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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 26 on 19 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:07:36 GMT

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 25 on 18 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:01:31 GMT

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	OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.		OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

	~~= The Psychology of Love and the Supremacy of the Ātman =~~

	~~=== A Discourse on Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, Chapter 1, Section 4, Mantra 8 ===~~
	~~----~~

	~~== Opening Invocation ==~~
	~~''Oṃ Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidaṃ Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate, Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate. Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ. Oṃ.''~~

	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. Oṃ, Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
	----		----

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 26 on 19 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:00:29 GMT

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

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

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

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 25 on 18 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:00:19 GMT

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Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 100 Ch3 Introduction on 15 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:53:42 GMT

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 26 on 19 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:52:40 GMT

Created page with "Full Transcript (Not Corrected) == Opening Invocation == ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म् पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिद..."

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Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

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

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.

== 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 25 on 18 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:51:48 GMT

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Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 100 Ch3 Introduction on 15 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:49:07 GMT

Created page with "Full Transcript (Not Corrected) == Opening Prayer (Śānti Pāṭha) == ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म् पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu ॐ सह नाववतु । स..."

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 24 on 12 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:53:10 GMT

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 24 on 12 April 2026

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 23 on 11 April 2026 Q&A

Vamsimarri — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:37:04 GMT

Created page with "== [https://pub-0536a4be5dcf4ea9890169f5da0ca6a9.r2.dev/April%202026%20onwards/Brihadaranyaka%20Upanishad/23%20Q%20%26%20A%20Brihadaranyaka%20Upanishad%20%20On%20%2011%20April%202026%20.mp3 Link to Audio] == Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad"

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== [https://pub-0536a4be5dcf4ea9890169f5da0ca6a9.r2.dev/April%202026%20onwards/Brihadaranyaka%20Upanishad/23%20Q%20%26%20A%20Brihadaranyaka%20Upanishad%20%20On%20%2011%20April%202026%20.mp3 Link to Audio] ==
[[Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 23 on 11 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:34:42 GMT

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 23 on 11 April 2026

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Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 99 Ch3 Introduction on 08 April 2026 Q&A

Vamsimarri — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:21:11 GMT

Created page with "== [https://pub-0536a4be5dcf4ea9890169f5da0ca6a9.r2.dev/April%202026%20onwards/Taittriya%20Upanishad/99%20Q%20%26%20A%20Taittiriya%20Upanishad%20On%208%20April%202026%20.mp3 Link to Audio] == Category:Taittiriya Upanishad"

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== [https://pub-0536a4be5dcf4ea9890169f5da0ca6a9.r2.dev/April%202026%20onwards/Taittriya%20Upanishad/99%20Q%20%26%20A%20Taittiriya%20Upanishad%20On%208%20April%202026%20.mp3 Link to Audio] ==
[[Category:Taittiriya Upanishad]]

Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 99 Ch3 Introduction on 08 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:12:18 GMT

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	OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL		OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL

	~~= Taittiriya Upanishad — Bhriguvali: A Commentary =~~
	~~----~~

	~~== Opening Invocation ==~~
	~~''Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadgurum, pāda-padmayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhur muhaḥ.''~~

	~~''Oṃ saha nāv avatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai, tejasvi nāv adhītam astu, mā vidviṣāvahai. Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ. Hare Hare Oṃ.''~~

	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. Oṃ. Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
	~~----~~

	== Introduction to the Bhriguvallī ==		== Introduction to the Bhriguvallī ==

Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 99 Ch3 Introduction on 08 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:11:46 GMT

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Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 161 on 07-April-2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:46:09 GMT

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 22 on 05 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:39:16 GMT

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Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 161 on 07-April-2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:35:59 GMT

Created page with "Full Transcript (Not Corrected) == Opening Invocation == OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PAHADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU ओम् जननीम् शर्दाम् देवेम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुरुम् पादपत्मे तयोस्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुरु मुहु == Closing Prayer == ''Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rām..."

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Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PAHADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU

ओम् जननीम् शर्दाम् देवेम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुरुम् पादपत्मे तयोस्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुरु मुहु

== 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:Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna]]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 22 on 05 April 2026 Q&A

Vamsimarri — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:29:21 GMT

Created page with "== [https://pub-0536a4be5dcf4ea9890169f5da0ca6a9.r2.dev/22%20Q%20%26%20A%20Brihadaranyaka%20Upanishad%20%20On%205%20April%20%202026%20.mp3 Link to Audio] == Category:Brihadaranyaka Upanishad"

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 22 on 05 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:28:15 GMT

Created page with "Full Transcript (Not Corrected) == Opening Invocation == '''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. == Closing Prayer =..."

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1.4 Lecture 21 on 04 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:20:38 GMT

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Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

== Opening Invocation ==
'''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.

== 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 the upāsanā of Agni as Virāṭ — 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 Hiraṇyagarbha. And Hiraṇyagarbha is this entire universe. And therefore, by meditating upon Prāṇa, we become identified with Prāṇa.
----

== Prāṇa as Hiraṇyagarbha: Universal Identity ==
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, "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: "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 realisation.
----

== 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:

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

"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-svarūpoham asmi.''"

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.
----

== 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.''

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 problem will come.

But if I know "I am Brahman," this problem of yoga-kṣema will be overcome. Because as an individual I have death; as the universal I have no death at all.
----

== 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 realises 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? 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: ''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 unwholeness 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.
----

== 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 realised: "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.
----

== 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 emphasises: the difference between the individual and — "I am the individual." Everyone thinks, "I am." And "Brahman" is caused only by: "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.
----

== What Is Upāsanā? The Example of Rāmakṛṣṇa ==
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 there — flowers, fruits, cloths, water, and various utensils of pūjā. That is what comes to our mind.

But no — upāsanā means the first thing we have to understand: I sit quietly, I calm all my thoughts by closing my eyes. It is a symbol — I am closing my mind, my thoughts, to 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 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.
----

== 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 Brāhmaṇa. It is also called Brahmavidyā Brāhmaṇa. Brahmavidyā is taught especially in this fourth section. That is why that word Mahāvākya — ''Ahaṃ brahmāsmi'' — comes here in this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. And ''Tat tvam asi'' comes in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad. They 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 realised: "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.
----

== The First Mantra: Ātmā eva idam agre āsīt puruṣavidhaḥ ==
So the very first mantra in this fourth section: ''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 — what was there? 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 say "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.
----

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

''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 to see that Brahman.
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== The Pañcakośas: Layers of Perception ==
If we are thickly covered with, for example, dehātmabuddhi and 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 within everybody. But this prāṇa is maintained, caused, and directed in 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. 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, then 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 became Saguṇa Brahma — that is, he divided himself into the subject and the object. The first manifestation of the creation is 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?

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

''Aham asmīti agre vyāharat, tataḥ ahaṃ nāma abhavat'' — so he first uttered, "I am — I." Who are you? He understood: "I am me. I am I."
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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. 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 sitting and 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. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa describes so beautifully: 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 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 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 recollected: "Could it 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 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'' — nothing but yoga and kṣema — both will get destroyed totally.

So here, Saguṇa Brahma looked. And what was the first thing? "I am." Because Saguṇa Brahma means: "I am conscious" — that means 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 — 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 realised: "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: ''sah anuvekṣya na anyat ātmanaḥ'' — so, accepting himself, he did not see anything. ''Na apaśyat'' — looking around, he saw nothing other than himself. Then, from that day onwards: ''sah aham asmīti agre vyāharat, tataḥ ahaṃ nāma abhavat'' — so that Saguṇa Brahma thought, "I am — I." Because he can't say even "I am a body" — pure consciousness.

From that, the name ''aham'' arose. That is why: ''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, 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? ==
So now the question comes: the Upaniṣad is telling us 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 jñānas, etc., and he rose up to Brahmaloka — he became Brahmā. So another name for Brahmā is Hiraṇyagarbha. That is what is said: 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 ==
And then the Upaniṣad continues: "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. And there, he gets the highest dualistic happiness. But then, immediately, the Taittirīya Upaniṣad also tells us that 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 there is an important point. 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. Aham.''

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 — 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: ''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: ''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 the Upaniṣad tells: ''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 lonely, 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 external element cannot cure any psychological condition. 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 but to accept and 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 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 birthless, 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 ==
''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]]

Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 98 Ch3 Introduction on 01 April 2026

Vamsimarri — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:13:44 GMT

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== Opening Prayer (Śānti Pāṭha) ==
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum

pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ हरि ॐ

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

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

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

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

OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL

= Bhṛgu Vallī: The Third Chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad =
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== Introduction to the Three Chapters of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad ==
Today we are entering into the third and last chapter of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad. In the Taittirīya, every chapter is called a Vallī, and it is named after how it starts.

The first chapter, as we can recall, starts with ''Śikṣāṃ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ''. Therefore, it was called '''Śikṣāvallī'''. The second chapter, '''Ānandavallī''' — also called '''Brahmavallī''' or '''Brahmanandavallī''' — starts with ''Brahmavid āpnoti param''. It starts with the word ''Brahma'', and therefore it is called Brahmavallī or Brahmanandavallī. The third chapter starts with the words ''Bhṛgur vai Vāruṇiḥ'', and because of that it is called '''Bhṛguvallī'''.
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== The Role of Each Chapter ==
This third chapter is a most beautiful chapter. The first chapter, Śikṣāvallī, lays the foundation — how to learn the Vedas, how to understand them, and how to use them to develop concentration of the mind. As I have said, one of the results of Upāsanā is to develop concentration — to become one with the subject we wish to understand. What is concentration? It is to become one with the object of our inquiry. The only way to obtain complete knowledge is to become one with that object.

For example, if I want to know completely about a tree, I must become one with the tree. If I want to know completely about yourself, I must identify myself with you — body and mind. Then only will I come to know about you. This is what God does. He identifies Himself with every single thing, both the living as well as the non-living. That is why He is called ''Sarvajña'' — He knows everything, because He is identified with everything, because He is everything.
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== The Essence of the Second Chapter: Brahmanandavallī ==
The most important part of the Taittirīya Upaniṣad is the second chapter, Brahmanandavallī. Therein, first of all, the goal is assured to all of us. The goal has been so clearly expressed: What do I get by knowing that I am Brahman? What do I not get? I will get everything, because Brahman, by definition, means everything. If I know I am Brahman, then I know I am everything, and everybody's happiness will be only mine.

Then, what is the definition of Brahman? Where is this Brahman available? ''Ujjvala-hṛdaya-kandara'' — as the hymn ''Khaṇḍana-bhava-bandhana'' so beautifully tells us, Brahman is Rāmakṛṣṇa. When we are doing the pūjā of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, we have to meditate upon His nature. This has been put so beautifully by Svāmī Abhedānandajī in the form of three ślokas that we have selected. The word ''Rāmakṛṣṇa'' can be substituted with Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Jesus, Buddha, Allāh, Īśvara, Śiva, Kālī, Durgā — any blessed idea about God.

=== Brahman Dwells Within ===
So where is that Brahman? He is within this — within each one. Bhagavān is shining, He is running all the show, sitting deep within the cave of our hearts. That is why every human body is to be treated with the greatest respect. It is called ''Brahma-purī'' — just as a puri filled with sweets is where sweets are available, just as a bookshop is where books are available, so this body must be treated with the greatest respect.

What does it mean? It does not mean taking some garlands and sandal paste and decorating one's own self, as we do in offering to God. No. It means using this very body and mind and making them a real temple. Do we not do that? Actually, we do treat this body as a temple — but the only thing is, we throw out God and establish ourselves. "I am the greatest God." That should be completely removed. If we can become fit instruments — the body for the service of God, the mind for the service of God — then we can obtain that Brahman within.

=== The Fruit of Brahman-Knowledge ===
This Brahman is there within each one of us. What do we get when we obtain it? We come to know: "I am Brahman." I am not going to some other object — I myself am Brahman. What do I gain? Along with that Brahman-knowledge, we swim in the ocean of bliss — not as objective enjoyment, but as revelling in one's own Self.

After all, what is it we want? We do not want death. The body has death. The mind has death. But Brahman has no death. What do we have? Ignorance. Brahman is just the opposite — like light. Therefore, Brahman is ''Cit-svarūpa''. I am that ''Cit-svarūpa''. Note the distinction between ''citta'' and ''cit''. ''Citta'' means one faculty of the mind — that of memory and remembrance. ''Cit'' means pure consciousness. I am that pure consciousness. And third — I am ''Ānanda-svarūpa''. So I am not frightened of death. I am not frightened of ignorance. ''Ajñāna'' cannot bind me. And Ānanda cannot be limited — I am the very nature of Ānanda.

=== The Pañcakośas ===
How to attain that? In the second chapter, which we completed in our last class, we saw all five ''kośas'' — beginning with ''Annamaya Kośa'' and ending with ''Ānandamaya Kośa'' — described beautifully. That is the path of transcendence. Then I realise: even going beyond the ''Ānandamaya Kośa'', I am not a ''kośa'' at all — I am Ānanda itself. That is the essence and the most important teaching of the Brahmanandavallī.
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== The Third Chapter: Bhṛguvallī — Its Purpose and Structure ==
In this third chapter, a beautiful example is given. As if after hearing the Brahmanandavallī, a person has been taught and inspired, he now approaches a guru. In the first and second chapters, we do not get the names of the guru. But in this third chapter, we get a concrete example.

Vedānta and Hinduism emphasise the fact that — especially with regard to the knowledge of Ātman or Brahman — one should never dare to obtain it independently of a guru and of scripture. There is no difference between the guru and the scripture. The guru is one who has total faith in the scripture, who does sādhanā, who may have realised Brahman or advanced in spiritual life, and who understands things much better than beginners.

=== The Guru-Śiṣya Relationship ===
There is a beautiful saying of a Ṣūfī teacher: you don't need a highly realised or even a highly advanced soul as your guru. A person who has progressed one step ahead of you can teach you about that one step. And when you also progress one step forward, God will come in the form of either that guru or some other guru and will teach you the next step, and so on. ''Yathā śiṣyaḥ tathā guruḥ'' — as the student is, so is the guru.

So in this third Vallī, we are going to see a real guru and a real earnest sādhaka. The name of that earnest sādhaka was '''Bhṛgu''', and he was the son of '''Varuṇa'''. Varuṇa was a ''jīvanmukta mahāpuruṣa''. It is not a relationship of father and son — it is a relationship of teacher and taught. A realised soul trying to guide a completely earnest student, just as Naciketā goes to Yamadharmarāja.
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== Householders and Sannyāsins: Breaking the Distinction ==
Varuṇa was a ''brahmajñānī'' and a householder. Anybody can realise God. One of the greatest contributions of the Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa avatāra is to eliminate the distinction between a married person and a sannyāsī. Previously, many paṇḍits propagated that a householder, however great, is like an earthworm, while a sannyāsī, however imperfect, is like the sun. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa commanded us to remove that distinction — between man and woman, between householder and sannyāsī, with no caste system, no religious differences, no linguistic differences.

Svāmī Vivekānanda understood this terrible distinction we make between the sacred and the secular. Sister Nivedita, in her penetrating introduction to the Complete Works of Svāmī Vivekānanda, says that henceforward the distinction between the secular and the sacred will be permanently deleted — because to hold, to trust, and to maintain is as sacred as the greatest worship of God with the highest devotion. This is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had come to teach. Are you earnest? Do you have Śraddhā? Do you desire to attain God and progress?
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== The Core Teaching of Bhṛguvallī ==
So in this third Vallī, we get an illustration of what has been taught — how to ascend, how to give up a lower kośa and slowly transcend to the higher kośa. Sādhanā is emphasised here, with a particular orientation. But then there is something deeper. What is sādhanā?

Is it eating less food, fasting? Is it wandering from one place of pilgrimage to another? Is it trying to do śīrṣāsana and doing japa and dhyāna? Is it taking a vow never to sit but to remain always standing?

Svāmī Brahmānandajī relates a beautiful incident. He had seen a person who, for twelve years, had remained always standing — as a result, his legs had become elephantine. He had lost the capacity to sit. But what did he gain? Svāmī Brahmānandajī said: most people do these things to gain specific powers — ''siddhis''. But ''siddhis'' only increase egotism. The purpose of spiritual sādhanā is to reduce egotism and to remain as the pure ego, which is Brahman.

=== What Is Added to "I" Is Saṃsāra ===
Anything added to that "I" — that is what is called ''mithyā'', ''jagat'', ''saṃsāra'', ''māyā'', ''avidyā''. "I" alone — no problem. "I am a man," "I am a woman," "I am a parent," "I am a husband," "I am a wife," "I have a job," "I am rich," "I am poor" — whatever is added after the "I," that is called saṃsāra. So the purpose of sādhanā is to get rid of that which comes after: the ''-ism'', the ''-tva'', whatever we call it.
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== Important Points of the Bhṛguvallī ==

=== 1. The Story of Bhṛgu and Varuṇa ===
The third Vallī illustrates through the concrete story of a person who transited, one after another, through the kośas. How did he do it? Through '''tapas'''. And what is this tapas in this context? The tapas here is '''vicāra''' — not standing on one leg, not eating very little. Those things can be helpful but they are not primary. The primary thing is the capacity to analyse truth with the sharpest intellect. ''Vicāra'' means the power of deep thinking.

Every time Bhṛgu comes and asks, "Teach me about how to attain Brahman — how to know I am Brahman," Varuṇa gives directions only the first time. The second, third, fourth, and fifth times, he gives no directions. Through tapas alone, you must try to know that you are Brahman. There is no other way.

And thus, Bhṛgu, five times, came to realise: "I am not even the ''Ānandamaya Kośa'' — I am Ānanda itself."

=== 2. God Realisation as the Only Goal ===
The first essence of this Bhṛguvallī is realisation of Brahman — not merely learning about Brahman, not merely learning about sādhanās. Actual realisation must come. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had practised tapasyā or sādhanā twice. The first time, he practised without the help of any teacher or scripture — through simple, earnest prayer to the Divine Mother: "O Mother, I am a fool. I am ignorant. I don't know. I have nobody to guide me. You be my guide. I choose You." And Mother accepted him and guided him.

Later, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa remarked: "I had attained ''nirvikalpa samādhi'' long, long before all the gurus ever came." Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity — gradually giving up our identities with everything — ''mano buddhyahaṃkāra cittāni nāhaṃ'' — and realise ''Śivo'ham, Śivo'ham''. That is the goal of life.

=== 3. The Four Yogas and the Four Commandments ===
Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa indicates — as we have discussed so many times — that there are four important yogas:

'''First commandment — Bhakti Yoga:''' Always cultivate holy company — ''satsaṅga''. By cultivating holy company, we become holy gradually. If we go on watching undesirable things, we produce undesirable thoughts. Company could be of books, of people, of work — that which aids and helps and pushes us forward towards God. That alone is called ''satsaṅga''. Through ''satsaṅga'' we become ''sat-puruṣas'' — holy, truthful, truth-seeking people.

'''Second commandment — Rāja Yoga:''' Now and then, go into solitude. ''Nirjanā'' is a very special word — ''jana'' means people or any object in this world; ''nirjanā'' means away from all that. No person in this world — whether father, mother, family members, or even the guru — can ultimately help one. Only God can help. Go into solitude and think: "I have nobody. No person can eat for me, digest for me, sleep for me, worry for me, die for me, live for me, enjoy for me, or suffer for me." Only God can do it. Can God sleep for me? Absolutely. Can God do sādhanā for me? Absolutely.

There is a beautiful incident: an attendant of the Holy Mother was forced by other sannyāsins to observe Śivarātri — a day of fasting. He was very fond of eating. By about 9:30 at night, Holy Mother had one look at him and said: "My son, your face looks like a flower that has faded three days back." He told her truthfully. Holy Mother laughed and said: "So Candru, you don't need to worry. Go and eat. I will fast for you." And she assured him: "You will get the full result of upāsanā."

'''Third commandment — Jñāna Yoga:''' Always discriminate between what is changing and what is changeless, between what is real and what is unreal, between what is permanent and what is temporary.

'''Fourth commandment — Karma Yoga:''' When M asked Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, "Sir, how should we live in this world?" Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa replied: "Live like a maidservant in the house of a rich man. She knows — 'I am only a servant here. I don't belong to this house. I have my own house.'" One can be unattached only on one condition: that I must be attached to something that is truly my own, which can never be taken away from me. ''Manacālo nija niketane, allite nammane, illi bandhenu summane.''

Combine all four commandments — Bhakti, Rāja, Jñāna, Karma — and they can help us reach the one goal: realisation of Brahman.
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== The Instruments of Sādhanā: Body and Mind ==
Varuṇa teaches first of all: your very body and your very mind are the only instruments available. No other instruments exist. You will have to direct all of these towards God. With the help of body and mind, you will have to perform '''tapasyā''' — the ability to think deeply and focus upon only God and nothing else. That is called ''vicāra''.

For this purpose, an appropriately healthy body is needed. A healthy body sustains a healthy mind. And the mind also must be extraordinarily healthy — cultivated so that concentration, devotion, one-pointed faith, and what Śaṅkarācārya calls ''sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti'' — the fourfold qualification — are developed slowly but surely.

The definition of Brahman given by Varuṇa is: that from whom this whole creation has come out; because of whose support and sustenance we are able to maintain our bodies and minds; and into whom, in the end, we return — back to the source from where we have come. That is Brahman. ''Tapasvā brahma vijijñāsasva'' — through deep thinking, seek to know Brahman.
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== Removing Āsurī Sampad and Cultivating Daivī Sampad ==
To help us progress in spiritual life, we have to first remove what is called ''āsurī sampad'' — demonic qualities — and obtain ''daivī sampad'' — spiritual qualities. And these qualities do not come individually — they come in groups only.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had promised Dhani that the first food after his sacred thread ceremony he would take only from her. When the family opposed this, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said: "I gave my word. I am not going to deviate from truth. I will keep up my word, or I don't want this ceremony at all." And they had to yield.

To observe truthfulness, he required courage. To have courage, he required intense faith in the scripture. To have faith in the scripture, he required tremendous faith in God. Because all scriptures are emanations from God alone — ''apauruṣeya'', divine, not human-made. God is knowledge. Knowledge is God.

Thus, whether a person wants to develop a divine quality or a demonic one, many other qualities must be cultivated alongside. These are called ''sahakārī sādhanās'' — supportive qualities. Every ''guṇa'' supports every other ''guṇa'', like a cooperative endeavour.
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== Qualities of the Siddha ==
As we earnestly move forward, we first develop a few qualities. Those qualities help us move further forward. When we move forward, more qualities become possible for us to make our own. And "to make our own" means a quality should be identified with one's own self — not like the greenness or fragrance of a flower, which fades when the flower fades — but as our very nature.

A great person is called a ''sādhu'' — his very nature is good. He cannot be otherwise. For such a person, it is not a quality — it is his ''svarūpa''. First he has to acquire it. But soon he realises: "This is me. I am good. I am unselfish. I am of the nature of happiness. I am able to serve everybody. I do not expect anything from anybody."

The four qualities of a ''siddha'' discussed in our last class: always happy, completely unselfish, dedicating their life to help anybody, and ready to sacrifice their life even for the smallest purpose. This becomes the very natural nature of the sādhaka — the ''siddha''. For others, they have to make it their own. But these qualities are really our true nature — we have only moved away from them. Let us make them our own again. And once we do, we realise: we are nothing but Brahman.
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== Special Upāsanās in the Bhṛguvallī ==
In this third chapter, there are certain special upāsanās as well. One such upāsanā is that of ''annam'' — food. ''Annam'' has two meanings we have seen in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad itself: ''annam'' means food; but ''pṛthvī'', the earth, is also called ''annam''. We are food for each other. Our body is nothing but food. Every effect must return to its cause — and that cause is Brahman.

The commandment is: food should be revered. Guests, when they come, must be honoured. One should never criticise food or find fault with it. Once ''brahmarpaṇam'' is done, one should never criticise food — even if it is poison.

Is this literally true? Absolutely. The Rāṇā had sent poison to Mīrābāī and did not hide the fact, saying: "I wish you to drink it. It is my commandment." And Mīrābāī obeyed — not out of submission, but out of joy. Because she thought: "This body is what keeps me away from my beloved Kṛṣṇa. Once this poison removes the distance between me and Kṛṣṇa, I will always be with Him alone." She was swimming in an ocean of bliss: "Perhaps this poison is going to liberate me. Even if poison is offered to Kṛṣṇa, it becomes ''amṛta''."

Whatever is given to God becomes ''amṛta'' — that is why we call it ''prasāda''. Whatever I have and whatever I receive — "This is prasāda of God." That is ''santośa''.
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== Structure of the Chapter and Coming Classes ==
This third chapter has ten ''anuvakas'' — ten sections. ''Anuvāka'' means a section. There are beautiful and special upāsanās given: how to meditate on the sky and space (''ākāśa''), how to meditate on lightning, on the stars, on the sun, on the moon, and so forth. In the olden days, the ṛṣis and munis meditated upon these — just as we today meditate upon Gaṇeśa, Kārttikeya, and others. For them, these forces of nature were their Gaṇeśas and Kārttikeyas.

We will talk about this in our next class and begin the third Vallī in detail.
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== Closing Prayer ==
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु

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!'''
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