Aitareya Upanishad Lecture 16 on 24 September 2023

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

In our last class yesterday, we were talking about a great Rishi, and this Rishi was called Vamadeva. Even while he was still in the womb of his mother, before coming out, he had declared, "I have become a realized one. I know the truth. I have become an Amrita Putra. I have realized that I was, I am, and I will be an Amrita Putra." So, this was the statement, and then this is the response of a realized soul, as said in the second chapter of the Aitareya Upanishad. There is only one section or one Adhyaya. The third also has only one Adhyaya.

This is the statement that is said when we study the life of Gautama Buddha. As soon as he attained Bodhi on Vaisakha Purnima day, he started; he was so joyous he could not contain the tremendous bliss he was experiencing. For 14 days, he was going round and round that Bodhi Vriksha, and at the end of the 14th day, he decided, "I will enter into Mahaparinirvana," but Brahma, the creator, appeared and said, "No, you must not give up this body. You must live and teach." Then Buddha said, "Who really requires my teaching? Who is longing for my teaching? I don't see anybody." Then Brahma replied that no, all human beings can be divided into three parts. Most of the people have no faith in God, no desire to attain Mukti. They are completely ignorant, striving only to get more and more of this worldly happiness. And there are very few people who have already realized God, but in between, there are quite a number of Sadhakas who do not see the proper light. They are traveling in darkness. It is for them; your teachings will be useful. These Madhyastha Purushas, Sadhakas who are striving their best to realize God, to know their own true nature, but they are not able to find out what is the right way. For them your teachings will be applicable.

So we can also apply the same condition state to Vamadeva Rishi. What is he telling? "I realized the truth." If a Jeevan Mukta, even after he says that, "I am a Jeevan Mukta," very few people really understand him. But those who have some faith, when they start staying with him and seeing him day and night, they have no option but to believe he must be a Jeevan Mukta because all the characteristics that are described in every scripture are practically, completely manifest, naturally manifest, without effort to manifest in this person's life. So, this Vamadeva was one such Jeevan Mukta.

By this statement in the fifth mantra of the second chapter of Aitareya Upanishad, we also come to know that he will be reborn soon from the mother's womb. He will be living, and God had destined him to be a Jeevan Mukta. Sri Ramakrishna explains that once a person enters into Samadhi, Samadhi is not a special type of posture. It is not like, as most of us try to imagine, a person sits, and then he becomes unconscious of the all-outside world. No, no, it is not like that. Samadhi is the realization, "I am Brahman, and there is nothing else besides Brahman. Everything is Brahman." That knowledge through experience is called Samadhi. That's why Ramana Bhagwan used to talk about it. If you say Samadhi is a posture, then people think when a great Yogi is in that kind of unconscious state, "Ah, now he is in Samadhi." But if he is talking and especially joking, then people will feel that this man can never have realized God because joking and realizing God don't go together. It is far from the truth.

Sri Ramakrishna made fun of everything. Swami Vivekananda used to tell both vegetarian and non-vegetarian jokes, and Swami Brahmananda played jokes on everybody. These well-known, well-recorded incidents are there because they are Anandamaya Purushas, blissful persons. They want to express their joy. Another thing is that there were Maharshis like Durvasa Maharshi. He was a realized soul. Then why did he get so angry? He didn't get angry. Because your Prarabdha brings that anger, and you are cursed or sometimes tested, like Krishna Bhagwan.

Durvasa Maharshi once came; this story is there. I don't remember if it's in Bhagavatam or Mahabharata. He wanted Krishna and Rukmini to draw the horse carriage. Carriages are usually drawn by horses, but Krishna and Rukmini were to be the horses, and he was whipping them to go forward, stop, etc. However, there was no reaction either in Krishna or in Rukmini. At the end, Durvasa said, "I want to give you a boon," and he gave boons to both of them.

How do you take this incident? Like Bhrigu Maharshi had tested Lord Narayana by kicking him. That story alone brings out the greatness, Mahatyam, of Venkateshwara. So here also, when Durvasa Maharshi is trying to insult or curse Krishna and Rukmini, they know who they are. "I am Narayana, and you are Mahalakshmi. But who is this Durvasa? He is our child. Don't you see? When a child is being suckled by the mother, he goes on kicking—the sweeter the milk, the more the milk, the more energy and the more kicking. But how sweet that kicking will be? I suspect sometimes the mother wants this kind of kicking because probably the husband doesn't massage her body, and this is a beautiful massage, just the right type of massage. So for them, everything is Brahman only. Durvasa, otherwise called Maharshi and the greatest angry man in the whole world, they don't go together. We have to apply our Karma Siddhanta. What is it? In this world, nobody can give us happiness or make us suffer. It is only our karmaphala. Everybody else is only what is called an instrument.

I mentioned earlier in one of my classes, I don't remember which class, there is a beautiful story in the Anushasanika Parva of Mahabharata. A young widow has a son, and he was bitten by a serpent, and there was a beautiful dialogue. Who really caused it? The essence was that it was the karmaphala of the baby. He was not destined to live more than that time. Whether it is Kala, Yamadharma Raja, or the serpent, snake, all these are only instruments.

Anyway, coming back, once a person enters into Samadhi, there can be two states. Some people never come back. Sri Ramakrishna says after 21 days, their body, like a dried fruit, just falls down, and they cannot come back. But for some divine purpose, God keeps some people, meaning He himself enters into that body-mind complex of that former sadhaka, and he is called Jeevan Mukta. Vamadeva Rishi is one of those Jeevan Muktas. He is talking, issuing a statement after becoming a Jeevan Mukta. That means Paramatma himself is issuing a statement. But we don't know Paramatma; we only recognize him by the dress, which was Vamadeva's dress. Every body, every mind is just two types of dresses. A kind of gross kind of dress and a subtle type of dress, Vesham. Everything is, even an incarnation's body, is just a dress. That is why Shankaracharya says Jatai Vaha, Sambhavai Vaha. So as if it has been born. That is called Leela. Leela means as if real but not real. Like a drama, like a cinema.

So here is a statement by the Rishi Vamadeva regarding the suffering of the ignorant Jeeva in Samsara, with endless births and deaths, and his liberation through self-knowledge. This fifth mantra has two messages: every Jeeva is a Paramatma, but every Jeeva, because of some mysterious power called Maya, thinks he is a bound soul. But all the time, he was standing on a moving escalator called evolution, and in the course of time, whether he wills it or not, he is going to reach. That escalator will leave him only in his own state, which is Paramatma's state. But the Jeeva has to go through many, many births. There is nobody who is going to remain unbound. That is, who will never attain Mukti. Such a thing cannot happen. That is why Swami Vivekananda's statement, who himself was a Rishi like Vamadeva, he declared, "Shrunvantu Vishwe Amrutasya Putraah." So, this is what is being said.

We have already praised this mantra in our last yesterday's class. Here it goes.

taduktamRiShiNA garbhe nu sannanveShAmavedamaha.n devAnA.n janimAni

vishvA shataM mA pura AyasIrarakShannadhaH shyeno javasA niradIyamiti .

garbha evaitachChayAno vAmadeva evamuvAcha .. 5..

About this a rishi has said: "While still lying in the womb, I came to know all the births of the gods. A hundred strongholds, as if made of iron, confined me, yet I burst through them all swiftly, like a hawk." Vamadeva spoke, in this way, even while lying in the womb.

What did this Vamadeva Rishi say? He said that I have gone through innumerable births and I have suffered. I was born in so many wombs beginning from amoeba until the highest Brahmana's body. Then I have gone through every type of suffering, every type of happiness, and one day I awoke. I approached or the grace of God came in the form of a Parama Karunika Guru. By God's grace, I was able to surrender myself to him. Out of His infinite compassion, the Guru had guided me and never rested until I realized God. He was always with me, holding me up, holding me in his arms, supporting me when I am about to stumble, giving the right advice at the right time, and His duty finished only after my realizing that I am Brahman.

And what happens to the Guru? The Guru is none other than Brahman only. That is why in one of our peace chants, Shanti Mantras, there is Garuda. So let Tarkshya give me peace of mind. Who is Tarkshya? Garuda. Garuda is the Vahana of Narayana. Garuda is the symbol of the Guru. Because what does Garuda do? He carries Bhagawan Narayana to every devotee who is in distress. He who carries God for us is called a Guru. So, Garuda is a Guru. That is why we have to salute him before.

Now, what is this Rishi? Tat Rishina Uktam. This Vamadeva Rishi, He said, Aham Garbhenusan. Even while I was lying down, how Shayanaha, lying down in the womb of my mother, Esham Devanam Vishwa Janimani Anu Avedam. Esham Devanam. Here Deva means the body-mind complex. This is called the Sharira Sanghata. Sanghata means a collection of both body and mind, what we call human birth, body, and mind. Here Devanams, we should not mistake it as Devas. Aham Jani, Aham Vedam. I know fully well what Vishwa Janimani. Janimani means births. Vishwa means innumerable births, countless births. Shatam Ma Pura Ayasi Rakshan. How many hundreds of times, but Maam Pura. Pura means Navadwari Puredehi Naivakurva Nakarayan. Bhagawan enters into this Puram. Every human personality is called Puram. Not only the body but also the mind. Both combined together are called cities, and this city has got nine doors. Through the nine doors, the Jeeva goes out, tries to enjoy the world, just as a person or persons go out of the city through different routes in Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, any direction he wants.

There are many doors. How many? Nine doors. What are those nine doors? The eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the Nabhi, and what is called the reproductive organ, and also the refreshing organ or that which cleans our inside, throwing out undigested food material. So, all these are called Navadwara. So, how many Puras? Shatam means countless. How? I was completely imprisoned. Ayasi means like a very powerful metal cage. Rakshan means they will not allow me. They are like tremendous watchmen. They will never allow me with a thousand eyes. They are watching me in case I want to get out of this body-mind. That means tremendous attachment to this body and mind, tremendous attachment to whatever we think is going to give happiness to both our body and mind. We will discuss it very soon.

But what can they do? Many, many, many births I have suffered. One day I woke up. I said enough is enough. Then I woke up, and I heard the clarion call. "Shrunvantu Vishwe Amrutasya Putraah." And I was endowed like Hanuman. I became a Divya Vahana, like a beautiful bird, Garuda, like a powerful, most powerful Garuda. I simply destroyed all the iron bars. How? Through my tremendous strength, javasa, I broke them open, niradiyam. This is how, even while lying down in the womb of his mother, Vamadeva declared this after his realization. What is the essence? Vamadeva was a Rishi who realized God. Then why was he declaring this while lying in the mother's womb? Mother's womb means birth. Birth means ignorance.

Well, our inevitable Anandagiri, who adds notes to Shankaracharya's commentaries because whenever Shankaracharya tells us something or his words are not that clearly understood, and at the same time, sometimes he thinks we understand. So, like myself when I am talking so many times and I refer to something past, I hope you remember it. That means I also don't remember sometimes. Not really, I do remember, but it is a reminder to you.

So, like that, this Vamadeva, why was he lying? Yoga Brashtaha. For some obstruction, he was not able to get out in the last birth. So he had to take a birth. But as soon as he entered into this, by God's grace, by Guru's grace, he became enlightened and then he looked out.

And then I also told you in Buddhism, there is a concept of Bodhisattva. Who is a Bodhisattva? He had already attained Bodhi, realization. That Aham Brahmasmi, that is what Bhagwan Buddha calls Maha Nirvana, Maha Parinirvana. Nirvana means complete extinction, extinguishing this great fire of Samsara. That means self-knowledge. What we call Mukti, that is called Maha Nirvana in Buddhistic literature. Having attained, most people, they don't want to even look back.

Like the Sri Ramakrishna story, some people were walking in a solitary place, suddenly they came across a huge enclosure and wonderful sounds of music, dance, etc. People singing joyously. They wanted to find out. So they procured a ladder, and one of them said, "I will just climb, peep in and I will let you know what is happening." And he peeped in and he forgot everything. He jumped in. The second fellow did the same. The third fellow did the same. The fourth person was about to jump down. But he remembered, there are so many people, they will be missing this mark of joy. So he came down, he ran to the nearby places, and started declaring, "It's a beautiful place, come ye all." "Shrunvantu Vishwe Amrutasya Putraah."

So such a person, Sri Ramakrishna mentions, as an Avatar, he also doesn't feel like coming out, but with great difficulty, for the good of many, for the welfare of many. He will want to make other people also enjoy what he knows, the highest blissful state. That's what Sri Ramakrishna, that's what Swami Vivekananda, all of these great Jeevan Muktas, what Sri Ramakrishna used to call Ishwara Koti. They were all Jeevan Mukta Mahapurushas. Later on, after Sri Ramakrishna passed away, many of his direct disciples have also attained that same state, like Swami Turiananda, etc.

Now coming back, some obstruction was there. That is what Anandagiri notes, adding to the clarity of Shankaracharya's Bhashyam, gives for this particular mantra. But as soon as he entered, he understood. Again? No, then he understood, no, I am here by the will of God so that I can proclaim this truth, I am a Jeevan Mukta. That is what his notes tell, and it looks very rational for all of us.

So what is he telling? That even while lying down in the womb of the mother, that I can see millions and millions of births I had. And also, we have to remember, sometimes there would be some obstruction, and the person is trying his level best, but he is unable to break open or overcome the obstacle. Then he prays earnestly, surrendering himself to Guru and God. By Guru and God's grace, what happens, you know, he remembers the last moment, all the births, millions and millions of births right from the beginning, and then the last attachment. Obstacle means nothing but desire, attachment, nothing else.

So he remembers how many times I have eaten sweets, bitter things, and everything. Like the Mundaka Upanishad describes, there were two birds. Both of them,

dva suparna sayuja sakhaya samanam vriksham parishasvajate |

tayoranyah  pippalam svadvattyanashnannanyo abhicakashiti || 1|| (3.1.1

Sweet and bitter fruits, bitter and sweet fruits. How many times I became a husband, how many times I became a wife, how many times I became a mother, how many times I have become a father, how many times I have become a dog. At last, I have become God. So, this is called Jati Smaratva, remembering all the past births.

And if you can remember, even I or you or anybody, even two, three births, then you understand, Oho, I have gone through the same rigmarole so many times and again forgetting everything, I have fallen into the trap. But unfortunately, this Jati Smaratva, it comes only to people who are at the very door of Brahman, knocking it by God's grace. So, this is how we have to understand by God's will; this realized soul has to be reborn again so that he can declare the highest truth of the Upanishads, Upanishad Satsara called Vedanta to the world through Guru Parampara system. So, this was the declaration. I have gone through how many millions of births.

Here Devanam means millions and millions of body-mind complexes. Vishwa means countless. Janimani means births. That means birth and death. Death is accompanied by birth. Birth is accompanied by death as Sukham is accompanied by Dukham, and Dukham is accompanied by Sukham. Day is accompanied by night. Night is accompanied by day. Seasons roll on one after the other, year after year until we give up this body. So, I know everything now by the grace of my Guru. Jati Smaratvam has come. Aham Avedam. And then all this time, all these bodies, what type of bodies? Each one of us has got five bodies. This is called in Vedantic language Panchakosha: Annamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Jnanamaya Kosha, Anandamaya Kosha. And if I can become a little bit detached from the lowest Kosha, the higher Kosha binds me. And if I somehow can pull myself out, the higher, still higher Kosha.

So, like that, similar to Varuna after teaching his son and advising him to go and do Tapasya. So this Bhrigu,

annaṃ brahmeti vyajānāt | annāddhyeva khalvimāni bhutāni jāyante | annena jātāni jīvanti |

annaṃ prayantyabhisaṃviśantīti || 1 ||

And then he gets out of all these Panchakoshas. These are the ones which are referred to as Devanam. What did they do? They became my watchmen, lest I should get out. They bind me in the form of Maya. Desire is nothing but Maya. Maya is nothing but desire. But a time has come. The grace of God and Guru, Shrenaiva, like a huge kite, Javasa, with tremendous force, Niradiyam. What? Ayasihipuraha, is iron-barred as it were. Iron means what? A very strong body, attachment to the body and mind. I just destroyed that attachment, and then I realized Aham Brahmasmi, and now everybody is Brahman, Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. This was the declaration by Rishi. Why was he telling? Because he is also telling, because it is a kind of encouragement. When we are looking, Lord, is there any way out for me? Yes, yes, my son. So at one time, I also have gone through all these things and you also will go through all these things.

When young men used to come and then ask for the advice of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna used to tell, "Yes, yes, I understand your problems. How? Because at one time, I also briefly had to overcome those problems. What did I do? This is what I did. And you also do exactly the same thing, and you will also get. Now this kind of declarations, like Vamadeva's declaration, we get in several other places. The greatest example will be the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. There are several sections in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna where Sri Ramakrishna narrates to him and other devotees his experiences, personal experiences, how he was longing, what type of visions he had, what states of consciousness he had gone through. That itself forms a marvellous subject matter. And for what purpose? Not to declare his greatness, but to encourage all of us that if you are earnest, sincere, and with tenacity, pursue your sadhana. In this birth or next birth or next birth, you are sure to attain success. That is, you are sure to know who you really are.

So some things are quoted here. We get in the Taittiriya Upanishad, two types. There was a great soul called Trishanku, and he is not the Trishanku of that king. By Vishwamitra's grace, he wanted to go to heaven, and then Trishanku Swarga. Not that Trishanku. Here is a great Jeevan Mukta. What does he say? Aham Vrikshasya Re Riva Keerthi Prishtam Girhe Riva My fame has surpassed even the topmost peaks of the highest mountains. Aham Vrikshasya Re Riva I have broken this Vriksha. What Vriksha? Ashwathya Vriksha. What is Ashwathya Vriksha? This Samsara Vriksha, which we get in the 15th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Purushottama Yoga. Here, the very first thing itself,

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam

chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit (Gita 15:1)

This is what he is telling. I know this Samsara Vriksha. I have destroyed it. I have completely broken it, burnt it, and then my Keerthi. Everybody will salute me. Khandana Bhava Bandhana Jaga Bandhana The whole world salutes me because they all salute God. When I drink, when I eat, when I breathe, when I seek warmth, and when I am moving, I have to thank God. That is because of the Pancha Bhutas; I am able to move forward.

In the same Taittiriya Upanishad, in the third chapter, we get again, that is called Brihvali. This great soul, a realized soul, what does he do? Etat Samagayan Nasthe. He goes on singing this Samagayan out of sheer joy, unbearable, irrepressible joy. Aham Muktaha, I become free. How does he do that? How does he sing?

Ahamanna Mahamanna Mahamannam ………Ahamannadohamannaado hamann………………….

Sarvagataha Aham Brahmasmi.

What a marvellous thing! Singing the glory of the Atma, that means, myself means what? I am the Atman, not this other I. Similarly, so many people, every incarnation tells it for the encouragement of all of us. So, it goes without saying that this Vamadeva, He did not attain after entering into His mother's womb, but innumerable, that is what we discussed earlier,

prayatnād yatamānas tu yogī sanśhuddha-kilbiṣhaḥ

aneka-janma-sansiddhas tato yāti parāṁ gatim (Gita 6:45)

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (Gita 7:19)

It will take time, but what is the time? We are going to get because that is our birth right. We are divine beings. That is the essence of this mantra, fifth mantra.

Now, the last mantra in the second chapter is going to come. So, the Upanishad concludes this second chapter in the Aitareya Upanishad by talking about, "Alright, there are people who do sadhana, and they understand all the problems, sufferings, limitations, bindings, that is experienced by all of us, life after life. And you are advising me to get Atma Gnanam, but what do I get out of it? Gnanasya Phalam Kim? Mukte Phalam Kim? What do I get if I become Mukta? Will I become like a big stone? This is a big problem according to Advaita Vedanta. So, what is it that I don't see, I don't hear, I don't eat, I don't smell, I don't touch.

Then do I become a big stone? A stone also we know doesn't feel it. So, am I going by becoming Brahman? Am I going to become like that? And to add, to rub salt into the deep injury, many learned people quote. What do they quote? The deep Sushupti state. So, what is the Sushupti state? That Sukham Aham Aswapsham, I slept very happily. Nakinchit Avedisham. What is the problem? When I am eating a sweet, I am conscious I am eating a sweet and I get happiness. But when I am in Sushupti, I don't even know that I am in Sushupti. And when do I say I am happy? I don't say I am happy. I was happy. I did not do anything. I did not know that I was a happy person. And much less, I make many other people also very happy. That is for sure. Proof is there. So, if Sushupti state itself is like that, where we don't know, only after waking up and if we don't wake up, we don't know what happens.

What happens again will be even another chance to suffer and to come to God. Every birth, remember, is a tremendous chance. Either you come to me or you are going to suffer. There is no other way. So, what is called Prayaha and Srayaha. There are only two pathways are there.

Sreyascha preyascha manushyamethah thou sampareethya

vivinookthi dheerah.

Kata Upanishad tells beautifully about it. So, what is the result? What do I get? You don't get anything. Because to get something, whatever we get from some other source is going to get out also, get away also. So, if you mix two things, both things will separate at some point of time. But if I am everything and I don't get Ananda, I become Ananda. This is called being mode, not having mode. We transit permanently from the having mode to the being mode. I am having happiness. Whatever we have, I have a body, it will go. I have a mind, it will go. I have a brain, it will go. I have teeth, they will go. And everything will go. But I will not go. So, that whatever is me, that will be there for eternity. That real Atman, that is the goal of all evolution.

And even the modern evolutionists, physicists, they have never discovered the truth. They were only explaining, not even explaining, but only describing the process of evolution, etc. So, what is the response of a Jnani? That is being said, that is to say, what does he become? That is being said in the last sixth mantra of the second chapter.

sa eva.n vidvAnasmAchCharIrabhedAdUrdhva utkramyAmuShmin.h svarge loke

sarvAn.h kAmAnAptvA.amRitaH samabhavat.h samabhavat.h .. 6..

Thus endowed with Knowledge, he, becoming one with the Supreme Self and soaring aloft on the dissolution of the body, obtained all desires in the heavenly world and became immortal-yea, became immortal.

So, it is repeated twice to indicate the highest state, definitely to emphasize and also to say that this particular chapter is over.

Many times we see in this, especially our Indian scriptures, when something is repeated twice, it indicates the end of the chapter of that particular chapter. And here also, amrutah samabhavat amrutah samabhavat. So, thus endowed with knowledge, he means he who was a sadhaka and he progressed like Vamadeva Rishi and at last he entered into Samadhi. That means he obtained pure Self-knowledge, he knew who he was and becoming one Brahmavit Brahmaiva Bhavati. Becoming one with the Supreme Self and showering aloft on the dissolution of the body, that means after death, that means Videha Mukti, that means he will never return to the Samsara again.

And what happened? He obtained all desires in the heavenly world and became immortal. Yeah, he became immortal. amrutah samabhavat amrutah samabhavat. So, very marvellous thing. And this type of statements we have seen, a person overcomes Mrityu, Samsara is equated to Maya. Maya is equated to Samsara. This Samsara is equated to limitation. Another name for limitation is suffering. What is suffering? I want air, I am not getting sufficient air. If any one of you suffer from asthma, then you will understand what it is. And when stomach goes bad, you understand what is the limitation. When your tooth starts aching, you understand the limitation. But when we become old, we understand the limitation, our longing for experiencing, squeezing pleasure has not died out. On the contrary, it goes stronger day after day, it becomes stronger and still stronger. And yet our capacity to enjoy, it will be going down. This is our experience.

But then what happens, this person, what does he become? sarvan kaman aapthva He attains all desires. How can a person attain all desires? We will discuss about it. So, this person's all desires in the heavenly world, he becomes immortal. We have to understand it properly, not that all the billions of varieties of sweets are present, like your ghatot gaja, eating in the veneration, what is that? Subhadra Pranayam Yes, I think Subhadra Pranayam, where he goes on eating all the preparations. No, no, no, no. That means what? What happens when we have a desire, I want to eat a sweet, that is a desire. What happens? I procure as nice a sweet as possible. Everybody cannot get the same quality or quantity. And supposing I am very lucky, I get the best sweet and sufficient quantity. What happens? Not the sweet, it is the pleasure, it is the trishti, it is the satisfaction that I get after eating. There was a desire.

So, what does it mean really? A desire has been destroyed. The destruction of the desire brings us to what we were before the desire arose. That means we are just going back to our own state, not that we are getting anything.

Supposing you are walking or running, and you feel tired. Then a great sense of suffering overtakes you. Someone offers you hospitality, and you sit or lie down on the bed. First, you are given cool drinks, and you lie down. After half an hour, they bring food, and you lie down for 3-4 hours. All your tiredness is completely gone. What happens next? You become a very happy person only in that regard because your suffering has been removed. Before you started suffering, you were a happy person. After your suffering was removed, you are the same person. Nothing new is added. That is the important point for us to understand.

So what happens to this person? We will do the dissection. And then the sense becomes very clear. "Evam vidvan." "Evam" means thus, "vidvan" means knowing, getting endowed with knowledge, obtaining knowledge. What knowledge are we talking about? Vamadeva's knowledge. What was Vamadeva Rishi's knowledge? "I was born umpteen number of times. I enjoyed, I suffered, and I had to go through all those experiences." Looking now, I understand all of them are unbearable suffering now that I look back. At that time, some experiences seemed to be very desirable, and many of them never proved to be desirable at all.

This person approached a Guru, obtained Mahavakya, and then started Shravana, then Manana, Nidhidyasana, transformed his life. Ultimately, by God's grace, he obtained that realization that "I was never born. There is no birth for me. I am free."

mano buddhi ahankara chittani naaham

na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre

na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu

chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham

He realizes that state. That's why Vamadeva declared, "I woke up. I realized I am free from all that. I have broken all the iron bars, iron bonds. Now I know who I am." That Atma Jnanam, he who knows, is called Vidvan. Vidvan means he who has obtained like Vamadeva. And all of us have to go through the same state as Vamadeva, many many lives.

Then what happens? He becomes a Videha Mukta. That is being described here. Saha, Such a Vidvan, who knew what he had to know, that is "Aham Brahmasmi." Asmat Sareera Bheda. "Asmat" means this last birth. "Sareera" means last birth. Last Sareera. Why? Because he already knows, "I am not the body." So long as we think we are the body, the body brings an attachment, and the mind and other instruments help us. We have to be reborn again and again. What is the way? "I am not the body, I am not the mind." That is the only way. So "Sareera Bheda" "Bheda" here means when I become separated from the body. "Bheda" means separation. Distinction.

Then what is that "Bheda"? When this body falls from me, the mind also falls from me. "Urdhvaha." And what remains then? Only I remain. I, the Atman. Pure Satyam Jnanam Anantam, Sat Chit Ananda, Chaitanyam alone will be there. That is called "Urdhva." So "Utkramya." Having got out of this ignorance, not out of the body, out of this ignorance. Having broken the cage. Having come out, Utkramya. Sarvan Kaman Aapthva, Having obtained. What was the body doing? It had an infinite number of desires. But its capacity is severely limited, both time-wise and space-wise. "Vastu Desha Parichcheda. Kaala Parichcheda. Vastu Parichcheda." But here, all desires are fulfilled.

How can all desires be fulfilled? There is only one way – you become everything. You become all objects; you become every subject.

kshetra-jnam chapi mam viddhi sarva-kshetreshu bharata (Gita 13:3)

This is beautifully described in the second chapter called Anandavalli, also known as Brahmanandavalli or Brahmavalli, in the Taittiriya Upanishad. The first chapter is called Sikshavalli, focused on learning all the Vedas, proper pronunciation, contemplation, Samhita, concentration. The third and final chapter is called Bhrigu Valli, where a sadhaka named Bhrigu practices Vedanta and is instructed by another Mukta Purusha.

From the Puranic perspective, the sadhaka becomes his own father as soon as he approaches, transforming into an earnest disciple, Sishya. The relationship shifts from father-son to an affectionate Guru-disciple bond, eliminating any sense of bondage. In the Bhrigu Valli, there's instruction about Panchakoshas, which is also hinted at in the second chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad.

aham annam aham annam aham annam aham annādaḥ aham annādaḥ aham annādaḥ ahaṁ ślokakṛt

ahaṁ ślokakṛt aham ṛtasya prathamajāḥ devebhyaḥ pūrvam amṛtasya nā bhāyi ( ca ) asmi yaḥ mā

dadāti saḥ it eva mā avāḥ| aham annam annam adantam admi| ahaṁ viśvaṁ bhuvanam abhyabhavām

( ahaṁ ) suvara na jyotīḥ| yaḥ evaṁ veda ( saḥ uktaṁ phalaṁ aśnute ) iti upaniṣat|

Quoting from earlier, after getting out of the body-mind complex, the individual, described as "Utkramya," doesn't physically go anywhere. Being Ananta (infinite), he cannot go anywhere. Instead, he attains the highest Ananda, known as Brahmananda, which is unbroken, infinite, and eternal happiness. Unlike our finite and temporary Ananda, Brahmananda remains perpetually.

Referring to "Amushmin," typically interpreted as Svarga Loka (heaven), for a realized soul, Svarga Loka means self-knowledge, realizing "Aham Brahmasmi." It is not limited to a specific time or place – it was in the past, is in the present, will be in the future, and is timeless. When Brahman is perceived everywhere, the distinctions between "here" and "there" lose their meaning, representing Svarga Loka.

Contrary to the common belief that extraordinary Punyam leads to Svarga Loka, Punyam, in this context, is the ability to extract happiness under any circumstance. Even someone eating under challenging conditions, like the impoverished people in Bihar consuming Chhatu in the scorching sun, can experience Brahmananda because they are ravenously hungry, and hunger itself is the best sauce.

So, what does Svarga Loka mean? It signifies a state of higher happiness. However, in this context, we are not referring to limited higher happiness, but rather the unlimited Brahmananda. This is what is called Svarga Loka. Where is it? It is everywhere. Why? Because Brahman and Brahmananda are not different. Brahma Gnanam and Brahman are inseparable. Svarga Loke, Amrutaha Samabhavat. This means one becomes one with Amruta, one with the immortal nectar. A beautiful example is provided by Sri Ramakrishna. In an intriguing episode, the great Rishi who manifested as Swami Vivekananda, known as Narendranath at that time, couldn't initially accept the profound teachings of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna, adopting a clever approach, expressed a desire for Narendranath to read a book for his enjoyment. The chosen book was Ashtavakra Gita, Avadhuta Gita, both being highly Advaitic works, expressing extreme non-duality. Swami Vivekananda initially considered it blasphemous to claim, "I am Brahman." Sri Ramakrishna clarified that he wasn't asking Narendranath to follow the teachings but to read the book for his own enjoyment. Narendranath reluctantly began reading, and during this process, Sri Ramakrishna granted him knowledge by touching him. This event occurred long before Nirvikalpa Samadhi, providing Narendranath with the understanding that Brahman is everywhere.

After the realized soul departs from the body, they attain Brahman. "Attain" here does not imply a new attainment; rather, it means the realization that they were always Brahman. Previously, they were unaware of their identity as Brahman, but now they know, and they recognize everything as Brahman. Nothing else exists except Brahman, which is characterized as Sat, Chit, and Ananda Swaroopa. The Ananda, the joy, results in Sarvan Kamanatva, where all desires are fulfilled. Svarga Loke, Amrutah Bhavati. Amrutah, in this context, means freedom from limitations, birth, and death. Amrutah Samabhavat signifies the end of the cycle of rebirths. With this, there are a few more points that we will discuss in our next class.