View source for Svetasvatara Upanishad Lecture 39 on 15 July 2023

In our last class, we have been dealing with the mantra number 5, chapter number 6, Shvetashvatara Upanishad. The mantra is this, ADIHI SASANYOGA NIMITTA HETUH PARAH KRIKALAD AKALOPI DRISHTAH TAM VISHWAROOPAM BHAVABHOTAM IDDIYAM DEVAM SWACHITASTHAM UPASYA PURVAM The great Lord is the beginning. He is the cause which unites the soul with the body. He is above the three kinds of time and is seen to be without parts. After having worshipped that adorable God dwelling in the heart who is of many forms and is the true source of all things, man attains final liberation. A beautiful description of God and that God is also called Moksha. That God is also our final destination. So whether we call Him final destination called Parayana. At the end of the journey, Ayana means journey. Parayana means that is the only travel. Once we reach our destination, no more travel because we have become everything. And He is Adihi. He is a causeless cause and that is going to be described in the coming mantras too. But He is the Karana. Without any Karana and He is not even a Karana, appears to be a cause, not really a cause. How? This is called in Advaita Vedanta VIVARTAVADA. The classical example, here is the rope appearing as a snake. Apparently, seemingly, as if the rope is the cause of the snake, whether it is a real snake or it is an imaginary snake, without the rope there cannot be any snake. So we call it substratum. We call it Satyam and everything else is Mithya. But in that sense only, God is the Karana because there is the other view called Parinamavada. Milk actually has become curds. Not like that. If that happens, then God becomes no longer a God. One becomes many. The causeless becomes a cause and He doesn't remain. As one doesn't, He becomes many, many, many and the limitless doesn't remain limitless. He becomes limited. So this is the VIVARTAVADA. Seemingly everything, like our dream. So, Sanyoga Nimitta Hetu Ho. How this creation has come? How is this inert things, body, mind got united with Jivatma? Again seemingly, He is the only cause of the union between the conscious and the unconscious, the living and the non-living. And what is this Samsara? Samsara is nothing but time, space and causation. Therefore, He is described as Trikalaha, Trikala Atithaha. So, instead of saying that, He is Paraha. Para means completely different, means above. That means He is not touched. Not touched by what? Kala. Trikala can be divided into three. Past, present and future. That is being said here. Trikalaha, Trikalath Paraha. He is beyond the three manifestations of time. Akalaha. Here Kala means part because He is infinite. Infinite is not a combination of infinite number of finite things. He is nothing but pure infinite. That is why that beautiful Veda Arani Kopanishad Shanti Patha. Purnath. He is Purnath. Purnam Adaha. Purnam Idam. If infinite, that is infinite, this also must be infinite. And even though this universe seems to have come out of that Purnam, then it still remains Purnam because the indivisible can never become divisible. The partless can never be broken into parts. Then what is this world? This is also Purnam. If this is also Purnam and that is also Purnam, then what is the difference? If Karana is also same, Karyam is also same, what is the difference? Really speaking, there is no difference. Two words meaning the same thing. Purnath Purnamudakshate. Purnasya Purnam Adaya. So even if you are imagining through rational mind, taking out the Purnam, which means this Purnam, this world, from that Purnam, Brahman, Purnam Eva Avasisyate, what remains is Purnam. Simply in so many words it means there is only infinity, nothing but infinity. When you are thinking about it, talking about it, it is called Samsara. When you are not thinking, when you are beyond mind, that is called Purnam, infinite. That is all the difference. So Akalahapi Drishtaha. Drishtaha means seen. Seen by whom? That means by the realized souls. They realize there is no part, there is no whole. Not only that, it is not like that you see a few broken firewood and one big firewood or one big piece of wood and several parts and that is full. This is broken. That is one. These are many. These ideas will always be there. In contrast, called dualities, one and many, male and female, cold and heat, happiness and unhappiness. You can't simply say I will only think about one. It is impossible. Either you have to think one and many or you have to go beyond thinking power. That's why in deep sleep you don't say I am male or female, good or evil, cold or heat, pain or pleasure. Nothing will be there. So he is realized that there is no change, there is no Samsara. That's what Shri Ramakrishna means. That when Brahman is thought of without activity, I call that reality as Brahman. It is the same reality when I see that it is doing some action. Not really Brahman is doing action. I am seeing Brahman as action. Action means Srishti, Stithi and Laya. Then I call him Shakti. Very deep words. We have to understand it. Vishwaroopam, that same one who is Akalaha, that is partless, indivisible, appears to be. Vishwaroopam has taken the form of this entire universe. And Bhava Bhootam is all the forms that we see here in the past, present and what we can imagine in the future also. And he is the Idiyam. I mentioned the word. Om Hreem Hritham Tum Achalo Unajit Guna Idiyaha Idiyaha means the only one worthy of being worshipped, worthy of being meditated, worthy of thought about, worthy of being related, worthy of everything. That means there is nothing else which is worthy. And he is called Devam, the ever-shining pure consciousness. And how can I reach him? That is what I said. Where is he? I want to see him. You don't need to go anywhere. Mokko Kaha Dhoondere Mai To Tere Paasme Hum Swa Chitta Stham You just turn your attention towards your inside. He is within your own heart. And Upasya. So Purvam. Purvam means here, very beautiful meaning, that only if you have done a lot of sadhana, spiritual practice, then only you get a devotion for him, an attachment and a great desire that I want to realize him. But having obtained that intense longing, what Sri Ramakrishna calls yearning, Vyakulata, then continue. What happens? By his grace, if there are any defects, you will overcome them. And you will progress by his grace. And he will unite each one of us with himself. So that is the most important thing. Purvam is a beautiful word. The implication is that the loving contemplation and worship of God is the necessary preliminary step for realizing him, both first as the personal God with attribute and then as the impersonal Absolute. So we don't realize the impersonal. We become one with the impersonal. That is called realization. And further, that Brahman, that supreme reality is being described in the mantra six. And it should remind us some of the qualities, not that he has qualities, but he should be thought of with qualities. I'll tell you very briefly. So the moment you think of an object, any object, take the example of a table. It is a wooden object. It is squarish, such and such a height. And we can keep things there. So all these ideas called gunas, attributes, characteristics, flash in our mind. We cannot think of that object without the qualities. And we cannot think of the qualities without the object. So a blue lotus, a fragrant, multi-petaled, big red-green, reddish-green rose. All these are attributes. The funny thing is, if we remove all the attributes, then we see Brahman. Nama Rupa, as I mentioned many times, you remove the Nama. It is not rose. Then once you remove the name, what happens? All the names in the world will be removed. Either we know all the names or we don't know any name. And as soon as name is gone, inevitably associated with name is called Rupa. That also will go away. Either Nama and Rupa, guna, will be together or it will be not there. Then what remains? There is the distinction between I am the subject, this is an object. I am the knower, this is the known. And these are two separate species, etc. Everything will get dissolved then and there. What remains is one unimaginable infinite reality. Even those descriptions are also the productions of human mind. But we are looking at the world. And what are we saying? This is not God. Why? Because anything limited cannot be God. God means unlimited. And anything that we see in this world is limited. And therefore it can never be God. This limitation... You see, the Vedantic concepts are so crystal clear, even for a rational mind which refuses to believe in God. Understanding this terminology is highly useful. Anybody who wants to develop deep thinking, for that person this is very very important. So what are we talking about? All these concepts are the devilish work of this mind. Mind itself is the devil. It is a prism of time, space and causation. And whatever is looked at, it will be seeing there only. So these ideas are being taught to us. Why? Because we don't know what is that partless, what is that infinity. We are using big big words. Partless, unborn, uncaused cause, infinite, all-pervading, sarva vyapi, etc. etc. etc. How many words? But do we know what those words mean? Absolutely no. Even the word finite and infinite, these are thoughts in the mind. And whatever is a thought in the mind is limited. So even though I am using the word, this is small and that is big, however big it is, it is limited. So even if I am using, God is infinite. God also is a thought. And His infinity is also a thought. His gunas are also thoughts. But what is the funny thing? Funny thing is, this limited objective of our, what is called victim of our mind's thinking, that very thing acts like a big thorn which will remove all other thorns and we become completely free. And very funny thing. Very deep but funny. Then after removing all these things, do I know that I am Brahman? Yes and no. Because this act of knowing is a function of the mind. In that sense, we can never know God. But when we become one, we have the experience. And it is indescribable. That is why Shri Ramakrishna, again and again he says, everything can be described excepting Brahman. avag manasa gocharam, bhojye pran, bhojye jaar. Now, some of these ideas that we are going to discuss, we got in the Bhagavad Gita. In fact, if we study Bhagavad Gita, all these ideas are simply explained. Now, we will go to the sixth mantra. sa vriksha kaala akhriteve paraha anyaha yasmat prapancha parivartate ayam dharmavaham papanudam bhagesham jnatva atmastham amrutam vishwadhamah These are all the descriptions of the indescribable. And why are you describing the indescribable? Because our mind, if we do not think about God, as a senior Swami once told beautifully, if we do not think of God, we will be thinking of the devil. So, thinking of God is not actually thinking about God. But they are the highest thoughts the mind can generate. But that has nothing to do with God. But if we refuse to think about it, we will be the losers. Because it is the nature of the mind, it will not keep quiet. If we do not think of good, it will be thinking of evil. If we do not think of unselfishness, we will be more selfish. If we are not thinking of happy thoughts, we will be thinking of unhappy thoughts. A very great psychiatrist, Vedanta, is the greatest psychiatrist in the world. And such a great psychiatrist, that those who believe, those who understand, those who practice, they will become completely mad. What is the difference? The difference, as Ramakrishna puts it so funnily, that many people started calling Ramakrishna as mad. Then he explained, It is true. The whole world is mad. I am also mad. But there is a big deal of difference between my madness and the madness of the world. Currently, people are highly unhappy. I am the happiest person in this world. I think I better keep my madness. Let others do whatever they like. So, Saha, that Brahman, God, Supreme Reality. What is He? Vriksha. What is this He is talking about? I am not the tree. Remember, The 15th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita I think in the whole literature, religious literature, we will never get such beautiful expressions of the Divine, such poetic expressions. So this whole Samsara is called Vriksha. Idea is there in the Mundaka, Va, Suparna, Sayuja, Sakaya, Samanam, Riksham, Parishasva, Jyate. Similarly, in the Katau Upanishad also, it is called Ashwathavriksha. Many other places it is there. And while dealing with the 15th Chapter of the Gita, said why this Samsara is comparable, like a huge tree. A tree must have a root. And the tree grows and grows, like especially Ashwath tree. And millions of birds will be sitting there. And every bird is occupying a particular branch. There are upper branches, lower branches, upper worlds, lower worlds, sweet fruits, bitter fruits, different types, quarrels, heartbreaks, marriages, divorces. Everything that is there, they are all replicated on that word Vriksha. That is what is being referred here. Saha, Samsara Vriksha, then Kala. What is Kala time? Aakriti Vihi. Aakriti means form. Form means name and form. So what is the mantra telling? Saha, that divine. Paraha and Anyaha. He is supreme. He is completely different. He is nothing like the world, nothing like any object in this world. He is Anyaha. But he is supreme. There is nobody more supreme than the supreme. Why? Because you can't say your infinity is a smaller infinity. My infinity is a marvelous infinity. My grandfather purchased it at a second hand sale. If anybody talks to you like that, I know what you will be thinking like that. So that divine reality is different, superior to Samsara because cause is always superior to the effect. And how is this Samsara? Nama, Rupa, Guna. That is expressed with time, space and causation. Kala means time. Aakriti means name, form and qualities. And what is Samsara? Nama, Rupa, Guna. And it is controlled by time, space. Called limitation of time, limitation of space. Kaala Parichcheda, Desha Parichcheda, Vastu Parichcheda. Very briefly I will tell you. I know some of you remember it. But some of you will be... I am guessing that you will be open mouthed. Just I am telling. So suppose there are two trees. One mango tree that comes so naturally because this is summer season and every day we are enjoying mangoes. I am sure all of you are enjoying. If you are not enjoying and if I come to know, I will enjoy even more than that. So here is a mango tree. Let us say here is a coconut tree. Coconut tree says I am coconut tree. I am not mango tree. Mango tree says I am just mango tree. I don't care for you to be a coconut tree. So coconut tree is limited by coconut identification and mango tree is limited by mango identification. This is called Vastu Parichcheda limitation by being what the object is. Then I also mentioned, suppose two of us are sitting and at the same time we can't be sitting in the same space. The same idea that spatial limitation means you can't be sitting where I am. I can't be sitting where you are. This is called Desha Parichcheda. At the same time, at different times you can. We can, not at the same time. So limitation by time, limitation by space, limitation of being the very object. These are the limitations. But God doesn't have any such limitations. So He is called Paraha. And at the same time He is also called Aparaha. Aparaha means what? He is only appearing because of the prism of time-space causation. In other words, my mind. I am looking at Him and because of my sight passing through the prism of time-space causation, that is what is called Samsara. That is called Kaala Parichcheda, Desha Parichcheda, Vastu Parichcheda. But without Him, there cannot be Samsara. That is why He said, and because of whose Sat, whose existence, the whole world is revolving. There is birth, there is growth, there is death, there is Janma, there is Stithi, there is Laya. Srishti, Stithi, Laya. And it is going on because of His presence. Without the presence, without the existence of the rope, without the substratum of the rope, there cannot be any snake in the past, present and future. So this is a description for us. What is the reason for that? I will come to that. He is Dharmavaham. Beautiful word again. What does it mean? If I am Dharmic, it is because of Him. If someone is Adharmic, that is also because of Him. Who created the Devas? God. Who created the Asuras? The word is very beautiful. There were two sisters called Diti and Aditi. And those who are born of Aditi are called Adityas or Devas because they shine. And those who are the offspring of Diti, they are called Daitiyas. But both of them are sisters. Both of them came from the same source. What does this sixth mantra want to tell us? Dharmavaham means what? That is, if I am Dharmic, then the idea that I should be a Dharmic person, I should be a good person, I should be a religious person, I should be an unselfish person, all this God is manifesting in the form of those beautiful noble ideals. If somebody is the opposite, Adharmic, committing all evil deeds, that is also because of Him. That is why He is the mover. As He moves us, we all move. That is, many times we have to remember, just like a chess player, one person is playing both sides and the winner is He Himself, the defeated is He Himself, the clever one is He Himself, the dull one is also He Himself. There is nothing other than Him. This is beautifully expressed. Without God's will, Ishwara's will, even a leaf also will not move. If it is moving, that is His will. If it is not moving, that is also His will. Don't simply say, when the leaf is moving, it is His will. What about when the leaf is not moving? That is also His will only. So, who created Satya Yuga? Him. Who created Kali Yuga? Him only. Who created everything beautiful? Incidentally, you have to remember, Krishna started dancing on the head of Kaliya. This beautiful story we call Kaliya Mardana. It is not Mardana. It is Anugraha. God is putting His footprints, stamping Him. This is my certified devotee. God, unfortunately, is not certifying us. Therefore, we certify ourselves. Being colorful namas we put two types. There is my neighbor. I don't like him. And so, I put on three like this namas. And he doesn't like us. So, he says, if you put like this, I will put like that. All colorful. And we are exhibiting ourselves. This is all. Of course, it is all His will only. There is nobody else's will there. Because there should be tragedy. There should be comedy. There should be Sukha. There should be also Dukkha. Without that, nobody will go and see the drama. Even if God creates only happy drama, it will be a flop, I tell you. But He is a very intelligent person. He created all these things. Janma and Mrityu. Sita and Vushna. Sukha and Dukkha. Mana and Appamana. Jaya and Appajaya. Sandhana and Mukti. He only created. So, by His will. Not by His will also. He Himself. Just as we do in our dream. Somebody slapped me in my dream. That is also my creation. Why? Because I will be laughing wholeheartedly. Not in the dream, but upon waking up. So, that is what it is. The whole universe exists. And it continues. And it goes back. Only because of Him. If both Dharma and Adharma. But because of His grace. Why is it mentioned? Because if I am spiritual aspirant. If I am leading a good life. It is all because of Him. And to understand this. My several times reminisced episode of Totapuri Maharaj. He thought he was doing great sadhana. No. Later on, Mother revealed to him. That the desire to do sadhana. And the grace of obtaining a Sadguru. And even if somebody obtains sadguru. That is also God's will only. So, if I did something wrong in my past life. That is also His will only. But we will not understand it now. We will understand it later on. Divine Mother revealed to him. That when you are doing sadhana. So many desires come. And then trouble you. Don't think they are all you are conquering. I created the desires. And from inside. I start fighting them. And first I will fall down. I will be a victim of those desires. Slowly, gradually, after many a birth. I will be the master of those very desires. And the conqueror of those desires. It is all nothing but Divine Will. So, He is Dharmavaham. He makes us Dharmic people. He inspires us with Dharmic ideals. Papanudam. But He also inspired us with Papas. Therefore we have committed. And in the Mahanarayana Upanishad. And Sandhya Vandana time also. Papam Akarshi. Papam Karaita. Maham Karaita. Beautiful expression. Desire made me a slave. Desire made me commit Papam. I am not the doer of Papam. Neither I am the enjoyer of the Papam. This is all God's Will. That marvelous concept. Everything is God. Not only physically. But mentally. Ideal wise. Ideas wise. Imagination wise. I do not exist. You do not exist. Nobody exists. Everything is God only. But He makes us as if I am separate. You are separate. Everybody is separate. And I am this way. You are that way. Somebody is some other way. Everything is. But He is great. Rama. And that's why He is called Ranganatha. Most marvelous epithet. We have to meditate upon. Papamudam. If we have done. After some time. After praying to Him. He comes as if He doesn't know. As if He has not created. As if He has not inspired us with Papam. I will forgive you. How great I am. Now onwards you go on. Praising me. Flattering me. If you don't flatter me. I will make you flat. All these ideas will come. And then He is called Bhagesha. Bhagesha means. The Lord of Bhaga. Bhaga means. Consisting of six qualities. That is why Bhagavan. Dhanavan. Jnanavan. Van means. He who possesses knowledge. He is called Jnanavan. He who possesses wealth. Is called Dhanavan. He who possesses great qualities. Is called Unavan. Similarly. Bhaga means. Six marvelous qualities. I will come to that soon. And Jnathva. He alone is worthy of being realized. And where is He? Atmastham. We discussed about it. In the fifth mantra. And many other mantras. And what is His nature? Amrutam. Immortality. That is what Swami Vivekananda said. Shunvantu Vishwe. Amrutasya Putra. Nobody is a Mruta Putra. Everybody is a Amruta Putra. And He says. I have realized. Tamasaha Parastha. Vedaha Metam. Purusham Mahantam. Aditya Varnam. Tamasaha Parastha. And then Swami ji continues. The Rishi's words. He was himself a Rishi. Tamevaviditva. Having known Him. Atimrutyumeti. Man becomes immortal. Nanyahapantha Vidyate. There is no other way. The only way is to claim. That we are immortal. Not become immortal. Not that we were mortal. And we become immortal. No. Previously I did not know. I was a prince. Now I know. I am a prince. Vishradhama. Dhama means abode. Residence. The whole universe is nothing but. His residence. Then in my house who is residing? He is residing. And the house. He himself has become the house. So. He is the source of everything. That is what being said here. He because of whom this phenomenal world revolves. Is beyond the tree of Samsara Vriksha. He is beyond time and name. And form and quality. But he is different. And superior. From all this. And he is the source of virtue. He is in brackets. He is the source of vices also. But he is the remover of sins. A lord of all fortunes. And the supporter of the whole universe. And by all this description. By knowing him thus. By realizing him thus. Knowing him. Seated in one's own heart. One becomes immortal. There is no other way. What is this? Bhaga. Bhaga means six fortunes. What are they? Aishwarya. Veerya. Yashas. Sri. Jnana. Vairagya. What are they? Aishwarya means absolute rulership. Lordship. Aishwarya usually is understood as wealth. No. He who is the ruler, all wealth belongs to him. Wealth means not only what we normally understand as wealth. A person is a great scientific scientist. His knowledge is wealth. A person is a great musician. His knowledge is wealth. Another person is a great sculptor. His knowledge is wealth. Another person is a great cook. His knowledge is wealth. Everything that exists. We are enjoying it. It is being manifested within us. We are also Him only. But a little bit of it. And that is beautifully explained in the Chandi, Durga Saptashati. Beginning with Ya Devi Sarva Bodheshu Matru Rupena Samsthita Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namaha Like that Vritti Rupena, Jati Rupena, Kula Rupena Daya Rupena, Brahma Rupena, Kshut Rupena Vidya, Avidya, Brahma, Kshuda Everything. Only a few are mentioned. Everything that we experience in this world is His manifestation only. That also was explained in the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita Yad Yad Vibhuti Mat Sattvam Shreemadur Jitame Bhava Tata Deva Avagachyatvam Mamatejo Amsha Sambhava So this mantra is only a beautiful expression of the great Vedantic doctrine that the clue to the nature of God lies in our own heart. At first we search outside then we search within. So that is why Aavrutta Chakshu we start searching inside for what purpose? Amrutappam Ichchan So we have to start searching inside and that is the purpose of Vanaprastha Ashrama So He is both inside and also outside. That's why every being in this world is divine especially human being that's why Swamiji says each soul is potentially divine and at the same time He is immanent, He is also transcendent and we have to realize Him first as transcendent then as immanent How? Ramakrishna explains First a person doesn't know what is the material of his own house then he goes on telling this is staircase and this is floor, these are walls etc. when he reaches the roof he understands this is made up of bricks, cement etc. then he knows the whole house is made of nothing but bricks and cement and wood a few materials and whether it is roof whether it is staircase whether it is ground floor or what is called 28 storied floors it doesn't matter the whole universe is condensed into five elements called Bhutas that is why it is called Prapancha and all the Pancha Bhutas are coming only from one source Atmana, Akasha, Sambhuta etc. So God is everything He is inside, He is outside and once we have this knowledge derived from the scriptures as explained by our Gurus having faith in that we have to practice it that is called spiritual practice that is I should never be selfish selfish means selfishness means difference unselfishness means oneness with everything we move on to the Mantra 7 Thumb this is also further description and not very difficult at all with the background that we have gone through TAM ISHWARA NAM PARAMAM MAHESHWARAM TAM DEVATA NAM PARAMAM CHADAIVATAM PATIM PATHI NAM PARAMAM PARASTHAT VIDAM DEVAM BHUVANA ISHAM Idiyam this word Idiyam had come earlier also what does it mean we know him the effulgent one who is the supreme lord of all lords the great god of all deities the ruler of all rulers beyond the highest adorable and the lord of the universe when we say we know him there are two ways it is interpreted the first way is from the side of a realized soul he has realized he knows everything he knows what the world is that it is nothing but SARVAM KHALVIDAM BRAHMAN but the other interpretation is that the person like us sadhakas we come to know god is everything not through direct realization but from the scriptures from the mouth of the guru but we have firm conviction everything is god if we do not have firm conviction then we have to acquire it that is the progress of sadhana that everything is god in this world that is called dharmic life that is do not harm do not lie do not cheat do not covet all these do not do not do not do not do not do not do not are all meant only that you cannot steal anybody's because what is yours you are stealing your own you are lying to yourself you are cheating yourself you if you make other persons unhappy then you are suffering yourself that when that realization comes then automatically we become dharmic so these are some of the epithets so tam ISHWARANAM PARAMAM MAHESHWARAM there are so many gods and goddesses so many rulers so many adhishtratru devatas but he is the supreme he is only manifesting as Indra Chandra Varuna Ashwini Kumaras Agni Vayu Aditya and as kings as queens as father as mother as military commanders as kings and queens and everything as teachers as students as everything wherever we see in society everywhere there is somebody who takes the lead they are called netas that is leaders those who lead in the house perhaps father commands everything and he says everything should be done this way if we go to the school headmaster rules the whole thing if you take our state our what is called city perhaps district collector if we take the state chief minister if we take the world then our prime minister or president or if there are some countries useless type of kings are there and they are also with great pomp and splendor they are done they are only namka vasthe for cutting ribbons they do not play any other important role now and then they open their mouth to say that we are also existing so the whole universe is run by God through his agents that is the idea tam ishwarana there are so many ishwaras ishwara means a leader or a controller or a ruler and God is the ruler of all rulers paramamaheshwara tam devatanam paramam cha taivatam there are so many devatas and he is the paramadevata that means he is the supreme devata, supreme reality there are so many realities and he is the supreme reality every devata represents one one type of reality patim patina same idea he is the what is called a leader of all the leaders paramam parastat he is beyond even the greatest vidama devam tam devam that ishwara vidama we want to realize bhuvanesham idyam he is idyam he is only adorable and he is the creator sustainer and recliner of the entire universe this is we have discussed this idea so many times so we don't need to do it even when we look at these kings sultans presidents prime ministers heads of huge organizations so even in the same organization there will be a manager and below that manager head clerk most of the head clerks will be headless clerks in the animal world also we see lion as the king and every species has their own leader and surprising thing is many times it is the female wild dog female wild dog elephants female like that not all the species only rely upon the male in fact it is the female that is the ruler in everything so there are also rulers of upper worlds indra loka chandra loka varuna loka prajapati loka brihaspati loka finally brahma loka what about the below naraka loka yama dharma raja is ruling there so they are also rulers then everywhere there is a somebody creates and that person sustains and that person also destroys and they are called summarized brahma vishnu and maheshwara so are they different from god no they are all parts of god but the truth is he is only manifesting as all of them and at the same time he remains as a unmoved witness uninvolved witness of everything else that is what we have to understand in this context so that means he is everything so whenever we see somebody who is commanding us bossing us over and many times we have to adjust ourselves what do we do it is god who is manifesting in this particular form then guru is there he is the leader of the sishyas many times they 1000 sri sri sri sri I don't know how many sris they will put and nobody has given them that title they have created it themselves they have certified I am a self realized soul certified by myself so there are also ashwapati, gajapati, vidyapati vachaspati many things are there finally it is only divine lord how do we get in vishnu sastra yudhishthira asks vishnupitamaha kim ekam daivatam loke kim vaap ekam parayanam who is the supreme lord and who is the only one who is fit to be adored or to be reached by us and then he says daivatam devatanam cha bhutanam yo avyayaha pita a father the creator of all of us and the lord of all the devatas in this world and he is called narayana, he is called vishnu he is called shiva he is called shakti everything that is there what are all these for it is for adoration for upasana purpose and for nothing else mantra eight the question that comes then people become ask this question so in this world we go on asking this person is born of those parents this person studied in such and such a university so became great so there must be a cause and because we see the effect so who is the final cause or effect of god himself and we should never try to understand god by giving our normal day to day experience thinking that just as i have my parents god has his own parents just as somebody is ruling me and then god also is ruling me over and god also must have somebody to rule over him it ultimately leads to what is called no meaning no purpose and it ends in what we call infinite regress that is being said in the mantra eight so it is being said he is without a body or organs none like unto him is seen or better than him is seen the vedas speak of his exalted power which is innate most natural and he is capable of producing infinite number of effects and also he is omniscient and he is the mightiest in the whole world same qualities because this is how we judge this universe so we want to judge, we want to think of god also exactly in the same way that is why the mantra is telling tasya means of that brahmanaha karyam na vidyate that is there is no duty no work for him then what about all these things he doesn't do it who does it? he does it oh he does it? no no he doesn't do it then what happens does the sun shine? yes he shines does the sun give light? yes he gives light you ask the sun do you give light? he says what are you talking about what light you are talking about you? light? what is light? because he doesn't know what is darkness, he doesn't know what is light and I will go to one step further and say you are god what do you mean by I am god for us I am small is big I am created is the creator and he knows everything I know practically nothing so I know but if you say you are god he is wondering what is this madcap trying to tell you but don't worry he will not wonder, you can't tell him because the very Kena Upanishad tells us he doesn't have ears he doesn't eyes he can't see you, he can't hear you he can't think about you because he has no mind and he cannot answer you and just look at our governments, Indian governments they also don't have eyes, they don't see what is happening, they don't have ears they don't have mind, they don't know what to do so they are only greatest devotees of god karanam cha vidyate, karanam means cause, so he doesn't have a cause he is causeless cause is he not cause of ourselves that is what you think, you ask him he will weep why does he weep because you go and say you are my creator what, am I such a stupid fellow to create a fellow like you I wish I would be non existent he will be ashamed of himself never ask that question and then no one equal to him who can be equal, there is only one god it is a beautiful saying somebody asked how is the battle between Rama and Ravana the war between Rama and Ravana is like the war between Rama and Ravana or some other how is the Kalidasa's Raghu Kalidasa's Raghu is Kalidasa's Raghu nobody no other work can be compared to it in the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita also Arjuna clearly says there is nobody not equal not to say somebody great nobody is even equal to you that is being said because all comparisons are in the finite world and when you are talking about infinity, with what are you going to compare the infinity that is why these ideas of smaller, bigger and equal and greater, nothing will work and he is supreme and wherever we see a manifestation of Shakti power, God Vibhuti it is all belonging to him only because nobody else exists excepting him who is this great singer? God only who is this great speaker? God only who is this great scientist? God only who is this most stupid fellow? God only there is nobody else there and then all these things how did he acquire? He did not acquire Swabhaviki Gnana, Bala, Kriya, Chakra, three things Gnanam is knowledge Balam his splendor or his strength, viriyam Kriya and all his Leelas, Swabhaviki they are just there just like a fragrant flower where from this fragrant come? where somebody has not gone and spread some french perfume it is most natural thing in this world, so in today's class these are all descriptions why? these are called the hints for meditation just like we do what are all these things? they are aids, hints signposts for us to aid our weak thinking and these are all we can meditate upon each one of these qualities, so we will stop with this 8th mantra, continue tomorrow.
[[Category:Svetasvatara Upanishad]]