Mandukya Karika Lecture 072 on 12 October 2022

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU OM BHADRAM KANNE VISHRUNU YAMA DEVAH BHADRAM PASHYE MAKSHA BHIRYA JATRAH STHIRAY RANGAYE STUSHTU VAGUM SASTANUBHI VYASHE MA DEVAHI TAYYADAYU SWASTHINA INDRU VRIDDHA SHRAVA SWASTHINA PUSHA VISHWA VEDA SWASTHINA STHARKSHU ARISTA NIMI SWASTHINOMBRIHASPATIRDADHATU OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI HARE OM OM Oh Gods, may we always hear with our ears what is auspicious. Oh worshipful ones, may we with our eyes always see what is auspicious. May we live our allotted life hale and hearty, offering our praises unto Thee. May Indra of ancient fame bestow auspiciousness on all of us. May the all-nourishing potion be propitious to all of us. May Garuda, the destroyer of all evil, be well disposed towards all of us. May Brihaspati ensure all our welfare. OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL We have completed the first chapter of the Mandukya Upanishad called Agama Prakarana. The chapter called Agama Prakarana. And I would like to give an introduction to this for the newcomers. I do not know how much time it might take but doesn't matter. But it will be very helpful. Mandukya Upanishad belongs to the Atharvana Veda. It is called Mandukya because it is associated with a Rishi by name Manduka. Manduka means a frog and some people call this Upanishad Frog Upanishad, English language of course. Because the teaching in this Upanishad is extraordinarily unique and it takes a big leap like a frog. And it expects us also to take a big leap. Remember once, more than once, Ramakrishna was describing how the Kundalini rises from the Muladhara to the Sahasrara. Like a snake, like an ant, like a bird and one of the descriptions is like a frog. It sits still and suddenly it takes a leap, big leap forward or even small leaps. But here we are talking about a leap, an intellectual leap. And certain Vedantic principles are not only from the scriptures but Shruti, Yukti and Anubhava. The scriptures, our own reasoning power and our own experience all confirm to that. And I will come to that point a little later. This Mandukya Upanishad is a small Upanishad, the smallest of all the major Upanishads. I do not know if there is any other Upanishad which is less than 12 mantras. I have to do some research on that. This Mandukya Upanishad consists of only 12 mantras. But most profound, it is so great, not only because of its terse teachings, but because Gaudapadacharya, the great Guru, Guru's Guru. Remember, Shankaracharya's Guru was Govinda Bhagwatpada and his Grandfather Guru was Gaudapada Bhagwatpada. This is not a name, it is just like a person comes, he is a Hyderabadwali, he is a London citizen, he is a New York citizen. So this Gaudapada, Gauda means Gaudadesha, Gaudadesha means West Bengal and West Bengal, this person was living. What was his original name and where exactly did he live? We do not know but it must be in the 7th century or what we say early 600 because his disciple was Govindacharya and Govindacharya's disciple was Shankaracharya who was supposed to be 688, something like that. Regarding Indian chronology of these great personalities is not very reliable. Even now there is terrible controversy but for us history is His story, God's story. We are not bothered about persons at all, individuals at all. So this is one of the smallest Upanishads and this great Gaudapadacharya has written an analysis, very beautiful analysis, very what we call tough analysis in very confusing as well as concise words because he has freely borrowed from the Buddhistic philosophy. That's why sometimes Nidra, a simple word, we discussed about it. Nidra usually means that's third state that is Sushupti, deep sleep but here Nidra means not knowing a thing as what it is. Not knowing is called Nidra and knowing something as completely separate is called dream, Nidra and Swapna. For example, not to know that this is a rope is Nidra and to know that this is not only not a rope but it is a snake, mistaking, superimposing one upon the other is called Swapna. So in the waking state, dream state, we suffer from both Nidra as well as Swapna, not knowing the truth and mistaking the truth for something else but in the deep sleep we are bound only by one of them. That is we do not know what is truth, at least we do not mistake it as something else. In Vedantic language, Maya has got two powers, Avarana and Vikshepa. Vikshepa and Avarana both function in waking and dream. Only Avarana works in the deep sleep state. Anyway, by and by we will understand about these things but what I am referring to is the Gauda Padacharya could easily have used certain words which are familiar, for example Avarana Shakti, Vikshepa Shakti but he goes on trying to do these things. So anyway, he has written a marvellous commentary and that commentary is in the form of 215 verses and the very first chapter, 29 verses are there and these verses by Gauda Padacharya explaining these mantras are also called Karikas. So Gauda Pada is the Guru of Shankaracharya's Guru, Govindacharya. Gauda Pada's work is called Mandukya Karika and there are 215 verses. Each verse is called a Karika. Shankara writes a commentary on the 12 mantras of the Upanishads and then also commentary on the 215 Karikas. So the 12 mantras of the Upanishad plus the 215 Karikas along with Shankaracharya's Bhashya and both the mantras as well as the Karikas are divided into four chapters. The first chapter is called Agama Prakaranam. Agama means Vedas or original scriptures. So all the 12 mantras which belong to the Adharvana Veda, they all belong to that Veda plus of course 29 Karikas of Gauda Padacharya because the Upanishad is there in its entirety plus a beautiful analysis of the three, four states of our normal experience and four parts of the Atman. That is why it is called Agama Prakaranam, chapter of the Veda. The second chapter, third chapter and fourth chapter, all together four chapters. Second chapter is called Vaitadhya. Tathya means as it is. Remember, Buddha arrived at the truth. That's why it is called Tathagata. Tatha means at the truth, Agata, arrived at the truth. That's why it is called Tathagata. So Vaitadhya means opposite to truth. That means untruth. That means Mithya. That means Maya. That means the Samsara which we all experience through the waking, dream and dreamless states. All are what is called Mithya according to Advaita Vedanta. So this second chapter, through logic especially, tries to prove how all these states that we experience are unreal, therefore Mithya, therefore untruth. Therefore it has to be given up and it can be given up by knowing the truth by certain spiritual practices called Upasana about which we will come later on. And Gaudapada has got 38 Karikas. So this second chapter called Vaitadhya contains 38 Shlokas or Karikas trying to prove the unreal nature of the universe. The third chapter is titled as Advaita Prakaranam based upon what you call Advaita which is the peak of Gnana Marga, Parabrahman. So this third chapter is called Advaita Prakaranam, chapter aptly entitled as Advaita. And Gaudapada has 48 Karikas. So therefore we have also got Shankara Bhashya on all the 48 Karikas. Here Gaudapada wants to prove the ultimate truth is Advaita. All these things do not exist really and very terse logic is used. So whatever we are experiencing, all the three states is all completely to be negated through certain process called Upasana. But the ultimate essence is Advaita alone is the truth and it doesn't ever change. It is changeless. It is one without a second. It is infinite. It is pure consciousness. So pure consciousness called Brahman never becomes a subject, never becomes a Jeeva. Everything is an appearance. So but when we are ignorant like a person because of some defect in the eye, he sees one moon as two moons, every object as two. It is not that there are two moons but it is the problem with that person's eye. When eye doctor corrects it, he sees only one moon that is in the sky, not two or three or more. Advaitam is the essence. This again he wants to prove. This is the only way we can get rid of three sources of affliction, Tritabha and reclaim Aham Brahmasmi. And the fourth chapter is having what we call Alatha, Shanti, Prakarna. Prakarna means chapter, Shanti means cessation, Alatha means when you take a lighted lamp and go on whirling round and round, it appears to be one huge circle but really only one tip of the stick burning brightly. So like that the truth is one but because of Maya, because of the restlessness of the mind, just as the one moon in the sky because of the movement of the waves appear to be many, many, many moons, so this manyness, Dwaitam is not real and until we know this truth and claim that I am Brahman, I am one without a second, we will not really get out. So we don't need to attain it, important point, but we only need to claim which we already are. An example is given, a prince was lost in his childhood, somebody kidnapped him or he was lost somehow and he was adopted by a family of beggars and he grew up and he became very important king of the beggars because that quality was already there and one day the old prime minister of that country happened to pass by and he has seen, immediately recognized him, tried to convince him that you are not a beggar, you are a prince, but it took quite some time through various proofs. So the prince, the beggar has not become the prince, he was the prince, he is the prince, he will be the prince, but merely he, that Ajnana, that I am not a prince, I am a beggar, that wrong notion has to be removed and this can be removed here in a very important point. We all suffer, you are a Bhakta, you suffer from bondage, you are a Parmayogi, you are a Rajayogi, you are a Jnana Yogi, all of us suffer, but unlike some fanatics, some of the followers who follow the Jnana Marga, who claim that there is only one way, Shri Ram Krishna taught us, infinite pathways are there, the easiest of them is Bhakti. When a person sincerely says, O Lord, You are my mother, You are my father, God assumes that role and adopts that child and says, You are really my child and I will give You my inheritance. You will inherit my nature, my kingdom. This is called in Christianity, going, obtaining, entering into the kingdom of heaven means to know that I forever, I am with God, I was with God, I will be with God. Meanwhile, I had a dream, I was separated from God. Upon waking up, I come to know that I am God and nothing else. And this fourth chapter contains 100 karikas, 148, 38, 29, total 215 karikas and through all these, what is the essence? Essence is each soul is potentially divine, the goal of life is to slowly know that I am divine and for that Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga are there, Christianity is there, Islam is there, Buddhism, Sikhism, many other religions. Every religion is a doorway taking us to that central truth which is Aham Brahmasmi. And if we understood this much, we have more or less understood the very essence of this Mandukya Upanishad. Now chapter one, Agama Prakaranam, we will just take a little bit. There are 12 mantras are there. Now the first mantra is telling of Omkara. Omkara has got four parts. The word, let me use that word, Om has four parts, A, O, Ma and M. And everything is Omkara, everything is whatever was in the past, whatever is and whatever will be, that means the entire creation that was, that is and that will be is nothing but Omkara. What does it mean? It means Omkara is a representation of Brahman and the whole universe is nothing but Brahman and some of the Upanishads give us crystal clear clarity that this Atman or Brahman, same synonymous words, Turiyam, Atma, Brahman, Bhagavan, Nirguna Brahma, Sri Ramakrishna used to call Kali, Shakti, synonymous words, no difference at all. That is the only truth. Each soul is potentially divine. We have to understand potentiality doesn't mean that some small part of the divinity is there within us. No, it is 100% like 100% of the banyan tree is within the tiny seed, banyan seed. But we are unable to see it because of certain limitations. When it removes by growing up, these limitations are removed, then we see this tree in all its glory. That is a marvellous thing that we have to understand. So we have to manifest through appropriate instruments and these instruments are three, my body, my mind and the entire world. So the world, my body consisting of five Jnanendriyas and five Karmendriyas and my mind consisting of Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. These are the instruments specifically provided in all their power only to human beings, human body, so that he can realise God. That's why human body in the peak of biological evolution, there would be no different kind of human body, that's all. Now how do we know? Because literally millions of people over countless past years have realised God through this very human body. There is a scientific law, if a person can realise God through this human body, just like scientific experiment, if one person succeeds in experimenting in a particular way and obtain a particular result, anybody who does exactly the same way, experiments the same way, that person must get the same result. H2O only becomes water, not anything else. That is the scientific law. So through Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, literally millions of human beings have attained liberation. Some of them straight away became one with that experience. Some of them God kept their bodies and minds called Jeevan Muktas. But whatever, that is the goal of life. So the goal is to manifest. That's what Swami Vivekananda said in such pregnant words, three sentences. How to attain? There are infinite ways. All the ways fall into four faculties — activity, emotion, will and intellect. And everybody is a combination of these things. So the first mantra tells us everything is Omkara. Why does it tell us? What is the reason? Reason is, supposing you peep out through the window, what is that first thing you notice? There is a window and outside the window, there are some trees. There is a first particular tree which is giving beautiful, fragrant flower. So that beautiful tree is a name, fragrant flower is a name, your eyes bring that information, your nose brings that information. If there is a bird chirping, your ears bring that information. If there is a cool breeze that brings, cools the body, brings relief, the skin is working. And if it can give beautiful fruit like ripe mango and it is sweet, flavoury and very tasty, the tongue is working. So we can enjoy either the world or spiritual life only through this body, mind and the world is the object. Through this instrument, we contact the world, try to learn our lesson. At first, we learn bad lessons. There is nothing else except accepting the world. Later on, after getting nice blows, wisdom, truth often comes very late in life and very painful too. Then we realise that the world cannot really give happiness. The world can be only an instrument to bring out the happiness within me. But that is what is called moral and spiritual evolution. So from the worldliness, from the secular life to a spiritual life, that is part of the divine plan. First secular life, then moral life, then of course spiritual life. This is how evolution will take place. So what am I talking about? First mantra in the Mandukya Upanishad tells everything, the whole universe including my body and mind. Because every part of my body, every function of my inner organ called mind, it has a specific name. When I am enquiring, it is called mind. When I remember, I have seen this before, that is called chitta. When this information or knowledge is confirmed by the buddhi, that is called knowledge. And then with each of these processes, I want to know, I do remember this and I know this is such and such a thing, that ahankara will be behind these three. So there is an eternal relationship established between ahankara and this entire objective universe. So this ahankara has four matras, a, u, ma and um. Like um, that um is called a matra, really speaking that is silence. Silence means to go beyond the three states of experience. That is the essence of the first mantra. What is the essence? Everything is ahankara and ahankara is a name. And the names of every single object that was in the past, that is now and that will be in future. Even if some new object is invented in future, all those fall upon inside the a, u and ma. There is no other way. And this beautiful point has been so beautifully explained by Swami Vivekananda in his talks on Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti Yoga, there are two types of talks. So one is what we call talks on Bhakti Yoga. The other one, that is where he explains what is this mantra, what is this umkara. I will not go into it. Now umkara is everything because we know anything because of the name, the name and the named. The knowledge within us is called the name and the object representing this knowledge is called an object outside. And when they cut, they always remain unified. They cannot be separated. You can't think of a name without the object. You can't receive or experience an object without recollecting a name. Even if you do not know, you say it is something like that. That is the name until you come to know the official name. Now the second mantra is dividing, atma vichara. This atman has got four parts, the waking state, the dream state and the deep sleep state. And that which comprises these three is called the turiyam state. Now the equation between the four matras of the umkara, four matras of our experience have to be practiced as a sadhana. Then we will see the real umkara as a whole is the symbol of the highest reality called brahman. And there is only one brahman, therefore I do not exist, you do not exist, whatever exists is brahman. This is the purpose of dividing. Then third mantra describes very graphically the condition of the waking state. Fourth mantra describes the condition of the dream state. Fifth and sixth mantras describe the deep sleep as an individual. It is beautifully described in the fifth mantra. And the same individual as Ishwara or collective way, collective aspect called Ishwara is described in the sixth mantra. The point of describing all these three states, jagrat, sapna, sushupti, both in their individual as well as collective level is to indicate that we are limiting ourselves at every given state of experience, only with that state of experience. And that is what causes our bondage and if we want to be free from all suffering and bondage, we have to identify ourselves with that state which comprises all these three states, but far transients, far above these three states. An example is given, 1 rupee contains 1 anna, 1 rupee contains 4 annas, 1 rupee also contains 8 annas, and 1 rupee is far superior to both, all the three, 1 anna, 4 annas, 8 annas, even 12 annas, 13 annas, 14 annas, 15 annas, it does not matter. It is an example. So our goal is what Sri Ramakrishna calls to realize God, what Swami Vivekananda calls to know that I am divine and that is called Turiyam, that is called Brahman. Now what is the nature of the Turiyam and that is graphically described in the seventh mantra. It has two parts, Turiyam is not the waking state, the dream state or the deep sleep state, not in between states, not fully conscious state, not non-conscious state, neither a mixture of conscious and unconscious states, very marvelous description. And then he goes, Prapanchopashamam, Avyavahariyam, Agrahiyam, Shivam, Shantam, Advaitam. We have discussed, this is the essence of the seventh mantra. So normally as bound souls we are experiencing Jagrat, Swapna, Sushupti and whatever we are experiencing, for that so long as we experience, for example, the waking state, that is the state of reality. The moment we experience dream state, that is the state of reality. The moment we experience, so long we experience the deep sleep state, that is the state of reality. But each state contradicts, if this is real, the other two states become unreal. That way I deny your reality, you deny my reality, finally turns out to be nothing is reality. But the Upanishad says, now like the blind man, one touching the leg, it is a pillar, one touching the trunk, it is like a huge stick, like a huge rope, the person who is stretching the tail, etc. They are all right, but that is not the point. The point is, they do not realize because of their blindness or Ajnana, that what I am touching is only a part of the reality, not complete reality. And Omkara takes us, Turiyam takes us to that complete reality. When I come to know through realization, direct experience, this division between me and the world and internal division between body and mind, every sort of difference will be completely annihilated and what remains is that Turiyam. Another name for Turiyam is Atma. Another name for Atma is Brahman. And in the second mantra, while talking about, we get Mahavakya. So I am Atma, Brahma. Saha, I am Atma, Brahma. This Atma, which I say me, me, me, I, I, I, is none other than Brahman. And it is one of the four important Mahavakyas from every Veda. One, one Mahavakya is taken. Though there are hundreds of Mahavakyas, but we get confused. So only one is taken. And that is why this Mandukya Upanishad is very sacred because even though it is small, it contains one of the most precious, I am Atma, Brahman. This Atma itself is Brahman. So from the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th mantras, the sadhana, how to do upasana, how to train the mind and approach reality slowly and slowly, for that a specific methodology is given. The four parts of the Omkara must be equated with the four parts of the Atman. That is to say, A, the syllable A, has to be unified with the waking state in both the individual ST as well as Samasti called Virat. Similarly, Ukara has to be harmonized with Taijasa and Erundi Garbha. Similarly, Makara has to be harmonized with both Prajna and Ishwara. And if we succeed in this practical sadhana, not theoretical knowledge, then we will reach finally a fit state where only Brahmahakara Uruti remains. I am there, the world is not there, but I am there representing the entire creation and Brahman is there. There seems to be a very thin partition separating from both of us and that partition is not physical, it is purely mental and it is called Ajnanam or very thin veil of Mahamaya. And by Guru's grace, God's grace, that thin veil can be completely destroyed. Only God's grace can destroy and that final state of the mind is called Brahmahakara Uruti, Krishnakara Uruti, Kalikakara Uruti, Ramakara Uruti. That is why we say stigmata. By meditating upon the passion of Christ, a person will develop exact wounds that Christ suffered and died from. Really, He did not die. Sri Ramakrishna said, it is like a pillow case. Nothing happens inside. It is only the cover that is torn because Jesus was an incarnation of God, not even a realized soul, incarnation of God. So this is called Atma Vichara. And this is how Sadhana has to be done because every Indian school of philosophy called Darshana, its goal is not merely philosophy, that is only as an aid for intellectual understanding. Reality is to realize that I am that. If they are dualists, they say we go to Vaikuntha, Kailasa, Devi Loka, but there the divine will correct. Whatever is necessary, it will grant. In fact, I am inclined to think Vaikuntha, Kailasa, Devi Loka with Brahmaka Ravuruthi. But when any sadhaka reached that state, that person will definitely reach the highest state. There is no doubt about it. So now, I have to tell you certain fundamental principles, the speciality of the Mandukya Upanishad and that is there in other Upanishads. But here, very specifically, first of all, a very deep, detailed, correct analysis of the three states of every Jeeva, including a mosquito, an amoeba, it will go through waking state, dream state, dreamless state. Some scientists had observed whales. They stand upright and for about 15 minutes, they go to that state called sleep. And I am sure, first it will be dream state, where the male will be dreaming about mating with the females. And the females are thinking, I want to propagate myself through children and I want to protect my children. So this is a universal phenomenon. yad evi sarva bhuteshu matru rupena samsthita namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaha That is how we have to understand. So this analysis, what are the certain principles we have to understand? Very easy to understand. First thing is, whatever I experience is not me. Simple example, I see a tree, I don't say I am the tree. I see a house, I don't say I am the house. So like that. But it stops just outside the body. When it comes to the body, we enter into a confused state. I understand myself as both the body and not the body. For example, you ask somebody, how are you? He says, I am not well. And why are you not well? My head is aching. My table is broken. My house is leaking. My car engine doesn't start. He doesn't say, I am not starting. I am not leaking. Crystal clearly, my hand, my leg, my head, my stomach. Correctly he is telling. But next moment, I am not well. Body is not well. Hand is not well. Stomach is not well. But the person forgets. He says, my stomach is upset. But next moment, I am upset because my deep identity with the body. Similar thing we have to understand. I had an unpleasant experience. Therefore, I am unhappy. Who had the unpleasant experience? The mind. Antahkarna. Who is saying that I had a complete identification, that body. So what is the principle? Whatever I experience, whatever you experience, whatever anybody experiences, including a mosquito, when it sees you and wants to suck the blood, it never says, this is me. Because even a mosquito has wisdom. It doesn't want to drink its own blood. It always wants to drink somebody else's blood. So this is the first principle and you experiment. You see 10 objects and you say, I see a window. I am not the window. I see a man. I am not that man. I see a dog. I am not the dog. I see a donkey. I am not the donkey. I see a car. I am not the car, etc. But when it comes to the mind, we also say, my mind is disturbed. My mind is restless. But I feel sad. I feel restless. So one moment, I have the capacity to separate. Second, I identify myself. This is the effect of Ajnana and that needs to be whatever I experience. It could be outside world. It could be my body and it could be my mind. I am completely separate. That is the first principle and the second principle is whatever qualities belong to any object that I experience, those qualities belong to that particular object. I have nothing to do with it. Simple example again, I see a red flower and it is very fragrant. It is a huge flower. Take this. It is huge, it is red and it is fragrant. So the hugeness, the color redness and the fragrance belong to that flower and with the flower dyes, those qualities will die. I can never identify with those qualities. Where is this leading us? Because if we can say, my leg is aching, stomach is upset. I am not upset. Then we have progressed in spiritual life and more identifying with Brahma. If I can say, there is a thought, I see a thought of anger, hatred, jealousy in my mind but I am not angry. I am not jealous, etc. Then that is difficult. But if we practice, yes, I witness, just as I witness a drama, I witness my own body-mind and that is practicing detachment, that is called Vairagya, discriminating what I am and what I am not and giving up what I am not. Gradually it will take time but making a sincere attempt to do so. So two principles, whatever I experience is not me, apply it to yourself and whatever qualities belong to that object also belong to that object and not to me. Apply this now to the three states. I experience waking, I am a witness to that waking. I am not the waker. I am experiencing the waking state but I am not the waking state. I am not Vishwa. I am not Virat. Similarly, I am not Taijasa. I am not the Hiranyagarbha. I am not the Pragna. I am not the Ishwara. I am completely separate and whatever happens in these three states, sometimes Sukha, sometimes Dukha, it doesn't affect me at all. And if some sweet happens to give pleasure and the mind feels I am happy and if it doesn't happen to be good or if that sweet creates an upset stomach, this stomach feels the pain, vomiting, purging, then also it belongs to the body, not to me. I am the eternal witness and if you can understand what we are discussing now, apply it to Shri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, Swamiji, direct disciples, you will see that every moment of their life joyfully they have identified with Paramatma and that is why they are all Jeevan Muktas. So, it is said in the Upanishads, if there is no heir of Brahman, in his family no Abrahmavit is ever born. But take it, do not take it in a literary way, but take it in a symbolical way, metaphorical way. All the disciples whom I accept, they belong to me, they are my children and they will never remain non-heirs of Brahman, they will always do. And this is what Holy Mother wants to say to every devotee, two commandments of the Holy Mother. I am your mother, never forget you have a mother and I am your mother. This is the first commandment. Second commandment is, you are my child and you conduct your life like my child, not the child of a dog or a pig or a buffalo. Always remember, that's what Swami Vivekananda used to say. I can never do anything wrong because I am the child of that great soul called Swami Vivekananda. And tremendous strength will come, we have to practice it gradually. So from Mantra 8 to Mantra 11, Upasana Krama, how we have to practice in a practical way, Nidhidhyasana. First is Sramana, second is deep thinking called Manana, third is called Nidhidhyasana. Nidhidhyasana is an attempt to transform our life inside and outside in accordance to the belief we profess. This is the methodology, whatever be the path we follow, Bhakti or whatever it is, if a Bhakta doesn't do this, he is not a true Bhakta. That is why a great saint sings, A person who has these qualities alone is entitled to be called a saint. And he goes, Hari ko bhajana, sadhu ki seva, sarva bhoota par daya, himsa lobha chala na aane manu me. That means all spiritual qualities will be developed and all demonic qualities will be gradually, slowly but surely will be reduced. That is called sadhana. And when a person succeeds to some extent, then alone he is entitled to be called a saint. These spiritual qualities must most naturally, spontaneously manifest themselves in the sadhaka. Then only we can say we have progressed, not until that time. And the twelfth mantra is graphically describing what is that, what the second half of the seventh mantra is describing the Turiyam in positive terms, And a person who practices this upasana system, developed through the analysis of the three states of experience in this Mandukya Upanishad, through mantras third, fourth, fifth and sixth, understands the nature of Turiyam in a much better way and slowly through manana and nididhyasana identifies himself with that and finally he will say I am Advaita. Clearly he doesn't say because there is nobody to whom he can say. There is no mind through which he can say. There is no mouth to mouth these words. But for conveying from one human being to the other human being, Sri Bhagavan uvacha, Sri Guru uvacha, etc. we use these words. Remember these descriptions have no relevance in that highest state of Brahma. So this is the summary of this Mandukya Upanishad. So everything else other than me is called anatma. I am separate from waking, dream and deep sleep. I am the pure witness. I am the Atman. And everything else is dependent upon me. And without me they cannot exist. I can exist without them. And whatever is dependent is called mithyar asathyam. And that is a realization which we come through. And that's why Ramanuja puts it, Rakshisya siddhi vishwasaha. Complete faith in God. He alone can save me. And that comes by the grace of the Guru and by the grace of God. So this is how we have to do vichara. Suppose he is a bhakta. Don't think the sadhana is exactly the same. The words may be different. In the Jnana Marga, a sadhaka is expected to say, I am not this but I am Brahman. I am Atma Brahman. I am Brahmasmi. In Bhakti Yoga he is to say, I do not exist, only you exist. So I surrender, I merge my limited I in the ocean of that unlimited you. And the result is exactly the same. But ignorant people, unintelligent people go on quarreling, which path is the best. There is only one path. There are some so-called intelligent swamis. There is only one path. Whereas we follow Shri Ramakrishna. There are infinite paths. For a child, it is one path. For a Hindu, it is one path. For a Christian, for a Muslim, for a Buddhist, for a non-believer, there are different different paths. But all paths ultimately lead to the same goal. Like if there are hundred openings around a tent, around a round tent, anybody can enter inside the tent from any direction. As if every part of the wall of the tent is an open doorway. That I think is a beautiful example. A doorway is not important. But entering inside the canopy and enjoy whatever — puja, bhajan, musical concert, anything, discourse — that is important. Let us not quarrel about these things. So what is the ultimate? That I am Turiyam. But temporarily because of ignorance, I am appearing as Vishwa, Taiyasa and Pragnya. And this knowledge is enough to know that I am really none of them. But I am Turiyam and I am Turiyam all the time. And this knowledge is given in the 7th mantra, 8th, 9th and 10th, 11th and 11th. They outline a methodology, how to recognize that one, how to do sadhana and slowly realize it, not merely intellectually. So I will stop here and in my next class, I will take up each one of these 12 mantras and very briefly I will dwell upon the simple meaning. But if you have understood what I have spoken so far, you have understood not only the entire Mandukya Upanishad, but every other Upanishad. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.