Drg Drsya Viveka Lecture 04: Difference between revisions

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So, what were the important points we discussed in the morning, three types of relationships and what is the parihara, what is the way to destroy those relationships, two relationships can be destroyed, one cannot be destroyed until both go together, so that is the part importantly we discussed, and also we discussed how ahankara creates three types of states, when it is completely asleep, it is called sushu, when it is half awakened, it is called svapna, and when it is fully awakened, it is called chakra, so that is a very important point for us to understand because who is it that goes through these three, it is the ahankara which is combined with the chichichaya, ahankara means antahkarana, antahkarana plus chichichaya, now antahkarana also goes by another name, that is called sukshma sharira, so why he is introducing this terminology, sometimes we may have doubts, what is the relationship between ahankara and antahkarana, what is the relationship between antahkarana and sukshma sharira, these are different terms used but for exactly the same purpose, so it is the sukshma sharira which recognises the bondage, which feels the longing for liberation, and which again feels it is liberated, because the body doesn't know what is bondage, what is liberation, the sakshi is ever free and therefore it doesn't know, because he doesn't know there is anything else, but the sakshi's reflection somehow, how it came, he will explain later on, how it came, that is no explanation, but it is an explanation, he says you have to believe me, there is no explanation, because if you go a little bit deep, then advaita vedanta falls down, the first step itself, very briefly how it comes, brahman is, before the creation who was there, and brahman is all knowledge, then how can such a brahman fall into the clutches of maya, where from the maya has it come, because if it is all knowledge, where is the place for, if it is 90% knowledge, 10% maya, then there is a possibility, but if it is 100% knowledge, where is the place for it, so that question can never be answered, in other ways, Swami Vivekananda himself brings out this question, how did the one become many, he says that is an illegal question, ask a legal question, what he means is, I don't know, don't ask me, but we are here, for some reason we are here, now how to explain, it is exactly the same situation that we were discussing in the car, karma phala is already an accomplished fact, we are all trying to come to some explanation why it happened, just before coming here, I was reading a nice joke, a man was walking, and suddenly a voice came, stop, a brick is about to fall, you read that, so he stopped, and immediately a huge brick fell in front of him, and then again he started walking, he was about to cross a road, and suddenly the same voice comes, stop, otherwise the car will run over you, and he stopped, huge car came careening and passed right in front of him, then he was astonished, he asked, who are you, the voice said, I am your guardian angel, oh yeah, where were you when I got married, so the point is that we are never discussing about karma that is to come in the future, because always the karma phala is unknown, the karma phala which we are experiencing now, the root cause of it is also unknown, we are what we are, that's why we see the differences, the karma phala which is going to come, because we are performing actions right now, is also unknown to us, we do not know what type of karma phala is going to come, that is why Krishna advises Arjuna that you have the right only to perform the actions, what it means is, you don't know, there are so many variable factors are there, so the example, common example given is, there is a plot of land and you put so many different types of seeds, and which type of seed comes first, and among those which come first, it is the same species, some are very healthy, some are not healthy, it is the same soil, it is the same seeds, it is the same person who is watering, and yet there are some variable factors which we do not know, so all these things, so many factors are not in our control, that is why he says, there are five factors for every action, and daiva means what? Adrishta, we just don't know, there is a factor, so what is the point we are discussing here? It is the controversy, the quarrel need not be there, whether you accept or not, we are trying in our own way to find out an explanation, and to console ourselves why this has come, and how we should behave in future, so that is why we must always have faith in the scriptures, the scriptures tell if you do good, the result will be good, if you do not, the result also will not be good, that is very scientific, the law of invariable relationship between the law of cause and effect, otherwise the whole science will fall down, if there is any variation in the result, you see the point, the law of cause and effect, it must be invariable for prediction, otherwise it becomes unpredictable, so we discussed in the morning, that who is feeling the bondage? It is the antahkarana combined with the chittuchaya, this fact has been put in such simple, beautiful, elegant, sloka form, mind alone is the cause of bondage and also of liberation, that is the fact he was trying to tell, so jagrata avastha or swapna avastha or sushupti avastha, all are variations of the ahankara, ahankara means by extension antahkarana, there is not much, lot of difference between these three, when ahankara is fully functional, it is called jagrata, if it is half functional, it is called swapna, if it is not functional, it is called sushupti, that is a fact which we should always think about. Okay. So we go to, I think number 12 is it? 11.
= Lecture Notes on Vedānta: Māyā, Ahaṃkāra, and the Three States of Consciousness =
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All right. So it is antahkarana vrttistha, antahkarana vrttistha, chittichaya ikyamagata, vasana kalpaye swapne, prabodhe akshair vishayan bahihe, though that akara is lopta akara it is called, so when pronouncing you simply say prabodhe akshair vishayan bahihe.
== Review of Morning Discussion ==
So, what were the important points we discussed in the morning? Three types of relationships and what is the ''parihāra'' — what is the way to destroy those relationships. Two relationships can be destroyed; one cannot be destroyed until both go together. So that is the part we importantly discussed.


So let me, antahkarana vrttistha, chittichaya ikyamagata, this is what I mentioned just now, the antahkarana, there are already vrttis, antahkarana means vrttis, these vrttis are illuminated by the chittichaya, because if it is not illuminated, what happens, sushupti avastha, they are there, but not illuminated. So what happens, vasana kalpaye swapne, in swapna what does the antahkarana do, in dream state what does it do, it makes a kichudi of all these things. As an example you know, in the waking state we see a bird flying in the sky, we see a human being walking on the earth, so both impressions have been taken into the antahkarana, we observe the fact, the bird is flying and man is walking, so this walking and flying, these vrttis are there in the mind, in swapna what it does, then it combines, so man is flying in the sky, man is flying in the sky, so in swapna it is fine, you never question, how I am able to fly, deepbhi gure vadashi, so because that is the swapna prapancha, only after waking up you question, how come I could fly in the dream, so that is the business of antahkarana, what does it do, it has the impressions, and what does it do, vasanaha kalpayet, vasanaha means different types of desires, already it has desires, so it takes those desires, and it takes these raw materials, and it shapes the raw materials according to the desires, for example a poor child, so he has a desire to eat chocolates, but his family cannot afford, so what does it do, nothing can prevent him, so he has a desire, then he has seen a big shop, so he combines his desire with the big chocolate shop, and then he makes a relationship with the owner of the shop, he might become the son-in-law of the owner, or adopted by the owner, so that he can eat, so why we have particular types of dreams, because most of the time our experiences are common, but our dreams are not common, so how do we explain, they are more or less the same experiences, more or less the same impressions, but we fashion these impressions into our own desires, so the desires are like moulds, the impressions are like the dough, so when we put through our own mould, it comes out in these particular things, that is the Swapna Prapancha, in Swapna Prapancha it has usefulness, according to western psychology, what is the usefulness, this is the only way to let the steam off, because physically it is in the external world, many times it is not possible, as I gave the example, you can't beat your boss in the physical world, but in Swapna Loka, you can beat him black and blue, and you get relieved, it gives intense joy, yes, that is also again created by your fears, see you have desires always come in the form of expectations, so if you have fear, supposing you have fear of flying, then you can create a dream in which you are flying, and you are having a horrible experience, so many things happen, but one thing is true, so long as you are there, it does bring about Sukha and Dukha, so sometimes you can get rid of what is called Karma Akshaya, even in dreams also, you can also do the Karma, you can also do the Karma Akshaya, after all what is Karma Akshaya, if you are happy, some amount of your Punya is gone, if you are unhappy, some amount of your Papa is gone, so the Karma Akshaya means, Karma Pala Akshaya can be gone, that is true, very true, it can happen, in fact what they say or scriptures say, even in our waking state, waking state also is our dream state only, so you say dream girl, do you say dream girl in the dream or do you say in the waking state, from every platform they are shouting dream girl like that, so some Karma Akshaya also will go like that, in fact we are all experiencing Sukha and Dukha, you will never get a person with complete Sukha, all the time Sukha, you will never get a person all the time Dukha, it is not possible, so you see that unconsciously, we are all finishing our Karma Akshaya, we are doing it, so there are again two types of Karma Akshaya, it is difficult to demarcate them, one is Purva Janma Karma Akshaya, in the form of our formation of our body, our mind, our surroundings, our family etc, and the present Karmas, yesterday what we did, today morning what we did, to some extent that Karmaphala also is being experienced by us, some Karmas give immediate effect, so if you put your hand in hot water, the Karmaphala is instantaneous, instantaneous, so some Karmaphalas, you know they take time, if you have eaten something 10 days back, it might slowly slowly ferment and bring some kind of stomach problem or health problem, after 10 days, 15 days also, that is another time, some can come after 20 years, how is it? Suppose a student hasn't paid attention to his studies, you know for 20 years he went on doing that one from the beginning, first opportunity he goes and watches cinemas and plays and chit-chats, there are so many people who do that, after that when he starts seriously searching for a job etc, the accumulated result of all that shows up there, don't we see it in front of our eyes? We see it, but it is very hard for us to judge which is the result of which, that is not possible for us, you may think you may know that, say a person you know who has not studied, so in India the Karmaphala is believed and practised in India, that is why in India, all examples you know, an illiterate fellow suddenly marries the daughter of a minister, next time he becomes an MP, or he may be a robber Rani, she becomes chief minister of Uttar Pradesh or something like that.
We also discussed how ''ahaṃkāra'' creates three types of states: when it is completely asleep, it is called ''suṣupti''; when it is half awakened, it is called ''svapna''; and when it is fully awakened, it is called ''jāgrat''. So that is a very important point for us to understand. Who is it that goes through these three? It is the ''ahaṃkāra'', which is combined with the ''cit-chāyā''. ''Ahaṃkāra'' means ''antaḥkaraṇa'' — ''antaḥkaraṇa'' plus ''cit-chāyā''.


Sir, what we see in dream is also like our thoughts which we have in Jagat state. See, the point we have to understand is, it is a state of experience, Sapna is a state of experience, Jagat is a state of experience, so Shukti is also a state of experience only, in experience what is the big deal of difference you are making? You can be happy, many people are happy in a state of drunken state, a drunken state is almost like a Sapna state, he is on top of the world, isn't it? So he is creating Karmakshaya, he is also experiencing Karmaphala, he is creating Karma, he is also experiencing Karma at the same time, you can never make that distinction, now I am making Karma, and now I am experiencing Karma, have you ever been able to make a distinction? At the same time you are making Karma, at the same time you are also experiencing Karma, because these two are totally different instruments, one is the instrument of Karta, another is the instrument of Bhokta, these two can go simultaneously, your hands may be doing something, your mind may be experiencing something, you see that? Do experiences also, are they Karma Maharaj? Experiencing is also Karma? Experiencing itself is both experience as well as Karma maker, because how we experience a thing determines our future, you see the point? Suppose you are having some small problem, so that is you are experiencing the Karmaphala of some Karma, which we have done, we don't know, yesterday or 50 years back or last birth, we don't know, but with what attitude you are experiencing that Karmaphala, also determines your future, because if you are grumbling about it, then your future result will be grumbling, more grumbling, because you know that mood also, don't you see? The mood always determines our actions also, simple example, if I am very angry, suppose I am suffering, and I have become very angry, this anger is the seed which shows my future Karma, I can go and do any undesirable action, so that is why Krishna teaches both these things, not only how to experience the Karmaphala, but how to experience the Karmaphala, where does it come? So he says whether it is Sukha or Dukha, they are all the result of one's own Karmaphala, Matra Sparsha, so how do you experience? Simply say that is the nature of this world, they will come and they will go, if you expect only one, that would be wrong, you have to expect both, why should you expect both? Because that is the nature of the world, you know it is like a multicoloured wheel, multicoloured constantly moving wheel, so I want to see only one colour all the time, is it possible? Because it is constantly changing, if I accept the fact that since it is a multicoloured wheel, and which is constantly moving, then I know what to expect, and that has a lot of impact upon our own Sukha and Dukha, that is the freedom we have, we don't have freedom, we can't stop the wheel, but how we view the movement of the wheel, there we have some amount of freedom, so if you go further, he says this is the most wonderful spiritual fact, what is that fact? Whatever is happening to each one of us, throughout our lives, is the best thing, the only right thing that is happening, but we don't want to accept it, so why is it the best thing? It is the best thing because this Karmakshaya is happening, it is the best thing because this is the only thing which will take us further, but for us to take, so that our future will be better, we have to change our understanding and attitude, understanding makes us accept, and that also leads to change our attitude, both are necessary, the practise of these two is called Yoga, Yoga is very practical, so let us go back to the eleventh, Antahkarana Vrittischa Chitichaya Ekya Magata, so the Antahkarana and the Chitichaya, both are combining, because the Chitichaya is meaningless, if there is no Antahkarana, the Antahkarana doesn't know it is an Antahkarana, unless there is Chitichaya, Ekya Magata, then what happens, that becomes our so-called mind in general, what we call mind, if you don't use the word Antahkarana etc., it is simply mind, so what does this mind do? In dream it takes up the impressions, and it takes up the moulds of the previous desires, and it pushes these impressions into those moulds, and that is what our experience is called dreams, Prabodhe Akshaihi Vishayan Bahihi, it does exactly the same thing in a different, Prabodhi means here after waking up, we are talking about not knowledge, we are talking about the dream state and the waking state, then what is Akshaihi, Akshai means the I etc., Vishayan Bahihi, it experiences, look at this translation, the inner organ mind, which is itself but a modification, identifying itself with the reflection of consciousness, imagines ideas in the dream, and the same inner organ, identifying itself with the body, imagines objects external to itself in the waking state, with respect to the sense organs, there is absolutely no difference between Swapna and Jagrat, what is the difference? In Swapna also you have got Swapna Sharira, so it will be in the Swapna Sharira, and Swapna Sharira has got the eyes, ears etc., and through that it is seen, but it is done purely, there are certain differences, why we don't call it Jagrat, what is the difference? The first difference is, it is purely private to the particular individual, secondly, if you are seeing a horse in your dream, nobody else sees the horse, so it is entirely created with our own individual desires, so when we come back to the Jagrat Avastha, what happens is, if there is an elephant, every one of us sees the same elephant, it is a common experience, your experience, my experience, how we interpret it is different, the element is common, how we interpret that elephant, that is an individual affair again, that is why Ishwara Srishti and Jiva Srishti are totally different in the Jagrat Avastha, but the Swapna Avastha is purely Jiva Srishti only, there is nothing else, but for it to do Srishti, it has to borrow certain elements, those elements are called impressions of the waking state, otherwise if you have never seen the waking state, your Swapna will be completely empty, so what is the point of this? It is the mind which goes through these three states, and all these three states, first point is made possible only because there is Aikyatha with Chit Chaya, the reflection of the consciousness, otherwise you say, I am in the waking state, I am in the dream state, I am in the Sushupti state, that is never possible, if the I is removed, then all the states will completely disappear, that very instance, why it is said Aikyam Agatha? Aikyam Agatha means they have not become one, they appear to become one, how do we know? Because the I can be totally separated, when the I becomes seemingly mixed up with the mind, that is called Jeeva, when the I is totally separated from the mind, that is called Parambrahman, Paramatma, whatever you call it, that is why he uses the word Chit Chaya or Sakshi, earlier he used the word Drik, Sakshi, Chit, here it is Chit Chaya, that is Jeeva, Jeeva means Chaya, Chit Chaya plus mind, that is the Jeeva, Sokshma Sarira is the Jeeva, and this Sokshma Sarira identifies with a temporary dress called the physical body, the physical body comes and goes, but this what you call Jeevatva is until one separates the I completely, it doesn't go, it has no death, but ultimately it also has a death, the knowledge comes, it dies, but until that time it looks as though it is living a long time. The dream experience is created out of the impressions from the Jagat Avastha, is it possible that the experience that we have in the Jagat Avastha is also carried from our dreams, because we are making some kind of impressions also when we are in dreams, and then we kind of form an opinion, and here when we are faced with an experience, is it all packaged like that? Yes, it is both ways, the external world influences the dream, the dream also influences, you know supposing in the dream, you have eaten well, drunk well, drunk means water, and then you went to bed, and then you had a dream, and in that dream, a beautiful shining cold Coca-Cola, first class Coca-Cola is appearing, so you are drinking that one, immediately suppose you wake up, you get a great desire to go and drink the Coca-Cola, it can influence, many things it can influence, if you have been seeing eating somebody, so you are passing by, you have eaten well, and then went to bed, and you are having a dream, you are walking, here, suddenly you transported yourself into Bangalore, MTR ticket rooms, and you will see there nice Rava Dosa being eaten by people through the window, and then you wake up, and immediately you have a terrible longing for eating that one, it lasts for a few seconds, until you come to the reality, I am in Cedar Rapids, so there is no point in even thinking, don't even think of it, but it has an influence, everything, every experience has an influence, let us not forget that, just because it is an experience in the dream, doesn't mean it doesn't have its influence, everything is influencing us, even deep sleep also influences in some way, Soakshma Vritti is there, it is difficult to find out, but any experience, Maharaj, sometimes we see something in a dream only, but we never remember that after we wake up, You see, that is no argument, because you don't remember what you did ten years back, do you? You don't remember, but the influence, the subtle vasanas left behind by that experience, are influencing you even today, there is no doubt about it, I will give you a funny example given by Thakur, you know Gospel, Kathamrita, there is this example, there are two examples in fact, an old bull was seen moving with some cows, it is past its servicing capacity, and Thakur gives that example, why is it still moving? because it cannot forget its past impressions, how wonderful, what a wonderful example, so another example he gives, some sadhus were meditating, they were all meditating with closed eyes, suddenly they heard the anklets, sound of an anklets, usually anklets sound is made only by women, all the other sadhus remained shutting their eyes, one fellow opened and obliquely he was looking at that woman, have you come across this? Yes, so Thakur explains, he had become a sadhu, but before becoming a sadhu, he was a householder, so that samskara has not gone, another real incident, one sadhu took a vow, he will never see the face of a woman, and for 50 years he was like that, and he was highly respected, he got so many devotees, so many disciples serving him, he was really a great sadhu, so suddenly one evening, he heard the sound of anklets in a wooded area, so he should have been understanding this, and I don't think that was the only first time he was hearing, so many village women would come nearby, gather some firewood and this and that and then go, so one evening he heard it, and he couldn't control himself, he wanted to see who was that, so he ran before anything could happen, he ran to the door and peeped out, and he saw this one woman, she had gathered some firewood and she was returning home, then the sadhu came to his senses, I took a vow, I will not look at the face of a woman, for 50 years I never saw the face of a woman, and suddenly my mind has run out of control, before he could even think, automatic automation had taken place, what is the power of the samskara, then he was a great sadhu, immediately he took an axe and broke his leg, and said this leg is not going from now onwards, it is not going to go anywhere, this was an accident that really happened, so in our Swami Bhavyananda used to say, so many sadhus unable to control themselves, they do various injuries to themselves, and then sometimes they are brought to the Vrindavan hospital, for treatment later on, the idea is sincerity is there, struggle is there, but the old samskara, and suddenly it comes, it doesn't come before rationality could even manifest, it comes, and that's what happens to all of us most of the time, if you are south Indian, or north Indian even, you are walking, suddenly the fried smell of pakoda, immediately the mouth starts watering, even before you could register what it is, after that only you come to realise, solution is we have to go on increasing our awareness, the whole crux of spiritual progress, is increasing our awareness, so that nothing takes place without our being aware, what is spirituality, what is spirit? Consciousness, what is progress in spirituality? more and more, our awareness becomes more and more, so many things we do like automatons, our whole body is nothing but an automaton, it is a condensed manifestation of our old samskaras, automatically the hands are working, the feet are working, we think we are men, we are women, all these things are what? Automaton, we are neither men nor women, realistically, the chichaya, is it man or is it woman? It is only because of its identity with the antahkarana, that for a long time it becomes, how to break this, that is where the meditation portion comes, it is a beautiful progress, let us finish this one, so now we go to the eleventh is clear, so he is describing what happens, the chichaya and the antahkarana become one, the chichaya thinks I am the antahkarana, I am the antahkarana thinks I am the chichaya, the result is I am the antahkarana, who are you? I am the antahkarana, I am an antahkarana, when they mix up, what happens? I am antahkarana, that division is becoming like a super glue, so number twelve, Manoham krityupadanam lingamekam jadatmakam avasthatrayamanviti jayate mriyate tatha jayate mriyate tatha so what is the point of this particular verse is, the antahkarana or linga sharira or sukshma sharira all are nothing but one and the same, different names for the same entity, so that is the manaha ahankrityupadanam, so that subtle body which is the material cause of the mind and egoism, it is one, it is not different, ahankara is not different, antahkarana is not different, sukshma sharira is not different, it is but one, is that point clear? what we call the mind has got four faculties, when you analyse the mind, when it is doing a particular thing, we give it a particular name, this is manas, this is buddhi, this is chitta, but actually it is one and the same material, through the same man, when he is cooking, he is a cook, when he is in the club, he is a club member, when he is following in the Olympics, he is an Olympic player, different functions, so what is the point he is telling, that do not ever get confused by these terms, buddhi, manas, ahankara, chitta, and then this sukshma sharira, linga sharira, it is exactly one and the same, so in short what we call in English the mind, that is a better word, mind is one, what is its nature, first its nature is insentiency, jadaatmakam, by itself it is insentient, when does it become sentient? when chichchaya comes and becomes one, which we discussed earlier, then it says I am the mind, then it starts using the word I, until that time it cannot even say I am the mind, because it is not even aware that it is the mind, and it is one, that is an important point for us, so let us not get confused by different words, this is sukshma sharira, this is ahankara, this is buddhi, then what is what? It is all nothing but one and the same, then it is lingam, lingam means subtle, that is why we call it subtle body, that is why another name for sukshma sharira is linga sharira, so what does this sukshma sharira do? avastha trayam anveti, it goes through these three different states, which we had already discussed, what are those? sushupti, swapna, and jagrat, then he adds one here, jayate mriyate tatha, it itself does not have repeated births and deaths, but it identifies itself with the physical body so intimately, whenever the physical body is born, it says I am born, when the physical body dies, it feels I am dying, who says I am dying? So you see this is described because how did we come to this state of bondage at all? The whole samsara depends upon this mind, what is the whole samsara? All the samsara is nothing but experiencing the samsara in three different ways, sushupti, jagrat, swapna, is there anything else? samsara means is there anything else? Even if you go to heaven also, it still falls within this jagrat, swapna, sushupti only, there is nothing else, the experience also, so what is the mixture, what is the problem? Mixing the experiencer, the drik, with the drishya, so this drishya falls into three categories, jagrat, swapna and sushupti, this is drishya, so who created this hell called drishya? How come this drishya ever came into existence? How wonderfully he is taking us, first he is telling this is the drik and this is drishya, first there are three types of driks, but from the ultimate point of view there is only one drik, and from the ultimate point of view everything else is drishya only, this drishya is nothing but antahkarana, this antahkarana by whatever name you call it, it goes through this process of jagrat, swapna, sushupti by turns, so what is bondage? Going through these three conditions ceaselessly, helplessly, is called samsara, how did this samsara come about? Because if you want to prescribe a medicine, you must first diagnose what is the cause, and then only the remedy, so now he is coming to this point, you know in brief, so we have to understand, Maya, what is it that brings about this drik drishya sanyoga? Maya, so the moment drishya, drishya itself is Maya, the moment drishya is created, the drik is created, because the drishya is meaningless without the drik, the drik is meaningless without the drishya, Brahman is neither drik nor drishya, so this point is clear, so what is the nature of that Maya? So according to Advaita Vedanta, this Maya has got two powers, vikshepa shakti, usually it is given avarana shakti first and vikshepa shakti next, in this he differs and says vikshepa shakti comes first, avarana shakti comes later, both views are wrong views, because avarana shakti and vikshepa shakti do not function one after the other, they function simultaneously, so there is no controversy at all, usually we are taught first the nature is covered, then vikshepa comes, in this he says first vikshepa shakti projects, then it covers, because vikshepa shakti is there, but if you know it is the same thing dressed in a different dress, then there is no bonding, but it covers, oh, you look very beautiful today, forgot it is the same old stuff, so vikshepa shakti alone is not sufficient to tempt us, so avarana shakti also should be there, that's why Muslims are so practical, they cover bhurka, that's why Muslims are so happy, there are reasons for that, we won't go into that, so let us go to the 13th, vikshepa shakti lingadi, brahmanda antam jagat srujit, so mayayaha shakti dvayam, dvayam shakti hi, maya, the powers of maya are of twofold, dvayam, shakti dvayam, shakti always means that which is acting, if it is not acting, that's why it becomes brahman, when it is acting, so when it is not acting it is called brahman, when it is acting it is called shakti, in Thakur's words, so what are those? vikshepa, avaruti, rupakam, vikshepa and avaruti, so what is vikshepa and what is avaruti? avaruti means covering the nature of a thing, vikshepa means representing it as something totally different, and this covering is always partial, not complete, because maya cannot come, to function maya itself needs the power of brahman, the example given is the sun and the cloud and us, we are here, then the sun is shining, and suddenly a huge cloud comes and covers the sun, this is a wonderful example, so what is it? before the cloud came we are able to see the sun, after the cloud came we are not able to see the sun, the cloud is the production of the sun, the cloud depends for its formation srishti entirely on the sun, if there were to be no sun there would be no cloud at all, now the cloud has come and it covers the sun, not only that, even to know that it is a cloud we need sunlight, not only it creates, it also illuminates and says, suppose it is dark, there can be a cloud, but you will not know it is a cloud, so darkness is what you know, because of the sun the cloud is created, but then the sun sets, then the cloud is still there, but if it is completely dark you will not be able to see the cloud, you can't recognise there is a cloud, so this is the example, because of the sun cloud is created, because of the sun the maya is illuminated, do you see the point, exactly the same way, because of brahman maya is created, because of brahman maya is also illuminated, it is revealed, how do we know it is maya, because of brahman, I am saying I am the body, how are you able to say I am the body, because that I am part is constantly there, so that is why Vedanta tells, the maya has only half power, half brahman, half maya, that is called maya, so how it works, he explains it further, but I am jumping ahead of that, so here is a rope, so you express it in language, there is rope, there is rope, in this there are two parts, the existence part and the ropeness part, so there is that belongs to the existence part, that is very important, the ropeness is a separate issue, it is a manifestation of that general existence into a particular, so just like here is a table, in the table here this is a table, so what is this is a table, you have to divide that sentence, this is a table, now when you say this is, what are you talking about? Wood, instead of saying this is a wooden table, we are simply shortening it, this is a table, but by this is you mean wood, wood is the material, the table is Nama Rupa, that point is clear, so here is there is a rope, there is belongs existence, now there that existence is neither wood nor rope, it is existence, pure existence, a small part of that, like foam always when you see, that is a comparison also with bubble, wave, foam on the ocean, without the ocean will the bubble ever exist, it is not possible, and it has come out of the ocean, it remains on the ocean, and it also again goes back into the ocean, how much part of the ocean becomes the wave? A small infinite part, that is why, Sahasrara Pisha, Atyatishta Dashaangulam, you know, there is only a small part of that, is manifest as what we call this creation, it is a very small part, just like the wave is a smallest, how much if you calculate mathematically, how much is the volume of the water, how much is the volume of the waves and other things, it is a very very small part, the rest is ever remaining as water only, so existence, a small bit of it is, appears to be, not even becomes, appears to be because of Nama Rupa, here is a rope, now when Maya comes, what happens, the first thing is simultaneously, the rope-ness is covered, and the snake-ness is imposed upon it, but we are still saying, there is a snake, instead of saying, there is a rope, we are saying there is a snake, so what is covered, there is, is never covered, that is not possible, but the rope-ness alone is replaced by snake-ness, that is why Maya can only cover, an infinitesimally small part of Brahman, it really doesn't cover, it appears to be covering, just like the cloud seems to cover the sun, what is the distance between the sun, and what is the volume of the sun, what is the volume of the cloud, and yet, because of the nearness, even this much is enough to cover the whole sun, if I do like this, the whole sun is covered, I can't see, that is the power, but for practical purposes, even though it is a small part of the Maya, and that is enough, create havoc, so this is what, so what does the Vikshepa Shakti do first, Lingadi Brahmandantham Jagat Shruje, it creates as it were, or manifests as it were, this universe, from where to where, from Linga to Brahmanda, Linga means Antahkarana, because the Antahkarana is the root cause, of the entire universe, you close your Antahkarana, the whole Jagat is completely gone, how wonderful it is, our Antahkarana is enough, to create the world, and also to sustain the world, and to destroy the world, in your whole Swapna Jagat, who is creating, who is sustaining, and who is destroying, and it is very easy, you enter into the Swapna Jagat, Krit is created, and so long as you are there, it goes on without your least effort, the moment you wake up, you don't need to do anything, you don't need to destroy, the moment you wake up, what a wonderful Maya, that's why in Vivekachudamani, Shankaracharya says, my God, what happened to that world, just one second before, the whole world was there, and now, within one twinkling of the eye, the whole world has disappeared, where has it gone, what happened, what is this wonderful power of Maya, exclaims, the thing is, that's what is happening, every time we go into deep sleep, the whole world is gone, so, everything depends upon our, now is coming, what is this Srishti, having given that, what is Yoga Maya, Maya is consisting of two powers, no, no, here it is, Vikshepa Shakti and Avarana Shakti, yes, Vikshepa Shakti and Avarana Shakti, and it is this power, which creates our Antahkarana, as well as the seemingly, now, according to Advaita, the Brahmanda is nothing but, a reflection only in the Antahkarana, now you see, the whole town, city, as a reflection in the mirror, what is that mirror, our Antahkarana, combined with, no, no, no, that itself is Antahkarana, without Chit Chaya, poor Antahkarana doesn't know, there is an Antahkarana, what a power it is, it is this combination, which brings about, this creation, itself and the whole, subsequently, the whole universe, now, Satchidananda Vastuni, Abdho Fenadi Vatsarva, Nama Rupa Prasarana, very simple Sanskrit, Srishti Nama, what is this Srishti, Brahma Rupe, and that Vastu, called Brahma Rupa, Satchidananda Vastu, because you can only, you can only project, the snake on the rope, so there must be a Vastu, what is that Vastu, Brahma, Satchidananda Brahma, there is a meaning, why he tells all those things, Brahma Rupe, so he gives an example, the ocean is like Brahma, and on the ocean, Fena, Buddha, and Lahari, etc., Abdho Fenadi Vatsarva, Fena means foam, etc., so, Nama Sarva Nama Rupa Prasarana, all the names, and forms, and everything, is projected on that itself, right, is that point clear, so what is Srishti, what is Srishti, looking at Brahman, with Nama, and Rupa, nothing else, what is a table, wood plus Nama, so the idea is clear, what is Maya, how does this Avarana Shakti, and Viksha Ferriti, what do they do, so they take the Vastu, which is already there, they don't create the Jagat, the Vastu out of which Jagat is created, or projected, is already there, eternally it is there, now what does it do, it creates seeming Nama, and Rupa, so Brahman with Nama Rupa, is called Jagat, Jagat minus Nama Rupa is, how simple it is, like Krishnadekha is finished, the essence of all Vedanta is finished, Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya, when we say Jagat Mithya, what does it mean, we are already seeing Jagat, how do we see that Jagat as Mithya, remove the Nama Rupa, Jagat Mithya means, Jagat means Nama Rupa, remove the Nama Rupa, what remains, only Brahman, that means see Brahman, without Nama Rupa, and that is called Realisation, that's all, there is nothing else, even now it is real only, it is not unreal, even now because the Brahman Vastu, has never disappeared from here, if you say this carpet is unreal, then you are denying the reality of Brahman, because the carpet is nothing but, Brahman with Nama Rupa, is the carpet, so you can never make this carpet really unreal, so the reality is Brahman, but you are looking at it, through the lens of Nama Rupa, that is the simple simple fact, okay, so having given this for our understanding, then he goes on, it is something which is wonderful, now he has described, the wailing power of the Maya, Sarasya Karanam, so now the power of the Avarana Shakti is given, what does Viksha Shakti do? Creates, adds Nama and Rupa to the Brahman, so what is the point here? Do you know what is the point? If I know this carpet, this carpet is Brahman with Nama Rupa, I have no problem, I am not bound, because I am seeing, I am still seeing, only I am seeing Brahman with Nama Rupa, it is like somebody comes, let us say, with a bear's skin, from here to here, but face is not covered, you understand? Now he can never fool me, because the original face is still there, but what the Avarana, Viksha Shakti does is, it covers only from here to here, now the Avarana Shakti comes and then, it covers this one, and then we can't recognise, we identify it, oh, it must be a Bhalloka, you know what happened? A circus came to a town, you know that? A circus came to a town, then what happened? There was a tiger and there was a bear, they were exhibiting, so the bear somehow died, so the circus owner, otherwise the circus will not be attractive, so what happened? The circus owner went to a fellow and said, look here, a bear died, but people don't know, that you put on that bear dress, and move and behave like a bear, so I will give you some money, he agreed, so he was there, so he was very happy, he was getting some money, all that he needed was to put on the dress, suddenly what happened? The cage door, next to it there was a tiger, so the door opened, the tiger jumped in, this fellow about to start screaming, the tiger came in, shh, don't scream, I am also acting like a tiger also, how wonderful it is, if everything is covered, then we have no way of identification, if partially covered, we have no problem, so this is what happens to the Jeevan Mukta, in a way of speaking, he still sees the Nama Rupa, but it is like this dress, here Balluka dress is there, but the face is the same old friend, so he said, you are my old friend, come on let us go for a walk, and all that, one horse went to a pub, so the bartender looked at him, why this long face? So he has described now, both the powers are, because if both powers do not operate, we won't be caught, that's why both must simultaneously, one has to cover, the other has to create, project something else, then we mistake, oh I don't know this, this is something different, even though it is the most familiar person, in the whole world, but we mistake, so anything that we see, is nothing but the familiar Brahman only, Nama and Rupa, it is the root cause of all samsara, and the bondage, and the consequent suffering, is because of these two powers, so we have to deal with these two powers, and somehow destroy these two powers, then maya will not be able to do anything to us, so this is the process, because meditation is a process, by which we get rid of both, avarana shakti and exception, but before we come to that, we have to realise, this is what we are supposed to do, how does it work in practical life, every scripture has to be practical, so we see so many things, how do we bring about unity, with this first of all, how do we bring about unity, we must find a common ground for unity, what is that common ground? It is sat, sat in the form of existence, everything is existing, that is the common ground, the table is existing, and the tree is existing, the animal is existing, human being is existing, what is the common thing? Existence, so hold on to that common ground, so just as this maya power, it brings about this change, both inside and outside, what does it do? The drig and drishya, which are totally different in their characters, it makes them combine, I am the drishya, I am the drig, what is I am the drishya? When the body says, I am drig, the drishya is saying I am drig, when drig says I am the body, then drig is telling, I am the inert, insentient body, then it covers, so at the same time, it is telling I am limited, and I am limitless, I am eternal, I am temporary, I am bound, I am free, it is cherishing both these opposite qualities, at one and the same time, this is what it is doing inside, what is it doing outside? It is doing exactly the same thing, Brahma Sargayoh, on the one side Brahma, on the other side Sarga means Srishti, what is the relationship between Srishti and Brahma? Brahma is eternal, Srishti is temporal, Brahma is all knowing, Srishti is small knowing, or sometimes not knowing at all, Brahma is full of power, Srishti is full of powerlessness, all these opposite qualities, somehow it merges and says, Brahma thinks I am the Srishti, and the Srishti thinks I am Brahma, Brahma means reality, existence, it thinks, so we are all undergoing both inside and outside, this somehow impossible fact is happening, that is why Maya, one definition of Maya is, ghatana patiyasi, it makes the impossible possible, how can both opposite things be real? I am darkness, I am light, at different times that is possible, but at the same time it is not possible, but that is what the Maya power is making possible, so keep that in mind, antar drishyayor bhedam, bahischa brahma sargayoh, you see the point here, antaha means within us, drishya, drigyor bhedam, it covers the difference, bhayegi, outside externally, brahma sargayoh, brahman and sarga means? Srishti, creation, this differentiation it is removing, the differentiation between drig and drishya, subject and object it is removing, and making them one, outside brahman and creation, it is removing that complete oppositeness, differentiation, that means each one is thinking, I am both brahman, I am also creation, I am both limited, I am also limitless, that is why this eternal conflict is there within us, that we know we are temporal, but we want to live for eternity, that is why Swami Vivekananda defines it, what is maya? Maya first of all is a statement of facts, second definition, maya is statement of contradiction, what is this contradiction? Now you understand what is the contradiction? We know at the same time we are limited, at the same time we want to be unlimited, it is a contradiction, but we are not even thinking that we have this contradiction, wonderful.
Now, ''antaḥkaraṇa'' also goes by another name: that is called ''sūkṣma śarīra''. So why is he introducing this terminology? Sometimes we may have doubts — what is the relationship between ''ahaṃkāra'' and ''antaḥkaraṇa''? What is the relationship between ''antaḥkaraṇa'' and ''sūkṣma śarīra''? These are different terms used but for exactly the same purpose.


So let us move on to the next one, 16th isn't it? Is it 16th? sakshina purato bhaati lingam dehena sanyutam chiticchaya samavesha jivasya dhyavaharika jivasya dhyavaharika It is beautiful, because of this sakshina purato bhaati, lingam dehena sanyutam, lingam means sukshma sharira, dehena sanyutam, that it is united thinking I am the body, how is it possible? By what power is it possible? sakshina purato bhaati Because isakshi, the consciousness, state of consciousness, pure consciousness, because of its presence, the linga sharira or sukshma sharira, the subtle body, feels its identification with the body, what is the identification? I am the physical body, who is saying I am the physical body? It is a subtle body, it is saying, how did it get that idea I am? Because of the sakshi, sakshi is ever present, because of the presence, all time presence of the pure consciousness, that is what is chiticchaya samavesha, so chiti means pure consciousness, chaya means its reflection in the antahkarana, so when this chichaya means reflection of the pure consciousness, and the linga sharira, when both of them join together, what is created now? This combination of chichaya and antahkarana, when they are joined together, so what is that state name? Jeeva, he becomes Jeeva, he thinks I am Jeeva, what is the Jeeva? I am the body, to say I am the body, I am the mind, is called Jeeva Lakshana, do you see the point? Is it clear? Because it cannot be able to say, I am this body, this I am belongs to the Sakshi, the body and mind are totally insentient, now this combination, the body doesn't know it is the body, the Sakshi doesn't know it is the antahkarana, but this combination says, I am both the Sakshi, I am also the body, I am also the antahkarana, I am the lord of the universe, that is called Jeevatva, do you see the point now? The Jeevatva is possible, only the admixture of both, the reflection, why reflection, otherwise Brahman himself, it is the power of the Brahman, the power, the reflection of the Brahman, consciousness, and the Linga Sharira, when both combine together, then it says, I am the physical body, I am the subtle body, and I am also Jeeva, that saying I am the body is called Jeevatva, the body doesn't say I am Jeeva, the antahkarana doesn't know it is Jeeva, but when this antahkarana becomes mixed up, with the pure consciousness, then it acquires, I am ability is acquired, becomes aware, I am the body, identity, I am the mind, I am the body, so who is a Jeeva? He who says, I am the body and mind, is a Jeeva, simple, so simple, how nice it appears, that is the mayas, this one, so that is the condition of maya, so he says, Asya Jeevatvam Aaropat, Asya Jeevatvam Aaropat, Sakshinya Piyavabhasate, Sakshinya Piyavabhasate, Aurutautu Vinashtayam, Aurutautu Vinashtayam, Bhede Bhate Payatita, Bhede Bhate Payatita, So, how is it possible for us to get liberation or mukti? He gave the nature of bondage, what is the nature of bondage? The creation of Jeevatva, what is the Jeevatva? Jeevatva is the combination of body-mind complex combined with Chit Chaya. Now, what is the way for liberation? Simply separate the Chit Chaya from the body and mind. When the moment Chit Chaya is separated from the body-mind, because there is no reflecting medium, the reflection also gets resolved into the original thing.
So it is the ''sūkṣma śarīra'' which recognises the bondage, which feels the longing for liberation, and which again feels it is liberated. Because the body doesn't know what is bondage, what is liberation. The ''sākṣin'' is ever free and therefore it doesn't know, because it doesn't know there is anything else.
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This is what he said. The character of an embodied self appears through false superimposition in the Sakshin also. What is that? The Sakshin says, I am the Jeeva.
== The Problem of Māyā's Origin in Advaita Vedānta ==
But the ''sākṣin''<nowiki/>'s reflection — how it came, he will explain later on. How it came — that is no explanation, but it is an explanation. He says you have to believe me; there is no explanation. Because if you go a little bit deep, then Advaita Vedānta falls down at the very first step.


Who says, I am the Jeeva. With the disappearance of the veiling power, the distinction between the seer and the object becomes clear, and with it the Jeeva character of the Sakshin also disappears. That is the remedy, prescription.
Very briefly: how it comes — ''Brahman'' is. Before the creation, who was there? And ''Brahman'' is all knowledge. Then how can such a ''Brahman'' fall into the clutches of ''māyā''? From where has ''māyā'' come? Because if it is all knowledge, where is the place for it? If it is 90% knowledge and 10% ''māyā'', then there is a possibility. But if it is 100% knowledge, where is the place for it? So that question can never be answered.


The doctor has only diagnosed the problem, disease, and also he indicated the right medicine. That doesn't mean as soon as the prescription is there, you will be cured. You have to follow.
Svāmī Vivekānanda himself brings out this question: how did the one become many? He says that is an illegal question — ask a legal question. What he means is: I don't know, don't ask me. But we are here; for some reason we are here.
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You have to follow in the right way. A fat woman went to a doctor and said, I want to be thin, so give me something, how I can become thin. So the doctor said, very simple, I am giving you a prescription diet, you eat it.
== A Note on Karma and Its Explanation ==
Now, how to explain? It is exactly the same situation that we were discussing in the car. ''Karma phala'' is already an accomplished fact; we are all trying to come to some explanation for why it happened.


And after a month you come back, you will see a lot of difference. So after a month the woman went back, and now she doubled in her fatness. The doctor was shocked and said, were you not following my diet? He said, doctor, what a difficult prescription you gave.
Just before coming here, I was reading a nice joke. A man was walking, and suddenly a voice came: "Stop, a brick is about to fall." So he stopped, and immediately a huge brick fell in front of him. Then again he started walking. He was about to cross a road, and suddenly the same voice came: "Stop, otherwise the car will run over you." He stopped, and a huge car came careening and passed right in front of him. Then he was astonished and asked, "Who are you?" The voice said, "I am your guardian angel." "Oh yeah — where were you when I got married?"


Along with my normal diet, I have also eaten the prescribed diet. Do you know how much difficulty I was having eating both? So the prescription must be understood properly. So he has given here.
So the point is that we are never discussing about ''karma'' that is to come in the future, because the ''karma phala'' is always unknown. The ''karma phala'' which we are experiencing now — the root cause of it is also unknown. We are what we are; that's why we see the differences. The ''karma phala'' which is going to come, because we are performing actions right now, is also unknown to us. We do not know what type of ''karma phala'' is going to come.


It is the Chit Chaya. The original pure consciousness will never be affected, because that is the sustaining body. Even to say, to recognise I am the Jeeva, that original consciousness must sustain us.
That is why Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna that you have the right only to perform the actions. What it means is: you don't know. There are so many variable factors. The common example given is: there is a plot of land and you put so many different types of seeds. Which type of seed comes first? And among those which come first — it is the same species — some are very healthy, some are not healthy. It is the same soil, the same seeds, the same person who is watering, and yet there are some variable factors which we do not know. So many factors are not in our control. That is why he says there are five factors for every action, and ''daiva'' means what? ''Adṛṣṭa'' — we just don't know; there is a factor.


You see, if there is no original, you are not standing in front of a mirror, your reflection itself will disappear. The mirror itself is completely useless. The moment you break that mirror, your reflection also, where does it go? It merges with you.
So what is the point we are discussing here? The controversy, the quarrel need not be there. Whether you accept or not, we are trying in our own way to find out an explanation, and to console ourselves why this has come, and how we should behave in future. That is why we must always have faith in the scriptures. The scriptures tell: if you do good, the result will be good; if you do not, the result also will not be good. That is very scientific — the law of invariable relationship between cause and effect. Otherwise the whole of science will fall down. If there is any variation in the result — you see the point — the law of cause and effect must be invariable for prediction, otherwise it becomes unpredictable.
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What do you mean by merges? Was there something? No, it was not there. It belonged to the mirror, it never belonged to you. Therefore, when that reflecting medium is destroyed, your reflection also will be destroyed simultaneously with that.
== Verse 11: The ''Antaḥkaraṇa'' and Its Three States ==
So we discussed in the morning: who is feeling the bondage? It is the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' combined with the ''cit-chāyā''. This fact has been put in such simple, beautiful, elegant ''śloka'' form: mind alone is the cause of bondage and also of liberation. That is the fact he was trying to tell. So ''jāgrat avasthā'' or ''svapna avasthā'' or ''suṣupti avasthā'' — all are variations of the ''ahaṃkāra''. ''Ahaṃkāra'' means, by extension, ''antaḥkaraṇa''. There is not much difference between these three. When ''ahaṃkāra'' is fully functional, it is called ''jāgrat''; if it is half functional, it is called ''svapna''; if it is not functional, it is called ''suṣupti''. That is a fact which we should always think about.


This is the prescription. How to bring about the separation between Chit Chaya and the Sookshma Sharira or mind, what you call the mind. All meditations or any yoga is only for separation from these, either way.
So let us go to, I think number 12 — is it 11?


Even Bhakti Yoga is only to bring about destruction. What is that? That is why, what is common to all yogas? Destruction of the Ahamkara. Once the Ahamkara, I am, is gone, then you don't even know whether there is a body or not, no body at all.
''antaḥkaraṇa vṛttistha, cit-chāyā aikyam āgatā,'' ''vāsanā kalpaye svapne, prabodhe akṣair viṣayān bāhihe.''


You will never know. So, whatever yoga you follow, every yoga has got only one goal. That goal is destruction of the Ahamkara.
Though that ''akāra'' is ''lopa akāra'', it is called so. When pronouncing, you simply say ''prabodhe akṣair viṣayān bāhihe''.


There is nothing else. So, let us move on. What happens? Tatha Sarga Brahmanoscha Bheda Mauritya Tishthati Yashaktis Tadvashat Brahma Vikrutatvena Bhasate Vikrutatvena Bhasate Now, what is the connection between the previous verse and this verse? Before, we said that this Maya makes two types of differences.
So let me elaborate. ''Antaḥkaraṇa vṛttistha, cit-chāyā aikyam āgatā'' — this is what I mentioned just now. The ''antaḥkaraṇa'' already has ''vṛttis''. ''Antaḥkaraṇa'' means ''vṛttis''. These ''vṛttis'' are illuminated by the ''cit-chāyā'', because if they are not illuminated, what happens? ''Suṣupti avasthā'' — they are there, but not illuminated.


What is it? It brings about identification inside us between the Chitchaya and the Antahkarana. That difference it destroys and therefore both of them feel, this is me, this is me. Similarly, he also said Brahma and Sarga.
=== Dream State: ''Svapna Avasthā'' ===
So what happens? ''Vāsanā kalpaye svapne'' — in ''svapna'', what does the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' do? In the dream state, what does it do? It makes a ''khicaṛī'' of all these things.


Outside, Brahman and Jagat. Inside, subject and object. Outside, Brahman and creation.
As an example: in the waking state, we see a bird flying in the sky and a human being walking on the earth. So both impressions have been taken into the ''antaḥkaraṇa''. We observe the fact — the bird is flying and the man is walking. So this walking and flying, these ''vṛttis'' are there in the mind. In ''svapna'', what does it do? It combines them. So: man is flying in the sky. In ''svapna'', it is fine — you never question how you are able to fly. Only after waking up do you question: how come I could fly in the dream? So that is the business of ''antaḥkaraṇa''. It has the impressions, and what does it do? ''Vāsanāḥ kalpayat'' — ''vāsanāḥ'' means different types of desires. It already has desires. So it takes those desires, takes these raw materials, and shapes the raw materials according to the desires.


That differentiation also it destroys. So, in the previous verse, he said, what is the remedy? The remedy is the difference between inside, the Drik and Dhrishya must be made crystal clear. The Drik knows, I am Drik, I am not Dhrishya.
For example, a poor child has a desire to eat chocolates, but his family cannot afford them. Nothing can prevent him in the dream. So he has a desire, and then he has seen a big shop. So he combines his desire with the big chocolate shop, and then he makes a relationship with the owner of the shop — he might become the son-in-law of the owner, or adopted by the owner, so that he can eat.


The Dhrishya also is to be separated. Exactly similarly, what is the remedy? In the outside world also, the difference between Brahman and Jagat has got to be separated. This is Brahman, has nothing to do with the Jagat.
So why do we have particular types of dreams? Because most of the time our experiences are common, but our dreams are not common. How do we explain this? They are more or less the same experiences, more or less the same impressions, but we fashion these impressions into our own desires. The desires are like moulds; the impressions are like the dough. When we put the dough through our own mould, it comes out in these particular things. That is the ''svapna prapañca''.


The moment that we know the difference, that is called Jnana, then Jagat itself will disappear. Just as the reflecting medium is broken, the reflection also goes away. So, that reflecting medium is called Maya.
=== The Usefulness of Dreams ===
In ''svapna prapañca'', it has usefulness. According to Western psychology, what is the usefulness? This is the only way to let the steam off. Because physically, in the external world, many times it is not possible — as I gave the example, you can't beat your boss in the physical world, but in ''svapna loka'' you can beat him black and blue, and you get relieved.


Through Maya only it has to. So, Maya brought about this identity between Drik and Dhrishya and Brahman and Sarga. And that Maya itself must break.
It gives intense joy. Yes — that is also created by your fears. You have desires, and desires always come in the form of expectations. So if you have fear — suppose you have a fear of flying — then you can create a dream in which you are flying and you are having a horrible experience.


Again through that Maya only, the separation also or liberation also must be achieved. Exactly in the same way, the same Maya should bring about separation between Brahman and Jagat. So, inside also the combination has come.
So many things happen, but one thing is true: so long as you are there, it does bring about ''sukha'' and ''duḥkha''. Sometimes you can get rid of what is called ''karma kṣaya'' even in dreams. You can also do ''karma kṣaya'' — after all, what is ''karma kṣaya''? If you are happy, some amount of your ''puṇya'' is gone; if you are unhappy, some amount of your ''pāpa'' is gone. So the ''karma phala kṣaya'' can happen — that is very true. It can happen. In fact, what the scriptures say: even our waking state is also our dream state only.
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Outside also the combination has come. So, inside also the Maya should break this combination. Outside also it must break the combination.
== On Karma: Making and Experiencing Simultaneously ==
In fact, we are all experiencing ''sukha'' and ''duḥkha''. You will never get a person with complete ''sukha'' all the time; you will never get a person with all ''duḥkha'' all the time — it is not possible. So you see that unconsciously, we are all finishing our ''karma kṣaya''; we are doing it. There are again two types of ''karma kṣaya'', and it is difficult to demarcate them. One is ''pūrva janma karma kṣaya'', in the form of our body, our mind, our surroundings, our family, etc. And there are the present ''karmas'' — yesterday what we did, today morning what we did. To some extent, that ''karma phala'' also is being experienced by us.


That is why the meditation is both internal and external. The internal meditation removes the differentiation. The external meditation makes the distinction very clear and reveals the real truth.
Some ''karmas'' give immediate effect. So if you put your hand in hot water, the ''karma phala'' is instantaneous. Some ''karma phalas'' take time. If you have eaten something ten days back, it might slowly ferment and bring some kind of stomach problem or health problem after ten or fifteen days. Some can come after twenty years. How? Suppose a student hasn't paid attention to his studies for twenty years from the very beginning — every first opportunity he goes and watches cinema and chit-chats. After that, when he starts seriously searching for a job, the accumulated result of all that shows up. Don't we see it in front of our eyes? We see it. But it is very hard for us to judge which is the result of which.
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Now you understand why meditation is prescribed both internal and external. So, Tantra, if you study, it is a beautiful combination of both removing the internal Maya and also external Maya. How wonderful it is! Of course, every Yoga is like that only, especially Tantra.
== The Relationship Between Dream Impressions and Waking Life ==
'''Question:''' What we see in a dream — is it also like our thoughts which we have in the ''jāgrat'' state?


That's why you see the Divine Mother both inside and also outside. Every object you have to see the Divine Mother. It has developed certain special techniques to be able to do that.
'''Answer:''' The point we have to understand is that it is a state of experience. ''Svapna'' is a state of experience; ''jāgrat'' is a state of experience; ''suṣupti'' is also a state of experience only. In experience, what is the big deal of difference you are making? You can be happy — many people are happy in a drunken state. A drunken state is almost like a ''svapna'' state; he is on top of the world, isn't it? So he is creating ''karma kṣaya'', he is also experiencing ''karma phala'', and he is creating ''karma'' — all at the same time.


Anyway, we will not go into that. So, look here what it is saying. That means Tatha means exactly in the same way.
You can never make the distinction: "Now I am making ''karma'', and now I am experiencing ''karma''." At the same time you are making ''karma'', at the same time you are also experiencing ''karma'', because these two are totally different instruments. One is the instrument of ''kartā'', another is the instrument of ''bhoktā'' — these two can go simultaneously. Your hands may be doing something; your mind may be experiencing something.


What does it mean? Tatha means Yatha, as it has been prescribed in the previous Lokas with regard to the internal condition. So, exactly in the same way, This Maya, it covers up the difference between Brahman and Sarga and makes them think each other, we are one and the same. So, therefore, So, exactly outside the Brahma thinks I am the Jagat.
'''Question:''' Are experiences themselves also ''karma'', Mahārāj?


Because of that power, the Brahman, who is Brahman, who has nothing to do with Srishti, the unlimited thinks I am limited. Inside the subject thinks I am the object. Outside Brahman thinks I am the Jagat.
'''Answer:''' Experiencing is also ''karma''. Experiencing itself is both experience as well as ''karma'' maker, because how we experience a thing determines our future. You see the point? Suppose you are having some small problem — that is you experiencing the ''karma phala'' of some ''karma'' which we have done, we don't know when — yesterday, fifty years back, or last birth. But with what attitude you are experiencing that ''karma phala'' also determines your future.


So, that differentiation should be able to separate. That is what is indicated in the next verse. Sarkena Brahmani Kvachit So, it says, Atrapi, even here, Avruti Nashena By removing the veiling power, Brahma Sarga Yoho Differentiation Vibhati Crystal clear distinction between this is Brahma and this is Jagat.
Because if you are grumbling about it, then your future result will be more grumbling — because that mood also determines our actions. Simple example: if I am very angry — suppose I am suffering and I have become very angry — this anger is the seed which shapes my future ''karma''. I can go and do any undesirable action. So that is why Kṛṣṇa teaches both things: not only what the ''karma phala'' is, but how to experience the ''karma phala''.


That difference is revealed in front of us. Then what happens? Bhedastayo Vikaras Yad Sargin The moment you understand the Bheda between Brahma and Sarga, all the Vikaras, means all the changes that take place belong to the Sarga, Jagat, not to the Brahman himself. Now let me elaborate this point a little bit.
He says, whether it is ''sukha'' or ''duḥkha'', they are all the result of one's own ''karma phala'' — ''mātra sparśa''. So how do you experience? Simply say: that is the nature of this world. They will come and they will go. If you expect only one, that would be wrong. You have to expect both. Why? Because that is the nature of the world. It is like a multicoloured, constantly moving wheel. I want to see only one colour all the time — is it possible? If I accept the fact that since it is a multicoloured wheel, constantly moving, then I know what to expect. And that has a lot of impact upon our own ''sukha'' and ''duḥkha''. That is the freedom we have. We can't stop the wheel, but how we view the movement of the wheel — there we have some amount of freedom.


Now, every object in this world, he himself is going to tell us, every object in this world is having five parts. Sat, Chit, Ananda, Nama and Rupa. So, this is called Jagat.
And if you go further, he says this is the most wonderful spiritual fact: whatever is happening to each one of us, throughout our lives, is the best thing, the only right thing that is happening. But we don't want to accept it. Why is it the best thing? It is the best thing because this ''karma kṣaya'' is happening; it is the best thing because this is the only thing which will take us further. But for our future to be better, we have to change our understanding and attitude. Understanding makes us accept, and that also leads to changing our attitude. Both are necessary. The practice of these two is called ''yoga''. ''Yoga'' is very practical.
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What we call Jagat is nothing but Brahman with Nama and Rupa. Now, Brahman in the outside world, as Drik inside world, is Brahman outside world, is identified with Sat, easiness, existence. There is absolutely no difference, no change ever takes place in the existence.
== Return to Verse 11: The Nature of Mind in the Three States ==
So let us go back to the eleventh. ''Antaḥkaraṇa vṛttistha cit-chāyā aikyam āgatā'' — so the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' and the ''cit-chāyā'' are combining. Because the ''cit-chāyā'' is meaningless if there is no ''antaḥkaraṇa''; the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' doesn't know it is an ''antaḥkaraṇa'' unless there is ''cit-chāyā''. ''Aikyam āgatā'' — then what happens? That becomes our so-called mind in general. What we call mind — if you don't use the word ''antaḥkaraṇa'', etc., it is simply mind.


All the changes take place only in the Nama and Rupa. One Nama, one Rupa changes into another Rupa and therefore it gets another Nama. Just as an example, you know, here is a table.
So what does this mind do? In dream, it takes up the impressions and the moulds of the previous desires, and it pushes these impressions into those moulds. And that is what our experience called dreams is. ''Prabodhe akṣaiḥ viṣayān bāhiḥ'' — it does exactly the same thing in a different way. ''Prabodhe'' means after waking up. We are talking about not knowledge, but the dream state and the waking state. Then what is ''akṣaiḥ''? ''Akṣaiḥ'' means the eyes, etc. ''Viṣayān bāhiḥ'' — it experiences.


The table is made up of, out of what? Wood. Now you call this table. Suppose you break this table.
Look at this translation: the inner organ, mind — which is itself but a modification — identifying itself with the reflection of consciousness, imagines ideas in the dream. And the same inner organ, identifying itself with the body, imagines objects external to itself in the waking state.


Then what happens? When the table is broken, Nama Rupa is gone, wood remains. Out of the wood, imagine, you make a chair. Now that, what happened? That same wood which was being called before table, now it is the same wood is being called chair.
=== The Difference Between ''Svapna'' and ''Jāgrat'' ===
With respect to the sense organs, there is absolutely no difference between ''svapna'' and ''jāgrat''. What is the difference? In ''svapna'' also you have got a ''svapna śarīra'', so it will be in the ''svapna śarīra'', and the ''svapna śarīra'' has got the eyes, ears, etc., and through that it is seen. But there are certain differences — why we don't call it ''jāgrat''. What is the difference?


So where is the difference? Is it in the wood or is it in the Nama Rupa of the wood? So you imagine, this chair is broken now. Or you deliberately make it into a small flat surface. Then you give it floor tile.
The first difference is it is purely private to the particular individual. If you are seeing a horse in your dream, nobody else sees that horse. It is entirely created with our own individual desires.


Now what do you call it? Floor. Like floor. So the table is gone, the chair is gone, now it is being called the floor.
So when we come back to the ''jāgrat avasthā'', what happens is: if there is an elephant, every one of us sees the same elephant. It is a common experience. How we interpret it is different; the element is common. How we interpret that elephant — that is an individual affair. That is why ''Īśvara sṛṣṭi'' and ''jīva sṛṣṭi'' are totally different in the ''jāgrat avasthā''. But the ''svapna avasthā'' is purely ''jīva sṛṣṭi'' only. There is nothing else. But for it to do ''sṛṣṭi'', it has to borrow certain elements. Those elements are called impressions of the waking state. Otherwise, if you have never seen the waking state, your ''svapna'' will be completely empty.


What are you doing? I am bringing about change in the, it is exactly the same material. I have a wonderful devotee, Ela. She makes dough.
So what is the point of this? It is the mind which goes through these three states. All these three states are made possible only because there is ''aikyatā'' with ''cit-chāyā'', the reflection of the consciousness. Otherwise, how can you say, "I am in the waking state, I am in the dream state, I am in the ''suṣupti'' state"? If the "I" is removed, then all the states will completely disappear at that very instant.


And first, when I am there, she makes dosa. After I have eaten the dosa, with the remaining dough, she makes idlis. So when she is serving me in the table, she calls it dosa.
Why is it said ''aikyam āgatā''? ''Aikyam āgatā'' means they have not become one; they appear to become one. How do we know? Because the "I" can be totally separated. When the "I" becomes seemingly mixed up with the mind, that is called ''jīva''. When the "I" is totally separated from the mind, that is called ''Parabrahman'', ''Paramātmā'', whatever you call it. That is why he uses the word ''cit-chāyā'' or ''sākṣin''. Earlier he used the words ''dṛk'', ''sākṣin'', ''cit'' — here it is ''cit-chāyā''. That is ''jīva''. ''Jīva'' means ''chāyā'' — ''cit-chāyā'' plus mind. That is the ''jīva''. ''Sūkṣma śarīra'' is the ''jīva'', and this ''sūkṣma śarīra'' identifies with a temporary dress called the physical body. The physical body comes and goes. But this ''jīvatva'' is, until one separates the "I" completely — it doesn't go; it has no death. But ultimately it also has a death: when knowledge comes, it dies. But until that time, it looks as though it is living a long time.


And afterwards the same dough is put in that idli vatra and she calls, Maharaj, how was the idli? See, it is tasting exactly like the dosa only. Nama Rupa changed, nothing changed, absolutely nothing changed. She does exactly the same thing.
'''Question:''' The dream experience is created out of the impressions from the ''jāgrat avasthā''. Is it possible that the experience we have in the ''jāgrat avasthā'' is also carried from our dreams, because we are making some kind of impressions also when we are in dreams, and then we form an opinion — and here, when we are faced with an experience, is it all packaged like that?


The whole Jagat is nothing but change of Nama Rupa. Don't you see? You see, the body has certain materials. These materials, after the death of this, actually this itself is undergoing, this is a body, isn't it? Then it is small, what are you calling it? Baby.
'''Answer:''' Yes, it is both ways. The external world influences the dream, and the dream also influences. Suppose in the waking state you have eaten well, and then you went to bed, and in that dream a beautiful, shining, cold Coca-Cola is appearing, and you are drinking it. Immediately suppose you wake up — you get a great desire to go and drink Coca-Cola. It can influence. Many things it can influence.
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Baby is the name, appropriate name for that appropriate body. And when it becomes young, then you are calling it young man, young woman. You are not calling it baby.
== The Power of ''Saṃskāra'' ==
'''Question:''' Sometimes we see something in a dream only, but we never remember it after we wake up.


Young man, young woman. Then it becomes, you know, 45 years old, 50 years old. Then it is the same Rupa, but dare you call it by different name.
'''Answer:''' You see, that is no argument, because you don't remember what you did ten years back, do you? You don't remember. But the influence — the subtle ''vāsanās'' left behind by that experience — are influencing you even today. There is no doubt about it.


You are old man, you are old. Teeth will be the real make as real Vedantins. Do you see the point? The Rupa it changes, Nama also changes.
I will give you a funny example given by Ṭhākur in the ''Gospel'' and ''Kathāmṛta''. An old bull was seen moving with some cows — it is past its servicing capacity. And Ṭhākur gives that example: why is it still moving? Because it cannot forget its past impressions. How wonderful — what a wonderful example!


We can't change the Rupa, but we are trying to retain the same Nama. You are looking, how young you are looking. What a beautiful, you know, grammar.
Another example he gives: some ''sādhus'' were meditating with closed eyes. Suddenly they heard the sound of ''ānklets'' — usually the sound of ''ānklets'' is made only by women. All the other ''sādhus'' remained with their eyes shut. One fellow opened his eyes and obliquely was looking at that woman. Ṭhākur explains: he had become a ''sādhu'', but before becoming a ''sādhu'', he was a householder. So that ''saṃskāra'' has not gone.


You are young, not saying how young you are. Looking. See how much of Brahma we are following.
Another real incident: one ''sādhu'' took a vow he would never see the face of a woman. For fifty years he was like that, and he was highly respected — he had so many devotees, so many disciples serving him; he was really a great ''sādhu''. So suddenly one evening he heard the sound of ''ānklets'' in a wooded area. He should have been understanding this, and I don't think that was the only first time he was hearing it — so many village women would come nearby, gather some firewood, and then go. But one evening he heard it, and he couldn't control himself. He wanted to see who it was. Before anything could happen, he ran to the door and peeped out. He saw a woman who had gathered some firewood and was returning home. Then the ''sādhu'' came to his senses: "I took a vow I will not look at the face of a woman. For fifty years I never saw the face of a woman, and suddenly my mind has run out of control." Before he could even think, the automation had taken place. What is the power of ''saṃskāra''!


Nama and Rupa always go, they have invariable relationship. So if we want to change, we must change both. First comes Rupa, then comes Nama.
Then he was a great ''sādhu'' — immediately he took an axe and broke his leg, saying, "This leg is not going anywhere from now onwards." This was an actual incident that really happened. Our Svāmī Bhavyānanda used to say that so many ''sādhus'', unable to control themselves, do various injuries to themselves, and then sometimes are brought to the Vṛndāvan hospital for treatment later on. The idea is: sincerity is there, struggle is there — but the old ''saṃskāra'' comes suddenly, before rationality can even manifest.


So the Rupa is the same, 50 years old woman, but Nama, you are a young woman. See how much we get offended. Old people as men also.
That's what happens to all of us most of the time. If you are south Indian or north Indian, you are walking, and suddenly the fried smell of ''pakora'' — immediately the mouth starts watering, even before you could register what it is. The solution is: we have to go on increasing our awareness. The whole crux of spiritual progress is increasing our awareness, so that nothing takes place without our being aware.


If you call, you are old man, we get offended. You are a senior citizen. How happy we are.
What is spirituality? What is spirit? Consciousness. What is progress in spirituality? More and more, our awareness becomes more and more. So many things we do like automatons. Our whole body is nothing but an automaton — it is a condensed manifestation of our old ''saṃskāras''. Automatically the hands are working, the feet are working. We think we are men, we are women. All these things are what? Automaton. We are neither men nor women, realistically. The ''cit-chāyā'' — is it man or is it woman? It is only because of its identity with the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' that for a long time it becomes so. How to break this — that is where the meditation portion comes. It is a beautiful progression.
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How much more stupid we can be. Old man is a old man, that's all. There is no change in the substance.
== Verse 12: The ''Sūkṣma Śarīra'' and Its Nature ==
Let us finish this one, so now we go to the eleventh being clear.


Old man substance is old man substance. By giving a young man's name, this young man is not going to become young. We want to dilute ourselves, seeing all those things.
He is describing what happens: the ''cit-chāyā'' and the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' become one. The ''cit-chāyā'' thinks "I am the ''antaḥkaraṇa''"; the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' thinks "I am the ''cit-chāyā''". The result is "I am the ''antaḥkaraṇa''." When they mix up, what happens? "I am the ''antaḥkaraṇa''" — that division becomes like a super glue.


Okay. So, what is this verse we are talking about here? The Brahman is never changing. It is ever unchanging.
So number twelve:


It remains unchanging. It is not possible. But where is the change taking place? In the Nama and the Rupa.
''mano'ham kṛtyupādānaṃ liṅgam ekaṃ jaḍātmakam,'' ''avasthā trayam anveti, jāyate mriyate tathā, jāyate mriyate tathā.''


What is the Jagat? Brahman with Nama Rupa, Jagat. But all the changes that are seemingly taking place are only in Nama Rupa. Therefore, when you clearly understand, by removing the Avarna Shasti, that the Jagat and the Brahman, we are mixing up together, means Nama Rupa and the existence, we are mixing up together.
What is the point of this particular verse? The ''antaḥkaraṇa'', ''liṅga śarīra'', and ''sūkṣma śarīra'' are all nothing but one and the same — different names for the same entity. So that is ''manaḥ ahaṃkṛtī upādānam'' — so that subtle body, which is the material cause of the mind and egoism, is one. It is not different. ''Ahaṃkāra'' is not different, ''antaḥkaraṇa'' is not different, ''sūkṣma śarīra'' is not different — it is but one.


Separating as though they are separate. Really, there is no separation because there is no object called Nama Rupa. Nama Rupa is an idea in our brain.
Is that point clear? What we call the mind has got four faculties. When you analyse the mind and it is doing a particular thing, we give it a particular name — this is ''manas'', this is ''buddhi'', this is ''citta''. But actually it is one and the same material. Through the same man: when he is cooking, he is a cook; when he is in the club, he is a club member; when he is in the Olympics, he is an Olympic player. Different functions, same person.


Wood, in whatever shape it is, it is wood, nothing but wood. But if we understand clearly what happens, that in spite of changing all the Nama Rupa, no change is ever taking place in the Brahman. When we have that kind of knowledge, the bondage falls off.
So what is the point he is telling? Do not ever get confused by these terms — ''buddhi'', ''manas'', ''ahaṃkāra'', ''citta'', and then ''sūkṣma śarīra'', ''liṅga śarīra'' — it is exactly one and the same. So in short, what we call in English "the mind" — that is a better word. Mind is one. What is its nature? First, its nature is insentiency — ''jaḍātmakam''. By itself it is insentient. When does it become sentient? When the ''cit-chāyā'' comes and becomes one, which we discussed earlier — then it says "I am the mind." Then it starts using the word "I." Until that time it cannot even say "I am the mind," because it is not even aware that it is the mind.


How does the bondage fall off? We are deluded not by Brahman, but by what? Nama Rupa. When we understand Nama Rupa, really it is not happening. No change is ever taking place.
And it is one — that is an important point for us. So let us not get confused by different words. "This is ''sūkṣma śarīra'', this is ''ahaṃkāra'', this is ''buddhi'' — then what is what?" It is all nothing but one and the same.


It is only in our brains all these things are going on. But we are able to see clearly it is the unchanging material called Brahman. Then we are never again deluded.
Then it is ''liṅgam'' — ''liṅgam'' means subtle. That is why we call it the subtle body. That is why another name for ''sūkṣma śarīra'' is ''liṅga śarīra''. So what does this ''sūkṣma śarīra'' do? ''Avasthā trayam anveti'' — it goes through these three different states, which we had already discussed: ''suṣupti'', ''svapna'', and ''jāgrat''.


For that sadhana, of course, has to be done. So far, what did we cover? Maya makes this problem. Maya has two powers, Avarana Shakti and Ukshaya Shakti.
Then he adds one here: ''jāyate mriyate tathā''. It itself does not have repeated births and deaths. But it identifies itself with the physical body so intimately that whenever the physical body is born, it says "I am born." When the physical body dies, it feels "I am dying." Who says "I am dying"?


And both these wreak havoc, both inside and outside. How does it wreak havoc inside? By mixing up Drishya with Drishya, individual subject with individual Antahkar. How does it wreak havoc outside? It again makes what is called Brahman as Jagat, Jagat as Brahman.
So you see: this is described because how did we come to this state of bondage at all? The whole ''saṃsāra'' depends upon this mind. What is the whole ''saṃsāra''? All the ''saṃsāra'' is nothing but experiencing it in three different ways — ''suṣupti'', ''jāgrat'', ''svapna''. Is there anything else? Even if you go to heaven, it still falls within ''jāgrat'', ''svapna'', ''suṣupti'' only. There is nothing else.


Because the material of Jagat is none other than Brahman itself in the form of Nama and Rupa. So what is the remedy now? The remedy is get rid of these two powers. And what happens when we can clearly remove these Maya Shaktis, both Shaktis? And if you remove one, the other also? Because both are simultaneously working.
So what is the problem? Mixing the experiencer, the ''dṛk'', with the ''dṛśya''. So this ''dṛśya'' falls into three categories: ''jāgrat'', ''svapna'', and ''suṣupti''. This is ''dṛśya''.


It is the two powers of the same Maya. So if you remove one, the other also will go away. So what happens? We see the crystal clearly, that this is Drishya and this is Drik.
So who created this so-called ''dṛśya''? How came this ''dṛśya'' ever into existence? How wonderfully he is taking us. First he is telling: this is the ''dṛk'' and this is the ''dṛśya''. First there are three types of ''dṛks'', but from the ultimate point of view there is only one ''dṛk'', and from the ultimate point of view everything else is ''dṛśya'' only. This ''dṛśya'' is nothing but ''antaḥkaraṇa''.


And when we see clearly outside, this is Brahman or Existence, and this is Nama Rupa which is called Jagat, another name for Existence, then we will never again be deluded. As a simple crude illustration would be, somebody is trying to make some sweet. Usually we associate a sweet with a particular Nama and Rupa.
This ''antaḥkaraṇa'', by whatever name you call it, goes through this process of ''jāgrat'', ''svapna'', ''suṣupti'' by turns. So what is bondage? Going through these three conditions ceaselessly, helplessly — that is called ''saṃsāra''.
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What is the big deal of difference, you know? Whether you make Rasagulla, whether you make Sandesh, whether you make Rasamalai, whatever you make, the basic material is? Milk. It is the same, milk. Adding sugar also is common to everything.
== The Two Powers of Māyā ==
How did this ''saṃsāra'' come about? Because if you want to prescribe a medicine, you must first diagnose the cause, and then only the remedy. So now he is coming to this point. What is it that brings about this ''dṛk-dṛśya saṃyoga''? ''Māyā''. The moment ''dṛśya'' is created, the ''dṛk'' is created, because the ''dṛśya'' is meaningless without the ''dṛk''; the ''dṛk'' is meaningless without the ''dṛśya''. ''Brahman'' is neither ''dṛk'' nor ''dṛśya''. So this point is clear.


It is only a bit of Nama Rupa difference, not much, isn't it? But we are deluded. I like this, I don't like that, etc. But if we understand the difference, it is all made up of exactly the same material.
So what is the nature of that ''māyā''? According to Advaita Vedānta, this ''māyā'' has got two powers. Usually it is given as ''āvaraṇa śakti'' first and ''vikṣepa śakti'' next. In this text, he differs and says ''vikṣepa śakti'' comes first and ''āvaraṇa śakti'' comes later. But both views are wrong, because ''āvaraṇa śakti'' and ''vikṣepa śakti'' do not function one after the other — they function simultaneously. So there is no controversy at all.


Once we know everything is of the same material, where is the question of likes and dislikes? If it is two different objects, then I like this, I don't like this. But if it is the same material, there is no question of liking or disliking. Then we become free.
Usually we are taught: first the nature is covered, then ''vikṣepa'' comes. In this text, he says first ''vikṣepa śakti'' projects, then it covers. Because ''vikṣepa śakti'' is there — but if you know it is the same thing dressed in a different dress, then there is no bondage. So ''āvaraṇa śakti'' also must be there. That's why Muslims are so practical — they cover with ''burqā''. There are reasons for that; we won't go into that.
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What is bondage? Liking and disliking. Raga and Dvesha. If these two go away, then we are all even more.
== Verse 13: The Two Powers of ''Māyā'' — ''Vikṣepa'' and ''Āvaraṇa'' ==
So let us go to the 13th:


If there is no Raga and Dvesha, then what remains? Everything is likeable only. If there is no Raga and Dvesha, everything is likeable only. There is no difference.
''vikṣepa śaktiḥ liṅgādi, brahmāṇḍāntaṃ jagat sṛjat,'' ''māyāyāḥ śakti dvayam, dvayam śakti hi.''


And then we are completely liberated. This is man, this is woman, this is plant, this is animal, this is living, this is non-living. All these differences should go away.
''Māyā'' — the powers of ''māyā'' are twofold. ''Dvayam'' — ''śakti'' always means that which is acting. If it is not acting, it is called ''Brahman''. When it is not acting, it is called ''Brahman''; when it is acting, it is called ''śakti''. In Ṭhākur's words.


That is called spiritual progress. To see everything as Brahman, means to see everything as one reality. Oneness means not degrading.
So what are those? ''Vikṣepa, āvaraṇa rūpakam'' — ''vikṣepa'' and ''āvaraṇa''. So what is ''vikṣepa'' and what is ''āvaraṇa''? ''Āvaraṇa'' means covering the nature of a thing. ''Vikṣepa'' means representing it as something totally different. And this covering is always partial, not complete. Because ''māyā'' itself needs the power of ''Brahman'' to function.


To see something as it is in itself. How? Sat, Chit and Ananda. Everything is Sat, Chit, Ananda.
The example given is: the sun, the cloud, and us. We are here, the sun is shining, and suddenly a huge cloud comes and covers the sun. This is a wonderful example. Before the cloud came, we were able to see the sun. After the cloud came, we are not able to see the sun. The cloud is the production of the sun — the cloud depends for its formation entirely on the sun. If there were no sun, there would be no cloud at all. Now the cloud has come and it covers the sun. Not only that — even to know that it is a cloud, we need sunlight. If it is completely dark, there can be a cloud, but you will not know it is a cloud. So because of the sun, the cloud is created; because of the sun, the cloud is also illuminated, revealed.
 
Exactly the same way: because of ''Brahman'', ''māyā'' is created; because of ''Brahman'', ''māyā'' is also illuminated. How do we know it is ''māyā''? Because of ''Brahman''. I am saying "I am the body" — how are you able to say "I am the body"? Because that "I am" part is constantly there. So that is why Vedānta tells: ''māyā'' has only half power. Half ''Brahman'', half ''māyā'' — that is called ''māyā''. So how it works, he explains it further.
 
=== The Rope and Snake Analogy ===
Here is a rope. To express it in language, you say "there is a rope." In this sentence there are two parts: the existence part and the "ropeness" part. "There is" belongs to the existence part; "ropeness" is a separate issue. It is a manifestation of that general existence into a particular.
 
Just like: "here is a table." In the sentence "this is a table," you have to divide it. "This is" — what are you talking about? Wood. Instead of saying "this is a wooden table," we are simply shortening it to "this is a table." But by "this is" you mean wood. Wood is the material; "table" is ''nāma rūpa''. That point is clear.
 
So here: "there is a rope." "There is" belongs to existence. Now, that existence is neither wood nor rope — it is existence, pure existence. A small part of that, like foam on the ocean. Without the ocean, will the bubble ever exist? It is not possible. It has come out of the ocean, it remains on the ocean, and it also again goes back into the ocean. How much part of the ocean becomes the wave? A small, infinitesimal part. That is why — ''sahasrāṃśena tiṣṭhati daśāṅgulam'' — only a small part of that is manifest as what we call this creation. The rest is ever remaining as pure existence.
 
So existence — a small bit of it appears to be, not even becomes — appears to be, because of ''nāma rūpa''. "Here is a rope" — now when ''māyā'' comes, what happens? Simultaneously, the "ropeness" is covered and "snakeness" is imposed upon it. But we are still saying "there is a snake" instead of "there is a rope." So what is covered? "There is" is never covered — that is not possible. But "ropeness" alone is replaced by "snakeness." That is why ''māyā'' can only cover an infinitesimally small part of ''Brahman''. It really doesn't cover; it appears to be covering. Just like the cloud seems to cover the sun — and yet, because of nearness, even a small hand is enough to cover the whole sun, "I can't see." That is the power. But for practical purposes, even though it is a small part of ''māyā'', it is enough to create havoc.
 
=== ''Vikṣepa Śakti'' in Action ===
So what does ''vikṣepa śakti'' do first? ''Liṅgādi brahmāṇḍāntaṃ jagat sṛjet'' — it creates, as it were, or manifests, as it were, this universe. From where to where? From ''liṅga'' to ''brahmāṇḍa''. ''Liṅga'' means ''antaḥkaraṇa'', because the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' is the root cause of the entire universe. You close your ''antaḥkaraṇa'' — the whole ''jagat'' is completely gone. How wonderful it is! Our ''antaḥkaraṇa'' alone is enough to create the world, and also to sustain the world, and to destroy the world. In your whole ''svapna jagat'' — who is creating, who is sustaining, and who is destroying? And it is very easy. You enter into the ''svapna jagat'' and it is created. So long as you are there, it goes on without your least effort. The moment you wake up, you don't need to destroy anything — the moment you wake up, what a wonderful ''māyā''!
 
That's why in ''Vivekacūḍāmaṇi'', Śaṅkarācārya says, "My God, what happened to that world? Just one second before, the whole world was there, and now, within one twinkling of the eye, the whole world has disappeared. Where has it gone? What happened? What is this wonderful power of ''māyā''!" He exclaims — that's what is happening. Every time we go into deep sleep, the whole world is gone.
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== Verse 14: ''Sattā'', ''Nāma'', and ''Rūpa'' ==
So, everything depends upon our — now is coming — what is this ''sṛṣṭi''?
 
''saccidānanda vastuni, abdho phenādi vat sarvā,'' ''nāma rūpa prasāraṇa, sṛṣṭi nāma.''
 
What is this ''sṛṣṭi''? ''Brahma rūpe'' — that ''vastu'' called ''Brahman'', ''saccidānanda vastu'', is there. You can only project the snake on the rope — so there must be a ''vastu''. What is that ''vastu''? ''Brahman'' — ''saccidānanda'' ''Brahman''. There is a meaning why he tells all those things. ''Brahma rūpe'', so he gives an example: the ocean is like ''Brahman'', and on the ocean — ''phena'', ''buddha'', and ''laharī'', etc. ''Abdho phenādi vat sarvā'' — ''phena'' means foam, etc. ''Nāma sarvā nāma rūpa prasāraṇa'' — all the names and forms and everything are projected on that itself.
 
Is that point clear? So what is ''sṛṣṭi''? What is ''sṛṣṭi''? Looking at ''Brahman'' with ''nāma'' and ''rūpa'' — nothing else. What is a table? Wood plus ''nāma''. So the idea is clear. What does ''māyā'' do, how does ''āvaraṇa śakti'' and ''vikṣepa śakti'' function? They take the ''vastu'' which is already there — they don't create the ''jagat''. The ''vastu'' out of which the ''jagat'' is created, or projected, is already there; eternally it is there. Now what does it do? It creates seeming ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''. So ''Brahman'' with ''nāma rūpa'' is called ''jagat''. ''Jagat'' minus ''nāma rūpa'' is ''Brahman''. How simple it is!
 
''Brahma satyam, jagat mithyā'' — the essence of all Vedānta is finished. When we say ''jagat mithyā'', what does it mean? We are already seeing ''jagat''. How do we see that ''jagat'' as ''mithyā''? Remove the ''nāma rūpa''. ''Jagat mithyā'' means: ''jagat'' means ''nāma rūpa'' — remove the ''nāma rūpa'', and what remains? Only ''Brahman''. That means: see ''Brahman'' without ''nāma rūpa'', and that is called Realisation. That's all; there is nothing else.
 
Even now it is real only; it is not unreal. Even now, because the ''Brahman vastu'' has never disappeared from here. If you say this carpet is unreal, then you are denying the reality of ''Brahman'', because the carpet is nothing but ''Brahman'' with ''nāma rūpa''. So you can never make this carpet really unreal. The reality is ''Brahman'', but you are looking at it through the lens of ''nāma rūpa''. That is the simple fact.
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== Verses 15–16: The Interplay of ''Dṛk'' and ''Dṛśya'' Inside and Outside ==
So, having given this for our understanding, then he goes on. It is something wonderful. Now he has described the veiling power of ''māyā'' — ''saṃsārasya kāraṇam''. So now the power of ''āvaraṇa śakti'' is given. What does ''vikṣepa śakti'' do? It creates — adds ''nāma'' and ''rūpa'' to ''Brahman''. So what is the point here?
 
If I know that this carpet is ''Brahman'' with ''nāma rūpa'', I have no problem. I am not bound, because I am still seeing — only I am seeing ''Brahman'' with ''nāma rūpa''. It is like somebody who comes with a bear's skin covering from head to shoulder, but the face is not covered. You understand? He can never fool me, because the original face is still there. But what ''āvaraṇa śakti'' does is it covers this — and then we can't recognise.
 
A circus came to a town. There was a tiger and there was a bear — they were exhibiting. So the bear somehow died. The circus owner, not wanting the circus to lose its attraction, went to a fellow and said, "Look here, a bear died — but people don't know. You put on that bear dress and move and behave like a bear, and I will give you some money." He agreed. He was very happy; all he needed was to put on the dress. Suddenly, the cage door opened — next to it was a tiger — and the tiger jumped in. This fellow was about to start screaming. The tiger came in and said, "Shh — don't scream. I am also acting." How wonderful it is! If everything is covered, then we have no way of identification.
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== Verse 16: The Nature of ''Jīvatva'' ==
''sākṣiṇā purato bhāti, liṅgam dehena saṃyutam,'' ''cit-chāyā samāveśa jīvasya vyāvahārika,'' ''jīvasya vyāvahārika.''
 
It is beautiful. Because of the ''sākṣin'' — the pure consciousness — the ''liṅga śarīra'' or ''sūkṣma śarīra'', that subtle body, feels its identification with the body. What is the identification? "I am the physical body." Who is saying "I am the physical body"? It is the subtle body. How did it get that idea, "I am"? Because of the ''sākṣin''. The ''sākṣin'' is ever present. Because of the presence — the all-time presence of pure consciousness — that is what is ''cit-chāyā samāveśa''. ''Citi'' means pure consciousness; ''chāyā'' means its reflection in the ''antaḥkaraṇa''.
 
So when this ''cit-chāyā'' — the reflection of the pure consciousness — and the ''liṅga śarīra'' join together, what is created? This combination of ''cit-chāyā'' and ''antaḥkaraṇa'' — what is that state's name? ''Jīva''. He becomes ''jīva''. He thinks "I am ''jīva''." What is the ''jīva''? "I am the body." To say "I am the body, I am the mind" is called ''jīva lakṣaṇa''.
 
Do you see the point? Is it clear? Because it cannot say "I am this body" — this "I am" belongs to the ''sākṣin''. The body and mind are totally insentient. Now this combination — the body doesn't know it is the body, the ''sākṣin'' doesn't know it is the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' — but this combination says, "I am both the ''sākṣin'', I am also the body, I am also the ''antaḥkaraṇa'', I am the lord of the universe." That is called ''jīvatva''.
 
Do you see the point now? The ''jīvatva'' is possible only through the admixture of both: the reflection — why reflection? Otherwise ''Brahman'' himself — the power of ''Brahman'', the reflection of the ''Brahman'' consciousness, and the ''liṅga śarīra''. When both combine together, then it says, "I am the physical body, I am the subtle body, and I am also the ''jīva''." That saying "I am the body" is called ''jīvatva''.
 
The body doesn't say "I am the ''jīva''"; the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' doesn't know it is the ''jīva''. But when this ''antaḥkaraṇa'' becomes mixed up with pure consciousness, then it acquires the ability to say "I am." It becomes aware: "I am the body, I am the mind." So who is a ''jīva''? He who says "I am the body and mind" is a ''jīva''. So simple.
 
So he says:
 
''asya jīvatvam āropāt, sākṣiṇy api avabhāsate,'' ''āvaraṇe tu vinaṣṭāyām, bhede sphuṭe payātīta.''
 
How is it possible for us to get liberation or ''mukti''? He gave the nature of bondage: what is bondage? The creation of ''jīvatva''. What is ''jīvatva''? ''Jīvatva'' is the combination of the body-mind complex combined with ''cit-chāyā''. Now, what is the way for liberation? Simply separate the ''cit-chāyā'' from the body and mind. The moment the ''cit-chāyā'' is separated from the body-mind, because there is no reflecting medium, the reflection also gets resolved into the original thing.
 
This is what he said. The character of an embodied self appears through false superimposition in the ''sākṣin'' also. What is that? The ''sākṣin'' says "I am the ''jīva''." With the disappearance of the veiling power, the distinction between the seer and the object becomes clear, and with it the ''jīva'' character of the ''sākṣin'' also disappears. That is the remedy — the prescription.
 
The doctor has only diagnosed the problem, the disease, and also indicated the right medicine. That doesn't mean that as soon as the prescription is there, you will be cured. You have to follow. You have to follow in the right way.
 
A fat woman went to a doctor and said, "I want to be thin — give me something so I can become thin." The doctor said, "Very simple, I am giving you a prescription diet — you eat it, and after a month you come back; you will see a lot of difference." So after a month the woman went back, and now she had doubled in her fatness. The doctor was shocked and said, "Were you not following my diet?" She said, "Doctor, what a difficult prescription you gave! Along with my normal diet, I have also eaten the prescribed diet. Do you know how much difficulty I was having eating both?" So the prescription must be understood properly.
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== The Original Pure Consciousness as the Sustaining Basis ==
He has given here: it is the ''cit-chāyā''. The original pure consciousness will never be affected, because that is the sustaining basis. Even to recognise "I am the ''jīva''," that original consciousness must sustain us.
 
If you are not standing in front of a mirror, your reflection itself will disappear. The mirror itself is completely useless. The moment you break that mirror, your reflection also — where does it go? It merges with you. What do you mean by "merges"? Was there something? No, it was not there. It belonged to the mirror; it never belonged to you. Therefore, when that reflecting medium is destroyed, your reflection also will be destroyed simultaneously with that.
 
This is the prescription. How to bring about the separation between ''cit-chāyā'' and the ''sūkṣma śarīra'' — or mind, what you call the mind — all meditations or any ''yoga'' is only for this separation, either way.
 
Even ''bhakti yoga'' is only to bring about this destruction. What is that? That is why what is common to all ''yogas'' is the destruction of the ''ahaṃkāra''. Once the ''ahaṃkāra'', the "I am," is gone, then you don't even know whether there is a body or not — no body at all. You will never know. So whatever ''yoga'' you follow, every ''yoga'' has got only one goal: the destruction of the ''ahaṃkāra''. There is nothing else.
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== Verse 17: ''Māyā'' Inside and Outside ==
So, let us move on. What happens?
 
''tathā sargā brahmaṇoś ca bheda māvṛtya tiṣṭhati,'' ''yā śaktis tad vaśāt brahma vikṛtatvena bhāsate,'' ''vikṛtatvena bhāsate.''
 
Now, what is the connection between the previous verse and this verse? Before, we said that this ''māyā'' makes two types of differences. What are they? It brings about identification inside us between the ''cit-chāyā'' and the ''antaḥkaraṇa'' — that difference it destroys, and therefore both of them feel "this is me, this is me." Similarly, he also said ''Brahman'' and ''sarga'' — outside, ''Brahman'' and ''jagat''; inside, subject and object; outside, ''Brahman'' and creation. That differentiation also it destroys.
 
So in the previous verse, he said: what is the remedy? The remedy is that the difference between the ''dṛk'' and the ''dṛśya'' inside must be made crystal clear. The ''dṛk'' knows "I am ''dṛk'', I am not ''dṛśya''." The ''dṛśya'' also is to be separated.
 
Exactly similarly, what is the remedy in the outside world? The difference between ''Brahman'' and ''jagat'' has got to be separated. "This is ''Brahman''; it has nothing to do with the ''jagat''." The moment we know the difference, that is called ''jñāna'' — then ''jagat'' itself will disappear. Just as the reflecting medium is broken, the reflection goes away. So that reflecting medium is called ''māyā''. Through ''māyā'' only has it come about; and through that ''māyā'' only, the separation — liberation — must also be achieved.
 
Exactly in the same way: the same ''māyā'' that brought about identity between ''dṛk'' and ''dṛśya'', and between ''Brahman'' and ''sarga'', must also bring about the separation. So inside, the combination has come; outside also, the combination has come. Inside, ''māyā'' should break this combination; outside also it must break the combination. That is why the meditation is both internal and external. The internal meditation removes the false identification. The external meditation makes the distinction very clear and reveals the real truth.
 
Now you understand why meditation is prescribed both internally and externally. So in Tantra — if you study, it is a beautiful combination of both removing the internal ''māyā'' and the external ''māyā''. How wonderful it is! Of course, every ''yoga'' is like that only, especially Tantra. That's why you see the Divine Mother both inside and outside. Every object you have to see as the Divine Mother. It has developed certain special techniques to be able to do that.
 
Anyway, we will not go into that. So look here at what it is saying. ''Tathā'' means "exactly in the same way." What does it mean? ''Tathā'' means ''yathā'' — as it has been prescribed in the previous ''ślokas'' with regard to the internal condition. So exactly in the same way, this ''māyā'' covers up the difference between ''Brahman'' and ''sarga'' and makes them think they are one and the same. Therefore, ''Brahman'' — who has nothing to do with ''sṛṣṭi'', the unlimited — thinks "I am the ''jagat''." Inside, the subject thinks "I am the object." Outside, ''Brahman'' thinks "I am the ''jagat''."
 
So that differentiation should be able to separate. That is what is indicated in the next verse.
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== Verse 18: The Remedy — Removing ''Āvaraṇa Śakti'' ==
''sargena brahmaṇi kvacit,'' ''atrāpi āvaraṇa nāśena, brahma sargayoḥ, vibhāti,''
 
Even here: ''āvaraṇa nāśena'' — by removing the veiling power — the differentiation, the crystal clear distinction between "this is ''Brahman''" and "this is ''jagat''," is revealed in front of us. Then what happens? ''bhedastayo vikārasya sargin'' — the moment you understand the ''bheda'' between ''Brahman'' and ''sarga'', all the ''vikāras'' — all the changes that take place — belong to the ''sarga'', the ''jagat'', not to ''Brahman'' himself.
 
Now let me elaborate this point a little bit. Every object in this world — he himself is going to tell us — every object in this world has five parts: ''sat'', ''cit'', ''ānanda'', ''nāma'', and ''rūpa''. So this is called ''jagat''. What we call ''jagat'' is nothing but ''Brahman'' with ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''. Now ''Brahman'', in the outside world — as ''dṛk'' is in the inside world — is identified with ''sat'', existence. There is absolutely no change ever taking place in existence. All the changes take place only in the ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''.
 
One ''nāma'', one ''rūpa'' changes into another ''rūpa'', and therefore it gets another ''nāma''. Just as an example: here is a table. The table is made out of wood. Now you call this a table. Suppose you break this table — when the table is broken, ''nāma rūpa'' is gone; wood remains. Out of the wood, imagine, you make a chair. Now what happened? That same wood which was before called a table is now called a chair. So where is the difference? Is it in the wood, or is it in the ''nāma rūpa'' of the wood?
 
Now you imagine this chair is broken, or you deliberately make it into a small flat surface — you call it a floor tile. So the table is gone, the chair is gone, and now it is being called the floor. What are you doing? You are changing the ''nāma rūpa''; it is exactly the same material.
 
I have a wonderful devotee, Ela. She makes dough. First, when I am there, she makes ''dosa''. After I have eaten the ''dosa'', with the remaining dough, she makes ''idlis''. So when she is serving me at the table, she calls it ''dosa''. And afterwards the same dough is put in that ''idli vātra'' and she says, "Mahārāj, how was the ''idli''?" — tasting exactly like the ''dosa'' only. ''Nāma rūpa'' changed; nothing changed, absolutely nothing changed. The whole ''jagat'' is nothing but change of ''nāma rūpa''. Don't you see?
 
The body has certain materials. These materials — after the death of this body, actually this is a body, isn't it? Then it is small — what are you calling it? Baby. "Baby" is the name appropriate for that appropriate body. And when it becomes young, then you are calling it "young man," "young woman." You are not calling it baby. Then it becomes forty-five, fifty years old. Then it is the same ''rūpa'', but dare you call it by a different name — "you are old!" ''Nāma'' and ''rūpa'' always go together; they have an invariable relationship. So if we want to change, we must change both. First comes ''rūpa'', then comes ''nāma''.
 
So the ''rūpa'' is the same — a fifty-year-old woman — but the ''nāma'': "You are a young woman." See how much we get offended. Old people — men also. If you call someone "old man," we get offended. But "you are a senior citizen" — how happy we are! How much more can we delude ourselves? "Old man" is "old man" — that's all. There is no change in the substance. By giving a young man's name to the old man, this old man is not going to become young. We want to delude ourselves with all those things.
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== Summary and the Goal of Spiritual Practice ==
So, what is this verse talking about? ''Brahman'' is never changing — it is ever unchanging. It is not possible for it to change. But where is change taking place? In the ''nāma'' and the ''rūpa''. What is the ''jagat''? ''Brahman'' with ''nāma rūpa'' is ''jagat''. But all the changes that are seemingly taking place are only in ''nāma rūpa''. Therefore, when you clearly understand — by removing the ''āvaraṇa śakti'' — that the ''jagat'' and the ''Brahman'', we are mixing up together, that is ''nāma rūpa'' and existence mixed together, separating as though they are separate. Really, there is no separation, because there is no object called ''nāma rūpa''. ''Nāma rūpa'' is an idea in our brain. Wood, in whatever shape it is, is wood — nothing but wood.
 
But if we understand clearly — that in spite of changing all the ''nāma rūpa'', no change is ever taking place in ''Brahman'' — when we have that kind of knowledge, the bondage falls off. How does the bondage fall off? We are deluded not by ''Brahman'', but by what? ''Nāma rūpa''. When we understand that ''nāma rūpa'' really is not happening, no change is ever taking place, and we are able to see clearly it is the unchanging material called ''Brahman'' — then we are never again deluded.
 
For that, ''sādhana'' of course has to be done.
 
=== Recap ===
So far, what did we cover? ''Māyā'' makes this problem. ''Māyā'' has two powers: ''āvaraṇa śakti'' and ''vikṣepa śakti''. And both these wreak havoc, both inside and outside.
 
How does it wreak havoc inside? By mixing up the ''dṛk'' with the ''dṛśya'' — the individual subject with the individual ''antaḥkaraṇa''.
 
How does it wreak havoc outside? It again makes ''Brahman'' appear as ''jagat'' and ''jagat'' as ''Brahman'' — because the material of ''jagat'' is none other than ''Brahman'' itself, in the form of ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''.
 
So what is the remedy? Get rid of these two powers. And what happens when we remove the ''māyā śaktis'', both ''śaktis''? If you remove one, the other also goes, because both are simultaneously working — they are the two powers of the same ''māyā''. So if you remove one, the other also will go away.
 
Then what happens? We see crystal clearly: "this is ''dṛśya'' and this is ''dṛk''." And when we see clearly outside that this is ''Brahman'' — existence — and this is ''nāma rūpa'', which is called ''jagat'', another name for existence — then we will never again be deluded.
 
=== An Illustration ===
As a simple crude illustration: somebody is trying to make some sweet. Usually we associate a sweet with a particular ''nāma'' and ''rūpa''. But whether you make ''rasgullā'', whether you make ''sandeś'', whether you make ''rasamalai'' — whatever you make — the basic material is milk. It is the same: milk. Adding sugar is also common to everything. It is only a bit of ''nāma rūpa'' difference, not much.
 
But we are deluded. "I like this, I don't like that." But if we understand the difference — it is all made up of exactly the same material — once we know everything is of the same material, where is the question of likes and dislikes? If it is two different objects, then "I like this, I don't like this." But if it is the same material, there is no question of liking or disliking. Then we become free.
 
What is bondage? Liking and disliking — ''rāga'' and ''dveṣa''. If these two go away, what remains? Everything is likeable only. If there is no ''rāga'' and ''dveṣa'', everything is likeable only. There is no difference. And then we are completely liberated.
 
"This is man, this is woman, this is plant, this is animal, this is living, this is non-living" — all these differences should go away. That is called spiritual progress: to see everything as ''Brahman'', to see everything as one reality. Oneness does not mean degrading — it means seeing something as it is in itself. How? ''Sat'', ''cit'', and ''ānanda''. Everything is ''saccidānanda''.


So that is the goal. That is what we have discussed so far. I think that will do for today.
So that is the goal. That is what we have discussed so far. I think that will do for today.


Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
''Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.''
[[Category:Drg Drsya Viveka]]
[[Category:Drg Drsya Viveka]]

Revision as of 23:48, 20 May 2026

Lecture Notes on Vedānta: Māyā, Ahaṃkāra, and the Three States of Consciousness

Review of Morning Discussion

So, what were the important points we discussed in the morning? Three types of relationships and what is the parihāra — what is the way to destroy those relationships. Two relationships can be destroyed; one cannot be destroyed until both go together. So that is the part we importantly discussed.

We also discussed how ahaṃkāra creates three types of states: when it is completely asleep, it is called suṣupti; when it is half awakened, it is called svapna; and when it is fully awakened, it is called jāgrat. So that is a very important point for us to understand. Who is it that goes through these three? It is the ahaṃkāra, which is combined with the cit-chāyā. Ahaṃkāra means antaḥkaraṇa — antaḥkaraṇa plus cit-chāyā.

Now, antaḥkaraṇa also goes by another name: that is called sūkṣma śarīra. So why is he introducing this terminology? Sometimes we may have doubts — what is the relationship between ahaṃkāra and antaḥkaraṇa? What is the relationship between antaḥkaraṇa and sūkṣma śarīra? These are different terms used but for exactly the same purpose.

So it is the sūkṣma śarīra which recognises the bondage, which feels the longing for liberation, and which again feels it is liberated. Because the body doesn't know what is bondage, what is liberation. The sākṣin is ever free and therefore it doesn't know, because it doesn't know there is anything else.

The Problem of Māyā's Origin in Advaita Vedānta

But the sākṣin's reflection — how it came, he will explain later on. How it came — that is no explanation, but it is an explanation. He says you have to believe me; there is no explanation. Because if you go a little bit deep, then Advaita Vedānta falls down at the very first step.

Very briefly: how it comes — Brahman is. Before the creation, who was there? And Brahman is all knowledge. Then how can such a Brahman fall into the clutches of māyā? From where has māyā come? Because if it is all knowledge, where is the place for it? If it is 90% knowledge and 10% māyā, then there is a possibility. But if it is 100% knowledge, where is the place for it? So that question can never be answered.

Svāmī Vivekānanda himself brings out this question: how did the one become many? He says that is an illegal question — ask a legal question. What he means is: I don't know, don't ask me. But we are here; for some reason we are here.

A Note on Karma and Its Explanation

Now, how to explain? It is exactly the same situation that we were discussing in the car. Karma phala is already an accomplished fact; we are all trying to come to some explanation for why it happened.

Just before coming here, I was reading a nice joke. A man was walking, and suddenly a voice came: "Stop, a brick is about to fall." So he stopped, and immediately a huge brick fell in front of him. Then again he started walking. He was about to cross a road, and suddenly the same voice came: "Stop, otherwise the car will run over you." He stopped, and a huge car came careening and passed right in front of him. Then he was astonished and asked, "Who are you?" The voice said, "I am your guardian angel." "Oh yeah — where were you when I got married?"

So the point is that we are never discussing about karma that is to come in the future, because the karma phala is always unknown. The karma phala which we are experiencing now — the root cause of it is also unknown. We are what we are; that's why we see the differences. The karma phala which is going to come, because we are performing actions right now, is also unknown to us. We do not know what type of karma phala is going to come.

That is why Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna that you have the right only to perform the actions. What it means is: you don't know. There are so many variable factors. The common example given is: there is a plot of land and you put so many different types of seeds. Which type of seed comes first? And among those which come first — it is the same species — some are very healthy, some are not healthy. It is the same soil, the same seeds, the same person who is watering, and yet there are some variable factors which we do not know. So many factors are not in our control. That is why he says there are five factors for every action, and daiva means what? Adṛṣṭa — we just don't know; there is a factor.

So what is the point we are discussing here? The controversy, the quarrel need not be there. Whether you accept or not, we are trying in our own way to find out an explanation, and to console ourselves why this has come, and how we should behave in future. That is why we must always have faith in the scriptures. The scriptures tell: if you do good, the result will be good; if you do not, the result also will not be good. That is very scientific — the law of invariable relationship between cause and effect. Otherwise the whole of science will fall down. If there is any variation in the result — you see the point — the law of cause and effect must be invariable for prediction, otherwise it becomes unpredictable.

Verse 11: The Antaḥkaraṇa and Its Three States

So we discussed in the morning: who is feeling the bondage? It is the antaḥkaraṇa combined with the cit-chāyā. This fact has been put in such simple, beautiful, elegant śloka form: mind alone is the cause of bondage and also of liberation. That is the fact he was trying to tell. So jāgrat avasthā or svapna avasthā or suṣupti avasthā — all are variations of the ahaṃkāra. Ahaṃkāra means, by extension, antaḥkaraṇa. There is not much difference between these three. When ahaṃkāra is fully functional, it is called jāgrat; if it is half functional, it is called svapna; if it is not functional, it is called suṣupti. That is a fact which we should always think about.

So let us go to, I think number 12 — is it 11?

antaḥkaraṇa vṛttistha, cit-chāyā aikyam āgatā, vāsanā kalpaye svapne, prabodhe akṣair viṣayān bāhihe.

Though that akāra is lopa akāra, it is called so. When pronouncing, you simply say prabodhe akṣair viṣayān bāhihe.

So let me elaborate. Antaḥkaraṇa vṛttistha, cit-chāyā aikyam āgatā — this is what I mentioned just now. The antaḥkaraṇa already has vṛttis. Antaḥkaraṇa means vṛttis. These vṛttis are illuminated by the cit-chāyā, because if they are not illuminated, what happens? Suṣupti avasthā — they are there, but not illuminated.

Dream State: Svapna Avasthā

So what happens? Vāsanā kalpaye svapne — in svapna, what does the antaḥkaraṇa do? In the dream state, what does it do? It makes a khicaṛī of all these things.

As an example: in the waking state, we see a bird flying in the sky and a human being walking on the earth. So both impressions have been taken into the antaḥkaraṇa. We observe the fact — the bird is flying and the man is walking. So this walking and flying, these vṛttis are there in the mind. In svapna, what does it do? It combines them. So: man is flying in the sky. In svapna, it is fine — you never question how you are able to fly. Only after waking up do you question: how come I could fly in the dream? So that is the business of antaḥkaraṇa. It has the impressions, and what does it do? Vāsanāḥ kalpayat — vāsanāḥ means different types of desires. It already has desires. So it takes those desires, takes these raw materials, and shapes the raw materials according to the desires.

For example, a poor child has a desire to eat chocolates, but his family cannot afford them. Nothing can prevent him in the dream. So he has a desire, and then he has seen a big shop. So he combines his desire with the big chocolate shop, and then he makes a relationship with the owner of the shop — he might become the son-in-law of the owner, or adopted by the owner, so that he can eat.

So why do we have particular types of dreams? Because most of the time our experiences are common, but our dreams are not common. How do we explain this? They are more or less the same experiences, more or less the same impressions, but we fashion these impressions into our own desires. The desires are like moulds; the impressions are like the dough. When we put the dough through our own mould, it comes out in these particular things. That is the svapna prapañca.

The Usefulness of Dreams

In svapna prapañca, it has usefulness. According to Western psychology, what is the usefulness? This is the only way to let the steam off. Because physically, in the external world, many times it is not possible — as I gave the example, you can't beat your boss in the physical world, but in svapna loka you can beat him black and blue, and you get relieved.

It gives intense joy. Yes — that is also created by your fears. You have desires, and desires always come in the form of expectations. So if you have fear — suppose you have a fear of flying — then you can create a dream in which you are flying and you are having a horrible experience.

So many things happen, but one thing is true: so long as you are there, it does bring about sukha and duḥkha. Sometimes you can get rid of what is called karma kṣaya even in dreams. You can also do karma kṣaya — after all, what is karma kṣaya? If you are happy, some amount of your puṇya is gone; if you are unhappy, some amount of your pāpa is gone. So the karma phala kṣaya can happen — that is very true. It can happen. In fact, what the scriptures say: even our waking state is also our dream state only.

On Karma: Making and Experiencing Simultaneously

In fact, we are all experiencing sukha and duḥkha. You will never get a person with complete sukha all the time; you will never get a person with all duḥkha all the time — it is not possible. So you see that unconsciously, we are all finishing our karma kṣaya; we are doing it. There are again two types of karma kṣaya, and it is difficult to demarcate them. One is pūrva janma karma kṣaya, in the form of our body, our mind, our surroundings, our family, etc. And there are the present karmas — yesterday what we did, today morning what we did. To some extent, that karma phala also is being experienced by us.

Some karmas give immediate effect. So if you put your hand in hot water, the karma phala is instantaneous. Some karma phalas take time. If you have eaten something ten days back, it might slowly ferment and bring some kind of stomach problem or health problem after ten or fifteen days. Some can come after twenty years. How? Suppose a student hasn't paid attention to his studies for twenty years from the very beginning — every first opportunity he goes and watches cinema and chit-chats. After that, when he starts seriously searching for a job, the accumulated result of all that shows up. Don't we see it in front of our eyes? We see it. But it is very hard for us to judge which is the result of which.

The Relationship Between Dream Impressions and Waking Life

Question: What we see in a dream — is it also like our thoughts which we have in the jāgrat state?

Answer: The point we have to understand is that it is a state of experience. Svapna is a state of experience; jāgrat is a state of experience; suṣupti is also a state of experience only. In experience, what is the big deal of difference you are making? You can be happy — many people are happy in a drunken state. A drunken state is almost like a svapna state; he is on top of the world, isn't it? So he is creating karma kṣaya, he is also experiencing karma phala, and he is creating karma — all at the same time.

You can never make the distinction: "Now I am making karma, and now I am experiencing karma." At the same time you are making karma, at the same time you are also experiencing karma, because these two are totally different instruments. One is the instrument of kartā, another is the instrument of bhoktā — these two can go simultaneously. Your hands may be doing something; your mind may be experiencing something.

Question: Are experiences themselves also karma, Mahārāj?

Answer: Experiencing is also karma. Experiencing itself is both experience as well as karma maker, because how we experience a thing determines our future. You see the point? Suppose you are having some small problem — that is you experiencing the karma phala of some karma which we have done, we don't know when — yesterday, fifty years back, or last birth. But with what attitude you are experiencing that karma phala also determines your future.

Because if you are grumbling about it, then your future result will be more grumbling — because that mood also determines our actions. Simple example: if I am very angry — suppose I am suffering and I have become very angry — this anger is the seed which shapes my future karma. I can go and do any undesirable action. So that is why Kṛṣṇa teaches both things: not only what the karma phala is, but how to experience the karma phala.

He says, whether it is sukha or duḥkha, they are all the result of one's own karma phala — mātra sparśa. So how do you experience? Simply say: that is the nature of this world. They will come and they will go. If you expect only one, that would be wrong. You have to expect both. Why? Because that is the nature of the world. It is like a multicoloured, constantly moving wheel. I want to see only one colour all the time — is it possible? If I accept the fact that since it is a multicoloured wheel, constantly moving, then I know what to expect. And that has a lot of impact upon our own sukha and duḥkha. That is the freedom we have. We can't stop the wheel, but how we view the movement of the wheel — there we have some amount of freedom.

And if you go further, he says this is the most wonderful spiritual fact: whatever is happening to each one of us, throughout our lives, is the best thing, the only right thing that is happening. But we don't want to accept it. Why is it the best thing? It is the best thing because this karma kṣaya is happening; it is the best thing because this is the only thing which will take us further. But for our future to be better, we have to change our understanding and attitude. Understanding makes us accept, and that also leads to changing our attitude. Both are necessary. The practice of these two is called yoga. Yoga is very practical.

Return to Verse 11: The Nature of Mind in the Three States

So let us go back to the eleventh. Antaḥkaraṇa vṛttistha cit-chāyā aikyam āgatā — so the antaḥkaraṇa and the cit-chāyā are combining. Because the cit-chāyā is meaningless if there is no antaḥkaraṇa; the antaḥkaraṇa doesn't know it is an antaḥkaraṇa unless there is cit-chāyā. Aikyam āgatā — then what happens? That becomes our so-called mind in general. What we call mind — if you don't use the word antaḥkaraṇa, etc., it is simply mind.

So what does this mind do? In dream, it takes up the impressions and the moulds of the previous desires, and it pushes these impressions into those moulds. And that is what our experience called dreams is. Prabodhe akṣaiḥ viṣayān bāhiḥ — it does exactly the same thing in a different way. Prabodhe means after waking up. We are talking about not knowledge, but the dream state and the waking state. Then what is akṣaiḥ? Akṣaiḥ means the eyes, etc. Viṣayān bāhiḥ — it experiences.

Look at this translation: the inner organ, mind — which is itself but a modification — identifying itself with the reflection of consciousness, imagines ideas in the dream. And the same inner organ, identifying itself with the body, imagines objects external to itself in the waking state.

The Difference Between Svapna and Jāgrat

With respect to the sense organs, there is absolutely no difference between svapna and jāgrat. What is the difference? In svapna also you have got a svapna śarīra, so it will be in the svapna śarīra, and the svapna śarīra has got the eyes, ears, etc., and through that it is seen. But there are certain differences — why we don't call it jāgrat. What is the difference?

The first difference is it is purely private to the particular individual. If you are seeing a horse in your dream, nobody else sees that horse. It is entirely created with our own individual desires.

So when we come back to the jāgrat avasthā, what happens is: if there is an elephant, every one of us sees the same elephant. It is a common experience. How we interpret it is different; the element is common. How we interpret that elephant — that is an individual affair. That is why Īśvara sṛṣṭi and jīva sṛṣṭi are totally different in the jāgrat avasthā. But the svapna avasthā is purely jīva sṛṣṭi only. There is nothing else. But for it to do sṛṣṭi, it has to borrow certain elements. Those elements are called impressions of the waking state. Otherwise, if you have never seen the waking state, your svapna will be completely empty.

So what is the point of this? It is the mind which goes through these three states. All these three states are made possible only because there is aikyatā with cit-chāyā, the reflection of the consciousness. Otherwise, how can you say, "I am in the waking state, I am in the dream state, I am in the suṣupti state"? If the "I" is removed, then all the states will completely disappear at that very instant.

Why is it said aikyam āgatā? Aikyam āgatā means they have not become one; they appear to become one. How do we know? Because the "I" can be totally separated. When the "I" becomes seemingly mixed up with the mind, that is called jīva. When the "I" is totally separated from the mind, that is called Parabrahman, Paramātmā, whatever you call it. That is why he uses the word cit-chāyā or sākṣin. Earlier he used the words dṛk, sākṣin, cit — here it is cit-chāyā. That is jīva. Jīva means chāyā — cit-chāyā plus mind. That is the jīva. Sūkṣma śarīra is the jīva, and this sūkṣma śarīra identifies with a temporary dress called the physical body. The physical body comes and goes. But this jīvatva is, until one separates the "I" completely — it doesn't go; it has no death. But ultimately it also has a death: when knowledge comes, it dies. But until that time, it looks as though it is living a long time.

Question: The dream experience is created out of the impressions from the jāgrat avasthā. Is it possible that the experience we have in the jāgrat avasthā is also carried from our dreams, because we are making some kind of impressions also when we are in dreams, and then we form an opinion — and here, when we are faced with an experience, is it all packaged like that?

Answer: Yes, it is both ways. The external world influences the dream, and the dream also influences. Suppose in the waking state you have eaten well, and then you went to bed, and in that dream a beautiful, shining, cold Coca-Cola is appearing, and you are drinking it. Immediately suppose you wake up — you get a great desire to go and drink Coca-Cola. It can influence. Many things it can influence.

The Power of Saṃskāra

Question: Sometimes we see something in a dream only, but we never remember it after we wake up.

Answer: You see, that is no argument, because you don't remember what you did ten years back, do you? You don't remember. But the influence — the subtle vāsanās left behind by that experience — are influencing you even today. There is no doubt about it.

I will give you a funny example given by Ṭhākur in the Gospel and Kathāmṛta. An old bull was seen moving with some cows — it is past its servicing capacity. And Ṭhākur gives that example: why is it still moving? Because it cannot forget its past impressions. How wonderful — what a wonderful example!

Another example he gives: some sādhus were meditating with closed eyes. Suddenly they heard the sound of ānklets — usually the sound of ānklets is made only by women. All the other sādhus remained with their eyes shut. One fellow opened his eyes and obliquely was looking at that woman. Ṭhākur explains: he had become a sādhu, but before becoming a sādhu, he was a householder. So that saṃskāra has not gone.

Another real incident: one sādhu took a vow he would never see the face of a woman. For fifty years he was like that, and he was highly respected — he had so many devotees, so many disciples serving him; he was really a great sādhu. So suddenly one evening he heard the sound of ānklets in a wooded area. He should have been understanding this, and I don't think that was the only first time he was hearing it — so many village women would come nearby, gather some firewood, and then go. But one evening he heard it, and he couldn't control himself. He wanted to see who it was. Before anything could happen, he ran to the door and peeped out. He saw a woman who had gathered some firewood and was returning home. Then the sādhu came to his senses: "I took a vow I will not look at the face of a woman. For fifty years I never saw the face of a woman, and suddenly my mind has run out of control." Before he could even think, the automation had taken place. What is the power of saṃskāra!

Then he was a great sādhu — immediately he took an axe and broke his leg, saying, "This leg is not going anywhere from now onwards." This was an actual incident that really happened. Our Svāmī Bhavyānanda used to say that so many sādhus, unable to control themselves, do various injuries to themselves, and then sometimes are brought to the Vṛndāvan hospital for treatment later on. The idea is: sincerity is there, struggle is there — but the old saṃskāra comes suddenly, before rationality can even manifest.

That's what happens to all of us most of the time. If you are south Indian or north Indian, you are walking, and suddenly the fried smell of pakora — immediately the mouth starts watering, even before you could register what it is. The solution is: we have to go on increasing our awareness. The whole crux of spiritual progress is increasing our awareness, so that nothing takes place without our being aware.

What is spirituality? What is spirit? Consciousness. What is progress in spirituality? More and more, our awareness becomes more and more. So many things we do like automatons. Our whole body is nothing but an automaton — it is a condensed manifestation of our old saṃskāras. Automatically the hands are working, the feet are working. We think we are men, we are women. All these things are what? Automaton. We are neither men nor women, realistically. The cit-chāyā — is it man or is it woman? It is only because of its identity with the antaḥkaraṇa that for a long time it becomes so. How to break this — that is where the meditation portion comes. It is a beautiful progression.

Verse 12: The Sūkṣma Śarīra and Its Nature

Let us finish this one, so now we go to the eleventh being clear.

He is describing what happens: the cit-chāyā and the antaḥkaraṇa become one. The cit-chāyā thinks "I am the antaḥkaraṇa"; the antaḥkaraṇa thinks "I am the cit-chāyā". The result is "I am the antaḥkaraṇa." When they mix up, what happens? "I am the antaḥkaraṇa" — that division becomes like a super glue.

So number twelve:

mano'ham kṛtyupādānaṃ liṅgam ekaṃ jaḍātmakam, avasthā trayam anveti, jāyate mriyate tathā, jāyate mriyate tathā.

What is the point of this particular verse? The antaḥkaraṇa, liṅga śarīra, and sūkṣma śarīra are all nothing but one and the same — different names for the same entity. So that is manaḥ ahaṃkṛtī upādānam — so that subtle body, which is the material cause of the mind and egoism, is one. It is not different. Ahaṃkāra is not different, antaḥkaraṇa is not different, sūkṣma śarīra is not different — it is but one.

Is that point clear? What we call the mind has got four faculties. When you analyse the mind and it is doing a particular thing, we give it a particular name — this is manas, this is buddhi, this is citta. But actually it is one and the same material. Through the same man: when he is cooking, he is a cook; when he is in the club, he is a club member; when he is in the Olympics, he is an Olympic player. Different functions, same person.

So what is the point he is telling? Do not ever get confused by these terms — buddhi, manas, ahaṃkāra, citta, and then sūkṣma śarīra, liṅga śarīra — it is exactly one and the same. So in short, what we call in English "the mind" — that is a better word. Mind is one. What is its nature? First, its nature is insentiency — jaḍātmakam. By itself it is insentient. When does it become sentient? When the cit-chāyā comes and becomes one, which we discussed earlier — then it says "I am the mind." Then it starts using the word "I." Until that time it cannot even say "I am the mind," because it is not even aware that it is the mind.

And it is one — that is an important point for us. So let us not get confused by different words. "This is sūkṣma śarīra, this is ahaṃkāra, this is buddhi — then what is what?" It is all nothing but one and the same.

Then it is liṅgam — liṅgam means subtle. That is why we call it the subtle body. That is why another name for sūkṣma śarīra is liṅga śarīra. So what does this sūkṣma śarīra do? Avasthā trayam anveti — it goes through these three different states, which we had already discussed: suṣupti, svapna, and jāgrat.

Then he adds one here: jāyate mriyate tathā. It itself does not have repeated births and deaths. But it identifies itself with the physical body so intimately that whenever the physical body is born, it says "I am born." When the physical body dies, it feels "I am dying." Who says "I am dying"?

So you see: this is described because how did we come to this state of bondage at all? The whole saṃsāra depends upon this mind. What is the whole saṃsāra? All the saṃsāra is nothing but experiencing it in three different ways — suṣupti, jāgrat, svapna. Is there anything else? Even if you go to heaven, it still falls within jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti only. There is nothing else.

So what is the problem? Mixing the experiencer, the dṛk, with the dṛśya. So this dṛśya falls into three categories: jāgrat, svapna, and suṣupti. This is dṛśya.

So who created this so-called dṛśya? How came this dṛśya ever into existence? How wonderfully he is taking us. First he is telling: this is the dṛk and this is the dṛśya. First there are three types of dṛks, but from the ultimate point of view there is only one dṛk, and from the ultimate point of view everything else is dṛśya only. This dṛśya is nothing but antaḥkaraṇa.

This antaḥkaraṇa, by whatever name you call it, goes through this process of jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti by turns. So what is bondage? Going through these three conditions ceaselessly, helplessly — that is called saṃsāra.

The Two Powers of Māyā

How did this saṃsāra come about? Because if you want to prescribe a medicine, you must first diagnose the cause, and then only the remedy. So now he is coming to this point. What is it that brings about this dṛk-dṛśya saṃyoga? Māyā. The moment dṛśya is created, the dṛk is created, because the dṛśya is meaningless without the dṛk; the dṛk is meaningless without the dṛśya. Brahman is neither dṛk nor dṛśya. So this point is clear.

So what is the nature of that māyā? According to Advaita Vedānta, this māyā has got two powers. Usually it is given as āvaraṇa śakti first and vikṣepa śakti next. In this text, he differs and says vikṣepa śakti comes first and āvaraṇa śakti comes later. But both views are wrong, because āvaraṇa śakti and vikṣepa śakti do not function one after the other — they function simultaneously. So there is no controversy at all.

Usually we are taught: first the nature is covered, then vikṣepa comes. In this text, he says first vikṣepa śakti projects, then it covers. Because vikṣepa śakti is there — but if you know it is the same thing dressed in a different dress, then there is no bondage. So āvaraṇa śakti also must be there. That's why Muslims are so practical — they cover with burqā. There are reasons for that; we won't go into that.

Verse 13: The Two Powers of Māyā — Vikṣepa and Āvaraṇa

So let us go to the 13th:

vikṣepa śaktiḥ liṅgādi, brahmāṇḍāntaṃ jagat sṛjat, māyāyāḥ śakti dvayam, dvayam śakti hi.

Māyā — the powers of māyā are twofold. Dvayam — śakti always means that which is acting. If it is not acting, it is called Brahman. When it is not acting, it is called Brahman; when it is acting, it is called śakti. In Ṭhākur's words.

So what are those? Vikṣepa, āvaraṇa rūpakam — vikṣepa and āvaraṇa. So what is vikṣepa and what is āvaraṇa? Āvaraṇa means covering the nature of a thing. Vikṣepa means representing it as something totally different. And this covering is always partial, not complete. Because māyā itself needs the power of Brahman to function.

The example given is: the sun, the cloud, and us. We are here, the sun is shining, and suddenly a huge cloud comes and covers the sun. This is a wonderful example. Before the cloud came, we were able to see the sun. After the cloud came, we are not able to see the sun. The cloud is the production of the sun — the cloud depends for its formation entirely on the sun. If there were no sun, there would be no cloud at all. Now the cloud has come and it covers the sun. Not only that — even to know that it is a cloud, we need sunlight. If it is completely dark, there can be a cloud, but you will not know it is a cloud. So because of the sun, the cloud is created; because of the sun, the cloud is also illuminated, revealed.

Exactly the same way: because of Brahman, māyā is created; because of Brahman, māyā is also illuminated. How do we know it is māyā? Because of Brahman. I am saying "I am the body" — how are you able to say "I am the body"? Because that "I am" part is constantly there. So that is why Vedānta tells: māyā has only half power. Half Brahman, half māyā — that is called māyā. So how it works, he explains it further.

The Rope and Snake Analogy

Here is a rope. To express it in language, you say "there is a rope." In this sentence there are two parts: the existence part and the "ropeness" part. "There is" belongs to the existence part; "ropeness" is a separate issue. It is a manifestation of that general existence into a particular.

Just like: "here is a table." In the sentence "this is a table," you have to divide it. "This is" — what are you talking about? Wood. Instead of saying "this is a wooden table," we are simply shortening it to "this is a table." But by "this is" you mean wood. Wood is the material; "table" is nāma rūpa. That point is clear.

So here: "there is a rope." "There is" belongs to existence. Now, that existence is neither wood nor rope — it is existence, pure existence. A small part of that, like foam on the ocean. Without the ocean, will the bubble ever exist? It is not possible. It has come out of the ocean, it remains on the ocean, and it also again goes back into the ocean. How much part of the ocean becomes the wave? A small, infinitesimal part. That is why — sahasrāṃśena tiṣṭhati daśāṅgulam — only a small part of that is manifest as what we call this creation. The rest is ever remaining as pure existence.

So existence — a small bit of it appears to be, not even becomes — appears to be, because of nāma rūpa. "Here is a rope" — now when māyā comes, what happens? Simultaneously, the "ropeness" is covered and "snakeness" is imposed upon it. But we are still saying "there is a snake" instead of "there is a rope." So what is covered? "There is" is never covered — that is not possible. But "ropeness" alone is replaced by "snakeness." That is why māyā can only cover an infinitesimally small part of Brahman. It really doesn't cover; it appears to be covering. Just like the cloud seems to cover the sun — and yet, because of nearness, even a small hand is enough to cover the whole sun, "I can't see." That is the power. But for practical purposes, even though it is a small part of māyā, it is enough to create havoc.

Vikṣepa Śakti in Action

So what does vikṣepa śakti do first? Liṅgādi brahmāṇḍāntaṃ jagat sṛjet — it creates, as it were, or manifests, as it were, this universe. From where to where? From liṅga to brahmāṇḍa. Liṅga means antaḥkaraṇa, because the antaḥkaraṇa is the root cause of the entire universe. You close your antaḥkaraṇa — the whole jagat is completely gone. How wonderful it is! Our antaḥkaraṇa alone is enough to create the world, and also to sustain the world, and to destroy the world. In your whole svapna jagat — who is creating, who is sustaining, and who is destroying? And it is very easy. You enter into the svapna jagat and it is created. So long as you are there, it goes on without your least effort. The moment you wake up, you don't need to destroy anything — the moment you wake up, what a wonderful māyā!

That's why in Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, Śaṅkarācārya says, "My God, what happened to that world? Just one second before, the whole world was there, and now, within one twinkling of the eye, the whole world has disappeared. Where has it gone? What happened? What is this wonderful power of māyā!" He exclaims — that's what is happening. Every time we go into deep sleep, the whole world is gone.

Verse 14: Sattā, Nāma, and Rūpa

So, everything depends upon our — now is coming — what is this sṛṣṭi?

saccidānanda vastuni, abdho phenādi vat sarvā, nāma rūpa prasāraṇa, sṛṣṭi nāma.

What is this sṛṣṭi? Brahma rūpe — that vastu called Brahman, saccidānanda vastu, is there. You can only project the snake on the rope — so there must be a vastu. What is that vastu? Brahman — saccidānanda Brahman. There is a meaning why he tells all those things. Brahma rūpe, so he gives an example: the ocean is like Brahman, and on the ocean — phena, buddha, and laharī, etc. Abdho phenādi vat sarvā — phena means foam, etc. Nāma sarvā nāma rūpa prasāraṇa — all the names and forms and everything are projected on that itself.

Is that point clear? So what is sṛṣṭi? What is sṛṣṭi? Looking at Brahman with nāma and rūpa — nothing else. What is a table? Wood plus nāma. So the idea is clear. What does māyā do, how does āvaraṇa śakti and vikṣepa śakti function? They take the vastu which is already there — they don't create the jagat. The vastu out of which the jagat is created, or projected, is already there; eternally it is there. Now what does it do? It creates seeming nāma and rūpa. So Brahman with nāma rūpa is called jagat. Jagat minus nāma rūpa is Brahman. How simple it is!

Brahma satyam, jagat mithyā — the essence of all Vedānta is finished. When we say jagat mithyā, what does it mean? We are already seeing jagat. How do we see that jagat as mithyā? Remove the nāma rūpa. Jagat mithyā means: jagat means nāma rūpa — remove the nāma rūpa, and what remains? Only Brahman. That means: see Brahman without nāma rūpa, and that is called Realisation. That's all; there is nothing else.

Even now it is real only; it is not unreal. Even now, because the Brahman vastu has never disappeared from here. If you say this carpet is unreal, then you are denying the reality of Brahman, because the carpet is nothing but Brahman with nāma rūpa. So you can never make this carpet really unreal. The reality is Brahman, but you are looking at it through the lens of nāma rūpa. That is the simple fact.

Verses 15–16: The Interplay of Dṛk and Dṛśya Inside and Outside

So, having given this for our understanding, then he goes on. It is something wonderful. Now he has described the veiling power of māyā — saṃsārasya kāraṇam. So now the power of āvaraṇa śakti is given. What does vikṣepa śakti do? It creates — adds nāma and rūpa to Brahman. So what is the point here?

If I know that this carpet is Brahman with nāma rūpa, I have no problem. I am not bound, because I am still seeing — only I am seeing Brahman with nāma rūpa. It is like somebody who comes with a bear's skin covering from head to shoulder, but the face is not covered. You understand? He can never fool me, because the original face is still there. But what āvaraṇa śakti does is it covers this — and then we can't recognise.

A circus came to a town. There was a tiger and there was a bear — they were exhibiting. So the bear somehow died. The circus owner, not wanting the circus to lose its attraction, went to a fellow and said, "Look here, a bear died — but people don't know. You put on that bear dress and move and behave like a bear, and I will give you some money." He agreed. He was very happy; all he needed was to put on the dress. Suddenly, the cage door opened — next to it was a tiger — and the tiger jumped in. This fellow was about to start screaming. The tiger came in and said, "Shh — don't scream. I am also acting." How wonderful it is! If everything is covered, then we have no way of identification.

Verse 16: The Nature of Jīvatva

sākṣiṇā purato bhāti, liṅgam dehena saṃyutam, cit-chāyā samāveśa jīvasya vyāvahārika, jīvasya vyāvahārika.

It is beautiful. Because of the sākṣin — the pure consciousness — the liṅga śarīra or sūkṣma śarīra, that subtle body, feels its identification with the body. What is the identification? "I am the physical body." Who is saying "I am the physical body"? It is the subtle body. How did it get that idea, "I am"? Because of the sākṣin. The sākṣin is ever present. Because of the presence — the all-time presence of pure consciousness — that is what is cit-chāyā samāveśa. Citi means pure consciousness; chāyā means its reflection in the antaḥkaraṇa.

So when this cit-chāyā — the reflection of the pure consciousness — and the liṅga śarīra join together, what is created? This combination of cit-chāyā and antaḥkaraṇa — what is that state's name? Jīva. He becomes jīva. He thinks "I am jīva." What is the jīva? "I am the body." To say "I am the body, I am the mind" is called jīva lakṣaṇa.

Do you see the point? Is it clear? Because it cannot say "I am this body" — this "I am" belongs to the sākṣin. The body and mind are totally insentient. Now this combination — the body doesn't know it is the body, the sākṣin doesn't know it is the antaḥkaraṇa — but this combination says, "I am both the sākṣin, I am also the body, I am also the antaḥkaraṇa, I am the lord of the universe." That is called jīvatva.

Do you see the point now? The jīvatva is possible only through the admixture of both: the reflection — why reflection? Otherwise Brahman himself — the power of Brahman, the reflection of the Brahman consciousness, and the liṅga śarīra. When both combine together, then it says, "I am the physical body, I am the subtle body, and I am also the jīva." That saying "I am the body" is called jīvatva.

The body doesn't say "I am the jīva"; the antaḥkaraṇa doesn't know it is the jīva. But when this antaḥkaraṇa becomes mixed up with pure consciousness, then it acquires the ability to say "I am." It becomes aware: "I am the body, I am the mind." So who is a jīva? He who says "I am the body and mind" is a jīva. So simple.

So he says:

asya jīvatvam āropāt, sākṣiṇy api avabhāsate, āvaraṇe tu vinaṣṭāyām, bhede sphuṭe payātīta.

How is it possible for us to get liberation or mukti? He gave the nature of bondage: what is bondage? The creation of jīvatva. What is jīvatva? Jīvatva is the combination of the body-mind complex combined with cit-chāyā. Now, what is the way for liberation? Simply separate the cit-chāyā from the body and mind. The moment the cit-chāyā is separated from the body-mind, because there is no reflecting medium, the reflection also gets resolved into the original thing.

This is what he said. The character of an embodied self appears through false superimposition in the sākṣin also. What is that? The sākṣin says "I am the jīva." With the disappearance of the veiling power, the distinction between the seer and the object becomes clear, and with it the jīva character of the sākṣin also disappears. That is the remedy — the prescription.

The doctor has only diagnosed the problem, the disease, and also indicated the right medicine. That doesn't mean that as soon as the prescription is there, you will be cured. You have to follow. You have to follow in the right way.

A fat woman went to a doctor and said, "I want to be thin — give me something so I can become thin." The doctor said, "Very simple, I am giving you a prescription diet — you eat it, and after a month you come back; you will see a lot of difference." So after a month the woman went back, and now she had doubled in her fatness. The doctor was shocked and said, "Were you not following my diet?" She said, "Doctor, what a difficult prescription you gave! Along with my normal diet, I have also eaten the prescribed diet. Do you know how much difficulty I was having eating both?" So the prescription must be understood properly.

The Original Pure Consciousness as the Sustaining Basis

He has given here: it is the cit-chāyā. The original pure consciousness will never be affected, because that is the sustaining basis. Even to recognise "I am the jīva," that original consciousness must sustain us.

If you are not standing in front of a mirror, your reflection itself will disappear. The mirror itself is completely useless. The moment you break that mirror, your reflection also — where does it go? It merges with you. What do you mean by "merges"? Was there something? No, it was not there. It belonged to the mirror; it never belonged to you. Therefore, when that reflecting medium is destroyed, your reflection also will be destroyed simultaneously with that.

This is the prescription. How to bring about the separation between cit-chāyā and the sūkṣma śarīra — or mind, what you call the mind — all meditations or any yoga is only for this separation, either way.

Even bhakti yoga is only to bring about this destruction. What is that? That is why what is common to all yogas is the destruction of the ahaṃkāra. Once the ahaṃkāra, the "I am," is gone, then you don't even know whether there is a body or not — no body at all. You will never know. So whatever yoga you follow, every yoga has got only one goal: the destruction of the ahaṃkāra. There is nothing else.

Verse 17: Māyā Inside and Outside

So, let us move on. What happens?

tathā sargā brahmaṇoś ca bheda māvṛtya tiṣṭhati, yā śaktis tad vaśāt brahma vikṛtatvena bhāsate, vikṛtatvena bhāsate.

Now, what is the connection between the previous verse and this verse? Before, we said that this māyā makes two types of differences. What are they? It brings about identification inside us between the cit-chāyā and the antaḥkaraṇa — that difference it destroys, and therefore both of them feel "this is me, this is me." Similarly, he also said Brahman and sarga — outside, Brahman and jagat; inside, subject and object; outside, Brahman and creation. That differentiation also it destroys.

So in the previous verse, he said: what is the remedy? The remedy is that the difference between the dṛk and the dṛśya inside must be made crystal clear. The dṛk knows "I am dṛk, I am not dṛśya." The dṛśya also is to be separated.

Exactly similarly, what is the remedy in the outside world? The difference between Brahman and jagat has got to be separated. "This is Brahman; it has nothing to do with the jagat." The moment we know the difference, that is called jñāna — then jagat itself will disappear. Just as the reflecting medium is broken, the reflection goes away. So that reflecting medium is called māyā. Through māyā only has it come about; and through that māyā only, the separation — liberation — must also be achieved.

Exactly in the same way: the same māyā that brought about identity between dṛk and dṛśya, and between Brahman and sarga, must also bring about the separation. So inside, the combination has come; outside also, the combination has come. Inside, māyā should break this combination; outside also it must break the combination. That is why the meditation is both internal and external. The internal meditation removes the false identification. The external meditation makes the distinction very clear and reveals the real truth.

Now you understand why meditation is prescribed both internally and externally. So in Tantra — if you study, it is a beautiful combination of both removing the internal māyā and the external māyā. How wonderful it is! Of course, every yoga is like that only, especially Tantra. That's why you see the Divine Mother both inside and outside. Every object you have to see as the Divine Mother. It has developed certain special techniques to be able to do that.

Anyway, we will not go into that. So look here at what it is saying. Tathā means "exactly in the same way." What does it mean? Tathā means yathā — as it has been prescribed in the previous ślokas with regard to the internal condition. So exactly in the same way, this māyā covers up the difference between Brahman and sarga and makes them think they are one and the same. Therefore, Brahman — who has nothing to do with sṛṣṭi, the unlimited — thinks "I am the jagat." Inside, the subject thinks "I am the object." Outside, Brahman thinks "I am the jagat."

So that differentiation should be able to separate. That is what is indicated in the next verse.

Verse 18: The Remedy — Removing Āvaraṇa Śakti

sargena brahmaṇi kvacit, atrāpi āvaraṇa nāśena, brahma sargayoḥ, vibhāti,

Even here: āvaraṇa nāśena — by removing the veiling power — the differentiation, the crystal clear distinction between "this is Brahman" and "this is jagat," is revealed in front of us. Then what happens? bhedastayo vikārasya sargin — the moment you understand the bheda between Brahman and sarga, all the vikāras — all the changes that take place — belong to the sarga, the jagat, not to Brahman himself.

Now let me elaborate this point a little bit. Every object in this world — he himself is going to tell us — every object in this world has five parts: sat, cit, ānanda, nāma, and rūpa. So this is called jagat. What we call jagat is nothing but Brahman with nāma and rūpa. Now Brahman, in the outside world — as dṛk is in the inside world — is identified with sat, existence. There is absolutely no change ever taking place in existence. All the changes take place only in the nāma and rūpa.

One nāma, one rūpa changes into another rūpa, and therefore it gets another nāma. Just as an example: here is a table. The table is made out of wood. Now you call this a table. Suppose you break this table — when the table is broken, nāma rūpa is gone; wood remains. Out of the wood, imagine, you make a chair. Now what happened? That same wood which was before called a table is now called a chair. So where is the difference? Is it in the wood, or is it in the nāma rūpa of the wood?

Now you imagine this chair is broken, or you deliberately make it into a small flat surface — you call it a floor tile. So the table is gone, the chair is gone, and now it is being called the floor. What are you doing? You are changing the nāma rūpa; it is exactly the same material.

I have a wonderful devotee, Ela. She makes dough. First, when I am there, she makes dosa. After I have eaten the dosa, with the remaining dough, she makes idlis. So when she is serving me at the table, she calls it dosa. And afterwards the same dough is put in that idli vātra and she says, "Mahārāj, how was the idli?" — tasting exactly like the dosa only. Nāma rūpa changed; nothing changed, absolutely nothing changed. The whole jagat is nothing but change of nāma rūpa. Don't you see?

The body has certain materials. These materials — after the death of this body, actually this is a body, isn't it? Then it is small — what are you calling it? Baby. "Baby" is the name appropriate for that appropriate body. And when it becomes young, then you are calling it "young man," "young woman." You are not calling it baby. Then it becomes forty-five, fifty years old. Then it is the same rūpa, but dare you call it by a different name — "you are old!" Nāma and rūpa always go together; they have an invariable relationship. So if we want to change, we must change both. First comes rūpa, then comes nāma.

So the rūpa is the same — a fifty-year-old woman — but the nāma: "You are a young woman." See how much we get offended. Old people — men also. If you call someone "old man," we get offended. But "you are a senior citizen" — how happy we are! How much more can we delude ourselves? "Old man" is "old man" — that's all. There is no change in the substance. By giving a young man's name to the old man, this old man is not going to become young. We want to delude ourselves with all those things.

Summary and the Goal of Spiritual Practice

So, what is this verse talking about? Brahman is never changing — it is ever unchanging. It is not possible for it to change. But where is change taking place? In the nāma and the rūpa. What is the jagat? Brahman with nāma rūpa is jagat. But all the changes that are seemingly taking place are only in nāma rūpa. Therefore, when you clearly understand — by removing the āvaraṇa śakti — that the jagat and the Brahman, we are mixing up together, that is nāma rūpa and existence mixed together, separating as though they are separate. Really, there is no separation, because there is no object called nāma rūpa. Nāma rūpa is an idea in our brain. Wood, in whatever shape it is, is wood — nothing but wood.

But if we understand clearly — that in spite of changing all the nāma rūpa, no change is ever taking place in Brahman — when we have that kind of knowledge, the bondage falls off. How does the bondage fall off? We are deluded not by Brahman, but by what? Nāma rūpa. When we understand that nāma rūpa really is not happening, no change is ever taking place, and we are able to see clearly it is the unchanging material called Brahman — then we are never again deluded.

For that, sādhana of course has to be done.

Recap

So far, what did we cover? Māyā makes this problem. Māyā has two powers: āvaraṇa śakti and vikṣepa śakti. And both these wreak havoc, both inside and outside.

How does it wreak havoc inside? By mixing up the dṛk with the dṛśya — the individual subject with the individual antaḥkaraṇa.

How does it wreak havoc outside? It again makes Brahman appear as jagat and jagat as Brahman — because the material of jagat is none other than Brahman itself, in the form of nāma and rūpa.

So what is the remedy? Get rid of these two powers. And what happens when we remove the māyā śaktis, both śaktis? If you remove one, the other also goes, because both are simultaneously working — they are the two powers of the same māyā. So if you remove one, the other also will go away.

Then what happens? We see crystal clearly: "this is dṛśya and this is dṛk." And when we see clearly outside that this is Brahman — existence — and this is nāma rūpa, which is called jagat, another name for existence — then we will never again be deluded.

An Illustration

As a simple crude illustration: somebody is trying to make some sweet. Usually we associate a sweet with a particular nāma and rūpa. But whether you make rasgullā, whether you make sandeś, whether you make rasamalai — whatever you make — the basic material is milk. It is the same: milk. Adding sugar is also common to everything. It is only a bit of nāma rūpa difference, not much.

But we are deluded. "I like this, I don't like that." But if we understand the difference — it is all made up of exactly the same material — once we know everything is of the same material, where is the question of likes and dislikes? If it is two different objects, then "I like this, I don't like this." But if it is the same material, there is no question of liking or disliking. Then we become free.

What is bondage? Liking and disliking — rāga and dveṣa. If these two go away, what remains? Everything is likeable only. If there is no rāga and dveṣa, everything is likeable only. There is no difference. And then we are completely liberated.

"This is man, this is woman, this is plant, this is animal, this is living, this is non-living" — all these differences should go away. That is called spiritual progress: to see everything as Brahman, to see everything as one reality. Oneness does not mean degrading — it means seeing something as it is in itself. How? Sat, cit, and ānanda. Everything is saccidānanda.

So that is the goal. That is what we have discussed so far. I think that will do for today.

Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.

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