View source for Mandukya Karika Lecture 014 on 01 September 2021

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
Om Bhadram Kanne Vishnuyamadevaha Bhadram Pashye Maakshabhirya Jatraaha
Sthirai Rangai Stushthu Aagum Sastanobhi Vyase Mahadevahi Tanyadayu
Svasthina Indru Vrithya Shravaha Svasthina Bhusha Vishwa Vedaaha
Svasthina Starksho Arishta Nimihi Svasthino Prihaspatir Dadaatu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hare Om
Om, O Gods, may we hear auspicious words with our ears, may we see auspicious things with our eyes.
Worshipping the Gods with steady limbs, may we enjoy a life that's beneficial to all.
May Indra of ancient fame bestow auspiciousness upon us.
May the all-nourishing potion be propitious to us.
May Garuda, the destroyer of evil, be well disposed towards us.
May Brihaspati ensure our welfare.
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.
So, we are exploring the Mandukya Upanishad.
In our last class, we have been elaborately translating the commentary of Shankaracharya,
that is his introduction called Sambandha Bhashya to the very first mantra that's going to come very soon.
So, in this connection, the first mantra of this Mandukya Upanishad is equating everything with Om.
Whatever falls within time, whatever is also beyond time.
Everything is Omkara.
Saguna, Nirguna.
Sakara, Nirakara.
Everything, this world and the cause of this world.
The effect and both the cause and the effect.
Everything is Omkara.
It's a very beautiful idea. We will discuss how it is so beautiful.
But finally, Chandukya Upanishad, there is one shloka which says,
Everything is nothing but names and sounds.
Vikaro namadeyam.
Everything else is mithya.
And how this is absolute truth, we will explore it very soon.
Continuing our introduction of the Shankaracharya's Bhashya.
Katham punaha omkara nirnayaha atmatattva pratipatti upayatvam pratipadyate iti uchyate.
Katham, how again.
Punaha means again. How again.
Omkara nirnayaha.
The true nature of the Om.
True knowledge about Om in all its aspects.
Related both to the manifested as well as the unmanifested.
Always let us remember, what is manifested falls within time, space and causation.
And what is unmanifested, of course it would be beyond time, space and causation.
But here Advaita Vedanta gives us a deep insight.
What is that insight?
Whether we are talking about what falls within time or what falls outside time.
Both are thoughts in the mind.
Because whatever is outside the mind can never be thought, can never be of course uttered.
It is not possible to do anything about it.
So that is why this is very deeply connected with Sri Ramakrishna's most wonderful teaching.
Remember, on the very first day when M entered into the room of Sri Ramakrishna, a talk was going on.
Sandhya, that means the ritual called Sandhya Upasana merges in Gayathri.
That is, a person just goes on meditating, praying to this Gayathri Devata through the Gayathri mantra consisting of 24 syllables.
But as the man progressed from the ritual to the Gayathri, he will also progress from Gayathri to where?
Omkara.
This is what Sri Ramakrishna had summarized the entire Mandukya Upanishad.
That is what Shankaracharya is introducing.
The very first mantra, Omkara, is everything that falls within time and outside time also.
But remember, both the ideas of cause and effect, manifest and non-manifest,
both fall within the thinking of the mind.
Supposing, for example, that which falls outside the time, space and causation is not discussed in the mind, by the mind.
Why it cannot be discussed? Because it is outside the mind.
Then the question of what is beyond space would not be risen at all.
But since the Upanishad is clearly mentioning both what falls within time, what also is outside time,
we must remember the Parabrahma, the highest reality called Brahman, is both beyond that which is within the time and also without the time.
That is one very important idea always we have to keep in mind.
But at the same time, everything that we experience, that which falls within the time is also nothing but Brahman.
That means, if we posit two realities, one outside the mind called Parabrahman, supreme reality,
another, this Jagat, this world, that which is experienceable through the play of the subject and object, both are existing.
If we make such a statement, that would be a false statement because Advaita means no Dvaita.
Dvaita means no duality.
No duality means there are no two. One is called Parabrahma, another is called this Jagat.
So this is the ultimate purpose to explain this.
This first mantra in the Mandukya Upanishad is being started and here Shankaracharya is giving a very good, deep idea for us
how when we encounter this first mantra, we can understand it in a better way.
So, Katham, Punaha, how again?
Omkara Nirnaya, Nirnaya means complete thorough analysis, obtaining full knowledge about this Omkara, Punaha.
So, what does it do?
Atma, Tattva, Pratipatti, Upayatvam, Pratipadyate.
Pratipadyate, this is being put forward.
What? Upayatvam, the means, the instruments, the way to obtain, to obtain what?
Atma, Tattva. Tattva means knowledge.
Atma, Tattva means self-knowledge, knowledge of the Atman.
Pratipatti, in order to obtain Omkara, becomes the only instrument.
Remember, not only it is the instrument, but it is the only instrument.
No other instrument can serve this purpose.
Iti, if such a question is put by anybody, Uchchate, the answer is being given.
How does again the determination of the meaning of Om help the realization of the essential nature of Atman?
It is thus explained.
Now, this first chapter is called Agama Prakarana.
Now, Agama Prakarana, as we discussed earlier, consists of 12 mantras of the Mandukya Upanishad.
In the next three chapters, there are Prakaranas, there is no Upanishadic mantra occurs.
Purely Gaudapada Karikas, as well as the illuminating commentary by Shankaracharya,
plus Anandagiri's Tika, when he thinks some commentary of Shankaracharya,
some words of the commentary of Shankaracharya needs further elucidation,
so that we can understand it much better without misunderstanding.
So, Shankaracharya heavily quotes Agama means Veda, Agama means Shruti.
That's why the first chapter is aptly named as Agama Prakaranam.
Now, this Agama Prakarana, 12 mantras of the Upanishad,
plus 29 Karikas by Gaudapada, plus the commentary of Shankaracharya,
followed by the Tika of Anandagiri.
Now, Shankaracharya is quoting, this is from Katha Upanishad.
So, we, the students, are supposed to, as soon as he just quotes a little bit of it,
very rarely Shankaracharya quotes complete mantra for us to understand.
He says, you fellows, I will give you some homework.
You can just start, and then you find out where it is.
So, Katha Upanishad, it comes, Om Iti Etat.
Everything is nothing but Om.
It is Om.
Etat Alambanam.
Again, Katha Upanishad.
This Om is the best support.
Best support for what?
Support for those things which fall within time, space, causation, and outside space, time, and causation.
That which are experienceable through the manifested world,
and that which is the cause of the unmanifested world also,
and that which falls, doesn't fall within time, space, and causation.
It's outside time, space, and causation.
Then, Etadvai Satyakamaha Paranja Aparanja Brahma Et Omkaraha Tasmadvidvan Etena Eva Ayatanena Ekataram Anvethi.
This quotation is from the Prashna Upanishad.
So, what does Etadvai Satyakamaha?
The teacher is addressing a disciple called Satyakamaha,
who puts, this is the fifth Prashna,
that's why that Upanishad is known as Prashna Upanishad.
There are six disciples, six students,
they come with six questions,
and the entire Upanishad is consisting of six questions and answers by the teacher.
So, he says, O Satyakamaha, addressing Satyakamaha,
it is this Om, which is also the higher and the lower Brahman.
So, if you can understand, what is the lower Brahman?
What is the lower Brahman?
Anatma Brahman.
What is Anatma Brahman?
This entire experienceable world.
And what is the higher Brahman?
You can call it subject, you can call it outside time, space, and causation.
In other words, it is timeless, it is spaceless,
it is beyond time, beyond space, beyond causation.
That is called infinity and eternal.
So, Etadvai, Etad means this Omkara,
which has been quoted from the Katha Upanishad,
that Omkara represents both Param and Aparam.
Now, when I said the word represents,
should not be misunderstood.
In common language, suppose you have invited somebody for a party,
and that person whom you invited could not come,
so he sends his representative in honor of your invitation.
But that's not to be understood because this Omkara is Parabrahman,
Omkara is again lower Brahman.
If Omkara is Parabrahman,
Omkara is also Aparabrahman,
then what is the difference?
There is absolutely no difference at all.
So, Tasmat, therefore,
therefore, therefore means therefore,
because this Omkara is both the higher and lower,
Vidwan, one who understands
that this Omkara is both the higher and lower.
So, by the means of this one,
by the support of this,
by the bridge of this,
by the instrumentality of this Omkara,
finally he understands.
What does he understand?
That everything is Omkara.
How is Omkara?
If you are merged in it,
that is called Brahman.
But if you are experiencing it
and want to express it,
this will become Omkara.
Let us always remember.
Sri Ramakrishna says,
everything in this world has become Uchishta, polluted,
because everything that touches our mouth,
if we touch something to our mouth
or our mouth touches something,
both become polluted.
So, everything has become polluted
because everything has been expressed
by words, by names, by sounds
through the mouth of human beings,
only human beings,
even a butterfly,
even a mosquito,
even an ant,
whatever living creature expresses,
that is all polluted.
Then he says,
very interesting,
Brahman alone is never polluted.
Brahman is not polluted.
Interesting question.
I hope you guessed what I am going to tell.
Sir, you said Brahman is not polluted,
but you have uttered that word Brahman,
it has come from your mouth,
so it must be also polluted.
What will Sri Ramakrishna say?
You are absolutely right.
Even my utterance of Brahman
is only a conventional way
to convey an idea.
When a person wants to convey the idea
to another person,
he has to use human language.
That human language is called Brahman.
It could be another two words,
supreme reality,
or one word, reality,
or God.
Remember,
God doesn't mean always personal.
Both the personal
as well as the impersonal aspect
of reality is called God
in English language.
So,
that Omkara
is both the highest reality,
also the manifested reality.
Omkara is both the manifested
as well as the unmanifested reality.
And if a person is wise,
he understands this through sadhana
and God's grace.
And when he understands,
he understands that there are no
two divisions called higher and lower.
That is only two ways of looking at it.
Now, why two ways of looking at it?
Because so long as a person
is having mind,
then two ways are there.
But if there is no mind,
as we experience nidra,
deep sleep,
the experience of Nirvikalpa Samadhi
is indescribable.
And yet it is an experience.
Tasmād vidvān
etena eva āyatanena
By this
instrument alone,
ekataram anveti
he comes to know
that the higher and lower Brahmans
are not really two separate entities,
but one and the same.
Therefore,
they know here, by means of this
foundation OM,
can discover either of them
or both of them.
Then, further,
omiti ātmānam
in jītā
So, here also, meditate
on the Self
as OM.
Why? Omite brahmā.
So,
because OM
is called Brahmā.
In the earlier,
omiti ātmānam
in jītā. The word in jītā
means joined together
through yoga.
And how meditation is
joining two things
together, like superglue.
So, supposing
Ramakrishna was meditating on Brahmā,
in the beginning,
he was the meditator,
Brahman is the meditated.
After some time,
when the meditation becomes perfect,
there is no such Ramakrishna
and Brahman.
Because Ramakrishna's body,
Ramakrishna's mind
are no more there.
They are still there,
but as if they are not there.
They have also
become nothing
but Brahman.
Like a salt doll or sugar doll,
upon touching water,
it just melts
and becomes one with it.
Even that is a wrong example because
sugar will not
appear when it melts,
but it is still there.
Salt doll, Ramakrishna's example
was salt doll,
when it goes to measure
the depth of the ocean,
it becomes one with the ocean.
But
an image made of ice,
if it
plunges
to measure the depth of the ocean,
then there would be
absolute unity between
the ice and the water.
That is perhaps
a better example.
All these examples are meant to convey
certain meaning for us
and remove misunderstanding,
but they should not be taken
literally.
Then in the
Taittiriya Upanishad,
why should I meditate on Brahma?
Because
Om and Brahma,
they are one and the same.
This word Om is Brahman.
Omkara eva idam sarvam
Chandogya Upanishad
idam sarvam, whatever you experience
as the world,
called Jagat or
Prapancha, idam sarvam
omkara eva, only
omkara, ityadi
shrutibhyah
All these quotations
that we have just talked about
from the Shrutis.
Shruti means scriptures.
So, all the Shrutis
with one voice,
they declare
that Omkara
and Brahman are
non-separate.
Therefore, Omkara can be used
both as
the instrument of knowing Brahman
and finally
Brahman itself.
That is the idea.
Then Shankara continues.
So, why should we
or how should we understand
this?
As the rope etc.
which are the substratum
of such illusions
that the snake etc.
So, first let us complete this.
Here is a beautiful
idea is given
by Shankaracharya.
So, always Advaita Vedanta
gives certain stock examples.
The
rope and the snake
is one and then the
lake
in the desert, mirage
or
like the reflection
in the mirror
or like the movie on the
screen or like a
dream. Keep these
five examples. These are
stock examples. They will come
again and again and again
especially this
rope and the snake.
Now, what is Shankara telling?
Vikalpa.
Rajyadiriva
Vikalpa.
Suppose there is a piece of rope
and it is semi-dark
and you are moving
and you are terribly frightened
of snakes
because if you are
terribly frightened of snakes
that has a deep meaning.
What is the meaning?
If you had never
encountered a snake before
the question of
either becoming frightened
or becoming
happy, such
emotional
manifestations can never take
place. So,
whenever we mistake
one thing for something else
we have to know
both these things together
but because light is
not there or some emotional
this thing is there
so at that time most
likely we make. I said
this second thing that
because of emotional problem also
we can mistake. Supposing
you are expecting
somebody and the
person is a bit late
and you are sitting and
with great eagerness expecting
that person. Suddenly
a car, a speeding
car comes to your house
and then suddenly
puts a brake, stops
and doors are opened.
You are not seeing the car
but you are hearing the sounds
because you are already
expecting. You are 100%
sure that this is
the person or persons
whom we are expecting.
It may not be
but that is how
Brahma takes place. Then you
shout, hey our
expected person has come
let us welcome him and
you rush to the door
and then you find out
that person had stopped the
car just a little bit
in front of your house but
he is entering into the
next house.
So
this is also because
of emotional problems,
lack of light or
another thing is if you are overcome
with a terrible emotion
called fear etc
or it could be
tremendous amount of
what is called
delusion that you
are in love with somebody.
I hope you remember, I mentioned
the story of a young man
he was in love with a young woman
from the village and a village
is a place where everybody knows
everything else about everybody
so they decided
to meet outside the village
at 10 o'clock at night
under a banyan tree
and it was also
dark.
So the young man rushes there
exactly at 10 o'clock
and he was delighted to find
his beloved there
and he could not wait
patiently, he ran and
enveloped that object in his
arms and then
after a few seconds
something started pricking him
and then by that
time moonlight also had come
and then he saw to his horror
it was a black bear
which came there
in search of food and that
fellow also could not understand
why somebody is in a great rush
to embrace me.
So this vikalpa means
what? Mistaking things
a rope is mistaken
for a snake
a standing stump of tree
is mistaken for a standing
purusha, for a policeman
for a drunkard
for a beloved
as many imaginations, so many
things are there.
So what are we talking?
Raju, Adi, Iva
so many examples like the
rope etc.
and they all give
Sarpaadi Vikalpasya
Aspadaha
Here is a wonderful point
Shankaracharya is telling us
supposing there is no rope
can you mistake
that there is a snake?
Whenever we mistake
something for something else
that mistake that we commit
must have something
prior, in prior
existing. If there were
to be no rope, if there were
to be no desert, if there were
no stump of
tree etc. it is
impossible to mistake.
So this adhyasa,
or imposition, it must
always have something
which is unchanging, which
is the real, which is the
karna and which cannot be
denied. So
he says, all that we are
experiencing, we are
experiencing this world
in the form of subject
the whole experience
of human being
is in the form of a subject
and then object.
Now
this subject, I
it means all of you
all of us, how do we
experience? We
experience it in three ways
there is a state called
waking state, I become
the waker and I experience
it with my body
mind and all the sense
organs. When I enter
into some other state called
dream state
apna avastha, then
I become another type of subject
I will come to that later on
is called dreamer
and I experience the same
world, world is the same
but it is experienced in a
slightly different
color, different flavor,
different taste, but
predominantly with the mind
help of the mind
so the same world
is experienced in the waking
state, in the dream
state, same world is
also experienced in
another very subtle
or what is called causal
state which is called
deep sleep. There are only
two things, one is
subject, everything else
is the object. The subject
never changes
but the
object is ever
changing
so suppose there are three
rooms and you are entering
into the room number 1
and you are room number
1 person, you enter
into the room number 2, you
are the person, room number
2 person, similarly room number
3 person, again room number
1 person, even though
you are being given 3 names
there is absolutely
not the slightest change
in you
so that great
idea is being given
here, whether you see
a snake, whether you
see a person in a stump
whether you see dazzling
brilliant huge body of
water in a mirage
whenever we do this kind of
superimposition
what is superimposed
changes, when the right
knowledge comes
when the light is brought up, for example
the snake
instantaneously
vanishes, but
whatever was before
we mistook it and while
we mistook it, after
we had gotten
rid of the mistake
it ever remained only
that rope
or what is called
lizard or what is called
stump of a tree, etc
etc, now this
is the greatest truth
even if you think
that the
understand the whole
world is mithya, the point
is not the
mithyatva of the world
the point is
this mithyatva
depends completely
totally upon
some adhishtana,
substratum, so what is
meant by sadhana
that you give up
this temporary
changeful
superimposition
and then find out upon
which that is
superimposed and
you will be out of that
fear, as soon as you come to know
that this is a rope
both the serpent
and the emotional
havoc that was caused
by the knowledge of the serpent
everything will disappear
that's being put so
beautifully in Sanskrit
so vikalpasya aspadam
aspadam means substratum
vikalpa means superimposition
that which is changing
that whatever
what are they, rajvadhiriva
sarpadi, sarpadi
means snakes, etc
and they are superimposed upon
raju, ropes, etc
and this rope
is the aspadam
substratum for the
snakes, etc
similarly, this
whole world
consisting of experienced
through the
three states of waking,
dream, as well as causal
state, jagrat,
swapna, sushupti
they are all changing
therefore they are vikalpas
but they must have an aspadam
substratum
what is the substratum?
that is called turiya
that is called brahma
that is called ankara
finally, it is called
ahi, I am
brahman, so that is
what being said, advayam atma
paramarthatah
advayam atma
so in paramarthatah
in reality
what is in reality?
what is paramarthah?
so, according to advayata
this experience
is divided again
into three different glasses
what are they?
paramarthika satya
absolute truth
vyavaharika satya
transactional truth
prativasika satya
illusory truth
I will give some examples
when you see
your shadow
or your reflection in a mirror
or when you watch a movie
or when you are
seeing things in a dream
that is called prativasika
illusory
but in this waking state
whatever we experience
is called vyavaharika
I will tell you
the difference also
but when you transcend both
merge both
in their cause
the cause of both
the sleep state
as well as the dream state
as well as the waking state
in their cause
which is called
brahman or turiya
that is called
absolute truth
paramarthika satya
so what is the difference between
paramarthika satya
vyavaharika satya
and prativasika satya
so prativasika satya
even while we are
witnessing it
accepting dream
looking at your reflection
or shadow
you know that is not me
that is only my appearance
when you are watching a movie
you know this is not reality
it is just a movie
the moment I close my eyes
the whole movie
becomes destroyed
so this is called
prativasika
now what about vyavaharika
it is extremely difficult
excepting for jivanmuktas
extremely difficult
for all of us
I am eating rasagulla
and to say that
I am eating a mithya rasagulla
a unreal rasagulla
this is
absolutely
un-understandable
unacceptable
so this is the difference between
prativasika and
vyavaharika
so long as this vyavahara is there
transaction is going on
and transaction is impossible
if we think
it is only a pretense
or it is unreal
so no
action is possible
no reaction is possible
that's why
it is very important to truth
we will explore it in the future
but I am giving an example
supposing you are watching a movie
and there is a
wonderful golden
ornament is there
and you don't say
ornament, I want to buy that ornament
no, that is not possible
because you
are the vyavaharika satya
but what you are experiencing is
prativasika satya
there cannot be any
transaction between
vyavaharika and prativasika
but
this vyavaharika
even though it is
not real from the paramarthika
so long as
we are experiencing it
is real, so long as we are
experiencing dream
dream is not dream
dream is
vyavaharika davasta, waking state
completely real
when does it, we call it to dream
upon waking up
so also when this whole
jagat of the consisting
of the vyavaharika satya
when this vyavaharika satya
so long as we are there
it is not possible
and it is not desirable
to consider it as
unreal
but what should we consider then
when the scriptures are teaching
it is unreal, it is changing
that's why
Sri Ramakrishna's teaching
the fourth commandment of Sri Ramakrishna
what to do
practice discrimination
what is discrimination
God alone is real
everything else is
Sri Ramakrishna did not use the word
unreal, he used the word
temporary
so what is real
permanently real, that means
never changes
what is this temporary real
that means this temporary
reality is
constantly changing
one temporary reality
changes into another
temporary reality
for example, if you have bought
fresh sweets
they are
vyavaharika satya, right now
but after
a day it becomes
old sweet
decomposing sweet
that is what is called here
this
temporary changing reality
but
we understand
every human being understands
oh, how time passes
I have become old
just a few seconds
back, I was a young person
now I have become so
old, how time passes
very often we hear the remark
how time passed, we were married
50 years, how time passes
so
this we recognize
some way, but
our recognition doesn't impute
the truth of it
in our transactions
ok, if it is old gold also
that is fine, if it is old gold
also, that is also fine
but
we don't want to give up
sadhana consists first to recognize
everything is temporary
that means everything is
changing and whatever changing
should not be valued
but we say
everything is changing
we are aware of the change
but we do not devalue
it, in fact
we may put it all the more
value, funnily
some things become even more valuable
for example
if there is an antique
so 2000, 3000
4000, 5000 years
back, somebody
has done some small image
and the more
time passes, the more valuable
it becomes, but for
whom, not for everybody
only those who love
antiques, otherwise
it becomes a
monkey act, antique
really speaking
so what are we talking
just as any
superimposition to
superimpose something upon something
else, there must be something
unchanging, reality
must be there
as an example he has given
if you have to mistake something
as a snake
you must have a rope
so also there must be desert
dry sand
to mistake it as a body
of water, so etc
etc, so
nobody can deny
because there are certain schools of
philosophy and Shankara
has those schools of philosophy
in mind, he wants to refute
them
it will come in the future
here itself, in the Agama Prakrna
itself, they are called Shunivadins
he says
if everything is Shuniya, everything
is zero, nothing can be
produced from zero
the question of
superimposing something
upon a Shuniya
doesn't arise
there will be no birth
no sthiti, stability
or no resolving back
Shuniya means complete
zero, Tuccham
that which never existed
we are not talking about
non-existence
we are talking about
two types of existence, permanent
existence and
temporary existence
so the snake is
temporary existence
but the rope is permanent existence
that is being said here
Vikalpasi Aspadam
there must be a substratum
which is eternal, which is
unchanging, so
some of you are very intelligent
so is the rope
permanently there? No, no
it is only an example from the Vyavaharika
Sathya, what is the cause
of rope? Existence
the existence part
of the rope is permanent
the knowability part
of the rope is permanent
the ananda
that comes, the experience
that comes from
understanding
this object called
rope, that is permanent
Sat, Chit, Ananda is permanent
but everything
else is Vikalpa
the whole world is nothing but
superimposition upon
so I will just proceed to make this
point clear, we will proceed
slowly so that we can really understand
it, so you can say
supposing here is a
shirt, that is the reality
no sir, that is not the reality
it is a superimposition
it is what is called a change
brought about, it is a
karya effect
so if there is a karya effect
there must be a cause
what is the cause? The cause is
the threads
oh, so
how do we know? Because
if we can take back
the shirt into the
that
threads
we can make something else out of it
you know
when people sew this woolen
caps etc and sometimes
they leave it and then
a child comes, pulls the whole
thing comes out, so it can be
changed like that
but are the
these threads themselves
are they permanent
cause? No, the threads
came from the cotton
the cotton came
from the tree
and the tree has come from
as a result of the
pancha bhutas, five elements
akasha, vayu etc
and all these elements came from whom?
from Atman
so you trace
the cause of, the cause of, the cause of
the cause etc, ultimately
the whole universe
however different it may
appear
they all merge in God
in what form?
sat, chit and ananda
existence, knowledge
and bliss
and thereafter
where from sat has come
where from chit has come
where from ananda has come
are they effects
and if so, what is their cause?
No, that is called
paramarthata, highest
cause
but then, here is something again
I will just give a hint
when the time comes, I will talk about it
so here is a, we are all
suffering from a disease
terrible mental disease
called cause and effect
just as I told you
a shirt is nothing but thread
a thread is nothing but
cotton
now I will take that much only
then go further
when you say
the shirt has an effect
it is nothing but
thread
that means the
effective nature of the shirt
has disappeared
when the effect disappears
along with that
the cause also disappears
when there is
no ornament
so long as a
golden ornament is there
gold is the cause
ornament is the manifestation
but the moment you
understand that the
golden ornament is nothing
but gold in every way
that effect
effectness becomes
destroyed, as soon as
the effectness becomes destroyed
simply karana
cannot be a karana
cause cannot be a cause
without effect, just as
when there are no students
a man cannot be called a teacher
when a man doesn't have money
he can't be called a rich person
when a person doesn't have
anything about music
he can't be called a musician
so the moment karya
is removed, karana also
disappears, so the thread
is merged in the cotton
the cotton is merged in the
tree, the tree is merged in
the earth
earth is merged in the water
water in fire, fire in
air, air in
akasha, space
and space is merged in atman
as soon as we remove the
effects, then the
karana cause also disappears
so brahman only
is a cause so long
as we do not know the cause
so long we do not resolve
the effect into the cause
but that will come in future
we will again discuss about it
so if there is
a superimposition, there must
be something real, a
substratum which is called
sacchidananda, the examples
don't take as absolute
the existence of the rope
is the
permanent substratum
for the appearance
for the existence of
the rope, for the
knowledge of the rope
is the cause
for the knowledge of the snake
the bliss part
of the rope
modifies now
for the effect of
seeing a snake
I also gave an example
if you are frightened and the effect of
this seeing the snake
thinking it is a snake is
fright, but if you are a snake
catcher or even better
just now it occurred to me
if you are a snake eater
and you are particularly fond of cobra
because
much more tastier
than water snake
then your joy knows no bounds
so
without the substratum
it is impossible even
to make adhyarupa
superimposition, adhyasa
and what is that?
advayam, when we come to the
final cause
that causeness disappears
and it becomes advaya
non-dual
atma, it becomes atma
paramarthatha and that
is the highest truth
highest reality
so taking these
examples, Shankaracharya what he
wants to say
san pranadi vikalpasya
aspadam yatha
that is to say the whole
universe that we experience
there may be
billions and billions of objects
and all objects are
divided into the living
and non-living, those with
consciousness and those
without consciousness
jada prapancha and
chaitanya prapancha
but both are nothing but
vikalpas of parabrahman
so they must have
their cause because this is the effect
and what happens
all these merge in the subject
without the subject
there would be no object
when through meditation
through spiritual sadhana
with the help of the guru
with the help of the scriptures
as expounded
by the guru, we say
the subject alone is the cause
how do we know? because
as soon as you go to the sleep state
the whole universe
disappears, notice
so like that, but then
it is not the highest truth, why?
because after some time
it again gives
birth to the waking state
as well as the dream state
so that is why
it appears to be advaita
but in reality it is not
advaita, what Shankara
wants to say, just as a
snake etc. cannot
be mistaken
unless there is a rope
which remains permanent
without any change
so also the whole
universe which consists of
prana, here prana
means Hiranyagarbha
Hiranyagarbha means
the collectiveness of the entire universe
consisting of these three
let us say
Ishwara
in Chandogya Upanishad
Ishwara is called
prana, we should not
mistake prana for our
individual life sustaining
system, here prana means
universal cause
of the entire universe
so this universe
also is superimposed
upon Brahman and
that collective superimposition
of this entire universe
is called Ishwara
Ishwara is a combination of
the Saguna Brahma, that's why
it is called a combination of
Parabrahma plus Maya
Brahman plus Shakti
and so that is also
Dwaitam only
not Advaitam
but both of them are
effects because
they are also superimposed
at that high level
not at our level
so when Ishwara
along with Maya
is resolved back
into that which never changes
that is called
Paramarthika Sathya
Parabrahman
Atman, by whatever name we call it
Pranadi
Vikalpasya Aspadam
Yatha
so this Brahman is the
substratum for the entire
universe, both manifest
as well as the non-manifest
Tatha
and exactly in the
same way, Sarvo
Api Vak Prapanchaha
the entire universe
consisting of words
Vak means words
Pranadi Atma
Vikalpa Vishaya
and this whole Prapancha
is consisting of what?
Prana Adi
Prana, Vyana, Udana etc
this Akasha, Vayu
Agni, Jala
and Prithvi etc
Vikalpa Vishaya
what we experience it
Sarvo Api
entire thing
what is it?
Omkara Eva
so is the non-dual Atman
which is the ultimate reality
a substratum of such imaginations
as the vital breath etc
they are all effects
they are changing
they are unreal
they are as much superimposed
upon Brahman
as we superimpose a snake
upon a rope etc
without
substratum
there cannot be any superimposition
this world which is constantly
changing cannot be
also imagined
or superimposed without
that substratum which is called
Brahman and that Brahman
is called Omkara
so Omkara is Brahman
Brahman is Omkara
Brahman is Atman
so Atma, Brahman
and Omkara is one and the same
and how it is one and the same
is the subject matter
which we will discuss
next week
Om Jananim Sharadam
Devim Ramakrishnam
Jagat Gurum
Pada Padme Tayo Sritva
Pranamami Muhur
Muhur
May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother
and Swami Vivekananda bless us all
with Bhakti
and the capacity to understand
this particular
Evirupanishad
particularly this Mandukya Evirupanishad

[[Category:Mandukya Karika]]