Purusha Suktam Lecture 05 on 22-June-2023

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We have been studying the Purusha Suktam. This is the most marvelous Suktam. There are hundreds of Suktams, but of them a few are most important. Not only they are hymns to the divinity, not only they are the most powerful mantras, but the highest Vedantic purport is expressed here so beautifully. So in our last class we have seen:

ETAVAN ASYA MAHIMA

ATO JAYAAYAM CHA PURUSHAHA

PADO ASYA VISHWA BHUTANI

TRIPAD ASYA AMRUTAM DIVI (3)

ETAVAN ASYA MAHIMA - Asya means Purushasya, that is Brahman's Mahima. And this is expressed in so many ways. "SARVAM KHALVIDAM BRAHMA" means exactly the same thing. "ISA VASYA MEDHAKUM SARVAM YAD KINCHA JAGAT YAM JAGAT", That also expresses the same thing. When Shri Ramakrishna says, I started seeing my Divine Mother in everything, it means both in living and non-living. In fact, it is worth recollecting the very first vision of Shri Ramakrishna of the Mother Kali. How did she appear? She did not appear in the form of Mother Kali. Of course, we have to understand what is the form of Mother Kali. A man has a form, a woman has a form, a dog has a form, a mosquito has a form. Does Mother Kali or what is called Kala, Deified Kala. Does Kala has any form? Is love having any form? Is service having any form? These are called concepts, not at all percepts. Very often we forget, Shri Ramakrishna had that what we see with four hands, the feminine figure, and he will be having in a magnified manner, glowing like a 2000 watt bulb from inside. This is our view. But when Shri Ramakrishna prayed earnestly, what type of vision he had, later on he was describing waves of consciousness, and it is very difficult to understand what is the form of a consciousness. From all the sides, like huge tsunami waves came and overpowered me. I was struggling to keep this small bit of awareness, but this overpowered me and as a result of consciousness overpowering me, I became unconscious. Very paradoxical language. So what does it mean? It means I have become also pure consciousness. That is the real experience. But if we have to express any experience, we have to express it only in the form of anything that is having a form, etc. So this is the most important thing for us to understand.

The whole thing that we see, the living, non-living, the entire universe is nothing but pure consciousness. And as I explained many times, when I see a tree, I don't really know what the tree is. My mind goes out, it envelops the form of that so-called object, and it brings it into my mind in the form of knowledge, cognition. And that cognition has no form, but for our understanding, we give it a form. This is a tree, this is an animal, this is an insect, etc. What is the point? The point is, from the viewpoint of Brahman, only Brahman exists, from the viewpoint of all of us who are ignorant people. So here we divide the whole thing into several categories. The first division will be the living and non-living. And the living we categorize into, these are what is called the amoeba class, one-celled creatures, then plants, then insects, then birds, then animals, then human beings, and in the human beings also male, female, etc. This is a division necessary for us in order to transact in this world. For the purpose of transaction, all these things are very necessary. But if we just go a little bit deep and say, what are they made up of? Only three things. Really not three things, but at least for our easy grasp, we say three things. Something is existing, I know, I have experience of that object in the form of Chit, and it gives some reaction, which we call Sukha and Dukha, and otherwise it is Ananda Swaroopa. What we are experiencing is Sat, Chit, and Ananda, whatever we see. The scriptures categorically declare that we cannot divide Sat, Chit, Ananda, and then they quarrel among themselves, where Sat is Chit and Ananda refuse to stay, and where Chit is the other two refuse to stay, and where Ananda is the other two refuse to stay. They are three words for the same phenomena.

And so the whole universe is nothing but the Paramapurusha's Mahima. What does Mahima mean? Here is a person, we say, he can sing extraordinarily well. Here is another person, she can paint extraordinarily beautifully. There is another person who can administer. These are called different Vibhutis, talents. But talents are not to be mistakenly identified with what we call existence. Mahima means it is a person, for example, he may have a beautiful form, but the person has nothing to do with the beauty because the beauty can fade away. The singing capacity may die out because of accident, because of some disease, because of anything. So the guna is separate from the other gunas. Whereas when we say Mahima, he is the object, object is the Paramapurusha. The whole universe is not a creation of Paramapurusha, like the creation of a pot by a potter, but like the manifestation of clay as the pot, as the substratum, clay and pot can never be separated. Then what is it? For our transaction, this is a small pot, that is a big pot, etc. We create the division. So Eta Apana, whatever was, is and will be, is Mahima. And that is what we have to understand, whatever we are experiencing, whatever we are, Shabda, Sparsha, Rupa, Prasa, Gandha, whatever we are hearing, and whatever we are touching, whatever we are seeing, whatever we are tasting, whatever we are smelling, in that order. Because these are the characteristics of the Pancha Mahabhutas.

All that is nothing but an infinitesimal part of our perception. That is called Mahima. But the one is far greater. In my last class, I have given the example, if an author has authored a book, and it is a marvelous book, we all wonder how great the person must be, because this is the law we have to remember. A person's expression is far smaller than what the person knows. If a person knows a billion, billion, billion points of knowledge, his expression is severely limited. Whatever we know, we can never express it, and so we are forced to use language and metaphors and examples and analogies, etc., similes, etc., and that severely limits our knowledge. It is impossible to express. So if this world, which we are experiencing, is so glorious, so inconceivable, so vast, so great, and we don't know what is going to happen in future, what will be the manifestation in this universe? For example, it is the greatest wonder of wonders. There are higher beings who can travel in the sky, but we are all higher beings only. We are all traveling in the sky at 35,000 to 50,000 feet. Every day, millions are traveling. And if anybody, 500 years back, is suddenly brought to life and beholds us floating away, he would be falling flat on the earth and worshipping us, the most miserable creatures, as gods themselves. And can you guess what would be the world in another 20 years' time? Would anybody dare to guess what is going to happen? Even now, the way there is this knowledge explosion, it is impossible to understand. But what other mahimas are going to come in the future? Etavan Asya Mahima. But He is far greater. What is expressed is very little. And that is expressed in a mathematical, symbolical language. Pado Asya Vishwa Bhutani. So the whole universe, all the creatures, living and non-living, whatever we experience, is only one quarter, one fourth. Tripadasya Amrutam Divi. And whatever is not visible, not because it is in the form of unmanifest, is above our experience, beyond our experience. Because they are subtle creatures, subtle worlds, subtlest worlds, etc.

So our Puranas go into ecstasies describing 14 worlds. We don't understand even one billionth of this world, which we are experiencing every day. What to speak of anything that is subtle. Subtle is not small. You always remember. Subtle is beyond our sensory experience. That is called Ati Indriya Jnanam. Indriya, whatever we are experiencing, is Indriya Jnanam. Whatever transcends, that is called Ati Indriya Jnanam. So, two important points we have to learn from this third verse mantra of the Rig Mantra. Rig. What is it? The first point is God has not created this world in the sense a potter creates this world. He himself has become the world. Otherwise, it is impossible to say Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. And the second point, even more important, when we say one-fourth, it is not that you take something and cut it into four parts. You push three parts to the other side and only take one part and say this entire universe. It is not a mathematical calculation. It is to make us understand. And I am very happy the Shruti employs this. Suppose he has said, now can you see your hair? Yes, yes. And can you imagine if it is split into a billion parts? Not possible. And can you imagine that one-billionth part of it is further subdivided into one-billionth part? You say, we will attend your class next year maybe, not this year. So, out of pity, there are three-fourths and one-fourth. Yes, yes. Every day we are familiar with it. Especially in 2025, what is called one ana, in the olden times, four anas, eight anas and one rupee. Like that. So, these were employed for conveying the idea, not to convey that inconceivable and inexpressible supreme reality. So, the same thing, topic is being carried in the fourth mantra also.

TRIPAD URDHAM UDAIT PURUSHAHA

PADO ASYAIHA ABHAVAT PUNAHA

TATO VISHWAN VYKRAAMAT

SAASHANA ANASANE ABHI (4)

"That is the three-fifth part of the Supreme Brahman situated on top. I will come to the meaning. 'Top' means, as you see on a table, where you pile things up. It is not like that. 'On top' means, imagine an iceberg. How much can you see in an iceberg? Only the tip of the iceberg is visible. We don't see the entire mountain submerged in the water. So, like that, the other part is completely invisible. That is the meaning of 'top.' The other quarter has evolved into this world. Again, the same symbolism is employed here. One-fourth. You divide God into four parts. Three-fourths of the part is non-manifest. It is in the form of the unmanifest. Unmanifest means our sense organs cannot experience it. But one-fourth is manifest. But, as I mentioned just now, one-fourth doesn't mean one-fourth. It means an infinitesimally small part. Is that correct? No, it's not correct. I will come to that point.

What did He do? 'Tato Vishwam Vykraamat.' Then He penetrated into all the inert substances of living beings. And then what did He do? 'Vykraamat.' He pervaded all of them. He Himself became spread in the form of every creature. 'Vishwam' means everything in the form of everything. 'Vykraamat' means He is manifesting as everything. As everything. What does everything mean? 'Sa-sha-na-na-sha-ne-abhi.' It's a difficult word. Not really that difficult. 'Sa-sha-na-na-sha-ne-abhi.' All the creatures, all creation has been divided into two parts: those with life, 'Prana,' and those without life, called 'Jada.' 'Jada' and 'Chaitana.' And that is what I explained earlier. All without life are lumped into one category called 'Jada.' That means there is no 'Prana.' Because there is no 'Prana,' there is no manifestation of consciousness or, to be more precise, awareness.

But 'Pranis,' of infinite varieties, are there, 'Pranis.' How many 'Pranis' are there? It is impossible for us even to understand. That is very difficult for us even to conceive of. So, then He penetrated into all. That means what? It is not like a man forcibly entering into a house. Penetrated means there is a beautiful section, especially in the Brihadaranyika Upanishad. It is called 'Pravesha Shruti.' Having created, 'Tat Srishtva Tadeva Anupravesha.' Having created, He entered into it. But a man, a human being, constructs a house and then he enters into it. Why is it possible? That is not possible for God. It is possible for a human being because the house is different; the human being is different. But God is everything. Where is it that He was not there? This is a beautiful idea. We understand when we recollect the story of Prahlada, especially Prahlada's father, Hiranyakashipu asks, 'Where is your God? Is He in this pillar?' And we know what Prahlada has replied. Now the point is not inside. What was Hiranyakashipu's idea? God is somewhere else. So if He is outside, He cannot be inside. If He is inside, He cannot be outside. We are all like that. Every object in this world is like that. If I am inside the house, I am inside the house. If I am outside the house, I am outside the house. Is it correct? Even in our case, it is not correct.

You imagine, so you have a house and that house is divided into a kitchen, a bathroom, a shrine room, and a visitor's room. So if somebody asks, 'Are you inside or outside?' What would be your reply? From the viewpoint of outside the house, you are inside. From the viewpoint of you sitting at a particular place in your own house, it is outside the kitchen, outside the shrine room, outside the toilet, hopefully, and outside the visitor's room, somewhere you are sitting there. So are you inside or outside? Similarly, every situation is because we are all limited beings; we use this word inside, outside, not to describe the reality, but for the sake of transactions, availability, that's all. But we cannot apply this to God because the question of inside, outside doesn't arise. Where is the clay in the pot? Inside or outside? If anybody thinks I am very clever, I will answer. He would be not so clever. What does it mean? What does it really mean? It means, from the viewpoint of the pot, there is inside and outside. From the viewpoint of the clay, there is no inside or outside. Even you cannot ask whether the pot is inside the clay or outside the clay because there are no two objects. That is what we have to understand."

Vishwa means everything. Vykraama, pervaded, he is manifesting as everything. Then he divided the whole thing as Chaitana and Jada, living and non-living. And he himself saw Asana. Asana means to eat. Every Prani requires food. It's very interesting. And what type of food? Can you live on mud? Can you live on stone? Can you live on a dried leaf? Probably not. So, life depends upon life only. Even vegetarians are forced to live. Every South Indian, whenever he eats one cup of yogurt or curds, he is killing literally billions of bacteria. But he thinks he is the greatest vegetarian in the whole world. So, it is very difficult for us to understand this. All living creatures have to eat food. And whom do they eat? A very interesting thing. They eat each other.

Do we eat plants? Yes. Do we eat animals? Yes. Do we eat animals? Yes. Every time if you ask a doctor, he will tell you inside your stomach, there are plenty of living creatures called bacteria. And bacteria are subdivided into two: living or rather beneficial and harmful. So, we are living. The bacteria do some part of breaking down the food, and they get a share of it, a commission of it. And that is how they live. And we live. We allow them to live rather; otherwise, we will be dead. In fact, a very interesting fact: far fewer people died in India because of COVID. And why did they die? Whereas in other countries, especially what we call Western countries, too many people have died. This is because of a very interesting fact. We are living in not such a pure environment, a dirty environment, a polluted environment. So, we developed a friendship with a lot of bacteria, harmful bacteria, etc. We have become, in medical language, immune. Whereas the other fellows kept everything clean and then they are not immune. That is why the moment this attacked, they were defenseless and then they just passed away. Of course, I will not subscribe to this view. It is not because of the COVID; it is because of Prarabdham. That is my opinion. But some excuse should be there.

Now, what are we talking about? There are living and non-living. Non-living, of course, do not eat. But living, they always eat. That is the meaning of Saasana and Anashana. Sa-Ashana, in those who live, and Sa-Anashana, those who do not live. And that is what is called the entire universe. And that universe is the manifestation of God as both the living and as well as the non-living. Now, what is the plain English translation? That three-fourths of this God is situated on top. Top means in an unmanifested form, which we cannot experience. Only one quarter has evolved into the world. Then He penetrated into all the inert substances of living beings and spread them. That means living, non-living, everything is He. Everything is only one quarter of Him. And the other three quarters are not at all visible. This is the main idea. What does it mean? Sarvam Purushamayam Jagat. The whole, what we call the universe, is nothing but Brahman, in other words. So just Tripada Urdham Uday Purushaha. We have how many worlds? Fourteen worlds. Sometimes three worlds. Bhur, Bhuvaha, and Suvaha. Or what is called Caturdasa Bhuvanani. Fourteen worlds. So all these living beings, either in this world or in the other, thirteen worlds, many scientists are looking for life. So is it in the other world or is it in this world?"

According to our scripture, yes, they are not living in the other world. They are living in this world only. Whatever is experienceable belongs to this world, however far they are. So, there are higher worlds which are invisible. Every higher world is invisible, subtler, still more subtle, still more subtle. Four to seven higher worlds are there. And then the lower worlds are also subtle. And the lowest of that world is called Patala, where a terrible amount of suffering because of Prarabdha Karma is attained there.

So just imagine, we cannot even imagine how big our visible universe is, not to speak of the fourteen worlds. And if we can imagine all the fourteen worlds, put our imagination to a little bit of good work, then even then all that constitutes only one infinitesimal part of this creation. That is a very superficial understanding, as I mentioned earlier.

What does it mean? Let me first give you a beautiful example which I have given so many times. Suppose, just for the sake of clearer understanding, there is a table, a wooden table. But I should not say wooden table. There is an object. Ask a woodworm, what is this object? Naturally, it will say it is food. It will not say wood. It will say food. You ask a human being and he will say it is a wooden object, beautifully made, very useful. That is what he will never say it is food.

And you ask a physicist with a very powerful electronic microscope. Let him look at this object. What does he see? He sees only what we call particles, atoms, sub-atoms, and Anu, Anu Paramanu, which are inconceivable by us. And then what happens? Not only he sees everything, every atom moving at lightning speed. No two atoms ever stay put. They will always be dynamic, not static, moving at tremendous speeds without clashing into each other, bumping into each other.

Now, a peculiar thing happens. As soon as the electronic microscopic vision is applied, suppose he looks at a rock, what does he see? Atoms. He looks at a tree, living tree, what does he see? Atoms. He looks at an animal, living animal, only atoms. He looks at a man, atoms. He looks at a woman, atoms. Whatever he looks at, the differentiation between the living and the non-living is completely destroyed with this vision.

Now, go further. Ask a realized soul, ask Shri RamaKrishna, what is this object? He says, Brahman. Pure consciousness and nothing else. Pure consciousness. God. Everything is God. So, what am I driving at? When we say, I am seeing this universe, it is not that I am seeing some manifestation of God. I, with my limited vision, am limiting Brahman, just as our eyesight can see only a certain range. Beyond that it cannot see. So we can only hear some sounds. Beyond, below and above those ranges, we cannot hear. Everything is like that. So, because we are working through the limited instruments, whatever we experience, if the object we are experiencing may be unlimited, but it will be experienceable only as a limited object. Not because the object is limited, but because of the limitation of the instruments that we are using !! .

This is an important point we have to keep in mind. So, with this, what does it mean? I can see this world. In fact, even if you take an example of this world, there are bacteria. Are we able to see bacteria? It's a very funny thing, you know. How many billions of bacteria are all over our body? A man looks at a woman. "What beautiful lotus eyes!" If he could see with what we call 4K TV vision, he would see the eyes covered fully with bacteria. I don't know what he is going to call her now, or the woman looks at a man, vice versa. So, anything that we look at, whether it is rice, whether it is chapati, whether it is rasagulla, everything will be full of these invisible creatures crawling all over everything. I hope you are getting the point. Fortunately, God has not given us that kind of impracticality. He is a very clever man, you know. That's why he says, "I will give you only partial vision so that you will be happily swallowing whatever comes in front of you." So, this is the meaning.

Tripath Udbham Udait Purushaha. That is unmanifested, invisible. Everything is infinite only. But we are viewing that so-called infinite with our finite instruments. So everything appears only like that. Any number of examples can be multiplied. Suppose a person is having what is called color blindness; his vision will be limited only to black and white. Suppose a person is having cataract operation; then his vision will be limited only to that much, very hazy black and white. No detailed chiseling of the face, etc., will be experienceable. I hope I was able to convey the idea. What is it? Whatever we are experiencing is nothing but that Paramapurusha. Purusha really means He who pervades the entire universe. That is called Purusha. And He is inside also.

That is why Purusheta Iti Purushaha. That is, He who indwells within everybody. Or Pura Iti Sarvam Iti Purushaha. From the external point of view, like clay that manifests both inside and outside. There is no in-between that can divide it. So the whole thing. But for our understanding, for the sake of Upasana, what is it? We are in the world. We have a body-mind. We are limited only to what this body-mind can present to us. So, this is called Srishti Drishti Vada. And then the mind looks at the same thing in a different way, which is called Drishti Srishti Vada. Therefore, we have Srishti Drishti Vada and Drishti Srishti Vada.

When I am looking at something, first it is existing, so I am able to look at it. But having experienced it a few times, then I will come to know whether I like it or not. Whether it likes me or not. For example, I may like a tiger. A tiger may not like me. Or I don't like a tiger, but a tiger loves me, there is no doubt about it. So it is a problem of our vision.

What is the meaning of this Anuva first? That is, realize everything is God. And where are you? Who are you? You are also part of this world. Therefore, who can you be? I am also God. Finally, to lead this vision of our inherent divinity, all these Suktams are told. In every Sukta, the final meaning, if you say, we have taken already completed, Medha Sukta. Oh Mother, give me that Medha. "Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat" . What is that Medha? So that I can have right knowledge. And what is that right knowledge? That right knowledge is I am Brahman. That is the ultimate.

So how do we know whatever is ultimate? Like you go on climbing steps. The moment you transcend one step, you come to the next step. And you have to transcend that. You have to go beyond that. But you come to such a place, there is no beyond. That is called a final destination. So until we obtain that knowledge, where beyond which there is no other knowledge, excepting that knowledge, what is that knowledge? I am everything. It is for reaching this realization, all this is being said.

So this is the meaning of that only whatever we are capable of experiencing is graphical language or metaphorical language, one-fourth. But what really speaking, it is neither one-fourth nor three-fourths. It is only our limited vision which is limiting and that is an infinitesimal part of the Divine Lord's manifestation. That is what we have to understand. So all this means effect. Effect means Karya. If there is a Karya and everything we experience is a Karya, there must be a Karana. And that Karana is none other than that Divine. And how do we know it is Divine? That is being said here, Tripadashya Amrutam Divi. First of all, that three-fourths part of that Paramapurusha is described as Amrutam. Why? Because whatever we are experiencing in this world is Amrutam. That is ridden with death. Death means change. But whatever is not manifest, it has neither birth nor death nor any change and that is called Amrutam. So we think we have to be very careful here. Just now we mentioned everything we experience is that Paramapurusha only. How can that Paramapurusha be part of the Amrutam? That means what? That our vision is the problem.

So, our vision is Amrutam. Amrutam means what? Changing. So, this life I have this much of understanding. Next life it changes. That means a little more knowledge. And after 84 crores of births then my vision will become complete.

What is it? First of all, there are not many. There is only one. Second, it is pure consciousness. Nitya, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Chaitanya, Rupaha. There is nothing else. That vision. And that future vision is called Divi. Divi means Svargaloka. That is heavenly world. Divi. And why is it called Divi? It comes from the word Dev. Dev means that which is shining. And what is shining? Consciousness is shining. That means everything is consciousness but we are not able to see it. That is called Amrutam. Amrutam means suffering. So that is why we suffer. If we can see everything as God there would be no suffering at all. We will be filled with Paramananda. That is the meaning of Divi. And our whole life depends upon this Divi. Divi means Prakasha Svarupa.

And who is the most brilliant light that we get? It is the Sun. That is why it is Aditya Narayana. The Sun that scientists describe is only a burning piece of gas. And that is the biggest gas. That knowledge is the biggest gas. But for those who are able to penetrate beyond this it is not gas. It is Narayana himself. And he is hidden behind. Because you see, just imagine even from a normal, very basic scientific understanding so what does the Sun do? He is the cause of his life. And wherever there is life it is the cause of the consciousness. Life means consciousness. Consciousness means life.

But why don't you use one word? Because there is a living person called Prani and there is a dead person, Mrita. Then what happens? Consciousness is eternal but Prana is required to manifest that consciousness. Only a living creature can reflect that consciousness. Not a dead person. And that is why the connection between Prana and Chaitanya is Prana is the reflector, Chaitanyam is the reflected, Chidabasam.

So the Sun is the cause of this Prana. As soon as something becomes a Prani endowed with life immediately it starts reflecting that ever-present pure consciousness. And all this is due to, because of the existence of the Sun. If the Sun is merely a burning, lifeless gas consciousness less, lifeless gas how come from a lifeless thing, life will come? Or to put it in another way how does organic life start from inorganic matter? Inorganic means lifeless.

Swami Vivekananda pointed out more than 150 years back 120 or 130 years back that you are thinking, you are dividing. Inorganic means lifeless. According to scientific understanding that whatever is not inherent can never become manifest.

So if life is not manifest inorganic can never become organic. What type of nonsense you are talking you are understanding, you are propagating to all the other people. So that is why our greatest and only source of life is the Sun. It is because of the Sun creation takes place. It is because of the Sun sustenance all the food material will grow. It is because of the Sun again that death also will take place. That means recycling takes place. Everything is taking place only because of the present what we call the burning gas star.

But if we understand that means when we grow in our capacity to understand better for that Medha Shakti is needed. That is why Medha Suktam has been taken. Then we understand that we are able to see that Aditya Narayana in the most gross way earlier but because of His grace we are able to penetrate the covering the golden covering. Hiran Mahena Patrena Sathyasya Apeetam Mukham Then we understand is nothing but pure consciousness. And that pure consciousness can appear as Jada can appear with life Jiva, Jagat etc. Chit, Achit etc. Jada Padartha and Chaitanya Padartha etc. Not because it has become like that but because of the limitation of the perceiver, the subject.

Please keep this in your mind. As soon as we remove our limitation the same object will appear in a totally different way. Now you look at it the earlier example I gave when we are in the state of a woodworm everywhere we are only looking for food for survival. When we become a human being our capacity to understand becomes better we recognize things for what they are. But when we even improve further then our understanding is far superior. And the greater the understanding, the lesser will be the division, the more will be the harmony, the more will be the oneness.

But when a person removes the instruments totally not only refining the instruments but removing the instruments without instruments you look at whatever it is and that is possible only when we remove this body and mind because both are the instruments. When both these are removed what remains is the pure consciousness without any division. And at that stage I am a small consciousness you are a bigger I am the disciple consciousness small consciousness you are a guru consciousness and this type of understanding is called at least what I call guru consciousness a cow's consciousness not an enlightened person's consciousness.

So this is what is indicated taught in this Purusha Suktam that we are all the time we are Brahman what we are experiencing is Brahman because we are having body mind really speaking that we have to evolve and that is why from the involution we are going to the evolution.

when Swami Vivekananda's met Sri Ramakrishna at a devotee's house in Calcutta, he was asked to sing. Swami Vivekananda sang two songs which were powerful metaphors that convey profound spiritual truths. The songs are "Mana Chalo Nijani Ke Tane" and "Jave Ki He Din Bhi Phale Jaiya," reflect the inner journey and the call to move beyond the limitations of the material world towards higher spiritual realization.

The analogy of being in a foreign country wearing a foreign dress is a poignant way of expressing the idea that, in our ignorance, we identify with the body and mind instead of recognizing our true nature as pure consciousness. This aligns with the concept of Tripadasya Amrutam, emphasizing the need to go beyond the limited identification with the body-mind complex.

As we progress in our spiritual life, the Indriyas (senses) become subtler, signifying a deepening of our perception and understanding. The journey involves transcending the limited vision bound by the physical senses to realize the all-pervading nature of the Purusha, the divine reality.

The idea that Brahman has become everything, both living and non-living, is beautifully expressed. The concept of Antaryami, the inner controller, signifies that the divine is not only the external world but also the indwelling consciousness within each being.

The quote from Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna declares, "Vistabyaham Idam Krtsnam Ekamsena Sthito Jagat," reinforces the understanding that the Lord pervades and upholds the entire universe by an infinitesimal part of Himself. This infinitesimal part represents Sat (existence), Chit (consciousness), and Ananda (bliss), highlighting the divine nature of the manifested reality.

In essence, these teachings underscore the transformative journey from ignorance to wisdom, from identification with the limited to realizing the infinite nature of the self. The songs and metaphors serve as powerful tools for contemplation and understanding in the spiritual quest.

The explanation beautifully delves into the concept of Maya Shakti and how it is intricately related to our perception of reality. Maya Shakti, often described as the divine power of illusion, creates the sense of finiteness, time, space, and causation in our experience. That is why mind is Maya. what is mind? time, space and causation through the prism of this mind which is nothing but time space and causation. That is where Srishti comes in and Sthiti comes in. Nasha and Vinasha also comes in because mind is not functioning in deep sleep. So Shri Ramakrishna gives an analogy of a Magician and his magic tricks.

The analogy of the magician and the magic trick is a profound way to illustrate the relationship between reality and illusion. The magician, representing the divine, produces a magic show, and the magic, though appearing real, is ultimately an illusion. Similarly, in the cosmic play of existence, Maya creates the illusion of a separate, finite world, while the ultimate reality, the magician behind the magic, remains unchanged.

The term "Mithya," as used in Advaita Vedanta, describes this apparent reality that is not absolutely real but is also not unreal. It is the limited perception of the infinite reality due to the constraints of time, space, and causation called Kala, Desha, Nimitha.

The assertion that there is nothing separate from God aligns with the non-dualistic philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. In this perspective, the created universe is not something distinct from the divine; rather, it is a manifestation, an expression of the divine through the veiling and projecting power of Maya.

The projection of the universe from the inscrutable power of God emphasizes the idea that the ultimate reality, Brahman, Paramatman, or any other name, is beyond our ordinary understanding. Maya serves as a tool through which the infinite is made accessible to the finite mind, even though it introduces the illusion of separation.

This profound teaching encourages seekers to look beyond the illusion, recognizing the unity that underlies the diversity of creation. It calls for a shift in perspective, transcending the limitations imposed by Maya to realize the inherent oneness of all existence with the divine.

Your explanation beautifully emphasizes the concept of the undivided whole, highlighting the illusory nature of subject-object division. The idea that spiritual effort involves transcending this limited vision to see everything as a holistic unity resonates with the teachings of many spiritual traditions.

The analogy of becoming "holy" by plugging the holes of division is a powerful metaphor. It suggests that as we move beyond the fragmented perception of reality, recognizing the interconnectedness of all things, we attain a state of holiness or completeness.

The exploration of the cycle of living beings eating each other and consuming both living and non-living things brings attention to the intricate web of interdependence in the universe. It underscores the fundamental truth that all aspects of creation, whether living or non-living, are sustained by a common source.

The concept of Jada becoming Chetana and Chetana becoming Jada introduces a profound idea about the interconnectedness of the living and non-living. It hints at the unity underlying apparent distinctions, reflecting the divine play of creation.

The description of the Paramapurusha dividing, multiplying, and then pervading the universe, followed by entering into living and non-living beings, signifies the immanence of the divine in every aspect of creation. It reinforces the idea that the ultimate reality, manifesting as Sat, Chit, and Ananda, is both the source and sustainer of all existence. This is the meaning of Sasane Asasena Abhi.

The promise to explore this interesting idea in the next class adds anticipation for further insights into the nature of creation and the divine presence within it. I look forward to the continuation of this exploration in our next session.

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