Mandukya Karika Lecture 136 on 10-January-2024

full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the last chapter of the Mandukya Karikas, called Allatha Shanti, the extinction of the firebrand. What is the burden? First of all, this fourth chapter is more or less a summary of the earlier three chapters. In the last chapter, which is called Advaita Prakaranam, everything is Advaita. Advaita means there is no duality. And this Samsara is only dual. Even saying Brahman and Maya, that is only from the dualistic point of view.

So Gaudapada wants to establish that this Samsara, this world, really doesn't exist. And it appears to be very tough for all of us to understand. That's because certain practical things we forget all the time. First, what does it mean to say this world is Mithya? Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya. What does it really mean? Is it something so outlandish that it is impossible to believe? No, we have to understand it in simpler terms.

First of all, everything is changing. Would you really place your faith and your property and everything in the hands of a person who is untrustworthy? A changing situation is an untrustworthy situation. Only a person who is unchanging is called a Satyavanta. You will not hesitate. I will not hesitate. Nobody will hesitate to deal with such a person. Because once this person utters something, then he will never go back from it. But a person who is always telling lies, would you trust a person who is what is called a veteran of lies? Continuously, constantly, he goes on telling lies. Nobody will believe. Including him, he himself will not believe. His family will not believe. Nobody believes him. Nobody trusts him.

If possible, what is the conclusion then? That we do not wish to have anything to do with this person. That is what Gaudapada is telling himself. Everything is Mithya. What is Mithya? Everything is changing. Is it changing once a day? No, it is changing continuously, constantly like a flowing river.

Second, the world depends on our independence. It totally depends upon my paying attention. Most people, they do not think deeply. So, supposing I am talking with you, then you are also looking at me. Only so long as you are aware of me, I exist. Suppose you are looking at me but thinking that when I was in America, this is the most wonderful experience I had. Then your mind is not looking at me. That means it is not conscious of me. It means I do not exist for you. And don't use your clever argument. But it is only temporary. When I pay attention again, you are existing. Either I exist or I do not exist. So next time when you take notice of me, I am reborn.

This fact, most people do not understand. Every time we experience something new, it is reborn as it was. In time, when I am paying attention, when I am aware, the thing is born. It continues to be so long as I am paying attention. And the moment I think a second object, the first object is completely non-existent. Of course, we do not use such harsh terms. But we are accustomed to doing that.

So, Gaudapada wants to convey that the existence of the world upon which we play and behave as if it is absolutely real is not at all real. And what is not real is called Mithya. It is totally dependent upon somebody paying attention, and it exists so long as attention is paid.

For example, when we are in the waking state, the waking state exists. When we are in the dream state, we have entered into a completely different type of world. And when we enter into deep sleep, there is no world at all. Everything is covered. Thick darkness covers darkness. There is one beautiful Sukta called Nasadiya Sukta, where everything is covered. Who is that God to whom we can pay attention? Does God know that the world exists? Perhaps even He does not know.

So, a very profound Sukta is there. Swamiji used to go into ecstasy. The essence of this Nasadiya Sukta is beautifully expressed in a poem called "Samadhi" by Swami Vivekananda. You can say it is a rephrasing of this Nasadiya Sukta.

Anyway, coming back, what does Gaudapada want to say? He says this world really does not have any existence, just as a snake does not exist, just as the dream world does not exist. It appears to be for some time. But Gaudapada is aware. He is not an impractical person. He says all that I am saying is relevant only from the viewpoint of Parabrahma. From Brahman's point of view, whatever I am telling in all these so-called few verses that we have been dealing with for the last few weeks, is from the highest point of view. However, from our point of view, duality exists. And that is what he wants to say – so long as Samsara is there, which means time, space, and causation.

This is a profound word because another name for the mind, what we call Antahkarana, is time, space, and causation. Whatever object we look into, it has a birth, sustains for some time, and then disappears. That is what Gaudapada wants us to understand. Only so long as you are paying attention, it is born when you first cognize it, when you are first aware of it. It continues so long as you pay attention, and it dies. Janma, Mrityu is there. So, what he wants to say is that any object in this world, and this world is called Samsara, Samsarati, Nityam Samsarati. It is forever in a flux, in a flow, continually changing. So long as we are in Samsara, he pointed out, though we don't pointedly take notice of it, everything is in terms of Karya Karana or Karana Karya.

I provided numerous examples, repeatedly discussing these points to ensure that we can keep them in mind and remember our discussions. We have already gone through these points, and it's crucial to revisit them multiple times. For instance, I did not exist until my parents gave birth to me. We attribute the creation of things, saying that this chair was not here two days ago; the carpenter made it only recently. This ornament, this tree, and even new scientific discoveries have a date of birth, a period of existence, and eventually, they fade away.

Scientific theories, for instance, have a lifecycle. One thinker introduces a groundbreaking idea, and for a while, it dominates the world. Then, another thinker comes along, challenges it, and a new theory emerges. Galilean mathematics gives way to Newtonian mathematics, which, in turn, is replaced by the theory of chaos. These rules do not operate uniformly, especially in the nano world, where different mathematics, facts, and truths govern. The future discoveries of AI remain uncertain. Every worldly idea has a birth, a duration, and then it is either replaced or included in a higher concept.

In fact, if we contemplate deeply, the entire world is an idea in the mind. When we wake up from deep sleep, the waking world emerges. It fades away when we enter the dream world. The dream world, in turn, dissolves when we enter deep sleep. And deep sleep ceases when we enter the waking world. It is a continuous cycle of change. If someone sleeps a hundred times a day, the world is born a hundred times. Similarly, encountering someone who smiles and speaks kindly gives birth to our idea about that person – a good, sweet, and loving individual.

Parents often experience this with their children. When the kids are small, they are perceived as the sweetest darlings. As they grow up, parents may painfully realize that the dynamics of love change. There is a birth of love, a continuation of love, and eventually, a death of love. Everything follows this pattern. Why is it born? There is a cause. Why does it die? There is a cause. We exist in the world of Karya Karana or Karana Karya, and this is what Gaudapada prefers to term as Samsara. This is the essence of the next few verses, and he aims to prove it.

In our last class, we delved into the 57th Karika of the 4th chapter, called Alatashanti. Its essence lies in the understanding that everything is born due to ignorance, making nothing permanent. As Brahman, everything is indeed unborn, and therefore, there is no destruction at all. It's a profound Karika, requiring insightful explanation. Only those born with extraordinary intellects, like Shankaracharya or Gaudapadacharya, can truly grasp this truth. Even then, one may speculate that they have undertaken significant spiritual practices in past births. However, in at least one birth, they are blessed with the sharpest intellect, known as Dheevrutti or Dheeyo Yonaha Prachodayat, by God's grace.

An analogous example is Kalidasa, named so because Mother Kali revived his samskaras, leading him to become the world's greatest poet. What I am conveying, and what Gaudapada aims to convey, is that the entire world, Sarva, encompasses all living and non-living entities, including Ishwara. Ishwara is samsara, and samsara is Ishwara. Samruti denotes avidya, or maya. From maya, everything is born. Therefore, anything born is bound to undergo change, and whatever is changeable can never be called changeless. This is Gaudapada's message – anything born cannot be relied upon as permanently changeless. The changeless cannot be born; only the changeful is born. Maya itself is a changeful entity.

However, there is a crucial perspective to understand. This viewpoint is from the dualistic stance, the standpoint of samsara. We are already born, identified with the body-mind, making us samsaris. What we are identified with is nothing but pure avidya.

Here, we need to comprehend "samruti." "Samrutya" means by "samruti," and "samruti" signifies covering up the truth, a veil that conceals the reality, a vritti well-covered, is termed "samruti." "Avidya" is another name for "samruti," and it is synonymous with maya. But what exactly is avidya? It is constituted by time, space, and causation. When we declare something is born, we are inherently referring to time. Any activity occurring in time necessitates space (desha) and is purpose-driven. No one crafts a pot unless it is desired. Hence, everything that is born was previously in another place, unmanifest, and it transforms into the manifest, which is referred to as birth.

This transformed entity becomes experienceable and endures for a certain duration. This duration may be as brief as a millisecond; for instance, some cells are born and function within a billionth of a second before self-destruction. Birth and death are not absolute terms. A person may be said to live for 100 years, but in reality, nobody lives even for a moment. What am I discussing? As a whole, the body undergoes death, referred to as marana. However, Shankaracharya terms it as a twinkling of a second, signifying that everything changes rapidly. This is particularly evident in accidents where, in one millisecond, some people may lose their lives, altering the entire life experience for others in subtle or gross ways.

So, what I am conveying is that "samruti" translates to maya, avidya. If it is maya, it implies duality. "Karya karana" signifies samsara, and samsara implies duality. In this context, there is a subject and an object. I am stating as a subject that a baby is born, growing up, or experiencing. Eventually, at some point in life, it undergoes death. Therefore, I am the witness. Everything we experience is distinct from us.

Therefore, to expect anything to be permanent is the greatest effect of maya, the delusion in this world, referred to in the Bhagavad Gita as moha. This is why moha leads to visada, reflected in the very first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita titled Arjuna Visada Yoga. Arjuna represents all of us, as we attach ourselves to roles and relationships—parents, spouses, children—all of which undergo continuous change. This is the essence of what Gaudapada wants to convey in the 57th Karika.

The idea that something is born is an appearance, not reality. Just like a magician's hat seemingly brings forth numerous things, it is an illusion. Therefore, do not expect eternal love from anyone. Even the most loving person forgets you and the entire world when deeply asleep. Tena, for this reason, due to avidya, because it is called dvaitam (duality), shashvatam tena na asti. Do not expect it to be permanent. Whatever is not permanent is changing, and whatever is changing is called mithya. That is the truth.

Here, sadbhavena, bhava means a view or angle of perception. What is the angle? Sat. Sat is another name for atma, another name for Brahman. From the viewpoint of Brahman, Gaudapada assumes sarva because from the brahma bhava (Brahman's standpoint), nothing is born, indicating no duality. Whatever is not born cannot naturally die. So, sadbhavena hi ajam sarvam. From the viewpoint of Brahman, there is no birth at all. Ajam sarvam means this entire world doesn't exist at all. That is called brahma satyam. Whatever is not born, uchcheda tena nastivaya. There cannot be destruction. Whatever is born is bound to be destroyed. That is change. Whatever is not born, even if it appears so, will not die. That is impossible.

In summary, everything is born due to ignorance; hence, nothing is indeed permanent. In the realm of duality (dvaitam), there is no permanence, but in the non-dual reality (advaitam), called Brahman, nothing is born, and therefore, everything is permanent. Consequently, there is no destruction at all.

Gaudapada wants to emphasize that there are not two things but two viewpoints. He illustrates this with a classical example of the rope and snake. When a person is in ignorance due to darkness, they see a snake and cannot perceive both the rope and the snake simultaneously. If the snake were real, it would indeed have no birth. Reflect on this example: rope, snake, rope, snake. The rope is mistaken for a snake. However, the reverse is also possible – there is a real snake, and one might think, "I left a rope here, so it must be the rope," and attempt to pick it up. Mistakes are possible due to misunderstanding reality and taking one's imagination as the truth, akin to the dream world.

As long as there is a dream world, one mind – curiously referred to as "Advaitam" for teaching purposes – seems to give rise to the entire dream world, including living and non-living entities. However, in reality, there is no such thing. This example serves to illustrate that the dream appears to be born from the mind, but in truth, there is no substantial reality to it.

These examples take time to understand because once grasped from Brahman's viewpoint, there is no Advaitam. When a person realizes themselves as Brahman, there is no Samsara. From the standpoint of Samsara, there is no Advaitam; everything is true. It is the interplay of cause and effect, known as Karana Karya or Samsara, in which we wander in this world of Brahma. A person with clear vision sees the rope and cannot see the snake, while someone with a deluded vision perceives a snake. Similarly, Brahman and the world are not two separate entities but two perspectives, two angles, which Gaudapada intends to clarify for us.

Moving on to the next verse, the 58th Karika, Gaudapada presents another profound insight. The verse suggests that everything, all things and beings experienced in this world, seemingly born due to Avidya, are not genuinely born at all. This is akin to the dream world and the snake on the rope, a concept discussed earlier but now elaborated with additional examples.

In the third chapter, the term "Dharma" refers to all objects. Every single object in this world is referred to as Dharma, a peculiar term that we cannot alter. Audh Pada, having merged with Brahman, is unavailable for us to request any changes. We experience the entire world, including mountains, rivers, atmosphere, and mental states. From the viewpoint of Brahman, none of these are born. Not just from the standpoint of Brahman, but even in deep sleep, where discussions about Dvaitam and Advaitam, Maya, and Brahman do not occur, these objects do not truly exist.

Hence, Janma Maya Upamam Tesham describes the birth of every object in this world. Maya Upamam signifies that they appear to exist but do not truly exist. The definition of Maya is to appear existing but not actually existing. The word "Ma" in Sanskrit means "not." It reverses the notion of appearance. For instance, a magician creating a rabbit can also create an elephant. We demonstrate this regularly in our dreams, where mountains, the starry sky, the sun, and everything else are created. We are the greatest creators in our dreams. Therefore, Janma, the existence of everything in this world, is Maya Upamam. Tesha refers to all the dharmas mentioned earlier, representing every single object in this world, both living and non-living.

Every object in this world – they are not really born, but they appear to be born because of Maya. However, here is the profound insight that Kauda Pada gives us: 'Saacha Maya Navidhyate' – the power of Brahman. We call it the power of Brahman. And I have to remind you, just now I made a statement that from Brahman's viewpoint, there is no Maya. Only from the Dvaita point, Samsaric point, time-space point, and the mind's point – Brahman plus Maya, Saguna Brahma, Nirguna Brahma. All these divisions are from the mind's point of view, and the mind is bound by time, space, and causation. Remember this. If you become Brahman, then you will not say, 'What happened to that Maya? There was a wonderful Maya.' I read about it, especially in Advaitic works. But now I have become Brahman, and I don't see a trace of it at all because it is not there. Then what is Maya? It is the mind's explanation of why certain things happen – that is called Maya. Just like magic. We enjoy the magic so long as we remember it is magic. Suppose a magician produces a snake, then many people get frightened. But if they understand that it is a magical trick, there is really no snake. Many years back, I attended a 3D movie titled 'Honey, I Shrink You.' I don't remember the details, but there was a dog. And when you put on those special 3D glasses, then only it looks real; otherwise, it looks like an ordinary cinema. Nowadays, every big company is developing 3D glasses. There is an advantage as well. You can experience climbing the Himalayas, feel the cold, and have a more or less similar experience to a real person who is climbing. Such is the power of Maya. I wish you could quickly obtain 3D glasses so that you can better understand what we are discussing – what Godapada wants to drill and inject into our dead brain cells. So, Kachamaya – that power, which we are imagining exists like the power of a magician, creating this whole non-existing world – that Maya itself doesn't exist. Even the assumption or presumption that there is a Maya is also part of the Maya only. There is no Maya really. Sairam Krishna gives a beautiful example. If you go on peeling an onion, finally, you get nothing because it is nothing but one layer upon another layer. You will not get anything. So, if you go on searching for the Moolakarana, you will not find any Moolakarana at all.

So, what is the 58th Karika trying to tell? This world doesn't exist. And if you are experiencing it, I am experiencing it, we are experiencing it because of Maya. So, two things are denied. If the things that we are experiencing do not exist, the cause by which these things are supposed to be produced also doesn't exist. A non-existing Maya is producing a non-existing Jeeva and Jagat. That is the idea. It is a profound idea that we always take for granted. The world is Mithya, but the Maya power is real. Bhagawan has that Maya power, and there are any number of learned tomes, huge books. Ramanujacharya starts his Brahma Sutras with Sapta Vidha, what is called Maya Nirakarnam. Mithya Nirakarnam. That is to say, Maya doesn't exist at all. For that, a great reply is given. However, Gaudapada is telling, 'silly fools, do not waste your time' because Maya really doesn't exist. If it really exists, then Brahman will not be Brahman. And if somebody says, 'No, Maya can exist with Brahman, along with Brahman,' then Brahman becomes not only the object of Maya but also the locus of Maya. Ignorance should remain somewhere. You don't ask a table, 'Oh table, are you ignorant?' You don't ask because it doesn't have the problem. And if it doesn't answer, you get angry, you beat your head, you strike your head against the table; then everything becomes clear to you that there is no Maya at all. So, like that, the cause itself doesn't exist. Along with the disappearance of the effect, the cause also disappears. If you have understood this much, you have understood the variation. But let us not forget that we have two views. So long as we are ignorant, this Samsara is real, and the Karana of Samsara, Maya is real, and we have to do Sadhana. The purpose of Sadhana is to destroy Maya, and you cannot destroy Maya which seems to be unreal, which seems to be real. If Maya is real, something real cannot be made unreal. Destruction means you are destroying something which is existing. Nobody can ever destroy something that is existing, and you don't need to destroy something which is non-existing. Therefore, from the mind's point of view, dualistic point of view, all these discussions are there. So there is Samsara. There is a way out of Samsara, and let us follow that way and then understand what happens. What happens, what happens. Don't question because nothing happens. Nothing happens because there was nothing. There is no Samsara at all. When you wake up, somebody is trying. You are dreaming, you are dreaming that somebody is trying to wake you up, and you give a big shout or ask for help, and then give a big shout, and you wake up and you smile at yourself that there is nothing, no remedy is necessary. There is no problem; therefore, there is no solution. That is the simple way of putting that Maya itself. Karya, if it doesn't exist, Karan also will not exist. This Samsara is because of Karana. Karana is Maya. If the Samsara itself is non-existent, its Karana called Avidya, call it Maya, is itself also will not be there. Then I am seeing it. Yes, so long as you see it, don't say it doesn't exist. Simply say there is a way out of this net, out of this what is Lucknow, Bulbulaiya, there is a way out. That is what wants to say.

And to illustrate this one, always these great people illustrate so that dull, people of dull understanding try to understand better. yatha maya mayat vijat jayate tanmayo ankura nasau nityo na uchchedi tadvat dharmeshu yojana. It is very simple actually. What does it mean? There is a magician and then he takes out his hat and then he shows you a seed and then where is then he akara bakara something he will utter, he will wave his rod, magical rod and suddenly from that bija, that seed starts growing and it has grown five feet and it has beautiful mangoes are hanging and he tries to pretend he is enjoying those mangoes also, very very sweet bangina phalli mangoes like that. The seed itself doesn't have any existence then what to speak of if the karana is not there, karya will not be there. If the karya is not there, karana also will not be there vice versa. So out of an magician's illusory seed, a similar sprout is born therefore this sprout is it eternal? No, it is not. It is not eternal and if it is eternal, it is not destructible. If it is appearance, not real, you don't need to destroy it. That is what he wants to convey into our brains. That which is not eternal, it cannot also be destroyed. We should say, put it in another way, we do not need to destroy it. There is no need to destroy it because what doesn't exist, you need not do anything about it. So therefore we have to put the logic in the same manner use this logic in the same manner in the case of all dharmas. Now let us see a slide So Maya, Mayat, Bijat. This magical seed Tanmayaha similar type. If it is a mango seed, you don't expect a neem tree. If it is a egg of a chicken, you don't expect a tiger to come out of it. So similar type of Ankuraha, seedling and it grows and what can we do with that seedling? It is not permanent. Why is it not permanent? Because it was not there earlier. Whatever is not, was not earlier will not be there later on also. Therefore it is not Nitya. And therefore Na Uchchedi. You cannot destroy it because you can destroy what is real. No. Even whatever is real, you cannot destroy. Whatever is unreal, also you cannot destroy. If it is real, it is indestructible. Remember that is Trikaleshu Yath Vartate Tadeva Sathyam. Whatever doesn't change in three modes of time, alone is called real. And so whatever is unreal, there is no need because if it doesn't exist, you need not really do anything about it. And if you have understood this idea, Tadvat, like this Maya Bija Dharmeshu Yojana apply the same logic to the entire world. The world was never born and it was not existing. All the shed Urmesh changes, sixfold changes are unreal. We are only imagining. An imaginary mind is imagining all these things. Nothing is really real. And therefore, you apply the same logic. Just a magician's trick in which a sprout and a plant comes from a magical seed in a short time.

Similarly, this world is also a magical creation by Ishwara. Ishwara means Maya Saita. Just like the magical tree is not really existent, this Samsara, this world is also nonexistent. Not only that, and it is said that Avidya is the cause of the universe. It is only our mind's thinking. It is a philosophical proposition. It really means that neither Karya, if Karya is unreal, Karna is also unreal. And Brahman is beyond Karya and Karna, cause and effect. This whole topic is about that which is changing and that which is unreal. It is to drill that idea. We move on to 60. नाजेषु सर्वधर्मेषु शाष्वत अशाष्वत अविधा यत्रवर्नाः नवर्तन्ते इवेग तत्र नमुच्यते I'll give you a small summary, then we go into it. अजेषु सर्वधर्मेषु सर्वधर्म Here dharma, remember everything in this world is called dharma. सर्वधर्मेषु That is this entire samsara and consisting of so many billions and billions and billions of objects and they are called अजेषु. They were never born. Samsara is never born. So when something is not born, शाष्वत अशाष्वत अशाष्वत अभीत Names. What is the name? This is real. This is unreal. We cannot call them. So an object which doesn't exist you can't think about that object whether it is real or whether it is unreal whether it is permanent whether it is temporary and go on worrying about it. You should not use it because names are only to point out. अभीत means name. Names are only to point out any object. If I utter the word table then there is a corresponding object table. When the table itself is not existing then the thought whether is it real or unreal is a stupid thing. So only if something is real then we have to think. There is a name. It is real. I experience it. Whether I experience or not it will be there. Even if something is existing in the depths of the earth which nobody had gone if it is existing it will be existing. If it is not existing the words whether it is real or unreal whether it is permanent or temporary or temporary. I am making fun. So what does Godfather wants to say? So we are going on teaching. He himself has been teaching. This world is temporary. That is for the beginners. But when a person advances like you then what happens? You are bright students. This world was never there. Then you say is it unreal? The teaching that this world is unreal that you can understand what is unreal only from the view point of what is real. You can understand what is white only in the context of black. You can understand what is pleasant in the context of something unpleasant. So this goes together in this world. The world, the words that we use whether it is permanent or temporary or temporary is only possible if something is real. But something is real will always be permanent. It can never be temporary. So these words are Mithya themselves. So these words whether Brahman is real or not, Maya is real or not, Maya is permanent or temporary. Yatra varna. Varna means here the words that we use. Navartante. The question of using them doesn't arise at all. And when something is neither real nor unreal, something is neither temporary nor permanent. Vivekaha tatra na uchyate.

Where is the question of your discriminating when you don't see the world? What are you going to discriminate about? And when you obtain Brahman realization that I am Brahman, Vivekaha is not necessary. Only that is necessary when you see something because of ignorance. Then Vivekaha. What is the Vivekaha? Oh! I thought this was permanent. Now I understand nothing is permanent. Myself I am not permanent. Somebody's love is not permanent. Somebody's hatred is not permanent. Nothing is permanent in this world. Even that Vivekaha is transcended when we transcend the concept of the world itself. That is what Gaudapada wants to drill into our brains. In the case of all entities, that is all things in this world which are proved to be unborn in earlier karikas, the words permanent or impermanent can never be used. A distinction cannot be maintained with regard to a non-existing entity where words do not function. That is why what do we say that whether the snake is real or unreal, that doesn't arise at all. Whether the Swapna is real or unreal, upon waking up, nobody does this Viveka. No need. So that is what he wants to say. From the ultimate standpoint of the reality, from the viewpoint of Brahman, no epithet such as permanence or impermanence will not apply. So parna means a name, table, Rama, Krishna, these are called parna. That is why he quotes Shankaracharya yato vacho nivartante aprapya manasa sahaitriya and every day all of us sing namo namo prabhu vakyamana adhita. Swamiji has written that beautiful song of the Samadhi. Here he says nothing exists. So Anandagiri also says such epithets as permanence or impermanence which are correlatives or applicable to the objects of the relative world but you cannot apply them to Brahman. What did we study? Gaudapada was trying to prove there is no samsara, there is no birth of samsara, there is no power which causes the birth of the samsara. If we understand this much and that is what we are all aiming by saying God Realization, Ishwara Sakshatkara or Brahma Sakshatkara we have to understand that our goal is to become one, to know that we are Brahman. Once we become whether the world was existing, somehow I crossed over it and thank God and I have become free. Such things are completely irrelevant after Realization. But this is from the Brahman's point of view. But for us sadhakas we have to apply this viveka and try to find out God alone is real and God will not change. Do not rely upon anything excepting God.