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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 1.1-3 Lecture 43 on 20 June 2026

Gayatri — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:46:59 GMT

The Progress Made

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 Introduction Lecture 42 on 14 June 2026

Gayatri — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:26:43 GMT

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad Example

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	In the same way, we are talking about Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda. So '''Virocana was a follower of Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda:''' "Make everything proper, rest properly, eat properly, enjoy properly, and that is all; nothing else is there." These are called Cārvākas or materialists. But Indra at first thought like that, so he must have gone through this stage. Because the Chāndogya Upaniṣad in the eighth chapter does not tell us, but my interpretation would be: Indra returned home, enjoyed bodily happiness, found his quest was not fulfilled. Then he came back again, and further purification was necessary—another thirty-two years, like that three times. '''Then he was told the second: "The whole world is like a dream." That corresponds roughly to Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda.''' But '''even that Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda is not complete;''' there also changes will be there. Therefore again Indra came back, and another thirty-two years. Then he thought '''Prajāpati taught him the third highest stage—that is called Eka-Jīva Vāda''': '''in ''Suṣupti'', I am alone'''. When I remove my mind, the entire world disappears. I am the only one who is present. I am the only ''jīva''. Why do I call myself as a ''jīva''? '''Because I have not become really enlightened and not realised my true nature; therefore, I am still a ''jīva''.''' But fortunately, from infinite numbers of ''jīvas'', I progressed to one ''jīva'' in Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda stage.		In the same way, we are talking about Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda. So '''Virocana was a follower of Sṛṣṭi-Dṛṣṭi Vāda:''' "Make everything proper, rest properly, eat properly, enjoy properly, and that is all; nothing else is there." These are called Cārvākas or materialists. But Indra at first thought like that, so he must have gone through this stage. Because the Chāndogya Upaniṣad in the eighth chapter does not tell us, but my interpretation would be: Indra returned home, enjoyed bodily happiness, found his quest was not fulfilled. Then he came back again, and further purification was necessary—another thirty-two years, like that three times. '''Then he was told the second: "The whole world is like a dream." That corresponds roughly to Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda.''' But '''even that Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda is not complete;''' there also changes will be there. Therefore again Indra came back, and another thirty-two years. Then he thought '''Prajāpati taught him the third highest stage—that is called Eka-Jīva Vāda''': '''in ''Suṣupti'', I am alone'''. When I remove my mind, the entire world disappears. I am the only one who is present. I am the only ''jīva''. Why do I call myself as a ''jīva''? '''Because I have not become really enlightened and not realised my true nature; therefore, I am still a ''jīva''.''' But fortunately, from infinite numbers of ''jīvas'', I progressed to one ''jīva'' in Dṛṣṭi-Sṛṣṭi Vāda stage.

	So this person wants to experience and move further. Then he analyses his deep sleep state, which corresponds to '''Ajātavāda.''' So long as we are in deep sleep state, no world exists. I am only conscious of my own pure self without a second. Therefore, when there is no second, there are no dualities like happiness and unhappiness, heat and cold, victory and defeat, profit and loss. All these will totally disappear in deep sleep state, and there is unbroken bliss so long as it lasts. And I am conscious of it—that is why, without being conscious, I cannot say, "I was very happy." So '''''sukham aham asvāpsam (सुखमहमस्वाप््सम्)'''''—"I slept very happily throughout the deep sleep state." '''''Na kiñcid avediṣam न किञ्चित्आवेदिषं''—'''"I did not know anything about this world."['''Vichara sagaram in sanskrit ,dvitiya taranga, passage 97''',purvapaksha in commentary] And this utterance comes only after the world comes into view upon waking up. But this analysis makes this sādhaka understand: probably like this deep sleep state, I was never born; the world never existed; maybe I am mistaking it. So there is no creation, there is no ''jīva'', there is no ''baddha'' (bound soul), there is no effort for liberation, and there is nobody who becomes liberated. In the second chapter of the '''Māṇḍūkya Kārikā, I''' think '''verse number thirty-two, we get this'''		So this person wants to experience and move further. Then he analyses his deep sleep state, which corresponds to '''Ajātavāda.''' So long as we are in deep sleep state, no world exists. I am only conscious of my own pure self without a second. Therefore, when there is no second, there are no dualities like happiness and unhappiness, heat and cold, victory and defeat, profit and loss. All these will totally disappear in deep sleep state, and there is unbroken bliss so long as it lasts. And I am conscious of it—that is why, without being conscious, I cannot say, "I was very happy." So '''''sukham aham asvāpsam (सुखमहमस्वाप््सम्)'''''—"I slept very happily throughout the deep sleep state." '''''Na kiñcid avediṣam न किञ्चित्आवेदिषं''—'''"I did not know anything about this world."['''Vichara sagaram in sanskrit ,dvitiya taranga, passage 97titled swayam prakashepi brahmanyagyanopapatti''',purvapaksha in commentary] And this utterance comes only after the world comes into view upon waking up. But this analysis makes this sādhaka understand: probably like this deep sleep state, I was never born; the world never existed; maybe I am mistaking it. So there is no creation, there is no ''jīva'', there is no ''baddha'' (bound soul), there is no effort for liberation, and there is nobody who becomes liberated. In the second chapter of the '''Māṇḍūkya Kārikā, I''' think '''verse number thirty-two, we get this'''

	'''न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः ।'''		'''न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः ।'''

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 1.1-3 Lecture 43 on 20 June 2026

Gayatri — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:13:19 GMT

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 60 on 16 August 2026

Bhama — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:59:04 GMT

The Progress of Bhakti

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 60 on 16 August 2026

Bhama — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:48:15 GMT

Created page with "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 पूर्ण..."

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 59 on 15 August 2026 Q&A

Bhama — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:34:12 GMT

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[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 117 Summary on 12 August 2026

Bhama — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:23:13 GMT

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Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 117 Summary on 12 August 2026

Bhama — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:17:18 GMT

Created page with "Full Transcript (Not Corrected) == Opening Prayer (Śānti Pāṭha) == ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu ॐ सह नाववतु । सह नौ..."

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== Opening Prayer (Śānti Pāṭha) ==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum

pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ हरि ॐ

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

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

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

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

OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL

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

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deviṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu

'''May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!'''
[[Category:Taittiriya Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 1.1-3 Lecture 43 on 20 June 2026

Gayatri — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:45:45 GMT

Opening Invocation

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

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

	ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते		'''ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते'''

	पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते		'''पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते'''

	ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः		'''ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः'''

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

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 59 on 15 August 2026

Bhama — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 19:32:41 GMT

Example 10: Sarva – Everything

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.2 4.1-5 Lecture 59 on 15 August 2026

Bhama — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:17:00 GMT

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== 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: Yājñavalkya's Teaching to Maitreyī==
In our last class we have seen how Yājñavalkya started teaching his beloved disciple – no longer a wife, but one of the greatest disciples, equivalent if not more to Janaka Mahārāja. He started teaching about the ''Ātman''.
===Why Should We Love the Ātman?===
One of the very first questions that pops up in our minds can be: Why should we have love for ''Ātman''? We equate, we experience, and we love only what gives us joy. So earlier we have seen how Yājñavalkya wants to identify that ''Ātman'' alone is the true source of every type of joy.
===The Pañcakośa Viewpoint===
So if we look at it from the ''pañcakośa'' viewpoint, whatever happiness we derive from ''anna'' – that is nothing but reflection of ''Brahman''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ''ānanda'' through the ''annamaya kośa''. Similarly, we have to understand about the rest of the four ''kośas'' also: ''prāṇamaya'', ''manomaya'', ''vijñānamaya'', ''ānandamaya''.

But ''kośa'' means limitation. And so we have to go beyond all limitations. We also discussed that if ''Brahman'' is infinite, why are we experiencing limited happiness? And this limitedness of the limited happiness is unlimited.
===Happiness Depends on the Object===
If a person is eating a small bit of a sweet, his happiness would be only a small bit. But if he gets a stomachful of sweets – by sweets I mean any food that gives him greatest joy – we have so much of specification – we want only this if we can get it. Our happiness depends upon how much the object is yielding, both quantitatively as well as qualitatively, and to that extent would be our love for that object.

We do not love the object for its own sake. In fact, if we delve deep into the mysteries of the Vedānta philosophy, even the very existence of any object is derived only from the infinite existence of ''Brahman''.
===Consciousness and Infinity===
Any type of consciousness every living being has – whether that awareness is small or big, for a short duration or long duration – it is also deriving its sustenance only from the infinite consciousness called ''cit''. From ''sat'', from ''cit''. And besides infinity, there cannot be anything else, unlike mathematical infiniteness.

In the knowledge of mathematics, strangely, there can be many varieties of infinitudes. But unlike that, this infinitude of ''Vedānta'' contains every infinitude of the mathematician and much more. In fact, we cannot think about it because our thinking runs through the prism of time, space, and causation, which is highly limited.

The very word "time" means limited, "space" means limited, "causation" means limited. So Yājñavalkya wants to drive this wonderful, ultimate, supreme truth into the mind of each one of us, but through Maitreyī.
===No Bar to Realisation===
And there is another significance: Maitreyī being a woman and being a wife – that is no bar. Age is no bar. Gender is no bar. Time is no bar. Nothing is a bar. If at all there is a bar, there is an obstruction – we are the creators of that obstruction.

But once anyone decides to get out of this limitation, that person can expand himself until he becomes the Infinite, in which case "I" and ''Brahman'', God and "I", do not exist at all. There will be no ''dvaitam'' – ''ekam sat advitīyam''.
===The Medium of Teaching===
So that is the lesson. He himself – Yājñavalkya himself realised – but he wants to convey it through Maitreyī, like Arjuna conveyed his message of the essence of all ''Upaniṣads'' through the ''Bhagavad Gītā''. Yājñavalkya, through the medium of people like Maitreyī, Janaka, and other great seekers of ''Brahman'' in the court of Janaka Mahārāja, wants to teach all of us.
===The Starting Point===
And just as there is a lot of differentiation between the various scholars in the court of Janaka Mahārāja, so there would be vast difference from a just‑born baby to the most ripened old man who spent the whole life in doing ''sādhanā''. We generally say there is infinite amount of difference. So it does not matter – there must be a starting point. The first step has to be taken. That is what Yājñavalkya started.

What did he say? He said: "You analyse your life." He is sending that message to all of us: "You analyse your life, and if you are honest about yourself – how to analyse: What am I doing? What am I thinking? What am I talking?"
===Goals of Thoughts and Actions===
And then these are not without any goals. Every thought that arises has a goal in life, including the most wasteful thought. There is a goal. When a person cannot pass time, he will be thinking all sorts of rubbish.

So what is the purpose? Maybe many times that person is quite aware: "I should not be thinking these thoughts. I should not be speaking about these thoughts." But in spite of being aware, the person helplessly is carried away, as it were, by his own mind.
===Everything Is in the Mind===
Everything is in the mind. Bondage is in the mind, liberation is in the mind, happiness is in the mind, and unhappiness is in the mind. Everything is in the mind. You remove the mind, nothing will be there.

That is what we had discussed: how Ajātaśatru was analysing the state of deep sleep, and when deep sleep can be achieved permanently with full consciousness, then we become knowers of ''Brahman''.
===Why Am I Thinking This Thought?===
So you ask yourself the question: Why am I thinking this thought? Because boredom inflicts injury upon me. I want to counter boredom, so I think a lot of things. I speak a lot of irrelevant things. I do also a lot of irrelevant things.
===The Monkey Mind===
What does a monkey do? Every millisecond it is exhibiting restlessness. And we are no less. And these are not my words – Swami Vivekananda compared every human being, especially the mind, to a monkey.

So he said: "Normal mind is like a monkey's mind – restless. Then it drank – it was drunk with intoxicating liquor. Then it was stung by a scorpion, and it was possessed by a demon. Now, who can describe the condition of that man?"
===Total Identification with the Mind===
Because remember, we may use the word "mind", but we do not know anything else excepting total identification with the mind. "I am happy" – that there is a thought in the mind, and I feel I am happy. Unhappy, restful, restless – that is our condition.
===Why Are We Restless?===
What does Swami Vivekananda mean? By nature, we are restless. And here is the most important point: Why are we restless? Unconsciously. We are restless because we recognise the fact: I do not belong to this world. Nothing in this world belongs to me. And yet I cannot fathom the mystery of this life, this universe.
===The Greek Philosopher===
I am missing something, but I do not know what I am missing. I remember a beautiful Greek philosopher's action. Every day he used to go to a big shopping mall – in our purchases and everything – he goes on going from one department to the other department. So some of his own disciples saw him there and asked: "Sir, you never buy anything. Why do you waste your time visiting this shopping mall?" Then he smiled broadly and said: "I have come to see all the things in this shop without which I can live very happily. I have not found so far a single object without which I cannot live."
===The Pinnacle of Renunciation===
We also live without happiness, but happily I can live without them. This is called the very pinnacle of renunciation. Of course, do not go on to any shopping mall after this and go on seeing how many things I could be without. This is a great lesson we have to learn.
===The Unconscious Search===
So what is this anecdote for? We are completely restless. What for? Our unconscious, irrepressible knowledge that this world does not belong to me. My parents are not here. My source is not here.

And why am I here, roaming about? ''Akāraṇe'' – here, a beautiful word: ''akāraṇa'' means "without any cause." You ask any ordinary man: "Why are you here?" – "Oh, I have come for such and such a purpose."
===The Bhajan – Manohara===
But Swami Vivekananda or somebody composed that most meaningful ''bhajan'': ''Manohara nija niketane, saṃsāra videśe, videśir veśe, bhramo keno akāraṇe'' – "Your dress is complete, not only you are in a foreign land." What is foreign land? The ''anātma'' world, and you are dressed as one of the ''anātmas'' – ''videśir veśe, videśe bhramo keno'' – "Why do you roam about? I do not know why I roam about. If I know why I roam about, I would be the most wonderful person in this world. I am seeking something, but I am not clear with what I am seeking."
===The Real Purpose===
So this is the real purpose. Unconsciously we are seeking our own true nature. Not knowing that, we run – say, husband runs to a wife: "Perhaps I can find myself in this object?" – no? So you apply it to everything else.

So what is it that I am seeking? Myself. And the scripture tells us what we are. What is it? "I am ''ānanda svarūpa'', ''brahmānanda svarūpa''." So that is – we have already seen in the ''Taittirīya Upaniṣad'', second chapter – that the only goal of life is the realisation that I am ''Brahman''.
===Realisation of Brahman===
Realisation of ''Brahman'' means realisation of the knowledge that I am ''Brahman''. There is no other ''Brahman'' excepting Me. And that was the realisation, that is the realisation, that would be the realisation of every knower of ''Brahman'' – put in devotee's language:

You go to Vaikuṇṭha, go to Kailāsa. What is the assumption? "I will be permanently happy, because Nārāyaṇa will protect me there. I will be seeing Nārāyaṇa. I will be experiencing Nārāyaṇa." This is a better word – not "seeing", but "experiencing" Nārāyaṇa. And what is Nārāyaṇa? ''Sat-Cit-Ānanda''. I will be experiencing Śiva, Devī, Paradise, Kingdom of Heaven. That very word – "Kingdom of Heaven", "Paradise" – they all represent only pure unbroken happiness.
===The Source of Happiness===
So we are seeking only happiness, and what is the source of happiness? ''Brahman''. And who is ''Brahman''? Myself. That is the realisation. But what is this world created for? For us to climb to that state – as if I want to play with myself.

I dwell on the roof of a five‑storied house, but I come down to the ground now and then to amuse myself, and then I get tired, I want to rejoin my mother, and I go back. That is the purpose.
===The Final Light===
So what is the final light by which we have to understand this whole section? The ''mantra'' says: "Nobody loves anybody. Everybody loves ''ānanda''." So everybody loves ''ānanda''. ''Ātman'' is of the very nature of ''ānanda''. ''Ātman'' does not have ''ānanda'' – ''Ātman'' is ''ānanda''.

"Having" is a possession, and one who possesses is separate from what is possessed. "I have a house" – but I am not the house. "I have a dress" – I am not the dress. That is how we have to understand.
===Every Object Is a Reflection===
So in this world, no object loves any other object, but every object serves a purpose. What is the purpose? I can look at myself and get glimpses of that nature of mine, because every object is a reflection.

And we have to understand: when we see a good reflection – which means I become happy – that is a good experience. And when it is obscured, I experience suffering, unhappiness – I start counting time.
===Ananda and Time===
I explained earlier that ''ānanda'', bliss, happiness, and time – they do not go together. If you are happy, you transcend time. If you are unhappy, you are counting time. If you have a headache, time passes very slowly. And if you are very happy, time does not exist, because you alone live – that is called "one without a second."
===The Teaching===
So Yājñavalkya wants to teach this: Do not discard any object, saying that "this is ''mithyā'', unreal." No – see, you try to see your reflection and try to awaken yourself, become aware.

If this changeable object can give me so much happiness, even though for a short time – changeable time – how much happiness can I derive if I can get a reflection of myself which will remain permanently?

And ''Brahman'' or God is that mirror in which I get permanent reflection of myself. And once a person gets this permanent reflection, he forgets the reflection and the reflector and remains as himself or herself alone. That is the experience ''Aham Brahmasmi''.
==The Eleven Examples==
With this background, we can very quickly go – as I said earlier in the last class – Yājñavalkya repeats it, giving eleven examples.
===Example 1: Husband and Wife===
We have also discussed: a husband does not love his wife for the sake of the wife. Remember what is the wife? It is a complex of the body, complex of the mind – ''jīvātman''. What happens? Body is changing. Every change brings what is called restlessness within us. So the mind – is it permanent? No, it is also changing. Is the deep sleep permanent? No, that is also changing.

So that is the lesson we have to learn here. And so Yājñavalkya wants to arouse in her: never think that any object is going to give you any happiness. First, no object can give you happiness, but we cannot stop seeking happiness. And the only source – one and only source – of that happiness is only the ''Ātman'', and nothing else.
===A Wife Loves for the Same Reason===
A wife also gives back to her husband this in the same coin that he receives. Do we do it consciously? I would say yes – consciously, mostly unconsciously, but consciously also. How do we do? Because consciously, if we try to get happiness, nobody would ever criticise anybody. Criticism means finding fault; finding fault means "I am not getting what happiness I expected from this object" – as simple as that.
===Example 2: Children and Parents===
The third one is ''putrāṇāṃ kāmāya'' – parents love children, children love parents. So you have to extend that meaning. Friends love friends, etc. So enemies love enemies – beautiful example.

So if there is a common enemy, then his enemies join together and they pretend to love – they pretend, we unite. Really they do not. They want to finish off their opponent, but a single one cannot do it, so they combine together and attempt to try to suppress, oppress, kill, destroy, etc.
===Lessons from History===
And then we have to learn lessons. If only our devotees study a little bit of history – and what does history say? That there is no time when there are no wars. There is no time when people did not oppress, suppress, destroy, kill, loot. History will not tell you that there was a period – sometimes a little bit of time, relatively short bit of time – when there is not that much conflict. But the very conflict is not only outside – between people, between nations – but between even family members.
===The Essence of the Bhagavad Gītā===
That is the essence of the ''Bhagavad Gītā'': the Kauravas represent one end, the Pāṇḍavas represent another end, and it is categorised – the fight between the struggle between the good and the evil. Finally, the good wins. That is why ''satyameva jayate'' – but what they do not put in brackets is: ''satyam'' conquers, gives the result, maybe after a long, long, long time. That we should not forget.
===The Purpose of Creation===
So all this is created by God for us to learn a lesson. You strengthen your muscles of running away, of dispassion, of discrimination by observing these things. And the more you love, the more you have to struggle, suffer to get rid of this attachment. And that loving to the very highest pinnacle is the pre‑condition for turning it towards God.
===Examples from History===
Remember the stories of Bilvamaṅgala, Tulasīdāsa, Ratnākara, Saint Augustine – who led a very irresolute life until his conversion had come. And if we study history, we learn a lot of valuable lessons – a lot.
===Why So Many Examples?===
So Yājñavalkya is citing: why so many examples? Why are the same words repeated? Because our Upaniṣadic ṛṣis had realised a fact: unless we repeat these things several times, the truth does not sink into our unconscious mind. We do not remember it.

So that is why nowadays I am sending the teachings of Bhagavān Buddha. If you notice the linguistic expression, the same idea is expressed in both positive and negative languages, and it is repeated.
===Repetition and Habit===
So many people question themselves: "Why is this man wasting my time?" What he wants to tell is: everything – if anybody is evil, evil will make him get paid back sooner or later. Somebody is righteous, he will enjoy felicity, will enjoy upliftment – but the same thing has to be repeated. How long? Until that sinks into our very unconscious mind, and once an idea enters into the unconscious, in modern language we call it a habit.

What is a habit? That even without thinking, when we think in a way, speak in a way, act in a way – that is called a habit. So that is the purpose. This is no fault of the Upaniṣadic teacher.
===Distractions Then and Now===
And remember, in the olden days – the older time, the further back we go in time – the fewer distractions are there. Nowadays, the greatest enemy, according to Yuval Harari – and which is absolutely true – is social media.
===A Caution About Social Media===
So one just a small precaution here. The social media – like WhatsApp application, etc. – in many cases sends a wrong message. Not only that, according to Harari, the same message is edited to each individual so that it can exert the strongest influence upon that person. Of course, I do not know about it – I have not come across because I do not read your social media. But then, it is possible – probably they are doing it, I do not know. So what would they do? Repeat. Repeat again and again: "This nation is bad, this religion is bad, these leaders are bad, these people are bad." Go on doing it. And what we hear many times looks like obvious truth.

That is why we have to be very cautious – avoid it if possible, or if you want to have WhatsApp applications, messages like what I am sending. But many people, even our own devotees, they take to these WhatsApp application channels. They create their own channels. What type of rubbish – especially meaningless trivial matters – they are posting on their posts, and they want the whole world to notice them. I cannot believe this horror. Our own devotees – I am not talking about any other devotees – Rāmakṛṣṇa Mission devotees – they are sending the most possible rubbish on their channels. Be very careful – at least do not waste your time. As Lāṭumahārāja says: "If you want to waste your time, you go to sleep."
===The Remaining Examples===
Coming back to our subject, I think I have given you enough background.
===Example 3: Possessions (Vitta)===
So ''vittasya kāmāya'' – ''vitta'' means possession. ''Vitta'' means money, but it means possessions. So possessions also – a person loves a possession only because if he can derive, so long as he can derive – and that happiness should be proportionate to his labour – then only he loves it.

Suppose a man has inherited a big house, and then it has become a source – he thinks: "I am very happy." Very soon he realises: it is a big house – so many rooms – and I have to keep it neat and clean; I have to wash it, I have to wipe it, I have to keep it presentable – and it is more than the worth of the labour, and money has to be wasted. So so many people I have seen – they will move especially after retirement, when the children are living separately – then they say this is counterproductive. When they buy a small house and try to accommodate themselves, they are very happy because they do not need that space, and so they do not need to work so much cleaning, etc.

''Vitta'' represents every type of possession, including beauty of the body also – we have to understand – including intelligence of the mind. Maybe a person develops amnesia – what is the use of his previously what he did? Now he cannot remember what he did at all. We see some aged people suffering from it, and we see some young people also deliberately developing that symptom.
===Example 4: Kṣatriya===
Then after ''vitta'', he says ''kṣatrasya''. We have to live in a society – there these Kṣatriyas are more like police or military people – so nobody loves a military just for the sake of what service they are rendering.
===Example 5: The Four Varṇas===
And then we have to understand: Kṣatriya, Brāhmaṇa, Vaiśya, Śūdra – nobody loves anybody.
===Example 6: Worlds (Lokas)===
Then he said ''lokānāṃ kāmāya'' – that is, a man can think: "I love the world – not only this world, ''Svargaloka'', etc." Does he love ''Narakaloka''? No, absolutely no. But he loves ''Svargaloka'', ''Indraloka'' – we have seen nearly I think twelve in the ''Taittirīya Upaniṣad'', second chapter.

But a person ''śrotriyasya akāmatasya'' – they derive the same happiness and much more happiness, because they have identified themselves with the source of happiness – bliss, which is called ''Brahman''. So there is no desire in them, and desire will not stop popping up until we become fulfilled – the source of all ''ānanda''. Every desire is for ''ānanda'' only. Nobody says: "I want to suffer, and so I desire suffering." No – nobody will say that.
===The Different Lokas===
Then ''loka'' means ''Bhūloka'', ''Bhuvarloka'', ''Svargaloka'', ''Satyaloka'', ''Brahmaloka'', ''Indraloka'', ''Bṛhaspatiloka'', ''Varuṇaloka'', etc., etc. No – nobody loves this world or any other world, but if it yields happiness, so long as it yields happiness, he thinks: "I love." That is not love – that is an attachment for the happiness.
===Example 7: Gods (Devatās)===
Then ''devānāṃ kāmāya'' – so many devotees say: "I love God." ''Devānāṃ'' means gods – plural. Hindus especially belong – because other religions do not mention deities, they mention angels, but they do not mention ''devāḥ''. But Hinduism is one religion which says the whole universe is the outcome of five deities: ''Ākāśa Devatā'', ''Vāyu Devatā'', ''Agni Devatā'', ''Jala Devatā'', and ''Pṛthivī Devatā''. And I also explained they are sustaining us every millisecond of our life from birth to death.
===If God Does Not Give Happiness===
Then from the ''devānām'' – and we also can extend it and say not only ''devānām'', but ''deva'' means God – ''Brahman''. Suppose a devotee is praying to God: "Lord, I love You very much, please grant me this and that." God appears – just imagine – and says: "So you believe in Me? Yes. You want Me? Yes. But you know, I have to tell you a truth" – God tells them – "I can give you anything you want, excepting happiness. Let me find out – let you find out and inform me – how many devotees of God will remain there."

We all love God, thinking He will remove all obstacles for our happiness. What we really love is ''Ātman'', and that ''Ātman'' is ''ānanda svarūpa''. If any God turns out to be ''nirānanda svarūpa'' – that is, no happiness, only suffering – then immediately he will divorce from God. So even God – if God does not fulfil my desires, then I am likely to discard Him – and especially God.
===Example 8: Beings (Bhūtas)===
''Bhūtānāṃ kāmāya'' – ''bhūta'' means any living creature. And in Sanskrit language, ''bhūta'' also means after death, before rebirth takes place – there is an in‑between state – and ''bhūta'' means a kind of spirit, ghost, etc. Do people love them? Yes – some people worship them; they believe that these ''bhūtas'' can give tremendous happiness.

So there are some powers – some ''bhūtas'' can give these powers. So there are ''mantras'', and they do this what is called ''upāsana''. And is it true? Yes, really it is true. I have already told you about how many people worship what is called Hayagrīva ''upāsana'' – Hayagrīva is none other than our Sun God. Why do they do that? Because they want power. Some people do Añjaneya ''upāsana'', Hanumān ''upāsana'' – Hanumān Cālīsā they recite. Some people do Lakṣmī Devī ''upāsana'', hoping that she will grant them possessions, etc.

Realistically speaking, I have to tell them: Mahālakṣmī is the embodiment of happiness. After all, if she gives money – and money makes you many enemies – and you are fearing for your life every second – or the Mother gives you, makes you president – how many people have to protect you, and every millisecond you are frightened: "Who will come and then kick me out?" That is why many dictators, before even the thought arises, they go on killing or eliminating – they call it "eliminating" – so many whom they call potential rivals – not only rivals, but potential rivals.
===Example 9: All Creatures (Bhūta – Another Sense)===
So one does not love God; one does not love any of the world; one does not love ''bhūta'' – here means any other creature, whether it is a tree or an insect or an animal, etc. – ''bhūtānāṃ kāmāya'' – "I love this ''bhūta''" – no. It is ''ātmanas tu kāmāya'' – for the sake of only ''Ātman'', which means happiness, bliss.
===Example 10: Sarva – Everything===
And then he concludes the eleventh one: ''sarvasya kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – ātmanas tu kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati'' – "It is only, O Maitreyī, I am telling you the highest truth, which I myself have realised: anything in this world, or everything in this world, becomes the most beloved only so long as it yields happiness – ''sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati''."
===The Sweet Analogy===
But the moment it stops giving, or we are unable to squeeze happiness from it – what does it mean? Let me explain. Suppose a man loves sweets, and he strives to get as many sweets as he can – healthily, possibly, digestibly – eats, and he feels: "I am so happy." Supposing he is rich and he can eat sweets as long as he wants, however many he wants, at any age he wants – suppose after some time he develops a terrible stomach problem, and he cannot retain even a single thing.

So the object is available, but he is not able to derive any happiness from it, because the instrument of enjoyment has gone bad. So the instrument can go bad, the circumstances can be unfavourable, the instrument of enjoyment can be sick or diseased, or anything like that – or mentally there is a terrible worry. Any of these are sufficient to block that happiness. Yes, you can eat – that person can eat – but not only will it not give what he expects, it gives what he does not want to get.
===The Essence of the Teaching===
That is why ''na vā are sarvasya kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati – ātmanas tu kāmāya, sarvaṃ priyaṃ bhavati'' – it is only for the sake of ''Ātman''. And we have seen earlier also that everybody – ''Ātman'' is dearer than a son, dearer than everything else in this world. We have seen in the very first chapter – I hope you will remember it – nothing, nobody loves anything in this world – that is the essence of it. But then what do we love? We love happiness.
===What Type of Happiness?===
And what is the source – what type of happiness we all want? Infinite, eternal, unbroken happiness with full consciousness. And where is it available? That source is called ''Ātman''. Here instead of using the word ''Brahman'', only the word ''Ātman'' is used.
===Yājñavalkya's Conclusion===
So Yājñavalkya concludes – so we have to understand here something marvellous. What is he telling? O Maitreyī – each one – she is telling – eleven times. We have to presume – we have to presume that immediately that truth sank into the very unconscious. That means she will never again love anything else excepting ''Ātman''.

So she has reached the very peak. It is a negative teaching – we have to keep in mind – nobody loves anybody, one loves only ''Ātman'', and ''Ātman'' is the source of the only source – not only the bigger source, but only source – of eternal, unbroken happiness.
==The Positive Teaching: Ātmā Vā Are Draṣṭavyaḥ==
Not only that – that is a negative language. What is the positive language? That is what he comes to – he imparts that invaluable teaching: ''ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ''.
===The Only Goal of Life===
He says: the only goal of life – as Swami Vivekananda says, or Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says – "God realisation" – speaking in the words of a devotee, not an Advaitin or Vedāntin.
===Draṣṭavyaḥ – To Be Realised===
So this ''Ātman'' alone has to be ''draṣṭavyaḥ'' – means "to be realised." ''Draṣṭavyaḥ'' means "to be seen" – but here "seeing" means what? Understanding. Because we use in English language also – when somebody is speaking to us or when we are reading something, we say: "I see." "I see" means what? "I understand." So realise what is ''Ātman''? What is that realisation? "I am the ''Ātman'' – therefore I am the source of infinite, eternal, unbroken happiness."
===The Three Steps===
What is the way? It looks that infinite ''Ātman'' is somewhere else. ''Draṣṭavyaḥ, śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ'' – so ''śrotavyaḥ, mantavyaḥ, nididhyāsitavyaḥ'':
#''Śrotavyaḥ'' – First you hear about it, go on doing ''japa'' of it.
#''Mantavyaḥ'' – until the last doubt is totally eliminated and one hundred percent convinced – like Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says to Girish Chandra Ghosh, that he has got 125% of faith, ''śraddhā'' – that is what is being referred.
#''Nididhyāsitavyaḥ'' – transform your life, acquire those qualities, become an ''adhikārī'' – a fit person – and slowly progress by going beyond the ''pañcakośas'', and remember that "I am the ''Ātman'', I am the ''Ānanda Svarūpa''."
===Transcending the Kośas===
''Ānandamaya'' has to be transcended – ''etam ānandamayam ātmānam upasaṃkramya'', etc. – ''idaṃ sarvaṃ viditaṃ bhavati'' – then after realisation, ''vijñānena'' – what happens? ''Idaṃ sarvaṃ viditaṃ bhavati'' – you understand the mystery of life. You understand who you are – not only you understand who you are, you understand what everything else is – and that is called ''sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma''.
==Conclusion==
We will talk about 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 Introduction Lecture 41 on 13 June 2026

Gopi — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 23:06:58 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:06, 15 August 2026
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	== Opening Invocation ==		== 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~~		ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

	पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते		पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

	ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः		ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

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

	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.		'''PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE'''

			'''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.		OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
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	So the whole conversation between Gārgya and Ajātaśatru is on this particular theme: recognising the universal in every particular mode of manifestation. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa—how did he look upon every one of his disciples? As the Divine Mother. Even a cat as the manifestation of the Divine Mother, not to speak of his own father, his own mother, and his own teachers. That is why whoever has taken refuge in him have been saved. So everything is nothing but Brahman. But Brahman as such is not understandable by us. So we have to remove what makes us incapable of recognising Brahman in this finite. What we call finite is not really finite; it is our mind surrounding it, breaking it into pieces with the instruments called time, space, and causation. The highest universal is nothing but consciousness, pure consciousness. That is the theme of every Upaniṣad: ''īśāvāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat''.		So the whole conversation between Gārgya and Ajātaśatru is on this particular theme: recognising the universal in every particular mode of manifestation. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa—how did he look upon every one of his disciples? As the Divine Mother. Even a cat as the manifestation of the Divine Mother, not to speak of his own father, his own mother, and his own teachers. That is why whoever has taken refuge in him have been saved. So everything is nothing but Brahman. But Brahman as such is not understandable by us. So we have to remove what makes us incapable of recognising Brahman in this finite. What we call finite is not really finite; it is our mind surrounding it, breaking it into pieces with the instruments called time, space, and causation. The highest universal is nothing but consciousness, pure consciousness. That is the theme of every Upaniṣad: ''īśāvāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat''.

	So that consciousness, whose faint inklings are observable only in the state of deep sleep—that is why deep sleep is the nearest analogy to understand what is called pure consciousness. Why? Because time, space, and causation are thrown out in the waking state and dream state. They ~~grasp certain~~ minds, but are completely out of this deep sleep state. That is why we do not recognise or cognise time while we are deeply asleep. Only when we come out do we recollect: "I went to sleep at such and such a time; now I woke up, so I must have slept six hours, seven hours, whatever it is." But that awareness of time, of space (divided space), and of separation of objects is completely absent, and that is expressed as "I did not know anything." It doesn't mean he does not know what he is experiencing; it means "I did not know time, space, and causation." But I am fully aware. How do I describe when the awakened person from deep sleep issues a statement? "I do not know anything." What we need to understand is that he was not ignorant of what he experienced—there can be no experience in a state of ignorance. What we need to understand is that there is no way to describe what I have experienced: ''na kiñcid avediṣam''. But how do I know I experienced it? ''sukham aham asvāpsam''—I was joyous; it was unbroken happiness from the beginning to the end, unbroken by time, space, and causation.		So that consciousness, whose faint inklings are observable only in the state of deep sleep—that is why deep sleep is the nearest analogy to understand what is called pure consciousness. Why? Because time, space, and causation are thrown out in the waking state and dream state. They gross, subtle minds, but are completely out of this deep sleep state. That is why we do not recognise or cognise time while we are deeply asleep. Only when we come out do we recollect: "I went to sleep at such and such a time; now I woke up, so I must have slept six hours, seven hours, whatever it is." But that awareness of time, of space (divided space), and of separation of objects is completely absent, and that is expressed as "I did not know anything." It doesn't mean he does not know what he is experiencing; it means "I did not know time, space, and causation." But I am fully aware. How do I describe when the awakened person from deep sleep issues a statement? "I do not know anything." What we need to understand is that he was not ignorant of what he experienced—there can be no experience in a state of ignorance. What we need to understand is that there is no way to describe what I have experienced: ''na kiñcid avediṣam''. But how do I know I experienced it? ''sukham aham asvāpsam''—I was joyous; it was unbroken happiness from the beginning to the end, unbroken by time, space, and causation.

	So this is the essence of the discourse between Gārgya and Ajātaśatru (Bālāki and Ajātaśatru). Why do we use "Bālāki"? Because the very first mantra says: ''dṛptaḥ Bālākiḥ''. ''Dṛptaḥ'' means arrogant—arrogant means that he thought he knew everything, and he did not know that he did not know so much. Only a little bit of it he knew, and little knowledge cannot be compared as all knowledge.		So this is the essence of the discourse between Gārgya and Ajātaśatru (Bālāki and Ajātaśatru). Why do we use "Bālāki"? Because the very first mantra says: ''dṛptaḥ Bālākiḥ''. ''Dṛptaḥ'' means arrogant—arrogant means that he thought he knew everything, and he did not know that he did not know so much. Only a little bit of it he knew, and little knowledge cannot be compared as all knowledge.
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	''Dṛptaḥ'' means arrogant, proudful. But there is a difference between arrogance and pride. A person who is arrogant does not have any quality, but he goes on declaring himself: "I am the owner of such and such qualities; I am the owner of this company; I am the owner of so much bank balance"—without having anything. He wants to get rid of his inferiority complex. But a proud person is one who knows what he is, what he has, and what he knows, and he knows very few people are there equivalent to him; therefore he becomes proud. That is why in the Bhartṛhari Subhāṣita—even in the ''Gospel of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa'' we get it—if somebody is so great, soon another person comes who proves he is greater; and if he thinks he is the greatest, some other person comes. So a person who understands "I am not the greatest"—that is called ''vidyā''. And what does ''vidyā'' do? ''Vidyā dadhāti vinayam''—Vidyā gives complete humility.		''Dṛptaḥ'' means arrogant, proudful. But there is a difference between arrogance and pride. A person who is arrogant does not have any quality, but he goes on declaring himself: "I am the owner of such and such qualities; I am the owner of this company; I am the owner of so much bank balance"—without having anything. He wants to get rid of his inferiority complex. But a proud person is one who knows what he is, what he has, and what he knows, and he knows very few people are there equivalent to him; therefore he becomes proud. That is why in the Bhartṛhari Subhāṣita—even in the ''Gospel of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa'' we get it—if somebody is so great, soon another person comes who proves he is greater; and if he thinks he is the greatest, some other person comes. So a person who understands "I am not the greatest"—that is called ''vidyā''. And what does ''vidyā'' do? ''Vidyā dadhāti vinayam''—Vidyā gives complete humility.

	As I remember, if you still remember the great Western scientist who discovered gravity—he was approached and said, "Sir, you know everything," and then he said, "No, I am like a person sitting by the side of a sea, and whenever any thirsty person comes, I give one or two cupfuls of this salt-water." A similar better story is regarding Socrates. He was declared by the ~~Delphic~~ Oracle that he was the wisest man in this whole world, and he became curious to know: "How did I earn this title? Do I really earn it?" So he wanted to find out. He met all the greatest so-called wise people—they are called philosophers—and he put certain adroit questions. Then he came back and declared: "The Oracle is absolutely right. I am the wisest person." And lest he might be mistaken, he declared: "Why do I say I am the wisest? Because the wisest person is one who knows definitely that I am not the wisest person. I met so many people, and they did not know that they are not wise, but they are under the delusion that we are all great wise people."		As I remember, if you still remember the great Western scientist who discovered gravity—he was approached and said, "Sir, you know everything," and then he said, "No, I am like a person sitting by the side of a sea, and whenever any thirsty person comes, I give one or two cupfuls of this salt-water." A similar better story is regarding Socrates. He was declared by the Delphi Oracle that he was the wisest man in this whole world, and he became curious to know: "How did I earn this title? Do I really earn it?" So he wanted to find out. He met all the greatest so-called wise people—they are called philosophers—and he put certain adroit questions. Then he came back and declared: "The Oracle is absolutely right. I am the wisest person." And lest he might be mistaken, he declared: "Why do I say I am the wisest? Because the wisest person is one who knows definitely that I am not the wisest person. I met so many people, and they did not know that they are not wise, but they are under the delusion that we are all great wise people."

	अन्धैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः दन्द्रम्यमानाः परयन्ति मूढाः.		अन्धैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः दन्द्रम्यमानाः परयन्ति मूढाः.
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	== Closing Prayer ==		== Closing Prayer ==
	ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ~~।पादपद्मे~~ तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः		''ॐ'' जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।

			पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

			''Om Jananīṁ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum''

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

	May ~~Rāmakṛṣṇa~~, Holy Mother, and Swami ~~Vivekānanda~~ bless us all with ~~Bhakti~~.		May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.

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