View source for Aparokshanubhuti Lecture 03 Intro on 4 November 2026


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

Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadgurum।

पादपद्मेतयोस्त्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः।

pādapadmetayos tritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ।

ॐ श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानां आलयं करुणालयम्।

Oṃ śrutismṛtipurāṇānāṃ ālayaṃ karuṇālayam।

नमामि भगवत्पादं शङ्करं लोकशङ्करम्।

namāmi bhagavatpādaṃ śaṅkaraṃ lokaśaṅkaram।

==Introduction to Aparokṣānubhūti==
We have taken up the Aparokṣānubhūti. As I mentioned in my introduction in the past two classes, the great Vedānta is really difficult to understand. So many great teachers wanted to convey the same message in simple language to people who cannot really understand. There is also no need to understand the intellectual meaning of the Vedānta. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda are the greatest Vedāntic, simplified texts. And so beautifully elaborated, even a school student can easily understand them. But at the same time, everyone understands at different levels because the capacity of understanding at different levels is different.
==The Role of Prakaraṇa Granthas==
So like Sri Ramakrishna, many ācāryas wanted to convey those tough Vedāntic texts. So they composed subsidiary texts called Prakaraṇa Granthas. And there are two types of Prakaraṇa Granthas. Some of them, like Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, they outline the entire Vedāntic teachings in an easily understandable language. They would not leave a single subject unexplained. So the whole of Vedānta, rewritten just like nowadays ChatGPT. It rewrites for even school students in an easily understandable language, which also teaches us a lesson that it is not really that tough to understand. At least the teachings, they need not be written in difficult-to-understand languages.

But then through experience, what we understand is a different matter altogether. So the first Prakaraṇa Granthas, they want to explain in simple words, very beautifully, all the Vedāntic important concepts. But then at the same time, some people want to go deep into some of the specifications of some particular concepts. For them, books like this Aparokṣānubhūti.
==The Essence of Vedānta==
What is the essence? In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, we get when Swami Turiyananda, at that time Hari, he was not coming to meet Sri Ramakrishna in Calcutta. One day Sri Ramakrishna sent for him and said, "Why do I not see you nowadays?" And Hari Maharaj was a very truthful person, very orthodox person, very rigid person. He was a brāhmaṇa of the first-class order, Kulīna brāhmaṇa. He said, "Sir, nowadays I am totally engaged in studying Vedānta." And Sri Ramakrishna, with his inimitable smile, conveyed in very few sentences, "After all, what is the essence of all the Vedāntic scriptures put together? In fact, I would go on saying, of all the scriptures that were, that are, that would come in future in this world, including that of other religions, what is the essence? God alone is real, and what we are experiencing is a ever-changing phenomena, so it would be landing us in trouble if we think what is changing is reality. And by definition, reality is that which never changes. After all, you are divine, each soul is potentially divine. The goal of your life is to realize to know who you really are."

And what are the means, what are the pathways? So Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Rāja Yoga, and Jñāna Yoga. That is why in the Mundaka Upanishad:

ब्रह्मा देवानां प्रथमः सम्बभूव । brahmā devānāṃ prathamaḥ sambabhūva |

So we have seen upadeṣṭāram means one who gives right knowledge, and the first person is Īśvara himself. That is why:

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । gururbrahmā gururviṣṇuḥ gururdevo maheśvaraḥ |
==The Need for Divine Grace and Faith==
So the same Īśvara, out of his infinite compassion, comes to us in the form of our guru. So we may not understand it. That is why we must have blind faith in the teachings of the scriptures and if anybody doesn't have faith in the guru, then I pity that person. He is not only not having knowledge, he is having wrong knowledge, he is walking in the wrong path, and a wrong path always leads to endless suffering. And further, what is the name of what is the meaning of this Īśvara? As we have seen in the Isha Vasya Upanishad, beautifully we have seen:

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |

Whatever experience we have of this creation, that is God is pervading, Īśvara is pervading. Īśate the ruler, is pervading this entire universe, because he who is the creator, he is the ruler. Just like father and mother, the moment baby is born, who created the baby? Father and mother. And who rules over the baby? Rules means not like a poisonous dictator, but a most benevolent, compassionate mother.

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु मातृरूपेण संस्थिता । yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mātṛrūpeṇa saṃsthitā |

But the mother wants the child to grow up and to realize his own potentialities. So that same Lord, he also becomes the teacher. Not only that, vyāpakam sarva lokānām. So just like in the first mantra of Isha Vasya Upanishad, he who pervades. Just like gold pervades every ornament. Wood pervades every piece of furniture. Clay pervades every product of clay. So we are all nothing but the manifestations of that original matter, which is called pure consciousness, Caitanya svarūpam. So he, who pervades all his creation, sarva lokānām. That is what we have already told in very many ways when we were discussing about Nārāyaṇa Sūktam, Puruṣa Sūktam, etc., Devī Sūktam, every Sūktam. So:

व्यापकं सर्वलोकानां कारणं तं नमाम्यहम् । vyāpakaṃ sarvalokānāṃ kāraṇaṃ taṃ namāmyaham |
==Understanding Īśvara and Causes of Creation==
He is the kāraṇa. He is the origin. He is the causeless cause from whom this whole universe is a manifestation. Not a creation, manifestation. And then what type of manifestation cause he is? So for the creation of anything in this world, there are two clearly discernable causes are there. One is called material cause, another is called intelligent cause, another is called instrumental cause. For example, you take a potter. Potter is the intelligent cause. The clay is the material cause. The potter's wheel is the instrumental cause. So taking the instrument called potter's wheel, the potter takes the material called clay, puts it on the wheel and shapes the pot. But ultimately, when we see what is this pot? It is nothing but clay. Then what is a pot? Clay with nāma rūpa, name and form is pot, and without name and form, it is nothing but clay.

Look at an ornament, any ornament, and you will see when you look at it with nāma rūpa, this is a necklace, this is an earring, this is a bangle, etc. But then the same thing looked at what is the material? Then it is nothing but pure gold. Apply this to anything, whether it is silver ornament, silver objects, or iron objects, stainless steel objects, anything. There is only one God. What does this first maṅgala śloka tells us? That first of all, the desire to turn our attention to God is only by the grace of God. Second, even whatever progress we strive by following the injunctions of the scriptures and by assiduously avoiding what should be avoided, vidhi and niṣedha, and our success in these two matters is also the grace of God. And then ultimately as if to reassure the child, the mother says, "Oh, you have come to me. You have done a great thing. I am so pleased with you. I will reward you." And that is also is only a pretense. It is only the mother who gives us the desire, who gives us the strength to overcome the obstacles, and who also removes the obstacles. That is called spiritual progress. Everything is the Divine, and that Divine in this particular first śloka, Maṅgala śloka, is considered as Maṅgala śloka. I bow down. Bow down means what?

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज । sarvadharmānparityajya māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja |
==Surrender and Prayer==
That is what Arjuna did after arguing with Sri Krishna, who never opened his mouth. Then at last Arjuna realizes, I am a fool trying to think my foolishness is the highest knowledge. Then he gives it up. I don't know what is the true solution. What is the problem? Insatiable ignorance. Suffering. Even if I get the three worlds, I would not be able to, it would not be able to bring even the slightest peace of mind, he himself says.

अपि त्रैलोक्यराज्यस्य हेतोः किन्नु महीकृते । api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kinnu mahīkṛte |

Even if you give me all the three worlds, make me in charge, I do not see how this śoka of mine can be assuaged. That is why the very first chapter is called Arjuna Viṣāda Yoga. So that is why Sri Ramakrishna always says, "Oh Mother, I am a fool. I know nothing. Here is your dharma and adharma." What does Sri Ramakrishna mean? I don't know what is dharma, I don't know what is adharma. So also at the end he says, "Mother, you please take my hand, make me do what I have to do, make me speak what I have to speak, make me dance like Īśvara." Anyway does it, whether we know it or not:

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति । भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥ īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ hṛddeśe'rjuna tiṣṭhati | bhrāmayansarvabhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā ||

So why do we need to have a prayer? Because there are three factors involved in any effort. First is called prayatna. I do my best according to my knowledge and power of the body and mind. Then there is something called kāla. Sri Ramakrishna clearly gives us. There is a right time for everything. The mother chick, the mother does not break open the egg until the right time comes, and she knows what is the right time. So we have to do our level best, we have to wait for the right time, then the divine grace will come. So we have to do our very best. And there are so many obstacles are there, and all the obstacles, as we believe, if anybody remembers, what is called Vighneśa, is the incharge of all obstacles. If we surrender to Vighneśa, he will himself remove all the obstacles. If we are stubborn to resist his grace, then he will create special obstacles out of his infinite love for us so that we can be drawn towards him through suffering. So we have to pray, Shanti Patha, or Maṅgala śloka, whatever it is. So Īśvara is all pervading, that all pervading Īśvara should be realized. That is what the very first mantra in the Isha Vasya Upanishad. So:

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam ||

Do not covet any other wealth excepting this wealth called pure knowledge. What is that pure knowledge? I do not exist, only God exists, and I am none other than that God, I am the Īśvara, I am Brahman.
==The Goal of Aparokṣānubhūti==
And then what is the particular purpose of this Aparokṣānubhūti? So second śloka:

अपरोक्षानुभूतिर्वै प्रोच्यते मोक्षसिद्धये । सद्भिरेव प्रयत्नेन वीक्षणीया मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ aparokṣānubhūtirvai procyate mokṣasiddhaye | sadbhireva prayatnena vīkṣaṇīyā muhurmuhuḥ ||

Herein is expounded the means of attaining to Aparokṣānubhūti, direct self-realization for the acquisition of final liberation. But there is a condition. Only the pure in heart should constantly and with all effort meditate upon the truth herein taught. Now we will go to the original śloka, because these are most beautiful ślokas. So it is aparokṣānubhūtirvai procyate mokṣasiddhaye. You want mokṣa? You want liberation, which means what? Which means I have no bondage, I am not in bondage, I am ever free, I was, I am, I will be ever free. That firm experience, understanding, that I was never in bondage, I am not in bondage, and I will never be in bondage because I am not the body-mind. All bondage belongs only to the body-mind complex. I am not neither the waker, nor the dreamer, nor the deep sleeper. I am not the pancha koshas. That firm understanding, ahaṃ brahmāsmi, that is called mokṣa. Mokṣa means what?

अहं सत् अहं चित् अहम् आनन्दस्वरूपः, सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म । ahaṃ sat, ahaṃ cit, aham ānandasvarūpaḥ, satyaṃ jñānamanantaṃ brahma |
==Direct vs. Indirect Experience (Aparokṣa vs. Parokṣa)==
But we do not know that truth. We think it is something to be attained as we use the words. Progress means what? I go towards it. So when do I get? Aparokṣa anubhūti. Direct experience. I have to know ahaṃ brahmāsmi. Even a great sadguru can come and teach:

तत्त्वमसि । tattvamasi |

You are that. But then that is śravaṇa. He is telling the truth. But I am not in a position to understand that truth. I know I am the body, I know I am the mind, I also know that this is not reality, really this is not me. A vague notion is there, but I want to understand. For that what is necessary? Aparokṣa anubhūti. As I explained in the past classes, parokṣa means listening from the teacher, hearing from the scriptures, reading from the scriptures, reading from great people. That is called parokṣa anubhūti. I am convinced that what they are telling is truth. But still doubts linger in my mind. So we have to convert it into aparokṣa anubhūti. That is why first stage is hearing the words of the scriptures from the mouth of a great soul directly. For many many many many years or lives, until the firm conviction comes, what I am experiencing cannot be the truth, because what my teacher is telling is the truth. And how do I know my teacher is teaching me correctly? Because his very life proves, he is ananda swarupa, is an embodiment of unselfishness, he is an embodiment of love, he is not expecting anything, he is only expecting to give. Where are my children? Where are you my children? Come to me. I want to share with you my experiences.

Recollect Sri Ramakrishna used to run at sunset to the roof. Before realization, he was longing for the vision of the Divine Mother. Vision means not seeing, vision means to know I and my Mother, I and Īśvara are not separate. And then once he had that knowledge, just like a mother suffers, if the baby for whatever reason, is not suckling her. It pains the mother more than the baby. That's why she tries to help the baby to recover its health as soon as possible, and then what joy when the child again restarts drinking the mother's milk, how much joy it comes. Only mothers know about it. So for the attainment of complete freedom through direct experience that I am Brahman. And then it is difficult. Sadbhireva prayatnena vīkṣaṇīyā muhurmuhuḥ. People who have become sat or sādhana catuṣṭaya sampannas. And prayatnena. Once they understand, they should be like that, there is a variety of dog, once it catches hold of something, it will never leave. So like that prayatnena, we must never give up, otherwise we will be like flattened rice soaked in milk, as Sri Ramakrishna says.

Asat people, impure people, and wicked people, who are they? Those who deviate from the scriptures. The idea that our goal is to attain God will never arise. On the other hand, our goal is:

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् । idamadya mayā labdhamimaṃ prāpsye manoratham |

This much I gained today, tomorrow I am going to gain much more. All the thoughts are directed only towards this unreliable worldly attainments. So what does the author say? muhurmuhuḥ vīkṣaṇīyā. Until we realize, this book called Aparokṣānubhūti must be read again and again, meditated again and again, and try to understand its deeper meaning through spiritual sādhana. And that is what he is telling here. I have given you the truth. So now you will have to do. By whom he is preparing? Sadbhiḥ. By pure people. Who are the pure people? For that purpose, we have to prepare the ground.
==The Qualifications for Study (Anubandha Catuṣṭaya)==
Preparation of the ground, whether you want to sow some seeds in the field, want to grow some vegetables or fruits, or want to study a book, or meditate, preparations are necessary. A simple example I am giving. The devotees of Sri Ramakrishna are encouraged. Just before meditation, you read the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, and then pray to him, then sit down. Then breathe in and out. Do a bit of prāṇāyāma, and first meditate upon the Guru in the head. And then slowly come to the heart. Then you imagine Holy Mother sitting there. And then you pray for her grace. Because that is called Sri. Without the grace of Sri, Hari will not be available. So Holy Mother will transform herself into Īśvara, Ramakrishna. Or in the evenings, when we are witnessing the ārātrikam, we are cataloguing all the wonderful qualities of every avatāra, particularly of Sri Ramakrishna. The whole hymn called Khaṇḍana Bhava Bandhana is a catalogue of marvelous qualities. He is nirguṇa, he is saguṇa, he is the destroyer of the bondages of samsara. And he has got in his hands that particular medication called jnananjana:

ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया । चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ jñānāñjanaśalākayā | cakṣurunmīlitaṃ yena tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||

So these are part of the preparations. What are the preparations? There are two types of preparations are there. One type of preparation is preparation for preparation. Second is preparation. The first type of preparation is called anubandha catuṣṭaya. And what are the four things? So that is what we are going to discuss now. Supposing you want to read a book, so four things you will have to examine. If you don't examine, then you are wasting probably your time. What is it? What is the first thing that we have to understand? What is the subject matter of the book? Supposing you want to become a doctor, what is the point of studying music? What is the point of studying cookery books? Or you want to be a good musician. What is its connection with medical college? No, you have to study the lives of how they great musicians had become great musicians, and then what were their teachings, how did they create the ragas, etc. Viṣaya, a subject which I want to master, and that subject is what? Brahman. I want to know I am divine, I know I am potentially divine, I want to manifest my divinity, that is called viṣaya. That is my subject. And then what type of book I should not read? A hero-heroine book I should not watch a cinema where the fight is going on between the villain and the hero. No, what is the relationship? So that book, or that teaching, or that Guru, there must be relationship, a connection between the book as a whole and the subject dealt with. And here it is the exposition. This Aparokṣānubhūti talks nothing but if your subject matter, if your goal is the realization of Brahman, this is a wonderful book for you to study. Different religions have different books, but this is a marvelous book for those people who want to realize Brahman.

And why did I fix my goal? Prayojana, a benefit to be obtained by studying it. What do I want to gain? Because I want to be free. That means I am not free now. But I believe I can be completely free. And how to be free? So what is the ultimate goal? Dharma, artha, kama, but all these are subsumed into that final goal, which is called parama puruṣārtha. Not only puruṣārtha, the only goal, the other three are called instrumental values. Only mokṣa is called the ultimate goal. That's all. These are all instrumental. Parama puruṣārtha is mokṣa. What is mokṣa? To know that I am Brahman. I have forgotten that fact. I am a prince, but I think I am a beggar, or I am in a dream, I have to wake up, etc. That is called prayojana, the ultimate goal. So manifest life is meant for to manifest this ultimate goal. And here it is called mokṣa.
==Acquiring the Fourfold Qualifications (Sādhana Catuṣṭaya Sampatti)==
Then who is an adhikārī? So who is a fit person? Any Tom, Dick and Harry cannot be a fit person. A donkey cannot become a master musician. It is impossible. A dog cannot be. Every human being cannot be. Many people would wish to become great singers and get admiration, but then it is not possible. So janma janmantara, many lives a person is practicing, and ultimately he became a he is born to such parents whose voices are so marvelous, you just hear some singers, whatever comes out of their throat is musical. Swami Vivekananda's friends used to poke him to speak, and he was also glad to oblige them. But then what is it? Whatever nonsense Swami Vivekananda speaks, is music to them. That means it gladdens their hearts. The effect is always good. Even if Swami Vivekananda speaks rubbish, but this person becomes a very precious ruby. That is the whole a person must be adhikārī. And who is an adhikārī? For that we have seen in Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, there are nine qualities are required, but they are presented in the form of four qualities, sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti. Catuṣṭaya means fourfold, qualities, sādhanas, and they are to be achieved only janma janmantara prayatna, by making efforts in so many births:

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये । manuṣyāṇāṃ sahasreṣu kaścidyatati siddhaye |

So what are they called? We have already dealt with them, so I will not dwell for a long time. Viveka, vairāgya, and śamadamādi ṣaṭka sampatti, and in that order, and then only comes mumukṣutvam. What is the first thing? Waking up from the fact that what I am seeking I will never get in this world. That is called discrimination. It is not a very good word. Because nowadays it is associated with racial discrimination, gender discrimination, color discrimination, etc, etc. So what is this there is a definition. nitya-anitya vastu vivekaḥ. What is permanent, what is real, and what never changes that is satyam, and what is always changing, what can never become permanent. So a crystal clear understanding, the nature of both the creation that we are living in and what Swami Vivekananda says, that you are potentially divine. That divinity, Brahman, that crystal clear discrimination. And how do we know discrimination is developed? Because discrimination, if it is not followed by the giving up of what I think is poison, that is no discrimination at all. At best it is only self-deception. So that vairāgya means that which practically immediately makes us give up what is poisonous to us. What we understand is going to kill me instead of making me immortal. That ability to give up, of course it doesn't come in one flash, it comes every day little by little we have to develop. That is called vairāgya, dispassion, non-attachment towards changing worldly and even heavenly pleasures.

Then in order to be able to have this discrimination and dispassion we must having control over the body and mind. That is called the six-fold inner wealth. So what is it? Control over the body, control over the mind, and a strong willpower, and the ability to withdraw the mind however tempting it is from distracting thoughts, and complete faith in the scriptures etc. And all these six-fold qualities they are called ṣaṭ sampatti. Six, we will discuss about them. And if we are successful in viveka, vairāgya, they are two, then these are six, eight. Then only as a result, and in that percentage mumukṣutvam. An intense burning desire for spiritual liberation will come. So Shankaracharya presented it in the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi. We have seen that one. And here once more it is going to come up. Because the subject matter is direct experience, aparokṣa anubhūti or jñāna. So it is being taught in this book. And therefore the content is what is Brahman, am I Brahman? And if it is so, how to attain that Brahman? So first of all, how do I really acquire these qualifications?

स्ववर्णाश्रमधर्मेण तपसा हरितोषणात् । साधनं प्रभवेत्पुंसां वैराग्यादिचतुष्टयम् ॥ svavarṇāśramadharmeṇa tapasā haritoṣaṇāt | sādhanaṃ prabhavetpuṃsāṃ vairāgyādicatuṣṭayam ||

In this Aparokṣānubhūti the author let us take him as Shankaracharya doesn't matter. What is the how do I develop this ability to even to do spiritual struggle. How do I acquire these four preliminary qualifications, Viveka, Vairāgya, Śamadamādi ṣaṭka sampatti, and Mumukṣutvam. How does it come? So he says sva varṇa āśrama dharmeṇa. So according to my caste. Caste here means according to guna. Whether I am sāttvika person, sāttvika dominated person, or rajoguṇa dominated person, or tamoguṇa dominated person. And I have to do according to what is my age, am I a student? Focus on study. Am I a householder? And lead a dharmik life, righteous life. Doing what the scripture prescribes us to do, and there are many things one has to do. If I am an older person, and still running after many vain things, that is the greatest obstacle, and nowadays whether it is YouTube or things like that, or social media like WhatsApp, they are the greatest rakshasas that eat up our time, our life, our energy, our everything, and create more obstacles to our spiritual progress than anything else. Do you understand it? Do you have a desire to go on reducing them? If you do not, that means this study is not very fruitful. By whatever means, by following all our duties, with complete faith, and even now and then I have to undertake certain difficult austerities like fasting on Ekādaśī etc. And what happens as a result of that? Haritoṣaṇāt. I please Hari, Sri Hari. I please God. And what happens when God is pleased? Like when mother is pleased, she will never ever give poison to her children. She will only give what she knows the best thing that can make the child happy, healthy, strong, and blissful. And do you think God will not do it? Yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mātṛrūpeṇa saṃsthitā. Haritoṣaṇāt, toṣaṇa means pleasing the divine Lord.

How is he? You just go to the temple and with all trembling with emotion, and you go on carrying first class flowers, first class fruits, lot of donations. No. Hari is not pleased with that. Only the thieves at the temple are pleased with it. Because they get everything. How much these people, how much corruption is going on in every temple, and some people are cannot keep quiet, they are building more and more temples to increase this corruption. No, Hari is pleased only by doing our best to practice what is prescribed for us, and also undertaking austerities every now and then. Then what happens? He is pleased. What happens when he is pleased? Sādhanaṃ prabhavet. A strong desire:

ईश्वरानुग्रहादेव पुंसामद्वैतवासना । īśvarānugrahādeva puṃsāmadvaitavāsanā |

Advaita vāsanā means a strong spiritual desire. A strong desire to progress spiritually to reach God is only by His grace. Sādhanaṃ prabhavet. Puṃsām means for all aspirants, man or woman. And then the first thing God grants to us is vairāgyādicatuṣṭayam. Viveka, vairāgya, śamadamādi ṣaṭka sampatti, as well as mumukṣutvam. Longing. These four preliminary qualifications which are the means to the attainment of true knowledge, such as dispassion etc are acquired by every spiritual aspirant by propitiating God through austerities, and the performance of duties according to their social order and stage in life. And that is the only way by hook or crook one cannot please the divine Lord. He knows everything. We will take up beautifully these thoughts further in our next class.
==Conclusion==
ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।

Oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadgurum।

पादपद्मेतयोस्त्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः।

pādapadmetayos tritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ।

May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!
[[Category:Aparokshanubhuti]]