers and lions and wolves and hyenas, etc. – really we compare, when their stomachs are full, they do not become violent. Even after our stomachs are full, we do not cease to be violent, wicked, thinking the harm. What more harm can we do, and in how many ways can we do it? You can see every day news, there is nothing but violence being perpetrated by a powerful person to (upon) a weak person, or one powerful nation upon other weak nations. This is all the play – as we have to say, because we are helplessly watching. Nobody, even the greatest political analyst, has any power to influence any of the events. They go on in their own way. Posthumously we might analyse them – "this could have happened, that could have happened, it could have been prevented" – but it is all completely useless when a person is dead because of the evil action of somebody. There is no point in thinking "this could have been done, that could have been done." Even if one creature dies, it is equivalent to the whole world of that creature is dead, as it were.
===Self‑Transformation===
That is why Hindus say: try your best to change, and that change must start with your own life. Do not think "I am somebody holy, pure, I am a sage, but somebody else is a wicked person." All transformation starts with only self‑transformation.

So ''prāṇa'' is compared to a baby. The ''Upaniṣad'' indirectly through this wants to instruct us: be unselfish, be pure, because a baby is represented – for a baby, there is no enemy, no friend, until some wrong negative experience is given to the baby. So a baby does not look upon somebody as dangerous, inimical, etc., until we teach it – because we are doing it. Even our thoughts – we may not teach physically – our very thoughts can influence others. If good thoughts of really pure people can influence us, wicked thoughts also can influence us when our minds are open like radio receivers to receive them.
===Two Meanings of ''Śiśu''===
So the description of this Mahā''prāṇa'' or ''Hiraṇyagarbha'' as ''śiśu'' (baby) is for the purpose of saying that we must become pure. That is one meaning.

The second meaning is: this ''prāṇa'' – because of ''prāṇa'', the body functions, sense organs function, mind functions. This body‑mind complex is called a combination of ''kārya-kāraṇa-saṅghātaḥ''. Body cannot be alive without sense organs; sense organs cannot function without the body; and both are sustained by ''prāṇa''; and this whole body‑mind complex is sustained by the mind. So this body is called ''kārya'', mind is called its ''kāraṇa'' – a combination of this body‑mind complex, BMC. This is supported by ''prāṇa''. So ''prāṇa'' is metaphorically described as an innocent calf.

Actually, even though I used the word "baby" (''śiśu''), because the literal meaning of ''śiśu'' is "baby", the ''Upaniṣad'' is very clear in telling it is like a calf. So suppose a calf is tethered to the physical body by the rope of food, and it is further glorified by comparing the sense organs to the seven ''ṛṣis'' seated in the head, likened to an upside‑down vessel, who gather knowledge and bring glory to the individual.
==The Structure of the Second Chapter==
This ''Śiśu Brāhmaṇa'' – in the second chapter there are actually six ''brāhmaṇas''. The first chapter we have concluded; the second chapter we have entered. In the second chapter, the first three sections are where deep sleep is analysed. Then the next section is talking about comparing this Mukhya ''Prāṇa'' or Samāṣṭi ''Prāṇa'' to a ''śiśu'' – innocent, pure, unselfish, unworried, only enjoying the greatest bliss.

So the example of the calf is given here. A calf in that cowshed has a particular place; it is tethered by a rope; it is sustained by food; and it has its own peculiar private individuality. So we are also like that – this ''prāṇa'' is tethered to the physical body, because if certain organs of the physical body are incapable of functioning – for example, a person cannot breathe in and breathe out (asthma) – then ''prāṇa'' cannot be sustained. If a person does not eat, it cannot be sustained. So this ''prāṇa'' sustains the body‑mind, but it also requires an instrument to work with. So body‑mind complex plus ''prāṇa'' are interdependent. Like a calf tethered to a particular post and fed a particular type of food – that comparison is given here.
===The Seven Ṛṣis as Sense Organs===
So this ''prāṇa'' sustains our both body and mind complex. And it is also indicated here that all the seven ''ṛṣis'', Saptarṣi Mandala – whenever we are asked "Where are the Saptarṣis (seven ṛṣis)?", we point out somewhere and say there is a star constellation where you find eight stars – seven stars are a bit more visible, and by the side of the seventh star, which is compared to Vasiṣṭha, there is one very dimly visible smallest star which is compared to Arundhatī. But the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell us that all the sense organs are compared to seven ''ṛṣis''.

Why are they compared to ''ṛṣis''? Who is a ''ṛṣi''? A ''ṛṣi'' is one – ''ṛṣati jānāti iti ṛṣi'' – one who knows. One who obtained knowledge is called a ''ṛṣi''. In Hindu scriptures, this word ''ṛṣi'' is not confined only to spiritual knowledge. There was a great ''ṛṣi'' , he was an expert in mathematics – Vedic mathematics – which very few people have studied this Vedic mathematics. Very short formulas – huge calculations can be done. Some Śaṅkarācāryas, especially belonging to the Purī tradition, have studied this one and demonstrated even in Western countries that a calculator is not necessary; it is enough if you memorize and use some short formulas – huge numbers can be manipulated. That is why Sanskrit is called the most appropriate language – like C++, Python, or there are so many computer languages – but the best suited because it is grammatically so accurate. But unfortunately, so far nobody has used it as a communicator in computers.
===Knowledge Is Sacred===
So the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to point out: every sense organ goes out, gathers knowledge – gathers knowledge of what the world, and what is the world consists of – five forms called: colours, smells, tastes, touches, and sounds – ''śabda'', ''sparśa'', ''rūpa'', ''rasa'', ''gandha''. If you remove these five elements, then the world will not be there at all. So God not only has created the world consisting of these five forms – and that is why if you still remember our old talks, the five elements: ''ākāśa'' and its special quality is ''śabda'' (space carries the sound), then ''vāyu'' – ''sparśa'', ''agni'' – forms (''rūpa)'', water (apah)– t''aste'' (''rasa)'', and earth (''pṛthvī)''– smells (''gandha)''. All the five elements manifest the appropriate five aspects of the world. So the whole world is nothing but consisting of these five elements and five forms – sound, taste, touch, smell, etc.

Now the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell: who is a ''ṛṣi''? He who knows, has knowledge. As I said, if a person is an expert and creates some new ways of singing, he is called ''Saṅgīta Ṛṣi''. If a marvellous poet, he is called a ''ṛṣi''. If he is a marvellous engineer, he is called a ''ṛṣi''. If he is a mathematician, he is called a ''ṛṣi, s''o any person who obtains some new knowledge – they are called ''ṛṣis''. Because according to Hinduism, knowledge is sacred. We always misunderstand the teachings of ''Vedānta'': "Oh, worldly knowledge is absolute ''Māyā'', a binding factor." That is rubbish – that is not the teaching at all. Knowledge is always sacred.
===The Five Sense Organs===
So this is food – but it is sacred food because it makes me alive. The sounds are marvellous, divine, because they give us, gives me knowledge. The smell makes me alive, and the smell can also sustain my happiness. Like that, every sense organ brings a particular type of sensory knowledge, and every type of sensory knowledge is sacred. Simple example: you pump some beautiful smell by the scent – rose scent or whatever scent – and put it all over your body, and you feel that "now I am smelling very nicely." But you go to the shrine and the smell of beautiful ghee‑rice is coming out – "Ahhh! I smell the sacred ''prasādam'' of Bhagavān." I see the incense stick – I smell, that reminds me of God. So anything – ''śabda'', ''sparśa'', ''rūpa'', ''rasa'', ''gandha'' – if it is associated with God, it helps us progress, evolve. But the same things, when they are directed towards worldly objects without taking into consideration God, those very things will keep us bound for some time. Nothing can keep us bound forever, because by nature we are pure souls.

So these sense organs are called seven ''ṛṣis''. What are these seven ''ṛṣis'' in our body? Sense organs – seven sense organs: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and the mouth. The mouth means taste – actually it can also be a sense organ, what is called an organ of action; it can also be an organ of knowledge. When we are eating, "this food is tasty" – the same tongue, the same mouth acts like an organ of knowledge. But when the same mouth starts to speak, it acts as ''vāgindriya''. So ''vāgindriya'' is one of the sense organs of action. So our body is nothing but five inputs and five outputs – five organs to bring in knowledge, five organs to put them into action – "I want to smell this, I want to see this, I want to taste this, I want to hear this, I want to touch this." Our whole transactions are nothing but only this one.

So, that is why the seven ''ṛṣis'' are mentioned especially, – we may come to that later on. ''Ṛṣi'' means the instrument of knowledge – all our sense organs: the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, and the mouth (of course the skin is excluded, but the skin also we will have to consider). All these gather knowledge and they help us, though temporarily they bind us, but ultimately they bring us nearer – those very sense organs, they make us glorious by bringing us nearer to God.
==The Division into Mūrta and Amūrta==
The next section in this second ''Brāhmaṇa'' – the second chapter, sections are there – the whole creation is divided into ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta''. In brief, there are five elements. The whole creation is nothing but a combination of space, air, fire, water, and earth. In these, the air and space are not visible – they are experienceable but not visible. That is why they are called ''amūrta''. ''Mūrta'' means visible; ''amūrta'' means not visible, not directly manifest, but indirectly manifest.

So the universe is fundamentally, nothing but these five elements, and these five elements – they become our mind and they become our physical body, they become every object in this world, and each one of us reacts, acting and reacting to this objectified world – that is called ''saṃsāra''. Then we develop attachments, likes, dislikes, and their goals – everything depends upon this.
===Mūrta and Amūrta Defined===
So the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell, first of all, the whole universe is divided into ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta''. ''Mūrta'' refers to the gross, mortal, limited, and visible elements – earth, water, and fire – while the ''amūrta'' (invisible) refers to the subtle, immortal, unlimited, and invisible elements – space and air. The physical body being ''mūrta'' – and ''amūrta'' – the physical body is visible, but our mind is not visible. That is why it is called the subtle body, and much less visible is the causal body.

Because this mind contains impressions from innumerable lives – even it is hidden for each one of us – how much are we aware of our impressions? And even when we are aware, are we aware whether they are helpful or (whether) they are leading us, dragging us downwards? Simply a man says, like an ignorant baby, "I want to eat" – whether that is taking him down or helping him to evolve into a higher life – that is a different issue.
===Memory and Its Role===
So these ''vāsanās'' – that is nothing but our past experiences coloured – they can also be called ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'', visible and invisible. So if I have interacted with some person and it is there in the memory, that is called visible memory. But what happened ten days back, one year back, when I was a child – many things we forget, which is of course a great thing, (because) if otherwise, if we are flooded with every memory, we will go mad.

So this entire creation consisting of the five elements, both gross and subtle, is divided into visible – which is earth, water, and fire (because we can see the earth, we can see the water, we can see the fire) – but air we cannot see, much less space – nevertheless, they are experienceable. That is why air and space are called ''amūrta''. So ''amūrta'' and ''mūrta'' – that is the entire creation.
==Satyasya Satyam – The Truth of Truth==
So why this division? Because that is a fact. But now, the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to introduce that this whole world that we are experiencing – the whole world which consists of both ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'', visible and invisible is called – the Upanishads give a particular name: ''Satyam'' – means truth.

But what is it that is manifesting as both ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'', visible and invisible? That is ''Paramātman''. ''Paramātman'' is the cause; its creation is the effect. ''Paramātman'' is the main – ''Paramātman'' is not caused by anything else, but this universe is caused by the ''Paramātman''. That is why it is called ''kārya'' or effect, or ''vikāra''.
===Swami Turiyānanda's Statement Revisited===
Now what is the point? Yesterday we discussed it – I hope you remember. So Swami Turiyānanda is saying: "''Brahma satyam, jagat satyam''." Before realization, we have only half‑baked knowledge – that this creation is a trap, is a net, and we are ignorant. Ignorance is trying to trap us by making us thinking "I am the body, I am the mind" – that is called ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'' – by making me identify with the ''mūrta'' which is the physical body (visible, experienceable by everybody) and this ''amūrta'' which only I can have a little glimpse into. So this is called ''Satyam''.

What is the point? The point is to say: do not say it is unreal. That is why Śaṅkara was constrained to define it: it is neither real nor unreal – neither ''sat'' nor ''asat'' – it is something indefinable. So what is this ''asat''? That is called ''mithyā''. Yesterday I told you what ''mithyā'' is. When we experience any object and understand it only as the ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'', the effect, but not the cause – and our understanding is ''mithyā'', half‑truth. But when a person goes to the very cause of this ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'' – visible and invisible – which is nothing but the real Soul, ''Paramātman'', then he understands: if ''Brahman'' is ''satyam'', this world cannot be untruth. Why? Because there cannot be two things called truth and untruth.
===The Logic of Satyam===
A beautiful logic is involved here. ''Brahman'' is ''satyam jñānam anantam''. And if we accept this world is also ''satyam'', then there are (two) – ''Brahman'' is one and this world is another. No – ''Brahman'' half‑understood is called the world, creation; and creation fully understood is called ''Brahman''. That is why the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell: ''Paramātman'' – ''Satyasya Satyam''.

But why does the ''Upaniṣad'' use the word ''satyam''? It could have used the word ''mithyā'', because – "O man, before realization, what you think is real is ''mithyā''." ''Mithyā'' means half‑truth, like a snake is a half‑truth. But when light is brought, then the snake in its full nature is nothing but rope. The knowledge of the rope in semi‑darkness is half‑truth, which manifests in the form of the snake – ''Rajju-Sarpa-Bhrānti (रज्जु-सर्प-भ्रान्ति).'' But in daylight, when full knowledge comes – ''nirvikalpa samādhi'' is experienced, when ''Brahma'' knowledge – ''Aham Brahmasmi'' – comes – after that, the question of ''mithyā'' does not arise.
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example===
Because, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says, "when I open my eyes, I see ''Brahman''. When I close my eyes, I see ''Brahman''." Do not think "when I close my eyes, I am able to experience ''Brahman''; when I open my eyes, I am experiencing something else." What is opening the eyes? It is called ''nāma-rūpa''. Same (as) I gave yesterday the illustration of a wax garden: for a baby who does not have full knowledge, the tree, the animal, the bird – everything is different. But for a grown‑up person, everything is wax. But because this wax is not in a mere lump form, but it is manifested in the form of many forms (and) therefore many names, and therefore– it is called forgetting the wax, only focusing upon names and forms – is called ''mithyā''.

So you look at any object – "this is a man" – but as long as you look at the name and form of this person called "man", then your knowledge is called ''mithyā''. But after realization, everything is nothing but pure ''Brahman''. So ''Brahman'' without ''nāma-rūpa'' is ''Brahman''; ''Brahman'' with ''nāma-rūpa'' is the creation, is the world.
===The Practical Teaching===
That is why the ''Upaniṣad'' introduces this word S''atya'': ''Satyasya Satyam'' – "the truth of the truth." The ''Upaniṣad'' is telling: once you know the truth, then you see the same truth, because this world is not ''mithyā''. Until realization, it should be considered as a ''mithyā'', because ''mithyā'' is something which is negative in its effect; therefore we should try to give it up. But after realization, it is nothing but pure truth – ''ekam sat advitīyam'' (एकं सत् अद्वितीयम्)– there is nothing second.
==The Method of Apavāda (Negation)==
So until we realize the truth, what should be our ''sādhanā'' (spiritual practice)? For that, it is written in this ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad'' here only – the process in Vedāntic terms is called ''apavāda''. ''Apavāda'' means negation. Negation means what? Many times we translate this word ''apavāda'' or ''neti neti'' (as) "not this, not this, not this". But according to our knowledge from the teachings of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, when we say "not only this", what I know is not complete knowledge – I need fuller knowledge. So therefore, until that time, I will not be satisfied. That is called ''neti neti'' – ''na iti, na iti'' – twice. The word is used twice. And Śaṅkarācārya, of course, adds his own commentary saying: why is the same word – once used will not do? Why use it twice? For that, his answer is: complete, absolute negation.
===Negation as Incomplete Knowledge===
And negation means what? I am trying to explain this in the light of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words. Negation means: "this is not the complete knowledge of God" – otherwise it degenerates into unreality. What I know is ''Brahman'' only, but my knowledge of ''Brahman'' is half‑baked knowledge, inadequate knowledge, not full knowledge. That is called ''neti neti'' – that is called ''niṣedha'', that is called ''apavāda''.

So for this, ''Vedānta'' uses a peculiar methodology called ''prakriyā''. What is it? First, it says that everything is ''adhyāropa'' – everything is "oh, this is true, this is true – body is true, mind is true, everything is true." So you are the body and mind. But now you go on using this body and mind for a better purpose, because what is it you want? I want greater happiness for a longer time, and there is a method. For that, you have to train the body and mind. So for that, ''Karma Kāṇḍa'' is given, and when we experience ''Karma Kāṇḍa, practise it'' and experience the result of ''Karma Kāṇḍa'', our happiness would be the greatest.
===The True Meaning of Neti Neti===
So that is what is meant. ''Neti neti'' means "this is not real, this is not real." Often I think it is an incomplete expression. What would be the complete expression? "This is not the whole of reality. This is not the whole of reality." We are not saying it is not reality; we are saying it is incomplete reality, incomplete knowledge. So let me acquire more and more knowledge – complete knowledge. But this incomplete knowledge creates attachments, detachments, hatred, love, etc., making us stick to this world. But that is to be given up through (a) certain methodology called ''sādhanā''. For that, ''upāsanas'' are indicated.

Slowly so the sense organs are elevated to a ''ṛṣi'', just as we discussed now. And then, "Oh, all the ''ṛṣis'' are in me. That means I am the ''ṛṣi''. Every ''ṛṣi'' is a knower of truth. So I am a knower of truth. And who can be a knower of truth? Only God can be a knower of truth. So I am God – I am divine." For that purpose, I have to give up incomplete knowledge and I have to acquire complete knowledge. So progressing like a scientist – "this hypothesis is quite good, but something else has to be modified" – like that we go on modifying. That is the meaning of ''neti neti''.
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Thorn Example===
And Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa gives this example: if your foot is stuck with smaller thorns, take out a bigger thorn, and with that thorn you remove all the smaller thorns. And what do you do with that other thorn? Even that thorn which helped us, which helps a person to get rid of all the other thorns, should be thrown out.

And that is explained by one commentator:

First ''neti'' is – go on saying, that is I will be going on saying: "this is not ''Brahman'', this is not ''Brahman'', this is not ''Brahman'', this is not ''Brahman''." But when I go on progressing, then I see that this entire ''mūrta'' and ''amūrta'', ''kārya-kāraṇa-saṅghāta'', entire creation has been negated.

But negated by whom? By one thought in the mind – and even that thought, which is in the form of "I am the negator", and that is represented by the second ''neti'': "I am not even the negator. I am neither the affirmer nor the negator." And when one practises this, the '''I'' ' totally (gets) self‑destructs, and what remains is pure truth, which is ''Brahman''.
==Conclusion and Preview==
So this is going to be the development. We are going to see – what I want to see now in the next class is actually quote some of these ''mantras'', because as I said, even the very utterance of the ''mantras'' can be very helpful, because they are coming from the mouth – that is why they are called ''mantras'' from the mouths of ''ṛṣis'', realized souls. The ''Gospel'' has come from the mouth of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, the greatest ''avatāra'' according to Hindus. So whatever came out, that is the truth – ''paramasatyam'', ultimate truth. Whatever came out of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa's mouth is the ultimate truth.

So we have to surrender ourselves to the Lord, but we can obtain His grace. And slowly we acquire the capacity – it is only His grace which can really work in the form of knowledge. His grace comes in the form of the knowledge. So some of the ''mantras'' – only selected – even I may not read entire ''mantra'', but only the relevant portion of it, because there are lots of descriptions which neither we need nor we remember. We will do this in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-4.14 Lecture 54 on 26 July 2026

2026-09-02T19:44:50Z

Sachidanand: Devanagari Invocation, missing words and sentences, and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction: The Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa==
Yesterday we completed the Ajātaśatru Brāhmaṇa, where Ajātaśatru was trying to convey that the nature of ''Brahman'' is full of bliss, and a glimpse of that state is easily understood when we study the deep sleep state. Today we are going to start a new teaching, and that is called the Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa. That is very important for us to understand. So this is the most popular ''Brāhmaṇam'', and there are some beautiful parallels – some of the most wonderful ideas we get in this ''Brāhmaṇam''.

And what are they? Before we dive into the actual text, I would like to give a sense of what the chapter really wants us to understand. When we study these things deeply, we can understand how Sri Ramakṛṣṇa also conveyed exactly the same thing. So when the time comes, I will of course discuss parallelly. So what are the essential points of this chapter?
==The Essential Points of the Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa==
===Point One: God Is the Only Source of Bliss===
Number one: God or ''Ātman'' is the only source of bliss. That is specially this point – the source of bliss, ''ānanda'', is only in God, in ''Ātman'', in ''Brahman'', and in nothing else, in no other object. If at all we are deriving, or thinking we are deriving some pleasure or happiness or joy, it is a mistake. Every object in this world is only a mirror reflecting our own hidden nature which consists of ''Sat'', ''Cit'', and ''Ānanda''. So what we are seeking really is ''Ānanda'' – bliss. When we are running after any object, we are not running after the object; we are running only (after) what we can squeeze from that object. And that object does not really have anything to be squeezed. All this effort only removes that curtain which is hiding that happiness from within ourselves, from ourselves. We are just removing with the help of the object that curtain, and that is what we call the mistake – that we are getting happiness from some object.
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Examples===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa gives many examples, but two: the camel chewing on thorny bushes, and a dog trying to chew the bone – that is a beautiful analogy, we get it.

So God is the only source of bliss – ''Ānanda Svarūpa'' – and we love any object that we mistake, that it is giving me happiness. The greater happiness we think is derived from any object, the greater would be our love. Which leads to the conclusion: the moment we understand, or the moment we come to know "this object no longer gives me happiness", it will be thrown out like an untouchable – like a sugarcane that has been chewed, all the juice has been sucked into, like that, we will not keep it for a second.

Therefore, this particular Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa – it is called Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa, even though it is a dialogue between Yājñavalkya and Maitreyī – (teaches that) no one loves any object but for one's own happiness, which is already within each one of us.
===Point Two: God Realisation Is the Only Goal===
Yājñavalkya specifically tells that 'God realization is the only goal of life' – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's conclusion in his five commandments: '<nowiki/>''Īśvara sākṣātkāra Īśvara darśana''' is the only goal of life.
===Point Three: Worldly Possessions Cannot Give Immortality===
Fourth, worldly possessions cannot give immortality. Worldly possessions may help us to gain some amount of pleasure – that too under so many restrictions – but they can never free us from this limitation of time, space, and causation. Immortality means ''mokṣa'', ''mukti'', liberation – whatever names we call. No worldly possession is ever going to give us happiness, (''mukti means'' happiness). When a man is suffering from intense toothache, he may be the greatest believer in this world, but he will not be able to derive "Oh, this is okay, but I have got lots of possessions" – that possessions will not minus this pain; that is not going to happen. Nobody can stop growing old, growing diseased, (and) finally attaining death. No amount of possessions can ever grant us (that). That is why only ''jñāna'', ''Ātma jñāna'', can help us.
===Point Four: Sanyāsa – The Ultimate Stage===
This Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa teaches us what is the way: withdraw the mind from these external and internal objects, and that state of withdrawal is called ''sanyāsa'' – whether it is external ''sanyāsa'', which is not very important, but more important is internal ''sanyāsa'' – that is the ultimate stage of human evolution, which is to know that "I do not belong to the world; the world also does not belong to me." That is called ''sanyāsa''.

As we all know, Hinduism divides the whole life into four stages. In fact, the whole life itself into four stages, beginning with dominance of ''tamoguṇa'', lessening of ''tamoguṇa'', increment of ''rajoguṇa'', then lessening of ''rajoguṇa'', increment of ''sattvaguṇa'', and possessing mostly ''sattvaguṇa''. These are called ''castes'' –

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागश: । (first line of Bhagavat Gita 4.13॥

''cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ'' – whether a person is dominantly ''sāttvika'', ''rājasika'', or ''tāmasika'' – that makes his real caste, not birth caste.
===Point Five: Sanyāsa Is the Ultimate Goal===
Worldly positions cannot give. ''Sanyāsa'' is the ultimate stage. Everybody has to attain to that stage now or later. Realization of ''Ātman'', ''Brahman'', Self, means seeing everything as ''Brahman'', knowing that there is nothing other than ''Brahman'' – “सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म” , ''sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma''.
===Point Six: Everyone Has a Right===
And the next sixth point is: anyone – man, woman, Indian, non‑Indian, Hindu, non‑Hindu – everybody has a right. Each soul is potentially divine, and the goal of life is to manifest that divinity, which is called God realization. And to do this, as Swami Vivekananda squeezed the essence of it, either through ''Karma Yoga'', ''Bhakti Yoga'', ''Rāja Yoga'', ''Jñāna Yoga'' – by one or more, or all of this put together – and be free. This is the whole of religion.
===Point Seven: The Goal for Every Life===
So in this Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa, the seventh point: there is a definite goal for every life. Even the goal of an amoeba is only God realization, but it has to go (evolve) in order to become a fit ''adhikārī'' – ''sādhanā-catuṣṭaya-sampanna''. That is why so many chances are given.
===Point Eight: The Method – Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana===
So what is the way? ''Śravaṇa'', ''manana'', ''nididhyāsana''. What is ''śravaṇa''? Cultivate ''satsaṅga'', hear good things, read good things, see good things – "भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः", ''bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ'' – that ''bhadram'' means hear about God, think about God, see only that which provokes the thoughts of God. And then, that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: cultivate holy company.

Then he says: now and then go into solitary places – that is called ''manana'' – where there are least number of obstacles; make the mind completely withdraw from the thoughts of past and future and focus on God. That is called going into solitude. In solitude, think of the only ''Ātman'', ''Brahman''. And ''nididhyāsana'' through the practice of discrimination – ''viveka'', ''vairāgya'', etc. ''Nididhyāsana'' means become completely one with reality, with ''Brahman'', with ''Ātman'' – that is called God realisation.zExamples from History

This Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa also is being repeated. For example, what did Chaitanya Mahāprabhu's wife Viṣṇupriyā do? What did Buddha's wife Yaśodharā do? They all followed the footsteps of their husbands. When Holy Mother came to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, he explained to her what he wanted in his life and (asked): "What do you want?" She said: "I want to follow your footsteps. Whatever you want, that is what I want. You want God – I also want God."

Yājñavalkya said: "I am trying to enter into the fourth stage of life – complete renunciation." And that dialogue takes place. Maitreyī,she also said: "Will I get this immortality for which purpose you are taking to ''sanyāsa''? Will so much of wealth you are leaving behind for me and my co‑wife Kātyāyanī give me immortality?" Yājñavalkya categorically, he denies and says: "No amount of possessions are going to really give immortality, because the only remedy for ''ajñāna'' is ''jñāna''. Obtain this ''jñānam'' – knowledge – either through ''Bhakti'', ''Karma Yoga'', ''Jñāna Yoga'', ''Rāja Yoga'' – by whatever means."
===All Yogas Intertwined===
In fact, every yoga involves all the other three yogas. Nobody can practise exclusively one particular yoga. If somebody is focused upon the form emotionally involved, that is called ''Bhakti Yoga''. When a person is able to withdraw his mind and focus, he develops his willpower – that is called ''Rāja Yoga''. When a person can worship everything as God, that is called ''Karma Yoga''. Any person through the practice of discrimination and dispassion progresses towards God – that is called ''Jñāna Yoga''. So every yoga requires all the other faculties – emotion, willpower, discrimination, and detachment.
===Holy Mother's Example===
So that is what we are going to see. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa tested Holy Mother: "What do you want? Do you want children?" Do you think Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is ignorant that Holy Mother will ask? Let me directly ask her if she wants children through me – and he said: "I can give you." It is a marvellous episode reminding us of Yājñavalkya and Maitreyī. And Holy Mother said: "No, I also want to follow your footsteps."

Now, do you think Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was not knowing what Holy Mother was going to do? He absolutely knew it, but for our sake he wanted to test – these all these words: "Do you want God or do you want worldly possessions?" – it is for our sake. Not only that, that also illustrates Holy Mother was not literate and yet she was qualified. She was a woman – women also can realize. We see in the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka'' so many women – especially Gārgī challenges Yājñavalkya, the greatest ''Brahmajñānī'', the greatest scholar.
===Anyone Can Realize===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also knew: anybody – it does not matter. Latu Mahārāja belonged to a shepherd's caste; Kānakadāsa belonged to the lowest caste – all these people have attained ''mukti'', ''nirvāṇa'', or ''amṛtatvam'' because they were qualified. That is the point. So man or woman, anybody following any particular religion or no religion – but if they do the right path, follow the footsteps of the great, then they will realize God. That is a great lesson. That is why Hinduism is so generous – it does not want to convert anybody because it believes every path leads to the same infinite God. Infinite God has infinite pathways which can take anybody, provided they want it and they want only God, nothing else.
===Kāma-Kāñcana===
So these are the essential points, and as and when the occasion arises, we will also quote from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Wealth cannot give any position. When Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says ''kāma-kāñcana'' is together – that is called worldliness – exactly what Yājñavalkya was telling that: these things can give, under certain circumstances, some amount of pleasure and satisfaction. He is not saying they do not give – they will give, definitely. ''Dharma'' will give more ''puṇyam'' – more ''puṇyam'' means more ''sukham'' – but it does not mean that they will bring immortality. One cannot be attached to limitedness and at the same time desire "I want to be unlimited." If you want limited, then you cannot have unlimited. If you want unlimited, you cannot stop at the limited, we have to understand these things. So these are the essential points.
==The Central Figure – Maitreyī==
Now I will go into a little more details of it. This particular ''Brāhmaṇam'' – this is called Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇam''. Why? Because Maitreyī – the central figure; Yājñavalkya is only an incidental figure. Why do I call Yājñavalkya an incidental figure? Because we have to understand Swami Vivekananda's statement: "When the field is ready, the seed will come." Was Maitreyī ready? If she was not ready, Yājñavalkya would not have taught her, and he was a '<nowiki/>''knower'' of ''Brahman'<nowiki/>'' – a '<nowiki/>''knower'' of ''Brahman''' means directly ''Brahman''. He is not somebody who is having the knowledge of ''Brahman'' like we have the knowledge of a tree, a man, etc. Knowledge of ''Brahman'' means knowledge of God, knowledge of everything – and such persons know who is asking, whether they are fit. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, as we know, used to tell "go and enjoy the gardens" because they were not ready for the teaching – not because he did not like them. There are no likes and dislikes in a God‑realised soul.
===The Ready Recipient===
So this is especially about Maitreyī. Anybody who is ready – if it were not Yājñavalkya, somebody else would have come and taught to Maitreyī. That is an important point we have to understand, instead of going on weeping: "Oh, if only I get a great Guru, then I would have progressed in spiritual life" – such is one of the greatest superstitions. Guru can give only what we are capable of receiving – no more, not even one billionth of a milligram, we can add.
===Maitreyī's Choice===
So this is especially Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇam'' – how she was ready. And when the occasion came, she chose like Naciketā chose between ''śreyas'' and ''preyas''. So Maitreyī chose not ''preyas'', whereas Kātyāyanī meekly accepted ''preyas''. ''Preyas'' means Yājñavalkya was a very rich man, because he was a great scholar – so many students used to come, and many of the students were from rich families, and their parents were very pleased with Yājñavalkya; they used to donate a lot of things. Janaka himself had declared one thousand cows, and both horns of each cow were covered with thick golden cover. Yājñavalkya, even before the discussion started, had commanded one of his disciples to drive the cows home because he knew he was not proud – a person who is to be proud, a knower of ''Brahman'', can never be proud – but he has absolute assurance. Nobody is a realized soul here; everybody lacks something. "I know ''Brahman''; others do not know ''Brahman''" – like Ajātaśatru had so much assurance. So Janaka understood: "This is not a scholar of ''Brahman''; he is a ''knower'' of ''Brahman''" – that is why he accepted. And Yājñavalkya also made Janaka a ''Brahmajñānī'' exactly like himself.
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example===
So that is what we need to understand. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa gave, by mere wish, ''nirvikalpa samādhi'' to Narendranāth at Kāśīpur on Śivarātri night I think, then that is called... because ''Brahman'' can do anything. It was not Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa; it was Mother Kālī, who is none other than ''Brahman'' herself.
===The Heroine – Maitreyī===
So we have to understand these facts and bring them in here, which will facilitate our understanding of this Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇa''. This is the most marvellous thing we have to understand. So the central figure – the heroine, as it were – is Maitreyī, and the teaching automatically flows. When a lake is dug, water will automatically flow – there is no need to invite; whenever there is rain or whenever water overflows from other lakes, etc., straight they seek where they can be held. Maitreyī was one hundred percent such a recipient. That is why she is the central figure – heroine, as we say – and Yājñavalkya was only an incidental figure. Remember: incidental means, if it was not his name – it was Yājñavalkya – anybody who teaches, you can name him as Yājñavalkya; somebody or other would have come.
==Sanyāsa – The Ultimate Stage==
This Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇa'' highlights ''sanyāsa''. And what is ''sanyāsa'' ,we have to understand – it is not the external donning of an ochre robe. ''Sanyāsa'' means complete detachment with the knowledge: everything is temporary, changing, and partial truth; only ''Brahman'' is the ultimate, hundred percent truth – ''Satyasya Satyam''. Therefore, ''sanyāsa'' is the readiness to become one with that ''Satyasya Satyam'', which is ''Brahman''.
===Karma Kāṇḍa Is Limited===
So for attaining ''Brahma Vidyā'' or identity with everything – self‑knowledge – because ''Karma Kāṇḍa'' (ritualistic actions) are limited, their results are limited. Since actions are limited by time, space, and causation, their results are also limited. Limited efforts can only bring limited results.
===The Chapter's Opening===
So Yājñavalkya teaches. Now the next point that comes is: what is the first point? ''Sanyāsa''. The chapter starts with Yājñavalkya's statement: "''Are Maitreyī'' – I am about to give up this – or expand myself from this –''gṛhastha'' life into a ''sannyāsīn''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s life." He did not mention ''vānaprastha'', because he was already a ''jknower'' of ''Brahman''. But why did he want to take ''sanyāsa''? Would it hurt or harm his ''Brahma jñāna'' if he had not taken ''sanyāsa (first leaving)''? No!
===The Purpose of Sanyāsa===
First of all, when a person becomes a knower of ''Brahman'' – which means he becomes one with ''Brahman'', which means the individuality is no longer there – which means, whatever that person does is the will of God. So only a ''Brahmajñānī'' can say one hundred percent: ''śokali tamāri icchā'' – "Everything is Your will, O Mother." So it is God's will. And then ''sampradāya'' – tradition, because every religion requires a ''sampradāya'', tradition. Tradition next to scripture – first God, then scriptures, then tradition. This is how the greatest teachings are coming down to us. So the tradition has to be maintained.
===Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Sanyāsa===
Why did Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa take ''sanyāsa''? Was it necessary for him? He attained ''nirvikalpa samādhi'' even in the very first ''sādhanā'' – intuitively he realised ''nirvikalpa samādhi''. But then to demonstrate – many people may mistakenly think: "Since Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa achieved without the help of any teacher, I can also do the same thing" – many can fall into that error, like many devotees of Ramana Maharṣi fell into that error, and is likely to fall into error in future also. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted to keep the tradition. That is why Swami Śaradānandaji described so beautifully: the day Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa took ''sanyāsa'', the Ganges was overflowing with joy – she was dancing. One of the greatest ancient ''ṛṣis'' had again taken up ''sanyāsa'' to revive the system of ''sanyāsa'' again into this sacred land of Bhārata.
===Vividhiṣā Sanyāsa vs. Vidvat Sanyāsa ===
So this is what we have to understand. It is not that Yājñavalkya needed to complete his knowledge of ''Brahman'', but he was inspired from within by God to take up ''sanyāsa'' so that he can inspire other people for whom taking up ''sanyāsa'' is very helpful. Everybody does not become a ''sannyāsīn'' mentally automatically – very few people. So gradual evolution from ''Gṛhasthāśrama'', then to ''Vānaprasthāśrama'', then unto ''Sanyāsāśrama''. And even in the ''Sanyāsāśrama'', our tradition divides it into two: ''vividhiṣā sanyāsa'' and ''vidvat sanyāsa''.

''Vividhiṣā sanyāsa'' means the desire to realise God – and so many obstructions and obstacles one might have to face if one lives in the householder's life or in the world. So in the company of fellow ''sannyāsīns'', it will be a great help. That is called ''vividhiṣā''. But Yājñavalkya's ''sanyāsa'' was ''vidvat sanyāsa'' – Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's ''sanyāsa'' was ''vidvat sanyāsa''. ''Vidvat'' means "after realization" – to keep up the tradition, to encourage, to inspire, to be idealistic to other people, then one can take to ''sanyāsa''.
===The Announcement===
So this is what we have to understand. So he makes a statement: "I am about to take up ''sanyāsa'' life." That means I will have to give up both my wives – Maitreyī and Kātyāyanī – "but you don't worry; I am not going to abandon you just for my convenience. I have plenty of money, and I have equally divided it between you – both of you accept."
===Maitreyī's Question===
In a way, Yājñavalkya knew about Maitreyī – he was testing Maitreyī. Then Maitreyī asks: "What for are you going to take up ''sanyāsa''?" Then he said – he must have said, we do not have it in the original ''mantras'' – "Even though I know what ''Brahman'' is, but for the sake of creating, continuing a tradition, I will have to take up ''sanyāsa''." Then immediately Maitreyī asks: "Can I obtain the same knowledge of ''Brahman'' – which is called immortality, ''mukti'', ''mokṣa'', liberation – through possessions – enormous possessions, riches of your property, etc., possessions etc.?" And he says: "There is no hope, neither in the past, nor at the present, nor in the future – not for anybody. Only ''sanyāsa'' is the only way."
===The Meaning of Sanyāsa===
''Sanyāsa'' is a mental condition which is accompanied by the peak of discrimination – ''viveka'' – the highest renunciation called ''vairāgya'', complete control of the body and mind, and the acquisition of all the required sixfold spiritual qualities – ''kṣamā'', ''dama'', ''titikṣā'', ''uparati'', ''śraddhā'', ''samādhāna'' – and "I want only God, nothing but God." ''Mumukṣutvam'' means like a person whose head is burning – has caught fire – and he saw a pool of water. Just imagine what do you think this person will do? Even if God comes and then says "I am pleased with you, I want to speak with you", he will simply kick aside that God, because when the head is burning, the first requirement is to keep it cool – otherwise God will also fly away from a burning head.
===Maitreyī's Qualifications===
So Maitreyī had those qualities. Of course, Yājñavalkya was a ''vidvat sannyāsī'' – that is the point we have to understand. And for that, ''sanyāsa'' is the only way – there is no other way. So this discourse establishes that ''sanyāsa'' is the requirement.
==The Second Point – Everyone Loves Only the Ātman==
Then the next beautiful point: we are all seeking – every creature, every living creature right from amoeba is seeking only pleasure, happiness, etc. And we are mistakenly thinking – worldly objects, worldly possessions can give us what we are seeking. No, they cannot give. On the other hand, not only can they not give, but they stand as the greatest obstructions.
===Love for the Ātman===
Here is a point: as Yājñavalkya points out, that everybody loves only ''Ātman'', because ''Ātman'' is of the nature of love. We have seen in the first chapter of the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka'' – fourth section – that the ''Ātman'' is loved more than one's son, more than one's wife, then everything else. That is being expanded here that: everybody loves ''Ātman''. What is ''Ātman''? Infinite Bliss. Nobody loves anything else – everybody loves. So every object we might mistake at the beginning that – happiness or pleasure comes from this object. But over the course of evolution, we come to understand that true happiness, first of all, does not lie in the object. Secondly, the object is only helping us to remove that desire, and removal of desire is equivalent to – becoming one's own self.
===The Lake Analogy===
You are like a calm lake. Suddenly something is thrown there and a number of wavelets will arise there. That is why Swami Vivekananda gives this analogy while discussing the ''Patañjali Yoga Sūtras'': in a vast, huge calm lake, you throw a stone – immediately the ripples are seen; at first (they) are small, then they spread and they spread and they spread. When Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa gives the example, when a huge ship passes through Gaṅgā, the ripples are felt and they are so strong that sometimes they can even drown smaller boats or people. So the ripple effect will be there.
===The Function of Objects===
Now Yājñavalkya is teaching that process that – not only objects by themselves – as their inherent property, as their nature, do not possess any, not even one iota, but they help us remove our own desire, and our desire acts as a cover for our experiencing our own ''ātmananda'' – Self‑bliss) So as soon as the cover is removed, we again experience that bliss, which is our true nature. So an object temporarily, in a very limited way, helps us to regain our own ''ātmananda'' – that is their function. But since the same object can also produce more attachment, therefore more ignorance, therefore more of a spiritual obstacle – they have to be given up.
===Not Loved for the Sake of the Object===
Yājñavalkya wants to teach that "If I love you, I am not loving you as a husband loves a wife – I love you as God loves Himself: you are my own self. Kātyāyanī is my own self." If you are loving me, and Yājñavalkya gives a very elongated description :

न वा अरे पत्युः कामाय पतिः प्रियो भवति, न वा अरे जाया (selected portions of verse 2.4.5)

''na vā are patyukāmayā patiḥ priyo bhavati, na vā are jāyā'' – that is, "the husband is not loved for the sake of the husband, but for the sake of one's own self." That means for the sake of one's own ''ātmananda'' – the bliss which is one's own nature. Anything that does not give happiness, we immediately remove it. Anything that gives happiness, we use it as long as it yields that or removes that cloud, that curtain – that is all its function. But in course of time, we understand that there is another way where permanently no disturbance will ever cover up this Self‑bliss. That is the point.
===The Second Point Summarised===
So that is the second point is – that nobody loves anybody else. A husband does not love the wife for the sake of the wife, so also the wife does not love the husband for the sake of the husband, but for her own bliss – to regain her own lost bliss. And Yājñavalkya, crystal clear, says: ''Ātman'' is the only source of supreme bliss. Therefore, the realization of ''Ātman'' is the only goal of life, and this ''Ātman'' must be realized.
===The Threefold Process===
But how to do it? Through the threefold process of ''śravaṇa'', ''manana'', ''nididhyāsana''. So by understanding that the Self is everything, an individual achieves ''sarvātmabhāva''. That is, a ''jīvanmukta'' sees everything as ''Brahman'' only when he is associated with the body‑mind. But if he is not associated, he will remain completely one with ''Brahman'', where he does not say ''sarvātmabhāva'' – "everything is ''Brahman''" – there is no everything. When there is no everything, even that idea of "one thing" , that also disappears. So a state of wholeness when the ''Ātman'' is realized, and when the ''dṛśya prapañca'' (the perceived world) is seen as non‑different from ''Brahman''.
===Why the Universe Is Called Mithyā===
So why is this universe called ''mithyā''? Because it depends upon somebody else. A very simple fact often we forget: when I see a sweet, the sweet depends upon its very existence upon my cognition. I see a sweet – if I do not see a sweet, I may see a snake – that is a different issue. So I see a sweet and it is a very desirable thing – again, that is my idea. Then if I get it, I will be happy – again, that is my idea. So it is my perception alone that brings – the external world has nothing to do with everything. That is called – the ''sṛṣṭi'' lacks independence. It depends upon ''Brahman''. That ''Brahman'' is manifesting within us in the form of eye‑consciousness.
==The Maitreyī-Yājñavalkya Dialogue in Context==
That is what Yājñavalkya taught. And what is the context? The Maitreyī ''Brāhmaṇa'' appears in both the second and fourth chapters of the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad''. In this very ''Śukla Yajurveda'' part of the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad'', this Maitreyī‑Yājñavalkya dialogue appears twice. Now we are getting into the second chapter, but the fourth chapter – exactly the same thing is repeated verbatim, excepting a few words difference here and there. Therefore, we do not need really to study that one once we study this one. And the repetition also highlights how important in all this ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad'' these marvellous facts: we are all seekers of happiness; we are all under the mistaken notion that happiness lies in the objects that we are experiencing. There is no happiness in objects – they only help us in the beginning to remove the obstacle to experience our own happiness, sv''ātmananda''. That is the point.
===The Central Theme===
So the central theme of this dialogue is ''Brahmavidyā'', specifically the teaching of ''jīvātma-paramātma aikyavodhana''. I think just like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa made Holy Mother his own by loving her totally, and then, even if she did not want, he would not have stopped until he inspired her into realising her own Self. So this also perhaps is pointing out every husband's duty is to awaken the wife's spiritual consciousness. Actually, marriage is meant for that – to help each other, as if husband and wife are co‑pilgrims; they have desired to reach God – that is called going to God (on) pilgrimage – and both are weak, so one helps each other physically, mentally, financially in every possible way– helping each other, and that is the ideal householder's life.
===Holy Mother's Service===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa inspired Holy Mother, and Holy Mother also served Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa as the most obedient shishya(disciple). So like that, every husband has to do. And about every good wife, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also has to say – a ''vidyāstrī'' especially mentioned that word – she will not allow her husband to spend more money, because more money means he has to work hard; more work means he will have less opportunity and more distractions thinking about God. Every time she will try to inspire her husband to tread the path of spirituality, and many times if he is not sensitive to that idea, she herself undertakes beautiful hardships in the form of austerity to pray for her husband.
===The Example of Nava Gopāla Ghosh's Wife===
I hope some bells ring in your minds – just like Nava Gopāl Ghosh's wife or Kālīpada Ghosh's wife came to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother – and he was a drunkard, lecherous fellow, immoral fellow – but she was a great chaste wife, and she obtained the grace of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Holy Mother through her prayers. As a result, he became one of the greatest devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. So husband and wife – not only do they have to inspire each other with spirituality, they have to do the same thing with the children also. So ultimately, both of them, they have to reach that knowledge where "I am not ''jīvātman''; I am ''Paramātman'' – ''jīvātma-paramātma aikya jñānam''." That is the very essence of every ''Upaniṣad'', especially this particular ''Brāhmaṇa''.
==Śaṅkarācārya's View on Sanyāsa==
Śaṅkarācārya says formal ''sanyāsa'' is necessary, and even as householders one can take 'mental' ''sanyāsa'' and live exactly like external ''sannyāsīns'', following only – they do not don the robes of an ochre cloth. That is all. Then of course Śaṅkarācārya goes on discussing that ''Gṛhasthāśrama'' is the main ''āśrama'' for the performance of ''Karma Kāṇḍa'', as advocated in the first portion of the ''Vedas'' called ''Karma Kāṇḍa''. And for that, rituals are to be done, and they are imposed, prescribed for every householder – they are called ''Pāṅktam (पाङ्क्तम्)''. ''Pāṅktam'' means a group of five – five things are necessary if the Vedic rituals have to be performed by any householder, especially Hindu householder. What is it? A ''pati'', a ''Yajman (यजमान)'' – a married husband, a wife, a son, then material wealth and spiritual wealth (which means scriptural ''mantras''). Because, four of these factors are exclusively meant only for householders. What is common? One – that is the scriptural teachings – are common to ''brahmacārīs'', to householders, to ''vānaprasthis'', and to ''sannyāsīns''. But all the other four are exclusively only for the sake of performing ''gṛhastha's'' certain prescribed Vaidika ''karmas''.
===The Purpose of Karma Kāṇḍa===
Remember, this ''Upaniṣad'' is mentioning Vaidika ''karma'' because this ''Upaniṣad'' is thousands of years old. Nowadays, of course, we transform those ''yajñas'' and ''yāgas'' as ''pūjās'' – even that requires tremendous amount of preparations, etc. Śaṅkarācārya utilises some arguments: how ''karma'' cannot by itself give ''jñānam''; it does not lead to ''mukti''. For that, he gives certain points. What is it? ''Karma'' cannot give ''mukti'' – immortality. Scriptures clearly state that the remedy for ignorance is knowledge alone – for ''ajñāna'', ''avidyā'' – ''jñāna'' ''vidyā'' is the only remedy. Ritualistic actions are prescribed for enjoying this worldly life, purifying one's mind, and slowly evolving towards that ''Vānaprastha'' and ''Sanyāsaśrama'' by experiencing unfulfilled desires, so that after knowing about the nature of those desires, one can slowly, gradually give them up. The purpose of ''Karma Kāṇḍa'' is to purify the man's mind, expand his understanding, slowly make him develop detachment from the world – slowly but surely – and that is the main purpose , and to lead him from ''Karma Kāṇḍa'' to ''Jñāna Kāṇḍa''. That is what we need to understand.

Śruti also encourages this. That is why he says: Śruti says everywhere, ''karma-sanyāsa'' is a necessary thing.
==The Story of Maitreyī and Yājñavalkya – A Brief Summary==
So this is in brief what Śaṅkarācārya wants to say – that it cannot give us that knowledge. So what is briefly the story of Maitreyī and Yājñavalkya?
===The Beginning===
This story begins with Yājñavalkya. He was a householder. He had two wives called Maitreyī and Kātyāyanī. Maitreyī was a great spiritual aspirant, and Kātyāyanī was a very normal householder attached to wealth, possessions, worldly happiness, etc. But she never made any obstruction to her husband Yājñavalkya. So he was a ''knower'' of ''Brahman'', but he wanted to establish a tradition, so he desired to formally become a ''sannyāsī'' – not mentally remaining a ''sannyāsī'', which he already was. And then one day he announced: "I am going to take up the external ''Sanyāsāśrama''." Therefore, he called his wives and said: "I am going to distribute everything, then you will not be lacking anything even if I am not there."
===Maitreyī's Three Questions===
Immediately, the spiritual aspirant that she was, Maitreyī questions: "You are a quite a rich person – so much riches you are giving me. Will it give me ''jñānam'', ''ātmajñānam'', self‑knowledge, knowledge of ''Brahman''? Will it give me ''mukti''?"

Self‑knowledge – ''ātmajñānam'', ''brahmajñānam'', ''mukti'', ''mokṣa'' – synonymous terms.

Yājñavalkya categorically replies in the negative, explaining that if a person has wealth, it provides comfort – certain equipments to see that a life is comfortable. But if the ''prārabdha'' is not cooperating, if the person has to suffer, even all the wealth in this world cannot help a person at all. It cannot provide a happy, peaceful, or immortal one.
===The Profound Declaration===
So he issues a profound declaration: "वित्तेन नामृतत्वस्य आशास्ति" (''vittena nāmṛtatvasya āśāsti'') – "There is no hope of gaining immortality through wealth."

Immediately Maitreyī rejects and says: "What shall I do with that wealth by which I cannot really become immortal as you have become?" – and requests that he bestow upon her the spiritual wisdom that prompted his own renunciation. Maitreyī understood: "He is a ''Brahmajñānī'' – not only my husband but a ''Brahmajñānī'' – and only a ''Brahmajñānī'' can teach ''Brahmajñānam''. I am not going to give up this opportunity."
===Like Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍita===
Like Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍita understood Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, begged him of ''sanyāsa'', obtained ''sanyāsa'' – he was the only ''sannyāsī'' directly obtaining ''sanyāsa'' from the hands of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Maitreyī said: "I will not rest until I attain the same knowledge as my husband. You teach me what you know" – because Maitreyī understood: "You have reached the goal, so I have not reached the goal. Please teach me."
==Conclusion and Preview==
So this is the brief story, and just one or two more points are there; we will discuss (them in our next class, and then immediately go to the original text.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 23 on 11 April 2026

2026-08-23T01:04:40Z

Sachidanand: Added Sanskrit lyrics, words missed and corrected minor errors

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामकृष्णम् जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्महुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum ।''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ॥''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ।।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।।

''OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH ॥''

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
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== Introduction: The Fourth Section of the First Chapter ==
We are studying the fourth section of the first chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. In this fourth section, there are 17 mantras.
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== Recap: The Three Layers of Creation ==
What did we discuss so far? First of all, the creation and its cause. This entire creation is nothing but the manifestation of Hiraṇyagarbha. First it was Īśvara, then Hiraṇyagarbha, then Virāṭ.

This entire creation is consisting of three layers: a gross universe, the subtle universe, and the causal universe. At the universal level, the gross universe is called Virāṭ. At the subtle level, the same universe is called Hiraṇyagarbha. And at the causal level, the same universe is called Īśvara. All three are one and the same.

The difference is how we are able to identify ourselves. For example, if we are in the waking state, then we think we are part of the Virāṭ. When we are dreaming, then we identify with the subtle world, the subtle mind, and are therefore part of the Hiraṇyagarbha. When we are in deep sleep — that is called the causal body experience, the state of deep sleep — then we are identified as part of the Īśvara.

But in reality, all these divisions are only from our viewpoint. This is what the Upaniṣad wants to convey.
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== The Core Teaching of Advaita Vedānta ==
According to Advaita Vedānta philosophy, the description of this universe is to tell us really only one important matter: 'Each soul is potentially divine'. That is to say, the creator has not created this world like a potter creates a pot. It is more like clay becoming different pots. There is no such thing called "pot" except in looking at the same clay in the form of a particular shape, to which we give a particular name and use for a particular purpose.

So what is the essential teaching? This very fourth section says: having created, the creator realized that, "I am not separate from my creation. I am the creation." That is the most important point. That means: 'I am none other than the creator'. And who is the real creator — even though he remains in the background — is Brahman. That is how the famous dictum arises. 'First comes the realization that I am not separate from Brahman —''Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi'' '.
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== Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi: The Declaration of Non-Duality ==
''Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi'' — because Brahman is ''anantam'', infinite. Infinite cannot exclude anything and say, "You are outside me." And it cannot even say, "You are inside me." This inside, outside, whole and part — these are all expressions of ignorance only.

There is no "I." There is no "you." It is only our human language that has to use these words, and that makes all the difference. "This is my country. This is your country." Previously, what we now call Bangladesh, Pakistan, and even Ceylon were part of India. But some division was made, and then we say, "You don't belong to me.I also don't belong to you. You are Ceylon, East Bengal and you're Pakistan." But before all this, everything was the same continent, the same earth, the same people.

This is how one single mother and father produce four or five children. They have some property, then they divide the properties equally among the children. Then they become separate families, and that is how — more and more distance, division, and separation take place. But if we go to the original, then we understand: this is nothing but everything is one—One cause is manifesting in the form of so many effects.

That is what Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa wants to convey to us, especially in the thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā (verse 13.3 first line):

"क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत । (verse 13.3 first line)

kṣhetra-jñaṁ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣhetreṣhu bhārata

"I am the only Kṣetrajña, and everything else is only Kṣetras — infinite number of Kṣetras."

That is a teaching for the beginners. But in the end, it is nothing excepting me— Nothing else exists, only me— I am appearing , to whom?
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== The Creator's Aloneness and the Origin of Fear ==
Again, we have to understand: this division is not appearing in the eyes of Brahman. Brahman doesn't say, "I am separate, creation is separate." No. Brahman doesn't even say, "I created." Brahman knows that I am only one. And that is what we have seen

आत्मा वा इदम् अग्र आसीत् पुरुषविधः। (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad verse: 1.4.1)

''ātmaivedam agra āsīt puruṣa-vidhaḥ'' ।

So then he looked around. "I am alone" — because he is the cause. Cause is always alone; effects can be many. Then he became a little bit concerned. "I am alone." He became frightened. Then he looked around. There is nothing else excepting me, so I cannot harm myself. I cannot kill myself.

I hope you understand, this peculiarity of the language we are using. "I cannot kill myself" — if I kill myself, I become the killer. The killer is not the one killed; But another person, a second person, is killed. Since there is no second, there is nobody who is the killer, and there is nobody who is killed.

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥ 2.19॥ (Bhagavad Gita)

ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaśh chainaṁ manyate hatam। ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate ॥

We have discussed this point — just (to) recollect. So, finding himself alone, he became a little bit frightened, lonely. Then he looked around and said, "Why should I be fearing? Because there is no object second from me, separate from me, which can harm me, which can kill me, which can rob me."
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== Fear, Worship, and the Problem of Duality ==
Therefore:

द्वितीयाद्वै भयं भवति। (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad verse: 1.4.2)

dvitīyād vai bhayaṁ bhavati ।

"So long as there is a second." And not only something else — but even if I think God is different from me, God becomes an object of fear for me.

We have seen in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad:

भीषास्माद्वातः पवते, भीषोदेति सूर्यः । (Taittirīya Upaniṣad, ''Brahmananda Valli'' : Chapter 2, Section 8, Paragraph 1)

bhīṣāsmād vātaḥ pavate, bhīṣodeti sūryaḥ |

So long as a person thinks he is an ignorant person — because he thinks "I am separate, God is separate" — then God becomes an object of fear. Then he becomes an object of worship. Then I become one who has to work like a slave, who is frightened of God. I depend upon him. All these problems will arise.

But then, this is how ''sṛṣṭi'' comes. And that is what we also do. "I am alone. I cannot bear my loneliness." Therefore, if I have a colour TV, then I will be very happy — something to keep company for me, to entertain me, to make me forget my loneliness. Every effort that we do, including work, is only to forget the loneliness.

So this is how (it happens). Then I am not happy, so I desire something. I want a companion, a living companion. Then man and woman come together and they start a ''saṃsāra''. And the tree gives a lot of seeds, and those seeds will give further birth to many other trees — even one tree gives the cause of many seeds. This is how the ''saṃsāra vṛkṣa'' grows.

That is why in the fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā — it is the Puruṣottama Yoga:

ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् । (Bhagavad Gītā 15.1 first line)

— this whole ''saṃsāra'' is equated with the most widespread tree called Aśvattha, and the branches themselves become the seeds, the roots.
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== The Creator's Realisation: "I Am the Creation" ==
This is how ''sṛṣṭi'' has come. But then he understood — who? The creator understood. What did he understand? What did he realize? "I am the creation. There is nothing separate from me."

So what is the lesson? We also have to learn. At the lowest stage of our development, we think we are all different — everyone (and) everything, living or non-living, is different from everything else. When we progress further — this state where everything is experienced as different from everything else that is called Dvaita, or duality.

But there are two types of Dvaitins, believers in Dvaita: those who believe in God and those who do not. When Vedānta is talking about Dvaitavāda, it is not talking about people who do not believe in God. It is talking about people who have tremendous faith: "I am a created being. I have a creator. I choose to call him — He is my mother, my father, my creator; He is my sustainer, my protector. And when the time comes, He will give me rest. Sṛṣṭi, sthiti, laya — all these are the activities of my creator."

So a strong faith — like a baby who wants to run to its mother, to its father, for protection, for sustenance, for entertainment. All of us have that unconscious urge, which is expressed in the famous Abhyāroha Mantras, which we have seen here in this very Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad in the third section, twenty-eighth mantra:

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।

मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।

(ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥)

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya | Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya | Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya | (Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||)

So this creator realized. He looked and said, "There is nothing other than me. Then what is this world? That is me. What are human beings? That is me. What are these rocks? What are the rivers? What are the forests? What are the deserts? They are all me."
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== The Fifth Mantra: The Dissolution of Selfishness ==
This is the important message given in the fifth mantra of the fourth section.

सोऽवेत्, अहं वाव सृष्टिरस्मि, अहं हीदं सर्वमसृक्षीति; ततः सृष्टिरभवत्; सृष्ट्यां हास्यैतस्याम् भवति य एवं वेद ॥ ५ ॥

so’vet, ahaṃ vāva sṛṣṭirasmi, ahaṃ hīdaṃ sarvamasṛkṣīti; tataḥ sṛṣṭirabhavat; sṛṣṭyāṃ hāsyaitasyām bhavati ya evaṃ veda || 1.4.5 ||

This is one of the most beautiful mantras. What is the meaning? When one realizes this, then all selfishness will vanish. Then the sādhaka understands, "I am Hiraṇyagarbha. I am the Saguṇa Brahma." And then immediately afterwards, "I realize the Saguṇa Brahma is not separate from Nirguṇa Brahma." Then comes ''ahaṃ Brahmāsmi''. This will come in the tenth section — but jusr I am foretelling what is going to happen "Aham Brahmasmi".
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== The Three Types of Creation ==
So what happened — having created this entire universe, and the creation was of three types — first of all, creation of living and non-living creatures. Then, creation of the different worlds for people to experience different worlds. Then creation of what are called the presiding deities, the Devas, so that they can reward all of us according to how we spent our life, doing good or doing evil. That is how Lokas are divided.

The Loka has come into existence only to exhaust our ''karma phala''. If there is no ''karma phala'', there is no Loka. ''Karma phala'' —> Loka. ''Puṇya karma phala'' leads to ''unnata Loka'', the higher worlds of happiness. And if sinful lives are led, then suffering will follow.
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== The Fourteen Worlds (Lokas) ==
According to Hindu mythology, the whole creation is divided into fourteen Lokas. Ours falls will fall in the seventh — or really ours will fall in the eighth, because this is where we can create our Karma. Above that, there are six higher worlds ending with Brahmaloka: Tapoloka, Janaloka, Satyaloka, etc. And below us, there are seven worlds bearing degrees of suffering. They are called hells, and the lowest of them is called Pātāla.
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== The Seventh Mantra: The Self Enters All Bodies ==
Now, having created, then what did the creator do? How did he know, "I am everything"? That process is beautifully given in the next śloka, which is the seventh. What I said here, I will just quote only a little bit:

आ नखाग्रेभ्यः, यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः स्यात्, विश्वम्भरो वा विश्वम्भरकुलाये; तं न पश्यन्ति । अकृत्स्नो हि सः, प्राणन्नेव प्राणो नाम भवति, वदन् वाक् भवति, पश्यंश्चक्षुः भवति, शृण्वन् श्रोत्रम् भवति, मन्वानो मनो नाम भवति; तान्यस्यैतानि कर्मनामान्येव । (the middle section of 1.4.7)

ā na-khāgrebhyaḥ, yathā kṣuraḥ kṣuradhāne'vahitaḥ syāt, viśvambharo vā viśvambharakulāye; taṁ na paśyanti. akṛtsno ''hi saḥ prāṇann eva prāṇo nāma bhavati, vadan vāg bhavati, paśyan cakṣur bhavati, śṛṇvan śrotram bhavati, manvānaḥ manaḥ bhavati — tāni asyaitāni karmāṇāṃ nāmāni eva.''

What is the meaning of this? The Upaniṣad says: the Self entered all bodies up to the very tips of the nails. That means the Self — here, the Creator, Īśvara — he entered the whole body , is nothing but the creator. The whole ''sūkṣma śarīra'', the ''sūkṣma prapañca'', is nothing but the same Īśvara; and the causal body — the individual causal body and the universal causal body — which goes by the name of Īśvara. So he fills up (everything). That means what?
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== The Analogy of the Sword and Its Sheath ==
The Upaniṣad gives a beautiful example— Suppose there is a beautiful sword, and the sword has to be protected at all times even to protect ourselves because accidentally we may injure ourselves. So it has to be kept in its own scabbard — the covering, usually made of light leather or light wood, etc. But the point is — if it is properly made, there will not be a gap — it is just an entrance, (fits) like that.

But this example is not enough because if we think — the scabbard is different (and) the sword is different, —however, this scabbard may be a protective case for the sword, but still there are two separate things.

If you remember, when Akṣay was dying, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was present there and he saw a soul coming out of Akṣay — as if a soul had been taken out of its scabbard, or (as if) a person left the old dress and came out with his naked boby. That example is to say that we are invariably associated with the Divine Lord in the form of consciousness. But that is not enough.
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== The Deeper Teaching: "I Am Everything" ==
That is why the Upaniṣad — this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad — tells us something even deeper. What is it? He understood: "I am also the sword, I am also the scabbard, I am also the good person, I am also the evil person, I am also the Deva, I am also the Asura. I am everything — besides me, nothing else exists."

If we want to understand this statement which the Upaniṣad is presenting, we have to always bring out that analogy of our dream. Just as when we are experiencing a dream, everything is different — me, the individual, the main character, I am dreaming, and the whole universe is experienced only from my perspective. I don't know what the other person thinks. I think this is what the other person is thinking, (but) I don't know the truth. If I have to know the truth, I have to become the other person. But even in a dream, we can never do that.

So what is our opinion — our considered opinion, which we believe wholeheartedly? "This person is good, this person is evil, this person loves me, this person doesn't" — all these things are our own creations. So long as we are in the dream, then we consider everything as separate from me. Then I wake up.

Then we recollect the dream. Then what do we understand? What is our knowledge? — My own consciousness, taking the help of thoughts, has become the entire dream world. I, was the creator of the dream world; I am the dream world. There is not a single object in my dream world, which is not me.

So the first thing is the recognition, the cognition: "I have created; I am the author of my own dream." But until we wake up, we will not understand that. Similarly, here also, until we identify with the creator himself through Upāsanā — and that is why the Āśvā Upāsanā, Agni Upāsanā, Prāṇa Upāsanā, all these upāsanās are given.
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== Śaṅkarācārya on the Core of Advaita ==
This is what Śaṅkarācārya tells us — this is the core of Advaita. He tells us that the difference between the Jīva — me, you, the individual and the Brahman— is only a notion created by ignorance. The moment we realize that "I am everything," all fear and limitations will vanish.
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== The Path Through the Kośas: Taittirīya Upaniṣad Parallel ==
In order to understand how we do that, we have to take the parallel example of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad—and then we have seen In the Brahmānanda Vallī, first of all: "I am the body." —And this body is made up of ''anna''. Therefore, this is called the individual ''Annamaya Kośa''. Then we understand that every living creature's body is nothing but made up of food — it has come out of food, it is sustained (by food), it is protected (by food), it is strengthened (by food), it is cured by food only, and in the end it becomes food.

We are all nothing but both eaters of food (and food itself). We eat other creatures. We cannot live on dead things. We cannot live by eating mud — of course, we are eating nothing but mud, but in the form of plants, roots, bark, leaves, fruits, flowers. So we are nothing bu complete food only, and nothing else.

Since my whole physical body is nothing but food, then the same thing will become food to everybody. Whenever somebody is looking at me, I am the object, that person is the subject. I am the eater and I am the one being eaten. Only we don't use those words. But if we encounter anytime a tiger, then we understand: from the viewpoint of the tiger, we are nothing but food and it has its own judgment.

But what I want to tell you is: at the same time, we are both the eaters, or enjoyers, or the subjects — and we are also the objects. So for each other, we are both subjects and objects. And then when we understand this: who is the subject? Īśvara. Who is the object? Īśvara.
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== The Dream Analogy and the Wisdom of Advaita ==
That is why beautiful thoughts about the dream — very analytical, deep thinking about the dream — again and again brought up, especially by Advaita Vedānta, is extraordinarily insightful. Not only that, it is very helpful.

Just now I gave you an example. I label somebody as very good. Why do I label that person as very good? Because he brought pleasure to me. This is my standard of judgement. However good a person, if he doesn't do good to me — he may be doing good to everybody else — I do not consider that person as a good person, especially if he creates so-called suffering for me. It may be —really he is creating suffering, (or) it may be — I am only thinking he is creating—it doesn't matter. My belief is the truth, and it guides me to come to a firm opinion about that other person.

How poor, how ignorant we are — that this may not be the truth! In fact, it is not the truth. The same person whom we label as evil, when he goes home, he has a loving family, parents, wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters, co-religionists, and maybe they are living in great love. He never even thinks of harming them. But only in relation with myself, we judge everything.

So the ultimate judgemental values are only two—so if some object of experience gives me — living or non-living - is an object, any object of experience is an object —it could be living, it could be non-living also. Can a non-living object be a cause of happiness? Absolutely.

Rāmakṛṣṇa's example: if a thorn entered into you while walking in a solitary place, and you did not anticipated it, and you did not carry any instrument — then you see a bush and pluck a stronger thorn, and with the help of that thorn you remove the smaller thorn which has already entered your foot or somewhere. So, you see, the smaller thorn had become the object of suffering, and the bigger thorn — also a thorn — has become the object of happiness. So what we think is most of the time wrong. That is why every scripture tells , "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy own self," and Hinduism tells — that you love everything:

मातृ देवो भव। पितृ देवो भव।आचार्य देवो भव । अतिथि देवो भव ।

Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, Acharya Devo Bhava, Atithi Devo Bhava ।

And that we will get some upsanas in the Bhrigu Valli, which we will see in our Taittirīya (Upaniṣad) class.
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== The Creator's Realisation and the Liberation of the Sādhaka ==
But what I am trying to tell you is: just like when we wake up, we realize — "though the person who gave me so much of suffering in my dream, actually I only became that person and I gave suffering only to myself. Another person, who is equally created by me, had given me happiness. Both of them are my thoughts only, excepting a thought — and I am the author of those thoughts."

When a person has this realisation, what happens? — The suffering also becomes a great entertainment. How wonderfully I dreamt! How I dreamt I had fallen from the top of a huge mountain, and when I was coming down, how much fear I felt — "I will be smashed into smithereens!" But somehow I fell upon a bushy plant and it stopped the impact, and then I came down. Maybe I had done a lot of ''puṇyam'', that bush happened to be carrying plenty of first-class berries, full of juice, maybe strawberries, who knows(?), or (maybe) blackberries. So I started tasting them, forgetting the whole lot.

So if we can meditate upon the dream, we understand: I am the creator of the dream, and there are both positive and negative elements in the dream, and everything is me. My friend is me, my enemy is me. This is what Īśvara realized: "The whole creation is nothing but my dream, called Leela."
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== We Are Brahmās: Creators of Our Own World ==
Then, whoever understands , then the Upanishad proceeds further:

ततः सृष्टिरभवत्; सृष्ट्यां हास्यैतस्याम् भवति य एवं वेद ॥ (ending portion of 1.4.5)

tataḥ sṛṣṭirabhavat; sṛṣṭyāṃ hāsyaitasyām bhavati ya evaṃ veda

He who understands what we discussed just now — that "I am the creator of the entire world, and I am really the Virāṭ, the Hiraṇyagarbha, and the Īśvara" — then he becomes free. And actually, the world is created by us. All this time we are talking about how Brahmā created the world. Now we have to understand we are Brahmās. Just as with regard to every dream we have, we are the Brahmās. You cannot accuse your family members or your neighbours — much less your enemies — "You came and created my bad dreams especially, or even good dreams."

So just as we realize, when we realize — that I am born in this family, I had this opportunity — maybe sometimes (a) wonderful opportunity, sometimes (a) very limited opportunity. That means— I am is born into a poorer class of family, may be lower middle class, may be even lower class, may be what we called untouchables class. Who created (this), if you have to believe Hinduism— 'who created? — The person created( it). How did he create — Through his actions in the past life. So he might have done so much of harm, and as a result of that now — 'you will have to suffer, you have to pay up. That is called ''karma phala''. And for that, you will have to have a body, and for that, that body (may be) born under circumstances to such and such parents who may not be loving, who may be drunkards, who may be living in a slum area, who are always quarrelling and drinking., beating the family members, this is the story actually happening everywhere, I have to say.

So people are getting jobs, people are losing jobs. A person who got a job lives in a higher world. A person who lost the job, or did not get a job, he lives in a lower world — that is what he thinks.
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== Karma, Jīva, and the Timeless Creation ==
Who created? Why this creation? Because our Upaniṣad itself creates: Bhagavān has no desire to create — that is the first point. The second point: this creation is timeless, ''anādi'', there is no beginning. Then why at all? Creation is done - only one answer — 'all of us, called jīvas, have created our own ''karma phala''. As a result of our ''karma phala'', we have to experience the results. And to experience those results, we have to take particular instruments — body, mind, parents, the type of family, the opportunities, the climate. Everything comes at the correct (place) — like solving a jigsaw puzzle: every piece has its own allotted place.

So who created this world? If it is a happy world, if it is an enjoyable world —who created it? —I have created it, through my past actions. And how does it happen? I will get that type of mind which squeezes happiness even from — this is a wonderful thing, which we have discussed iit n our Taittirīya Upaniṣad when the Ānandamīmāṃsā section, is being talked about.

Suppose there is a person with very ordinary food, an ordinary house, ordinary dress, nothing much — only he has to live, may be upon begging food., but he is living in Brahmaloka, or even in ''Brahmānanda'' loka. How is it possible? Because of the way he views himself. "I am Brahman" — then he is getting ''Brahmānanda''. "I am Brahmā" — then he gets ''Brahmānanda''. "I am Indra" — then he gets ''Indrānanda''. "I am Narakāsura" — then he has to experience ''Naraka's duḥkha-kasta'', (suffering).
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== The Fruit of Understanding: Viveka and Spiritual Progress ==
This is how we have to understand. And if we can understand it, tremendous difference comes. Viveka will come. Who is responsible for my happiness and unhappiness? I am responsible. So what do I want? I want unbroken happiness. If I want unbroken happiness, I have to live without any intervention of death — and not only that, I must have that knowledge: "I am alive, I am alive, and I am a very happy person." That is called ''jñānam''.

So for that, I have to slowly give up the limitations. What is progress in spiritual life? Giving up slowly the limitations. First, the sādhaka is advised to give up the ''Annamaya'' identity, then the Virāṭ identity — attain Virāṭ — that means reduce your selfishness. Then you will see the cause of this ''Annamaya'' — Virāṭ, Annam — and then only he tries to identify the next higher cause, which is subtler, more pervasive, and difficult to attain.

Then he becomes very enthusiastic, he gets tremendous willpower, and then he goes to that level, and then another world appears to him. And the he gets a glimpse: ''Manomaya Kośa'' or Hiraṇyagarbha, then ''Vijñānamaya Kośa'' (also called Mahat), then ''Ānandamaya Kośa'' (called Īśvara), and then he goes: "I am ''ānandam'' — I am not the ''Ānandamaya Kośa''."
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== The Seventh Mantra: How the Unmanifest Becomes Manifest ==
So, anybody who understands that this creation is my creation — "I am the creation, I am not only the creator; I am the created , I am both the creator and the creation, and there is no difference between us" — so, how did this creation become differentiated? That is being discussed in the seventh mantra of the fourth section of the first chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad:

तद्धेदं तर्ह्यव्याकृतमासीत्तन्नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियतासौ नामायमिदरूप इति । (beginning portion of 1.4.7)

taddhedaṁ tarhyavyākṛtamāsīttannāmarūpābhyāmeva vyākriyatāsau nāmāyamidarūpa iti

What is the first manifestation? — अव्याकृतम , avyākṛtam —The unmanifest. Everything is unmanifest, and it is given various names—''Māyā'' is one name; ''Saguṇa Brahma'' is another name. Remember: Saguṇa Brahma is the first emanation of the creation. Nirguṇa Brahma — no creation. Saguṇa Brahma is the very first manifestation, or grossification, of Nirguṇa Brahma as — little gross, but that gross is the subtlest from our viewpoint. That is called Īśvara. He is called Saguṇa Brahma (Sa-Guna). He is also what is called Māyā. The only difference is: he is ''Māyādhīśvara'', the Lord of Māyā.

That is what Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says (in Gita):

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ 7.14॥

''daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te''

Very clearly he says: "I am the Lord of Māyā, and taking the help of Māyā, I create this world. So if I want to give liberation to somebody, then I can give."
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== Saguṇa Brahma and the Grace of the Divine Mother ==
There are some Advaitins who do not believe that Īśvara can give liberation — only by knowing ''ahaṃ Brahmāsmi'' — one can attain liberation. But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said nobody can pray to Nirguṇa Brahma. You can only pray to Saguṇa Brahma, which he used to call his Divine Mother. And the whole creation is her sport. She is playing like children play with kites. And through prayer to her, she may grant liberation to some souls — not to everybody? Yes, everybody will be liberated, but they have to have that understanding: "I am not happy. I want to be liberated." Otherwise, like that stupid fish which is caught in the net of the fisherman, they go deeper into the mud at the bottom of the net and say, "We are very safe here, because we can't see anything. Therefore, nobody can see us."

How long will that illusion last? Only so long as the fisherman doesn't pull up the net. They fail to understand that the mud in which they are taking shelter, itself is embedded in that net. Along with that net, the whole thing comes out. The mud will dissolve, it will fall down in the lake, and only the fish will remain.
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== From the Unmanifest to the Manifest: Nāma and Rūpa ==
So, in the beginning it was unmanifest. And the unmanifest has slowly become manifest — first as ''Ānandamaya Kośa'', then ''Vijñānamaya Kośa'', then ''Manomaya Kośa'', then ''Prāṇamaya Kośa'', then ''Annamaya Kośa'', the whole thing. This is what the Upaniṣad wants to tell.

And what is this manifestation? It comes in the form of three , even though two are mentioned here— One is called ''Nāma'', another is called ''Rūpa''. First comes the form, and then to distinguish one form from other forms, we give it a particular name: small pot, big pot, square pot, oblong pot, etc.

''So, Nāmabhyāṃ eva vyākriyate'' — separated, divided. Therefore, the entire world is nothing but name and form. Therefore, Vidyāraṇya, the great Advaitic teacher, in his great book Pañcadaśī, gives a beautiful definition.— What is this world? ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda'' plus ''Nāma'' plus ''Rūpa'' is called the world. What is Brahman? ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda'' without Nāma and Rūpa — that is called Brahman. The world is not different. We give it a form and we are stuck with that form; we give it a name and we are stuck with that name.

The third is not given here, but in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad we will get it. The third is called ''Kriyā'' — or ''Karma'', as it is called there (so — e Nama, Rupa, Karma). What is Karma? Karma means utility. If I am creating a pot, I don't create only one pot: for drinking, one type of form of the clay i; for eating, another type of form of the same clay— like a plate. If I want a spoon, than that is another another form. If I want to store, another form. If I want to cook, another form. If I want to fetch water, another form.

So first ''Rūpa'' (form), then ''Nāma'' (name to distinguish it from others), then everything — every ''Rūpa'' — is purposefully with an intention, created for the sake of fulfilling a particular desire of ours, to help us enjoy this world.
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== The Self as the Razor in Its Sheath; the Fire in Its Source ==
Then the Upaniṣad also tells us:

स एष इह प्रविष्ट आ नखाग्रेभ्यः, यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः स्यात्, विश्वम्भरो वा विश्वम्भरकुलाये; तं न पश्यन्ति । अकृत्स्न । (next portion of 1.4.7)

sa eṣa iha praviṣṭa ā nakhāgrebhyaḥ, yathā kṣuraḥ kṣuradhāne’vahitaḥ syāt, viśvambharo vā viśvambharakulāye; taṃ na paśyanti | akṛtsno |

"This Self has entered into these bodies, up to the tip of the nails, as a razor may be put in its case, or as a fire which sustains the world may be in its source." What is that source? It can be in the sun; it can be in dry wood. But when the fire is in the dry wood, do we see it? No, people do not see it — for viewed in its aspects, only limited aspects it is incomplete.
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== The Functions of the Self: The Mantra Explained ==
But then, the next part of the mantra tells us something very, very important:

स एष इह प्रविष्ट आ नखाग्रेभ्यः, यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः स्यात्, विश्वम्भरो वा विश्वम्भरकुलाये; तं न पश्यन्ति । अकृत्स्नो हि सः, प्राणन्नेव प्राणो नाम भवति, वदन् वाक् भवति, पश्यंश्चक्षुः भवति, शृण्वन् श्रोत्रम् भवति, मन्वानो मनो नाम भवति; तान्यस्यैतानि कर्मनामान्येव । (the middle section of 1.4.7)

sa eṣa iha praviṣṭa ā na-khāgrebhyaḥ, yathā kṣuraḥ kṣuradhāne'vahitaḥ syāt, viśvambharo vā viśvambharakulāye; taṁ na paśyanti. akṛtsno ''hi saḥ prāṇann eva prāṇo nāma bhavati, vadan vāg bhavati, paśyan cakṣur bhavati, śṛṇvan śrotram bhavati, manvānaḥ manaḥ bhavati — tāni asyaitāni karmāṇāṃ nāmāni eva.''

When it does the function of living, it is called ''prāṇa''. When it speaks, it is called the organ of speech. When it sees, the eye. When it hears, the ear. When it thinks, the mind. These are merely its names according to various functions.

Just as the same ''prāṇa'', when it enters in the form of oxygen into our body, then what are we going to experience? Original ''prāṇa'' — ''mukhya prāṇa'' — oxygen, nothing but ''prāṇa'' . But once it enters, what does it do? It takes on five functions: ''prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, samāna'', and all the various activities of the body such as chewing, digesting, creating energy and distributing it, and whatever is undigested is forcibly throwing out. All for the good health of this body.

Similarly, Bhagavān: he created, then he entered every body, and then we do not recognise him because we see only the functions. What is that person doing? He is looking. But who is looking? Bhagavān is looking.
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== Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "Everything Is My Divine Mother" ==
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was lying down, very sick, at Kashipur. One day, he entered into deep Samādhi. After quite some time, he came out. His devotees were there. Latu Mahārāj was half reclining, and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's sight fell upon him: "There, I see God himself is reclining."

And when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to speak and people were helped, they would thank him. They used to say: 'Thank you very much Sir, (you) helped us very much.' He used to say, "I do not know anything. Who spoke is my Divine Mother. When I speak, it is my Divine Mother. When I breathe, is the Divine Mother. When I eat, it is my Divine Mother. Everything is the Divine Mother."

What is that Divine Mother? Here, it is called Brahman. Here, it is called Īśvara. When we look at the manifestation of Īśvara — Saguṇa Brahma — in the form of various activities, we do not recognise him. We say the eye is seeing, the ear is hearing, the mind is thinking., etc But really speaking, who is seeing is the energy behind. This idea is beautifully explored in the Kena Upaniṣad.

श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं । चक्षुषश्चक्षु: । मनसो मनो:

So he is the mind of the mind, the thinking power of the mind. He is the seeing power behind the eye. He is the hearing power behind the ear. He is the walking power behind the leg. He is the grasping power behind the hand. So, the whole body and mind, whatever it is doing, is all because of that Saguṇa Brahma. How does he do it? —Saguṇa Brahma in the form of ''Prāṇa'', ''Prāṇa'' in the form of consciousness. Consciousness manifest universally is called Īśvara.
----

== Conclusion: Freedom Through Recognition of the One ==
This is what the creator realised: "Not only did I create — I am the creation. Just as we understand, not only did I have a dream — I am the dream. I became the dream."

स योऽत एकैकमुपास्ते न स वेद, अकृत्स्नो ह्येषोऽत एकैकेन भवति; (the next section of 1.4.7)

sa yo’ta ekaikamupāste na sa veda, akṛtsno hyeṣo’ta ekaikena bhavati;

If somebody mistakes that here is a single person, an individual — here is a seeing person, here is a singing person, here is a writing person, separately — he will remain bound. But the same person, when he says, "Everything is the activity of the Saguṇa Brahma, Īśvara" — then he becomes Īśvara. Then he becomes free. That is what the Upaniṣad wants to say.

And then we are going to come to:

आत्मेत्येवोपासीत, अत्र ह्येते सर्व एकम् भवन्ति । (the next section of 1.4.7)

ātmetyevopāsīta, atra hyete sarva ekam bhavanti |

That sādhaka who worships, does Upāsanā such that — the Self alone is to be meditated upon for all these functions indeed. The whole creation is indeed unified in it, one with it. It is only Saguṇa Brahma — who is the creation, who is the creator, who is the sustained, who is the sustainer, who is the absorber, and who is the absorbed. There is nothing else excepting him. If we can understand this, we will become free.

Beautiful mantras are there. I have only chosen very important ideas. And I will also give a glimpse — because Śaṅkarācārya elaborates in detailed ''bhāṣya''s on some of these mantras. I am going to take the essence and try to explain to the best of my ability, which we will continue from our next class.
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== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामकृष्णम् जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्महुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum ।''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ॥''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 1.2-5 Lecture 45 on 27 June 2026

2026-08-09T19:31:59Z

Sachidanand: Minor corrections and words that were missed/and, or mixed up.

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ओं जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुं, पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः.॥

''Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadguruṃ,'' pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ.

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH ॥

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction: Gārgya and Ajātaśatru==
In our last class, we started how Gārgya—who came claiming that he knows Brahman—wanted to take up the role of a guru and approached Ajātaśatru. But Ajātaśatru was a greater real knower of Brahman, whereas Gārgya was not. But out of infinite love and sympathy, Ajātaśatru humbly sat down: "Please teach me." But very gently, very lovingly, every time Gārgya says "this is how I contemplate—do upāsana of Brahman," he did not know that there was a lower aspect of Brahman (Saguṇa Brahma) and a higher aspect of Brahman. And even in the Saguṇa Brahma, there are various qualities. But Ajātaśatru immediately says: "I know a little better than you"—without giving offence.
===The Art of Teaching===
It is an art how to speak to the other person, teach him, even scold him, try to correct him without giving any offence. On the contrary, making the person feel that it is all done because of love for me. Ajātaśatru becomes a ''samadarśana''. Every Jñānī becomes ''samadarśana'', meaning: "I am not separate from this other person. The entire universe is myself. It is not different from me." That realization makes a Jñānī really feel that "I love everybody." Because, as we have seen earlier also in this very Bṛhadāraṇyaka—in the first chapter, fourth section, eighth mantra—that Ātman, one's own true self, is nearer, dearer than anything else in this world. And a knower of that understands that the whole universe is my own self. There is nothing else excepting Brahman.
===The Teaching Is for All===
So that is how we start the second chapter of this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. Gārgya was being given this knowledge, but through him—like Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa giving that marvellous knowledge through Arjuna to the whole of humanity. It is not meant only for Arjuna. Arjuna is only an ''X'' ,representative. Here also, Gārgya is just an ''X''. But this greatest truth is being said: "Who am I?" But in order to understand "Who am I?" I have to be a fit person even to understand the teachings of the teacher. For that purpose, the student has to be taken step by step—like passing one class after another and then entering into the university, passing all the classes, and then only specialized training—PhD—can be given. Otherwise, the teaching becomes practically useless.
===Gārgya's Humility===
So this is how Gārgya came and he wanted to teach. But immediately Ajātaśatru rewards him with one thousand cows, like Janaka giving to Yājñavalkya. And then Ajātaśatru asked Gārgya: "Please teach me." And Gārgya started teaching. But every time, Ajātaśatru says: "This upāsana of yours is a bit limited. I know a little bit better. I will teach you a better upāsana." And like that, Gārgya starts to teach twelve upāsanas from Mantra 2 to Mantra 13. In the end, Gārgya understood that the person to whom I have come to teach knows much better than me, and he became very humble.
===The Sanskrit Subhāṣita===
This is proved through the Sanskrit subhāṣita:

विद्या ददाति विनयम्.॥

''vidyā dadāti vinayam.''

"The more we know, the more humble we become." How? Because the more we become learned, the more we understand how much more is lying hidden of which I have no inkling. So always humility is a sign of learning. And Gārgya, being a very sincere person—though mistaken at first—became very humble and humbly he requests, like a student should request:

सामित्पाणिः गुरुम् उपासीत. ॥

''sāmitpāṇiḥ gurum upāsīta.''

Everybody must approach a fit teacher with ''samit-pāṇi''—samit in hand. ''Samit-pāṇi'' indicates humility, complete self-surrender. Now Gārgya approached Ajātaśatru and requested him: "Please teach me. I am ready to learn." And Ajātaśatru also understands: the student is ready.
===The Law of Readiness===
As Swami Vivekananda says: "When the field is ready, the seed also is ready." It is an invaluable law in this world. When we are ready, then happiness comes. When we are ready, unhappiness and suffering also comes. For everything, readiness is necessary, and that is indirectly talking about Karma Siddhānta. So he begged the king that "you be the teacher." But the tradition was all the time that brāhmaṇas would be the teachers, kṣatriyas would be the students, or anybody else. But then the king did not want to disrupt this ''sampradāya'' (tradition). So he simply said: "I am happy you are ready—that is all I require. I will teach you." He did not require Gārgya to kneel down, to make praṇāms, to sit low.
===The Example of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa===
That is the greatness of—like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, he never treated any of his disciples as less than himself. In fact, he worshipped them as Nārāyaṇa. How do we know? Because when he loved Narendra so much—nobody else was ready to receive love as Narendra was. What happens? This very often we do not understand. We are not even ready to accept the fact that when a person, like a vessel, which can only hold one kilogram, cannot hold even one gram more than its capacity. It can only hold to its fullest capacity. So even to receive love, one has to be prepared, and according to one's capacity only, love also can be received. And if somebody tries to give more love than what is the capacity of the recipient to receive, then that person will break down invariably—like a child will break down when a heavy burden, more than a few papers, is kept on his head. And every human being understands that.
===Narendra's Question===
So when Narendra questioned: "Why are you loving me so much?" Narendra did not understand the simple psychological fact that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was not loving him more than others. Narendra was a capable instrument—a recipient who could really receive the greatest amount of love than other people. Neither others understood it, nor Narendra understood it, nor even Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa understood it. So when Narendra questioned: "Why do you love me so much? Will your case become like the case of Jada Bharata?"—a great sage whose mind was in the end occupied only with the thought of a beloved worldly object, a deer. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa ran to the Divine Mother. He is questioning the Divine Mother: "Why do I love Narendra so much?" Then the Divine Mother said: "You are not loving Narendra. There is a boy—there is an object—he is called Narendra. You are not loving him. You are seeing the greatest manifestation of Nārāyaṇa in him." Then Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa understood: that which I love is Nārāyaṇa.
===The Upaniṣadic Truth===
And this is the greatest truth the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad proclaims—both to Maitreyī as well as in the first chapter, fourth section, Mantra 8—beautifully illustrates. "Are you loving a sweet? No, you are not loving the sweet. You love the Ātman. Ātman alone is the source of happiness. But that happiness seems to be coming through the medium of the sweet. The moment the sweet stops becoming a medium, immediately you will reject the sweet and go to some other object which can reflect or which can act as an apt medium to convey to us our own nature."
===Every Object Is a Mirror===
Every object acts like a mirror, but every mirror is covered with thick layers of dust, and that which has the largest, thickest amount of dust reflects our Ātman—our own Ātman—poorly. When we stand in front of that object, that object acts like a mirror, and it can only reflect very poorly. And that Ātman here is called ''Ānanda''. So if we eat a third-class sweet, we get very little ''ānanda'', plus we may get stomach-ache also. But if we really love a higher object—a mother loves a child without putting any conditions—that is the highest expression of love we can get in this world. I think even that is not true. The real expression will be an enlightened teacher, a Holy Mother—how she loves her disciples, all of us devotees. That is the measurement of true love. Even though she may love us 100%, because she can see only Brahman, because each one of us in her vision reflects only her own self, but if somebody is not able to reflect, it is that person's defect, not Holy Mother's defect. How many of us can understand that?
===The Greatest Reflector of Happiness===
So this is going to be the teaching: that object which reflects us as close as we are, that becomes the greatest reflector of happiness—''ānanda''. So in the waking state, we receive very little ''ānanda''; but in dream, we can receive more ''ānanda''; in deep sleep, we receive the greatest amount of ''ānanda'', which is going to be the subject matter very soon we will see that.
===The Sadguru's Love===
But what is important is that every Sadguru loves all his disciples without any partiality, but the disciples become jealous—and that itself indicates their defect, their inability, how much their minds are coated with dust—not understanding why an enlightened teacher shows less love. He does not show less love. We reflect less of his true love, which is ''ānanda''. This is the secret. The Divine Mother taught him: "You see God—that means you see your own self, your own Ātman. And in Narendra, that Ātman is much more reflected than anybody else. And that is why I am loving you."
===The Proof===
Then how do we know this is the truth? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's own words. After saying this: "I see the greatest manifestation of Nārāyaṇa in you." This sentence also is very meaningful, pregnant with tremendous meaning. What is the meaning? That means Narendra is more identified with Ātman and less identified with his own body and mind. That is why when Narendra started coming, his eyes were turned upward, and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa remarked immediately that his ''dṛṣṭi''—his attitude—is attuned to such a high level of truth. That is why he is not even conscious of his body, his mind, etc. That is why as soon as Narendra sits for meditation, immediately he becomes absorbed. Even if a cobra is crawling near him, he would not be conscious of it. We know that incident—that when Narendra was trying to meditate along with some of his friends in a small room, upstairs in his house, then a cobra somehow entered, and all the boys saw it and screaming, they ran away. But Narendra was completely unaware of it.
===The Cobra and the Yogi===
What do you think the cobra will do? It will not bite him because "snakes used to crawl all over my body," Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to say. So when the snake finds no reflection in the mind of Narendra—"I am frightened, I wish to kill you, I want to live"—such thoughts are totally absent. And when such things are absent, just like when we encounter a stone—even if 100 stones are in our house, we do not hesitate to do what we want to do—but the moment one single conscious person is there, we have to control ourselves—how we are going to behave. And we also consciously or unconsciously react to that person's mental attitude, even though he or she is not expressing.
===Ajātaśatru's Love for Gārgya===
So now Ajātaśatru loved Gārgya like that. Gārgya understood he wanted to be a complete recipient, and Ajātaśatru slowly added to the already existing good qualities—''Daivī Sampat''—which Gārgya was already having, by slowly hinting to him: "You meditate, do upāsana of Āditya, the Sun God, as Hiraṇyagarbha in this particular quality." So this is going to be the development.
==Analysis of the Twelve Mantras (2–13)==
We will just do a little bit and analyze these twelve mantras, beginning from the second to the thirteenth. So Ajātaśatru said: "Please start your teaching." And Gārgya said: "That being—Puruṣa—who is in the sun..." We have to be very careful here to understand what Gārgya was telling. So the sun is not a dead star—a molecule of some atoms filled with energy, light, heat, etc. No—he is the Puruṣa. He is the Devatā—Āditya Devatā, the Sun God. And the sun is nothing but—like our physical body—the sun that we see, we experience, which radiates heat and light, is just like our physical body. So I meditate upon that Puruṣa as Brahman.
===Ajātaśatru's Addition===
Immediately Ajātaśatru said: "I also meditate upon the same Āditya Devatā, but with higher qualities—as all-surpassing, as the head of all beings, and as resplendent." Three particular qualities he adds. What would be the result? Whoever—not only Ajātaśatru, not only Gārgya—anybody who contemplates upon that being who is seen in the sun, in the moon, in the lightning, in the fire, in the waters, etc. (which we are going to see—even in a shadow), they are all Devatās.
===What Is a Devatā?===
As I mentioned earlier, a Devatā is one without whose grace we will not be able to survive. So the Pañca Devatās—beginning from the earth, ending with space, Ākāśa—the whole universe is their manifestation. They are sustaining the whole universe. And in the end, there is this law: the effect must always go back to its original cause. When ornaments are melted, they go back—they do not "go back"; they remain as gold. When all the furniture is broken down, they all manifest as pure wood—or our attention is drawn— previously, you are not thinking of wood; you are thinking: "This is a table. This is a chair," etc. — but it is all nothing but pure wood.
===The Inevitable Law===
So this is the law, the inevitable law: the effect must always merge—resolve back—into its cause. Following that, we can forestall what is going to happen. This meditation on the Sun God as Hiraṇyagarbha—then the Devatā, Sūrya Devatā—becomes identified with Hiraṇyagarbha. Hiraṇyagarbha becomes identified with Īśvara. Īśvara becomes identified with Nirguṇa Brahma. This is going to be the inevitable process. But Ajātaśatru, as I said, is preparing Gārgya for the highest—to make him a fit ''adhikārī'', a fit person to receive ''śravaṇa'', ''manana'', and ''nididhyāsana''.
===The Result of Meditation===
So whosoever meditates upon in this manner on the Sun God as — all-surpassing, the head of all beings, and resplendent—so they also become all-surpassing, head of all beings, and resplendent. Those qualities become explicitly manifest in that upāsaka.
===The Story of Swami Vishuddhānandaji===
There is a beautiful anecdote. Once, Swami Vishuddhānandaji—a disciple of Holy Mother, one of the greatest, respected, loved sādhu in our order—he became like Holy Mother towards his disciples. His love towards his disciples was unparalleled. This Vishuddhānandaji, when he was young, he used to visit Dakṣiṇeśvara. Once he went to Dakṣiṇeśvara, and there he met an old gardener—even unable to stand up; crawling practically , but cleaning the pathway between the room of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Pañcavaṭī. And somehow, a special radiance was coming out of this gardener.
===The Gardener's Vision===
Swami Vishuddhānandaji, being a fit person, he grasped that fact. So he went and asked: "Did you meet Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa?" The gardener was at first hesitant, but something prompted him and he also responded: "Yes." — "Please tell me something that you experienced." The gardener started describing that, you know, once I was having a sleepless night, so my house is very near to this Dakṣiṇeśvara temple, and I came out at night and I was surprised to see a brilliant light coming from the direction of the Pañcavaṭī. This brilliant light haS no resemblance—in those ways in the 19th century, remember there was no such—even I think Petromax light probably was not there, not to speak of electric lights. So he proceeded slowly, and then from a distance he saw Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was sitting in samādhi on the platform of the Pañcavaṭī. And then from his body was emanating this tremendous light, and it used to emanate from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's body even much earlier, but after a long time prior to—(requesting) the Divine Mother: "Mother, go inside, go inside"—and his body became so-called dull. But those who had discerning eyes could see it.
===The Blessing===
So here he saw, and then he was frightened a little bit. It must have uplifted this gardener's mind to the highest degree. He went home. Next day, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa met him. And then he knew what happened. He asked: "What did you see yesterday night?" The gardener, of course, confessed. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said—and this is his way of bestowing his grace—he is showing his real form in the form of ''cit'' and ''ānanda'' and ''sat'', especially ''cit''—pure consciousness, pure light. It was his unbounded grace, unsolicited grace. "You meditate upon me in that form as the form of light." And then every day, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa commanded—as he commanded Rishik—"Every day after food, you prepare, you go to the Tulasī mañca"—a platform where the Tulasī plant is growing. According to Hindus, Tulasī is none other than the wife of Nārāyaṇa Himself. So if we worship, if we hold on to this all up, then we will get the auspicious. So like that, you meditate upon this light, but you clean the room because many devotees will be walking, and this would be your service—this will be your Karma Yoga. And faithfully, every day, this man carries out as long as possible, and that is how Vishuddhānandaji met him.
===The Point of the Story===
Now the point is that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was meditating on the Divine Mother as resplendence, and so his body, his mind became resplendent like the sun, and that light was incapable of staying inside. It was peeping out through every pore of the body. So that is what he showed. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa does not show this normally, but he showed this form—that resplendence—and this gardener must have meditated upon Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa because nothing like a personal experience—and that resplendence must have been manifesting in the gardener also. That is the purpose I gave—I cited this example. So Vishuddhānandaji could understand that this man is not an ordinary man; he is somebody very special. So we got this story. Because of the grace of Swami Vishuddhānandaji Mahārāj, upon how many people Rāmakṛṣṇa had bestowed his grace in this form, God alone knows. Whenever I remember something, I will quote it. That is the real meditation for us—not to these Upaniṣadic words we might forget.
===Ajātaśatru's Teaching===
So Ajātaśatru started to enlighten him, showing him the distinctions within Hiraṇyagarbha itself. King Ajātaśatru recognised Gārgya as a fit disciple, and then he started teaching. Thus, from verse mantra 2 to 13, we get Saguṇa Brahma Upāsanas—twelve upāsanas in twelve mantras, ending with the thirteenth. And we find at every stage, Gārgya says: "This is how I have been contemplating upon this particular aspect of nature." Ajātaśatru declares that: "Now you can also add more, because I know what I am talking about"—and so expands the concept of Gārgya and our concept of Hiraṇyagarbha. Why? Because Ajātaśatru wanted to take Gārgya to the highest Brahman. But for that, fitness has to be first acquired. And Ajātaśatru was trying to make Gārgya a fit recipient because he found him very sincere and capable of becoming a very fit recipient. This is going to be the development.
==Understanding Hiraṇyagarbha==
So yesterday also we talked: who is Hiraṇyagarbha? For that, I will just summarize what I have spoken. Our body has got eleven organs—five of action, five of knowledge, and one mind—eleven. So the five sense organs of knowledge are called inputs, and what to do with that input is called the five organs of action—called output. And the whole thing is one composite—meant to be one composite, unbroken vṛtti by the mind. So all these eleven organs have their own presiding deities. So as an example: I have an eye, you have an eye—every ''jīva'' has an eye—and that is an individual manifestation of the ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatā'' called the Sun God. So what is the Sun God? He is the totality of the power of seeing in every ''jīva'' in the form of the eyes, the organ called eye. And the same Sun God also must make us experience the power of seeing through the power of light—as I said, "light" means—so (also) for the ears, Ākāśa (ether) is the light, etc.; for the mind, it is the moon. So all these ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatās'' of all the eleven organs consisting of our individuality is called Hiraṇyagarbha. All the ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatās'' combined is called Hiraṇyagarbha. That is how we have to understand.
===A Sample Mantra===
So we will just take up one sample mantra, see how it has to be understood, and then we will come to Ajātaśatru's teaching. At every (step), after the twelve upāsanas, Gārgya tries to teach Ajātaśatru. Every time, Ajātaśatru says that "I know better" and corrects and expands his existing knowledge. At the end of the thirteenth, Ajātaśatru asked: "Don't you know something more about Brahman—''"Etāvān hy (eva)?"''—only this much (you know?)?" Gārgya understood the implication: "I will sit down and you take the higher place. I will be your disciple—student. You will be my teacher. You teach me, and I shall learn. I will sit as an obedient ''śiṣya''."
===The Teaching of Nirguṇa Brahma===
There afterwards, Ajātaśatru teaches that Hiraṇyagarbha is not the ultimate Brahma. Towards the end of this chapter, again from the—I think Mantra 15 or 16—the king teaches about the Nirguṇa Brahma. How does he do that? So when Gārgya humbly requests him—"Accept me as your student"—Ajātaśatru did not disregard the ''sampradāya'' tradition. He said: "You have said you are ready; you have accepted me as your teacher. For me, it is more than sufficient." So he takes him by hand—not demeaning him by asking him to follow him behind him, or to sit in front of him showing respect—and then he leads him to a sleeping man.
===The Sleeping Man===
First he calls him out by some names of the Prāṇadevatā, and then the man did not wake up. Then Ajātaśatru shakes him many times, and at the severest shaking, the man suddenly wakes up. That is the incident. But taking that as an example, Ajātaśatru asks Gārgya: "Where was this ''jīvātman'' when he was in that deep sleep state?" Deep sleep state means he was not in the waking state, he was not in the dream state, he was in the deep sleep state. But even though he did not know the world did not exist, but one Devatā is there without whom life will be dead—Prāṇadevatā. So the names of Prāṇadevatā were called. What is that calling? "O Prāṇadevatā, are you the Brahman—Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman?" So when this person touched the body, the gross body replied, as it were: "I am not the Parabrahman." Why not responding? When he shook a little more, the dream—the mind, the subtle body—responded, as if: "I am not the Paramātman." And when he shook him (violently), the deep sleep—the person he was experiencing—he has merged himself for the time being. That is why it is called deep sleep, because that is going to change after some time. But it indicates what is that state? There is no body, there is no ''karmaphala'' there. A person is resolved back into his true self, even though unconsciously. That is going to be the development.
===The Following Footsteps===
But first we will see what the mantras are there. So the next part is a very profound teaching — of course, following the same footsteps that we had followed in the Māṇḍūkyakārikā, especially following Gauḍapādācārya. So, we get the Saguṇa Brahma Upāsanas on Hiraṇyagarbha through the medium of different objects, like the sun, the moon, the lightning, the wind, and the fire, etc. We will see that. So this is going to be the methodology.
==The First Upāsana: Āditya (Sun)==
So first of all, we have seen Gārgya says: "I meditate upon Āditya—the Puruṣa in Āditya." Very important for us to keep this in mind. Whenever Gārgya says "I meditate on this Puruṣa," there is a living Devatā. In us, it is only the individual ''jīva'', but there is ''samaṣṭi'' ''jīva'' as it were in a special form, manifest in the Sun God, and that Sun God is taken as an ''ālambanam'' , as a support. Just as we take a small rounded stone—Śāligrāma or Śivaliṅga—because without this support we cannot think of anything. Remember when the Rājā in Jaipur challenged Swami Vivekananda: "Why do Hindus worship idols?" He never understood that an idol is only an ''ālambanam''. But what the devotee is really meditating upon, thinking upon, praying to is not an idol. Nobody will worship "O stone, please come and save me." A photograph or a ''pratīka'', a symbol—a cross, an Oṃ, etc., or a Śrī Cakra—it does not matter. They are only supports.
===The Puruṣa as Support===
So even this Puruṣa in the Sun God is only a support. No doubt, he is the ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatā'' of everybody's power of seeing in the form of the eye. But higher than that is this Puruṣa. "I meditate upon him, taking him as a support, as Hiraṇyagarbha—Saguṇa Brahma." This is what Gārgya wants to convey to Ajātaśatru.
===The Three Qualities===
Then Ajātaśatru , he says: "What you have done is marvellous. You have practised; you have developed concentration; you have succeeded in thinking of Āditya in one aspect. I will add another three aspects to it. So your knowledge—your upāsana of Āditya Devatā—will be much more effective than anything." So three qualities: ''Atiṣṭhā'', ''Mūrdhā'', and ''Rājā''.

''Atiṣṭhā'' means — that who is "prominent." If you see our Prime Minister Modi among all the people, you know everybody is looking at him. Of course, nobody is looking at me. And if I am looking not at Modi and somebody else, they will chide: "What are you looking at?" So this is called ''Atiṣṭhā''. ''Atiṣṭhā'' means what? —Prominent, superior—is the main important—''pradhāna'', ''mukhya'', ''śreṣṭha''.

''Mūrdhā'' means ''pūjya'', ''pūjanīya means''—there are some qualities because without the sun—Āditya Puruṣa—life is impossible. ''Pūjanīyah'', ''ādaraṇīyah'', ''vandanīyah''. So this is the ''viśeṣaṇa''—''Mūrdhā''.

And then ''Rājā'' means he is resplendent, filled with light—not only he is filled with light, he is lighting up the whole universe, day and night—so ''prakāśasvarūpaḥ''. These are the three special qualities.
===The Result===
"Now you meditate on these three qualities which I have mentioned. What are they? ''Atiṣṭhatva'', ''Mūrdhatva'', ''Rājatva''—qualities on that — Āditya Puruṣa, Āditya Devatā — as the Hiraṇyagarbha. This is how I meditated." Why do I say "I meditated"? Because Ajātaśatru had already crossed—he realized Saguṇa Brahma—just like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa realised Saguṇa Brahma (Kālī), and Kālī took him to her real aspect, which is called pure consciousness. So at the end of four months or five months at Dakṣiṇeśvara, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said his first experience of pure consciousness—he was an adept in meditating Mother Kālī. Then suddenly Mother said: 'This is my second nature; my first nature is pure consciousness.' Then waves of consciousness came like tsunami waves, and I struggled to remain conscious, but soon they made me unconscious." And Swami Śaradānanda describes this telegraphically.
===The Results of Contemplation===
We must remember that —that ''Prakāśa-svarūpa'' is called ''Rājā'', and I have also attained the results. And not only me, if you contemplate, you will also get the same results. And anybody contemplates on Hiraṇyagarbha as —''Atiṣṭhatva'', ''Mūrdhatva'', ''Rājatva''—he will also become the most important person and the most venerated, respected, worshipful person, and he will be endowed with tremendous splendour. As I mentioned, behind every saint's head, the halo is drawn indirectly to prove that he has become light. So Moses saw Bhagavān as the light in the burning bush.
===The Visible and Invisible Results===
If one meditates upon Hiraṇyagarbha as adorable, one will become adorable. If one meditates upon Hiraṇyagarbha as brilliant, he becomes brilliant. And if he meditates upon as the light, he becomes also a source of light. So one meditates upon Hiraṇyagarbha—he becomes a effulgent ''rājā''. These are the, what is called visible results. But along with these visible results, if somebody wants something higher, he becomes a fit person to take up the next step, which is called ''śravaṇa''—Mahāvākya Śravaṇa. So this is going to be the same from 2nd to 13th.
==The Second Upāsana: Chandra (Moon)==
We have seen the second one. So we will go to the other ones. The second upāsana is called Moon—Chandra—upon which Hiraṇyagarbha is meditated. And then he says that there are three ''viśeṣaṇas'': ''Bṛhat'', ''Pāṇḍaravat'', and ''Somarāja''. Chandra—that is, Chandra Devatā—the God manifesting at the ''samaṣṭi'' of all these three—has to be taken as a support, and upon Him you superimpose Hiraṇyagarbha. And you will also become like Chandra.
===The Three Qualities of Chandra===
You become ''Bṛhat''—all-pervading; ''Pāṇḍaravat''—you become pure; your mind becomes pure—''śuddha''; and ''Somarāja''—you become a great enjoyer of bliss. ''Soma-rasa''—you must have heard. So there is a plant supposed to be called Soma plant, and that Soma plant's ''rasa''—the juice—when it is kept in a particular way for some time, it becomes liquor and it gives the highest happiness known to the people. In ''yajña'', they offer it, and they drink it as ''prasāda'', they also enjoy it.
===The Result===
So one who meditates upon this Chandra Devatā—not the moon, but the Devatā, the Puruṣa whose manifestation is the Chandra moon—so he becomes what? ''Bṛhat''—that means he becomes very famous. He will have plenty of friends, admirers, because like Chandra gives happiness, this person gives happiness to everybody. And his mind becomes innocent, pure, without any guile—guileless. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to say about Niranjan: "My Niranjan has no ''añjana''—no guile." And he becomes ''Somarāja''—a source of bliss, and whoever comes into the presence of this contemplator of Chandra Devatā with these qualities, he will also give the same effect like the Chandra Devatā to the people who are nearby, to some extent. Of course, everybody will not be the same according to their receptive capacity.—the person will get these qualities.
===Anna-Samṛddhi===
So Ajātaśatru also gives one more result actually, besides those three—''Anna-samṛddhi''. Because the Moon is the producer of all the ''oṣadhis''—all the health-giving plants, the sustaining plants, food plants. Therefore, this person, he will have —because he is contemplating—he will get plenty of ''anna''. Not only that, he will also have the capacity to enjoy. Many people possessed these things, but their health may not permit them to enjoy, but this person will be enjoying it.
==The Third Upāsana: Vidyut (Lightning)==
Then the next quality taken is ''Vidyut''—lightning. These are all natural phenomena. Therefore, in the olden days, this natural phenomena is converted into very effective means of progressing in spiritual life in the form of contemplations. So ''Vidyut'', as I mentioned earlier, contains a tremendous amount of power. One lightning—if we can harness (it)—it will give sufficient electricity or meet energy needs for the whole world, maybe for one year. So Ajātaśatru presents one glory that is ''called teja-svī''—one who meditates upon lightning, he also glows—we ''call teja-svī''—the inner ''tejas'', inner splendour, comes out. So taking the lightning as support, one must meditate. This quality of giving light belongs to Hiraṇyagarbha really, because every ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatā'' is only a manifestation of this Hiraṇyagarbha. Whoever contemplates, he also becomes ''Kāntimān''.
==The Fourth Upāsana: Ākāśa (Space)==
And then meditate upon the Ākāśa—space. Then what happens? Two qualities are added: ''Pūrṇaḥ'' and ''Apāravartī''. ''Pūrṇaḥ'' means he fills up everything, like Ākāśa is all-pervading. This person also becomes identified with everything—that is called all-pervading. And then ''Apāravartī'' means that Ākāśa does not seem to be doing any action. So ''akriyāvān''—he does not do anything—but without Ākāśa, no action can take place. So ''kriyā-rahitaḥ''—and this person becomes not only ''pūrṇa'', he becomes without doing anything, he obtains the greatest peace, greatest happiness, greatest bliss.
===To Be Continued===
So another few contemplations are there, which we will talk about in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh॥''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 1.2-3 Lecture 44 on 21 June 2026

2026-08-09T17:49:15Z

Sachidanand: Minor corrections that were either missing or mixed up.

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ओं जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुं, पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः.॥

''Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadguruṃ,'' pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ.

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

==Introduction to the Second Chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad==
In our last class, we started the second chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. We discussed three stages of spiritual progress. What are those three? These are also called normally in Vedānta ''vādas'' (opinions): Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda, Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda, Eka-Jīva Vāda, and Ajātavāda.
===Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda===
But the first one—Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi—is not an option. We are all in that Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi: "God created the world." For us, that is the most natural state into which we are born. It is the only real state that we ever know. But in course of evolution, as our minds delve deep and develop deep thinking, then we understand that everything in this world is changing. That which is changing cannot be the reality—''satyam''. Not only that, in order to know everything is changing, there must be someone who is an unchanging witness, and "I am that unchanging witness."
===Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda===
So this is called Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda. It is a great development, truly speaking. If anyone has reached this second stage of Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda, then a great revolution—evolution—had taken place already, and this person is far advanced. But there must be a proof for that. What is that proof? If I truly believe that everything is changing and changeable, and that is the reality, and that is the truth, then at some point of time, he would be able to accept everything without thinking twice. So somebody insulted me—that is okay. That is the nature of this world. Somebody honoured me—that is also okay. And the same person can also honour me and again criticize me. The roles are reversed—that is okay.

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ | ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि || 2.38 ||

''-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau |'' tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ''||''

A most marvellous statement supporting this Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda: when a person, whether he gains or loses, whether it is profitable or loss, whether it is victory or defeat, whether it is praise or criticism—if he is able to live alone without being affected by it and to a great extent, such a person is having great spiritual progress actually. So still he goes on through all these experiences, but he knows. But at the same time, he says: "I am the witness of all these changes, but I do not know what I am."
===The Cause of Happiness and Unhappiness===
Then he analyses further. This is called analysis from the beginning to the end. So first, we all analyze the Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda: "Why is there so much pain? And in course of time, why is there so much happiness? And why is it changing? Can it be remedied?" Then we understand, "No, it cannot be remedied." And since we observe this happiness and unhappiness, prosperity and poverty—it goes on changing with different persons— "What is the cause? Why is one person born rich, another poor, etc.?" We come to know there must be a cause, because what we observe is an effect, and every effect must have a cause. And I do not see the cause—even a baby is born into a very wealthy family. What cause can I see there? So we are forced to say that there is something which I cannot see, I do not see, but it must exist. That is the faith that — we must have created the cause at some other point of time, and the baby is born now. So where is that point of time? The baby must have existed in the past also to create this kind of effect. So he must be the cause.
===The Effect of Advanced Thinking===
And that is what this person does—how he advances in his thinking. And along with advancement in his thinking comes also its effect. What is the effect? He is less affected by the changes. He becomes more withdrawn, more calm and quiet, more able to contain, tolerate, and still remain peaceful under any type of circumstance. Remember, this applies to the —even if a person is happy, he will not be overjoyed; if a person has obtained a lot, he will not be excited. He treats both of them: "It comes, it goes." So that is called Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda, and that is a great progress in evolution.
===Evolution and Involution===
So this concept of evolution, Vedānta has taken to the highest state. Swami Vivekananda says: to understand the concept of evolution, we must understand the concept of involution—that is, from where we have fallen. We have fallen from God—not really, but it appears as if, ''as if''. So going back, remembering my real nature—that is called evolution. So the body is a great help. The brain is a great help. The mind is a great help. My deep sleep is a great help. Everything in this world is a great help yielding our further evolution, provided we know how to take that help and use it for the highest purpose of knowing 'who I am'.
===Eka-Jīva Vāda===
So this person has understood that everything depends upon my understanding. "Why not I take this understanding further?" So he analyses now—like he analyzed the dream state, breaking state—now he starts analyzing deep sleep, dreamless sleep. Then he understands: "There is no world, and yet I am the happiest person for a long time." And then that shows that I am only one ''jīva'', and everything is my creation. But he has to go even beyond that: "I am that unchanging witness who is never affected by anything that happens, whether I experience waking, dream, or dreamless state."
===Ajātavāda===
So then he understands there is no creation at all. When he understands "I am Ātman," from the Ātman's point of view, there is no creation at all because there cannot be a second thing. This is called Ajātavāda—there was never creation.
===These Are Not Intellectual Gymnastics===
So what I wanted to emphasise is that these are not intellectual gymnastics, but these are true stages of spiritual progress. So how does it work? First, the world is real—so that is how we all start. This is for believers in the reality of Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi, the external world . Second, the world is my own construct—just as I construct my own dreams, might I not also be constructing the whole world through my opinions —"This is a good man, that is an evil person," etc. So this is called Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda. It comes only after deeply analysing the dream state. Next state: "I am the one who creates the whole dream world," and extend that understanding: "I am the one who also creates the entire waking world. Therefore, I am the only Jīva"—Eka-Jīva Vāda. When the same person progresses further and tries to analyse the deep sleep state, then he understands that there is no creation at all, and when this knowledge is transformed into realization, then he becomes a realised soul, and one day, like the Guru, he can say: ''Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi''.
===The Guru's Joy===
And then he will be, of course, freed. But what is the effect of this disciple's realization upon the Guru? The Guru will rejoice a million times more than the disciple. He exclaims to himself: "This is my construct. Oh, what a great relief! A big burden is off me. One less problem," and he has to pay attention to other people who have taken refuge with him. This is what we had discussed.
==Gārgya's Knowledge and Ajātaśatru's Guidance==
Now we will analyze the second chapter, first section itself. So Gārgya's knowledge—Gārgya came innocently thinking he knows everything about Brahman. He does not even know there are two types of Brahman—Saguṇa and Nirguṇa. Even his knowledge of the Saguṇa Brahman is not complete. So Gārgya came as a self-proclaimed teacher of Brahma-jñāna, and then Ajātaśatru gave him one thousand cows. Ajātaśatru understood: Gārgya is a sincere person, and he requires further guidance. But the methodology he adopted was: "Please teach me." And Gārgya started to teach what he knew.
===Gārgya's Twelve Upāsanas===
Not only that—what he did, that is important for us. Unlike modern professors—not like that. But every time he says ''upāse''—"I contemplate upon the Āditya, upon the Chandra, upon the vidyut, agni," etc. —twelve upāsanas he teaches. Every time one teaching is given by Gārgya, Ajātaśatru says: "This upāsana of yours is too limited. I know better. I know what you taught already. I also know it is limited, but I know a much better upāsana which will give you a much better result. I will teach you what I know." Remember, this is all about Saguṇa Brahma only. So twelve times he gives this teaching. Twelve times Ajātaśatru improved the understanding of Gārgya. In the end, Gārgya exhausted his knowledge and he admitted his knowledge of Brahman was very limited.
===Gārgya's Humility===
Ajātaśatru, at the end of the twelve upāsanas, then he asks: "Is this all that you know?" And then Gārgya accepts: "Yes, this is all that I know"—very humbly. So Gārgya's humility comes forth. That is why he said, he was an apt disciple. Humbly he begged the king to take up the role of the teacher, and he decided: "Let me become your disciple, the king's disciple"—which was not in the tradition in those days. Then thr king led Gārgya to the highest knowledge of Brahman in two stages.
===The First Stage: Acquiring Qualities===
What was the first stage? Every time Gārgya taught a particular upāsana, every contemplation—upāsana means contemplation—is to meditate upon the Saguṇa Brahma with one particular quality. A quality , when it is thought over many times, then slowly that quality becomes manifest as one's own nature. Remember, all these qualities are already there within each one of us.—"Each soul is potentially divine". Only because of this process of creation—evolution—we have to go for a long time through the unspiritual qualities, otherwise called worldly qualities, otherwise called — following, walking the ''preyo-mārga'' (the path of the pleasurable). So that is how the development takes place.
===The King as Teacher===
That is the first stage, and by the end, Gārgya had stopped teaching. Ajātaśatru improved, increased, extended his upāsanas, and every time Gārgya must have practised them until Gārgya had acquired a particular quality through repeated contemplation as taught by Ajātaśatru. Ajātaśatru would not proceed to the next stage—like any good teacher—until the student grasps the lower-class truths; he will not take him to the higher class. Like that he led him, and then Ajātaśatru made him a disciple.
===The Second Stage: The Sleeping Man===
Now Gārgya is ready to receive the second stage. Then I am just forestalling what Ajātaśatru did from the fifteenth ''śloka'' onwards. So Ajātaśatru took him to a sleeping person. First he calls him by certain names belonging to the moon, and the man did not respond at all. Then the king gently shakes him—no response. Then the king shakes him quite hard—but there was no response. Then the king shakes that sleeping person violently. Then he opens his eyes.
===The Lesson===
That is all the subject matter for teaching Gārgya further. Then Ajātaśatru takes him away, makes him sit. "Now you have witnessed: this man was sleeping and he did not respond. Where was he, and how did he come back?" Two questions. "Where was he — when I called him, when I gently shook him, when I shook him with more effort, and when I shook him with tremendous violence? What happened to that man? If he was the body, if he was the mind, he would have woken up. But then he became detached from the body, from the mind." That is what happens to all of us. We become totally detached from the gross body—which means from the entire external world—then from the subtle body, which means our entire inner organ which is called the mind.
===Deep Sleep and Brahman===
Then this person was in the deep sleep state. What is the deep sleep state? It bears close resemblance to Turyāvasthā. First of all, ''ekam eva advitīyam''—there is no second, there is no body, there is no mind. That means there is no world at all. Secondly, he is absolutely joyous and peaceful. That is why Vedānta gives it a peculiar name: it is called ''Ānandamaya Kośa''—they are full of unbroken bliss so long as the deep sleep lasts.
===The Analogy of the Seer and the Seen===
So the lesson the king—the Guru—wanted to teach the disciple is that —every ''jīva'' is a ''jīva'' only so long as that person is identified with the waking, with the dream, with the deep sleep. But the moment a person analyzes, analysis means what? —"I am experiencing the waking. I am experiencing the dream. I am experiencing the deep sleep. And whatever is experienced is not me. If I am seeing a tree in front of me, I am not the tree. If I am seeing a donkey in front of me, nobody would claim that I am a donkey—much less the person." So this is how the progress starts.
===The Role of the Guru===
And because Ajātaśatru was a realised soul and his apt disciple Gārgya had acquired all the necessary spiritual qualities and became a fit disciple, ''śravaṇa'' takes place. What is that ''śravaṇa''?— "So he who is in this Āditya—that being, the real one who is manifesting as Āditya, but who is not Āditya, who is not the sun god—it is only the solar orb. We all see only the solar orb, the orb of the moon, and the orb of the stars. We do not see — whose real manifestation it is."
===Everything Is a Manifestation of Brahman===
Remember, we should never forget: every single thing, living or non-living, is a manifestation of Brahman—as ''sphuliṅgā''—like sparks of fire. When there is a blazing fire, many sparks will be moving here and there, and they are all partaking of the nature of the fire. Everything illumines, even though very small, to that extent. And every spark is hot. Heat and light are the very natural qualities of fire. So like that, if Brahman is the original cause, everything in this world must be only Brahman.
===The Purpose of Upāsanas===
That is how every Upaniṣad wants to teach. No Upaniṣad ends without these upāsanas you have to do. If you notice deeply, any Upaniṣad tells all these upāsanas, and practically every Upaniṣad has some upāsanas, directly or indirectly. They are all meant to purify the mind, to develop concentration, to develop more identity with the larger whole, and then finally realize: "I am the only one. I am the whole. There is nobody besides me."
===The Truth Remains a Fact===
Every Upaniṣad, every scripture—even though some of the scriptures of some religions do not explicitly talk about Nirguṇa-Nirākāra Brahma—a fact remains a fact, a truth remains a fact, a truth irrespective of what we think about it. A thing remains as it is irrespective of what we think about that something. A good man will be a good man even if we happen to think he is an evil person. So that is the truth actually. But what about an evil person? — When we think about an evil person and if we think this person's nature is evil and he will ever be evil only, we will be profoundly mistaken. Every person is an evil person at some stage of the evolution, but everything changes. So evil changes for good. Good also makes a person, throws it up like the pole vault. The purpose of the pole is to separate us from the pole, but in the process it makes us cross something the pole itself cannot cross.
===The Development===
So this is how the development has to take place. I will just read out only what Gārgya started teaching in the second mantra, and thereafter I will not read out the original mantra, but we will analyze in plain English the essence of what conversation took place whenever Gārgya taught a particular upāsana to Ajātaśatru. Every mantra is helping Gārgya to evolve further towards the highest truth in the form of making him a fit recipient.
==The Second Mantra==
With these points in view, let me read out the mantra. This is the second mantra. Since there are twelve upāsanas—second begins with second, ends with thirteenth—so then the real teaching starts only from the fifteenth. Here it goes:

स ह होवाच गार्ग्यः य एवासावादित्ये पुरुषः एतमेव अहं ब्रह्मोपास इति. स ह होवाचाजातशत्रुः मा मैतस्मिन् संवदिष्ठाः अतिष्ठाः सर्वेषां भूतानां मूर्धा राजेति वा अहं एतमुपास इति. स य एतमेवमुपास्तेऽतिष्ठाः सर्वेषां भूतानां मूर्धा राजा भवति ।

''sa ha hovāca gārgyaḥ ya evāsāv āditye puruṣaḥ etam evāhaṃ brahmopāsa iti.'' sa ha hovācājātaśatruḥ mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ atiṣṭhāḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ mūrdhā rājēti vā ahaṃ etam upāsa iti. sa ya etam evam upāste'tiṣṭhāḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ mūrdhā rājā bhavati.
===Literal Meaning===
I will first give you the literal meaning, then we will analyze a little bit. ''Sa ha Gārgyaḥ hovāca Gārgyaḥ''—ha is a supporting word, so it has really no meaning, so Gārgya started his teaching to Ajātaśatru. ''Yah eva''—that being alone—asau ''Āditya Puruṣa'' , he is seen manifest so brilliantly, brightly in this Āditya, in this solar orb. It is the solar orb is not the only reality. There is a Puruṣa—there is a pure consciousness within that, of whose expression is this orb of the sun giving tremendous energy, tremendous light. In fact, he is called Brahma. Every being is born, both living and non-living, only because of the sun. But this we have to understand later on. ''Etam eva''—and that Puruṣa who is so manifestly is perceived in the solar orb—''etam evāham Brahmopāse''—"I consider him as the highest reality."
===Ajātaśatru's Reply===
In reply, Ajātaśatru is telling: ''Sa ha hovācājātaśatruḥ''—now Ajātaśatru, after hearing what Gārgya had to say, now he opened his mouth, he said: ''Mā maitasmin saṃvadiṣṭhāḥ''—"Do not speak to me that this upāsana you are doing is the highest upāsana." That means it is an upāsana. I am not saying it is not, but it is a very inadequate upāsana. I know better qualities in this Āditya, and three special qualities I am going to point out to you, and you better contemplate this solar—the Puruṣa, the conscious being—because of whom, or who is manifesting in the form of the solar orb. And we have to extend it to the moon, the lightning, the fire, and the stars—everything. We will come to that.
===The Three Qualities===
So you will have to do the contemplation, and then naturally the doubt comes: "Supposing I contemplate, what do I get out of it?" And here is the beautiful expression: ''Sah yah etam evam upāste''—"One who contemplates that sun, whom we all think it is an orb, it is a lifeless object, if we consider him as a manifestation of Brahman, that Puruṣa, that being, that consciousness within every object, especially this manifest glory in the sun, then what happens? Such a person becomes also like the sun among people in this world, on this earth." What does he become? ''Atiṣṭhāḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ mūrdhā rājā''—so three special qualities: ''Atiṣṭhā'', ''Mūrdhā'', ''Rājā''.
==Discussion of the Three Qualities==
Now we will discuss a little bit about these things. So what did Ajātaśatru want to teach? Ajātaśatru now wants to say: what is this ''Atiṣṭhā''? ''Atiṣṭhā'' means prominent, most prominent. He becomes very prominent among all people. Now if you analyze, look at somebody who is prominent, whether good or evil quality. So you see the president of a country, the prime minister of a country—he is very prominent. Wherever he goes, he draws attention. So whoever meditates acquires this quality of worshipping this ''Atiṣṭhā'', he also becomes ''Atiṣṭhā'' only. So Ajātaśatru says: "I meditate upon him as an all-surpassing." That is, nobody can surpass him. He would be like the sun. Just as when you look up day or night, who is the brightest star? Only the sun. So far as we know, our experience is concerned, there is no other star which is more shining, more life-giving. No star can surpass our sun. The entire existence of our earthly planet and many other planets—it all depends upon the sun. He is the Brahmā, he is the Viṣṇu, and he is also the Rudra. That concept we will have to connect with him.
===The Psychological Rule===
So this person he becomes all-surpassing among men. Remember ''yathā yathā upāste tathā tathā guṇa-samṛddhā bhavati''—"as we contemplate, that is the great rule." It is a psychological rule; it is not a mysterious rule revealed by the Vedas. So you go on worrying deeply—your very face will show you are a worrier. Think of good thoughts, and your face-cut, your entire body formation, will change. And this also Swami Śaradānandaji mentions in connection with the ''iti-iti-mārga''—so beautiful. Such a person, by meditating even upon the good qualities, becomes a good man. Because if you go on thinking, your speech follows your thoughts, then your actions follow your thoughts and speech, and there is no option but to become a good person. If a person thinks spiritual thoughts, he will become spiritual. If a person thinks about God, he will become God—and it works. That is why the greatest psychological truth: "as we think, we become". But it should not be superficial thinking, but profoundly concentrated thinking day and night—we will become that, no doubt about this.
===The Story of Queen Anne (correction : Queen Marie Antoinette of France)===
It is said that Queen Anne, the 14th—the wife of Louis XIV of the French kingdom —(correction : Queen Marie Antoinette of France , the wife of - King Louis XVI) — she was given the punishment of beheading, and then that very thought overnight she became an old woman. Her entire black, shiny hair had become absolutely white. I do not know whether it is a fact, but it illustrates what we have to think about it.
===The Second Quality: Mūrdhā===
So whoever meditates—this is the first quality: ''Atiṣṭhā''. Then ''Mūrdhā''—he becomes the leader because whoever is a great thinker becomes a leader. He acquires power, acquires that splendour, acquires that brilliance, whether good or bad. They must have that tremendous strength. Nobody can become a ''guṇḍā''—an evil person. No weak person can ever become a ''guṇḍā''. He must have both physical as well as mental strength more than other people. Then only he can command. It is said there was one Nawab—a Muslim king—he was so evil that anybody towards whom he looked shrivelled, and he might even die just by look—so evil he was. Anyway, this is the result. As we meditate, so we become—that means those qualities become our qualities, my character, my nature.
===The Third Quality: Rājā===
So he becomes ''Mūrdhā''—''mūrdhā'' means the head. Just as in a family there is a head, so also there is a community head and the head of a nation, etc. So for every organisation, there will be a head—called CEO. So thus whoever meditates upon him as ''Mūrdhā''—head—he becomes, he acquires that power. That means other people automatically bend down their heads and obey him. That is the second quality. First quality is he becomes all-surpassing in everything compared to other people. Second is he becomes a leader, a head. Third quality is ''Rāj''—''rāj'' means what? He becomes a R''ājā''—he becomes a king. But here Śaṅkarācārya says ''rājā'' means that which shines. After all, he is meditating upon the brilliance of the sun. So the entire personality shines.
===The Light of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa===
These are not legends, these are not empty words. Once upon a time, great light used to come out of the body of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. People used to be wonderstruck, hypnotized, looking at the light that was emanating from every pore of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's body. And then he understood: people are not interested in me, in what I say; they are looking at this outward splendour. So he said, "I prayed, O Mother—look at this prayer: O Mother, do not come out. You go inside; You be manifesting inside within me, but let the body remain like any other body." After sincere prayer for a long time, slowly that light withdrew itself and started shining from within. Only a few people can recognize him. Otherwise, everybody used to look. There are so many instances.
===The Result of Meditation===
So ''sa ya etam evam upāste''—"Thus meditates upon the Āditya in these three qualities"—becomes himself all-surpassing, head of all beings, and resplendent. So this is what Ajātaśatru said, and he must have made him—"This is how I meditate, and this is how you will have to meditate." And that is how these three qualities have been given.
==Understanding the Presiding Deities==
Now slowly, slowly, we have to understand something. What is this? How does a person really progress? So in this context, we have to understand what is called ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatā''—presiding deity. I have already discussed it. I know you are intelligent students, but this is in connection with understanding of Hiraṇyagarbha. All these upāsanas are: "I meditate upon the sun as Hiraṇyagarbha or Saguṇa Brahma." Where is Saguṇa Brahma and Hiraṇyagarbha coming here? This person is meditating upon the sun. So who is the sun? He is the presiding deity. The sun is the presiding deity of every eye which has the power to perceive forms and colours. Not only that, the sun manifests, makes each one of us experience that which can be experienced through the eye through two powers. One is —that sun manifesting as my eye, your eye, every creature's eye, enabling to see the form. For example, a deer sees a hungry tiger trying to kill it. It smells, it also sees, it also has got the legs. There is an ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatā'' for the legs also—it is called Viṣṇu, ''Urukramahan''.
===Every Limb Has a Presiding Deity===
So this is how Vedānta tells: every single part of our body consisting of so many sense organs, etc., there is a presiding deity. So who is a presiding deity? He who first of all manifests as a particular limb in our body and as that particular light in the external world so that we can experience the colour, the forms, the sound. Further, you have to understand: if it is the ears, Ākāśa—sound. Sound Ākāśa is the ''Adhiṣṭhātra'' presiding deity of every sound, and he manifests in the form of the ears. Ears have the ability only to hear, not to see, not to taste, etc. Not only that, this external world—so Ākāśa manifests in the form of space so that the sound can travel; otherwise, the ears cannot hear.
===The Unity of the Presiding Deities===
So this ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatā''—presiding deity—manifests as every limb in every ''jīva''. That is the first. Secondly, he manifests as that light—"light" we should not think only sunlight or torchlight. Light means that medium through which every sense organ can experience, and under experience that particular knowledge—sounds, smells, tastes, etc. Now there are various ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatās''—as many limbs in our body, so many ''Adhiṣṭhātra Devatās''. But what is Hiraṇyagarbha? He is the sum total of all these presiding deities.
===The Point of the Teaching===
That is the point Ajātaśatru wanted to teach to Gārgya. So when you are saying, "Here I am meditating on Hiraṇyagarbha," this is what you have to understand. And the more qualities you acquire, the more will be your understanding. So that is how you have to first worship—contemplate: "I am only a part of the presiding deity of every limb." So when we analyse like this, the sun is manifesting in the form of my eye; Ākāśa—space—is manifesting in the form of my ear; the hand is manifesting in the form of Indra; Indra is manifesting in the form of the hand; Viṣṇu is manifesting in the form of my leg; etc., etc. What is left out in me? Nothing. Because even the mind that we think—it is a manifestation of the moon.
===The Final Realization===
Finally, I do not remain. Who remains? Presiding deities. Do they remain? No, they also will not remain because they realize in their turn: "We are only parts of ''samaṣṭi'' called Hiraṇyagarbha." Then Hiraṇyagarbha , he realizes: "I am the manifestation of Nirguṇa Brahma." This is going to be the development. In this light, we have to understand all the twelve ''guṇas''—not twelve ''guṇas'', but twelve mantras where Ajātaśatru taught Gārgya all the things. So from the second verse to the thirteenth verse, this is going to be the development.
===The First Upāsana: Āditya===
So the first one is Gārgya himself introduces Āditya. So Hiraṇyagarbha—says Ajātaśatru — is endowed with more virtues. What is it? So he is ''Atiṣṭhā'', ''Mūrdhā'', ''Rājā''. ''Atiṣṭhā'' is what—he is all-surpassing. So he is ''Mūrdhā''—he is the head, he is the leader. ''Rājā'' means what? Tremendous light comes out of him. That is why around every saint's head there is a halo—it is produced to make us indicate there is something within him which is also there within us, but in an unmanifest form. So ''mūrdhā'' means ''pūjya''—puja''ṇīya'', ''ādaraṇīya'', ''vandanīya''—he who has to be respected, he who has to be worshipped, he who is to be honoured, he who is to be bowed down to—because as soon as these qualities come, you do not think and do that; automatically your head will bow down. So, ''"Atiṣṭhatva, Mūrdhatva, Rājatva—guṇa viśiṣṭa Hiraṇyagarbham, aham upāsme."'' And as I said, Ajātaśatru made him go through all these things.
===The Second Upāsana: Chandra===
So this is the first. Then in the third mantra, Gārgya introduces Chandra—Chandra, the moon is taken upon which Hiraṇyagarbha is meditated. So this is presented by Gārgya. Ajātaśatru as usual says: "There are three special qualities. What you said is not sufficient." And what are those three qualities of this lunar object called Chandra, the moon, what we call —the being in the moon, the Puruṣa in the moon: ''Bṛhat'', ''Pāṇḍaravat'', ''Somarāja''.
===The Three Qualities of the Moon===
''Bṛhat'' means Brahma, Brahma means ''Mahan''—the greatest, because remember, according to Vedānta, it is all the ''oṣadhis''—all the food materials grow because of the influence of the moon. Without him, we will not be surviving at all. So that is one—''Mahan'', great. ''Pāṇḍaravat'' means pure white—that is why we say "white like the moonlight," "like white marble." And Kālidāsa also says that in a particular season that comes between October and November, the moonlight should be as white as the milk of a buffalo. That is the simile he gives—''śukla-ambara'', pure white, purity. So that is why a person becomes pleased whenever we approach pure persons. You approach a baby—he is so pure, he becomes so lovable. You feel like taking in your arms, embracing, protecting. So ''Somarāja'' means who is attractive—that is the third quality. First is ''Bṛhat''—he pleases everybody, he is great. Second quality ''Pāṇḍaravat''—that means he is like a pure white cloth—purity. ''Somarāja'' means who is a very attractive person, pleasing personality, and the result is whoever contemplates upon the moon like this, he will also become great like this. So Ajātaśatru also gives one more result: not only a person by contemplating upon the moon acquires these three qualities, he also gets ''anna-samṛddhi''. Why? ''Somam bhūtvā raso'ham''—the moon is considered as the creator, the giver of ''oṣadhis''. That is why this person becomes ''anna-samṛddhi''. He enjoys pure mangoes, sweetest mangoes, very fragrant mangoes—his whole life if he contemplates—he will meditate upon this.
===The Rest of the Upāsanas===
Like this, every quality has been made clear by Ajātaśatru, and we presume that Gārgya had practised contemplation because he was an expert. It would not take a long time. Once a person succeeds in concentrating and becoming one with it, then it will be easiest for him. That is why it is said, every spiritual practice that was undertaken by Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa—the result came within three days, He attained the goal of that one. Why? Because a fit instrument gives the result very quickly.
==Conclusion==
So I will stop here. There are other upasanas—we already discussed two actually. We will discuss the rest of them in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ॥''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.6 Lecture 37 on 30 May 2026

2026-07-27T18:32:06Z

Sachidanand: Devanagari script, missing words and miscellaneous corrections

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
== Introduction to the Sixth Section (Uktha Brāhmaṇa)==
A great discussion on what ''Brahman'' is and how to realise ''Brahman'', how to know “That I am ''Brahman''”, that discussion was going on in a great ''Gurukula'', a school under the guidance of a great ''Rṣi'', and the discussion was: — what is this world? What does it consist of? This is the topic of the 6th ''Brāhmaṇam'', the 6th section of the first chapter.

So everything is located only in the mind. Life is mind. Happiness is mind, unhappiness is mind, bondage is mind, liberation is mind, good is mind, evil is also mind. So the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell us, to summarize in fact, all that we discussed in this first chapter.—What is life? Who am I? What is the goal of my life, and how to know, realise who I am, and remain happy forever? So learn, grow, become free by knowing who we are. This is the essence of not only the sixth section but every section. We have seen that the entire first chapter is called ''Madhukāṇḍa''. Everything is related, connected, inseparable from everything else. Everything is the creation of ''Brahman''. Rather, ''Brahman'' or God is manifesting as this entire universe, and for that purpose, the ''Upaniṣad'' has described what we had studied so far in these five sections of the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka'' first chapter of the ''Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad —''how creation started. God or ''Brahman'' manifested as the presiding deities or five elements, —first as subtle, next as gross. Then these five elements became everything that we know of – the living, the nonliving.

Then we have seen in the last section, the fifth section, because creation is the first part, sustenance and maintenance is the second part, and food is necessary. So God has created food for all the three beings: that is, the presiding deities called ''Ādhidaivika'', then this external world which we experience, then we the individuals – ''Adhyātmika''. So ''Adhyātmika'', ''Adhibhautika'', and ''Ādhidaivika'' are an inseparable triangle, and so in this, the same analogy of the triangle is being taken, and the essence is being squeezed in this sixth section. Why? Because we are in the world; we are the world. We are not separate from the world; we are part of the world. And yet each one of us identifies only with this body-mind complex and experience the entire universe. So also every living creature experiences everything. So this experiencer–experienced process is going on throughout. Thus, we identify ourselves with this body -mind, and this body-mind is called ''Pīṇḍāṇḍa''. The entire universe (or ''Iśvara'') is called ''Brahmāṇḍa'', and what is this whole ''Brahmāṇḍa''? So this ''Upaniṣad'', in this last sixth section, wants to simplify, summarize, and squeeze the essence.
==The Threefold Nature: Nāma, Rūpa, Karma==
What is the whole creation consisting of? Three things, and three in one, one in three. When we say three things, it is not that there are three separate things. When we say triangle, every angle is connected and inseparable from every angle. Every angle is connected with the other two angles. So what are those three angles, and what is its name? It is called ''Uktha'', and this particular sixth section of the first chapter is also well known as ''Uktha Brāhmaṇam''.

So what is this word? Many of our readers or hearers get confused: is it ''Ukta'' (UKTA) or ''Uktha'' (UKTHA)? The correct name is ''Uktha'', not ''Ukta'', and this name carries a profound philosophical meaning and purpose. So the correct name is ''Uktha'', '<nowiki/>''Ukta'<nowiki/>'' means “that which has been spoken, said”. For example, ''Nārado-ukta'' – what is said by Nārada, ''Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa-ukta'' – spoken by Rāmakṛṣṇa,''Vivekānanda-uktha'' – what Swami Vivekananda said, spoken, taught. This word ''Ukta'' (without the hard consonant) is rooted in “to speak”. But this ''Brāhmaṇam'' is NOT ''Ukta Brāhmaṇam''; it is '<nowiki/>''Uktha Brāhmaṇam''', and it has a completely different, multi-layered spiritual meaning. So, in ritualistic terms, ''Uktha'' refers to a Vedic hymn or a praise of gods or goddesses, or a recitation, especially from the ''Ṛg Veda'', but in ''Vedānta'' it has a deeper metaphysical definition: So ''Uktha'' means what:

उत्तिष्ठति अनेनैति उक्थम्" ॥ (phrase from BU 1.6)

(''uttiṣṭhati anena eti uktham'')

– that from which everything originates, springs forth, in which it abides, and unto which it returns. So we can exchange this word ''Uktha'' with ''Brahman''. The whole universe, it comes from the cause called ''Brahman'', and it abides in ''Brahman'', and it merges back into ''Brahman''. This universe is never separate from ''Brahman''. For that, every teacher has to repeat the words again and again. Take the example of a pot: a million pots have been made from clay. What is a pot? It is nothing but clay plus ''nāma'', or let me put it this way: clay plus ''rūpa'' plus ''nāma'' plus ''prayojana'', also called herein in the sixth section: ''nāma'', ''rūpa, karma'' – but we have to rearrange it as – ''rūpa'' plus ''nāma'' plus ''karma''.
===Example of the Pot===
In the case of the pot, let us understand it. Clay is useless: you cannot drink from it, you cannot store things, you cannot cook food. So it has to be made into a particular shape called form. Suppose I make it in the form of a glass. What is the purpose? I have to drink water – that is the purpose. So I have to give a name. Every form must have a separate name to distinguish it, to make our day‑to‑day life easier. Several times I gave the example: you can easily understand if there are two glasses made out of clay, and one is painted as black , another is painted white. If I have to ask somebody, “Will you please bring that glass?” that will not serve the purpose; it is redundant. I have to say, “Please bring that white glass” or “bring the small glass” or “bring the glass which is on the lower shelf, not on the higher shelf.” So first there is a formation; that is called form. And since there is not one form (if) there were only one pot, there would be no need for adjectives like small, big, left side, right side, black colour, white colour, yellow colour), no, but because objects are almost infinite – human beings are infinite, animals are infinite, every species is almost infinite – we have to give special names: “this is a cow”, “this is a speckled cow”, “this is an American cow”, “this is a Jersey cow”, etc. First comes the form, and that form is given a name. If there are three or four brothers in the same family, or even twins or triplets, then to separate each one from the other, the mother has to give separate names and put three separate signs on each child so that one child will not have double or triple his drinking of milk.

Thus, the whole universe – that is to say, ''Brahman'' assumes forms – and every form, to specify, to separate, to use it properly for communication, has to be given a particular name. Every object that is called an object – every pot is an object, every book is an object, every person is an object, every animal is an object, even the non‑living is an object – every object has some purpose for the subject; that is, it fulfills ''karma''. In the example of the pot: what is the ''rūpa''? Clay in the form of a small glass – that is the form. So you have to give a name: “This is a baby glass”, “small glass”. Whether it is milk or water, that serves the purpose of the baby. But for an adult, it should be a bigger glass, so on so forth.
===Karma as Utility===
Where does ''karma'' come in? ''Karma'' means ''prayojana'' (utility). A potter makes a pot for drinking water. The same potter makes, out of the same clay, a plate for eating food, another pot for cooking, another pot for storing, etc. Another thing out of clay is a brick, for making walls, houses, etc. So a house: what is its ''karma''? To shelter people, protect people from cold, heat, rain, etc., also to protect them from enemies and thieves, and also to house guests and friends. That is the ''karma''. ''Karma'' means ''prayojana''. So we have name, form, and ''prayojana''.
===Inseparability===
What is the whole world? Take any object. First point: we have to understand these three are inseparable. If there is a form, there must be a name to distinguish it from every other form. Every object has a specific name so that our knowledge will not be wasted, time will not be wasted; we should hone in , hone on that particular object and convey it to others as well. That is how knowledge is conveyed. So every object has a purpose, and they are inseparable. The whole world consists of name, form, and action. ''Karma'' means action or ''prayojana'' (utility). They cannot be separated. If you separate, if you destroy one, everything will be destroyed. For example, you destroy a cooking pot, then the name is also destroyed : not only cooking pot is destroyed, that utility called “cooking” is also destroyed – ''karma'' is destroyed, also its name is destroyed.
==Destruction and the Real (Sat)==
If we want to destroy the world, then we have to destroy ''rūpa'', ''nāma'', and ''karma''. How are we going to destroy? Destruction means nothing that is existing can ever be destroyed. ''Sat'' can never be destroyed; that is why it is called ''Satyam'' – why that is why it is called ''trikāla abhādhitam'' (it never changes). As I said, a pot is nothing but clay in a particular form, with a particular name, with a particular purpose, but it is nothing but clay. So, a pot weighing one kilogram is nothing but one kilogram of clay – not even one billionth of something extra added to it. An ornament made out of gold is nothing but pure gold. What we call it – “this is a nose ring”, “that is an ear ring”, “this is a necklace”, “this is a bangle”, “this is a waist ring”, etc. (– all are only gold).

So the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell us that the whole world we are living in, of which we are a part, consists only of ''nāma'', ''rūpa'', and ''karma''. As I said, it would have been better if we rearranged it – ''rūpa'', ''nāma'', and ''karma''. These are the three words that this particular section, called ''Uktha Brāhmaṇa'' (don't forget the etymological meaning), so what is the meaning of ''Uktha''? That from which everything arises – which is the material cause and the intelligent cause, which is the cause? Everything that came out is an effect. Every effect must have a cause, and that cause from which this whole universe has come, it is called ''Brahman''. So here, the whole world is nothing but ''nāma'', ''rūpa'', and ''karma''. So, the meaning of the word ''Uktha'' means the original cause, and the original cause is ''Brahman''. ''Brahman'' became the form, ''Brahman'' became the name, ''Brahman'' became the function (''karma'').

If we can understand it, what is the benefit we get? We learn to look upon everything – I see a tree; it is nothing but ''Brahman'' with form, with name, with ''karma'' (''prayojana''). So whatever I look at (look at meaning not merely looking through the eyes), whatever I smell, whatever I hear, whatever I taste, whatever I touch – everything is nothing but ''Brahman''. This is called '<nowiki/>''sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma'''.
==Śabda Brahma, Rūpa Brahma, Prāṇa Brahma==
Speech – this marvellous psychological explanation wants to say: what is this ''nāma''? We understand: “This is a person; he is the son of Daśaratha; his name is Rāma; he is a young man, very beautiful, very powerful, expert, skillful in archery,” etc. That is not what the tracing of the origin, that is done in this sixth section, means. What it wants to say is: ''nāma'' means general sound; ''rūpa'' means general form; ''karma'' also means the expression of ''prāṇa'' – ''karma'' means ''prāṇa''. How does the sixth section arrive at this beautiful analysis? That is what we have to understand. What is the symbolism? How do we understand?

Let us take the example of sound. Every name is nothing but sound. I say “Rāma” – that sound. I say “you” – that is a sound. I say “dog” – that is a sound. So every ''nāma'', every name, is nothing but sound. But this sound is the general, like clay, and this sound – it does not have a specific form, does not have a specific name, does not have a specific ''prayojana'' or utility – and that is called ''Śabda Brahma'', ''Rūpa Brahma'', ''Karma Brahma''. Let us analyze it briefly, then a little bit more in detail.

Just imagine that there is a huge block of marble. What is it? Marble, that's all. But the moment a sculptor looks at it and then he carves (that is, carves the figure of, let us say, Kṛṣṇa), what does he do? He separates the form of Kṛṣṇa from that block of marble. He chips away what is non‑Kṛṣṇa; what remains is Kṛṣṇa. Another sculptor, he chips away and calls it Jesus. Michelangelo, he was such an expert sculptor that he chipped away in such a marvellous way –O it is indescribable! Those who appreciate know what I am talking about. Similarly, painters do that. They cover it up (with a white piece of canvas) and then superimpose upon it a particular figure or figures – it could be a man, and even a man is not one particular figure but hundreds of parts: this is a hand, that is a leg, that is an eye, that is the tuft of hair, etc.

So what are we talking about? ''Śabda Brahma''. ''Śabda'' is like clay, and any name can be brought out of ''śabda''. All the ''śabda'' comes from our marvellous study of ''Oṃkāra''. ''Oṃkāra'' is called ''śabda'', and that ''Oṃkāra'' does not have any specific object – ''Oṃkāra'' is not a specific object; it is called ''sarvanāma'' (a pronoun). ''Oṃkāra'' can stand for Rāma, for Kṛṣṇa, for Kālī, for Jesus, for Buddha, for every blessed thing in this world. So if you understand what I am talking about, that general material from which ''nāma'' is derived– that is called ''śabda'', and that ''śabda'' can be sculpted. That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa in his own beautiful way is trying (to convey)– there is a body of water: some people call it ''pāni'', some people call it water, some people call it ''jala'', some people call it ''aqua''. You can have any name you want because there are other languages. Every language has its own specific sculpting of ''śabda'', but meaning the same object. So this is the idea that this sixth section wants to convey to us: when you are looking at anything in this world, first you say, “Oh, this is my friend; his name is, for example, Rāma. This is a saint, he called Rāmakṛṣṇa.” That word “Rāmakṛṣṇa” is derived from that block of unspecified sound, and the same block of sound can be used to bring out infinite numbers of names according to infinite numbers of objects. I hope I am conveying the idea of ''Śabda Brahma''.
===Rūpa Brahma===
But, as I said, first ''Rūpa Brahma'' (form). Take the same huge block of marble, there are sculptures – there are more than ten thousand objects carved: small leaves, flowers, trees, lakes, birds, human beings, wavy waters – everything is there in that sculpture. That is the greatness of the sculptor. But what is the general foundation? That block of stone – call it marble, call it granite, call it black stone, by whatever blessed name you want. When it is in this state of unformed, that is called – what we call ''Rūpa Brahma''. Take an everyday example: you take some dough and make it into one form – you call it bread; make it another form – you call it ''chapāti''; make it another form – you call it cake. You can have, according to the capacity of your imagination, any number of names and any number of forms. Every form must be given a particular name to separate it. Even when somebody is burning some ''chapātis'', we can specify and say, “That first ''chapāti'' is burnt too much, but the one that is less burnt, you bring and serve it to me.” So every form has an unmanifest, unspecified form, and that is called ''Rūpa Brahma''.
===Nāma Brahma===
Every name has got an unspecified sound – that is called ''Nāma Brahma''.
===Karma Brahma (Prāṇa Brahma)===
What about ''karma'' then? Yes, ''karma'' means action. Action means – the manifestation of ''prāṇa''. That is why ''prāṇa'' is the block out of that ''Prāṇa.'' ''Prāṇa'' means energy. That is why ''Prāṇa Brahma'' – unspecified, unmanifest as action – is called ''Prāṇa Brahma''. So from that ''Prāṇa Brahma'', as soon as a form comes, as soon as the name comes, immediately it has to react, and that reaction, which is continuously going on in this world, that is called the world. The whole world is nothing but – ''prāṇa'', ''rūpa'', ''nāma''. But all the three – ''prāṇa'' (that is, unmanifest energy), ''rūpa'' (unformed material), ''nāma'' (unspecified sound) – all these three are nothing but manifestations of ''Brahman''.
===Example: Rāmakṛṣṇa===
If you analyze, take for example – here is Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is Rāmakṛṣṇa? – the form that we see is Rāmakṛṣṇa; the name which distinguishes this particular form from every other form in this world, even if Rāmakṛṣṇa had three hundred brothers, every brother can be separated. He had three brothers, so he is not Rāmakumār, he is not Rāmeśwar; he is only Rāmakṛṣṇa, not to speak of other people. That form, which is named as Rāmakṛṣṇa, what is he, nothing but a bundle of energy. That energy fills his ''sthūla śarīra'', ''sūkṣma śarīra'', and ''kāraṇa śarīra''. So let us take mind and body. The body and mind are full of purpose: “I am hungry, I want to eat” – so that when it is manifested, he seeks food, he eats– that is an action of ''prāṇa''. That un-manifest ''prāṇa'' thinks, “I want to dedicate my life only to God” – that is what we call spiritual life, that is also called ''sannyāsa''. Even if you have not heard about this, if you are devoting ten minutes of your everyday life to think of God, you are leading ten percent spiritual life, because God means spirituality. If you are thinking for one hour– you are leading one hour spiritual life (I am talking about sincere thinking about God). If you are thinking for ten hours (or) twelve hours, then to that extent your spirituality is twelve hours of spirituality. The rest of the time, if you are thinking of worldly things unrelated to God, that is called worldly life. But if you are leading the same rest of the hours as a preparation for those twelve hours of thinking of God, then that is also part of your spiritual life only. It should be like that, whatever we do. That is why

"अश्नन्, गच्छन्, स्वपन्, श्वसन्, निमिषन्, उन्मिषन्" (phrase from Bhagavat Gita 5.9)

''asman, gacchan, svapan, śvasan, nimīṣan, unmīṣan''

– in the ''Bhagavad Gītā we get'' – breathing in, breathing out, you are closing the eyelids, opening the eyelids – you are breathing in, breathing out, whatever this body does, what should be done?

"ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति य: । लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥" Bhagavat Gita 5.10॥

''Brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ, lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatram ivāmbhasā''.

So everything I am not doing – in fact, I am not doing. It is not my thinking that makes me think; really it is God only, in the form of ''Prāṇa Brahma'', in the form of ''Rūpa Brahma'', in the form of ''Nāma Brahma'' – he is doing everything. I am not doing anything this is the idea that this sixth section wants to convey.
==The Use of the Word ''Cakṣu''==
But for the “form”, this sixth section uses the word ''cakṣu''. ''Cakṣu'' means “eye”. But as I said, whatever is done – this ''cakṣu'' means what –that unspecified original form, ''Rūpa Brahma''. That is called ''Chakṣu''. ''Nāma Brahma'' – that unspecified ''Brahman'' in the form of unmanifest sound – that is called ''Nāma''. ''Karma'', ''prāṇa'' – that which is not functioning in any particular way. If we can analyze the whole universe in the marvellous psychological light thrown by the sixth section, we can understand the marvellous thing about this sixth section: the whole universe is nothing but – ''rūpa'', ''nāma'', and ''karma'' – form, name, action (''prāṇa)'' – that's all.
==The Great Lesson: Unity Behind the Three==
What is the great lesson that at the end of this section the ''Upaniṣad'' says? –That when name, form, and action seem separate, they are actually unified. The ultimate essence behind all three is ''prāṇa'', and that ''prāṇa'' is called ''Hiraṇyagarbha''. That ''Hiraṇyagarbha'' is another name for ''Īśvara'' or ''Brahmā''.
==Satya and Amṛta: Covering and Immortality==
What is our problem? –The ''Upaniṣad'' beautifully points out: this body‑mind complex – the physical body – is called ''amṛta''? No, sorry, ''satya'' – it is called ''satya:''

"अमृतं सत्येन छन्नम्" ( phrase from verse BU 1.6.3)

''(amṛtam satyena channam'')

–''Satya'' because whatever we are experiencing, that is the truth. For us, it is my truth; for you, it is your truth. What your body is doing – that is called ''satya''. This truth (everything is ''Brahman'') is covered by this ''satyena channam''. Here ''satya'' means (we should not understand it as ''satyam jñānam anantam brahma'') our understanding that “I am the body” is the root cause of all problems, and as we are situated now, we are all convinced that “I am nothing but the body – ''annamaya kośa''” – and that is called ''satya''. This ''satya'' covers the truth.

–For the mind, the ''Upaniṣad'' gives another word: ''amṛta'' (immortal). By ''amṛta'', the ''Upaniṣad'' here is telling us what is called ''sūkṣma'' and ''kāraṇa śarīras''. So by ''satyam'' (gross body) and by ''amṛta'' (subtle and causal body) – why is it called ''amṛta''? Because even when this body falls off, the mind never falls off. In the fifteenth chapter of the ''Bhagavad Gītā'', we have seen that when the ''jīvātman'' departs,

The exact original text from the verse is actually: [1]

मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति (extract from Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15, Verse 7)

(''manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati'')

– it takes along with it all the four ''kośas'': ''prāṇamaya kośa'', ''manomaya kośa'', ''vijñānamaya kośa'', and ''ānandamaya kośa''. Is it immortal? Is it deathless? What is deathless? ''Amṛta''. Even the subtle body and causal body are not truly immortal, but in a relative sense they are immortal, because when a person attains knowledge of the ''Ātman'' or ''Brahman'', even this will be totally destroyed. This ''amṛtatva'' (like the immortality of the gods) , is only for a longer period of time. That is why, if you remember, ''ātyantika pralaya'' – when the final ''pralaya'', which is called the dawn of ''Brahman'' knowledge, with that, then not only the body but even the mind consisting of subtle body and causal body will also go away. That means all three bodies (gross, subtle, and causal) and all the three experiences (waking, dream, and dreamless) – everything wwill go away.

But the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to tell us: when we feel the pain of this body, and ''prāṇa'' departs from the body, the body becomes formless, nameless, actionl-ess. Therefore, for us, we think that is the ''satyam''. But this ''amṛta'' – that if we can somehow separate our identity from the body‑mind and shift it to the mind – what is it to me? “I am the ''sūkṣma śarīra'' and ''kāraṇa śarīra''” – I attain instantaneously ''amṛtatva''. A tremendous meaning is hidden in this statement I just made.
===Suffering in Every Stage of Life===
That means what: – if the body is suffering – from youth, people think youth is not suffering; old age is suffering, disease is suffering, death is suffering, but childhood is not suffering, youth is not. How little our knowledge, our intellect, really works. Every child – a baby – maybe an ant has bitten him, a mosquito has bitten him –the child does not know what has bitten him, but it feels the pain intensely. Remember when a mosquito or an ant bites you and me, we do not feel so much. But when the same bites a small baby three months old, two months old, six months old, the baby cannot even tell, “Something has bitten me” – just imagine that agony. And sometimes it has sometimes stomach upset; gas comes out, and except weeping, it cannot indicate that something is wrong. The mother and doctor have to guess what is the problem with the child. No animal can express what is troubling it.

What about youth? How many disappointments! “I am attracted to that person, but I am not getting that person; that person is attracted by somebody else. So I lose. I wanted that job; I do not get it. I wanted that subject, but I do not get it , for whatever reason.” Do you think youth is free from suffering? No. Youth has a tremendous manifestation of the optimum energy level and health level – it can really work hard and enjoy hard – but that does not mean it is automatically happy. It is one thing to have the capacity; it is another thing to think that a person is happy. Happiness and unhappiness – these come from a different source, they come from understanding. Therefore, if anybody thinks youth is a happy time of life – terribly mistaken. Every age has its own problems and both positive and negative ideas.
===The Veil of Satya===
What is important is ''amṛtaṃ satyena channam''. ''Satya'' means what we think as ''satya'' – that is, “I am the body complex, I am my possessions, I am this body” – this so‑called “I” and “mine” – this alone is the truth. When we say “this world is the truth”, we actually mean the body and the possessions, nothing else, and that is our truth. We are living in that truth – we should not kid ourselves that we are free from that truth. But this ''satya'' (this identity with the body complex) is covering up something – a tremendous sense of immortality that is called ''amṛta''. As I just now said, this body lasts only for a short time, but the ''sūkṣma'' and ''kāraṇa śarīras'' last until we obtain liberation – for a very, very long time. Therefore, the identity with this body – that is the toughest. We have to get out of this veil which covers the truth.

Supposing somebody succeeds in it, and then he succeeds in identifying – that is actually the practice of ''sthitaprajña lakṣaṇas –'' “OK I do not have so much money, but I am getting sufficient food. I have a simple small house which serves my purpose. I have simple dress that is sufficient, so my needs are few" – and this understanding belongs to the mind. When this understanding (called knowledge) is reality to us – we make it this reality, not thinking “Oh, I wish I had this, I had that” – no, “I am quite happy with what I have.” Such a person really enjoys that ''amṛtatva'' given by that attitude. This is called spiritual attitude. That is what the ''Upaniṣad'' wants to point out. In comparison with this body, the other four ''kośas'' are extraordinarily long‑lasting, and in fact, they disappear only when we get true knowledge of our own selves. So ''amṛtaṃ satyena channam'' – so what we need to understand now is why we are so much obsessed with our identity with this body.
==The Journey Through the Kośas (Taittirīya Upaniṣad)==
The whole thing is beautifully explained again in the ''Taittirīya Upaniṣad'': how we can slowly develop our spirituality by making “''Annaṃ'' is ''Brahman''”. What do we mean by “''Annaṃ'' is ''Brahman''”? That what we see as this physical external universe, identified as the body – physical body. Because if I am identified with my physical body, I see only the world ''Brahman'' as the physical universe, and that is called ''Annaṃ''. If I can slowly convert it, the deeper thought comes: “What is this ''Annaṃ Brahma''? It is nothing but forms, names, and ''prāṇa''. Nothing but – what are all these three? Nothing but ''Īśvara'', ''Brahman'', ''Saguṇa Brahma''.” So if we can convince ourselves – but the same ''Saguṇa Brahma'' has other aspects: it is also ''Prāṇa'', it is also ''Manash'' it is also ''Vijñānah'', it is also ''Ānanda''. So our journey must start with this. The first journey is summarized in this sixth section: look with the discerning eye – the discriminating eye – and then you will notice the whole thing is nothing but consisting of form, name, and function.
==Concluding Summary==
Before I close, again I want to repeat: you see this person – what is he? He is Rāmakṛṣṇa. You see that form (for our photograph and to think about him). What is his name? Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is the name of that particular form– distinguishable from everybody else. And what is he? Nothing but ''prāṇa''. What is this ''prāṇa''? His ''prāṇa'' is manifesting in the form of the entire physical body, his eyes, his five sense organs, five senses of action, and mind. So we see that one, and he has a purpose. The ''prāṇa'' activates his mind; the ''prāṇa'' also activates the physical body. So the whole what we call Rāmakṛṣṇa is nothing but ''prāṇa'' plus ''rūpa'' plus ''nāma''. That is our first understanding. Because of ''prāṇa'', it is ''prāṇa'' which activates the mind, and that mind can be at the ''annamaya kośa'' level, ''prāṇamaya kośa'' level, ''manomaya kośa'' level, ''vijñānamaya kośa'' level, ''ānandamaya kośa'' level, gradually- that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said. He clearly said that – "I saw how his ''kuṇḍalinī śakti'' gradually (what is ''kuṇḍalinī– it'' is a combination of these three – ''prāṇa'', ''rūpa'', and ''nāma'') slowly rising above the ''annamaya kośa'' ,represented by three ''cakras'' – ''mūlādhāra'', ''svādhiṣṭhāna'', ''maṇipūra'' – it went to the ''anāhata'' and he saw everything is full of light. What is this?What is this? Then he went up, then he saw in the form of dim knowledge, then brighter knowledge, finally complete knowledge!

So this is how we should look at any person: it is nothing but this is the form, this is the name, and ''prāṇa''. Just for our understanding, I want to add the word: ''prāṇa'' means 'characte'r. So when you are looking at any object, you are looking at the ''rūpa'' and ''nāma'' and judging the character– “This is an unripe mango. This is a ripe mango. This is a sweet mango. This is not such a sweet mango– ” Every object that we experience, we are dividing it into these three – ''rūpa'', ''nāma'', and ''karma''.

Tomorrow we will talk about the specifics and, if possible, give the essence of the first chapter. I will try.
== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ॥''

May Sri Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 34 on 17 May 2026

2026-07-27T15:52:15Z

Sachidanand: Devanagari script, missing words and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते |

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
==Discussion in the Gurukula==
There was a great discussion in a sacred Gurukula. The students, real seekers of Brahman, have started a discussion. What is Brahman? What did our Āchārya teach us, and how can we implement and progress and realise that I am Brahman?
==Recap: Duties of a Householder (Seventeenth Mantra, Fourth Section)==
So in our last class, with regard to that, in the seventeenth mantra, the last mantra in the fourth section, we were discussing about what are the duties of a householder. That is to say, who is a householder? Anybody who thinks "I am the body and mind", he is a householder. Such a person's desires will be confined only to the satisfaction of the body and of the mind, and at best, he wants to have higher happiness by going to higher lokas called svargalokas. Varieties degrees of happiness are described there of such the six higher lokas according to Hindu division. Hindus have divided every state of experience anybody can go through into fourteen lokas, starting with this earthly world, bhūloka. There are upper six lokas—six lokas plus our earth where we are form half of the world, and below us there are six lokas, or seven lokas are there. Total fourteen lokas are there.

Now the point is we are very fortunate to live in this earthly world, because this is called karma bhūmi. Other worlds, higher or lower, they are considered only to exhaust our karma phala, either puṇyam or pāpam. We will be going to those lokas either to experience higher happiness and thereby exhaust our puṇyam, or descend to the lower lokas and exhaust our pāpams. But one has to come back to this earthly world to do sādhanā.
===Two Types of Desires===
So here is a person who is involved, who has also evolved into a human being—not an uncouth, uncultured human being, but one who has awakened to some higher faculties, and he realized human life is precious. Such a person can cherish two desires.

One: "I want to be happy in this world or higher lokas." But after experiencing for some time again and again through a lot of labor, such a person realizes what I want is not temporary, which is ephemeral, which is lasting for only a very short time. "I want permanent happiness." That is the second category of people, of which the Gita beautifully describes: out of a million people, perhaps one person awakens to the fact that spiritual life, godly life, is the only life worth.
===The Prescription for the Householder===
So there is such a householder, and he thinks "I am the body and mind." He has faith in the scriptures, and the scriptures describe higher lokas. So he says, "I want to be happy in this world as well as in the higher worlds." For such a person, the scriptures prescribe certain things, actions to be done according to one's caste ( we say though it is not a good word, actually) and according to one's stage in life: varṇa dharma and āśrama dharma.
===The Five Required Items (pāṅktam)===
So we presume this person is a good person, and he goes to the teacher, spends several years, learns all about life, comes back, and he has unfulfilled desires pertaining to the body and mind. Such a person performs, he desires, "I want to perform this ritual." For that, the Vedas tell us that you require five things. What are the five things?

First, he himself should be of young age, capable age, capable of undertaking this ritual. He must have his wife. You may be wondering why such a person should require a wife. Because, a person imbued with worldly desires, he will be thinking, "If I get a woman, a wife, then not a free life, but a duly married life, then the rightful actions can be discharged, duties can be discharged. So he requires five items — this is called pāṅktam. Pāṅktam means a group of five.

So through that, he has to discharge his varṇa dharma, āśrama dharma, which have to be discharged through the proper performance of pañca mahāyajñas, five great remittals of debts, of which we have discussed in the past and yesterday also.
====The Five Constituents====
So first is himself, called yajamāna. Second is wife, called patnī. Third is called the son. Fourth is called human wealth: money, animals, servants, and many other objects for the performance of yajña, yāga, etc And he must have control of mind, a deep faith in God, etcetera. So that is called divine wealth. So yajamāna (the performer, sacrificer), his wife, his son, human wealth, and divine wealth. All these five are indispensable if a person wants to properly discharge all the pañca mahāyajñas.
==Evolution and Awakening==
We presume such a person does it throughout life, throughout many lives, and he slowly awakens, he becomes evolved. Then,

आवृत्त-चक्षुः (''Āvṛtta-cakṣuḥ'') अमृतत्वम् (''Amṛtatvam'') इच्छन् (''Icchan'')

(wishing for Immortality, he beholds the inner Self with his eyes closed — a phrase from the Katha Upanishad Verse 2.1.1)

So:

उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत ।

क्शुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति ॥ १४ ॥

uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varānnibodhata | (phrase from the Katha Upanishad Verse 1.3.14)

—Arise, awake, approach learned ones, sit humbly at their feet and serve them, please them, ask them, "What type of life should I lead?"

''तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |''

''उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: || Gita 4.34||''

Tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā |

Upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ || Gita ''4.34||''

===From External Ritual to Upāsanā===
So this evolved person, he says, "I have done physically all those things. Now from external ritual I want to progress into higher action, that is called upāsanā."

So such a person now he turns his mind, and the Upaniṣad or the Veda tells us. But the Upaniṣad also tells us that as long as a person doesn't get married, doesn't get a son or sons, performs all the yajñās, yāgās, he cannot evolve. That is why I mentioned yesterday the appropriate duties apportioned to one's own caste and to one's own stage of life. They are called āśrama dharmas, and due discharge of these dharmas inevitably does certain things. Due performance, proper performance of these duties is called karma yoga. Karma yoga, in other words, is nothing but getting rid of our debts to these five beings: our ṛṣis, gods (presiding deities), our ancestors, every other human being, and everything in this world—nothing is left out. When we are grateful for our life, for our health, for our happiness, for our fulfillment for everything, we have to give them back. Giving them back what we receive. And this is a continuous process, constant process every second. For example, breathing in borrowing oxygen from the vaiśvadevatā, and we have to give back what is helpful to other creatures like the trees, etc. through the proper giving away of carbon dioxide, etcetera.
===Citta Śuddhi and Its Results===
So when a person properly discharges the duties, his mind becomes pure. This is called citta śuddhi. The result of karma yoga is citta śuddhi. What does citta śuddhi do? First of all, it purifies the mind. Secondly, it generates puṇyam. Puṇyam is the ability to squeeze happiness irrespective of any circumstance. Thirdly, mind becomes concentrated. Fourthly, mind gradually expands, identifying itself not only with one's own family, but with one's village, one's state, one's country, the world in which one is living, later on with every human being, with every non-human being, because the great fact to which even today we have not awakened is that everything depends upon everything in this world. Nothing is redundant. We cannot say it is useless, "Let us get rid of it." God has not created anything that is redundant. Everything helps us in some way or the other. So that is called the sacred attitude, holistic attitude in scientific terms, but sacred attitude: looking upon the whole universe in which we are living—that includes our body and mind, sense organs, everything—and that is looking upon everything as manifestation of God, which again and again has been taught to us.

सहस्रशीर्षापुरुषः, सहस्राक्षः, सहस्रपाद् |

Sahasraśīrṣāpuruṣaḥ, sahasrākṣaḥ, sahasrapād |

etc., in Viṣṇu Sūktam, Nārāyaṇa Sūktam, Puruṣa Sūktam, everywhere. The continuous refrain is everything is the body of God. Every single part is a body of God. Nothing is actually redundant. That is the most wonderful truth we have to understand.
===Inner Ritual as Upāsanā===
So when a person reaches a certain stage of development, he says, "I have had enough of this now. I want to turn this external ritual into an inner ritual, and that is called upāsanā." That is much more important. But unless a person really does these external rituals, etc., simply sitting and saying "I don't need to do all those things" will not help us. We cannot evolve, for everything—nursery school, elementary school—everything is a necessity. Middle school, high school, then college, university—these are all graduated steps, and we cannot neglect even one step. So tall hese are called external rituals, and they produce citta śuddhi. Citta śuddhi sharpens our understanding, and finally we understand the goal of life, as Sri Ramakrishna says, is 'God realization.'
===Vairāgya: Genuine Dispassion===
Now, what does this person feel? "I am married, I have children, so many births. I have gone to higher lokas, came down, but I still don't feel the sense of fulfillment. I still feel dissatisfaction, tremendous dissatisfaction. I am not a happy person." But don't say every unhappy person is an evolved person. No, this person was very happy performing, having a wife, having children, performing duties—tremendous amount of higher happiness he gets. But at the end, he realizes these are all achieved through hard labor, and they are all ephemeral. Every happiness has to be re-earned, because nothing will be permanent. Such a person awakens and says, "I feel unfulfilled." That is called vairāgya, dispassion—not because of śmaśāna vairāgya, prasūti vairāgya, jobless vairāgya, mārkaṭa vairāgya. No, it is because the person has really evolved and says, "There is a higher goal."

Very clearly he can understand. There is a beautiful incident. Once Swami Narendranath approached Sri Ramakrishna: "I am very unhappy, so please bless me that I may progress in spiritual life." Sri Ramakrishna, he was testing Narendranath: "Why don't you have to complete your college education?" Then he said, "I wish I could forget whatever I have learned so far. I thought that was the goal earlier. Now I understand, by your grace, these very things are great obstructions for my future life. I wish I could forget everything and restart my life." Sri Ramakrishna was of course highly pleased, and Narendra was telling his real experience actually, not simply temporary vairāgya.
===The Five Koshas and pāṅkta Upāsanā===
So what shall this person do? He must discharge the same pañca mahāyajña in the form of upāsanā. And I also interpret it in this way. Since we have been studying the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, we are familiar with the pañcakośas. So we can say pāṅktam, a group of five. We have to transcend with the help of these five kośas. Every kośa, remember, has to be sacralized, looked upon with sacredness, as manifestation of God. Body is God, mind is God, external world is God; somebody who is friendly is God; somebody who is inimical is even more of God. Everything in this world is there to push me nearer to God. That is how I understand.

So this person, how he ascended or he is going.—we have seen in the Bhṛguvallī also practically what Bhṛgu had done. So this person wants to do this upāsanā. This is called ahaṅgraha upāsanā, pāṅkta upāsanā. Pāṅkta upāsanā means my own personality containing all the five elements, five types of wealth—the performer, his wife, his son, and human wealth and divine wealth. This is called pāṅktam, five types of wealth.

So my mind is the myself (yajamāna), etc. We will see this: my speech is my wife, and my prāṇa is my son, etc. We will see the eye as well as the ear—that completes the five elements. So he turns these external very things into internal contemplative instruments. And what does he want? "I want fulfillment." How are you going to get fulfillment? When I perform this upāsanā, I will become one with Brahman, and that very briefly we will discuss. This is called pāṅkta upāsanā, and this pāṅkta upāsanā is another name; it is called ahaṅgraha upāsanā.
===What is Ahaṅgraha?===
What is ahaṅgraha? "Ahaṁ brahma asmi," "Ahaṁ ātmā asmi," "Ahaṁ īśvaraḥ asmi." This feeling, like Sri Ramakrishna, by doing upāsanā of Hanumān, felt "I am Hanumān," completely identified. Upon completion of meditation on Rādhā, he felt "I am not a male, I am a female like Rādhā. I am Rādhā, and my only thought is Kṛṣṇa." So, that is called ahaṅgraha upāsanā.
===The Four Āśramas as Stages of Mental Development===
So the Upaniṣad is telling that especially they say in vānaprasthāśrama (the stage of withdrawal), and incidentally, whether it is brahmacaryāśrama, gṛhasthāśrama, vānaprasthāśrama, or sanyāsāśrama, they are all stages in mental development, nothing to do with age, even though age can help us. We have to crystal clearly keep this point in mind: when I know what is life and what is the goal of life and how to reach my goal of life, I have completed my brahmacaryāśrama. When I start practicing karma yoga, bhakti yoga, rāja yoga, jñāna yoga—whether it is Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Buddhism, whatever -ism—I experiment taking that path which is suitable, which gives me greater joy, either through bhakti or jñāna, whatever, and I start progressing. That is called gṛhasthāśrama. And in the end, when my mind matures, I don't want anything else in this world. I want to disidentify myself from this body and mind. The world is nothing but our own body and mind, and every day we experience it through what is called suṣupti avasthā, and how much peace of mind—that is called ānandam—we get. So this is what is beautifully being outlined here.

So detachment from body and mind is called vānaprasthāśrama, and when we succeed, identifying ourselves with the divinity within, that is called sanyāsāśrama. This is how we have to understand, really.
==The Upaniṣadic Teaching on Ahaṅgraha Upāsanā==
So let us briefly discuss what the Upaniṣad is telling, how this ahaṅgraha upāsanā has to be done.

(phrases from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 1.4.17):

मन एव अस्य आत्मा वाक् जाया प्राणः प्रजा ||

Mana eva asya ātmā vāk jāyā prāṇaḥ prajā || (phrase extract from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 1.4.17)

Please keep in mind that these fivefold objects necessary to complete any ritual, we have to keep in mind. The person who has decided, determined "I want to perform this ritual" - he requires his wife, requires his son, requires human wealth, the instruments, the firewood and the cows, the milk, the curd, etcetera, and the ritwik (the priests who perform all those things)—that is called manuṣya vittam (the human wealth)—and certain divine qualities, divine wealth. Only with this, will the ritual be really successful. So now the Ṛṣi wants to convey, having reached this higher stage of life, the person now turns all externalities into internal activity which is called upāsanā. So he requires these five also, and why he requires these five, that is also going to be explained.
===The Five Internal Equivalents===
So the mind is the himself. His speech is his wife, and his vital force or prāṇa is like his progeny or son. Then there are only three: manas, vāk, prāṇa. What about the other two?

चक्षुर्मानुषं वित्तम् ('Cakṣu manuṣya vittam).

So the eyes are called the human wealth. Why?

चक्षुषा हि तद्विन्दते (Cakṣuṣā hi tattvindate)

So it is the 'I' which discerns everything, which can experience, which is the giver of the greatest knowledge from the outside world. Then from the inside world, inner 'I' which is called discrimination, the intelligence that can discriminate our experiences and come to the right conclusion. And viveka (discrimination), in Sri Ramakrishna's words, is "everything is temporary; God alone is permanent." And so everything has to be gradually given up. Given up means not throwing out, but to develop: "I have no relationship with this external world. I have no relationship, no attachment to this body. No attachment to the mind." This is called withdrawal. This is called vānaprasthāśrama, really speaking.

So this knowledge through the 'I' gives us the knowledge. How does it give? Let us proceed to the next one.

श्रोत्रम् दैवम् | श्रोत्रं नहि तत् श्रृणोति ||

Śrotram daivam | śrotraṁ nahi tat śṛṇoti ||

So marvelously, this Upaniṣad is telling us. Our ear is called daivi vittam. The first is the eye: the eye is the manuṣyavittam (human wealth), and the second are the ears: śrotram is called divine wealth.
===Why are the Ears Divine Wealth?===
Why are the ears? Because when a person hears about God, about the highest life, that is called śruti. That is why Vedas are called śrutis. Through hearing only—when we read the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, the works of Swamiji, the vāks of Ramana Maharshi, or Upaniṣads or Bhagavad Gītā—we get that knowledge, and that's why the ears are most important. And when the same ears are used in worldly life, we remember Madhu and Kaiṭabha. So we desire: "Everybody loves me to hear, everybody appreciates me, they love me." Nothing can be further from truth. Nobody loves us. We have seen that in this very first chapter, that excepting one's own ātman, nobody loves anything else. If anything is loved, it is not loved for the sake of that object. A wife is not loved for the sake of the wife. Son is not loved for the sake of the son. Wealth is not loved for the sake of wealth. Body is not loved for the sake of the body. The different sense organs are not loved for their sake, but for the sake of the ātman, because ātman is of the nature of ānanda. We love ānanda. We come from ānanda. We live because of ānanda, or we live in the hope of getting ānanda. If I am not happy right now, even if I am happy right now, that I am in such a higher type of happiness, degree of happiness, higher qualitative happiness and for a long time, as long as it is possible—and only when we reach God, this condition can be really fulfilled.

Therefore, all this knowledge comes to us from studying the scriptures, from coming in association with satpuruṣas (great people), etc., by hearing the scriptures, etc. That is why the ears are called divine wealth, and with the help of the divine wealth, our eyes must examine this world: "Is the scripture speaking the truth?" So when we see that which has 'birth' is continuously changing, ending in that final change called 'death', everything is ephemeral excepting pure consciousness. And that observation with the eye of discrimination, and if the discrimination is proper, then slowly (may take many lives) dispassion comes. Passion turns into dispassion. Dispassion means passion turned towards God. That is called dispassion, not śmaśāna vairāgya. That affection, that attachment which does not attach itself to a higher thing, that is called frustration, not higher attachment. Vairāgya should never be understood in a negative manner. Vairāgya means "this is a lower happiness, but I am in search of higher happiness," and when I get higher happiness, lower happiness becomes natural, automatic.

Sri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful example, taking of course from the śruti. Sri Ramakrishna's mouth never speaks anything except in scriptures. Even though he said "I have not read much, I have heard much, and my mind retains in memory everything that I had heard." So this person turns inward. Inward means Godward. So that is called vairāgyam, and that which after discrimination doesn't make us turn towards God—there is a great defect in that discrimination. It is frustration. I would call it frustration. And a frustrated person is not a happy person, and nobody wants to cultivate the company of a frustrated person.

On the other hand, Sri Ramakrishna says we have to cultivate holy company. Who is a holy man? I defined earlier. You will have to exercise your mind to remember, but one characteristic: by whose presence, in whose presence, we become terribly happy without any objects to give us happiness. The mere sannidhya (presence) is enough to make our mind go up, and the more it goes up, the more happiness we feel. The higher a person progresses, the greater would be his happiness, the longer would be his happiness. This is how we have to judge.
===The Mind as Yajamāna===
So the whole world—"Am I the body and mind?"—that is a thought in our mind. That is why this yajamāna is called mind. That is why it is said:

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः ||

Mana eva manuṣyāṇāṁ kāraṇaṁ bandhamokṣayoḥ |

Mind alone is the root cause of both happiness as well as bondage, liberation, as well as happiness and unhappiness, good and evil, everything. Mind is everything. And what our mind thinks, they are called thoughts. If they are holy thoughts, pure thoughts, spiritual thoughts, then that is called real progress. And if a person's mind is filled with these thoughts, then what he speaks is nothing but his thoughts. The whole Gospel is nothing but the thoughts of Sri Ramakrishna. The Gospel of Holy Mother is nothing but the understanding in the form of spoken words—that is the Gospel of Holy Mother. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, the Bhagavad Gītā is nothing but the thoughts of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa Himself. That is why it is called Bhagavad Gītā; directly from the mouth of Bhagavān, these things have emanated.

So the mind is "I am the mind." Where does the ahaṅkāra, 'I', reside? In the mind. Therefore it is considered ātman means myself, my real self. And then if my mind is pure, then I am a spiritual person. If it is impure, that is called "I am a worldly person," I am identified with anātman. And then a person whose mind is filled with holy thoughts, he will speak only holy thoughts, and his deeds will be only holy deeds. And that is why, to perform holy deeds, a person requires energy, and that energy is called prāṇa, and that prāṇa represents that power to translate our thoughts, our speech into real actions. Just imagine you go to Sri Ramakrishna and he never talks. Then it is very difficult to understand what Sri Ramakrishna really wants to convey. Fortunate few are those people whom he touched and awakened their kuṇḍalinī. That is a different issue. But usually, if a person is keeping quiet, we will not know what this person is, because speech betrays a person's personality.
===The Role of the Five: Summary===
So through these five—the ears which give us the knowledge of the scriptures (incidentally, that also gives us the worldly knowledge: how to create bombs, how to destroy, how to rob a bank or other human beings, how to kill—all these things are the outcomes). A great American general once made a statement: "Wars are born out of the thoughts of people who are warmongers. So peace also should spring only from the minds of people who are whose nature is peace and who want peace." This is a beautiful teaching we have to understand.

So this ahaṅgraha upāsanā is to understand that God has given me a mind, and this mind is meant for cultivating higher thoughts. And of the higher thoughts, cultivating ahaṅkāra: that is, "I am a servant of God, I am a friend of God, I am the parent of God, I am a child of God, I am the beloved, I am the lover of God." All these things must come only from higher—lower to higher mind in spiritual progress, and accordingly the thoughts also will come.

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव |

त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव |

त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव |

त्वमेव सर्वम् मम देव देव ||

Tvameva mātā ca pitā tvameva |

Tvameva bandhuśca sakhā tvameva |

Tvameva vidyā draviṇaṁ tvameva |

Tvameva sarvam mama deva deva ||

If this sentence, teaching did not come from the mouth of people, we would never have understood this. That is why the mind must be pure; then speech will follow the mind like a chaste wife follows her husband, and like the obedient, loving child follows the footsteps of his father especially so, this prāṇa—that means our expressions of our thoughts in the form of concrete actions—follow our thoughts and our speech. And for that, the first instrument is the ears, śruti. You can also say the Vedic scriptures. And this śruti must be verified. The śruti says everything is ephemeral. Is it true? How do we know? Exercise your eyes. See every day how many people are dying, how many are being born, how many behave so cruelly, how many are robbed, how many people are doing good in this world. If anybody thinks there are no good people, that there are no people who are well-wishers of this world and sacrificing their life for others, we will be terribly, terribly mistaken. Just as there are evil people, I think even more good people are available in this world.
===The Essence of this Upāsanā===
So this is the upāsanā: "My mind, I am the mind. I have to purify, I have to transform my unripe ego into the ripe ego."

And for that, I have to perform, I have to hear the spiritual advice — how to live the life, and I must verify how I should live, how my guru is living, how Sri Ramakrishna lived, how Ramana Maharshi lived, how the ṛṣis and munīs lived. As Sri Ramakrishna says about the ṛṣis, when somebody remarked and passed a bad remark, he said, "Never say such a thing. Early morning, these people used to get up even though they were householders, go away far from home, spend the whole day in deep thinking, forgetting the world, thinking only of the ātman, and come back in the evening, to satisfy their hunger with roots and fruits, and take a few hours of rest, and that is why they became the ṛṣi." By definition, a ṛṣi is a mantradraṣṭā:

ऋषति जानाति इति ऋषिः ||

Ṛṣati jānāti iti ṛṣiḥ |

One who knows spiritual truth, real truth, he is called a ṛṣi. So we must become ṛṣis.

For that purpose, God has given us the body. Body consists of five sense organs. They can be directed, misdirected, they can be ill-directed, they can be well-directed, and that direction should come after hearing the scriptures, after cultivating holy company, we come to know about it, and then we must verify whether the scripture is telling the truth. Open your eyes, jāgrata. Not only "arise, awake"—why was Sri Ramakrishna so happy, even though he possessed so little from the worldly point of view? Why are so many swamis so happy, so satisfied, so pleased with themselves with their simple life? They must be getting some happiness from somewhere devoid of all these external objects ,which we are convinced without them we cannot be happy. We should understand we cannot be happy with them. Whatever tends to give us happiness also tends to give us its opposite effect, and maybe in greater degree.
===The Goal: From Withdrawal to Merging in Brahman===
So this is the essence of this ahaṅgraha upāsanā, which ultimately leads—first it leads to withdrawal, which means what is called detachment, non-identification, neti neti from the external world, from the body, from the mind, etc. And this available pure mind is now directed towards God. That is called upāsanā. Finally, even that instrument through which we are approaching God, itself is discarded or it melts finally in the Divine. Then there is like a river:

नामरूपे विहाय समुद्र भवति ||

Nāmarūpe vihāya samudra bhavati |

Every river that merges in the ocean loses its name, form, taste, colour, everything, and thereafter it is known only as the ocean. So this jīva completely gives up jīva bhāva and becomes merged in Brahman. There afterwards, others can call such a person "He is Brahman," but if body and mind are alive, they are called jīvanmuktis. This is the essence of this pāṅkta upāsanā.
===The Result of Ahaṅgraha Upāsanā===
And then a person who realizes this ahaṅgraha upāsanā:

तद् इदम् सर्वम् आप्नोति यः एवम् वेद ||

tad idam sarvam āpnoti yaḥ evam veda |

One who performs this ahaṅgraha upāsanā, pāṅkta upāsanā (pāṅkta means mind, speech, prāṇa, the eyes, and the ears)—what does he get? What does not he get? He gets everything. He gets Brahman. Brahman means everything.

तदिदं सर्वमाप्नोति, हि य एवं वेद ॥

''Tad idaṁ sarvam āpnoti, hi ya evaṁ veda'' |

He who succeeds in performing the ahaṅgraha upāsanā, and then only aham remains. Graha falls away automatically.
===Conclusion of the Fourth Chapter===
This is the essence of this ahaṅgraha upāsanā. With this ahaṅgraha upāsanā, the seventeenth mantra is over, and with this the fourth chapter is over. And what is the essence of this? So this is what Swami Vivekananda had come to teach: uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata.
==Summary of the First Chapter==
So, in this first chapter, we have seen how this sṛṣṭi has started. That is the līlā of Brahman, brahma līlā. It is also called brahma cakra. Saṁsāra is called brahma cakra. But if we forget it is brahma cakra, that is what in Hindi they call it "cakkar meṁ paḍ gayā"—"I have fallen into delusion, misunderstanding," etc.

So after Bhagavān first created, started the sṛṣṭi, pañcabhūtas: first subtle pañcabhūtas, then gross pañcabhūtas, then creation of the gods, then creation of the human beings, then he divided everybody into these four varṇas. I am afraid to use that word "caste" because that is inevitably associated with birth, which is an absolute anomaly. It should not be understood. It is only through quality, guṇa: which guṇa is dominant—sattva, rajas, or tamas? And then Bhagavān created satyam and dharmam, and to put the satyam and dharmam into practice, Bhagavān has created this varṇāśrama dharmas in the form of "do this" and "do not do that." So for every stage of varṇa, for every stage of life, there are certain duties appropriate for that stage of life, and the discharge of those appropriate dharmas takes us, helps us evolve further.
===Evolution Through Varṇas===
In both varṇa, a śūdra becomes a vaiśya, vaiśya becomes a kṣatriya, kṣatriya becomes a brāhmaṇa—and I will also tell you in the next class., so a person develops gradually. Intelligence: that development of intelligence ends in the rebirth as vaiśya, that is, "I want to earn more and more, I want to know more and more." Who can become a successful businessman? Only an intelligent person. And then, to protect what one earns, one requires strength. For that, I must develop tremendous strength, not only to earn but to enjoy and to protect—yoga and kṣema. And then after some time, I must make everything external into the internal; that is called becoming a brāhmaṇa.

So a brāhmaṇa is a spiritual person. Everything is spiritualized. Spiritualizing whole life is called living a brāhmaṇa's life. These are marvelous thoughts that the Upaniṣad wants us to grasp, understand, retain, and ponder over and slowly develop.

We will talk about these things in our next class.
== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ||

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ||''

May Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 30 on 03 May 2026

2026-07-13T20:54:25Z

Sachidanand: /* Invocation */ devanagari script, minor text edits

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
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== The Central Questions of the Seekers ==
So there was a great discussion among the seekers of Brahman: What is the nature of Brahman? What is the relationship between me and Brahman? And how can I attain that Brahman? Especially, this is the essence of the mantras 9th and 10th in the 4th section of the 1st chapter.

To recollect what we had discussed: Brahman alone seems to wander in ''saṃsāra'' through ignorance. And thinking that "I am not Brahman," and through the grace of God , the grace of Guru, the same ignorant Brahman — which is called ''jīvātmā'' — slowly recognises: "I was never a ''jīvātmā.'' I was always, I was, I am, and I will be Brahman only."
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== The Pūrvapakṣa: The View of the Opponents ==
As we discussed in the last class, there were so many ''pūrvapakṣīs.'' In a sense, what they want to say is that the ''jīvātmā'' is from the beginning only a separate soul wandering in this ''saṃsāra,'' but he wants to get rid of this limitation. So he does spiritual practice — especially what is called ''upāsanā. Upāsanā'' means becoming like the object of meditation. Just as when we approach a blazing fire, we feel more and more heat, and if we become one with fire, we also are known as only fire — similarly, when a person approaches God — and the definition of God is either ''sat-cit-ānanda'' or ''satyaṃ jñānaṃ anantaṃ brahma'' — so this person, who was not Brahman, by spiritual practice slowly he changes his nature. He who was limited now becomes unlimited. "सर्वं भवति" (''Sarvam bhavati).'' This is one of the views of the opponents, especially a person called Bhartṛprapañca.
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== Śaṅkarācārya's Refutation: Karma and Jñāna Cannot Change Nature ==
Śaṅkarācārya refutes this view and says: first of all, the nature of a thing can never be changed either by ''karma'' — action — or by ''jñānam'' , or knowledge.

What does knowledge say? It only reveals what is. It cannot change anything. What can ''karma'' do? It can only remove the obstructions and then reveal the nature of an object. For example, if sugar is covered with dirt and dust, and then we employ certain methods to clean it up, the pure sugar will come out. So that cleaning process doesn't change what is not sugar into sugar — it removes the obstacles. So, then the knowledge will reveal: this is the nature of the sugar. But either ''karma'' or ''jñāna'' — both cannot change the nature of a thing. It is impossible.
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== Can a Jīva Become Brahman? Bhartṛprapañca's Claim ==
So this is one (point). The second is: how does one ''jīva'' become Brahman? And especially there was a person called Bhartṛprapañca — he was a very powerful opponent, long before Śaṅkarācārya, and many people followed Bhartṛprapañca's views.

Bhartṛprapañca claims: even though we are all ''jīvas,'' by doing ''upāsanā'' — and remember, ''upāsanā'' is also an action; it is a mental action, but for any mental action the physical body must cooperate. Normally you cannot lie down on a soft bed and try to contemplate on God. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa could do that; Swami Advaitānandajī could do that — people who have absolute control over their mind can do that. But ordinary people cannot, because the tendency of the bed is to make a person fall asleep.

So here we have this beautiful ''sādhanā.'' That is what Bhartṛprapañca claims: you go on thinking about God, you forget yourself, and then slowly ''jīvātmā'' becomes Parabrahma.

And the same logic applies whether you meditate, whether you do action, or whether you obtain knowledge. No — a ''jīva'' can never become Brahma.
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== The Advaita Answer: Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi ==
Then what is it that Advaita Vedānta wants to teach? That what you are calling yourself — "I am a ''jīvātmā''" — it is a wrong opinion. You are suffering under the delusion that "I am not Brahman." Just like a prince who was kidnapped and brought up by some street beggars starts thinking: "These are my parents. I am also a child of a beggar. I have nothing." Until somebody comes and recognizes him and then tries to prove it — it will take quite a long time for that person to say: "How can I be a prince?" But in the course of time, truth will come out. Because if we are Brahman, it has to come out — even after a zillion births. But if we are not, no amount of washing the black skin of a rat is going to turn it into a pure white-skinned rat. It is not going to be possible.

So therefore what is it? This Mahāvākya — ''Ahaṃ brahmāsmi'' — is one of the most powerful of the mantras. It is telling us that you were, you are, you will be Brahman. But for some mysterious reason — and no school of philosophy was able to tell (us the origin of this) — especially Advaita Vedānta says that you are suffering from ''avidyā.'' And where does this ''avidyā'' come from? That was a very interesting topic.

Even today, accepting or evading a straightforward reply — even Advaitins are forced to tell that there is no such thing called ''avidyā,'' because consciousness is pure. Pure consciousness is pure ''jñānam.'' Pure knowledge can never entertain even a bit, an iota of ignorance. So it is, therefore, not there.
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== The Purpose of Spiritual Practice: Gauḍapāda's View ==
Then what about this ''saṃsāra?'' Well, as we saw yesterday — according to Gauḍapāda — the whole purpose of spiritual practice is to understand that actually what you are seeing is none other than Brahman. But because of some coverings on your mind, you are thinking: "This is not Brahman. This is the world." Brahman is one; the world is multiplicity. Brahman is unlimited; the world is limited. Brahman is only one — so no difference, internal or external.

Three types of differences: — no species difference (no ''vijātīya-bheda)'' ; — no difference between two objects of the same species (no ''sajātīya-bheda)''; — no internal differences (no ''svagata-bheda)'' . So ''vijātīya, sajātīya, svagata-bhedas'' are not there. Brahman is ''bheda-rahitaḥ.'' But I am thinking everything is differentiated. It is because of some power called ''avidyā.''

So just like a person mistakes a harmless, innocent rope for a snake — there was not, there is not, there will not be any snake there. What was there is only revealed. If this person had come during daytime when there is light, he would not have mistaken it. If it were completely dark, he would not have had that illusion (either). Only when there is a phantom, creative, semi-darkness present — then you will come to make that mistake.

And Brahman is not something which can be objectified. Brahman is beyond both the subject and object. And then how is it to be done? —"न तु विषयी करणम्" , ''Neti, neti'' — this will come later on. ''Na iti.'' So this is not a denial of Brahman but a negation of everything other than Brahman — that is, the entire universe.
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== The Four Fruits of Action and Mokṣa ==
''Mokṣa,'' according to the ''pūrvapakṣī'' or opponents of Advaita, is not something that can be produced. Because — if you remember — what are the four fruits of any action? If something is not there, you can produce it. If something is there already but not here — elsewhere — then you can go there and obtain it. If something is covered with dirt, you can clean it. If something is broken, you can repair it. Every action must bring one of these four effects.

So Brahman cannot become old, because it is eternal. Eternal means time doesn't affect it; space doesn't affect it. So no subject can affect it. It is not an object. Therefore, it is not something which can be produced, which can be found elsewhere — it is everywhere. And it can never be cleaned up, because it is ever clean. ''Nitya, śuddha, buddha, nityamukta.'' Therefore, the conclusion is: ''jñānāt eva mokṣaḥ.''

So the text — that is, our Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, especially mantras 9th and 10th of the 4th section — strongly declares that ''mokṣa'' is to remove the wrong notion— that is called ''mokṣa.'' And as soon as this is removed, what is original will unfold itself, uncover itself. It is just covered up.
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== Vāmadeva's Declaration and Sarvātma-Bhāva ==
For that, certain examples are given. And what is that? Vāmadeva declares: "I am Manu, I am the Sun" — that means, "I am the whole creation." That is called ''sarvātma-bhāva.''

Remember, that is how the discussion started. How did Brahman become everything — ''sarvam?'' How did it become ''sarvam?'' The answer is: it has not become. It was, it is, it will be everything. As I mentioned yesterday, as I discussed yesterday— this idea of ''sarvātma-bhāva'' will not apply in the ordinary sense.

Even in deep sleep, you don't say: "When I am awake or dreaming, I always feel I am an individual, but when I go into deep sleep, I attain everything." No. Because what is deep sleep? It is just being bereft of all superimpositions. So from the viewpoint of Brahman, this word ''sarvātma-bhāva'' doesn't even exist.

Only because we are thinking through our mind that "I am frightened of something" — then somebody comes and says: "Why should you be frightened? Dādā Madhusūdhana is there all the way. Where is he? He is there in the entire forest. So whenever you are scared, you just call brother Madhusūdhana, and at every step, at any step, he will reveal himself to you and escort you to the other side of the forest" — which forest is comparable to a ''saṃsāra.''

So ''sarvātma-bhāva'' means: I don't have any desire. The moment I say there is something different from me, I have a desire — either positive or negative. The moment I feel I am everything, then desire will disappear — which, translated into psychological language, means I am a very, very happy person. Nothing else.

And also we have seen earlier — especially in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad — (द्वितीयाद् वै भयं भवति) ''dvitīyāt vai bhayaṃ bhavati:'' fear always comes from the second. If anybody thinks Brahman is separate from me, Brahman becomes the cause of fear. When the same person realizes: "I am none other than Brahman — there is nothing else other than me" — then that very Brahman becomes ''abhaya-kāraṇa:'' all fear goes away. What is this fear? We also discussed: the fear that what I have I may lose; the fear that what I am desiring I may not get. Both of these fears will disappear when a person realizes "I am Brahman."
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== The Relationship Between Karma and Jñāna ==
So what is the relationship now between ''karma'' and ''jñāna? Karma'' is external; ''jñāna'' is internal. ''Jñāna'' is in the form of thought; ''karma'' is in the form of translating that thought into action.

So Bhartṛhari also says: "Why not we combine and obtain ''mokṣam''?" — combine what? ''Jñāna-karma-samuccaya.'' This is called the combination of knowledge and karma. Why not we do that?

Śaṅkara says: I already explained to you — the nature of a thing can never be removed, destroyed, or obtained either through knowledge or karma. So there is no need. We are already free, but we are thinking — like the person in the dream (who), after eating a full meal, feels "I am starving, I am terribly hungry," or he is in the safest place and he is feeling — "somebody has dragged him out and is beating him black and blue."

So liberation is not the result of ''karma;'' liberation is not the result of ''jñānam.'' But both of these help us only in removing our wrong notions. This removal of our wrong notion — that is the meaning of ''Ahaṃ brahmāsmi.'' As soon as I remove (it), then ''Ahaṃ brahmāsmi'' is not something to be practised — it is something to be experienced. And when I deny everything, when that notion that "I am not Brahman" is totally destroyed, then there is no need to say (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि) ''Ahaṃ brahmāsmi,'' because I know what I am.

That is the essence of the 9th and 10th mantras. With that, sections 9 and 10 are completely over.
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== The Next Mantras: The Description of Creation ==
Now starts the next few sections in the 4th section of the 1st chapter, subdivided into several mantras. So from the 11th mantra almost to the end, it is describing how this world is created. We have already seen it, I think, in the 8th mantra of this very 1st chapter — but now from another angle, the Upaniṣad wants to tell us: what is this creation?

Before we proceed, we have to keep two points in view.

This 1st chapter is called ''Upadeśa-kāṇḍa,'' and this ''Upadeśa-kāṇḍa'' is also called ''Madhu-kāṇḍa.'' What is ''Madhu-kāṇḍa?—'' The chapter called Honey. Honey means here: that which brings unbroken bliss. How does it come? It doesn't come from outside — I remove the obstacle, and then I know I have neither death nor ignorance nor suffering. I am ''satyaṃ jñānaṃ anantaṃ-rūpam, sat-cit-ānanda-rūpam.'' That is the truth about it.

But for a beginner, for a student, this idea that "I am ''sat-cit-ānanda''" should not be taught — when we study the Gospel of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, how many times does Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa caution us! For a beginner, you should not say that all these gods and goddesses are false, that one has to think "I am Brahman." This especially half-digested this understanding was being propagated by Pratāp Chandra Hājrā.

Then we have seen Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa telling (Pratāp Chandra Hājrā) in a very diplomatic way: "You are a great person — you may be fit to understand." That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is trying — diplomacy. Inside, he knows: "You are the worst of the fools, the lowest of the Ajnyanis, ignorant people — a pure ignoramus." But Hājrā was also fortunate in so many ways. He had the company of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa — unbroken company of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa for several years. I would say he was more fortunate even than Swami Vivekānanda and other disciples who used to come now and then. But here is a person who lived outside the door of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa for several years together — so he was watching Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, though never understanding Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa.

Second thing: the very ''satsaṅga'' of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa — how many fortunate souls, whether they knew or not, whether they understood or not, who could gain the company of an ''avatāra-puruṣa,'' not even an ordinary person!

Thirdly, even the Guru of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa — Totāpurī — and he and this Hājrā, (and) Haladāri — practically they used to spend their time studying the Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa etc. So in every way he was fortunate. But as Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: the Divine Mother keeps — in every drama there will be Jaṭilā and Kuṭilā — that is what is called the sarcastic or funny characters, to make the drama a little more realistic.
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== Finding Where We Are: An Honest Self-Assessment ==
So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is telling us: for beginners, to teach that everything is Brahman is not only not-helpful but it is positively oppressive and negative. Therefore, we will have to understand this one — we have to find out where we are.

Swami Yatīśwarānanda Mahārāj used to tell: the first duty of every spiritual seeker is to find out where he is. Honestly, he has to objectify himself and find : "Do I really believe in God? What is the percentage of my belief in God? How much is my life transformed by this belief of mine of the existence of God? How much percentage of longing for God, yearning for God, do I have? Am I really trying to change my old ''saṃskāras'' into new ''saṃskāras?''" Because without this — as we are seeing in the daily messages — without change in our life, without slowly reducing our non-spiritual qualities and strengthening the spiritual qualities, spiritual practice — however much ''japa'', ''dhyāna'' we do — is practically useless.

So we will have to understand this fact. And from a practical point of view also — how many times I had emphasized: what is spiritual life?— it is an attempt to become more and more happy. And a person cannot be a happy person unless he becomes a good person. And a person cannot be a good person unless he understands the reality. So a person, who has more knowledge — real knowledge — he becomes more and more a good person, and his ''ānanda'' also will increase.
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== Applying the Kośas to Our Own Experience ==
So let us judge ourselves — where we are. And what is our normal spiritual seeker's experience?— "I am a body. I am a person. I am male or female. And I see the world in front of me. And everything in this world consists of several parts, and every part is totally different from every part."

Let us take from ''ānandamaya-kośa:'' am I uniformly happy in the same way all the time? How many times - I suffer; I feel depressed, I feel lonely, I feel restless? Apply it to all the other ''kośas.'' How many times is my mind changing? "I think this is good — after some time, probably I am wrong, this is not good." Then another thought comes — maybe a good thought. How long are we able to sustain it?

So we have to understand that the mind is changing. One thought is different from the other thought. One minute I am thinking about God; another minute I am thinking of some worldly object, maybe (a) worse thought. Then what about the body? The body consists of several parts — so every part is different. You take a cot: there are legs, there is a thick plank, and there are some hooks to hang the mosquito curtain. So every leg is separate; so the plank on which we sleep is separate; everything is separate. My hands, my legs, my eyes, my ears — every single part of my body — my liver, my heart, my kidneys — everything is different.

So what am I experiencing? — Difference, hat is called ''dvaita.'' So God is also different, ''jīva'' is different, worldly object is different. So — God, world and ''jīva'' , and between ''jīva'' and ''jīva'' — there is difference; between every two worldly objects there is difference; and both these are different from God. This is called — Dvaita Vedānta. That is where most of us are.

So we should not say the world doesn't exist. And what do we mean by the world? We only have two judgmental values about the world — really speaking, we don't think of the world analyzing it in the way I am doing. The only judgement, the only analysis, is: "Am I a happy person? Am I a healthy person? Am I a rich person? Are my desires being fulfilled? Or am I a person who is disappointed in life, deprived in life, depressed in life — feeling lonely, feeling) nobody cares for me?" What type of person am I?

So every experience in this world is divided into two values: am I a happy person, or am I a suffering person? Happiness and unhappiness are the final judgements.

So when a person turns towards God, he hopes to obtain higher levels, higher degrees of happinesses — from objective happiness to intellectual happiness, to aesthetic happiness, to moral happiness, and to spiritual happiness, or the happiness of one's own true nature: ''brahmānanda.'' Every action that we do, every thought we think, is only to reduce the unhappiness and to increase the happiness. There is nothing else other than this.
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== The Creation: A Long Introduction ==
So why am I giving such a long introduction? Because for the next few mantras — almost until the end — the Upaniṣad is trying to tell us about the creation, the description of creation.

But earlier we have seen the creation: how the first person became — Manu and Śatarūpā. The male portion is called Manu, and he divided himself into two and from there, (they) became — the wife Śatarūpā became the cow, and Manu became the bull. So every male species, Manu had transformed himself into; every female species, Śatarūpā had transformed herself into.

Then there is one way of describing how this Brahman is manifesting — as if manifesting—remember, they are not following ''pariṇāma-vāda;'' they are only following the Advaitic view — ''vivarta-vāda.'' As if — as if there is a snake, but really there is no snake.
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== The Analogy of an Organization ==
So here something interesting has happened. When you create an organization, an organization is only a name. Then there must be a building where your office is located; there will be some employees. And as soon as you think of the organization, the first thing that comes is: what is the goal?

Say, for example, you want to make a profitable business — you want to manufacture something as an example. Then you start an office. What is the first thing ? — you must seek people who have the knowledge, who can really work for you, and of course they will be paid, but they will also be divided into classification: there will be a CEO, there will be a vice president, and there will be different managers — national manager, regional managers, your own office manager, etc. etc. will be there And then you allot the duties according to their intelligence and so on. But the overall purpose is that all of them must coordinate. There should be no break in that coordination — that is why it is called an organization. Every part must work seamlessly to fulfil the overall, general, one purpose.

So for that purpose you divide. And our ancient philosophers have divided them in the the very beginning. Similarly, we see — Socrates also divided all human beings into four categories: the thinkers, the enforcers/the protectors, the suppliers, and the workers — roughly translated: ''brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas,'' and ''śūdras.''
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== The Origin of the Four Castes ==
So as soon as God as if created this world, and to run this world he requires people — that is the speciality of these few mantras that we are going to discuss now.

So how first the ''brāhmins'' were created, then the ''kṣatriyas'' created, then the ''vaiśyas'' created, then the ''śūdras'' created — that is what want to be conveyed.

But just like the business: a visionary who wants to start a business organization has a vision. In that vision, he has to find out: "These are the people who are the brains; these are the people who enforce the directions given by the brains; this is how work has to continue. And there must be people to supply — office supply, or industrial supply, supply of different machines, engines, maintainers, etc. Then there must be workers who will be cleaning, maintaining, and seeing that the machines are running properly."

What a marvellous vision! Of course, God is all-powerful, all-knowing — so he will have this marvellous vision. So this is the origin of the four castes. That is what the Bhagavad Gītā , the essence of all Upaniṣads — ''"चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः" (first line of Bhagavat Gita verse 4.13) —'' also tells. There also he says: all the castes are created based upon what ''—'' a ''guṇa'' and ''karma.'' There is a deep relationship between ''guṇa'' and ''karma.''

If somebody is a ''sāttvika'' person, he becomes the brain, as it were — the capacity to think, the capacity to separate ''—'' the substance from the non-substance, to separate ''—'' the truth from untruth, the workable from the non-workable, the useful from the useless. But he is a thinker. And he cannot go on running the whole organization. So there must be some ''kṣatriyas'' — these are called law enforcers.

Who puts out the laws? It is the thinkers — the ''brāhmaṇas.'' That's why even today, ''brāhmaṇas'' have given us the ''dharmaśāstras. Dharmaśāstra'' means: "This is ''dharma,'' and it has to be followed in this particular way." So they give quite a good number of varied examples, so that (in) most of the situations we can understand — what to do and what not to do.

So here also the same thing: there must be laws. What is a law? That which ensures the smooth working of any organization — that is called a law. And this whole universe, this whole creation, is nothing but a huge organization. That is why Brahmā is the creator; Viṣṇu is the ''kṣatriya'' — that is why he has got the arms, ''cakra, gadā,'' etc. And there must be others to work. Then there must be somebody to punish and to replace worn-out parts, etc. continuously to renew — and that is called Rudra.

So everything is going on smoothly — this ''brahma-cakra'' is going on smoothly from the very beginning.

So the ''kṣatriyas'' are endowed with tremendous muscle power, will power to enforce these laws. But for any organization to run smoothly, one requires a tremendous amount of suppliers — right from the smallest needle to the highest electronic component. I am just giving an example — I know you know better than me — just how many times we travel in a bicycle, and how many parts this bicycle will have. Even an ordinary person has no idea. And if it is a sophisticated vehicle — I think a 52 or 12 aeroplane, or a stealth bomber — how many millions and millions of parts will be there! And if one part goes wrong, there could be terrible damage — including the pilot also; if he goes wrong, the whole plane will go down.

So we will (should) appreciate: how many times we are travelling by aeroplanes, but we hardly give any thought to it. But how many thousands of people examine it — as soon as the aeroplane lands, and before take-off, hundreds of workers: some to fill the gas or oil, some to examine every part of it. Only then they give the green signal: "Go." Then only is the plane travel-worthy, and they have to certify it.

But all this is done invisibly. Once I visited the Disney in America, and it was all so much fun — everything was tip-top. One has to visit that place to see the organizational power. Everything — just as an example I am giving — somehow when I was gawking at some of the things, travelling in a train from one place to another, one of my shoes had fallen down by the track. But the train will not stop. So I informed the conductor. He said approximately where. And then, within two minutes, before the train stopped, he was there present on the platform and he presented me my own slipper! Such efficiency many organizations have it, and that is why the West is able to progress through cooperation. Whereas in our wretched country, non-cooperation is the rule — that is why, in spite of brains and facilities, our progress is so slow. Only we are big in talking, organizing meetings, and other things. Anyway, coming back.
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== The Vaiśyas, Śūdras, and the Binding Principle ==
So the ''vaiśyas'' — Brahman himself had become the ''vaiśya.'' And then there must be workers ''—'' right from the cleaning and mopping to keep everything tip-top, to supply tea and coffee, everything — they are called ''śūdras.''

And lest this appear to be a scriptural imagination: out of our experience, you look at any organization — you (will) find these four components are absolutely present there.

And then all this will not go smoothly unless there is a binding principle. And that binding principle has been mentioned in this Upaniṣad as ''satyam'' and ''dharma.'' S,o having created all the four castes, having put into motion a ''saṃsāra'' — or even before Brahmā put this ''saṃsāra'' into action — he created ''satya'' and ''dharma.''

That is why in the eleventh ''anuvāka'' of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, Shikshavalli we get: ("''सत्यं वद धर्मं चर"),'' ''satyaṃ vada, dharmaṃ cara.'' What is ''satyam?'' To have a clear idea of what should be done, what needs to be done — that is called ''satyam. Dharma'' is to put it into practice without the least bit of deviation.

If I have no idea what I have to do, naturally I won't be able to do it. And if I have got an idea, but I must also have the strength to do it. And that is how ''satya'' and ''dharma''—both of them go together.

Somebody is truthful but cannot put it into practice. We are all like that. We can give advice — every barber gives advice on how to run the whole universe. But why does he remain a barber? Because he is only a blabberer — he is not really a thinker. So there are some people who know what should be done, but they do not have the practical skill.

So as if ''satyam'' and ''dharma'' are at the opposite poles of this world, this universe — as if they are not coming together. That is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: first you practise, then you preach. And whatever thoughts came into Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's mind, intuitively he put them into practice. That is why he is an embodiment of ''satyam.''

Swami Vivekānanda — Narendranāth — understood: "He may look strange to me; he may even appear to me abnormal. But I have never met a person, never seen a person, whose thoughts, words, and deeds absolutely tally." And this is Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's own definition of what is ''satyam:'' what a person thinks, what a person speaks, and what a person does — and these three things become absolutely unified. That is called the definition of ''satyam.''
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== Satyam and Dharma in Practice ==
So Brahmā created ''satyam'' and ''dharma.'' What is ''satyam?'' To have a crystal clear concept of: what, where am I? What should be done? What good does it do? How should it be done? All these fruitful, positive, creative thoughts — that is called ''satyam.'' And to put it into practice in a systematic manner, not a haphazard manner — that is called ''dharma. Dharma'' is practice. ''Satyam'' is the clear idea (of) what should be practised.

So the whole creation now has to be run like a well-oiled machine — with the help of the thinkers, the law enforcers, the suppliers, and the workers — and they must all be united. That is what Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says in the Gītā:

("स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः") ''svakarmañā tam abhyarcya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ —'' even a Sudra is not deprived of ''mokṣa.''

Rasik was the greatest example for devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. There were so many other people — I will not speak of them today — but Rasik prayed for guidance, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa told him: "I will fulfil your desire, but you must fulfil my desire. Every night after your duties are over, you sit in front of your house, create a ''tulasī-mañca,'' and take ''harināma.''"

But then we are also doing ''harināma'' — what is the difference? The difference is: Rasik was, from his toenail to the hair of his head, an embodiment of ''śraddhā.'' There was never a crooked idea in his mind. How do we know? Because such a person is fit to go to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, to become Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. So when Rasik prayed: "Lord, I don't know — I am an ignorant person. But out of your infinite grace, you take me where you want to take me," And Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa told him: "This is what you need to do. But if you do (that), I will come at the end and I will take you with me."

Where do you think Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa takes any of his devotees? He only takes (them to) — what does it mean in a common language — it means Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa gives them, removes their ignorance — that there is no "I" and "you," we are both one and the same—" तत् त्वम् असि" (Tat Tvam Asi) and "अहं ब्रह्मास्मि (Aham Brahmasmi). That is the final ''mokṣa.''
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== The Final Warning: The Goal of Life ==
So this creation of the four castes, ''satya'' and ''dharma,'' is the very essence of the future classes. I am giving you an introduction.

And then the Upaniṣad also warns — as a final warning: he who gives up this body without reaching his own world — ''svam lokam'' — that means, without knowing "I am Brahman" — if anybody lives ,then, he will have to be reborn again and again, until he understands that "my ''loka'' is ''ātma-loka'' — I am Brahman."

These are the three important points: the creation of the caste; the creation of ''satya'' and ''dharma;'' and a warning that the goal of life is to manifest this divinity and know that "I am free." That is what Swami Vivekānanda has done. We will talk about it in our next classes.
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== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum ।''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ॥''

May Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekānanda bless us all with Bhakti.

''Jai Rāmakṛṣṇa!''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 24 on 12 April 2026

2026-07-05T00:39:31Z

Sachidanand: inserted devanagari script mantras with translations and corrected texts to match the audio

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE , PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE, OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH.

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
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== Recap: The Self Enters All Bodies ==
We are studying the fourth section of the first chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. The important point we discussed in our last class was that, having created, the Self, entered everything — all bodies up to the very tips of the nails. And the Upaniṣad gives a small analogy: like a razor which is kept in a most fitting case. That is to convey to us that there are no two things called the case and the razor. It means everything is Brahman.

Then what happened? He realized. What did he realize? — He is all. He is everything. So he said, "Having created, I realized that I am everything." If we understand that statement, it means all of us are Brahman only. Anything that is made up of clay cannot be anything other than clay. Anything that is made up of gold cannot be anything other than gold.
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== The Danger of Seeing God as Separate: Becoming "Like an Animal to the Gods" ==
That is why the Upaniṣhad warns us that: if anyone, because of the course of ''avidyā'' or ''māyā'', looks upon God as different from oneself — as a deity to be worshipped externally — one becomes like an animal to the gods. That is, one becomes a servant to his own ignorance. This is beautifully explained later on.

But what it means here, in a sense that: God means what? First condition — anybody who is separate from us, and anybody about whom we think he is superior us — in strength, in beauty, in power, in position, in possessions — so what do we become? We start to depend upon them. A baby depends upon the mother. A poor man depends upon the society. A weak person depends upon the stronger person, etc. etc.

So, here God means what? — he who can help, he is a god — whether it be a doctor, or a lawyer, or a professor, or a musician, anybody. That is what we are doing. And here the Upaniṣad gives that the Gods do not wish us to become free. Just as if a man had possessed a thousand cows like Yājñavalkya, and if one of the cows is missing, he goes after that missing cow — he cannot take rest until that cow is found, because he doesn't want to lose the service of even one cow.
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== Born Slaves: Dependence and the Five Kośas ==
So in this world, we are dependent upon everything. We are born slaves. That is why it is said our body itself is made up of food. We are born of food, we are sustained by food, and we are food, and we go back to food. And we can apply the same thing to all the five kośas. Every kośa is dependent upon every other kośa. This is a point we have to note down.

We think that the ''Ānandamaya kośa'', being the superior-most kośa, is not dependent —No! Suppose there is a person — he is weak, he cannot move; but he has a desire: 'I want to eat a lozenge, or a biscuit, or anything for that matter', but he can't move—so he has to call somebody and say, "Would you kindly give it to me?"

That is why, especially in the West — but the same disease is spreading all over the world, including India — people feel embarrassed to be served by their own grandchildren or children in old age. They think it is hurting their egotism: "I am dependent upon you." Any dependence — a foreign government rules, we are dependents. So any dependence is slavery. And the people upon whom we depend, those are called Gods. And these gods do not want to lose anybody. That is what this Upaniṣad wants to point out. One becomes like an animal to the gods — meaning one becomes a servant because of his own ignorance.
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== Slavery to the Non-Self: Living and Non-Living ==
What is this ignorance? I am considering myself as separate from the other one. Not only slavery to living beings — we also have to consider, how many non-living things we have become slavish to—a good house, we are slaves to cars; even more slavish to our mobile phones; slavish to everything— living and non-living.

And that is why the Upaniṣad tells us: slavishness is ''Anātma''. Depending upon ''Anātma''. Seeing anything other than me as something different from me — and not only different, but (that) I am dependent upon it, considering the other object as superior to me, and I cannot survive, I cannot obtain anything, I cannot be a happy person — that slavish mentality leads (to) the real suffering (which) is to feel that — 'I am bound'!

But the Upaniṣad tells that there is nothing separate. The living, the non-living — "सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म" (Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma; all this is verily Brahman)— this is the very core of Advaita: 'Non-Duality'.
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== Śaṅkarācārya: The Difference Between Individual and Brahman Is Ignorance Alone ==
So Śaṅkarācārya emphasizes that the difference between the individual and Brahman doesn't really exist. It is caused only by ignorance — by my ignorance, thinking that I am separate from Brahman. The moment I realize— "I am Brahman, I am the all," all fear and all limitation vanish. Remember, earlier we have discussed: 'the fear comes from the second'— "द्द्वितीयाद्वै भयं भवति" (dvitīyādvai bhayaṁ bhavati). And this is expressed in the fifth mantra of this fourth section.
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== Creation as Projection, Not Production ==
"सोऽवेत्, अहं वाव सृष्टिरस्मि, अहं हीदं सर्वमसृक्षीति" (so’vet, ahaṃ vāva sṛṣṭirasmi, ahaṃ hīdaṃ sarvamasṛkṣīti) — so, after this vast projection —actually, this word '''projection'' 'is a very important word. The moment we hear "creation," like a potter creating a pot, our whole understanding becomes awry. But the moment we realize it is a ''projection'' — a cinema, film machine is projecting light and making it pass through a film, and what we are experiencing is nothing but the manifest projection of the light — everything is light.

How do we know? — Because you just stop the film moving machine, and only pure light will be there. That is why, before the cinema starts, —there is a pure white screen. After the cinema ends, — pure white screen. Without that screen, no projection will become visible, experienceable. What is that screen? — That is compared to our —'pure mind'. And what is that, reveals that screen? — 'Pure consciousness'.

So this is the fifth mantra — "ततः सृष्टिरभवत्; सृष्ट्यां हास्यैतस्याम् भवति " (tataḥ sṛṣṭirabhavat; sṛṣṭyāṃ hāsyaitasyām bhavati ya evaṃ veda). [extract of 5th mantra, 1.4.5]

And anybody, after studying this Upaniṣad, after getting this instruction, this valuable teaching; and he first hears it with faith, then he ponders over it , that is called Upāsanā, and he realizes it. Like Brahman realized, "I am everything." When we realize "I am everything," there would be no difference between Brahman and me. So anyone — not only Brahman, any person he, — "य एवं वेद" ॥ (''ya evaṃ veda)'', he understands, "I am Brahman, because I am a projection of Brahman. A projection of Brahman is non-separate from Brahman." He remains with that self-knowledge.
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== The Seventh Mantra: From the Un-manifest to the Manifest ==
And then, in the sixth mantra, we get something about creation , that is why I did not give importance to that. So we will move to the seventh mantra (1.4.7), where it is said: first of all, this creation remained un-manifest. That is called "अव्याकृत" (''avyākṛta)''. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa calls it ''avyakta:''

"अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत।

अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना"।।2.28 ॥ (Bhagavat Gita)

(avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata

avyakta-nidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā।।2.28 ॥)

—What is birth? The un-manifest becoming manifest. And what is death? The manifest going back into its source,cause. That is called death.

— "Why are you so much grieving about this fact? There is no death. Bhīṣma is not going to die. Droṇa is not going to die. And you are not going to die. Not only that, Duryodhana is not going to die. You have taken a vow: 'I am going to kill Duryodhana and all his ninety-nine brothers.' No — that is not going to happen. You are going to kill only the outer layers, the dresses."
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== The Kośas as Coverings: Why Even Ānandamaya Kośa Is a Cover ==
Every kośa is a dress. However fine it is, it covers, it doesn't reveal what we really are. That which covers our real nature is called a kośa. Even the ''Ānandamaya kośa'' is a cover. Why is it called a cover? First of all, it is experienceable. Anything experienceable — there is a division between the experiencer and the experienced, the subject and the object.

So if I am deriving ''ānanda'' from the reflection of that ''Brahmānanda'' in my own purified mind, I am only looking at the reflection in the mirror of ''Brahmānanda''. I have to break that mirror. Then the distinction between, the separation between — ''jīva'' and ''paramātma'', vanishes. Until that time, the mirror may be the cleanest mirror and it may show me as experiencing ''ānanda'' — but since it is a kośa, a kośa being like a scabbard, like a case which houses the treasure, we will have to overcome that, destroy that. Destroying means knowing that it is only my ignorance which is appearing as the ''pañca kośas''. There are no real, concrete ''pañca kośas''.

So this is supporting the Bhagavad Gītā's view— birth, or ''sṛṣṭi'', creation, is nothing but the un-manifest becoming manifest.
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== Transaction Requires Manifestation: Nāma and Rūpa ==
What is the problem? The un-manifest is non-transactional. You cannot — like butter, it is un-manifest in the milk, but you cannot put it on your piece of bread toast and enjoy it— you will have to separate it. Similarly, this kośa separates us from Bhagavān. So everything is un-manifest.

For transactional purpose this, what remains invisible and non-transaction-able— if it has to become transaction-able, it has to become manifest. So then, from this un-manifest world, this manifest world has come. That is what the seventh mantra wants to explain:

"तद्धेदं तर्ह्यव्याकृतमासीत्त" (taddhedaṁ tarhyavyākṛtamāsīt) [extract of 5th mantra, 1.4.5]—This universe, before creation, remained undifferentiated.

"तन्नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियत" (tannāmarūpābhyāmeva vyākriyatā)[extract of 5th mantra, 1.4.5]—Then it became differentiated into form and name. And therefore it was called as such —such and such. "This is a mango tree." So that mango tree is a form, and the word "mango tree" is a name. The name and the named — there is no difference. God and his name, there is no difference. But the difference is: the 'named' — we will be / we-are thinking - it is an object, and the name is 'the way to think' about that object. The 'name' is a 'thought'; the 'named' is an 'object'. This beautiful psychological trick is called by kalidasa

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== Kālidāsa's Prayer: The Inseparability of Vāk and Artha ==
This beautiful psychological trick (insight) is captured by Kālidāsa—before he commenced writing the Raghuvaṃśa [verse 1, 2] , he prays to Śiva and Pārvatī:

— "वागर्थाविव सम्पृक्तौ" ,''Vāgarthāv iva saṃpṛktau [extract of Raghuvaṃśa verse 1, 2] . Vāk'' means speech — speech means name. ''Artha'' means the object — the named. Just as an object and its name are inseparable, so Pārvatī and Parameśvara , they are the mother and father of this entire universe. They are also inseparable. In other words, Brahman and Śakti are indifferent — you cannot separate them. You can think (of) them as separate, in concept they can be separated, but in reality you cannot separate them.

— "So I am going to write this beautiful poem called Raghuvaṃśa. Therefore, O mother and father — you are the creator and creatrix of this entire universe, and you are inseparable — this world also is inseparable, the object and its name are inseparable. So for the sake of beautiful poetry, the appropriate words should come from the depths of my mind, come to me in the form of thoughts, and I will put those thoughts as my written poem, the Raghuvaṃśa."
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== The World as Name, Form, and Purpose ==
So in the beginning, ''avyākṛta'' means name and form are not there. But now they have become manifest— visible, experienceable, transactional. And therefore, how are they transactional? For example, you look at any object — you see ''nāma'' and ''rūpa'', that is all you see. You see the form and you give it a name to separate it from other objects. And then only, after having the knowledge: "this is such and such an object," do we start thinking: "How does it serve my purpose?"

If there are two glasses, and in rich people's houses certain glasses are separated and hung upside down — they are created like that, so called wine glasses — while if somebody wants to drink water, there will be an ordinary glass. They don't keep them upside down hanging. So because they drink from the hanging glasses, in course of time, they also become hanged.

So this world was un-manifest and not transaction-able. And without transaction, we cannot survive. Therefore, everything that is created, is divided into — ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''., and we have to add a purpose. So this is how creation means — only name and form.

I am just reminding you: the great scholar Vidyāraṇya said, 'What is Brahman?' — Brahman is nothing but ''Sat, Cit'' and ''Ānanda''. 'What is the world?-— ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda'' plus 'form' plus 'name'. 'What is Brahman?'— ''Prapañca'' , ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda'' minus form, minus name is called Brahman." — There is no difference.
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== Praveśa Śruti: The Self Enters Completely ==
And then we enter into another beautiful portion of this, in the fourth section. This is called ''praveśa śruti'' — the scripture of entry. Having created, what did Saguṇa Brahma, or Īśvara, do? He entered. How much did he enter? —Completely. He is the hair of the hair. He is the nail of the nail. He is the toe of the toe. He is the back of the back. He is the hand of the hand. He is the leg of the leg. He is the eye of the eye. He is the ear of the ear, etc.

Then what is the difference? —Actually there is no difference. It is only because we are ignorant, we're thinking—the hand is different, the leg is different, and that they are not Brahman — that they are ''anātma''.

But what is the purpose of the Upaniṣad?

[extract of 7th mantra, 1.4.7]:

—"स एष इह प्रविष्टः" , ''Saḥ'' eṣa iha praviṣṭaḥ| —''<nowiki/>'Saḥ'<nowiki/>'' means that creator. '<nowiki/>''Eṣa''' means that which is in front of me. 'iha praviṣṭaḥ' : He entered .

— "आनखाग्रेभ्यो", ānakhāgrebhyo — up to the very tips of the fingernails

— Like a sword that is kept in a scabbard : "यथा क्षुरः क्षुरधानेऽवहितः",yathā kṣuraḥ kṣuradhāne'vahitaḥ,

—"स्याद्विश्वम्भरो वा विश्वम्भरकुलाये तं न पश्यन्ति अकृत्स्नो ।", syādviśvambharo vā viśvambharakulāye taṁ na paśyanti akṛtsno | — "The Self has entered into these bodies up to the tips of the nails, as a razor may be put in its case, or as a fire which sustains the world ,may be in its source— which is wood". When there is dry wood, we do not see the fire there. But that kind of seeing — "this is wood, that is fire; this is a hand, this is not a leg" — this knowledge springs from ignorance. So it is '''''avidyā'''''.
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== The Upaniṣad's Practical Message: Turn Inward ==
So what does it mean? Why is this Upaniṣad telling us this? The Upaniṣad wants to convey: to us "All right, sir, you have been told about Brahman, how he created this world. And the goal of life is that you have to claim that : 'I am none other than Brahman,' because Brahman alone is manifesting, or projecting himself as this world. What is this world? Nothing but names and forms. But if you forget the names and forms, the substance is nothing but Brahman. Okay — now we are suffering because of the limitations. And the limitation is caused by ignorance. What is ignorance? Focusing on the forms and names but not on the substance. And this ''nāmarūpa'' is called ''anātma'', non-self."

So to help us, the Upaniṣad is telling us now: "Forget about ''nāmarūpa''. Focus upon Brahman. And where is this Brahman to be focused upon? In the ''sanctum sanctorum''. Where is this ''sanctum sanctorum''? — that is there within."

In order to teach us that lesson, then this '''''anupraveśa''''' — entering into the creation , means: you look inside yourself. And how do you look inside yourself? — Because you have to consciously direct your attention, which is now looking outward, must be made to turn. And that turning — whether from outside to inside or inside to outside — can take place only, by the aid of consciousness. And that consciousness is to be realized as Brahman.
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== The Witnessing Consciousness: Sākṣī ==
But we cannot, simply by hearing "your consciousness, and as consciousness you are Brahman," (absorb it) — it will enter through one ear and go out through the other. That means Brahman is available for contemplation in the mind as the witness consciousness, ''sākṣī''. I dealt on this subject for quite (a) long time.

We have two eyes — not "eye," but the capital-letter "I." One is the participating I. — "I am sitting, I am looking, I am hearing, I am talking, I am eating," and so on. The other is witnessing. — Witnessing: "I was in the waking state. I was in the dream state. Then I entered and enjoyed uninterrupted rested for quite some time. And again I entered into the waking state. — I was the waker, I was the dreamer, I was the sleeper." Waker is different from dreamer. Dreamer is separate from sleeper. Sleeper is separate from waker. But those states are different. But I — like a person who enters into room A, leaves it, enters into room 2, leaves it, enters into room 3, leaves it, and enters into room 1 again — why room 1 only? Can I not enter room 4? Yes, that is called the '''''Turīya''''' state.— There is no room number 5. There is no room for room number 5.

So that fourth is not a fourth state. It is the only state which is manifesting as— state number 1 (waking), state number 2 (dreaming), state number 3 (deep rest). So Śaṅkarācārya says '''''anupraveśa''''' means — Brahman is available in the mind as the witness consciousness, S'''''ākṣī'''''.
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== What Is Spiritual Life? Shifting from the Participating I to the Witnessing I ==
Now, what is spiritual life? — To shift the attention, to shift our identity, from the participating I to the witnessing I. There was a beautiful story. Let us remember this one.

Sri Rāmakṛṣṇa — either he heard it and repeated it, or he created it (he had a very creative mind, remember). So there was a Yogī, and there was actually another Yogī who thought that he was superior because he had obtained some special powers. So one day he came and wanted to exhibit his powers in front of the first Yogī.

"Do you know my powers?" "No." "What powers do you have?"

Just at that time an elephant was passing by. So the second Yogī looked and said, "May you die." Immediately the elephant fell down dead, and he looked at the first Yogī. There was no discernible expression on the face of the first Yogī.

Then the second Yogī looked at the elephant and said, "Now come out (back) alive." Immediately the elephant came back alive. And now the second Yogī was looking for an appreciation: "Oh, what a marvellous power you have!"

But the first Yogī was a true Yogī. He said, "What had happened? The elephant was passing. It was dead. It came back alive." And then he said, "What did you gain by that? Did you know the ultimate truth?" Supposedly the second Yogī learnt his lesson.
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== Two Stories: The Futility of Mere Powers ==
So there is a story of two brothers. Perhaps you will remember — I am not going to repeat it. So they met after a long time, and the younger one wanted to show what he had achieved after twelve years of hard ''tapasyā''. So he walked on water, whereas the elder brother had to take a boat. "Did you see my power?" The elder brother (said), "What power? What? You have wasted twelve years of your time, which I could accomplish by just paying half an anna to the boatman."

So Śaṅkara says that we will have to become one with that '''''sākṣī'''''. What is '''''sākṣī'''''? Just witness. Somebody came and abused me — okay, I am witnessing. Somebody came and honoured me — okay, I am witnessing. What happened to me? Nothing happened. No change has taken place in me. That is a very difficult state, but that is a wonderful state.
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== A Humorous Incident from the Life of Ramaṇa Maharṣi ==
Anyway, I just remember now, a funny incident that happened in the life of Ramaṇa Maharṣi. So Ramaṇa Maharṣi became very popular, especially after some Westerners recognized him and started coming. How much they understood, God alone knows. But some of them were highly devoted to him, and it is because of them that Ramaṇa Maharṣi's name became well known actually. They have written books also about him. Some of them were very genuine spiritual aspirants.

So what happened? Some fake sannyāsīns they came to know that Ramaṇa Maharṣi did not have a Guru. So one day one of those fake fellows, along with some of his followers, somehow these people gathered some good followers among them— the more fake it is, the more followers will be there — so he came and boldly declared in front of Ramaṇa Maharṣi: "Yesterday night, Lord Śiva appeared to me in a dream and commanded me to initiate you, because without a Guru, you cannot really obtain anything."

It was Ramaṇa Maharṣi's habit to just keep quiet. But one of the very intelligent followers of Ramaṇa Maharṣi — by the way, Ramaṇa Maharṣi did not physically initiate anybody as a disciple. Only he talked with them, that is all — and some of them took that as what is called initiation — '''''dīkṣā'''''. Now one of them was very intelligent, he said, "Yes, it is true that I also came to know that Śiva appeared in your dream and asked you to come to Ramaṇa Maharṣi and then initiate him. But I also had the same dream. But, one second after he commanded you and you departed, Śiva looked at me and said: 'I think I committed a mistake. These people , yoummust go to them and when they appear, you must take a big stick and beat them.' So just as you obeyed Śiva's commandment, I am also going to obey." So nearby there was a stick — maybe Ramaṇa Maharṣi's own stick, I don't know. So, he started — and seeing he was a hefty fellow — that fake guru and his disciples took to their heels.
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== The Participating I Versus the Witnessing I: Ravana's Birth and Death ==
So why am I telling this story? If we identify ourselves with the participating I, we go up and down. We become very happy. We become very sad. We become victims of terrible emotional turmoil. But if we identify with the '''''sākṣī''''' — yes, I was born, yes, I was there. For that also, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's beautiful story is there. Once Śiva and Pārvatī were sitting on the Mount Kailāsa. Suddenly they heard a little, loud sound — ''dhum!!!'' — like that. And it is said, Pārvatī was startled and said, "Lord, what is that sound?"— "Rāvaṇa was born." And a few 1 or 2 seconds later, another similar sound was heard. "Lord, what is the second sound?" —"Rāvaṇa is dead."

Rāvaṇa is born. Rāvaṇa is dead. I am born. I am also going to die. What did I gain in the meanwhile? And that thinking is more useful to us than "I did this, I did that, I could have done that but I did not, I am going to do that." All these are useless thoughts.

Therefore, the '''''jīvātma''''' and '''''paramātma''''' are identical. But you have to turn your attention inward. — First identify with the '''''sākṣī jīva'''''. That is called moral life. That is called making the mind absolutely still.

That is called '''''citta vṛtti nirodhah.''''' ("योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥ —Yoga Sutra I.2) '''.''' And thereafter, one abides in one's own nature. So that is what is called the benefit.
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== How to Become the Sākṣī: The Purpose of Spiritual Practice ==
How to become '''''sākṣī'''''? All our spiritual practices are for that purpose. And the Upaniṣad continues:

[extract of 7th mantra, 1.4.7]:

—"स योऽत एकैकमुपास्ते न स वेदाकृत्स्नो ह्येषोऽत एकैकेन भवति |", (sa yo'ta ekaikamupāste na sa vedākṛtsno hyeṣo'ta ekaikena bhavati )— if we do not realise that everything is Brahman, then we remain in deep ignorance.

—"आत्त्मेत्येवोपासीतात्र ह्येते सर्व एकं भवन्ति।" , (ātmetyevopāsītātra hyete sarva ekaṁ bhavanti) — The moment we turn our attention inside, then everything becomes one, because there is no second.

(extract from Chāndogya Upanisad 6.2.1) :

—"एकम् एव अद्वितीयम्" , (ekam evā advitīyam) —(In) Chāndogya Upanisad we have seen: 'you cannot distract, you cannot divide, you cannot subtract, you cannot multiply. Anything you can do, anything you do, infinite remains infinite only.

That is the ''śānti pāṭha'' also we have seen—"पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते" (PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE), —only the infinite remains, even though this universe has come. Come where? Where from does it come? Where does it stand? Infinite cannot change. That which is changeless— is called infinite.

So, therefore, a commandment is given here:

"तदेतत्पदनीयमस्य सर्वस्य यदयमात्माऽनेन ह्येतत्सर्वं वेद। यथा ह वै पदेनानुविन्देदेवं कीर्ति श्लोकं विन्दते य एवं वेद॥" (tadetatpadanīyamasya sarvasya yadayamātmā'nena hyetatsarvaṁ veda| yathā ha vai padenānuvindedevaṁ kīrti ślokaṁ vindate ya evaṁ veda)

[last line extract of 7th mantra, 1.4.7]— So, one who knows this will become one with Ātman. Everything is looked upon as a manifestation of one's own self.

And this, according to Śaṅkara, is the essence of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad

—Atma iti (Eva) upasita, ('Meditate on the atman alone,')

And here a beautiful definition is given. What is Ātmā?

— "सर्वम् आप्नोति इति आत्मा" (''Sarvaṃ āpnoti iti Ātmā)'' — one definition of Ātmā is —that which obtains everything, that which obtains infinity. That is called Ātmā. Therefore, ''Ātma iti upāsīta''. With that, the seventh mantra is over.
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== The Eighth Mantra: The Source of Ānanda — Why the Self Is Dearest ==
Now we are going to enter into the eighth mantra. This is also one of the most marvellous analyses of what is called the source of '''''ānanda'''''. And the mantra goes like this:

[extract of 7th mantra, 1.4.8]:

—"तदेतत्प्रेयः पुत्रात्‌ प्रेयो वित्तात्प्रेयोऽन्यस्मात्सर्वस्मादन्तरतरं यदयमात्मा।" (tadetatpreyaḥ putrāt preyo vittātpreyo'nyasmātsarvasmādantarataraṁ yadayamātmā|)— "This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else, because it is the innermost.

— "स योऽन्यमात्मनः प्रियं ब्रुवाणं ब्रूयात् प्रिय रोत्स्यतीतीश्वरो ह तथैव स्याद" (sa yo'nyamātmanaḥ priyaṁ bruvāṇaṁ brūyāt priya rotsyatītīśvaro ha tathaiva syād)— If one holds the Self as the most dearest object to one's own self" — if he has to look at another person who thinks the non-self is most dear,

and addressing that second person, if this ''Ātmajñānī'', the knower of Ātman, speaks of him that, "What you hold dear is going to be destroyed; and रोत्स्यती (rotshyati) - you are going to weep because of that" — and it will come to pass, ''tathā evāsya''. It is going to happen like that.

In short, what it means is: ''anātma'' — anything non-self, anything finite, anything other than God — it is not going to survive, because only Ātman is there. So, it is not that there is something other than Ātman. But people think that God is sitting somewhere. Even if they happen to believe in God, He is sitting somewhere — He is the creator, He is all-powerful, He is all-knowing, He is all-compassionate, and He can do whatever He likes. "But I am not He. He is separate." If anybody thinks like that, then that notion itself — that is called ignorance — that notion itself will be destroyed, maybe after a thousand births, because ''avidyā'' is going to be destroyed by ''vidyā''. But ''vidyā'' is never ever going to be destroyed. Whatever is destructible is going to be destroyed. Whatever is non-destructible is ever going to remain exactly in the same way.

स य आत्मानमेव प्रियमुपास्ते न हास्य प्रियं प्रमायुकं भवति'''॥1.4.8॥"''' (sa ya ātmānameva priyamupāste na hāsya priyaṁ pramāyukaṁ bhavati||)
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== Meditate Upon the Self Alone as Dear ==
Having said this, the Upaniṣad says:

—"त्मानमेव प्रियमुपासीत" " (ātmānameva priyamupāsīta) — One should meditate upon the Self alone as dear."

And then it concludes: what is the result? What does a person get?

—स य आत्मानमेव प्रियमुपास्ते न हास्य प्रियं प्रमायुकं भवति'''॥1.4.8॥"''' (sa ya ātmānameva priyamupāste na hāsya priyaṁ pramāyukaṁ bhavati||)

"He who meditates upon the Self alone as dear — what he holds dear will not perish." And what is this person holding dear? —''Ātmānam'' — one's own Self. And one's own Self is something that will never perish.

That is to say: slowly develop love for Ātman, and slowly develop — through discrimination, proper discrimination — that everything is temporary. Whatever is temporary is called non-Self. Whatever is limited, whatever is bound— by time, space and causation — is very temporary and it is going to be there, and every second we are experiencing it — my body, which I loved so dearly, it was not what it was before I started this sentence. And by the time I utter the next sentence, even the present will be past and the future will become the present. It is continuously moving at mind-boggling speed.

So this is a verse and Śaṅkarācārya quotes this verse very often —"What is the essence of this mantra?" That Ātman — one's own Self — is dearer than everything else. Here Ātmā means Paramātmā.

Because if I say Paramātmā is separate from my Ātmā — then I become ''jīvātmā''. And ''jīvātmā'' is a product of ignorance. It is limited by the very word ''jīvātmā —t''here is birth, there is growth, there is change, there is death — what is called the six s''aḍ vikāras—'' ''asti, jāyate, vardhate, vipariṇamate, apakṣīyate'', etc. (षड् भावाविकारा : जायते अस्ति विपरिणमते वर्धते अपक्षीयते विनश्यति इति ।").

So this Ātman is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, and dearer than everything else.
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== Why Is the Ātman Dearest? The Psychology of Love ==
So, the question that comes is: why is the Ātman dearest, and how is the Ātman dearer than everything else? Beautiful light is thrown by Śaṅkarācārya. This is according to non-dual Vedānta.

Remember: the word Vedānta is used by — Dvaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, and Advaita. Whenever we say Vedānta without mentioning Dvaita or Viśiṣṭādvaita — we have to take it for granted , we are talking about Advaita Vedānta.

There are only two things that every one of us loves equally. There are only two things, what are they?— "I love happiness." When I say "I love," I don't love ''duḥkha''. I don't love anything that makes me suffer. I only love happiness. And whatever gives me happiness — that object, that instrument — is the, I love it because— not because of that object, because it becomes an instrument for me to experience happiness.

So what is our goal? Happiness is the goal — unbroken, eternal, infinite happiness.

And if I have to experience happiness, let us never forget: first of all, I should not encounter death. There should be no broken existence. So unbroken, infinite existence — called ''Sat, Asti'' — that is must be there. If I want to be happy, I have to be alive. Not only that, I have to be aware — that I am alive and that I am very happy. That is why we cannot separate — ''Sat, Cit'', and ''Ānanda''.
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== The Object Is Only a Means; Happiness Alone Is the Goal ==
So with regard to this, there are certain points. So, why do we run after any object? We desire an object., we run after an object if we think, whether it gives happiness or not that is a separate issue — but because we think, it gives us happiness. That means the object is not our goal; it is only 'the means'. What is the objective?— Happiness alone is the only objective. That is the first point.

What is the second point? — Of these two, happiness and the object of happiness , which is primary? Happiness alone is the primary. And why? Because, once we squeeze all the juice from the sugarcane, are you going to love that sugarcane from which all ''rasa'' is completely squeezed out? No, not at all. And you see, after your stomach is filled, you don't love the food anymore — until you become hungry again. It applies to wife, husband, children, friends, enemies, everything, religion, everything — and including God, we come to that point.

So the question that comes: why do I love happiness? Because that is my very nature. I am happy only '''when I remain as myself.''' This is a principle we have to understand very clearly. I am happy when I forget all the limitations. I go beyond time, space, and causation, and at that time I remain as my own self. '''That remaining as my own self is called happiness.'''

Now the secondary thing is: I love the means of happiness only because it helps me to unveil the happiness which is really coming from within myself. The moment any object stops giving happiness, my love for it also disappears. And it may even turn into hatred.
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== The Law of Diminishing Happiness: The Example of Three Cups of Coffee ==
One of our senior Swamis used to give a beautiful example. Suppose you go to a friend's house late afternoon. First thing he offers is a good cup of coffee or tea, whatever it may be. And you are very happy and longing for it, so you enjoy it. And then, seeing your happiness, suppose he offers a second cup of coffee. You may reluctantly accept it and drink it — but you notice it doesn't give the same amount of happiness, because only the first sip, first cup will fulfil your desires. And if the friend forces you with a third cup, you are ready practically to beat him up. You get so much annoyed with him.

So there is something called ''alam'' — sufficient. "I cannot bear more than this one." That is the nature of every object. Once I squeeze happiness through an object, I no longer need that object. I no longer love that object. I even hate that object. That object becomes a means of hatred for me.

'''So the desire for happiness is unconditional.''' But the desire for the instrument or object of happiness is only conditional. What is that condition? So long as it gives me happiness, I love it. The moment it ceases to give happiness, I will not love it anymore.
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== Ātman Alone Is Happiness; Anātma Is Unhappiness ==
Then the third point we have to learn that: '''Ātman alone is happiness, and ''anātma'' is unhappiness.''' Why is ''anātma'' unhappiness? Because everyone truly loves only the Ātman. Every love we have is only genuine love for the Ātman. But children, possessions, house — all such things belong to the realm of '''''anātma''''' only. We love them only because they give us happiness. The moment — whether it is husband or wife or children or friends, anybody — stop giving me happiness, that is, start giving me unhappiness, I hate them. I want to run away from them as much as possible.

So it is a conditional love. What is the condition? So long as I get happiness, so long only I love. Any object — take for example your phone. So long as the phone is working properly, then I am happy. The moment it starts delaying even for a second, or going back, or shuts itself off, powers itself off, or restarts— then I go for the next phone. In fact, it is this principle: maybe the latest iteration of the phone, it gives me more happiness by giving me more freedom, faster — that is what makes us buy new things. But really speaking, it is only an instrument of happiness, if at all. But that which can be the instrument of happiness inevitably can also become the instrument of unhappiness.
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== Even God Is Subject to This Principle ==
So it applies to God also. If we are devotees of God and if God doesn't fulfil our desires — how long are you going to stand by that God? In fact, we don't love God even when we are meditating, sitting so-called, you label yourself as a devotee. The moment you spend some time and God becomes an object of boredom — you don't get any happiness from Him — then you excuse yourself, get up, and do anything except thinking about God. And if God doesn't save you when you are expecting him to save you, he doesn't fulfil your desires, many people become disbelievers, non-believers, because they think, "This God is a useless God, not a useful God."

That means our love for God is a mistaken love. We consider God as the biggest object, for our happiness, helping our happiness. But when we understand it is not going to happen, then we discard God. That is how we have not yet developed.
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== True Love: Loving God Without Condition ==
Then what is the true love?— "O God, I love you because I am happy just by loving you. I don't want anything from you. If I want anything from you, you become an instrument, you become an object — I don't want that one."

Then the question comes — a very important question. The Upaniṣad itself says: a ''jñānī'' identifies himself with everybody, loves everybody equally, is unselfish towards everybody, sacrifices everything for everybody.

How come? — Because here he says the ''jñānī''<nowiki/>'s love is not as an individual, not as an object — every object is a subject to a ''jñānī''. That is called, in plain language: "I see God in you." Love thy neighbour as thyself. Love God as yourself — beautiful words full of meaning.

So the ''jñānī''<nowiki/>'s love is what is called selfish love. Why do we call it selfish love? Because he thinks everything is my own self. That selfishness is a different selfishness than thinking that, "I am this individual and everything should cater to my own happiness." That is why the ''jñānī''<nowiki/>'s love is universal love. And there is a beautiful Sanskrit name for that: '''''Sarvātma bhāvanā''''' — "I am everything. I became everything. I am everything." '''''Sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ Brahma (सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म).'''''
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== The Nearest Object Is the Self: The Psychology of Love Concluded ==
Then another point is also raised — these are all hints we get from the great Śaṅkarācārya. Why do I love anything at all? Because I love whatever is nearer and intimate to me. And what is the nearest object to me? Only the Ātman. Children are separate — they are born at some time and they go at some time, or I may go. But I am close to them only so long as I think that —they are mine.

Why does a mother love her children? Only because she thinks, "This is me — I in the form of my children." She doesn't love the neighbour's children. She doesn't love anybody else's children. If some danger comes, she will rush to save only her children — not because of her love for her children, but because of her knowledge that —"I am my children."

And a ''jñānī'' extends this to the whole universe, living and non-living. Whereas a mother can only extend it at best only to herself. But it is also said: a monkey carrying its young one, if it has to walk on glowing hot charcoal, will put its child on its body and walk on it. Everything is like that. There is a great lot of truth in it.

So Ātman is the nearest to us. And therefore, that which is nearest means what: not separate from me, but me only. That is why we love our Ātman. And the nature of our Ātman is '''''Ānanda'''''. And this love is equivalent to ''Ānanda''. When I identify with myself, I feel extremely happy, and vice versa.

Therefore, this is called the psychology of love. The Ātman is dearer than anything. That anything and everything is called ''anātma''.

Beautiful points are still there. We will talk about them in our next class.
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== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 24 on 12 April 2026

2026-07-04T02:18:55Z

Sachidanand: /* Opening Invocation */ inserted sanskrit verses, missing texts and corrected some before editing stopped after 7th mantra. Will try re-login and see if it allows editing...saving whatever achieved

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुरुम्

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum

pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH

OM That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
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== Recap: The Self Enters All Bodies ==
We are studying the fourth section of the first chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. The important point we discussed in our last class was that, having created, the Self, entered everything — all bodies up to the very tips of the nails. And the Upaniṣad gives a small analogy: like a razor which is kept in a most fitting case. That is to convey to us that there are no two things called the case and the razor. It means everything is Brahman.

Then what happened? He realized. What did he realize? — He is all. He is everything. So he said, "Having created, I realized that I am everything." If we understand that statement, it means all of us are Brahman only. Anything that is made up of clay cannot be anything other than clay. Anything that is made up of gold cannot be anything other than gold.
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== The Danger of Seeing God as Separate: Becoming "Like an Animal to the Gods" ==
That is why the Upaniṣhad warns us that: if anyone, because of the course of ''avidyā'' or ''māyā'', looks upon God as different from oneself — as a deity to be worshipped externally — one becomes like an animal to the gods. That is, one becomes a servant to his own ignorance. This is beautifully explained later on.

But what it means here, in a sense that: God means what? First condition — anybody who is separate from us, and anybody about whom we think he is superior us — in strength, in beauty, in power, in position, in possessions — so what do we become? We start to depend upon them. A baby depends upon the mother. A poor man depends upon the society. A weak person depends upon the stronger person, etc. etc.

So, here God means what? — he who can help, he is a god — whether it be a doctor, or a lawyer, or a professor, or a musician, anybody. That is what we are doing. And here the Upaniṣad gives that the Gods do not wish us to become free. Just as if a man had possessed a thousand cows like Yājñavalkya, and if one of the cows is missing, he goes after that missing cow — he cannot take rest until that cow is found, because he doesn't want to lose the service of even one cow.
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== Born Slaves: Dependence and the Five Kośas ==
So in this world, we are dependent upon everything. We are born slaves. That is why it is said our body itself is made up of food. We are born of food, we are sustained by food, and we are food, and we go back to food. And we can apply the same thing to all the five kośas. Every kośa is dependent upon every other kośa. This is a point we have to note down.

We think that the ''Ānandamaya kośa'', being the superior-most kośa, is not dependent —No! Suppose there is a person — he is weak, he cannot move; but he has a desire: 'I want to eat a lozenge, or a biscuit, or anything for that matter', but he can't move—so he has to call somebody and say, "Would you kindly give it to me?"

That is why, especially in the West — but the same disease is spreading all over the world, including India — people feel embarrassed to be served by their own grandchildren or children in old age. They think it is hurting their egotism: "I am dependent upon you." Any dependence — a foreign government rules, we are dependents. So any dependence is slavery. And the people upon whom we depend, those are called Gods. And these gods do not want to lose anybody. That is what this Upaniṣad wants to point out. One becomes like an animal to the gods — meaning one becomes a servant because of his own ignorance.
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== Slavery to the Non-Self: Living and Non-Living ==
What is this ignorance? I am considering myself as separate from the other one. Not only slavery to living beings — we also have to consider, how many non-living things we have become slavish to—a good house, we are slaves to cars; even more slavish to our mobile phones; slavish to everything— living and non-living.

And that is why the Upaniṣad tells us: slavishness is ''Anātma''. Depending upon ''Anātma''. Seeing anything other than me as something different from me — and not only different, but (that) I am dependent upon it, considering the other object as superior to me, and I cannot survive, I cannot obtain anything, I cannot be a happy person — that slavish mentality leads (to) the real suffering (which) is to feel that — 'I am bound'!

But the Upaniṣad tells that there is nothing separate. The living, the non-living — "सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म" (Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma; all this is verily Brahman)— this is the very core of Advaita: 'Non-Duality'.
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== Śaṅkarācārya: The Difference Between Individual and Brahman Is Ignorance Alone ==
So Śaṅkarācārya emphasizes that the difference between the individual and Brahman doesn't really exist. It is caused only by ignorance — by my ignorance, thinking that I am separate from Brahman. The moment I realize— "I am Brahman, I am the all," all fear and all limitation vanish. Remember, earlier we have discussed: 'the fear comes from the second'— "द्द्वितीयाद्वै भयं भवति" (dvitīyādvai bhayaṁ bhavati). And this is expressed in the fifth mantra of this fourth section.
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== Creation as Projection, Not Production ==
"सोऽवेत्, अहं वाव सृष्टिरस्मि, अहं हीदं सर्वमसृक्षीति" (so’vet, ahaṃ vāva sṛṣṭirasmi, ahaṃ hīdaṃ sarvamasṛkṣīti) — so, after this vast projection —actually, this word '''projection'' 'is a very important word. The moment we hear "creation," like a potter creating a pot, our whole understanding becomes awry. But the moment we realize it is a ''projection'' — a cinema, film machine is projecting light and making it pass through a film, and what we are experiencing is nothing but the manifest projection of the light — everything is light.

How do we know? — Because you just stop the film moving machine, and only pure light will be there. That is why, before the cinema starts, —there is a pure white screen. After the cinema ends, — pure white screen. Without that screen, no projection will become visible, experienceable. What is that screen? — That is compared to our —'pure mind'. And what is that, reveals that screen? — 'Pure consciousness'.

So this is the fifth mantra — "ततः सृष्टिरभवत्; सृष्ट्यां हास्यैतस्याम् भवति " (tataḥ sṛṣṭirabhavat; sṛṣṭyāṃ hāsyaitasyām bhavati ya evaṃ veda). And anybody, after studying this Upaniṣad, after getting this instruction, this valuable teaching; and he first hears it with faith, then he ponders over it , that is called Upāsanā, and he realizes it. Like Brahman realized, "I am everything." When we realize "I am everything," there would be no difference between Brahman and me. So anyone — not only Brahman, any person he, — "य एवं वेद" ॥ (''ya evaṃ veda)'', he understands, "I am Brahman, because I am a projection of Brahman. A projection of Brahman is non-separate from Brahman." He remains with that self-knowledge.
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== The Seventh Mantra: From the Un-manifest to the Manifest ==
And then, in the sixth mantra, we get something about creation , that is why I did not give importance to that. So we will move to the seventh mantra, where it is said: first of all, this creation remained un-manifest. That is called "अव्याकृत" (''avyākṛta)''. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa calls it ''avyakta:''

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत।

अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना।।2.28 ॥ (Bhagavat Gita)

(avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata

avyakta-nidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā।।2.28 ॥)

—What is birth? The un-manifest becoming manifest. And what is death? The manifest going back into its source,cause. That is called death.

— "Why are you so much grieving about this fact? There is no death. Bhīṣma is not going to die. Droṇa is not going to die. And you are not going to die. Not only that, Duryodhana is not going to die. You have taken a vow: 'I am going to kill Duryodhana and all his ninety-nine brothers.' No — that is not going to happen. You are going to kill only the outer layers, the dresses."
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== The Kośas as Coverings: Why Even Ānandamaya Kośa Is a Cover ==
Every kośa is a dress. However fine it is, it covers, it doesn't reveal what we really are. That which covers our real nature is called a kośa. Even the ''Ānandamaya kośa'' is a cover. Why is it called a cover? First of all, it is experienceable. Anything experienceable — there is a division between the experiencer and the experienced, the subject and the object.

So if I am deriving ''ānanda'' from the reflection of that ''Brahmānanda'' in my own purified mind, I am only looking at the reflection in the mirror of ''Brahmānanda''. I have to break that mirror. Then the distinction between, the separation between — ''jīva'' and ''paramātma'', vanishes. Until that time, the mirror may be the cleanest mirror and it may show me as experiencing ''ānanda'' — but since it is a kośa, a kośa being like a scabbard, like a case which houses the treasure, we will have to overcome that, destroy that. Destroying means knowing that it is only my ignorance which is appearing as the ''pañca kośas''. There are no real, concrete ''pañca kośas''.

So this is supporting the Bhagavad Gītā's view— birth, or ''sṛṣṭi'', creation, is nothing but the un-manifest becoming manifest.
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== Transaction Requires Manifestation: Nāma and Rūpa ==
What is the problem? The un-manifest is non-transactional. You cannot — like butter, it is un-manifest in the milk, but you cannot put it on your piece of bread toast and enjoy it— you will have to separate it. Similarly, this kośa separates us from Bhagavān. So everything is un-manifest.

For transactional purpose this, what remains invisible and non-transaction-able— if it has to become transaction-able, it has to become manifest. So then, from this un-manifest world, this manifest world has come. That is what the seventh mantra wants to explain:

"तद्धेदं तर्ह्यव्याकृतमासीत्त" (taddhedaṁ tarhyavyākṛtamāsīt)—This universe, before creation, remained undifferentiated.

"तन्नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियत" (tannāmarūpābhyāmeva vyākriyatā)—Then it became differentiated into form and name.

सौ नामायमिदरूप इति तदिदमप्येतर्हि नामरूपाभ्यामेव व्याक्रियतेऽसौ नामायमिदरूप इति स एष इह प्रविष्टः। — then, it became differentiated into form and name.

And therefore it was called such —such and such. "This is a mango tree." That mango tree is a form, and the word "mango tree" is a name. The name and the named — there is no difference. God and his name, there is no difference. But the difference is: the named is thought of as an object, and the name is the way to think about that object. The name is a thought; the named is an object.
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== Kālidāsa's Prayer: The Inseparability of Vāk and Artha ==
This beautiful psychological insight is captured by Kālidāsa. Before he commenced writing the Raghuvaṃśa, he prays to Śiva and Pārvatī.

''Vāk'' means speech — speech means name. ''Artha'' means the object — the named. Just as an object and its name are inseparable, so Pārvatī and Parameśvara are the mother and father of this entire universe. They are also inseparable. In other words, Brahman and Śakti are indifferent — you cannot separate them. You can think of them as separate in concept, but in reality you cannot separate them.

"So I am going to write this beautiful poem called Raghuvaṃśa. Therefore, O mother and father — you are the creator and creatrix of this entire universe, and you are inseparable — this world also is inseparable, the object and its name are inseparable. So for the sake of beautiful poetry, the appropriate words should come from the depths of my mind, come to me in the form of thoughts, and I will put those thoughts as my written poem, the Raghuvaṃśa."
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== The World as Name, Form, and Purpose ==
So in the beginning, ''avyākṛta'' means name and form are not there. But now they have become manifest, visible, experienceable, transactional. And therefore, how are they transactional? For example, you look at any object — you see ''nāma'' and ''rūpa'', that is all you see. You see the form and you give it a name to separate it from other objects. And then only, after having the knowledge "this is such and such an object," do we start thinking: "How does it serve my purpose?"

If there are two glasses, and in rich people's houses certain glasses are separated and hung upside down — they are created like that, called wine glasses — while if somebody wants to drink water, there will be an ordinary glass. They don't keep them upside down hanging. So because they drink from the hanging glasses, in course of time, they also become hanged.

So this world was unmanifest and non-transactional. Without transaction, we cannot survive. Therefore, everything that is created is divided into ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''. And we have to add a purpose. So this is how creation means only name and form.

I am just reminding you: the great scholar Vidyāraṇya said, "What is Brahman? Brahman is nothing but ''Sat, Cit'' and ''Ānanda''. What is the world? ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda'' plus form plus name. What is Brahman? ''Prapañca'' — ''Sat, Cit, Ānanda'' minus form, minus name is called Brahman." There is no difference.
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== Praveśa Śruti: The Self Enters Completely ==
And then we enter into another beautiful portion of this fourth section. This is called ''praveśa śruti'' — the scripture of entry. Having created, what did Saguṇa Brahma, or Īśvara, do? He entered. How much did he enter? Completely. He is the hair of the hair. He is the nail of the nail. He is the toe of the toe. He is the back of the back. He is the hand of the hand. He is the leg of the leg. He is the eye of the eye. He is the ear of the ear, and so on.

Then what is the difference? Actually there is no difference. It is only because we are ignorant that we think the hand is different, the leg is different, and that they are not Brahman — that they are ''anātma''. But what is the purpose of the Upaniṣad?

''Saḥ'' means that creator. ''Eṣaḥ'' means that which is in front of me. He entered — up to the very tips of the fingernails. Like a sword that is kept in a scabbard. "The Self has entered into these bodies up to the tips of the nails, as a razor may be put in its case, or as a fire which sustains the world may be in its source" — which is wood. When there is dry wood, we do not see the fire there. But that kind of seeing — "this is wood, that is fire; this is a hand, this is not a leg" — this knowledge springs from ignorance. So it is ''avidyā''.
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== The Upaniṣad's Practical Message: Turn Inward ==
So what does it mean? Why is this Upaniṣad telling us this? The Upaniṣad wants to convey: "All right, sir, you have been told about Brahman, how he created this world. And the goal of life is that you have to claim: 'I am none other than Brahman,' because Brahman alone is manifesting, or projecting, himself as this world. What is this world? Nothing but names and forms. But if you forget the names and forms, the substance is nothing but Brahman. Okay — now we are suffering because of the limitations. And the limitation is caused by ignorance. What is ignorance? Focusing on the forms and names but not on the substance. And this ''nāmarūpa'' is called ''anātma'', non-self."

So to help us, the Upaniṣad is telling us now: "Forget about ''nāmarūpa''. Focus upon Brahman. And where is this Brahman to be focused upon? In the ''sanctum sanctorum''. Where is this ''sanctum sanctorum''? It is there within."

In order to teach us that lesson, then this ''anupraveśa'' — entering into the creation — means: you look inside yourself. And how do you look inside yourself? Because you have to consciously direct your attention, which is now looking outward, and make it turn inside. And that turning — whether from outside to inside or inside to outside — can take place only by the aid of consciousness. And that consciousness is to be realised as Brahman.
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== The Witnessing Consciousness: Sākṣī ==
But we cannot, simply by hearing "your consciousness, and as consciousness you are Brahman," absorb it — it will enter through one ear and go out through the other. That means Brahman is available for contemplation in the mind as the witness consciousness, ''sākṣī''. I dealt on this subject for quite a long time.

We have two eyes — not "eye," but the capital-letter "I." One is the participating I. "I am sitting, I am looking, I am hearing, I am talking, I am eating," and so on. The other is witnessing. Witnessing: "I was in the waking state. I was in the dream state. Then I entered and enjoyed uninterrupted rest for quite some time. And again I entered into the waking state. I was the waker, I was the dreamer, I was the sleeper." Waker is different from dreamer. Dreamer is separate from sleeper. Sleeper is separate from waker. Those states are different. But I — like a person who enters into room A, leaves it, enters into room 2, leaves it, enters into room 3, leaves it, and enters into room 1 again — why room 1 only? Can I not enter room 4? Yes, that is called the ''Turīya'' state. There is no room number 5. There is no room for room number 5.

So that fourth is not a fourth state. It is the only state which is manifesting as state number 1 (waking), state number 2 (dreaming), state number 3 (deep sleep). So Śaṅkarācārya says ''anupraveśa'' means Brahman is available in the mind as the witness consciousness, ''sākṣī''.
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== What Is Spiritual Life? Shifting from the Participating I to the Witnessing I ==
Now, what is spiritual life? To shift the attention, to shift our identity, from the participating I to the witnessing I. There was a beautiful story. Let us remember this one.

Rāmakṛṣṇa — either he heard it and repeated it, or he created it (he had a very creative mind, remember). So there was a Yogī, and there was actually another Yogī who thought that he was superior because he had obtained some special powers. So one day he came and wanted to exhibit his powers in front of the first Yogī. "Do you know my powers?" "No." "What powers do you have?"

Just at that time an elephant was passing by. So the second Yogī looked and said, "May you die." Immediately the elephant fell down dead, and he looked at the first Yogī. There was no discernible expression on the face of the first Yogī. Then the second Yogī looked at the elephant and said, "Now come back alive." Immediately the elephant came back alive. And now the second Yogī was looking for an appreciation: "Oh, what a marvellous power you have!" But the first Yogī was a true Yogī. He said, "What had happened? The elephant was passing. It was dead. It came back alive." And then he said, "What did you gain by that? Did you know the ultimate truth?" Supposedly the second Yogī learnt his lesson.
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== Two Stories: The Futility of Mere Powers ==
So there is a story of two brothers. Perhaps you will remember — I am not going to repeat it. So they met after a long time, and the younger one wanted to show what he had achieved after twelve years of hard ''tapasyā''. So he walked on water, whereas the elder brother had to take a boat. "Did you see my power?" The elder brother said, "What power? What? You have wasted twelve years of your time, which I could accomplish by just paying half an anna to the boatman."

So Śaṅkara says that we will have to become one with that ''sākṣī''. What is ''sākṣī''? Just witness. Somebody came and abused me — okay, I am witnessing. Somebody came and honoured me — okay, I am witnessing. What happened to me? Nothing happened. No change has taken place in me. That is a very difficult state, but that is a wonderful state.
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== A Humorous Incident from the Life of Ramaṇa Maharṣi ==
Anyway, I just remember now a funny incident that happened in the life of Ramaṇa Maharṣi. So Ramaṇa Maharṣi became very popular, especially after some Westerners recognised him and started coming. How much they understood, God alone knows. But some of them were highly devoted to him, and it is because of them that Ramaṇa Maharṣi's name became well known. They have written books also about him. Some of them were very genuine spiritual aspirants.

So what happened? Some fake sannyāsīs came to know that Ramaṇa Maharṣi did not have a Guru. So one day one of those fake fellows, along with some of his followers — the more fake it is, the more followers will be there — somehow gathered and came to Ramaṇa Maharṣi. He boldly declared in front of Ramaṇa Maharṣi: "Yesterday night, Lord Śiva appeared to me in a dream and commanded me to initiate you, because without a Guru, you cannot really obtain anything."

Now, it was Ramaṇa Maharṣi's habit to just keep quiet. But one of the very intelligent followers of Ramaṇa Maharṣi — by the way, Ramaṇa Maharṣi did not physically initiate anybody as a disciple. He only talked with them. That is all. And some of them took that as what is called initiation — ''dīkṣā''. Now one of them was very intelligent. He said, "Yes, it is true that I also came to know that Śiva appeared in your dream and asked you to come to Ramaṇa Maharṣi and initiate him. But I also had the same dream. One second after he commanded you and you departed, Śiva looked at me and said: 'I think I committed a mistake. These people — when they appear, you must take a big stick and beat them.' So just as you obeyed Śiva's commandment, I am also going to obey." So nearby there was a stick — maybe Ramaṇa Maharṣi's own stick, I don't know. He started — and seeing he was a hefty fellow — that fake guru and his disciples took to their heels.
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== The Participating I Versus the Witnessing I: Ravana's Birth and Death ==
So why am I telling this story? If we identify ourselves with the participating I, we go up and down. We become very happy. We become very sad. We become victims of terrible emotional turmoil. But if we identify with the ''sākṣī'' — yes, I was born, yes, I was there.

For that also, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's beautiful story is there. Śiva and Pārvatī were sitting on Mount Kailāsa. Suddenly they heard a little, loud sound — ''dhum'' — like that. And it is said Pārvatī was startled and said, "Lord, what is that sound?" "Rāvaṇa was born." And a few seconds later, another similar sound was heard. "Lord, what is the second sound?" "Rāvaṇa is dead."

Rāvaṇa is born. Rāvaṇa is dead. I am born. I am also going to die. What did I gain in the meanwhile? And that thinking is more useful to us than "I did this, I did that, I could have done that but I did not, I am going to do that." All these are useless thoughts.

Therefore, the ''jīvātma'' and ''paramātma'' are identical. But you have to turn your attention inward. First identify with the ''sākṣī jīva''. That is called moral life. That is called making the mind absolutely still. That is called ''citta vṛtti nirodha''. And thereafter, one abides in one's own nature. So that is what is called the benefit.
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== How to Become the Sākṣī: The Purpose of Spiritual Practice ==
How to become ''sākṣī''? All our spiritual practices are for that purpose. And the Upaniṣad continues: if we do not realise that everything is Brahman, then we remain in deep ignorance. The moment we turn our attention inside, then everything becomes one, because there is no second — we have seen only one, infinite. You cannot distract, you cannot divide, you cannot subtract, you cannot multiply. Anything you do, infinite remains infinite only. That is the ''śānti pāṭha'' also we have seen: only infinite remains, even though this universe has come. Come where? Where from does it come? Where does it stand? Infinite cannot change. That which is changeless is called infinite.

Therefore, a commandment is given here. One who knows this will become one with Ātman. Everything is looked upon as a manifestation of one's own self. And this, according to Śaṅkara, is the essence of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. And here a beautiful definition is given. What is Ātmā? ''Sarvaṃ āpnoti iti Ātmā'' — one definition of Ātmā is that which obtains everything, that which obtains infinity. That is called Ātmā. Therefore, ''Ātma iti upāsīta''. With that, the seventh mantra is over.
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== The Eighth Mantra: The Source of Ānanda — Why the Self Is Dearest ==
Now we are going to enter into the eighth mantra. This is also one of the most marvellous analyses of what is called the source of ''ānanda''. And the mantra goes like this: "This Self is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else, because it is the innermost. If one holds the Self as the most dearest object to one's own self" — if he has to look at another person who thinks the non-self is most dear, and addressing that second person, if this ''Ātmajñānī'', the knower of Ātman, speaks of him, "What you hold dear is going to be destroyed; you are going to weep because of that" — and it will come to pass, ''tathā evāsya''. It is going to happen like that.

In short, what it means is: ''anātma'' — anything non-self, anything finite, anything other than God — it is not going to survive, because only Ātman is there. It is not that there is something other than Ātman. But people think that God is sitting somewhere. Even if they happen to believe in God, He is sitting somewhere — He is the creator, He is all-powerful, He is all-knowing, He is all-compassionate, and He can do whatever He likes. "But I am not He. He is separate." If anybody thinks like that, then that notion itself — that is called ignorance — will be destroyed, maybe after a thousand births, because ''avidyā'' is going to be destroyed by ''vidyā''. But ''vidyā'' is never ever going to be destroyed. Whatever is destructible is going to be destroyed. Whatever is non-destructible is ever going to remain exactly in the same way.
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== Meditate Upon the Self Alone as Dear ==
Having said this, the Upaniṣad says: "One should meditate upon the Self alone as dear." And then it concludes: what is the result? What does a person get? "He who meditates upon the Self alone as dear — what he holds dear will not perish." And what is this person holding dear? ''Ātmānam'' — one's own Self. And one's own Self is something that will never perish.

That is to say: slowly develop love for Ātman, and slowly develop — through discrimination, proper discrimination — that everything is temporary. Whatever is temporary is called non-Self. Whatever is limited, whatever is bound by time, space and causation is very temporary, and we are experiencing it every second. My body, which I loved so dearly, is not what it was before I started this sentence. And by the time I utter the next sentence, even the present will be past and the future will become the present. It is continuously moving at mind-boggling speed.

So Śaṅkarācārya quotes this verse very often. What is the essence of this mantra? That Ātman — one's own Self — is dearer than everything else. Here Ātmā means Paramātmā. Because if I say Paramātmā is separate from my Ātmā, then I become ''jīvātmā''. And ''jīvātmā'' is a product of ignorance. It is limited by the very word ''jīvātmā''. There is birth, there is growth, there is change, there is death — what is called the six ''ṣaḍ vikāras'': ''asti, jāyate, vardhate, vipariṇamate, apakṣīyate'', and so on.

So this Ātman is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, and dearer than everything else.
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== Why Is the Ātman Dearest? The Psychology of Love ==
The question that comes is: why is the Ātman dearest, and how is the Ātman dearer than everything else? Beautiful light is thrown by Śaṅkarācārya. This is according to non-dual Vedānta. Remember: the word Vedānta is used by Dvaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, and Advaita. Whenever we say Vedānta without mentioning Dvaita or Viśiṣṭādvaita, we have to take it for granted we are talking about Advaita Vedānta.

There are only two things that every one of us loves equally. What are they? "I love happiness." When I say "I love," I don't love ''duḥkha''. I don't love anything that makes me suffer. I only love happiness. And whatever gives me happiness — that object, that instrument — I love it. Not because of that object itself, but because it becomes an instrument for me to experience happiness.

So what is our goal? Happiness is the goal — unbroken, eternal, infinite happiness. And if I have to experience happiness, let us never forget: first of all, I should not encounter death. There should be no broken existence. So unbroken, infinite existence — called ''Sat, Asti'' — must be there. If I want to be happy, I have to be alive. Not only that, I have to be aware that I am alive and that I am very happy. That is why we cannot separate ''Sat, Cit'', and ''Ānanda''.
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== The Object Is Only a Means; Happiness Alone Is the Goal ==
So with regard to this, there are certain points. Why do we run after any object? We desire an object. We run after an object — whether it gives happiness or not is a separate issue — because we think it gives us happiness. That means the object is not our goal; it is only the means. What is the objective? Happiness alone is the primary objective.

And why? Because once we squeeze all the juice from the sugarcane, are you going to love that sugarcane from which all ''rasa'' is completely squeezed out? No, not at all. And after your stomach is filled, you don't love the food anymore — until you become hungry again. It applies to wife, husband, children, friends, enemies, everything, religion, everything — and even God, we come to that point.

So the question that comes: why do I love happiness? Because that is my very nature. I am happy only when I remain as myself. This is a principle we have to understand very clearly. I am happy when I forget all the limitations. I go beyond time, space, and causation, and at that time I remain as my own self. That remaining as my own self is called happiness.

Now the secondary thing is: I love the means of happiness only because it helps me to unveil the happiness which is really coming from within myself. The moment any object stops giving happiness, my love for it also disappears. And it may even turn into hatred.
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== The Law of Diminishing Happiness: The Example of Three Cups of Coffee ==
One of our senior Swamis used to give a beautiful example. Suppose you go to a friend's house late afternoon. First thing he offers is a good cup of coffee or tea. And you are very happy and longing for it, so you enjoy it. And then, seeing your happiness, suppose he offers a second cup of coffee. You may reluctantly accept it and drink it — but you notice it doesn't give the same amount of happiness, because only the first cup will fulfil your desires. And if the friend forces you with a third cup, you are ready practically to beat him up. You get so much annoyed with him.

So there is something called ''alam'' — sufficient. "I cannot bear more than this one." That is the nature of every object. Once I squeeze happiness through an object, I no longer need that object. I no longer love that object. I even hate that object. That object becomes a means of hatred for me.

So the desire for happiness is unconditional. But the desire for the instrument or object of happiness is only conditional. What is that condition? So long as it gives me happiness, I love it. The moment it ceases to give happiness, I will not love it anymore.
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== Ātman Alone Is Happiness; Anātma Is Unhappiness ==
Then the third point we have to learn: Ātman alone is happiness, and ''anātma'' is unhappiness. Why is ''anātma'' unhappiness? Because everyone truly loves only the Ātman. Every love we have is only genuine love for the Ātman. But children, possessions, house — all such things belong to the realm of ''anātma'' only. We love them only because they give us happiness. The moment they — whether it is husband or wife or children or friends, anybody — stop giving me happiness, that is, start giving me unhappiness, I hate them. I want to run away from them as much as possible.

So it is a conditional love. What is the condition? So long as I get happiness, so long only I love. Any object — take for example your phone. So long as the phone is working properly, then I am happy. The moment it starts delaying even for a second, or going back, or shutting itself off, or restarting — then I go for the next phone. In fact, it is this principle: maybe the latest iteration of the phone gives me more happiness by giving me more freedom, faster — that is what makes us buy new things. But really speaking, it is only an instrument of happiness, if at all. And that which can be the instrument of happiness inevitably can also become the instrument of unhappiness.
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== Even God Is Subject to This Principle ==
So it applies to God also. If we are devotees of God and God doesn't fulfil our desires — how long are you going to stand by that God? In fact, we don't love God even when we are meditating, sitting so-called, labelling ourselves as devotees. The moment you spend some time and God becomes an object of boredom — you don't get any happiness from him — then you excuse yourself, get up, and do anything except thinking about God. And if God doesn't save you when you are expecting him to, if he doesn't fulfil your desires, many people become disbelievers, non-believers, because they think, "This God is a useless God, not a useful God."

That means our love for God is a mistaken love. We consider God as the biggest object, the biggest helper for our happiness. But when we understand it is not going to happen, then we discard God. That is how we have not yet developed.
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== True Love: Loving God Without Condition ==
Then what is the true love? "O God, I love you because I am happy just by loving you. I don't want anything from you. If I want anything from you, you become an instrument, you become an object — I don't want that one."

Then the question comes — a very important question. The Upaniṣad itself says: a ''jñānī'' identifies himself with everybody, loves everybody equally, is unselfish towards everybody, sacrifices everything for everybody. How come? Because here he says the ''jñānī''<nowiki/>'s love is not as an individual, not as an object — every object is a subject to a ''jñānī''. That is called, in plain language: "I see God in you." Love thy neighbour as thyself. Love God as yourself — beautiful words full of meaning.

So the ''jñānī''<nowiki/>'s love is what is called selfish love. Why do we call it selfish love? Because he thinks everything is my own self. That selfishness is a different selfishness than thinking, "I am this individual and everything should cater to my own happiness." That is why the ''jñānī''<nowiki/>'s love is universal love. And there is a beautiful Sanskrit name for that: ''Sarvātma bhāvanā'' — "I am everything. I became everything. I am everything." ''Sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ Brahma.''
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== The Nearest Object Is the Self: The Psychology of Love Concluded ==
Then another point is also raised — these are all hints we get from the great Śaṅkarācārya. Why do I love anything at all? Because I love whatever is nearer and more intimate to me. And what is the nearest object to me? Only the Ātman. Children are separate — they are born at some time and they go at some time, or I may go. But I am close to them only so long as I think that they are mine.

Why does a mother love her children? Only because she thinks, "This is me — I in the form of my children." She doesn't love the neighbour's children. She doesn't love anybody else's children. If some danger comes, she will rush to save only her children — not because of her love for her children, but because of her knowledge that "I am my children."

And a ''jñānī'' extends this to the whole universe, living and non-living. Whereas a mother can only extend it at best only to herself. But it is also said: a monkey carrying its young one, if it has to walk on glowing hot charcoal, will put its child on its body and walk on it. Everything is like that. There is a great lot of truth in it.

So Ātman is the nearest to us. And therefore, that which is nearest means: not separate from me, but me only. That is why we love our Ātman. And the nature of our Ātman is ''Ānanda''. This love is equivalent to ''Ānanda''. When I identify with myself, I feel extremely happy, and vice versa.

Therefore, this is called the psychology of love. The Ātman is dearer than anything. That anything and everything is called ''anātma''.

Beautiful points are still there. We will talk about them in our next class.
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== Closing Prayer ==
''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 21 on 04 April 2026

2026-06-23T04:17:39Z

Sachidanand: /* Opening "Devanagari script Invocation" /* Closing Prayer */ , Devanagari script of many mantras, missing words and sentences, and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

Om, that Brahman is infinite and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone. Om Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

== Conclusion of the Third Section: Prāṇa Upāsanā ==
We have completed the third section of the first chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. This third section has 28 mantras.This third section deals especially with Prāṇa Upāsanā.

As we have seen earlier, the first section is to become one with Virāṭ in the form of a horse — not an ordinary horse, but a very sacred horse. Every part of the horse has to be meditated upon as a part of this entire creation. And if we succeed, when we succeed, we become Virāṭ, the entire creation. The same thing is dealt with also in the second section, which is called Agni as Virāṭ upāsanā — the upāsanā of Agni as Virāṭ.

Then we have come to the third section- here, Prāṇa has been praised. We have to understand: here, Prāṇa means the Hiraṇyagarbha. And Hiraṇyagarbha is this entire universe. And therefore, by meditating upon Prāṇa, we become identified with Prāṇa.
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== Prāṇa as Hiraṇyagarbha: Universal Identity ==
And this Prāṇa is praised as the most unselfish of every other organ. And it is confirmed by the Śruti, by this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: the Prāṇa of a mosquito, of a mouse, of an elephant, of a human being, of even a jīvanmukta, is absolutely the same. The identity of the Prāṇa differs according to the knowledge of the created beings, but the Prāṇa is exactly the same.

When a person has succeeded in thinking that, "I am the Prāṇa in everybody," he becomes totally identified with the entire creation — which is equal to identification with Hiraṇyagarbha, or Īśvara, or Saguṇa Brahma. And this Prāṇa has been praised — that means Hiraṇyagarbha has been praised. And these stories praising Prāṇa and Hiraṇyagarbha are factual statements that are valid even today, and they are very useful even today for upāsanā.

What happens when a person succeeds in thinking, "I am the Prāṇa of everything, I am Hiraṇyagarbha, then I am Īśvara, I am Saguṇa Brahma" — that is how far a sādhanā can proceed. But once the sādhanā proceeds only up to that extent, then Saguṇa Brahma alone can give us that final knowledge that - "I am Brahman." That is why the very last śloka in the Bhagavad Gītā — meaning, you become one with Saguṇa Brahma; then you take refuge in me, means become one with me, means you destroy your separate individuality — then says, "I will save you." In what form? — In the form of the knowledge. What knowledge? — ''Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi.'' That is called mukti, that is called the supreme state of realization.
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== The Abhyāroha Mantras: The Twenty-Eighth Mantra ==
And then, as I said, there are 28 mantras in this third section, and the last, 28th mantra is the famous Abhyāroha mantras. Āroha means slowly going up; abhyāroha — one by one. And as I mentioned, there are only three prayers: "I want to become Sat, I want to become Cit, I want to become Ānanda."

So here, whoever is performing this yajña — he is called Prastotā, the main singer of the Sāmaveda — these three mantras are to be repeated, as japa:

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Asato mā sadgamaya.'' ''Tamaso mā jyotirgamaya.'' ''Mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya. Om Śānti Śānti Śānti.''

"O Lord, you take me from this limited identity — take me beyond time and space. May I become one without a second — that is, I will be crossing over death, the second that is the essence of the asat. From asat, may I reach sat — means infinite, eternal existence. And then let me have this knowledge— 'I am Brahman', ''Tamaso mā jyotirgamaya'' . And let me enjoy without any break, let me be ānanda-svarūpa — ''Ahameva ānanda-svarūpoh asmi'' (अहमेव आनन्दस्वरूप: अस्मि)."

Therefore, the final prayer asks to be led from mortality to immortality, from ignorance to knowledge, from suffering to eternal bliss. So whoever does the upāsanā of Prāṇa in this manner will become Universal Prāṇa, or Hiraṇyagarbha, or Īśvara, and sādhanā can go only that much. Then Īśvara grants him brahmānubhūti — the experience "I am Brahman."

With this, the third section has come to an end.
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== Introduction to the Fourth Section: The Most Important Section ==
Now we are entering into the most important section of the entire Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. As I mentioned earlier, this is called Madhu Kāṇḍa, or Upadeśa Kāṇḍa. The main teaching of the entire Upaniṣad is compressed in this first chapter — and in this first chapter, in this fourth section — because this is where we get the '''Mahāvākya:'''

'''''"Ahaṃ brahmāsmi (अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि)"'''''

And very interesting points have been raised. If I do not know "I am Brahman," what is the problem? What would be the difficulty? Yes: if I do not know ''ahaṃ brahmāsmi'', I have to say "I am so-and-so." And when I say "I am so-and-so," I see an infinite number of things, and therefore I have fear always — either fear of not getting what I want, or fear of losing what I already have. The "yoga-kṣema (योग-क्षेमं)" problem will come. But if I know "I am Brahman," this problem of "yoga-kṣema (योग-क्षेमं)" will be overcome. Because as an individual I have death; as the universal I have no death at all.
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== The Wave and the Ocean: Illustrating Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi ==
Just like infinite number of waves — every wave thinks, "I am a small wave, I am a helpless wave, and the bigger wave is coming to swallow me up." That is what actually happens. So "I am different from the ocean." But when this small wave realizes that "I am not a wave, I am water" — as a wave, I am different, the ocean is different; as water, there is no difference between me and the ocean. As pure consciousness, I am Brahman.

But if I think, "I am a little bit of consciousness along with body and mind" — because the moment we say "a little bit of consciousness," the body-mind idea must step in and we mix up: "I am the body, I am the mind, and I am also a bit of consciousness" — so this fear will come if I think I am not Brahman.

Then fear produces desire. What is the desire? Here, 'Fear' has been given a very beautiful meaning: 'fear means 'suffering', and the opposite of suffering is called 'ānanda'. So long as I fear, I suffer. And the only way I am trying to overcome this suffering is —the inability to think, I am not able to think that "I am everything." That is the root cause of all my problems. But if I can think "I am everything," I will have no wants, then I will have no fear.

That is why that beautiful statement: 'fear arises from the second'. The moment a 'second' is there — do I want it? I may not get it, or it may get me. That fear will be there. A desire will come. Every desire is nothing but the fulfilment or removal of the fear. What is that fear? —"I am not full, I am incomplete. I want to become complete, I want to become pūrṇa."

That is why the Śānti Mantra:

" पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते "

''pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate'' — this whole universe is nothing but a manifestation of infinity only. It is never finite. But if I do not know that truth, I think I am finite. And (this sense of) un-wholeness creates fear in me. Fear means desire. Desire means: I may lose what I have, I may not get what I want. Life is nothing but a struggle to keep what I have and to obtain what I do not have.
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== Virāṭ's First Experience: The Origin of Fear ==
So here: the moment Sṛṣṭi, creation, started, that first being is called Virāṭ. The Virāṭ felt fear. Why did he feel fear? Because, he thought he was alone. Then he looked around and found out there was nobody, there was nothing accepting him. Then he realized: "Since there is nothing else but myself, what am I afraid of?" So fear only exists when we think there is a second person to hurt us, harm us, deprive us of happiness, etc.

And then — the second. So this self, this pure consciousness — where is that Brahman? That is called the hidden self. So here the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad says: the self entered all bodies; everything that is created, both living and non-living, up to the very tips of the nails. A beautiful example is given: a sharp knife, or sword — or in this case, a razor.
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== Śaṅkarācārya on Advaita: The Core Essence ==
So if we see God only as a deity, to be worshipped externally, we are like an animal to the gods — meaning, we are servants to our own ignorance. And Śaṅkarācārya brings out the essence of this one. This is the very core essence of Advaita, non-duality.

So our great Ācārya emphasizes: the difference between the individual and — "I am the individual." Everyone thinks, "I am." And "Brahman" is caused only by that: "I am an individual, and Brahman is the universal, I am different from Brahman" — this is caused only by ignorance. But the movement through sādhanā, through upāsanā — various upāsanās. Nowadays, you worship Hanumān, do upāsanā of Hanumān — that is a better word, actually, than pūjā. Because when we use the word pūjā, immediately the idea comes: there is a temple or shrine room, and there are various objects are there — flowers, fruits, cloths, water, and various utensils of pūjā. That is what comes to our mind.
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== What Is Upāsanā? The Example of Rāmakṛṣṇa ==
But no — upāsanā means, the first thing we have to understand: I sit quietly, I calm all my thoughts and by closing my eyes. It is a symbol — I am closing my mind, my thoughts, everything else excepting my 'Iṣṭa Devatā'.

So by doing upāsanā of Hanumān, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa became Hanumān. And Hanumān was doing upāsanā of whom? — Śrī Rāma. So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa first became Hanumān, then he became Rāma. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa first became Rādhā and (then) became Kṛṣṇa. And who are Rāma and Kṛṣṇa? —the same Brahman, imagined by a limited mind. So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa became —Rāma and Parabrahma. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa became —Kṛṣṇa and Parabrahma. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa became —Kālī and Parabrahma. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa became — 'everything'.

He said: "I have seen that something has grown and grown and grown and has become completely, fully, identified with this entire creation." That is what he expressed so many times. I also have voiced that thought— the Mother showed him: "Are you not eating through all mouths?" Eating is not merely the act of eating — that is, experiencing, the entire universe, through the five sense organs and through the five sense organs of action, and through thoughts. What do we do through thoughts? We create our own world. In fact, the whole world that we live in is our own creation, because everybody has their own opinion about every object in this world. So I live in my own world. A baby lives in its own world. An old man lives in his own world. A jīvanmukta lives in his own world. But ultimately, a jīvanmukta alone knows: "Everything is Brahman. I am Brahman." And then, he has already realised through nirvikalpa samādhi: "I am the all," and fear and limitation both vanish together.
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== The Fourth Section: Puruṣavidha Brāhmaṇa ==
Before we go further into the commentary, first I want you to taste a few of these mantras. So let me first read out a few mantras of this fourth section of the Brāhmaṇa. This section has got 17 mantras. But this particular fourth section of the first chapter of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka is called Puruṣavidha Brāhmaṇam. It is also called Brahmavidyā Brāhmaṇam. Brahmavidyā is taught especially in this fourth section. That is why that word Mahāvākya : ''Ahaṃ brahmāsmi'' (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि)— comes here in this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad.

And ''Tat tvam asi'' (तत्त्वमसि) — comes in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad. There are the other Mahāvākyas.

So let me read out so that we can all enjoy a little bit of this. And I am not going to read out everything because ,there is a lot of explanation about 'sṛṣṭi', creation.

But one point the section itself tells: having created, then what we call nowadays Brahmā — the creator — and in this case it is Prajāpati Puruṣa — he realized: "I am the creation." Not only "I have created," but "I am the creation." Like clay can say, "I am every pot, every single pot." Gold can say, "I am every single ornament," etc. That is how we have to understand.
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== The First Mantra: Ātmā eva idam agre āsīt puruṣavidhaḥ ==
So the very first mantra in this fourth section:

आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीत्पुरुषविधः;

''Ātmaiva idam agre āsīt puruṣavidhaḥ'' — "In the beginning, this universe was indeed the self alone, in the form of Puruṣa."

So ''agra'' means "before." Before means what — before the creation— Ātmā was there. Let us remember: 'Ātmā and Brahman are one and the same'. So who was there? Only Brahman was there. That is why he is called Mūlakāraṇa — the causeless, ultimate cause of this entire universe. Whenever we tell "he is the creator," we must immediately also put in the second line: 'not only is he the creator, he is the creation—that is very important. That is what Swami Vivekānanda meant: "Each soul is potentially divine."

So in the beginning, before this creation started, was indeed the self — Brahman, Ātman alone. And he was called Puruṣa.
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== The Meaning of Puruṣa ==
There is a meaning of the word Puruṣa — we will come to that later on. One very popular meaning is: ''puriśete iti puruṣaḥ'' (पुरिशेते इति पुरुषः) — "because he is to be sought after." And where is he to be sought after?

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says: if you want to meet a big landlord, he is always to be found only in a particular visitor's room, most of the time.

And here we have to say — not most of the time, but during our sādhanā period — we have to close all thoughts, desires, hopes, expectations of the entire external world and look within.

And that is why in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad we have seen: this is called '—Brahmapurī', a city of Brahman. And that is why it is called— the sanctum sanctorum.

And he is there within seven walls. What are those seven walls? They are called the seven cakras. It is also beautifully called in Sanskrit: ''garbha gṛha (गर्भ गृह). Garbha'' means — just as a foetus is so carefully produced, nourished, and looked after by the mother in her womb. Our human body has a womb — that is called the mind. And within that mind there is another womb — that is called ''dahara ākāśa''. And that ''dahara ākāśa'' is none other than this Brahman. So that is the meaning of Puruṣa.

That is why we have seen in both the Puruṣasūkta and the Nārāyaṇasūkta also:

स॒हस्र॑शीर्षा॒ पुरु॑षः सहस्रा॒क्षः स॒हस्र॑पात् ।

स भूमिं॑ वि॒श्वतो॑ वृ॒त्वात्य॑तिष्ठद्दशाङ्गु॒लम् ॥

''sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt,'' ''sa bhūmiṃ viśvato vṛtvā atyatiṣṭhad daśāṅgulam.''

That infinite Puruṣa transcends this created world — as if ,this is only just an infinitesimal part of him — indicating: within everything that is created, we can see the same Brahman, if we have the eyes we can see that Brahman.
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== The Pañcakośas: Layers of Perception ==
If we are thickly covered with, for example, dehātmabuddhi, I am the annamaya kośa, then I see the entire universe as consisting of body — physical, concrete object.

When I progress a little bit and go inside, to the cause of this annamaya kośa —I see that I am the — prāṇa (prāṇamaya kośa) within everybody.

But this prāṇa is maintained, caused how it functions by the thought , that is called — 'manomaya kośa'.

And these thoughts are directed by a particular intent, purpose , that is called — 'vijñānamaya (kośa)'.

And the ultimate goal of every activity, and every activity starts with a thought — is nothing but 'to be myself', which is ānanda. That is called — 'ānandamaya kośa'.

But I don't want to limit myself with every thought, because every thought is a limitation.

So I want to become — that 'ānanda' itself, not identify merely with the thoughts of ānanda. What are the thoughts?— Priya, moda, then only ānanda comes. No — I want to be that Brahman, another name for — ānanda, sat-cit-ānanda.
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== Brahman Before and After Creation ==
So this is the meaning: Brahman alone was there before creation. What about now? — Even now, Brahman alone is manifest, but in the form of the created, the creation.

Then what happened? This Brahman first , He became Saguṇa Brahma — that is, He divided himself into the subject and the object. The first manifestation of the creation —called Saguṇa Brahma. That Saguṇa Brahma has now become the entire creation.

But when that first manifestation of Saguṇa Brahma came, as if He looked around — and what did he see?

"सोऽनुवीक्ष्य नान्यदात्मनोऽपश्यत्, ''Sah anuvekṣya na anyat ātmanaḥ paśyati'' — looking around, he saw nothing other than himself.

सोऽहमस्मीत्यग्रे व्याहरत् ततोऽहंनामाभवत्;" ''Aham asmīti agre vyāharat, tataḥ ahaṃ nāma abhavat'' — so he first uttered, "I am — I." Who are you?

— He understood: "I am — I am."
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== "I Am": The Name of God ==
In the Bible also, we have this expression. When Moses saw the burning bush, he understood it was God. And then he asked, "What's your name?" And he said, "My name is: I am." What else can he say? "I am not the body. I am not the mind. I am not even the causal body. Then I am '''not''' the sthūla śarīra, sūkṣma śarīra, kāraṇa śarīra." When these three are removed, what does one say to oneself? "I am." Even to say "I am" is only for the purpose of teaching — it has nothing to do with Brahman sits and goes on saying —"I am, I am."

When do you say "I am so-and-so"? Only when you come across someone who doesn't know you. Not only who doesn't know you — even if everybody knows you, your mother knows you so well, but then unconsciously you say "I am." Only thing is: now you have no fear, you have only complete fearlessness. "My mother is here, so she will protect me. She will give up her life for my sake." And that very unconscious thought — you don't consciously think about it — that unconscious thought gives you so much of joy.

How do we know? Because even if it is pitch dark, the baby sleeps like an unconscious person. How the baby is able to sleep, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa describes so beautifully: that when the child doesn't see the mother, she gets confused, she starts crying.
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== A Story from Dakṣineśvar ==
A beautiful incident occurred when the Kālī temple at Dakṣineśvar was opened, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was a young man — he was not even a priest, but he was the brother of the main priest, Rāmkumār. And a huge crowd had come; it was a great event.

Then suddenly a small child , he was crying. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa noticed, came running, and probably took the child in his arms and said, "Who is the mother of this child?" Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's voice was very, very powerful — it could carry to a long distance— (a) very piercing voice. And immediately the mother was there — probably she was also searching, just a few feet away. And immediately the child saw, and his face turned into joyful recognition: "My mom is there."

Later on, that person was 'M', he recollected: "Could be Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa himself , who was protecting me from the very beginning?" So then — that is the same thing that happened. So here, the person says "I am," and if there is nobody else, there is no cause for fear.
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== Yoga and Kṣema: The Twin Fears ==
As I mentioned earlier: fear means desire. Desire means only two (things) — I want something I may not get, and I have something I may lose. That first (want) is called yoga. The second is called kṣema. So I am subject to yoga-kṣema. That is why Yamadharmarāja says: if a Brāhmiṇa guest is neglected, then ''āśā pratīkṣā'' (आशा प्रतीक्षा - phrase from the Katha Upanishad Chapter 1, Verse 8)— nothing but 'yoga and kṣema' — both will get destroyed totally.

So here, the Saguṇa Brahma looked. And what was the first thing? "I am." Because Saguṇa Brahma means: "I am conscious" , I am not one with Brahman. I may be very close to Brahman, but I have deviated, separated myself. That ignorance is called sṛṣṭi. We have to keep in mind: whether you call it creation or whether you call it ajñāna, it doesn't matter. But the moment that sṛṣṭi means that separation — happens, fear comes. But the first thing is: "I am."

As I said, he looked around. Accepting him, nobody was there. But he realized: "I am." That is why even today, the very first thing any creature says — ask a mosquito, suppose it can converse: "Who are you?" How does it start? "I am." Then only: "I am a mosquito, I am this species of mosquito, I am small, I am big, I am this, I am that," etc. But that stage has not yet come, because a mosquito has billions of things which can crush it — even air can crush it, heat can crush it. But here, Saguṇa Brahma was there.
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== The Bṛhadāraṇyaka's Graphic Description ==
So the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad graphically describes:

सोऽनुवीक्ष्य नान्यदात्मन: — ''sah anuvekṣya na anyat ātmanaḥ'' — so, accepting himself, he did not see anything.

नोऽपश्यत् ''— Na apaśyat'' — looking around, he saw nothing other than himself.

Then, from that day onwards:

सोऽहमस्मीत्यग्रे व्याहरत्, ततोऽहंनामाभवत्; — ''sah aham asmīti agre vyāharat, tataḥ ahaṃ nāma abhavat'' — so that Saguṇa Brahma thought, "I am — I. " Because he can't say —"I am even a body" — "pure consciousness".

From that, the name ''aham'' arose. That is why:

तस्मादप्येतर्ह्यामन्त्रितोऽहमयमित्येवाग्र उक्त्वाथान्यन्नाम प्रब्रूते यदस्य भवति; — ''tasmāt api etarhi āmantrito 'ham ayam iti agre vyuktaiva atha anyat nāma prabhrūte yat asya bhavati'' — "Therefore, even now, when addressed or asked, one first says: 'Here I am.' Not really 'I am,' and only then does he speak any other name that he bears." What is the other name? Not "Rāmakṛṣṇa" — "I am a man, I am a woman, so I am so-and-so, I am not so-and-so," —all these things come.

So irrespective of country, irrespective of religion, irrespective of age, irrespective of class — ''aham'', "I am." Even today, "I am" is first. And then later on come: "I am a doctor, I am a patient, I am old, I am sick, I am about to die, I am young," etc. So, that is what we are doing.

Thereby, the Upaniṣad is indicating: the moment you say "I am," you are absolutely fine. But whatever comes after "I am" — that is called '''ajñānam.''' ''"I am"'' is sat. What comes after "I am" — that is ajñānam.
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== How Did Hiraṇyagarbha Become Puruṣa? ==
स यत्पूर्वोऽस्मात्सर्वस्मात्सर्वान्पाप्मन अउषत् तस्मात्पुरुषह्; — sa yatpūrvo'smātsarvasmātsarvānpāpmana auṣat tasmātpuruṣah; — So now the question comes: the Upaniṣad is telling us that how he became a Puruṣa. So he gives a peculiar name. We need not go into the technical details of it, because there are two ideas about Hiraṇyagarbha. One idea is: he is the first creation — Saguṇa Brahma. The other is: it is a position in saṃsāra, just like a person goes to Brahmaloka.

And we have to keep in mind: when a person goes to Brahmaloka, it is not like going into the USA, somehow obtaining a visa, etc. No. Going to Brahmaloka means '''identifying oneself: "I am Brahmā.''' I am the creator." That identification itself is the loka, or the world. So when somebody says "I am ignorant," he is living in which loka? — Ajñānavidyāloka.

So the question is: how did Hiraṇyagarbha become Hiraṇyagarbha? The first view is: Brahman became Saguṇa Brahma — that is the first view. And the second view is: in the creation, he was also a human being, and he did a lot of yagānas, etc., and he rose up to Brahmaloka — he became Brahmā. So another name for Brahmā is 'Hiraṇyagarbha. That is what is said:

स यत्पूर्वोऽस्मात्सर्वस्मात्सर्वान्पाप्मन अउषत् तस्मात्पुरुषह्; — sa yatpūrvo'smātsarvasmātsarvānpāpmana auṣat tasmātpuruṣah; — because he burned up, consumed all evil, before everything else, he is called Puruṣa — the one who burns or consumes. That is to say, he did a lot of puṇyam. He became the purest. He became identified with the highest, purest mind. The purest mind is called Brahmā. And the purest mind becomes like the cleanest mirror reflecting one's own image, one's own form. That is what we have to understand.
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== Encouragement: Anybody Can Become Brahmā ==
ओषति ह वै स तम् योऽस्मात्पूर्वो बुभूषति य एवं वेद || — oṣati ha vai sa tam yo'smātpūrvo bubhūṣati ya evaṃ veda || — And then the Upaniṣad continues: "Indeed, he burns up anyone who wishes to revel him. Thus knows he who knows this" — that is to say, this is to encourage each one of us: you can also become Brahmā. Anybody can become Brahmā. Naturally, some foolish question will come: "If everybody becomes Brahmā, how many Brahmās will there be?" That is not the way to look at it.

So if every river — small or big — and every raindrop falls into the ocean, how many oceans do they become? Only one ocean. That is how we have to understand this beautiful thought. So the idea is: anybody can become Brahmā, on the condition that he must become pure.

And just for your reference: let us refer to the eighth section of the second chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad called Ānandamīmāṃsā. And then, a beautiful idea — there are higher worlds. The highest world is called Brahmaloka - Brahmana Loka Brahma-Loka (ब्रह्मन् लोक ब्रह्मलोक ). And there, he gets the highest dualistic happiness.

But then, immediately, the Taittirīya Upaniṣad also tells us that — "श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहत" — Śrotriyasya chākāmahataḥ" — so not only, he is not only a Śrotriya — a person who knows "I can become Brahmā." How does he know? Because he is devoted to this scripture. He has faith. The scripture is telling: "You are the Saguṇa Brahma. You are the Nirguṇa Brahma also."

But sādhanā, as I have said so many times, can take us only up to the Saguṇa Brahma. After that, sādhanā will not work, because that is Advaitam — pure Advaitam. But we should not worry: "What am I supposed to do after becoming Brahmā?" You don't need to do anything. Automatically, that state itself will take us to the other state.
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== Key Titles of Hiraṇyagarbha: Aham and Puruṣa ==
So these are a few mantras I wanted to share with you. But important point is there. — What is it? — The Upaniṣad praises Hiraṇyagarbha by giving some titles. What is the first title? — ''Aham.''

That is what Ramaṇa Maharṣi finds out: "Who are you?" And then, some foolish fellows — years and years of meditation — say: "I am this, I am that." No — you are not this, you are not that. Simply say: ''Aham.'' Not saying, not thinking, but becoming ''aham''. That is called becoming Hiraṇyagarbha. So that is what we have to become. ''Aham. I am.''

So this Hiraṇyagarbha — he became Puruṣaḥ. How did he become? Because he did sādhanā. And what did the spiritual practice do? — He burned all his pāpams, or impurities. As he went on burning the impurities, what remained is called purity.
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== The Three Steps of Purification ==
So we can even say there are three steps. Burn away — sthūla prapañca — not literal burning, but in knowledge. "I am not the physical body, sthūla śarīra." The entire sthūla prapañca will disappear.

Then the next thing is: "I am not the sūkṣma śarīra." The entire svapna prapañca, the dream world, will disappear.

"I am not even the kāraṇa śarīra." The entire kāraṇa prapañca will also go.

And that state — the universal state — is called Īśvara. As we have seen: if it is individual — bereft of these three, that is, the physical individual sthūla śarīra, individual sūkṣma śarīra, individual kāraṇa śarīra — such a person is called Prājña. And if it is universal, he is called Īśvara, Saguṇa Brahma. So that is the first meaning: ''aham.''

Second meaning: Puruṣa — "I am the Self, I am everything." And how did he attain? By burning out, destroying all his impurities. So the difference between oneself and everything else is because of this ajñāna. And the more we identify ourselves — and that is the purpose of every upāsanā, and that can be done only through upāsanā — and upāsanā should not only transform our mind and thoughts, but our physical, external behaviour and selfishness should disappear, as we have seen. Then we become the purest. Our mind becomes the purest.

That is what Patañjali Ṛṣi refers to: — "योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः" — ''yogaḥ citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ'' — when the mind is bereft of every thought, it becomes like a pure mirror. And that is what we have to achieve. So this is what is called washing away all these. That is why he is called Puruṣaḥ.

And as I said, he becomes so by burning his impurities. ''Auṣadhi'' means burning — that is why we say ''auṣadha''. ''Auṣadha'' means medicine. What does it do? It burns away the disease. That is why it is called ''auṣadhi.''
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== Ātmaivaidam Agre: Life as a Drama ==
So there is: आत्मैवेदमग्र आसीत्पुरुष: — ''ātmaivaidam agre āsīt puruṣaḥ'' — Hiraṇyagarbha-Virāṭ is the first creation, and that is why: "I am," he says.

So our life's struggles are nothing but just as we see a dream. But what is the difference? When we see a dream, then we think it is real. But when we see a cinema, we know — at least adults know — that it is a cinema. But when Hiraṇyagarbha sees this sṛṣṭi, he knows: "This is my seeing a cinema, a drama." That is why it is called Raṅganātha. So that is the meaning that we see.
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== Fear and Loneliness in Saṃsāra ==
Then he became frightened: तस्मादेकाकी बिभेति (1.4.2)—''tasmāt ekākī vibheti'' — so the Upaniṣad is trying to tell us: "Why are you feeling lonely?" Because when do we fear? So when you find there is nobody — you are travelling in a forest, you are alone — you become full of fear.

Remember the story of Dādā Madhusūdana. A boy was very much afraid. What was that forest? Saṃsāra. And we are always frightened — always frightened. Only we forcibly suppress our fear, we want to overcome our fear. Fear means unhappiness. That is why we always have to be away from ourselves — when we are alone, we are terribly frightened. And that is called loneliness. Because we have never cultivated: "What am I? Who am I?" That idea has never been cultivated.

That is why, even today, a person becomes fearful when that person is alone. And then the Upaniṣad derives certain things, outlining our condition. So even today, a bachelor (thinks): "I am alone, I want a companion." So he gets a companion — not understanding that ,that is not going to solve loneliness. Loneliness is a psychological condition. Any amount of psychological condition cannot be cured by any physical element. That is why even a rich person is frightened, a poor person is frightened. Only a jñānī is never frightened — because he never thinks there is anybody besides himself.
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== The Yogi and Alexander: A Story of Fearlessness ==
A murderer comes — "Oh, this is me only, acting in this sense." There is a beautiful story — Alexander had conquered a part of India, and he heard the name and fame of a Yogi. He came there and he talked with him. And then it was winter season, it is said. And Alexander sent news: "You must come and see me." The Yogi said: "I have no time to come and see you. You come and see me." And Alexander had no way excepting to come.

And so Alexander was pleased after talking a little with that Yogi and said, "What can I do for you?" He said: "You get the hell out of the sun ray which is warming me up in this winter season. You are standing — your shadow is making me shiver with cold." Only a Yogi can tell (say that). So it is said Alexander came and met him several times.

And then he was forced to go back, because his soldiers rebelled — years and years of separation from their families, wives, children, etc. Then he had no option. Then he requested: "Please come with me, I will look after you." The Yogi said: "No, I am quite happy here, I will not come."

Then Alexander, in his normal behaviour, took out his sword and said: "Don't you know who I am? I can cut off your head." And the Muni — the Yogi — laughed and said: "I have never heard a greater lie than this. Who can kill me? I am birth-less, therefore I am also deathless. I am pure consciousness." That is the idea.
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== Closing Remarks ==
We will discuss about it in our next class. But this fourth section is the most important section. If we can get the essence of it, then the rest of it is only an explanation, as I have mentioned in my introduction.
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== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.

'''Jai Ramakrishna!'''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1 Lecture 10 on 22 February 2026

2026-06-08T22:52:06Z

Sachidanand: added Devanāgarī script for starting and closing Invocations and for some references from Gita etc., edited missing words/ sentences plus some corrections to match the audio & added a few words (put under parentheses) to bring clarity

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

= Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: An Introduction to the Madhukāṇḍa and Aśvamedha Upāsanā =

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

'''OM'''

That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
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== The Śānti Pāṭha as Mahāvākya ==
So we are studying the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. And as we said, the Śānti Pāṭha is a very special Śānti Pāṭha — it is a Mahāvākya. We discussed about that. Then the next point of information: this ''pūrṇamadaḥ'' doesn't occur at the beginning of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka, but it only comes at the beginning of the fifth chapter. But Śaṅkarācārya had given a brilliant commentary. What is the essence of that? That everything is Brahman — that and this, that Brahman and this Brahman. These are divisions made by us, the Jīvātmās, from the viewpoint of Avidyā. Really speaking, there is no "that" and "this." In infinity, this and that, here and there, above and below, small and big — do not exist. Infinite means just one single nature. That is called Brahman. We, of course, cannot think about it ('''अवाङ्मनसगोचरन्)''', but we are to meditate upon it — considering that every effect is none other than the cause, albeit with three modifications: Nāma, Rūpa, and Karma — in other words, form, name, and a utility.

When Brahman is looked at with this division — which Swami Vivekananda said - time, space, and causation — then it appears to be different from Brahman. That is what we call this universe. This universe includes all of us. But this universe is again subdivided into that which is consciousness, and that which is also called the subject, and in opposition to that, everything else is an object. Object and the cognition of an object, totally depends upon the subject alone. That is why, when we go into deep sleep, the whole universe disappears — because the cognizing subject, the cognizer, the pure consciousness, is not non-existent, but it is not associated with mind and body. That is why this universe doesn't exist, second doesn't exist.
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== The Three-Part Division of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad ==
Then we also have given a brief introduction that the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad has been divided into three parts. The first part is called the Madhukāṇḍa. This Madhukāṇḍa consists of two very special methodologies called Adhyāropa and Apavāda. Adhyāropa means accepting that this world exists, it is real, but there is so much of variation in this world. One must strive to rise from the lowest to the highest. For that purpose, the scripture prescribes first rituals, afterwards contemplations called Upāsanās, and afterwards entering into the second part of the Veda called Jñānakāṇḍa. So first Karmakāṇḍa, then Upāsanākāṇḍa, then Jñānakāṇḍa.
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== The Principle Behind the Upāsanākāṇḍa ==
And this Upāsanākāṇḍa is nothing but internalizing — doing everything in the mind. Whatever we have been doing externally, now we must do it internally. And there is a great psychological principle involved here. What is that principle? Just before I go further, I will give you an example first. When we go into that state called dreaming, whatever thought comes, it becomes real. If I can really think I have gone to Kailāsa, or Vaikuṇṭha, or paradise, or hell — I will be there instantaneously. There is no gap between thought and experience. So the purpose of the Upāsanākāṇḍa is slowly to train our mind that we are in higher Lokas, even in the highest Loka, but finally in Brahman. The mind has to be trained. Really speaking, the mind of course cannot enter into Brahman, but it can think of various higher experiences. And higher experience means higher Ānanda, higher joy. So there is nothing higher in this dualistic world. In the dualistic state of happiness, the highest such happiness is called Brahmaloka — that is the limit. After that, it is only not Brahmalokananda, but Brahmānanda. That is also called Kośānanda — Ānandamayakośa.
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== The Scripture's Gradual Method of Teaching ==
So the purpose of the scripture is to take the hand of the baby and slowly guide him so that he can progress step by step. The first step, of course, which has infinite variations, is called Karmakāṇḍa — purely ritualistic sections, and it is mostly external. Then slowly the scripture introduces partly external rituals and partly contemplations. That is why in our pūjā — I explained earlier — every pūjā can be divided into four parts.The first part is purification, called Śuddhi.

The second part is called Nyāsa — slowly getting rid of our egotism by saying: this is not my hand, this is your hand; this is not my mind, this is your mind; this is not my individuality, this is your individuality. This is called Nyāsa. Nyāsa means transferring my ownership to God. That is the second part.

And then we sit and do the third part, which is called mental worship. In mental worship, in contrast to external worship, we can imagine the best things possible. You can bring the lotus or the lily from the Himalayas — after all, it is a thought, it is an imagination. The freshest flower you can pluck from French gardens — the most beautiful, the most fragrant rose, any number of roses — and offer it at the feet of the Lord. The best food, the best fragrance, the best music, the best smell — everything the best. Mind has no limitation to its imagination. So that is where we have to train the mind. And then slowly, when the mind becomes capable of focussing, concentrating, identifying — then we do not require anymore these external rituals. Just like a child does not require a wax apple, a wax bee, etc. — once he learns what it is, once he understands what it is, this is an apple and this is a bird and this is a cat, then he does not need it anymore. The very word conveys its meaning. That is called Upāsanā. And this Upāsanā has several benefits, which I will discuss very shortly.

And then after that, the person becomes completely fit to enter into the last spiritual stage. For that he has to approach a Guru. For that matter, for everything we have to approach a Guru from the very beginning. Then God comes in the form of the Guru and takes the disciple slowly. But he must be a fit person — that is called Adhikārī. ''Sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampannaḥ'' — endowed with the fourfold qualifications. And then the Guru tells the highest truth first, asks us to meditate, get rid of all our doubts, and then transform our life by identifying ourselves with the highest reality. This is the process.
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== The Universal Pattern of Scripture ==
Every scripture practically starts only with external rituals — and in the rituals, do this and do not do that; you must perform this, you must never do these things. Do's and don'ts. And slowly the promised result is experienced. With each such experience verified, our faith in the scripture grows. Our faith in the Guru also grows — because scripture is nothing but Guru only— and the he is someone who also had followed the same pathway and has reached the goal, or is far ahead of us.
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== Adhyāropa and Apavāda: The Two-Fold Process of Advaita Vedānta ==
So this is how scripture works. For that purpose, this Advaita Vedānta specially had designed and formulated a special process — and it is called Adhyāropa and Apavāda. What is Adhyāropa? Whatever we are experiencing at this present moment, and we are going to experience it for a long time to come — including Brahmaloka experience — it is all superimposition. Simply what it means is: it falls under the name of universe, cause and effect, duality — purely called Avidyā, ignorance. And slowly guiding us to recognize this fact — that is Adhyāropa.

Then the teacher says: now we have to get rid of this superstition. That is called Apavāda — removal of this ignorance. That is when the Guru initiates, and the process takes place through three steps: Śravaṇa, Manana, and Nididhyāsana.

Why are we talking about Adhyāropa and Apavāda? Because the first chapter, which is called Madhukāṇḍa, speaks about Adhyāropa, and the second chapter speaks about Apavāda. And this first chapter is also called Upadeśakāṇḍa. Kāṇḍa means chapter. So what is Upadeśa? That you are Brahman. But first you are a devotee, you are a believer, you are an āstika. And then you go on obeying the scripture through your experience. As you grow, your concept of — both yourself and of the world and of God — grow together.
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== The Progression of Happiness Toward Brahman ==
And then slowly the teacher takes the student along. Yes, the lower state is also real — but there is a higher state, which is much more real. The more real, the more happiness comes. More reality, more happiness. Higher world, more happiness. Highest world, most happiness. Nothing can surpass that happiness of the highest world, which in other words is called Brahma-loka-ananda . Still it is a loka — still it is under ignorance.

But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says there is a vast difference between Avidyāmāyā and Vidyāmāyā. Brahmaloka falls under Vidyāmāyā — and that Vidyāmāyā helps us to transcend even that Brahma-loka-ananda by negating — "I thought this was the highest, now I realize it is not" — ''Neti, neti,'' Not this, not this.
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== The Manifest and Un-manifest Worlds ==
And again, for this facility of easier understanding, the scripture divides this world into a manifest world and the un-manifest world. What is manifested is called the effect, and what is non-manifest is called the cause, the seed. I gave the example of the seed. And everything — every object that we experience in this world — consists of three things: a form, a name to distinguish it from others, and every object fulfils a particular prayojana, utility. A small pot to store small things, a bigger pot for storing more number of things. So ,whatever we experience through our five sense organs, that is called ''vyākṛtaprapañcam'', the manifest world. And every object in this manifest world has a name, has a form, and has a utility. But these are all called effects. And an effect is called an effect only in relationship with its un-manifest cause. So ''vyākṛta'', ''avyākṛta'' — manifest and un-manifest. But both of them fall under only the creation, which is called Avidya.
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== Sādhanaprapañca and Sādhyaprapañca ==
Then the world is also divided, from another viewpoint, into Sādhanaprapañca and Sādhyaprapañca. We all have desires — I have to eat food, I have to drink water, I have to take rest — so my desires have to be fulfilled. And there are desires, objects to be attained, objects to be experienced — then we get pleasure, joy, happiness, etc. But in order to fulfil our desires, we also have to fulfil certain conditions — and that is called Sādhyaprapañca. So, Sādhana means striving to achieve something, and Sādhya means what is desirable, which we think will give us, help us experience more happiness. Nobody wants to experience pain. So that is Sādhyaprapañca. Even the greatest ascetics — which are galore, many, in every religion — they undergo the hardest suffering, but voluntarily. But that is only a payment — that is called Sādhanaprapañca. It is only spiritual practice. The purpose is to become spiritual, to become godly, to know that I am Brahman. So, the whole world is divided into that something which needs to be attained, and the means of attaining that one. So, the desired goal is called Sādhya, and the means to that is called Sādhana.
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== The Structure of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: Chapters and Sections ==
In this Upaniṣad — the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad — every chapter is called an Adhyāya, and the sections that follow in every chapter, are for some reason called Brāhmaṇas. All these we have seen. So in the first three Brāhmaṇas — that is, the first three sections of the first chapter — we are introduced to three types of meditations, or rather, meditation on three objects. What are they? The first object is called Aśvopāsanā — meditation on a horse. The second is called Agniopāsanā — meditation on Agni Devatā. The third is called Prāṇopāsanā — meditation on Prāṇa Devatā.

Now we have to stop and think: a horse is to be contemplated, fire is to be contemplated, Prāṇa is to be contemplated. How are they to be contemplated? That this is not a horse, but this is — Hiraṇyagarbha. This is not Agni or fire — this is also — Hiraṇyagarbha. This is not Prāṇa — this is also — Hiraṇyagarbha. So what does it mean? It means: I am not this particular individual. In reality, I am that Hiraṇyagarbha only. This is the first step that is adopted in this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad.
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== The Purpose of Upāsanā: We Become What We Contemplate ==
What is the purpose? Upāsanā — we have to remember. What is Upāsanā? Upāsanā in the English language is merely translated as — contemplation. And what a person thinks, in course of time he becomes that. If a person thinks of a bad quality, he becomes that bad quality. So a person, by meditating on evil, becomes an evil person. The quality called evilness, doesn't remain separate from him —that is the magic of the mind — we become one with that object. Just as the moment you think, "This is a tree" — your thought , and the object outside called a tree — become inseparable. Similarly, if I can think, "I am seeing this Hiraṇyagarbha" — I become Hiraṇyagarbha. But that thought has to be sustained; otherwise other thoughts will come. One flash: I am Hiraṇyagarbha. Another flash: I am a donkey. Another flash: I am a book. In fact, many of us do not realize — if I am thinking of a book, I have become a book; if I am thinking of a tree — I have become a tree for the time being. And if I have to think I am me, we have to think of me — that means we should stop thinking of any other object. So whatever we think we are, that we become. So — 'ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्' — Bhagavān says this great psychological fact.
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== Why the Upaniṣad Begins With Upāsanās Rather Than Brahmavidyā ==
So, the first parts of this first chapter ,contain these Upāsanās. Naturally, the first question that comes to our mind is: when the Upaniṣad is supposed to teach us about the highest reality called Brahman, why is it talking about, you see — the Upaniṣad is not a fool. The Upaniṣad here means the teacher, the Ṛṣi who is teaching to his students — and he is not a fool. He may be having several students. The mental level of one student may be very low, another student may be much higher, and another student — a first-class first, like Yājñavalkya himself. So a real teacher must come down to the level of his student's capability of receiving, and give him what he is capable of receiving. Rāmakṛṣṇa says: 'a mother cooks the same curry, but she cooks it in different ways — very thin soup is given to the baby, because that is the capacity of the digestive power of the baby'. Similarly, a Guru also gives the same curry — the same teaching — but in different ways. And once the baby starts growing, like the student starts understanding better, then higher and higher levels of the same truth — the same Satyam — but given in different dosages. So slowly, from the terrible dilution, slowly and slowly, the dilution becomes less, until the highest truth, when the student is ready, will be given to that person.
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== Overview of the First Chapter's Upāsanās ==
So let us see some details of this Upāsanā. We start chapter one, and this contains six sections. The first section contains two verses, and the second Brāhmaṇa consisting of seven. Both these —first section and second section — consisting of two plus seven, nine mantras — are devoted to the meditation on the horse and the fire ,used in the horse sacrifice. This horse sacrifice is called Aśvamedha Yajña, and this is the highest — considered to be the greatest ritual, the greatest Vedic ritual, rites. What happens if any person performs this one — it confers upon that person, upon the one who performs this sacrifice, that is why it is called Yajña. Yajña means sacrifice and one who performs sacrifice is called the sacrificer. So whoever performs this correctly, as a result of that performance, he attains — Brahmaloka, or Hiraṇyagarbha-loka, or Prajāpati-loka, which is the highest possible dualistic happiness.
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== The Brahma Yajña and the Vision of Universal Brahman ==
But there is something very special about this Aśvamedha-Yajña. There are so many Yajñas are there. For example, all of us are entitled and advised to perform what is called Brahmārpaṇa-Yajña. Before eating anything, you utter that mantra: (ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् | - the first line of Gita 4.24 shloka) — the food is Brahman; the fire with which the food is cooked is also Brahman; the vessel in which it is kept is also Brahman; and the spoon or the hand which brings that food to the mouth is also Brahman; and the person, to whom it is offered is also Brahman; and the fire, that digests this food is called Vaiśvānara Agni — that is also Brahman. So the giver of the food, the cooker of the food, and the digester of the food — everything is Brahman. That is why it is called Brahma-Yajña — looking upon everything as Brahman.

And if somebody really can do it — the example of food, or reciting this ''Brahmārpaṇam'' just before the food, is not really Brahmārpaṇam. Any act that we do , including ( note: these are some of activities mentioned in the 2nd line of Gita 5.8 -'पश्यञ्शृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन् || , and in the 1st line of Gita 5.9 -'प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्ण्न्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि |) — ''aśhnan (eating); śhvasan (breathing); gachchhan (moving); pralapan (talking); nimiṣhan (closing the eyes); unmiṣhan (opening the eyes);'' — whether we are breathing in, breathing out, eating, walking, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting — every action that we do through our five sense organs of knowledge, through the five sense organs of action, and through the mind — eleven : five of action, five of knowledge, plus the mind — through any one of these eleven, whatever we do, we will have to think: it is God who is breathing, it is God, whom God is breathing, it is God who is coming, appearing in the form of the food, etc.

I gave you also several times, just to remind: Annapūrṇā — means food; it is not that — there is a person called Annapūrṇā, she has plenty of food, ''annam'', and she gives us food. No , she comes in the form of the food to sustain us. Gaṅgā Devī is not that a Devatā giving us water — she comes in the form of water and then she sustains us. Agni Devatā comes in the form of the required warmth, the required fire. For our physical body, it comes like homeostasis, but for digesting the food, the same fire has to come in the form of— everything has to be digested, that is the digestive fire — that is called Vaiśvānara Agni. Therefore, different manifestations of that Agni sustain every creater, created being, every creature.

So God is creating, God is the created, God is the food, God is eaten, God is the eater — there is no division called subject and object. The subject becomes subject to one object, and that object becomes subject to another object. For example, when I am looking at you, I am the subject, you are the object. When you are looking at me, you are the subject and I am the object. There is no such hard and fast rule that - one is the only subject and everything else is object. No — it is the same Kṣetrajña, pure consciousness, which, having assumed one form, appears as the subject, the experiencer, and also comes in another form, as the object.
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== The Dream Analogy: Subject and Object Are One ==
The example is the dream. You are the waker, and you are the only waker in your dream — there is nobody else coming and dreaming for you. So you, the waker-consciousness, divide yourself into — yourself as the individual in your dream, and also yourself as the objects: as your neighbours, as the trees, as the animals, as the insects, as the birds, etc. and as the non-living — a house, a mountain, a cloud, the earth. So you yourself have become both subject and object. When you are eating a potato - the potato is the object and you are the subject — the potato is enjoyed and you are the enjoyer. But if you are caught by a tiger, the tiger becomes the enjoyer and you become the enjoyed. But even in the dream, we are enveloped by that ignorance, so we think: "I am me, and everything else is separate." Upon waking up — who is the tiger? — You. Who is the potato? — You. Who enjoyed the potato? — You. So whom did the tiger enjoy?— You. Everything is — I, I, I. If we can create like that, what wonder is there— God can create this entire Sṛṣṭi — the whole creation.
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== The Aśvamedha Yajña: Its Nature and Who Can Perform It ==
So now — what is the topic? Aśvamedha-Yajña. So three types of contemplations are given in the three sections: first on the horse, second on fire, third on this Prāṇa. But there is a commonality between these three. What is that commonality? — All three are objects of Upāsanā. Upāsanā means, 'you must strip all these three of their externalities and come to the core, which cannot be changed; every externality can be changed, but that core cannot be changed; you can change the form of clay, the name of the clay, the utility of the clay — but the clay itself, which is the core, cannot be changed'. So like that, when we strip off this Aśva — the horse — and the fire, Agni, and the Prāṇa, the Prāṇa, devata, vital force — then what remains is Hiraṇyagarbha. That is to say, we have to look upon everything as Hiraṇyagarbha.

All of a sudden, we can't become abstract mathematicians. We have to slowly learn what is 1 plus 1, what is 2 into 2, what is 4 minus 2 etc., — these are the fundamentals — and slowly progress. And a time might come in this life when we might become abstract mathematicians, abstract mathematics. And for that, tremendous intelligence is needed. So here, these three objects are to be done Upāsanā.

Upāsanā always means we have discussed this point — taking an ordinary object and, in our imagination, contemplating upon it — as the highest object, something very high. For example, there is a small piece of stone—if you are a devotee of Śiva, you call it a Liṅga — like Lord Viśvanātha. What do you see?— it is only a piece of stone established there. But how many millions of people, how many times they visit and feel themselves blessed! Similarly, another small piece of stone is called Śālagrāma, and that represents Lord Viṣṇu. Where is the resemblance — between a small stone, there is no resemblance at all — it is not even alive. But in our mind it represents — the Divine Lord. It helps us — just like an apple is given to a child and told repeatedly, — "This is a fruit called apple." So like that, slowly, slowly, our uncultured, uncultivated minds should be made more and more capable — capable of understanding higher concepts, higher knowledge. That is the purpose of the Upāsanā.
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== The Aśvamedha Yajña: Historical and Ritual Description ==
So in this case, we will discuss about it. But briefly — this is not a horse, but this is — Hiraṇyagarbha, Virāṭ, the universal. And for that, a beautiful description is given— practically every part of the horse is described very beautifully. So what is the speciality? This is called Aśva-medha Yajña.

Before we go further, I have to tell you: nowadays in this 21st century, we do not know the mysteries of these Upāsanās. But in the olden days, they used to take — a cow, a horse, etc., even a human being — and then this ritual called Aśva-medha Yajña only kings can do it. A king belongs to kshatriya, the warrior class.

This (particular) ritual called the Aśvamedha Yajña can only be done by kings. A king belongs to the class called Kṣatriya — what is called the warrior class, according to Socrates. Because they are strong, they are endowed with Rajas, they are fearless — they are what we call rulers, or upholders of law, so that the society becomes a sane society, not an insane society. Just imagine: the rulers, the presidents, the prime ministers— when they become unwise people — what is called the selfish people — (there is) chaos— not only for themselves, because they are under the delusion: "We are unchallenged powers, we can do what we like" — but the Karmasiddhānta of Hinduism comes to the fore; these very people — sometimes they are shot dead, sometimes they are hanged, sometimes they may die naturally in this birth, but as a result of their evil deeds are being recorded by the highest intelligence, and accordingly the Karmaphala will come. That is why we see people — born blind: born disfigured; born with all sorts of diseases; dying very soon, with the greatest suffering — whatever, is all the result of past Karma. And every true Hindu believes it.

So what I am trying to tell: not only are there so many warrior classes, every person belonging to this warrior caste does not become a ruler. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa tells beautifully: there is one man — he is frightened of even a mouse; there is another person of whom even a thousand people are frightened to approach near to him— there is so much of variation between any given two individuals.

So a king — a Kṣatriya king— alone is entitled to perform this sacrifice. There are certain rules. So when a person decides (to perform it), it is also very expensive — no ordinary person can do it. So, not only should that person be a king; not only should he be a strong person; he should be a very powerful person; not only a powerful person — he should have plenty of wealth, because a lot of expenditure is involved. So, he selects one of the best horses that are available to him, and he lets that (consecrated) horse — out free. But, the horse is accompanied by thousands of soldiers, and the horse, according to its will, is made to roam near, to all the places that are possible. And if anybody opposes, the soldiers will fight with that opposition party and they subdue (them). Only when they subdue (them), the other party becomes docile, and they agree to pay what they call a yearly tithe (tribute), and they swear loyalty to this king.

So like that, the horse must return back after several years. And, if someone opposes, the soldiers of this king, have to defeat them, and then, when the horse reaches the original place, from where it was let out— then there would be (a) big ceremony. So many Brāhmaṇa priests have to come, and they will have to do a special ritual, in which the horse is sacrificed and its brain is offered to Vedic gods — especially Indra, etc. — and that is taken, just as we offer sweets and fruits to the Lord and accept prasādam. So the people who participated, including the Brāhmins, have to take it as sacred prasādam. ''Medha'' actually means brain— so that brain has to be offered in a ritualistic manner. This kind of thing was prevalent, and historians tell us that many people used to do it — sacrifices in the name of gods and goddesses, etc.

So then that person becomes great. Now all this description I am giving because such an Aśvamedha Yajña can be done — must be done — can only be done, by a very powerful, wealthy, intelligent king. Others cannot do it. What is the result? This person will attain to Hiraṇyagarbhaloka, which is also called Brahmaloka.
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== The Aśvopāsanā: A Path to Brahmaloka for All ==
Now the question comes: even Brāhmaṇas cannot do it. Why? Because especially in those days, Brāhmaṇas— they voluntarily renounced wealth, lived the very simplest possible life — their lives are dedicated to the study of the scriptures, propagate the scriptures, and living holy lives. That is why they are called Brāhmaṇas. So those Brāhmaṇas cannot do it for the simple reason: first of all they don't want to do it, secondly they don't have the power to do it, thirdly they don't have the required wealth, etc. Not only Brāhmaṇas — other warriors also cannot do it. Of course, the question of Vaiśyas and Śūdras doing it doesn't arise at all.

But everybody has the right to ascend to Brahmaloka. So how is it possible? For that, the Ṛṣis have devised a special Upāsanā, a special contemplation — and that is called Aśvo-upāsanā. So in this, every part of the Aśva, or horse, is described, and every part is assigned to the whole universe. We are going to talk about it later on. So, every part of the horse — very minutely, very elaborately — is described, and then every part is compared to one part of the universe. The whole universe combined is called — Saguṇa Brahman, Īśvara, or Hiraṇyagarbha. That means: by contemplating this horse —special horse, and that is only a symbol — but that symbol is now contemplated as a universal symbol. And if somebody does it successfully, they need not do anything physical — they will attain to Brahmaloka. Because their mind is thinking of Brahman as Prajāpati or Hiraṇyagarbha — not as the supreme Brahman, but next to him, as Īśvara, Saguṇa Brahman, Śakti.

So the person takes this ālambanā — a support, a symbol, a lower symbol — to be contemplated as the highest accessible reality— that is the purpose of Upāsanā. And how the limbs of the horse — so vividly described, and the corresponding universe,om assigned for contemplation — that we will study in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ||

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum ।''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh ||''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti.

'''Jai Ramakrishna!'''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.3 Lecture 16 on 15 March 2026

2026-06-01T03:17:14Z

Sachidanand: /"Devanagari script Invocation" /* Closing Prayer */ , missing words and sentences, and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

Om, that Brahman is infinite and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone. Om Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

== Introduction to the Third Section ==
So we have entered into the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. We have already covered two sections in the first chapter, and including this present third section, they are all supposed to be Upāsanās.

First, it is a contemplation on the horse. Taking a horse as just a support, we have to consider it not as a horse but as the universal Lord. In fact, in South India, there are some people whose Iṣṭa Devatā is Hayagrīva. The whole body will (not) be like a horse, only the face will be just like that of the horse. But He is the universal divine Lord. So — contemplation on an Aśva.
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== Everything is Brahman ==
In fact, it should not be astonishing if we believe in the essential teachings of the Vedānta: - 'everything is nothing but Brahman'; 'there is nothing else excepting Brahman'. But because we have put the veil of ignorance on our eyes, we are saying, "I am an individual, and everything is separate from me." But the fact is — everything is nothing but pure light. For that, we also give the example of a cinema screen. A film is being watched. Every object that we see on that white screen, that white screen is compared to Brahman, and on that light falls. And that light is nothing but, transforms itself, as if, because of the filming — into the living, the non-living, everything. So in this analogy, the background is that — pure Brahman.

But our mind becomes like a mirror and our thoughts become like the film running. And the light in the pure mind is taking various shapes — Nāma, Rūpa, names and forms, which we call thoughts. And if the thoughts are believed to be outside, they are called objects; but if the thoughts, then they are called within us, as thoughts. Everything is nothing but Brahman.
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== The Practice of Upāsanā ==
So we can take, what is point, we can take any object. In fact, Hindus are experts in it. They take a small piece of stone and project upon it, or superimpose upon it — the qualities of the dDvine Lord.

So ''Pratimā'' — we have discussed about it earlier in the Taittirīa as an introduction to the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. —there are various Upāsanās, and the crudest of them are called Pratimā Upāsanā. Just like a human being, we fashion — like Durgā Pūjā time, Kālī Pūjā time, Kṛṣṇa Pūjā time, Gaṇeśa Pūjā time.

Then ''Pratīka''. Pratīka is a symbol — a cross, a small stone as representative of Lord Śiva or Lord Viṣṇu, etc. Christians take the cross as the very embodiment of Jesus Christ. So every religion has evolved these means.

Then among these contemplations, there is one contemplation which is the highest contemplation. It is called ''Ahaṃ-Graha Upāsanā''. When Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa meditated upon Hanumān, he became Hanumān. "I am the Hanumān" — Ahaṃ Graha. What I was meditating upon is none other than me. And that Ahaṃ Graha Upāsanā is considered as the highest type of contemplation.
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== The Aśvamedha Yajña ==
Anyway, we have entered into this third section. So the first section — we have taken the horse. And that too, not any horse, but a superior breed, and which is done only by powerful kings, very expensive. And as I mentioned, at the end of its wandering, everybody is conquered by the king who is doing this Aśvamedha Yajña. And the horse itself, when it returns, protected by the sole powerful armies of the king, then he becomes the emperor, the king of kings, then only he can perform.

Then it is a huge ritual. — time, money and effort are very necessary. But the Upaniṣad is very loving kind. It says, what about others? Any king — king of kings — who performs this Aśvamedha Yajña, he contemplates this Aśvam horse as Virāṭ. As a result, he becomes Virāṭ — Virāṭ, as I explained yesterday, is another name for Saguṇa Brahman.

But anybody else — mentally, they can do. We can do mental pūjā. In every ordinary pūjā, there is the third part called Mānasika Pūjā. And there we must have that buddhi, that intelligence, to bring the best things. Because thoughts do not require any expenditure. So the best flowers have to be imagined, the best perfumes, the best beauty, the best taste, the best climate — everything can be imagined. And for that also, out of its infinite compassion, the scripture gives us certain helps: "You imagine your heart as a lotus, etc.etc."
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== The Three Upāsanās ==
So the first one is contemplation on the horse as Saguṇa Brahman. The second is contemplation of Agni as Saguṇa Brahman. In that respect, our Śaṅkarācārya writes several Bhāṣyams, enlightening our intellects to the extent that is possible by a human being.

So in the Agni Upāsanā — Sṛṣṭi — so in the beginning there was nothing. That is, before the creation, there was only Brahman. Then that Brahman somehow became creation Himself. And He was called Saguṇa Brahman. And that Saguṇa Brahman is manifesting as me, as you, as every object, as the living object, as the non-living object. Everything is nothing but Saguṇa Brahman.

Why do we call it Saguṇa Brahman? Because we are able to experience it either through our five sense organs or imagine through the mind — that is, within the scope of time, space and causation. And whatever is imagined through these limitations is called Saguṇa Brahman. When there is no limitation, that is called Nirguṇa Brahman.

The goal is slowly raising the mind, purifying it more, and enlarging its identity with more and more — until finally we identify first with the entire universe and later on with that pure, indescribable Paramātmā.
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== Śaṅkarācārya's Bhāṣyam on Sṛṣṭi ==
So we have seen Śaṅkarācārya's Bhāṣyam. In the second section — Sṛṣṭi — that is to say, there is God. In simple words. But Vedānta doesn't use the word "God." It uses the word "that which is nothing." Nothing was there. But immediately it qualifies, lest some people may mistake. From nothing, nothing can be created. From something only, something can be created.

What is creation? Seeing the cause with names and forms is called creation. So everything is Brahman — exists. But it gives a peculiar name: ''Mṛtyu''. Mṛtyu means Saguṇa Brahman. And yes, we have seen that this is called the Ghaṭa Bhāṣyam. How Śaṅkarācārya takes a simple example of a pot — a pot made out of clay — and how clay is the ultimate cause of the entire creation of pots: small pot, big pot, blue pot, red pot, square pot, rounded pot, angular pot, etc. That is to make us understand, through this example, that the whole universe consisting of both the living and non-living is nothing but manifestation.

How can a non-living creature be a manifestation of consciousness? Not that it is devoid of consciousness, but with our limited sense organs — sense organs plus mind — we are not able to perceive it. Of the three qualities, we perceive, we experience, only one characteristic — that is called existence, ''Sat''. But everything is Sat, is nothing but ''Cit'' and ''Ānanda''. Cit and Ānanda are there; we are not able to perceive them — not because they are absent, but because our instrument is not adequate to see, to experience.

So that is called the Ghaṭa Bhāṣyam — very enlightening. That means God exists, not in the sense that we limit Him as good or evil. When I am happy, He is a good God — I give Him a certificate. When I am not happy, He is the most wretched person in the whole world. Again, it is my certificate based upon my experience.

No — whatever God does is absolutely for the good of every person. So God wants us to run to Him and become one with Him. And if we are resisting it, He will have to pull us. That pulling towards Him is what we call our miseries, our difficulties, our problems in life. But if we are wise and look back and say, "If I have come a bit nearer to God, it is only because of these problems" — without problem, there can be no progress in life. Without a need, there cannot be creativity. The mother of every creativity, every action of creativity, is necessity.
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== The Prāṇa Upāsanā ==
So that is what we have seen. And we have entered into the Prāṇa Upāsanā. I have given the gist of it, even though some beautiful points are there.

And Prāṇa is here highly praised. Now, there is a peculiar thing. This is actually how we can understand the Vedas or different schools of philosophy. But in the beginning, I just quoted the very first mantra: that Prajāpati — or Saguṇa Brahman —He manifested Himself as two of His children - one is called God. Another is called demon.

And God is one with all desirable spiritual qualities. And just the diametrically opposite thing is called ''Asura''. Naturally, in our experience, we see the demons — many, many, many more than good people. We can count on our fingers who is a good person. But it is very difficult. There is no problem in counting demons. Most of the people are demons only — there is no doubt about it.
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== The Fight Between Good and Evil ==
Now, there is always a continuous fight between these two. And this is an allegory. Bhagavad Gītā is an allegory. The fight between the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas is the fight between the evil and the good. And this is the theme that recurs an infinite number of times in the Purāṇas, mythologies, in the Upaniṣads, in the teachings of everybody.

So what is Life? Life is the attempt to manifest one's own divinity when there is a force which is trying to press it down. Life is a manifestation of one's own true nature when some other evil force — which is called Māyā or Avidyā or ignorance — is trying to press it down. This was one of the famous definitions of life given by Swami Vivekananda to Khetri Mahārāja.
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== Swami Vivekananda's Four Definitions of Life ==
Swamiji has also, just I am reminding you, has given three other definitions - Life is a school, Life is a gymnasium, Life is a circus.

By "school" Swami Vivekananda meant we are here to learn the lessons — actually, only one lesson: that I am Brahman - that is the only lesson we have to learn. But in order to really have that knowledge, we have to develop our physical, intellectual, aesthetical, moral and spiritual muscles. That is what Swamiji meant.

"Life is a gymnasium." Every action of ours will prove to one's own self that how much, how many, how much nearer one is approaching to God. But when once one understands who one is, one becomes free from all trammels.

And then life becomes a continuous swimming in the ocean of bliss. And that is what Swamiji said. "Life is a circus." A Jīvanmukta goes on witnessing everything, but it is nothing but a big circus. In the circus, there are serious people; there are also buffoons; there are also jokers. And all sorts of people are there, and they are there - everyone has a role to make the Līlā, the divine sport — complete. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa expresses this many times in the Gospel: Jaṭilā and Kuṭilā are necessary to complete the drama, the Līlā — the divine Līlā — make it most enchanting.
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== The Gods and Demons: An Allegory ==
So the first mantra tells us there were two classes of Prajāpati's sons — the gods, that is the spiritual people, and the demons, that is worldly people - whom Kāṭha Pañcam beautifully distinguishes those who seek Preyas and those who seek the Shreyas - those who seek God and those who seek the world. Naturally, the gods were few and the demons many — which means most of the time, the gods get beaten black and blue.

So these two struggle with one another for mastery of these worlds. This is the symbolism. Life is a fight between the good and evil, until, inch by inch, we conquer the opposite and go to our real place - 'मन चलो निजो निकेतने' (Mono Chalo nijo niketane).

So then there was an occasion when, being overwhelmed by the demons, the gods consulted with each other and they came to the conclusion: "Let us surrender ourselves to God. Let us praise God." That is called Udgītha. So we can overcome by the grace of God, but we have to sing. And in that connection, context, a small story has been given.
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== The Twenty-Eight Verses of the Prāṇa Upāsanā ==
So this third section, which is called Prāṇa Upāsanā — the praises of Prāṇa, the glories of Prāṇa , consisting of Prāṇa Upāsanā - has 28 verses. As I said, I am not going through the verses, but I will give you a real gist of every section. And I also highlight it with some of the important commentaries written by our great Paramaguru Śaṅkarācārya, which are very enlightening to each and every one of us — not only to me, but to all of you. Because, you are all very intelligent people. God is manifesting in you in the form of intelligence. So you should use it to understand God better and better.
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== The Lesson of the Sense Organs ==
So the fight — I have already described — that one by one, the sense organs, they felt very egotistic: "I am sustaining the whole life." So the eye left - nothing happened, a bit inconvenient. After one year, it returned. So, it was shocked. It admitted defeat: "I thought without me, you will not be able to survive. Now I am humbled. Life was a bit defective without me, but it did not vanish." So, the other four organs also , that is - the nostrils and the ears, the taste and the touch — all of them took leave for one year. And when they came back, life went on joyfully.

So this is a great lesson we have to learn. Don't think blind people, deaf people are people, they are not happy people. Yes, life will go on. Happiness has nothing to do with the body. It has something to do with the mind.- and the mind is full of thoughts. And if the thoughts are positive — that is what many Christian preachers , they want the power of positive thinking. And that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also preaches, only He calls it spirituality. Swamiji preached the same.
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== The Holy Mother's Two Commandments ==
When the Mother said, "Don't ever forget, under whatever circumstance, that you have a mother — and be proud — I also have a mother, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa illustrates it beautifully, saying that even the maidservant's son, when he is being beaten, says, "I have a mother. My mother will protect me. I am going to tell about you to my mother." The child has complete confidence in the mother: "Mother is going to save me, rescue me." We have to become children of the Mother.

That is why the two commandments of the Holy Mother — I have spoken about, many times, and I am also going to speak about many more times throughout my talks, as long as I talk.

The first commandment is: 'never forget, you have a mother, and I am your mother'.

The second commandment is even more important than the first commandment: 'never forget, you are my child. Therefore, lead your life as my child. People looking at your life should not say, "Fie upon you!" Because, if you are leading, if you truly believe that I am your mother, you will not bring bad name to me. In fact, you will glorify her name — not by talking about it, but by living the life.'

So that is the Holy Mother's commandment: 'never forget, you are my child, and live in accordance with that knowledge.'
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== The Selfishness of the Organs ==
So these organs became selfish. That is why the whole of humanity can be divided into the selfish and the unselfish. So every organ started thinking that: "I am doing it for my pleasure. And for that pleasure, I also have to give some service." So even though the eye is able to see — that seeing helps all of us — it is enjoying beautiful sights selfishly, for its own purpose. It doesn't share it either with the ear, or the nostril, or the tongue, or the skin. Every organ became completely selfish. A bit unselfish, but mostly selfish.

So the life can go on merrily, it is not important. it is not supporting the entire life.
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== The Supreme Importance of Prāṇa ==
Then the turn of Prāṇa came. Prāṇa is the most unselfish manifestation, because Prāṇa is working 24 hours in the form of five activities: Prāṇa, Apāna, Vyāna, Udāna, Samāna. Anybody who is alive — it is because of the Prāṇa. And Prāṇa is not getting anything; it only helps each one of us to get individual experiences. It is because of the Prāṇa that I am able to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch. Without Prāṇa, life is not possible.

So when the Prāṇa was about to depart, the whole personality felt as if a huge tree — well-grown, well-established, deep with its roots — is about to be totally uprooted. Sometimes you have seen some machines, they want to transplant one tree from one place and put it somewhere else. So they dig around to some depth, and then these machines sink deep and lift the whole earth, and the huge tree is put in a huge truck and taken to the new place. They have already kept it ready by digging, and they put (it there). It just takes but a few days for the tree to completely recover. But the old mud, etc., is still clinging to it. Therefore, it is never dead. It is as if a person had changed his home from one place to another place.

So when Prāṇa was about to depart, then the whole body and mind became agitated, and then they understood - without Prāṇa, it is not possible for them to survive. So it is the most important organ. And whoever protects us is called a Devatā or God. Therefore, Prāṇa is the most important manifestation of God — and that is why we are called Prāṇīs. Prāṇī means endowed with life. Otherwise, we will be dead people.

So the entire third section is devoted to the praises of the Gods.
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== Śaṅkarācārya on Veda Pramāṇa ==
And in this connection, Śaṅkarācārya writes a beautiful commentary on the very understanding of what is called Hinduism, and in that Hinduism, what is called Veda Pramāṇa. I will try my best to summarise these concepts. Perhaps I may not be able to finish it in today's class, but it is very important for us to understand.

Just as a background, I will give you something. When Swami Vivekananda talked about Hinduism at the Chicago Parliament of Religions, he mentioned a very important point. Because there are so many religions, and every religion has got an authoritative book — and that is what we call a Veda. So the Bible is the Veda for the Christians and the Qurān is the Veda for the Muslims. Guru Granth Sāhib is the Veda for Sikhs. So, the three Piṭakas are the Vedas for the Buddhists, etc. We accept all these books as Vedas.

Now, what do we mean by Veda? You take, for example, any Veda — there are stories. For example, in this very Bṛhadāraṇyaka, you get so many small, small stories are there. Are they to be considered - God has infinite time, so to pass His time, He went on narrating so many stories? If you take the Bible, what Swami Prabhavanandaji beautifully says — "he begat, he begat, he begat." So David begat somebody; that somebody begat somebody else; that somebody else begat somebody else. Page after page, the Bible is filled with this description of lineage - is that also part of the Veda.
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== The Definition of Veda ==
Swami Vivekananda, in his talk on Hinduism, he summarises and says a few things. We have to understand what Śaṅkarācārya wants to prove here, which we will come (to) a little later.

Swami Vivekananda says that whatever knowledge we can get through our five sense organs are marvellous!— that is not Veda. The Veda would never tell us something like, "The sun is rising in the east and the sun is going to set in the west." And even if they tell , it should not be considered as Veda. Why? Because there are two proofs — of which I will speak a little bit later on.

Veda means knowledge. What knowledge? Super-sensuous knowledge. What does it mean? Whatever facts, whatever knowledge, we can never get through our five sense organs — and we are not going to get it till the end of creation — that which gives us that super-sensory knowledge: for example, whether there is a Mūlakāraṇa called Brahman or God; whether there are higher worlds; whether we had past lives and future lives; whether after death one is going to reap the results of one's own action.

Because to reap the actions, one cannot do that in one life, so many religions don't believe either in the past life or future life. All the Judaic, Abrahamic, Semitic religions do not believe in it. But Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism — they all believe in rebirths. What is a rebirth? A chance — another chance for us to become better ourselves, and slowly to approach God. And God will give any number of such opportunities. Every new day is a new birth. After death of this body also, every new rebirth is a grand opportunity to pick up from where we have left off and to proceed further. This is — in a very limited sense — called by Charles Darwin as 'evolution'.

But Hinduism says not only is there a biological evolution — there is a geological evolution, a mathematical evolution, there is an intellectual evolution, there is a a spiritual evolution also — all taking place at different places in different people. One life is not enough, and therefore one life cannot give what we really require. This is the Hindu belief. Hindu means - Hindu, a Buddhist, a Sikh, and a Jain — they all believe in this. But, there are so many people, who do not believe, that is what we are going to discuss.
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== The Limits of Science in Knowing God ==
So, that knowledge, whichever ordinary five sense organs — however intelligent a person is, however number of the finest instruments one may create, one has created, one is going to create — even the AI (Artificial Intelligence) — cannot give us the knowledge about God.

Therefore, the conclusion , we have to be crystal clear about it — God can neither be proved, nor can be disproved by science. I am repeating — The existence of God can neither be proved nor disproved by science. Because that is not the subject. For that, we have to take the experience of people who have actually experienced God, and how did they experience? By going beyond the sense organs, by going beyond the mind. And how do we know that what they are telling is true?
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== The Four Characteristics of a God-Realised Soul ==
Because — I discussed this subject many times — any body can say I had seen God , any body can say — I had wonderful visions, and I am, I know I'm very near to God —there are enough number of fools who can claim and there are more than enough number of fools who believe it also. So what is the criteria? Because you know, every experience transforms our life. This is a scientific fact.

So you have seen a most beautiful thing; you heard the most a marvellous singing or instrument; you have tasted a very pleasant sweet, and you have smelt a most marvellous smell, and you have touched something which is indescribable. Most of these things are indescribable. For example, when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was walking at the age of 7 or 8 in those vast green fields at the beginning of the rainy season — the whole sky was clouded with thick black clouds, and against that background, a number of swans, pure white, a flock of swans, was flying across. Seeing that sight, immediately he fell down unconscious. I am sure thousands and thousands of people must have witnessed the same scene. But for them, just some birds flying across. But for Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, it is the nearest, closest experience of experiencing God in the form of ''Satyam, Śivam, Sundaram'' — Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

So, what are we discussing? There are some people who have experienced these super-sensuous truths. But some people claim — how do we know? How do we know because, there are four characteristics.

The first characteristic: a person who has experienced God — and experiencing God is not like my seeing you and you are seeing somebody else, or yo u are seeing some object. No. Experiencing God means - realization of God. Realization of God means to know forever, without the least shred of doubt: "I am God" — ''Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi.'' That is the final experience.

But this is the highest experience. One can have visions of Gods and Goddesses, and if they are true visions, we have to consider two points. First: a vision of God with what is called a small "g," not capital "G"— gods and goddesses, cannot be had without their grace. Any amount of whatever you offer is not sufficient for their grace. Out of infinite love, they appear to some people. That is the first point.

Second point: once a person has a genuine experience of a God or a Goddess, that person's life — their character — will be changed forever by the grace of God.

So the '''first characteristic''' is: a person becomes continuously joyful, whatever be the circumstances outside - that is the first sign.

'''Secondly''': he becomes totally unselfish, because to see a God or Goddess is to feel that the whole universe is nothing but - manifestation of God - so he becomes unselfish.

'''Third characteristic''': they love ,without any stint. A mother loves a baby or children because they are "my children." But in this person's case, it is completely unselfish love —so, it just flows, like the wind blows without stop - so completely, unselfish love.

'''Fourth is''': there is nothing they cannot sacrifice as a result of that love. They can give up their very lives.
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== The Story of Dadhīci ==
I will tell you a small story and I will be talking only like this. So, once there was a fight between Gods and Demons. As usual, the Demons were about to overcome the Gods, and the King of the Gods was Indra. And he understood, that is why he was a king, very intelligent — "I cannot defeat them because I do not have sufficient weapons." Then somebody advised him that there was a great Ṛṣi, a Brahma Jñānī, and that he should approach him and ask him to give up his life, saying: "Out of your backbone, I will make a marvellous, irresistible weapon." His name was Dadhīci.

So Indra approached him — because even these people, they are not (necessarily) spiritual people, but they obtained their positions because of doing some good actions. They may not be spiritual people, but they are good people. They had faith in God. They performed rituals many times. As a result, they acquired merit. As a result, they went to higher Lokas, as we have seen in the Taittirīya. And one of them's merit was so great, he became a leader of all the Gods, called Indra. Indra means — it is a title ,like Prime Minister, like President.

So immediately Indra took his vehicle Airāvata — a huge elephant, which can travel at the speed of mind — and came to Dadhīci, fell flat, and as a beggar said: "Mahārṣi, this is our condition. We have been advised , if you can give up your body, then your body is so powerful, out of the backbone of your physical body, I can fashion one weapon, and nobody can resist that weapon."

Immediately , you know what happened? Dadhīci was so glad. "At least this physical body — anyway I am old and it is going to fall off itself , very soon —but that this could be put in the service of Gods, that is the greatest joy!" — and willingly, he entered into yoga and offered himself.

Pav Hari Baba , just to remind you —used to perform homas, and he entered willingly; he did everything, poured a lot of ghee, and he went and sat down in the midst of the fire and was consumed by that fire. And by the burning smell of the human body, people those who were living at some distance, came to know he had offered himself. That is called ''svayam āhuti'' — he offered himself. Yogīs can do that, and it is not a sinful thing on their behalf.

So Dadhīci gave up. Then out of his backbone somebody fashioned, and that is the most powerful weapon called Vajrāyudha , and with that, he was able to defeat the demons.
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== Summary of the Four Characteristics ==
So this is a story that goes that - the four characteristics of a person who has experienced God — but to some extent, the same thing can be also predicted of people who have visions of Gods like Sarasvatī, like Mahālakṣmī, like Nārāyaṇa, like Śiva, etc. They can obtain extraordinary boons, but the most important thing is , their whole character will be totally changed.

So what is it? These people who have experienced God: they are ever happy; they become most unselfish; their love is unlimited and equal to everybody; and they are ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of anybody. They don't expect anything. Whether you deserve it or not, they are ready to give.

And to the extent, a person progresses in spiritual life, he also develops these four qualities. That is why Śaṅkarācārya's commentary at the end of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā — on the subject called the characteristics of a realized soul, samadhiman puruusha , '''sthitaprajña'' '— is beautifully commented upon. And at the end Śaṅkara says: what comes so very naturally to a realized soul must be assiduously acquired by aspiring spiritual seekers.

You apply these four — whether to Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, Swami Vivekananda, the direct disciples, Jesus Christ, Buddha, or great saints — every religion is still alive today not because of the mullāhs or priests , pujārīs, but because of the saints. So that is most important.
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== The Subject for the Next Class ==
So what is the subject which we will have to discuss in our next class? That how do we know that Veda is really true. And in that context only, I am just reminding you: Swami Vivekananda said , that knowledge which we can never obtain through our five sense organs — with all the available. or would-be-available with future instruments — that is called Veda. And only those portions of the Vedas which give us that knowledge — that alone is to be considered as Veda.

If in the Bible, in the Qurān, in the Vedas, you see so many stories — they are called ''Arthavādas'', of which we will talk in our next class. They are just to motivate us, to make us enthusiastic and hopeful. But they have nothing to do with real , super-sensory knowledge.

So there are so many schools of philosophy before the present time. And at present, they are all called Vedānta. But Vedānta doesn't mean only Advaita Vedānta. Dvaita Vedānta, dualistic philosophy, qualified non-dualistic philosophy called Viśiṣṭādvaita, and non-dualistic philosophy called Advaita — they are gradually ascending levels of experience or progress we can see. And finally, the conclusion is: to know that 'I am Brahman', and to remain with that knowledge — unbroken knowledge — that is called the final ascent to the highest realization.

Beautiful concepts are given. We are very thankful to Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya. We will talk about Veda Pramāṇa — that means, whether the Bible is really an authority, is it coming from God? If it is coming from God, which part is coming from God and which part is inserted by human beings for the glorification or selfish purposes - that is what is called interpolation, and the consequences of which are beyond anybody's imagination — rivers of blood have flown by human interruption.

So we will talk about these subjects in our next class.
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== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.

'''Jai Ramakrishna!'''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.3 Lecture 16 on 15 March 2026

2026-06-01T02:56:38Z

Sachidanand: Devanagari Invocation, missing words and sentences, and miscellaneous corrections

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

Om, that Brahman is infinite and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone. Om Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

== Introduction to the Third Section ==
So we have entered into the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. We have already covered two sections in the first chapter, and including this present third section, they are all supposed to be Upāsanās.

First, it is a contemplation on the horse. Taking a horse as just a support, we have to consider it not as a horse but as the universal Lord. In fact, in South India, there are some people whose Iṣṭa Devatā is Hayagrīva. The whole body will be like a horse; only the face will be just like that of the horse. But He is the universal divine Lord. So — contemplation on an Aśva.
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== Everything is Brahman ==
In fact, it should not be astonishing if we believe in the essential teachings of Vedānta. Everything is nothing but Brahman. There is nothing else excepting Brahman. But because we have put the veil of ignorance on our eyes, we are saying, "I am an individual and everything is separate from me."

But the fact is, everything is nothing but pure light. For that, we also give the example of a cinema screen. A film is being watched. Every object that we see on that white screen, that white screen is compared to Brahman, and on that light falls. And that light transforms itself — as if, because of the filming — into the living, the non-living, everything. So in this analogy, the background is that pure Brahman.

But our mind becomes like a mirror and our thoughts become like the film running. And the light in the pure mind is taking various shapes — Nāma, Rūpa — names and forms, which we call thoughts. And if the thoughts are believed to be outside, they are called objects; but if the thoughts, they are within us, then they are called thoughts. Everything is nothing but Brahman.
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== The Practice of Upāsanā ==
So we can take, what is point, we can take any object. In fact, Hindus are experts in it. They take a small piece of stone and project upon it, or superimpose upon it — the qualities of the divine Lord.

So ''Pratimā'' — we have discussed about it earlier in the Taittirīa as an introduction to the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. There are various Upāsanās, and the crudest of them are called Pratimā Upāsanā. Just like a human being, we fashion — like Durgā Pūjā time, Kālī Pūjā time, Kṛṣṇa Pūjā time, Gaṇeśa Pūjā time.

Then ''Pratīka''. Pratīka is a symbol — a cross, a small stone as representative of Lord Śiva or Lord Viṣṇu, etc. Christians take the cross as the very embodiment of Jesus Christ. So every religion has evolved these means.

Then among these contemplations, there is one contemplation which is the highest contemplation. It is called ''Ahaṃ Graha Upāsanā''. When Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa meditated upon Hanumān, he became Hanumān. "I am the Hanumān" — Ahaṃ Graha. What I was meditating upon is none other than me. And that Ahaṃ Graha Upāsanā is considered as the highest type of contemplation.
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== The Aśvamedha Yajña ==
Anyway, we have entered into this third section. So the first section — we have taken the horse. And that too, not any horse, but a superior breed, and which is done only by powerful kings, very expensive. And as I mentioned, at the end of its wandering, everybody is conquered by the king who is doing this Aśvamedha Yajña. And the horse itself, when it returns, protected by the sole powerful armies of the king, then he becomes the emperor, the king of kings — then only he can perform.

Then it is a huge ritual. Time, money and effort are very necessary. But the Upaniṣad is very loving kind. It says, what about others? Any king — king of kings — who performs this Aśvamedha Yajña, he contemplates this Aśvam horse as Virāṭ. As a result, he becomes Virāṭ. Virāṭ, as I explained yesterday, is another name for Saguṇa Brahman.

But anybody else — mentally, they can do. We can do mental pūjā. In every ordinary pūjā, there is the third part called Mānasika Pūjā. And there we must have that buddhi, that intelligence, to bring the best things. Because thoughts do not require any expenditure. So the best flowers have to be imagined — the best perfumes, the best beauty, the best taste, the best climate — everything can be imagined. And for that also, out of its infinite compassion, the scripture gives us certain helps: "You imagine your heart as a lotus," etc.etc.
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== The Three Upāsanās ==
So the first one is contemplation on the horse as Saguṇa Brahman. The second is contemplation of Agni as Saguṇa Brahman. In that respect, our Śaṅkarācārya writes several Bhāṣyams, enlightening our intellects to the extent that is possible by a human being.

So in the Agni Upāsanā — Sṛṣṭi — so in the beginning there was nothing. That is, before the creation, there was only Brahman. Then that Brahman somehow became creation Himself. And He was called Saguṇa Brahman. And that Saguṇa Brahman is manifesting as me, as you, as every object, as the living object, as the non-living object. Everything is nothing but Saguṇa Brahman.

Why do we call it Saguṇa Brahman? Because we are able to experience it either through our five sense organs or imagine through the mind — that is, within the scope of time, space and causation. And whatever is imagined through these limitations is called Saguṇa Brahman. When there is no limitation, that is called Nirguṇa Brahman.

The goal is slowly raising the mind, purifying it more, and enlarging its identity with more and more — until finally we identify first with the entire universe and later on with that pure, indescribable Paramātmā.
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== Śaṅkarācārya's Bhāṣyam on Sṛṣṭi ==
So we have seen Śaṅkarācārya's Bhāṣyam. In the second section — Sṛṣṭi — that is to say, there is God. In simple words. But Vedānta doesn't use the word "God." It uses the word "that which is nothing." Nothing was there. But immediately it qualifies, lest some people may mistake. From nothing, nothing can be created. From something only, something can be created.

What is creation? Seeing the cause with names and forms is called creation. So everything is Brahman — exists. But it gives a peculiar name: ''Mṛtyu''. Mṛtyu means Saguṇa Brahman. And yes, we have seen that this is called the Ghaṭa Bhāṣyam. How Śaṅkarācārya takes a simple example of a pot — a pot made out of clay — and how clay is the ultimate cause of the entire creation of pots: small pot, big pot, blue pot, red pot, square pot, rounded pot, angular pot, etc. That is to make us understand, through this example, that the whole universe consisting of both the living and non-living is nothing but manifestation.

How can a non-living creature be a manifestation of consciousness? Not that it is devoid of consciousness, but with our limited sense organs — sense organs plus mind — we are not able to perceive it. Of the three qualities, we perceive, we experience, only one characteristic — that is called existence, ''Sat''. But everything is Sat, is nothing but ''Cit'' and ''Ānanda''. Cit and Ānanda are there; we are not able to perceive them — not because they are absent, but because our instrument is not adequate to see, to experience.

So that is called the Ghaṭa Bhāṣyam — very enlightening. That means God exists, not in the sense that we limit Him as good or evil. When I am happy, He is a good God — I give Him a certificate. When I am not happy, He is the most wretched person in the whole world. Again, it is my certificate based upon my experience.

No — whatever God does is absolutely for the good of every person. So God wants us to run to Him and become one with Him. And if we are resisting it, He will have to pull us. That pulling towards Him is what we call our miseries, our difficulties, our problems in life. But if we are wise and look back and say, "If I have come a bit nearer to God, it is only because of these problems" — without problem, there can be no progress in life. Without a need, there cannot be creativity. The mother of every creativity, every action of creativity, is necessity.
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== The Prāṇa Upāsanā ==
So that is what we have seen. And we have entered into the Prāṇa Upāsanā. I have given the gist of it, even though some beautiful points are there.

And Prāṇa is here highly praised. Now, there is a peculiar thing. This is actually how we can understand the Vedas or different schools of philosophy. But in the beginning, I just quoted the very first mantra: that Prajāpati — or Saguṇa Brahman —He manifested Himself as two of His children - one is called God. Another is called demon.

And God is one with all desirable spiritual qualities. And just the diametrically opposite thing is called ''Asura''. Naturally, in our experience, we see the demons — many, many, many more than good people. We can count on our fingers who is a good person. But it is very difficult. There is no problem in counting demons. Most of the people are demons only — there is no doubt about it.
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== The Fight Between Good and Evil ==
Now, there is always a continuous fight between these two. And this is an allegory. Bhagavad Gītā is an allegory. The fight between the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas is the fight between the evil and the good. And this is the theme that recurs an infinite number of times in the Purāṇas, mythologies, in the Upaniṣads, in the teachings of everybody.

So what is life? Life is the attempt to manifest one's own divinity when there is a force which is trying to press it down. Life is a manifestation of one's own true nature when some other evil force — which is called Māyā or Avidyā or ignorance — is trying to press it down. This was one of the famous definitions of life given by Swami Vivekananda to Khetri Mahārāja.
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== Swami Vivekananda's Four Definitions of Life ==
Swamiji has also, just I am reminding you, has given three other definitions - life is a school, life is a gymnasium, life is a circus.

By "school" Swami Vivekananda meant we are here to learn the lessons — actually, only one lesson: that I am Brahman - that is the only lesson we have to learn. But in order to really have that knowledge, we have to develop our physical, intellectual, aesthetical, moral and spiritual muscles. That is what Swamiji meant.

"Life is a gymnasium." Every action of ours will prove to one's own self that how much, how many, how much nearer one is approaching to God. But when once one understands who one is, one becomes free from all trammels.

And then life becomes a continuous swimming in the ocean of bliss. And that is what Swamiji said. "Life is a circus." A Jīvanmukta goes on witnessing everything, but it is nothing but a big circus. In the circus, there are serious people; there are also buffoons; there are also jokers. And all sorts of people are there, and they are there - everyone has a role to make the Līlā, the divine sport — complete. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa expresses this many times in the Gospel: Jaṭilā and Kuṭilā are necessary to complete the drama, the Līlā — the divine Līlā — make it most enchanting.
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== The Gods and Demons: An Allegory ==
So the first mantra tells us there were two classes of Prajāpati's sons — the gods, that is the spiritual people, and the demons, that is worldly people - whom Kāṭha Pañcam beautifully distinguishes those who seek Preyas and those who seek the Shreyas - those who seek God and those who seek the world. Naturally, the gods were few and the demons many — which means most of the time, the gods get beaten black and blue.

So these two struggle with one another for mastery of these worlds. This is the symbolism. Life is a fight between the good and evil, until, inch by inch, we conquer the opposite and go to our real place - 'मन चलो निजो निकेतने' (Mono Chalo nijo niketane).

So then there was an occasion when, being overwhelmed by the demons, the gods consulted with each other and they came to the conclusion: "Let us surrender ourselves to God. Let us praise God." That is called Udgītha. So we can overcome by the grace of God, but we have to sing. And in that connection, context, a small story has been given.
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== The Twenty-Eight Verses of the Prāṇa Upāsanā ==
So this third section, which is called Prāṇa Upāsanā — the praises of Prāṇa, the glories of Prāṇa , consisting of Prāṇa Upāsanā - has 28 verses. As I said, I am not going through the verses, but I will give you a real gist of every section. And I also highlight it with some of the important commentaries written by our great Paramaguru Śaṅkarācārya, which are very enlightening to each and every one of us — not only to me, but to all of you. Because, you are all very intelligent people. God is manifesting in you in the form of intelligence. So you should use it to understand God better and better.
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== The Lesson of the Sense Organs ==
So the fight — I have already described — that one by one, the sense organs, they felt very egotistic: "I am sustaining the whole life." So the eye left - nothing happened, a bit inconvenient. After one year, it returned. So, it was shocked. It admitted defeat: "I thought without me, you will not be able to survive. Now I am humbled. Life was a bit defective without me, but it did not vanish." So, the other four organs also , that is - the nostrils and the ears, the taste and the touch — all of them took leave for one year. And when they came back, life went on joyfully.

So this is a great lesson we have to learn. Don't think blind people, deaf people are people, they are not happy people. Yes, life will go on. Happiness has nothing to do with the body. It has something to do with the mind.- and the mind is full of thoughts. And if the thoughts are positive — that is what many Christian preachers , they want the power of positive thinking. And that is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also preaches, only He calls it spirituality. Swamiji preached the same.
----

== The Holy Mother's Two Commandments ==
When the Mother said, "Don't ever forget, under whatever circumstance, that you have a mother — and be proud — I also have a mother, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa illustrates it beautifully, saying that even the maidservant's son, when he is being beaten, says, "I have a mother. My mother will protect me. I am going to tell about you to my mother." The child has complete confidence in the mother: "Mother is going to save me, rescue me." We have to become children of the Mother.

That is why the two commandments of the Holy Mother — I have spoken about, many times, and I am also going to speak about many more times throughout my talks, as long as I talk.

The first commandment is: 'never forget, you have a mother, and I am your mother'.

The second commandment is even more important than the first commandment: 'never forget, you are my child. Therefore, lead your life as my child. People looking at your life should not say, "Fie upon you!" Because, if you are leading, if you truly believe that I am your mother, you will not bring bad name to me. In fact, you will glorify her name — not by talking about it, but by living the life.'

So that is the Holy Mother's commandment: 'never forget, you are my child, and live in accordance with that knowledge.'
----

== The Selfishness of the Organs ==
So these organs became selfish. That is why the whole of humanity can be divided into the selfish and the unselfish. So every organ started thinking that: "I am doing it for my pleasure. And for that pleasure, I also have to give some service." So even though the eye is able to see — that seeing helps all of us — it is enjoying beautiful sights selfishly, for its own purpose. It doesn't share it either with the ear, or the nostril, or the tongue, or the skin. Every organ became completely selfish. A bit unselfish, but mostly selfish.

So the life can go on merrily, it is not important. it is not supporting the entire life.
----

== The Supreme Importance of Prāṇa ==
Then the turn of Prāṇa came. Prāṇa is the most unselfish manifestation, because Prāṇa is working 24 hours in the form of five activities: Prāṇa, Apāna, Vyāna, Udāna, Samāna. Anybody who is alive — it is because of the Prāṇa. And Prāṇa is not getting anything; it only helps each one of us to get individual experiences. It is because of the Prāṇa that I am able to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch. Without Prāṇa, life is not possible.

So when the Prāṇa was about to depart, the whole personality felt as if a huge tree — well-grown, well-established, deep with its roots — is about to be totally uprooted. Sometimes you have seen some machines, they want to transplant one tree from one place and put it somewhere else. So they dig around to some depth, and then these machines sink deep and lift the whole earth, and the huge tree is put in a huge truck and taken to the new place. They have already kept it ready by digging, and they put (it there). It just takes but a few days for the tree to completely recover. But the old mud, etc., is still clinging to it. Therefore, it is never dead. It is as if a person had changed his home from one place to another place.

So when Prāṇa was about to depart, then the whole body and mind became agitated, and then they understood - without Prāṇa, it is not possible for them to survive. So it is the most important organ. And whoever protects us is called a Devatā or God. Therefore, Prāṇa is the most important manifestation of God — and that is why we are called Prāṇīs. Prāṇī means endowed with life. Otherwise, we will be dead people.

So the entire third section is devoted to the praises of the Gods.
----

== Śaṅkarācārya on Veda Pramāṇa ==
And in this connection, Śaṅkarācārya writes a beautiful commentary on the very understanding of what is called Hinduism, and in that Hinduism, what is called Veda Pramāṇa. I will try my best to summarise these concepts. Perhaps I may not be able to finish it in today's class, but it is very important for us to understand.

Just as a background, I will give you something. When Swami Vivekananda talked about Hinduism at the Chicago Parliament of Religions, he mentioned a very important point. Because there are so many religions, and every religion has got an authoritative book — and that is what we call a Veda. So the Bible is the Veda for the Christians and the Qurān is the Veda for the Muslims. Guru Granth Sāhib is the Veda for Sikhs. So, the three Piṭakas are the Vedas for the Buddhists, etc. We accept all these books as Vedas.

Now, what do we mean by Veda? You take, for example, any Veda — there are stories. For example, in this very Bṛhadāraṇyaka, you get so many small, small stories are there. Are they to be considered - God has infinite time, so to pass His time, He went on narrating so many stories? If you take the Bible, what Swami Prabhavanandaji beautifully says — "he begat, he begat, he begat." So David begat somebody; that somebody begat somebody else; that somebody else begat somebody else. Page after page, the Bible is filled with this description of lineage - is that also part of the Veda.
----

== The Definition of Veda ==
Swami Vivekananda, in his talk on Hinduism, he summarises and says a few things. We have to understand what Śaṅkarācārya wants to prove here, which we will come (to) a little later.

Swami Vivekananda says that whatever knowledge we can get through our five sense organs are marvellous!— that is not Veda. The Veda would never tell us something like, "The sun is rising in the east and the sun is going to set in the west." And even if they tell , it should not be considered as Veda. Why? Because there are two proofs — of which I will speak a little bit later on.

Veda means knowledge. What knowledge? Super-sensuous knowledge. What does it mean? Whatever facts, whatever knowledge, we can never get through our five sense organs — and we are not going to get it till the end of creation — that which gives us that super-sensory knowledge: for example, whether there is a Mūlakāraṇa called Brahman or God; whether there are higher worlds; whether we had past lives and future lives; whether after death one is going to reap the results of one's own action.

Because to reap the actions, one cannot do that in one life, so many religions don't believe either in the past life or future life. All the Judaic, Abrahamic, Semitic religions do not believe in it. But Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism — they all believe in rebirths. What is a rebirth? A chance — another chance for us to become better ourselves, and slowly to approach God. And God will give any number of such opportunities. Every new day is a new birth. After death of this body also, every new rebirth is a grand opportunity to pick up from where we have left off and to proceed further. This is — in a very limited sense — called by Charles Darwin as 'evolution'.

But Hinduism says not only is there a biological evolution — there is a geological evolution, a mathematical evolution, there is an intellectual evolution, there is a a spiritual evolution also — all taking place at different places in different people. One life is not enough, and therefore one life cannot give what we really require. This is the Hindu belief. Hindu means - Hindu, a Buddhist, a Sikh, and a Jain — they all believe in this. But, there are so many people, who do not believe, that is what we are going to discuss.
----

== The Limits of Science in Knowing God ==
So, that knowledge, whichever ordinary five sense organs — however intelligent a person is, however number of the finest instruments one may create, one has created, one is going to create — even the AI (Artificial Intelligence) — cannot give us the knowledge about God.

Therefore, the conclusion , we have to be crystal clear about it — God can neither be proved, nor can be disproved by science. I am repeating — The existence of God can neither be proved nor disproved by science. Because that is not the subject. For that, we have to take the experience of people who have actually experienced God, and how did they experience? By going beyond the sense organs, by going beyond the mind. And how do we know that what they are telling is true?
----

== The Four Characteristics of a God-Realised Soul ==
Because — I discussed this subject many times — any body can say I had seen God , any body can say — I had wonderful visions, and I am, I know I'm very near to God —there are enough number of fools who can claim and there are more than enough number of fools who believe it also. So what is the criteria? Because you know, every experience transforms our life. This is a scientific fact.

So you have seen a most beautiful thing; you heard the most a marvellous singing or instrument; you have tasted a very pleasant sweet, and you have smelt a most marvellous smell, and you have touched something which is indescribable. Most of these things are indescribable. For example, when Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was walking at the age of 7 or 8 in those vast green fields at the beginning of the rainy season — the whole sky was clouded with thick black clouds, and against that background, a number of swans, pure white, a flock of swans, was flying across. Seeing that sight, immediately he fell down unconscious. I am sure thousands and thousands of people must have witnessed the same scene. But for them, just some birds flying across. But for Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, it is the nearest, closest experience of experiencing God in the form of ''Satyam, Śivam, Sundaram'' — Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

So, what are we discussing? There are some people who have experienced these super-sensuous truths. But some people claim — how do we know? How do we know because, there are four characteristics.

The first characteristic: a person who has experienced God — and experiencing God is not like my seeing you and you are seeing somebody else, or yo u are seeing some object. No. Experiencing God means - realization of God. Realization of God means to know forever, without the least shred of doubt: "I am God" — ''Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi.'' That is the final experience.

But this is the highest experience. One can have visions of Gods and Goddesses, and if they are true visions, we have to consider two points. First: a vision of God with what is called a small "g," not capital "G"— gods and goddesses, cannot be had without their grace. Any amount of whatever you offer is not sufficient for their grace. Out of infinite love, they appear to some people. That is the first point.

Second point: once a person has a genuine experience of a God or a Goddess, that person's life — their character — will be changed forever by the grace of God.

So the '''first characteristic''' is: a person becomes continuously joyful, whatever be the circumstances outside - that is the first sign.

'''Secondly''': he becomes totally unselfish, because to see a God or Goddess is to feel that the whole universe is nothing but - manifestation of God - so he becomes unselfish.

'''Third characteristic''': they love ,without any stint. A mother loves a baby or children because they are "my children." But in this person's case, it is completely unselfish love —so, it just flows, like the wind blows without stop - so completely, unselfish love.

'''Fourth is''': there is nothing they cannot sacrifice as a result of that love. They can give up their very lives.
----

== The Story of Dadhīci ==
I will tell you a small story and I will be talking only like this. So, once there was a fight between Gods and Demons. As usual, the Demons were about to overcome the Gods, and the King of the Gods was Indra. And he understood, that is why he was a king, very intelligent — "I cannot defeat them because I do not have sufficient weapons." Then somebody advised him that there was a great Ṛṣi, a Brahma Jñānī, and that he should approach him and ask him to give up his life, saying: "Out of your backbone, I will make a marvellous, irresistible weapon." His name was Dadhīci.

So Indra approached him — because even these people, they are not (necessarily) spiritual people, but they obtained their positions because of doing some good actions. They may not be spiritual people, but they are good people. They had faith in God. They performed rituals many times. As a result, they acquired merit. As a result, they went to higher Lokas, as we have seen in the Taittirīya. And one of them's merit was so great, he became a leader of all the Gods, called Indra. Indra means — it is a title ,like Prime Minister, like President.

So immediately Indra took his vehicle Airāvata — a huge elephant, which can travel at the speed of mind — and came to Dadhīci, fell flat, and as a beggar said: "Mahārṣi, this is our condition. We have been advised , if you can give up your body, then your body is so powerful, out of the backbone of your physical body, I can fashion one weapon, and nobody can resist that weapon."

Immediately , you know what happened? Dadhīci was so glad. "At least this physical body — anyway I am old and it is going to fall off itself , very soon —but that this could be put in the service of Gods, that is the greatest joy!" — and willingly, he entered into yoga and offered himself.

Pav Hari Baba , just to remind you —used to perform homas, and he entered willingly; he did everything, poured a lot of ghee, and he went and sat down in the midst of the fire and was consumed by that fire. And by the burning smell of the human body, people those who were living at some distance, came to know he had offered himself. That is called ''svayam āhuti'' — he offered himself. Yogīs can do that, and it is not a sinful thing on their behalf.

So Dadhīci gave up. Then out of his backbone somebody fashioned, and that is the most powerful weapon called Vajrāyudha , and with that, he was able to defeat the demons.
----

== Summary of the Four Characteristics ==
So this is a story that goes that - the four characteristics of a person who has experienced God — but to some extent, the same thing can be also predicted of people who have visions of Gods like Sarasvatī, like Mahālakṣmī, like Nārāyaṇa, like Śiva, etc. They can obtain extraordinary boons, but the most important thing is , their whole character will be totally changed.

So what is it? These people who have experienced God: they are ever happy; they become most unselfish; their love is unlimited and equal to everybody; and they are ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of anybody. They don't expect anything. Whether you deserve it or not, they are ready to give.

And to the extent, a person progresses in spiritual life, he also develops these four qualities. That is why Śaṅkarācārya's commentary at the end of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā — on the subject called the characteristics of a realized soul, samadhiman puruusha , '''sthitaprajña'' '— is beautifully commented upon. And at the end Śaṅkara says: what comes so very naturally to a realized soul must be assiduously acquired by aspiring spiritual seekers.

You apply these four — whether to Rāmakṛṣṇa, Holy Mother, Swami Vivekananda, the direct disciples, Jesus Christ, Buddha, or great saints — every religion is still alive today not because of the mullāhs or priests , pujārīs, but because of the saints. So that is most important.
----

== The Subject for the Next Class ==
So what is the subject which we will have to discuss in our next class? That how do we know that Veda is really true. And in that context only, I am just reminding you: Swami Vivekananda said , that knowledge which we can never obtain through our five sense organs — with all the available. or would-be-available with future instruments — that is called Veda. And only those portions of the Vedas which give us that knowledge — that alone is to be considered as Veda.

If in the Bible, in the Qurān, in the Vedas, you see so many stories — they are called ''Arthavādas'', of which we will talk in our next class. They are just to motivate us, to make us enthusiastic and hopeful. But they have nothing to do with real , super-sensory knowledge.

So there are so many schools of philosophy before the present time. And at present, they are all called Vedānta. But Vedānta doesn't mean only Advaita Vedānta. Dvaita Vedānta, dualistic philosophy, qualified non-dualistic philosophy called Viśiṣṭādvaita, and non-dualistic philosophy called Advaita — they are gradually ascending levels of experience or progress we can see. And finally, the conclusion is: to know that 'I am Brahman', and to remain with that knowledge — unbroken knowledge — that is called the final ascent to the highest realization.

Beautiful concepts are given. We are very thankful to Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya. We will talk about Veda Pramāṇa — that means, whether the Bible is really an authority, is it coming from God? If it is coming from God, which part is coming from God and which part is inserted by human beings for the glorification or selfish purposes - that is what is called interpolation, and the consequences of which are beyond anybody's imagination — rivers of blood have flown by human interruption.

So we will talk about these subjects in our next class.
----

== Closing Prayer ==
''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.

'''Jai Ramakrishna!'''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Introduction Lecture 02 on 25 January 2026

2026-05-25T18:43:11Z

Sachidanand: Added Sanskrit lyrics, words missed and corrected a few minor errors

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

= Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Introduction and Commentary =

== Opening Invocation ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

''Om Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate''

''Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣhyate''

''Om Śānti Śānti Śānti''

Om, that Brahman is infinite and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone. Om Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

== Introduction to the Upanishad ==
We started the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. Yesterday I gave you considerable amount of introduction, and today we will take up the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad itself.

Let us recollect: Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad belongs to the Śukla Yajur Veda, and the author is Yājñavalkya. He obtained this entire Veda, the White Yajur Veda, by the grace of Sūrya Deva. Sūrya Deva is also equated with Īśvara because he is the giver of life. Giver of light means giver of life. He is both the subject as well as the object.

So this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is one of the not only biggest but I would say the best of all the Upaniṣads. Why? Because every idea that we get in any other Upaniṣad is also available here and in greater detail, and also what we do not get elsewhere, we get here and crystal clearly.

== The Three Kāṇḍas (Sections) ==
So this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad has got six chapters, but it can be divided into three parts.

=== 1. Madhu Kāṇḍa (The Honey Section) ===
What is the first part? It is called Madhu Kāṇḍa. Kāṇḍa means a section, chapter. So here Kāṇḍa is a chapter and Brāhmaṇa is a section. Now in this Madhu Kāṇḍa are the chapters called Madhu.

The word madhu means honey. What is honey? That in this world everything is Brahman, and Brahman is manifesting both as the subject as well as the object. Everything is a subject and everything is an object at the same time. There is an interrelation between the subject and the object.

Not only that, there is an interrelationship between every little thing in this Sṛṣṭi, manifested world. And as the scientific saying goes, if a butterfly flutters its wings here, there would be alteration in the course of the stars. This may not be an exact phrase, but very nearly that.

So we may wonder: how can this tiny insect's fluttering alter the course of those stars which in their turn, when they alter their course, you will have to understand what tremendous cataclysmic effect it can have on the entire creation.

==== Universal Interdependence ====
So this Madhu Kāṇḍa wants to prove to us what is called the interrelationship not only between the subject and object but between everything in this world. Is there a relationship between the iceberg which are found in the northern side, arctic area? Yes. If that ice starts melting, cataclysmic changes in temperatures take place all over at least our known world. So that is the effect. Everything is totally interdependent.

And what is it that we want? Why are we dependent? Because everybody wants Ānanda. In fact everybody wants three things: Sat, Cit and Ānanda. I want to be. I do not want not to be. Then I want to know. My infinite mind wants to know infinite, wants to have infinite knowledge. When a mind attains to that infinity, it cannot be called a mind any longer. It has to be called Īśvara, Sarvajña or Brahman.

Of course we all want Ānanda. What is Ānanda? Ānanda not limited by time, space and causation. That is called Ānanda. What is Sukha? That which is the Ānanda, which is limited by time, space and causation is called Sukha. And if it is more Sukha, it means less Duḥkha. If it is less Sukha, means more Duḥkha. This is how we have to equate.

==== Madhu Kāṇḍa as Upadeśa Kāṇḍa ====
And this first Kāṇḍa, chapter Madhu Kāṇḍa, the primary teaching is called Upadeśa. That is why it is also known as Upadeśa Kāṇḍa—the chapter giving Upadeśa. Upadeśa means spiritual teaching. And what is the spiritual teaching? That which leads finally to the knowledge of Brahman.

So Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad as well as some other Upaniṣads also—because the basic ideas are there practically in every Upaniṣad. For example, ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं , the very first mantra in the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: that Īśvara, the ruler, he alone is manifesting as this entire world. Just as an example, clay alone is manifesting as any number of its products—small, big, different sizes, different shapes, different capacities, different even colors, etc.

You know, you are familiar, many sādhus, they take, there is a particular type of clay and if they melt it, put it in the water, it takes on the colour of the ochre. And in that, when white cloths are dipped, they also become colored. So different coloured earths are there. Nowadays people are discovering this earth has rare minerals and rare things that are needed by the most modern technical objects to create a mobile phone or to create a chip. These rare earths, rare materials, it is all nothing but pure earth.

But the point is not that. The point is that the earth cannot be existing without depending upon Brahman in the form of the sun. So the relationship between them is so: the benefactor, supporter, unsupported. So madhu, the word madhu means that one.

==== The Principle of Harmony ====
And whenever we are in harmony, in relationship, harmony always means relationship. When we are in harmony: first of all, body-mind harmony. Second, the individual and also the body, physical body also must be in harmony with the entire nature. Then this individual called a combination of body and mind complex along with consciousness must be in favourable relationship with everything in this world. Whether it is earth, water or fire—everything is necessary. So oxygen, air and space.

What happens? Without understanding this, when we pollute it, the consequences—like a person spitting into the space, it falls on his own head. This is what we need to understand this. So everything depends upon everybody else. And as I mentioned yesterday, all that relationships are categorized as five. And is a constant, life is a constant receiving and giving. And we are receiving and we do not wish to give.

And voluntarily to give after understanding this fact is called a यज्ञ (Yajña) a sacrifice. So पञ्च महायज्ञ (Pañca Mahā Yajña). So this is the first Kāṇḍa. And this is also compared to Śravaṇa.

Because once only we understand this, that I cannot be existing, I cannot be having knowledge, I cannot be happy unless I am in very close relationship, harmonious relationship with everything else in this world. Even the slightest differentiation can create big problems. Then if I understand this and transform our life, my life, then I will be the happiest person. But the purpose of all this harmony is to lead us to that ultimate Brahmajñānam. And that is the Upadeśa. One gets it. This is how the first part of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is divided.

=== 2. Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa or Muni Kāṇḍa ===
The second part is called Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa, or it is also called Muni Kāṇḍa. Yājñavalkya is the main teacher here throughout this second part, second chapter. And he is also called a Muni.

Yājñavalkya was an enlightened Ṛṣi, but he was leading a householder's life. We will come to the details later on. But he gradually progressed and he wanted to enter into Sannyāsa Āśrama. And that proves that the whole Hindu's life as per the teaching of the Vedas is to go step after step towards self-knowledge.

==== The Four Āśramas ====
So we have to confine ourselves to the first stage, learning stage as I said, Brahmacarya Āśrama, Gṛhastha Āśrama—practicing stage and experiencing stage. Third stage is the stage of withdrawal from the external and identifying with the internal. This is corresponding to the Vānaprastha Āśrama.

And finally when we are ready, we enter into that state of कैवलत्वम् (Kevalatvaṃ)—that is aloneness. That is identity with the universal self. No differentiation at all. Pure non-duality. That is called Sannyāsa Āśrama.

And Yājñavalkya beautifully illustrates this Sannyāsa Varṇa Sannyāsa Dharma through his life practically. That's what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had done, if we have the capacity to understand his life properly.

==== Manana and the Path to Śraddhā ====
So in this particular second chapter called Munikāṇḍa, after hearing, what is the next step? Manana. After Śravaṇa comes Manana. So the Manana has to be done. What is Manana? Removing any possible doubt.

And when all doubts are removed, we are convinced of the truth. That is called removal of doubt. If we still doubt, that's not conviction. That is not Śraddhā. When we succeed in that Manana stage, then we will be possessed or Śraddhā possesses us. Then our whole goal of life will be only towards Brahma Vidyā.

So this is also called, as I said, Munikāṇḍa, Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa. But not only this one Kāṇḍa—the entire Śukla Yajur Veda is attributed to Yājñavalkya. So it is also called Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā. So Vājasaneyī, that is, since he obtained this knowledge from the Sūrya Bhagavān. Saṃhitā means his experiences elucidated through statements.

So Yājñavalkya is the main Guru and he has debates over many—not ordinary scholars, but sādhakas in themselves. But he clears their doubts, helps them from wherever, where they are, to move forward to higher state. That is the second part.

=== 3. Khila Kāṇḍa (The Supplementary Section) ===
And then we come to the third part. It is called Khila Kāṇḍa. So in this part, we get many, many karmas, upāsanas especially, and rituals. It is called Khila Kāṇḍa because Khila means a compilation of many, many topics.

For example, how a husband and wife can convert their union into one of the greatest yajñas. So creation of a child is one of the greatest yajñas—whether we understand it or not. How much father and mother had to labor just so that their children grow up and try to become worthy. Parents can only try that much. But the sacrifice, their selfishness for the sake of the children is a great sacrifice.

But that's a lower meaning. Higher meaning is: because they are my children, I am instinctively sacrificing myself. That is what animals also do. Now, consciously, I convert into a spiritual practice. So, this is also included in this third part, which is called Khila Kāṇḍa.

==== Hindu Saṃskāras ====
So everything in life, right from birth until death—Hindu Saṃskāras, we call them. The whole life is full of sacraments. What is a sacrament? That which makes us sacred, pure, gradually takes us towards our goal, which is, in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words, God realization. That is called a sacrament. And there are many sacraments, but usually around 40 plus are counted—42 according to some. And there are some special textbooks which deal only with Hindu Saṃskāras.

==== Understanding Upāsana ====
So there are also various Upāsanas. We have dealt with this. What is Upāsana? That which takes us nearer to our own self. That is called an Upāsana. And we have to speak a little bit more about it, which we will do that when we are discussing the meaning of the word Upaniṣhad. Because Upāsana, Upavāsa, Upasādana—that is approaching the Guru, fasting, Upa, Upa is a prefix.

In a language, there are prefixes and also postfixes. And that enhances the meaning of the word or sometimes alters the meaning of the word. For example, Aśhoka was a great soul. He was full of sorrow, but he overcame following the teachings of Buddha. So that Śhoka turned into Aśhoka—that means Great Bliss. Śhoka, Aśhoka, Hiṃsā, Ahiṃsā, etc.

So these Khilakāṇḍa is like various baskets and having various mixed objects, grains, food materials, etc. They are not arranged in a systematic manner. Such supplementary sections are also called Anubandhās, appear in various parts of the Vedas. They are usually called appendices.

== Structure of the Upaniṣad ==
So each section, we said three chapters and each of these again sub-divided into two chapters. So Bṛhadāraṇyaka has a total of six chapters. Each chapter contains several sections and every section contains several mantras, and these sections are called Brāhmaṇa. We should not misunderstand the caste Brāhmaṇa, but as a section, a chapter sub-divided into sections.

== The Meaning of Bṛhadāraṇyaka ==
Now what is the meaning of this word Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣhad? First we will take out Bṛhadāraṇyaka. Bṛhad means huge. Āraṇyaka means a forest. So the name of this Upaniṣad is Bṛhadāraṇyaka.

=== Bṛhat - The Vast ===
So Bṛhat means very, very, very big. And really it is one of the biggest of the Upaniṣhads, and even the commentary of Śrī Śaṅkarāchārya upon this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is also the largest—even slightly larger than Chāndogya Upaniṣad. Chāndogya Upaniṣad is the next largest Upaniṣhad that we get.

So this Bṛhadāraṇyaka is large—we can understand it in two ways. It is large in size and large also in quality. Quality means the highest spiritual teachings we find them here. In fact that what we call:

असतो मा सद्गमय ।

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।

मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय ॥

''Asato mā sad gamaya''

''Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya''

''Mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya''

These three mantras are called Abhyāroha Mantras—gradually moving from a lower step to the highest step. First we make our life healthy and strong, and secondly we use this life to obtain more and more true knowledge. And even a true knowledge of the world helps us in spiritual life.

Once we come to know everything in this world is changing, Nitya not dependable, then our mind becomes anxious to find out something upon which we can without any doubt depend. Of course once we know who we are, we are Brahmānanda Svarūpa. So then not only in the teaching but in size also—that is why this is called Bṛhadāraṇyaka.

Bṛhat—that is the meaning we discussed. So in this Upaniṣad we see that a distilled teaching of Vedānta is available.

=== Āraṇyaka - The Forest Teaching ===
Next word is Āraṇyaka. So Āraṇyaka means—you know when after Gṛhasthāśrama a sincere true Hindu retires, then as a preparation for Sannyāsa he wants to go to a solitary place or a forest. Forest in the olden days: outside you step outside their villages you find huge tracts of forest, and there it is not that every forest is infested with dangerous animals.

There are so many forests where it is very peaceful and of course there will be some animals, birds, insects—everything will be there. It is full of life but danger is very, very less. Everywhere there will be danger, no doubt about it. Every forest is not crawling with ferocious mammoth tigers and mammoth elephants. If somebody fears snakes he perceives snakes everywhere.

So because these profound truths require that solitude and no disturbance, Araṇya is a place where there is so much of solitude available and it also supplies most often roots and fruits and vegetables which can improve our sattva guṇa but at the same time very healthy also. And many ṛṣis and munis used to dwell there living a very simple life, cultivating whatever is available there very easily, not laboring the whole day. And rest of the time they used to hear, discuss—sometimes alone, sometimes in groups, most often in groups, most often under the guidance of a loving competent teacher—and preparatory for Sannyāsa life.

Saṃnyāsins also they also live in forest usually. So that is why Araṇya means forest, Āraṇyaka means that knowledge where people strive to obtain in forest areas. That is why it is called Āraṇyaka. And it is also studied in the vānaprastha state, in Āraṇyaka state. It is not meant for household—they have to live in a place where they can labor, they can earn money and they can educate their children, they can interact with society and carry on numerous activities but all as directed by this scripture, as guided: do this and don't do this.

We got this glimpse of it in brief in the eleventh section of the first chapter of Taittirīya Upaniṣad called Śikṣā Valli.

==== Forest Life and Spiritual Practice ====
So normally ritualistic parts of the Veda belong to the Gṛhastha, but the Āraṇyaka part belongs to vānaprastha because it is a preparation to progress into Sannyāsa state. But there are so many Upāsanas, and these Upāsanas can be done when we are not disturbed and they have to be practiced for a long, long time.

But if you still remember we see Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa that how Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is at night: as soon as the temple is closed he will run towards that Pañcavaṭī area which is a mini forest and full of snakes and people believed full of ghosts also because remember it was a crematorium, Muslim crematorium, belonged to a purchased by an Anglo Indian and Rāṇī Rāsmaṇi purchased it.

There it is a quite a big area now because of the huge buildings, shops, malls, everything that came, the whole beauty is completely destroyed. But even when my first visit to Dakhṣiṇeśvara was so memorable, there were very, very few shops, they were at a distance on the way to the temple. But once we enter into the temple compound it is all only those three buildings and then full of this ponds and other that forest area.

So Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to enter there and spend practically whole night until the time came for him to again do, take up his duties in the temple. And Hṛday as we know tried to disturb him and you have to recollect that incident.

==== The Upāsana Kāṇḍa ====
So in this Upāsana Kāṇḍa, meditative practice—so here the Vānaprasthis attain concentration, expansion, then their understanding becomes deep and that is where they do the Manana or deep thinking so that is how slowly the desire, the faith in God increases. As the faith in God increases the desire for the realization of God: He is my mother, my father, my guru, my friend, my well-wisher, everything. I don't have anybody in this world.

Here after attaining mental maturity, a person by this—maybe the same guru is initiated into the Vedāntic three-stepped sādhana: Śravaṇa, Manana, Nididhyāsana. And here Śravaṇa has a special meaning: not merely listening to the Upaniṣads etc., but obtained from a qualified teacher and given only to a qualified student—Mahāvākya Śravaṇa—and finding out usually to which Veda the guru belongs or the guru tradition belongs.

So each guru accepting one—one guru, one—sorry one, one Veda, and every Veda as we discussed has a special Mahāvākya. So for example this Yajur Veda has got अहं ब्रह्मास्मि (''Aham Brahmāsmi)'' etc. So that is the mantra given is also compared to a Āraṇyaka state because that is, everything is given up. Sannyāsa means complete transference of one's body, mind to God. That is called Sannyāsa.

== The Nature of Ṛṣis and Sannyāsa ==
And there were many individual Ṛṣis. In fact throughout every teaching of the Veda is nothing but a revelation by one spiritually advanced Ṛṣi or other. That is why it is called Ṛṣi: Ṛṣati Jānāti—one who realized a small bit of the Brahma Jñānam, and that is because the mind can—mind is limited so it can only grasp to its full.

Like an ant, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa compares them to an ant. It just takes one grain of sugar and it fills its stomach and then it takes one and then it thinks: next time I will come, I will carry the whole sugar hill which is never possible. It is like you touch any part of the ocean or Gaṅgā river, you have touched the entire ocean, entire Gaṅgā.

So once we have that idea that I am Brahman, that's it. No more. Afterwards if the body remains, such a person will be known as Jīvanmukta. And then he is specially controlled and regulated by Brahman himself in the form of Īśvara for the good of the world. Whether he does anything consciously or not, every breath of his will be for the welfare of the world. This is the power of vibrations.

=== Two Types of Sannyāsa ===
So a Saṃnyāsī—here we have to understand there were so many Ṛṣis who were realized souls. Yājñavalkya himself was not only a married person, he had two wives, but he was a Vidvat Saṃnyāsī. Sannyāsa is divided into two categories: Vividiṣa Sannyāsa and Vidvat Sannyāsa.

'''Vividiṣa Sannyāsa''' means one takes up Sannyāsa in a proper manner if there are no unavoidable responsibilities for the sake of progressing in spiritual life to obtain Brahma Jñānam. So he doesn't have Brahma Jñānam but he wants to obtain Brahma Jñānam. He is very keen to obtain. Vividiśa means to know and to realize Brahman, that deep desire. So that Īśa means desire: Bubhukṣā—desire to eat, Pipāsā—the desire to drink, Jijñāsā—desire to know. So Vividiśa—desire to know, to have Brahma Jñānam.

But the higher—as he progresses one day he realizes, then he becomes a Vidvat, means a realized soul. So Yājñavalkya was such a realized soul. Still he wanted to make that Sannyāsa ideal, there was no need for him to take Sannyāsa. Śrī Rāmakṛiṣṇa had no need to take Sannyāsa. Similarly Jesus Christ, Buddha or Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they had, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa , they had no need to become Saṃnyāsīs. Kṛṣṇa was a householder Brahma Jñānī, Rāma was a householder Brahma Jñānī.

But some people take for the sake of establishing an ideal and keeping it bright. That's why Swami Sāradānandaji says in his ''Great Master'' that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa even though he was a married person, he took Sannyāsa and yet kept Holy Mother by his side because he was a Brahma Jñānī, true knower of Brahman—very interesting.

=== Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Example ===
Because Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa specifically asked, "I am a married person." Totāpuri replied, "If you are a Brahma Jñānī, then these relationships will all be burned by the knowledge of Brahman." That's why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa wanted to test himself: whether I am a real Brahmajñānī or not. He found out through testing that his mind never wants to come down from that state of Brahman—only with great difficulty a little bit he will come down.

How much he will come down? If we have to have faith in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words: the person whose Kuṇḍalinī has risen to Sahasrāra, whose Jīvātmā became merged in with Śiva in Sahasrāra Cakra or thereafter, his mind can come down at best to the level of Anāhata Cakra, the heart Cakra—not more than that. It won't come below, because below means is not a non-spiritual state is called the three lower Cakras.

=== Householder Saṃnyāsīs ===
So these Saṃnyāsins, Gṛhastha Saṃnyāsins—that is, Sannyāsa is mental state, not a physical state. Some people take physical Sannyāsa when opportunity comes: they have no responsibilities, probably is not married, parents are dead and family is being looked after by others or there is none. He says, "Why should I waste my time in this world state? Let me take Sannyāsa and devote my life exclusively to a spiritual, to spiritual practice."

But many of the householders—for example, Nāga Mahāśaya was more than a monk as far as far as we know. Holy Mother never took physical Sannyāsa even though we should not think she is the Divine Mother, but from ordinary point of view she was the greatest householder Saṃnyāsinī, no doubt about it.

So there are so many householders who lived absolutely—even M lived like a Saṃnyāsī but fulfilling the commandment of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa to distribute among thirsting spiritual aspirants what little he had understood. But he lived—I will give a small example even though I had given it earlier.

==== M's Example of Detachment ====
Once a senior Swāmī—and of course our senior Swāmī is very much a junior to M who was very much older—and they wanted to keep company of M. Why? Because M never speaks any worldly thing. He speaks only what he understood, what he heard from Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. He was also deeply learned man. He was a scholar in Bhāgavatam. That's why he named the very gospel as Kathāmṛta. That word Kathāmṛta I had taken from the Gopī Gīta:

तव कथामृतं तप्तजीवनं कविभिरीडितं कल्मषापहम् ।

श्रवणमङ्गलं श्रीमदाततं भुवि गृणन्ति ये भूरिदा जनाः ॥

''Tava Kathamritam Taptajīvanaṃ Kavibhir īḍitam Kalmaṣāpaham''

''Śravaṇamaṅgalaṃ Śrīmadātataṃ Bhuvī Grinanti ye Bhūridā Janāḥ''

So this Swāmī—I forget his name, he was elderly Swāmī—he visited one day all of a sudden. There was nothing called a phone and visits, and then M immediately with a joyful face came and he received him and then took him to his drawing room, visitor's room. And according to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's instruction, every sādhu, every devotee must be offered a bit of sweet or at least water. So he offered some sweets and some water.

And then the Swāmī later on was recollecting, "I noticed so many people coming into the house and going out of the house and he heard also loud weeping." He asked him, "What is that weeping for?" And then you know what M replied, without the least bit of change in his very serene spiritual face, "Oh Swāmī, in householder's life so many ups and downs will be there and please do not pay attention to them. Let us talk joyfully about Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa." And then they spoke for some time.

Of course we have to understand M was the speaker because he was considered as Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's representative. So after that the Swāmī went away but he came to know one of the children of M died that previous night or that day. But the serenity and the face of M never wavered because he understood the instruction of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "Live like a maid servant in a rich man's house."

So most of the people can be sannyāsins even while living in the household. No need to take external, but if somebody is free, if they want they can take Sannyāsa. And both Vānaprasthis and the renunciates they prefer to live in undisturbing places. That is why it is also called Āraṇyaka. Araṇya also means cultivating complete detachment by being away from worldly affairs which would be easier rather than being in the midst of worldly situations—try to cultivate detachment which will be very difficult.

That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to advise his devotees: now and then go into solitude.

== The Meaning of Upaniṣad ==
Now what is the meaning of Upaniṣhad? So Śhaṅkarācārya gives us beautiful explanation. This word Upaniṣhad is equivalent to Brahma Vidyā. How do we come to that? So according to Śhaṅkara this word Upaniṣad is divided into three parts: Upa, Ni and Sad. Sad is the root. Ni and Upa are the prefixes.

So these indicate that this Upaniṣhad helps us in gaining Brahma Vidyā and all the rules, practices required to attain that Brahma Vidyā and how one should get that Brahma Vidyā, the methodology.

=== The Root 'Sad' - Destruction ===
So let us look briefly at three of these things. Sad means that which destroys. What does this, we are talking about the Upaniṣhad or the knowledge, precisely the knowledge—not the book but what the book teaches. And that is Brahma Vidyā. If heard, if thought deeply and accordingly transform our lives, then it will give us the knowledge: I am what I am seeking. That is called ''Aham Brahmāsmi''.

And when a person attains to this state, two things will happen:

'''First:''' Avidyā, ignorance. What is ignorance? "I am not Brahman", that is ignorance, is destroyed. "I am Brahman"- is automatically revealed.

'''Second:''' So destruction of the ignorance, destruction of the result of ignorance which is called Tāpatraya, threefold suffering, and automatically—we don't need to do anything to obtain the knowledge "I am Brahman" because I am Brahman—and that is called liberation.

So ब्रह्माविद्या नशे संसार कार्य नाशः (''Brahma Avidyā Naśe Saṃsāra Kārya Nāśaḥ''.) So once the ignorance regarding Brahman is totally annihilated, destroyed, its result which is called Saṃsāra, that is the effect, is also completely destroyed.

=== The Analogy of the Rope and Snake ===
As an analogy, when light is brought, first of all the notion that this is a snake, and that is called Avidyā, and the result is fear, palpitation, heart attack—that also will be destroyed simultaneously. We don't need to say the result is to know that it is a snake. There is no need, because when Avidyā is removed we know instinctively what it is, what I am. And when the cause is destroyed, the effect also gets destroyed simultaneously.

So (with) cause destroyed, effect also is destroyed. So this Brahma Avidyā gives us two fruits:

'''Pratyakṣa phalam''' - destroys ignorance as well as its result which is suffering.

'''Parokṣa phalam''' - it immediately liberates us and makes us know, automatically without any effort, that I am Brahman.

Just as light, is brought into a dark room, it destroys the darkness and there is no need to say "you reveal." That is not a second act. Its purpose is remove the darkness, remove the ignorance of what things are there. Both take up, take place simultaneously and we know what are the things that are already there—just as an example.

=== The Two Results of Brahma Vidyā ===
So destruction of the ignorance and its effect and revelation, automatic revelation - that I was free, I am free, I will be free. These are the two results of this Brahma Vidyā and that is what the root meaning of Sad - complete, non-returnable, non-repeatable because it won't come again, of the destruction of Avidyā.

Beautiful thoughts are there. We will talk about them in our next class.

== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

''Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh''

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.

'''Jai Ramakrishna!'''
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]