View source for Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 62 2.1 on 23 July 2025

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==


ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum

pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ हरि ॐ

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

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

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

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

OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL


= Introduction =
So we are studying the first section of the second chapter of Taittiriya Upanishad. This second chapter is called Brahmananda Valli and so forth. What did we study?

So the first section of the second chapter starts with Om Brahmavidha Apnoti Param. He who knows Brahman attains the Supreme and Tadesha Bhyukta. On the above statement, the following Rig Mantra is recorded as a supporting statement.

== Definition of Brahman ==
Then comes the definition of Brahman. '''Satyam Gnanam Anantam Brahma.'''

* '''Satyam''' means that which never changes at any time
* '''Gnanam''' means pure consciousness
* '''Anantam''' means that which is one without a second and that is the definition of Brahman

Why is this definition? If we compare, if we look, whether it is our body, our minds, any object in the external world, we find everything is changing. First of all, Brahman is one and what we see is multiplicity. Second, Brahman never changes. It is not subject to time, but everything in this world beginning from the birth and growth until again every object goes back into its relevant cause.

Everything is changing. Even for a billy second, nothing remains unchanged. So this is called Anantam, infinity. Naturally, infinity doesn't admit of multiplicity. And it is pure consciousness. This is the most important word. Gnanam means pure consciousness, which means it is not anything that we come to know.

Because whatever knowledge we have, it divides itself into three parts:

# The knower
# That which is the object of knowledge
# The instrument through which we come to know

And as the result of it we get some knowledge. So the knower was ignorant and in the proper process he comes to know something and as a result of it he becomes changed. How do we know? Previously he was called ignorant person. Now he is called a knowledgeable person. A vast change had come as a result of this knowledge.

Not only that, the object about which we are changing, we are trying to know also is changing. I have gone to see a baby and it is a baby. Next day I have gone to see the same baby. I see the baby is one day older. I am also one day older. My knowledge of the baby is also this baby that I am seeing a little more. So every billion second or trillion second changes are taking place.

And then what about the instrument of knowledge? If my mind is very calm, very quiet, then I am coming to know better. But sometimes we are worried. Our mind is elsewhere. Concentration is broken. Our resultant knowledge also becomes affected to that extent.

So the knower, the known and the instrument of knowledge and the resultant knowledge, everything is changing and all these changes are noted down, cognized by pure consciousness. That is why '''satyam jnanam anantam brahma'''. Truth, pure consciousness and infinity, that is the definition of brahman.

== Note on Terminology ==
In English we should not actually use the word brahman, that N added to brahman. That is not a correct way. It must be brahma only. But when we write in English language the word brahma, the creator brahma, where there is an extra akara, brahma, that becomes confused. We become confused whether the scripture Upanishad is referring to the pure brahman or to the creator aspect of brahman. To make it clear in English language we say brahman, otherwise it is brahma. And those who are not familiar with Sanskrit or Indian languages, then brahma short and brahma longer, oh well, it makes no difference for those who do not know.

== Result of Knowing Brahman ==
So by knowing brahman, a person attains to the supreme. Supreme means what? He becomes immortal, he becomes all-knowing and he becomes pure consciousness and pure anandam, unbroken bliss because that is one's own nature.

== Where is Brahman Found? ==
So where is this brahman to be found? The counter question should be where is not this brahman to be found? But because we are identified with body and mind, we have to start, I am the body, that is the beginning of ignorance. But the scripture tells you are not the body, you are brahman. What about the body that is also brahman?

So within this body there is hidden, that is hidden means we are ignorant of the nature of brahman that is being said at the beginning of this second chapter in the very first section.

So there is this body and within that body there is a cave and in that cave there is a supreme space, akasha, that is called parame pyoman. Pyoman means akasha. And it is not any akasha, parame pyoman, it is a supreme space. Supreme space is another name for brahman. In scriptures we use the word akasha brahma.

So the space is brahman. That is being said here that there is a cave inside this body because the pure consciousness or brahman or god is housed here like a temple. So this body is also sacred, we have seen, it is called brahmapuri. So this knowledge is being given now.

== The Homa Bird Analogy ==
I want to reach to that brahman like Prajapati's declaration, Indra wanted to reach that supreme brahman, like that when we hear that your real nature is brahman, that your real parents are somewhere else, you are thinking mistakenly, you are the son of so and so, they are not your real parents.

So you have, a person becomes restless like the famous analogy given by say Ramakrishna. So there is a bird called Homa bird and it lives so high up in the world in the akasha space and it lays eggs and the eggs start falling. It takes a long time. During the fall the chicks come out of the eggs. After sometime they realize we are dashing towards the ground and we will be dead. So they look up and they see the mother and they start back their journey.

Like that we have already reached the what is called state of complete extinction. That is why we fear death so much. How to escape the greatest fear of everybody is death and old age is even more fears because the world doesn't care for old people. Even they say that old people emit a kind of very a boring type of smell. The old people of course are not aware of that. At least their own smell. They may be aware.

They may be aware. I have seen this. In some people's case the smell is too overpowering. But in any case old age is a time. People would not like to mix with old people and the ability to experience life, to enjoy life will be to that extent. It will be less and less and less and that's not a very happy state of life. So death is okay. Sometimes people pray for death if life becomes intolerable physically or mentally.

== The Power of Repetition ==
So like this life after life we go on through this thinking that we are like this. There is no help to it. But the scripture comes and tells no no you are not the body. You are not the mind. You are the pure Brahman, pure consciousness. At first it looks as if it is unbelievable but in course of time as we go on hearing, listening as they say in Bengali as we go on accustoming ourselves to eating even bitter things also appear to be sweeter and that is the power of habit.

So slowly we become convinced by hearing many times that is the advantage whether it is worldly thing for example go on looking at an advertisement. These companies who produce any type of material they advertise. One purpose of advertisement is to let you know such a thing is there. It is very useful. It enhances the quality of your life be it food, be it a gadget, anything, a car, an aeroplane, a house, anything. Even they are what is called creating new and new hybrids of flowers, of vegetables, of fruits, of everything. So your life will be more happy life advertisement.

At first it becomes only information but later on as we go on we start believing it. Later on we think we cannot live without it. This is how businesses usually run. Why not also scripture? That is why it is called mantra naam jyamita nasti. So scripture goes on telling. Interestingly if you are everyday in the habit of reading the gospel or Bhagavad Gita the ideas are very few but they are being repeated again and again and again and again. The purpose is not to give new information but to bring about a conviction.

So what is the principle we are discussing? Through repetition, conviction that it is truth and it is desirable that grows within us. That is why japa for example. Japa means repetition of God's name. At first it would be only repetition which is called mechanical repetition but in course of time slowly the mind goes numb and then starts thinking remembering God more and more.

== Finding God Within ==
So japa instead of repetition like a parrot it becomes remembrance and as we go on remembering and we will be forced to remember because of the situations that arise in everybody's life our helplessness brings us to the feet of God. Especially the more poisonous our experience, the more dissatisfaction, unhappy, the nearer we become come to God which is beautifully put forward by Holy Mother. '''"Misery is a gift of God."'''

So then we start praying to Him and now the question is where is this God? And then the scripture tells is not that God is elsewhere, God is actually everywhere. Oh! I don't see it in front. Yes, yes. Because you are not able to see, not because God is absent, because you have no right vision, right understanding of what is God.

So first of all you must have a right understanding of God. Therefore first to turn your attention inward and then to turn the attention inward slowly you find that your what you call mind, your intellect, your will, everything is run by a peculiar force and first of all it will be the prana shakti.

== Understanding Prana Shakti ==
Later on we will notice even this prana, there is no equivalent English word for this prana. We can only say God in the form of energy or as Ramakrishna used to say that shakti. Shakti is prana. So this prana is making us, making the body, making the mind in the form of thinking, willing, remembering, desiring that is the force of the power of the manifestation of the prana, prana shakti.

So in Sanskrit we have three beautiful words:

* '''Ichcha shakti''' - our desires
* '''Gnana shakti''' - knowledge about the object which we want to desire
* '''Kriya shakti''' - the mind functions, prana functions, body functions, sense organs function

We come to know the knowledge about the object which we want to desire, whether it is good, not good, whether it will bring happiness or unhappiness, but we have to obtain and see what is desirable. That is why kriya shakti, the mind functions, prana functions, body functions, sense organs function, then we obtain the object and then we think that is the end of the affair, but no, this prana shakti goes on working.

Then we understand sometimes this prana shakti in the form of ichcha, gnana and kriya, it vastly varies in power, in intensity and in duration. Then if we are a little bit intellectual, then we start to think about it, we find that this is happening and why this variation? A question arises, what makes this variation, for variation?

Then prana is the same, but prana is not functioning in the same way at all times in all people and slowly that enquiry leads us to there is some other power and that power is called consciousness or chaitanyam.

== The Ultimate Realization ==
So that is how slowly our understanding becomes better, deeper, more right, nearer to truth and finally what we call the realization of God means everything is God and that is why this truth first of all has to be discovered from within oneself. A person who can't see God within oneself as oneself cannot see anything as sacred as God, that is why the Upanishad is emphasizing, all Upanishads do emphasize that that highest reality is hidden in the cave of the heart and in the highest akasha and that highest akasha is none other than that Brahman.

== Understanding Space and Objects ==
This is a point also you have to keep in mind, we say for example in my room there is an object, there is a table, there is a cot, there is a chair and myriads of objects are there. So what is our idea? The space is different and the objects are different and what is called space only accommodates the objects, that would be the beginning.

But then as we go on progressing in life, progress means righter, right understanding as we go on progressing in understanding things rightly that this space is not only containing objects but it also is contained within the objects. So for example there is an empty pot, there is space outside the pot, there is also space within the pot but the pot is as if dividing that space into the outside and inside.

But on further reflection, deep thinking we find that ultimately it is an illusion like they say in the northern hemisphere, in the oceans the cold is so intense some caves are formed and that cave is made up of nothing but solidified water called ice and within that cave the ocean, there is ocean outside, ocean inside the cave but the cave, the ice is as it were dividing that water into the outer and the inner.

But upon further understanding it is nothing but pure ocean, the water outside, the water inside and then that which is intervening so called as if intervening that ice is also nothing but made up of the same water. But what a difference it makes, all the what is called water animals like sharks, like whales etc., they go there specially to these vast caves and give birth to babies where the temperature in the water inside the cave is just right for the babies and when they grow up and then they come out.

== The Five Sheaths (Pancha Koshas) ==
So like that this illustration is meant outside there is space, inside there is space, it seems that in between what is dividing them is not space but our scriptures tell us crystal clearly God has become space, space again is manifesting as air, same thing is again manifesting as fire, as water, as earth. This is called pancha koshas, pancha bhutas so within ourselves also there are five what is called bodies:

# Made up of food
# Made up of prana
# Made up of the mind
# Made up of the intellect
# Made up of the bliss

And as if within these there is Brahman, as if these are not Brahman. For initial understanding these are not Brahman but the final understanding is it is everything is nothing but manifestation of Brahman. What is Brahman that is the container, what is contained that is also Brahman and what seems to be that the obstruction which makes it inside and outside that is also Brahman that is why Maya is nothing but the power of Brahman. So mayadhyakshena prakruthi suyate sacharacharam that is the truth it wants to convey.

== What Does a Knower of Brahman Get? ==
So we are discussing what we discussed so far. What does a knower of Brahman really get because we are utilitarians we want to know okay if I am Brahman what do I get or by realizing I am Brahman what do I get.

Vipashchiteti means a person who has that understanding. Vipashchita means right understanding so what happens all his desires will be fulfilled. Notice when you are hungry you feel like you have a desire to eat food and as soon as you get food and eat the food the desire for food disappears.

So a knower of Brahman all his desires will be fulfilled not that he will get desire or then he will obtain the objects of desire and then he becomes completely satiated that is our normal understanding in this world of Maya, duality or multiplicity.

But the real meaning is that by knowing I am everything there is nothing besides me that state is called the realization I am Brahman then not for one day not for one year but for eternity all desires will disappear because there is no desirable object anywhere else.

This would be the result and that is what unconsciously we are all seeking. We want to be happy all the time which means we will not have any desires. Desire means unhappiness. Desire means lack. No we are '''Poornamadaha Poornamidham'''.

== The Process of Realization ==
So a person gets everything alright. So how to realize that I am Brahman? By knowing that the whole creation is nothing but the effect of one cause Brahman.

So as I mentioned many times just imagine an upside down pyramid as if we are there at the very top and at the top is wide beyond measure. So slowly from that gross external you merge it that is called coming down. Slowly you come down and then come down and then come down. Finally there is a point of singularity and in Vedantic language that is called Brahman.

So for convenience sake this coming down process or merging the grosser into the subtle, subtle into the subtler etc. that process is called '''Panchakosha Prakarnam'''.

== Panchakosha Viveka ==
Panchakosha Viveka. We also discussed for the last few classes how it happens. So let me summarize it then we will enter into the text.

So this Panchakosha Viveka discrimination of the five sheaths to realize our true nature as Brahman we must transcend these five koshas that veil our true nature. This process helps us move beyond the mistaken identification with these five layers. What is the initial misidentification? That means where are we right now?

We commonly identify with the physical body, viewing the body as the fundamental reality and according to our concept of our what you call body we view the whole creation. Everything, our thinking, our attitude, our motivation everything depends upon our concept of our own self. In this case we start only with the body.

That is what Freud had said a child will be starting his life with the oral stage. What is oral stage? Oral means mouth. Everything goes into the mouth, mud, wood and anything that the baby can get hold of and if nothing is there its own thumb will go inside its mouth.

So slowly our concept of the reality that should grow. At the initial stage our body is our concept, our reality. So the true reality is what is called beyond the five sheaths. But at this moment our journey must start with the body. So how to start? First of all truly identify your body as the temple of God Brahmapuri and this body keep it pure.

Then keep the mind also pure because purity cannot be housed in impurity, impossible. Truth cannot be housed in untruth, it is impossible.

== Understanding Reality vs Illusion ==
So at this moment what is our truth? Body. Therefore the whole external world. So true reality what we must understand. I am thinking my body as true reality but what is true reality?

And for that already we have seen that Brahman is defined as Satyam, is unchanging, that means is beyond time, past, present and future. But anything that is subject to change is its opposite called anrutham, unreal, impermanent, asatyam. So clinging to the unreal leads to suffering as we see.

Sometimes most of the time things are changing, then our youth changes, old age also changes, disease also changes, health also changes. So that leads to suffering because whatever is changing that is definitely the name of the game. And then we are all after happiness, bodily happiness at first.

So we have got misconceptions. What is happiness? For a baby as an example, even in simple acts like eating, the source of happiness is often misunderstood. As man's intellect grows, what happens? We try to understand the intellect, the understanding dawns upon us. Food doesn't give us happiness. Food means all the food or all the five sense organs. So the body cannot give happiness. Even the mind also doesn't give happiness finally.

But there is something when the mind can transcend itself and that is called shanta bhava, that is called real happiness and that's what happens in deep sleep. So the '''atman, pure consciousness''', that is what is real source of happiness. So true happiness stems only from atman, that is being my own self.

This is what is called jivatma, is a reflection of Brahman in the form of experiencer and witness of thoughts. And then we recognize impermanence. Everything is changing. We know it intellectually, but it doesn't affect us. So we must make that principle affect us. Everything is changing and therefore I cannot rely upon it. Then mind becomes restless. Is there something which is not changing, which is unchanging, then the mind can turn, will turn inward.

== Starting with Annamaya Kosha ==
So for this purpose Upanishad is giving this pancha kosha methodology. What is it? First is '''annamaya kosha'''.

So all Upanishads, but especially this Taittiri Upanishad recommends starting with the annamaya kosha. The body originates from, is sustained by and returns to annamaya Brahman. The core insight is that Brahman, the cause, is more real and subtle than the body, the effect. Therefore consider the body as an instrument, as the sheeth, as a temple.

View the body as a temple of God. And it becomes sacred. And then my body is sacred. Therefore by extension everybody's body is sacred. So I cannot make my body impure. I cannot hurt it, injure it, harm it. Therefore I should extend the same understanding.

The other person's body is also a sacred temple. It's pure, it's holy, it's God's body. And we should not give trouble because if we give trouble to our body, our consciousness suffers. If we give trouble to other's bodies, they also suffer. Therefore cultivate a sense of sacredness towards not only oneself, but it begins with oneself and slowly extends to others.

In fact we do it unconsciously. This is my mother. I should not hurt her. This is my father. I should not hurt him. This is my teacher. I should not hurt him. This is another person. That is called atidhi. So like that go on extending identity with oneself. Since I am sacred, everybody is sacred. If I am Brahman, everybody is Brahman. If I am God, everybody is God.

== The Progressive Method ==
This journey shows from the gross to the subtle. That is the methodology in this particular chapter. This progressive practice involves viewing the body, the mind and the world as sacred, moving through the grosser to the subtler koshas.

This discriminative process culminates at last in the realization of Brahman. What is that realization? Where all distinctions dissolve and the entire universe is recognized as nothing but pure Brahman itself. With this background let's enter into the text and it should not be difficult.

== The Process of Creation (Involution) ==
First of all the Upanishad wants to tell the process of involution. What is involution? That starting from God in every scripture the same thing is described. For example in the Bible God started creating the world. So here also beautiful description of the process of creation and this itself will give us a clue into how we should consider ourselves as well as the entire world.

So this is the second part or rather from the first section of the second chapter of the Upanishad. This is the second part of the very first section.

From this self as I mentioned earlier, earlier Brahman was defined as Satyam Jnana Manantam and here suddenly instead of using that word Brahmanaha, Akasha, Sambhutaha etc. suddenly he changed to Atmanaha. Because that Brahman in our case we call it Atman. Atman means my own self. My own self is nothing but Brahman. So from that Brahman which is none other than my own self, what is the first creation or rather manifestation?

=== The Five Elements Progression ===
'''Akasha''' means space. You see if you want to do some work, you want to run, space is necessary. You want to work, you want to do some carpentry, you need to create a work space, a small what is called work like room where you keep the implements like saw, chisel, planer, hammer. The nails, the saw etc. etc. etc. You need space. So the first thing for creation that one requires space and sometimes this space is also called Brahma the creator or Sahuna Brahma, Ishwaraha.

So from that Brahman manifested as space. Remember two types of, two ideas, two understandings about creation:

# '''Real creation''' - Really Brahman or God changed into this creation like milk becomes yogurt, curds
# '''Vivartavada''' - Like our mistaking a rope for a snake. This is the theory of Advaita. This is called Vivartavada as if not really Brahman cannot change. This is purely Advaitic concept of creation

Another way of understanding that something which is so subtle beyond our understanding so that first of all it becomes a little grossified and that is called space, Akasha.

The concept of space I have to remind you like scientists say there is space so 35,000 feet above the earth all the aeroplanes etc. will be moving. That is not the concept. Our concept is Brahman is Satyam Jnana Manantam, pure consciousness. Akasha is pure consciousness. It is called a Bhuta that is element. Without Akasha there cannot be air because for air to move we require space.

And when this air moves fast then fire is produced. That means air further grossifies itself as the fire. Fire further grossifies as water. Water is further grossified as this earth.

=== The Food Chain Concept ===
From this earth comes everything that comes is nothing but food and everything on this earth is made up of food. Everything is food and everyone is a food and food eats food because everything is food.

So I am food, you are food, I eat you, you eat me. Don't mistake. I eat you means what? Supposing you see a chicken, you are a non-vegetarian. What do you do? Your mouth starts watering. So the chicken when it sees a worm, earthworm or any worm, its mouth also starts watering. So everything is eating everything. The mosquitoes drink our blood and we drink the blood of horses, the blood of mules, the blood of cows. And we eat their flesh. We are eating each other. Each one of us in terms, by terms is both the eater and the eater. That is the concept we are going to get here.

== The Creation Sequence ==
So brahman grossified, externalised as space and from that the air has come. From air fire has come. Air has grossified itself, transformed itself into Agni or fire. Agneraapaha from the fire grossified itself into waters. Apaha means waters. Akhya Prithvi and waters grossified further that is called earth. And the modern scientists also agree.

Now we need what we need to remember. This creation of the five subtle elements is followed. These are the first five subtle elements. Don't forget that one. From these subtle elements they have become what is called the subtle body and causal body. But for the physical body as we have discussed earlier that is called the process of '''panchikarna'''.

=== The Panchikarna Process ===
All these five elements they divide themselves half into half. One half remains the same. The rest of it is divided into four parts and all the four parts mix with the other half of the other parts. Thus they become 100% for example akasha or space, 50% itself. So 12.5 of earth, 12.5 of waters, 12.5 of fire and 12.5 of air. And now you apply the same process to the other elements. All are 100% now. This process is called panchikarna and the entire physical universe, our body and everything is a body. A mountain is a body, a tree is a body, an animal is a body, an insect is a body whether we call it living or nonliving. Everything is a body and everything is food and that is a marvellous concept.

== Understanding Creation ==
So this is how the Srishti is complete. And then I also mentioned it is worth remembering that whenever we use the word creation or jagat or prapancha. Prapancha means what? Pancha. Pancha means five. Five means these five subtle elements and five gross elements. All from this entire creation has come having body, having mind or even including the causal body also.

=== The Three-Fold Division ===
From another view point of the whole creation is divided into three parts:

# '''Adhyatmika''' - each one of our individual body is called adhyatmika
# '''Adhibhautika''' - what we experience through this individual body in the form of five sense organs. The entire world outside our body
# '''Adhidaivika''' - how is this possible for us to experience this world? Universal eye is called surya devata, universal ear is called space, universal fire is agni devata, universal earth is called the power of smelling or gandha

So like that all these three worlds adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika like a triangle. And a triangle cannot be a triangle even if one angle is missing.

So it is not possible to think I am the body without the external world. For example my eye is useless if there is no form outside to experience. And if my eye doesn't have that power, a very minute power of the sun god who is the universal power of seeing then I cannot see. That means that light is necessary. So the sun is absent, then my eye is there, external object is there, I can't see. External object is there, sun is there, my eye is not there. That is not possible. Sun is there, my eye is there, external world is not there, object is not there, then also it is not there.

So this is another way of looking at this entire creation. That means we are inalienably unified even though separate, three in one, one in three called adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. So even if one is missing the creation disappears. Panchakosha is one way of looking at the creation and this three fold division as the body that is as me, as the external world and that power of the sun, the fire etc. which makes me experience the entire world. All these go together, they cannot be separated.

== The Continuation of Creation ==
And then the process continues here. So from earth plants and herbs come out. From plants and herbs comes out food. That means not that they remain separate and food comes out separately. So the plant itself and herb itself is the food and that plants and herbs itself is called earth.

From food, by eating food all human beings are produced. Every human being is nothing but it originates from food and it is sustained by the food and it finally goes back to food. So every human being is a product of food.

So from these gross elements the Osadayaha plant kingdom is born which in turn gives rise to the food. Finally from this food, anna rasa, the essence of the food converting to shukram and shonitam, the seed and the egg, the purusha, physical body is born.

== The Purpose of Understanding Creation ==
So what we need to understand is the purpose of talking about creation is nothing but to gradually lead us from the gross to the subtle. So from food to earth, from earth to water, from water to fire, from fire to air, air to space, space to brahman. That is the real purpose.

So that is what we have to do. Now the seeker has to do intense sadhana in the form of upasana. And for the sake of upasana there is imaginary of a human body like a bird is going to be described which we will talk about in our next class.
----May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vekananda bless us all with bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.
[[Category:Taittiriya Upanishad]]