Mandukya Karika Lecture 131 on 29-November-2023

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

So we are studying the last fourth chapter of the Mandukya Upanishad. The commentary of Uddhavvada is equal to Tarika's. He divided his commentary into four chapters. We are in the last chapter. We have been in a bit of a discussion. What is it? That there are people in this world who go on telling this world is real and everything that we have is also real. And what is the cause because of which, what are the arguments by which these people tell us that this world is real. That is what Uddhavvada wants to put before our eyes crystal clearly. Upālambāt samācārā. Upālambāt means we are experiencing it directly. Samācārā means we are reacting to it directly. What does it mean? I see a tree and it is full of fruits or flowers, whatever. Then I see this tree was not there 50 years back. Then somebody put a seed and it has slowly become a seedling plant, now tree. So this tree has a cause and this tree is an effect. Seed is the cause, the tree is the effect. So this is called kāraṇa kārya pāda. And then samācārā, this is called Upālambāt, direct experience. We see there is nothing in this world which doesn't have a cause. So you see some object, you throw it up and it falls down. Why does it fall down? Because of the gravitational force. So gravitational force is the cause of that object falling down. There is no object in this world which doesn't have a cause because every object is an effect. So every effect must have a cause. So this is ordinary people understanding. But those who go a little bit deep intellectually, we say that. Supposing a person sees a snake and then he thinks it is a snake. Why? Because I see it and that is called Upālambāt, direct perception. Then the reaction, I feel frightened, scared and I want to run away from there or I want to kill it. Whatever reactions come, that is called samācārā. The whole universe is nothing but action, reaction, reaction. We don't know when this original action started. We can only take just a little bit surface experience. This is how most of us will be behaving. And that is being said, but this is no reason. So do I see a snake in semi-darkness? Yes, even if not, you also can mistake it. Now who can tell that how this mistake had happened? How this mistake? Though everybody, if it is an animal, it won't get mistaken. For a rat, it simply runs and then it starts even destroying that rope because it doesn't see a snake. Only a frightened person, fearful person who had previous experience of a snake feels that reaction. Everybody doesn't feel exactly the same reaction. But why different people have different reactions? That is a mystery. This is called māyā. Why mistake something as something else? Why we behave? That is a divine mystery. Just because we are doing it, doesn't mean it is crystal clear. We may think it is crystal clear, but it is not clear at all. So for that, elaborate arguments are needed. Some of us may be wondering, why not simply tell? Like Swami Raghavan, instead of entering into this peculiar misusage of words and confuse us. Remember, anytime you don't understand any of this terminology, understand one thing. Lord Buddha is not expecting us to listen to these talks. He is giving these talks to people of his caliber who are also of the same mental attitude and it is meant only for them. In fact, they don't want to tell this to anybody. So they call it rahasya vidyā. That is why many orthodox Hindu scholars have accused Swami Vivekananda. He said, you taught Upanishads in the West and it is what is called unlawful. Because there is a tradition, you should not teach it to anybody. It is a rahasya vidyā. It is a ranya vidyā. Of course, Swami ji countered and said that there may be some people. If 10,000 people heard my words, maybe one person understands, maybe one person gets benefit. If the other 9,999 people do not get the benefit, what is your headache? If one person gets the benefit, I am more than happy. This is called broad-mindedness. Anyway, that orthodox barrier had been broken. Somebody has to do it first time. Swami Vivekananda had done it. Thereafter, everybody is talking about Upanishad only. Nowadays, it has become very popular. Coming back, so remember that do not accuse Lord Upadhyaya or Śaṅkarācārya They want to teach it only to a few people. But since the books are available and time is also up and I am not getting sleep and somehow I found out studying these scriptures, listening even to the scriptures. One student came to one of our senior Swamis and said, Swami, do you know I attend your class regularly? Swami asked, is it so? No, why do you come? Are you getting benefit? I am getting immense benefit. This type of sleep I get here. Nowhere else do I get. Even at home also, I don't get that kind of sleep. Somehow, your magical voice produces that marvelous effect upon me. And Swami said, I am blessed at least I am able to serve you in some respect. So, we should not expect that we understand. But this is the truth. Truth is always hard. Nobody wants to hear the truth. Everybody wants to hear only untruth. We had a beautiful story. There was a real guru. He had some foolish disciples. One day, the guru decided to teach his disciples that ordinary people, they don't care for truth. They want only falsehood. So, he took them to a village. And then a peculiar person had come to that village. And he said, I will squeal like a pig. And you will not be able to distinguish whether a pig is squealing or another person is squealing. It would be so realistic. And he was collecting. The whole village gathered. And then when he started squealing after collecting money, of course, then everybody was hurrying and then clapping applause. And the guru also watched it and said, and then with a big voice he announced, I can show you something which can squeal even more realistically than this person. And all the villagers ran off again. Because they are not, they want some entertainment to pass their time. So, simply the guru took all the villagers in a pig style, pinched a pig and it started squealing. And everybody, they said, what? This is a pig squealing. It has no speciality at all. What is this? And then they all went away disappointed. Then the guru turned to the disciples and said, see, everybody wants only an imitation something, not the real something. It is absolutely true. So, with this background, the arguments are going on. You have to understand. That is why I mentioned this one. In our last class, we have seen that the real may not produce real. The real cannot produce unreal. The unreal cannot produce the real. And the unreal cannot also produce unreal because unreality means non-existence. The unreal, because it is unreal, cannot produce either the unreal or the real. And the real also cannot be the cause of the real because it is already real. And it is much more impossible for the real to be the cause of the unreal. These are the two arguments. And there are, there were a school of philosophers who are experts in logic. So, Daulapada will force you to use this kind of logic. Then we came to the 41st verse. So, as one in the waking state to false knowledge and builds as a real objects whose nature cannot be described. For example, because the statement is a little bit confusing. For example, we see in the semi-darkness a snake. We think it is very poisonous and it is looking at us and it is targeting only us, nobody else and we get frightened and we are shouting, we are shivering, we may even fall unconscious etc. How do you describe how this? A rope is forgotten and a snake is seen. This false knowledge, how did it appear? We cannot explain. It cannot be described. All that can be said is, yes, I was mistaken. Then after life is brought, truth is seen and then the effect of the seeing snake also disappears. So, many things we mistake. In fact, everything that we know is a mistake. This is my father and mother and they love me very much. It is the greatest mistake because father and mother, they do not love. They do not love any child. They love only their own child because it is this is my child, this is me. Similarly, a child also gives the illusionary idea, our children love us very much. That is also false only. How do we know? Let death come and then let us see how many people are prepared to give up their own life to protect the life of other people and that was what Sairam Krishna wants to illustrate. There was a yogi and he had a disciple who was thinking of renouncing the world but he thought his wife, his children love him very much. So, yogi gave him some medicine and then the effect of that medicine is the disciple looks as if he was really dead and when they were weeping, the yogi appeared and said, you do not need to weep. I can bring your child, your husband or your father back to life but unfortunately, there is a residual payment. What is the payment? One of you have to die in his place and the mother declined, the wife declined and then the disciple was just only appearing to be dead. He was able to experience everything and he understood the hellishness of people's requirements we love and then he said, let us go right now and this happens and we also understand that is real sannyasa like this. Now, the point here we have to understand everything has got a proper place, proper behavior. There is a time for Brahmacharya ashrama, there is a time for Vyasasrama, there is a time for Vanaprastha ashrama, there is a time for Sannyasa ashrama. So, we have to accept it as a mental condition, nothing to do with the age or anything. This preaching is there but according to our capacity, we will be understanding it. So, similarly in dream also, we can see peculiar things. An elephant is flying, flying elephant and people at the time of dreaming, they will never understand how, they will never even think how is an elephant flying. Now, they say it must be belonging to the Indra, must be Indra, it came and like that but when they wake up, they understand it is impossible. We cannot really determine this what makes us something unreal as real and the real as unreal. What do we mean? What makes us think God is not real? Though we profess that we believe in God, our reaction shows that we believe only in the world. For each type of person, a different type of preaching has to be given that is going to come in the future. Now, Upalambha Samacharad, this is the 42nd verse which we had been discussing in our last class. Upalambha Samacharad, Asti Vastu Pravadinam, Ja Isto Deshita Buddhai, Aja Dehet Vasa. This is the description of the worldly people. What is it? If somebody says like Udapada, like Shankaracharya, this world really does not exist if that preaching is given. Most people say you are mad. Why? Because I am seeing a tree, I am seeing an elephant, I am seeing in fact you. How do you say that the tree does not exist, the elephant does not exist, you also do not exist. How do, where do you say? This is called Upalambha. Upalambha means directly I am experiencing. I am seeing, I am hearing, I am smelling, I am tasting, I am touching. And then what follows? Samacharad. What is Samacharad? There are people, I was born and these are my parents and how do you say they do not exist? How do you say myself do not exist? And then they have complete faith in the Karmakanda of the Shudhis. This is called Samacharad. Samacharad means what? Those who believe in the reality of the world, believe in the reality of cause and effect. If I study well, I get a better job and I can earn more money. If I do exercise, I become more hungry and I can enjoy food better. So if I work hard, I can get what we call promotions. So like that for whatever desire I have, that would be the goal, then there must be a cause. So like that, the cause and effect. So for this kind of people, the Karmakanda, if I do this puja, then I will go to Skanda Loka. If I do this, I will go to Brahma Loka. There will be belief. It is for those people. Not only that. Ajate he prasatam sada. Sada means all the time. Whenever the topic is brought up, what is it? Prasatam, they start shaking because of what? Ajate he. This world does not exist. You do not exist. Nobody exists. And one clever fellow said, oh really, I believe in your teachings. What did you say? The world does not exist. And what did you say? You do not exist. And I accept it. And I see that you do not exist. And if you do not exist, your teachings also do not exist. What are your teachings? Nothing is real. Therefore, poof, they disappear. And then the whole world becomes real. There are people like that. These are called asti vastu kavadinam. Asti, this world is real. It exists. Vastu means an object. This world is an object. And it exists. Vadinam means those who believe in it. Do not mistake it. Vadinam means a debater, a shouter, a speaker, only person, a talkative fellow. No, no, no. Here vadinam means really they believe. We all believe in it. That is why when our problem comes, we run to Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother. And whenever I see such people, I invite them. Where are you going? I am going to Sri Ramakrishna to pray. Never ever pray to Sri Ramakrishna. Because the moment he sees you, he enters into samadhi. And only when you return home, he comes down from samadhi. So he will never listen even to your prayers. Go to Holy Mother. There is every chance that she hears your loving prayers. And lovingly, she will console you. Asti vastu pavadinam. Vastu means world. Asti means world exists. People believe. And they do pujas, homas, devta yatras. So scriptural readings. And what is it called? Hanuman Chagisa many times. Or they also chant Lakshmi Suktam or Bharata Dharashtram etc. And is it all false? No. It gives absolute result. In the world of cause and effect, it is very effective. If you don't do, no result will come. If you do, result will come. But the moment you talk, there is no world. There is no guru. There is no sadhana. There is no siddhi. If you talk like that, they become very frightened. God doesn't exist. He doesn't listen to your prayers. This happened. In the Gospel of Sairam, Krishna was getting. You know this peculiar character called Hajra. He started telling, do you think that if you pray to God, He will listen to your prayers? He was talking this exactly, this Advaita Vada. He has studied a little bit. No doubt about it. But that rascal, he used to do japam. Saying, oh God, I have got one thousand rupees in debt. It's somehow rain money so that I can get rid of this debt. So I also want bhakti. I also want a little bit of ma'am. But you don't lose anything by giving me a little bit of money. Because I believe you have got lots of money. He doesn't himself. He doesn't believe that there is no world. If there is no world, he doesn't exist. If he doesn't exist, he has never borrowed money. But he doesn't believe in it. He only talks about it. So Sairam Krishna was referring, don't go to the Hajra. These are children. They are still in the developing stage. We should not preach this kind of thing. We should rather encourage them. So he himself used to go to the Kali temple and bow down to mother, pray to her. And of course, he also used to grant many desires of his beloved disciples. So once he was giving lot of visions, etc. Some peculiar mystical experiences to many of his disciples. And the future swami, Srimanandaji, Baburao Maharaj. And he also wanted something. And mother did not give him. And Sairam Krishna also started weeping. Ma, give Baburao Maharaj also. Otherwise, he will feel very frustrated. And he may even stop coming to me. Everywhere there is this selfish motivation is there, you know. Then mother revealed. He will have knowledge, understanding. But not any mystical visions. This we all don't want Padmai Dvaitanta. At least not now. So Ajati, from the theory that Jati here means, don't think Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, Jati. Here Jati means birth. Ajati means no birth. That is, this world has never been born. Therefore, the question of its being and its pralaya, karma, murtyu, they do not exist at all. Prasatam, those who are always frightened of even hearing this Advaitic teachings for such people. So they say, the scriptures say that yes, yes. When there is God, He is the cause. When you are the effect, the world is the effect. And He listens. And He will fulfill all your desires. I wholeheartedly, Ramakrishna said, Holy Mother said, all the direct disciples said. And they themselves wanted something. They got it also. This is the meaning of this 47th, by my direct experience. And by the way, I'm engaged in all the rituals, etc. This world definitely exists. Such, I believe in it. And whenever I hear the theory that this world is a mithya, etc. And I'm frightened of that mithya world. For such people, Udayi, wise people, jatisthu deshita. In the scriptures, deshita means what? What, what? What is what? Jati, yes, yes. This world is created by Saguna Brahma, by Eshwara. It exists. It has a srishti. It has a sthiti. And it has a raya. And that is our normal day to day experience. You go on doing your rituals. It is absolutely true. They will yield result. Then you will get more and more happiness. And through that, karma yoga, and bhakti yoga, and raja yoga. Slowly, the mind becomes more precise, understands better. Pramana shraddha will come. And one day, God himself, with buddhir upayana samsthita, he will manifest in the form of buddhi. I will give them the right knowledge. But first of all, they have to be in a condition to receive. That condition of receptability is achieved through all these, what we call, karma yoga, etc., or upasana yoga, etc. Nothing is there. Then the objectionist are ourselves. Why don't you tell the truth from the very beginning, etc.? So for that, in the 43rd verse, Todapada is giving the answer. The scriptures are teaching specially for those people, like those who say that parallel lines never meet. It is not possible for parallel lines to meet at any time. That is the beginning teaching for whom? For those whose understanding power is very less. But the advanced mathematics teaches for the same people when the people is in a fit condition to understand that parallel lines do meet in infinity. Of course, we can never understand what is infinity. But for practical purposes, infinity means they are never going to meet. But the whole of maths is based upon, they can turn it into some practical usage. So we may not understand it. But the third kaika is practically reinforcing that why do these wise people, that means scriptures, that means rishis, teach a false teaching. Why do they give a false teaching by saying that if what you say that there is no world at all, it was never created, it cannot be created because if it is created, Brahman gets the dosha, the defect of changefulness. Something which is unchanging becomes changeful. And that is why Swami Nirmala says that for those who ask how did the infinite become finite, we never answer directly. We said first you tell me how did the infinite become finite. You ask me a reasonable question, I will give you a logical answer because by definition infinity can never become finite and vice versa. The finite also can never become the infinite. So in this 43rd kaika, what is Gautama telling, Ajāte rasatāṁ teṣhāṁ, for the benefit of those people who believe in the existence of this world that it was created by God, it is being looked after by God and in the end we all reach God. Ishruti says yes, yes, you are right. So ajāte rasatāṁ, those who are frightened of the understanding that there is no world, for them upalambhāt viyante ye, that is Ishruti. Play on it, play it too. Confirms, you are right. So we get what is called Srishti Vādhyās in Aitareya ātmana ākāśa sambhūtaha ākāśādvāyoh āyohadvihe anmey rāpaha ātyāpade et cetera, et cetera. This is what is meant in the second part of the first line, upalambhāt, because we are experiencing it, viyante te, we all see this world as completely real. We never think it is unreal. Something very strange is here. We know that everything is changing, we are aging, so the baby also in course of time must become old and one day anything that is born has to die. This nobody, none of us will deny. But still we think whatever we are experiencing, the genital world is real only. So Ishruti also goes along and says you are right, now take refuge in God, have complete faith, do whatever the scripture prescribes you to do and fulfil all your wishes. At a time will come when your mind becomes pure through all these means, then the very scripture of God will bestow His grace, chaitanya up, may your consciousness be awakened. So that is what in the 43rd karika is telling. This is the real reason why the scripture is talking about in so many statements, practically in every Upanishad, how this creation, sustenance and dissolution is taking place. Is it not a defect? That is the objection that comes. So sir, God by him, so you are preaching something and don't you think that thinking that this world is real is a dosha and these people, so will it not affect them if some knowledge is false knowledge, wrong knowledge, it will definitely immerse a person in unnecessary suffering. Is it not to do? No, it will not do. Supposing I admit that it is a dosha. What is a dosha? A scripture preaching for the sake of those who are frightened of non-creation that this world is real, it is created by God. So if it is real, even if there be any defect in it, it is only very small. And then Godapada explains it or rather commentators explain it. What is it? How do we justify this dosha? Says it is not a dosha. So if a person believes like the father of Vachiketa, if I do this, what is it called, use yajna, then I will go to Deva Loka and I will enjoy, Sardar Loka. And if I did it, if he did it, he would have gone. But then he did not fulfill all the conditions. So that means what? This is our condition. We know that we are praying to God for pure love, bhakti, jnanam, etc. But we don't want to really bhakti because when God by mistaking our prayers grants us what we call bhakti, etc., then our whole behavior will be like Nagamashaya or like Tukaram, like Nirabhaya and then we cannot reconcile it with our own unconscious. What is it? Like if I have money, I must give it to everybody. And if I have food, I must share it with everybody. I must share with everybody, not only that. Even if I go without that thing, I will be very happy because I am only eating through all their mouths. That is what Sri Ramakrishna said. What does it matter if I am not able to eat because of this cancerous disease? I am enjoying it through everybody's mouth. If we really pray for bhakti, jnanam, evaika, viragya, then if God by misunderstanding our intention grants us really, then we will be so angry. There was one Irish fellow. He could not live without drink and once he was in great difficulty, so he promised Jesus Christ, if you save me from this trouble, then I will give up drinking. And he was saved. And he was so happy. But unfortunately, his slip of tongue, he promised to God, I will stop drinking. So he went to the bar and the attendant who knew him more than anybody else because he used to frequent, almost live there. So he said, sir, the usual? No, no, no. I have given up drinking. So just serve me soda, water. And the attendant looked askance at his face. Anyway, suddenly he showed us, brought a big glass of what is called ice-cold soda. And this fellow had one taste. And the spout shouted at him. Could you not have added a few drops? All unknown to me. So I could drink. At the same time, I was not breaking the promise because I did not drink intentionally. But you stupid fellow, you could not even understand what I meant. So our minds are unconscious and longing for the worldly enjoyments. But consciously after reading Gospel, grant me pure love for God, etc. And we'll have almost better. That's why he says, OK, OK, OK, you do pujas and you will slowly develop it. Jati dosha. Jati means here the belief that this world is created. It is a dosha from the abhayaic point of view. But it is not a dosha from the normal point of view, abhayaika point of view. Na saith shanti. That means it will not really. It is a very small defect. So it is not going to tell a small bit. It affects, changefulness will affect. But not really. It is a dosha. Even though it is a dosha. It is only a small dosha. Don't worry. God will really make it up for you. But be a more faithful shraddhavan. Shraddha, bhakti, dhyana and yoga. And this is further to make this point clear. An example of maya hasti is here. So a musician was there in the previous times and he utters some words which nobody can understand. And suddenly a huge white elephant swing its trunk from side to side appears on that stage. Everybody can see it. It is looking at you also. Huge tusks, etc. But it is all the effect of magic. Not real at all. Any musician, whether it is P.C. Sarkar or your local fellow who also wants to be outdoing P.C. Sarkar. This is what is magic. Only appearance is not real. That example he gives. How come? That I am able to experience something. Because in the world he is not existing. I should never be able to experience it. That which does not exist can never be experienced. Much more we cannot react to it. That is called samachara. So an example is given. When the musician produces upalamba, nearly everybody, all the audience, whistle clearly. And if the elephant moves nearer to you, you get frightened. So upalamba, samachara. And you try to back away. You own the seat as far as possible. Everybody's reaction is the same. Mayahasti yatha uchchave. Just as we experience mayahasti, which is magical, or the elephant which is produced by a musician, yatha. We are experiencing. So what is the point here? Just because you are experiencing doesn't mean it is real. Just because you are experiencing and reacting is not a proof that it is real. It was in what is called hypnotism, in magical show, in your dream. You are experiencing what you went to the foreign countries, roamed about and came back. Narada saw when he got married, he got children, he worked hard and he accumulated so much money and one day a flash flood had come and he lost everything while trying to cross that very powerful river which was only a small streak of water before. And then Krishna called out, O Narada, why are you delaying? He came out. So many, more than 50 years have passed within a second. That is the power of, it is possible. So what is the point? Just because we experience, it should not be taken as real. Just because somebody tells you, honey, I love you, don't ever, you better get a bottle of honey and slowly start eating it. But no one can create honey. Whatever we experience and react towards it, the whole universe from beginning from birth to death is nothing but it is changeable. Whatever is changeable is non-existent really. This is the example, maya asti. Even though you are seeing this world, it is similarly seeing a magical asti, that is elephant, is also like that. Asti vastu padha vichate. That is the existence of this world is exactly like that. There is no difference at all. We see with it as though as if it is a real elephant and we react also as if this elephant we are all frightened of the elephant. Having given this example, now Gaudapada Swit wants to come that pure consciousness is now born. It does not move and it does not become an object. It remains exactly the same thing. Basically he wants to say in the 45th Kalika, yad yavasam chalavasam vastavasam padhaivacha aja ajala ajalam avastutram vijnanam shambham adhyat. Consciousness which appears to be born or to move or to take the form of matter is really ever unborn, immovable and free from the character of materiality. It is what its nature is what is all peace and non-duality and this is what he wants to express it. So what did he say? Consciousness. Vastu. Here vastu means Brahman means pure consciousness because our understanding this world is real or unreal, our understanding that something is moving or non-moving, our understanding that something is a tree or an object or a mountain or a river is all nothing but the play of the pure consciousness. And in order to make this point understand, very soon he is going to introduce this example of pradha. Pradha means what? First let us complete this one. Yad yavasam. Yad means birth, creation. Brahman appears as if it is born. Avasam means appearance. Yadi avasam and then there is a baby born. With that baby before birth it was Brahman, as if Brahman is born and what does this baby do? Chala avasam, as if he is moving. Usta avasam, as if he is a concrete object. These are the three examples given. Baby is born, baby as if it is moving, it is crawling, it is walking, it is running, it is jumping up and down, it is getting angry and it is enjoying, everything is and the person must be there. Usta avasam, only regarding an object we say baby as an object is born and baby as an object is growing and that baby as an object is red now and it has no vision. Similarly, ajam, aja, that which is never born. Aja means, ja means to be born, giri ja, giri ja, born of a giri. So kamal ja, born of a lotus. But Brahman is aja, it cannot be born. Why? Because the infinite can never become finite. The unchangeable can never become changeable. Achalam, it cannot move because infinity, where can it move? To move, only a finite limited object can move here and there. But being infinite, it is everywhere, where is it going to move? Impossible. Avastu pun, it cannot become subject and object because if it is one, who is to say whether it is born and it is an object? Object means whenever we say this is an object, there must be a subject and whenever there is a subject, there must be an object. Without object, subject cannot exist. Without subject, the object also does not exist. So avastu pun, there is no object at all. But then how does it remain? Ignanam, pure chaitanya, shantam, it is equanimous all the time because all problems come only from duality. That is why advayam, there is nothing besides it and when there is nothing besides it, nobody can steal, nobody can kill us, nobody can do anything, then the mind becomes and that is the knowledge. Pure consciousness alone is there, there is nothing besides it. So just as we say an elephant is born, it is moving, it is a huge elephant, it is avastu, all these are nothing but musician's magic. The moment he utters some words, only musician is there, it is a small bag is there. From his small bag, the huge elephant comes out. That is only an illusion created by his magic. So the whole world is nothing but, so this is the ultimate truth. But for us, the point, the teaching is, if you believe in the world, then you believe in the causal effect. What is the cause? If you want your own happiness, what is called kshatriya, ayurveda, yoga, I want to be healthy, I want to be happy and I want to be born to loving parents and I want to live a long time, 100 years, it is possible because this is the effect. If this effect is desired, then you must make that effect possible by producing the appropriate causes which is called dharmakanda in the Vedas.