Mandukya Karika Lecture 120 on 13-September-2023

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We have started the fourth chapter. It is called Alata Shanti Prakaranam. And there are hundred shlokas, also called Karikas, are there. We have already dealt about eight or nine in the past classes. The essence of this fourth chapter is the summarization. Very strange! Summarization should be much less than all other Karikas put together, not even probably about a hundred will be there. The summarization itself will be a hundred. But very interesting explanations or exercises in reasoning is going to take place. We have already seen some of them. And in our last class, we were dealing with a very beautiful Karika which confirms the main essential teachings of the scriptures called Vedas, also called Upanishads. And this is a commentary by Gaudapada Acharya on Mandukya Upanishad. Now, what does he want to say? Remember, Swamiji had proclaimed again and again,

Shrinwantu vishwe amritasya putra Arya dhamani divyani thasthu

Vedam ayetam purusham mahantam aditya varanam tamasa parasthath

Listen ye children of immortal bliss, Amrutasya Putraha. Also, all the Devatas who are much far above us, but not those who are below us. Why? Not because they are not immortal, because they are not in a position even to exhibit a bit of curiosity as who am I. And they are not fit for any teachings. That is the only reason. Is this address meant for everybody in the world? No, not everybody. Only those who believe in scriptures are always already leading a very righteous life, Darmika Jeevana. For them only, those who are eager to realise God, it's only for them. But this is the ultimate goal, Paramapurushartha. So we have seen, Amrutasya Putraha, that is what is being referred to here. Swabhavena Yasya Dharmaha Amrutaha Katham Martyatam Gacchati. Here Dharmaha can be interpreted in two ways. One is the Buddhistic term, Dharma means Jeevatma. Jeevatma, as I just now mentioned, not every Jeevatma. Only those who are Adhikaris, for them only this teaching is there. The truth applies to everybody. But it will be put into practice only and this commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad is meant only for those who are Adhikaris. Curiosity mongers cannot understand it. In fact, they will give up very soon also. So what is Gaudapada telling? A most beautiful truth. What is the truth? If something's nature is white, it can never become black. If something's nature is black, it can never become white. Everything has got its own nature from which it can never deviate. For example, if sweet can be removed from any sweet, it no longer remains a sweet. But can anybody really remove sweetness from the sweet? It is impossible. Why? We are not talking about sugar. Sugar is the medium through which sweetness is manifesting. We see the same sweetness in mango juice and every other fruit practically, whether it is banana or lychee or so many other fruits. Some vegetables are bitter. That's why it is called bitter gourd. So bitterness, we are not talking about bitter gourd. Bitter gourd is only the peg to hang on that bitterness. In so many other things that quality called bitterness can be exhibited. So never mistake these two. Keep them always separate. If we add sugar to milk, milk becomes sweet. But it doesn't mean the nature of the milk is sweet. No, the sweet is added. The sweetness it acquires like water becomes hot. That hot water, that heat doesn't belong to the water. Water has its own dharma, nature. So no object having its essential nature called Prakruti can ever lose it. And once you admit that it loses, that means that is not its nature. So not losing one's own nature is called Swabhava, Prakruti, one's own dharma. Here we can use this word dharma in two ways. One is every Jeeva. So what is the nature of every soul? Amrutasya Putraaha. So Swabhavena by Prakruti, by nature, Yasya Dharmaha, whose very nature is Amruta, that is immortality. Immortality means infinity. Infinity means Desha Kaala Aparichchhedaha, that which is beyond space and time. Because what affects and brings about changes are called Desha, Kaala and Nimitta. So he whose nature is by very nature, who is immortal, Katham Matyatham Gacchati, how can that person attain mortality? That means mortality is not only a change from immortality. Mortality is in fact the very opposite of immortality and that can never happen. But supposing somebody mistakes, Kritekena Amrutastasya. Suppose somebody, as I gave the example, brings a black coloured mouse and go on washing it in surf. You can even paint it white but it is never going to change. It is only an external coverage that's all. Kritekena means by action, by effort, by doing something. Tasya Amrutasya, if anybody can make that which is Amruta as Martyata and that which has got Amrutatvam, can never become Mritatvam. But if somebody thinks I have become Mrita, Martyata, means I was born, really born and I became a Jeevatma, limited. The unlimited became limited, the all-powerful has become little powerful, all-knowing becomes little-knowing, that is called Jeevasvabhava. If that Jeevasvabhava has changed, then Katamsthasyati Nischalaha. So what is the logic here? How does this immortality which is attained by those who are mortal, mortality becomes immortal. Will it remain immortal? No. Why? Because once upon a time we are all immortal, then we are born and we lost our immortality, that is just the opposite. God is immortal, we are mortal. God is one, we are many. God is all-pervading, we are little-pervading. Everything is exactly opposite to infinity. We have become finite. So what happened? The infinity has become finite for whatever reason, by whatever methodology. Now the scripture teaches us that you can attain to that immortality. So it shows so many pathways called Yogas, Sadhanas and through Sadhana. Hrithakena means through Sadhana, through effort, somehow this mortal being, suppose he becomes Amruta, immortal. Once the immortal became mortal, what is the guarantee second time that again that fellow having attained immortality through effort cannot become second time immortal? What is the meaning? Immortal never becomes mortal, mortal never becomes immortal.

Then what about our thinking? It is our thinking that is going to come there, it is only our thinking. So a prince in dream might think that he is a beggar. Has he become a beggar? No. But his thinking has become beggar. Where is the change? Not in his royal stature, the change has come only in his mind. Every day we are dreaming this kind of worthless dreams. I may be in Kashi and when I go to bed, I may think, I may dream that I am either in UK or USA or I may be in Bangalore, whichever place attracts me, I may be there. And we are all dreaming like that. Whenever you go and travel, sometimes you find you have never left your place where you are staying, but you feel that you are there. But when you wake up, you think, oh, I was dreaming! I came to Varanasi, but I was dreaming that I am still in Bangalore. Have you ever been to Bangalore? No. It is only change. So what happens through Sadhana? The thought that I am a Jeevatma, it is only a mistaken notion. That mistaken notion will be removed and we find ourselves, I was always Brahman, I am Brahman, I will ever be Brahman, so to say. Even these words are not permitted because Brahman will never say, I was Brahman, I am Brahman and I will be Brahman. He cannot say that. This is the meaning of this one. So how can he who believes that the naturally immortal entity, here entity means Dharma, Dharma means Jeevatma, ever becomes mortal, maintain that the immortal, after passing through birth, retains its changeless nature? How can the immortal ever become mortal? Because immortality is its nature, it can never change. And the opposite meaning is that even if we think a billion times through a billion lives, that me, the Brahman, has become Abrahman or Jeevatma. Jeevatma means I lost my Brahmanhood and by Sadhana, I am going to regain back. That is also illogical because once we reach through Sadhana, our Brahmanhood and realize we are Brahman, how can we say that the second time we won't slip down? If once slipping down takes place, slipping down can take place all the time. That means what? We are not created. There is no world. Just like the birth of a snake. Did the snake really born? Once the light is brought up and we realize there was no snake, the idea of snake was in my mind and the rope has never become. Do we go on cogitating where from this snake has come? When did it come? How did it come? And how did it again become rope, etc.? That is why it is very wonderful.

Now proceeding towards the ninth Karika. Now Gaudapada is giving us four characteristics or Lakshanas of what is called Prakruti. Prakruti means our true nature. True nature means we can never become anything else but we have to remain what we are. That is called Prakruti. So ninth Karika.

सांसिद्धिकी स्वाभाविकी सहजा अकृता च या ।

प्रकृतिः सेति विज्ञेया स्वभावं न जहाति या ॥ ९ ॥

sāṃsiddhikī svābhāvikī sahajā akṛtā ca yā |

prakṛtiḥ seti vijñeyā svabhāvaṃ na jahāti yā || 9 ||

Here a beautiful definition of what is called Prakruti and four different examples to make the point clear. By Prakruti or the inherent nature of a thing is understood that which when acquired becomes completely part and parcel of the thing, that which is its very characteristic quality, that which is part of it from its very birth, that which does not depend upon anything extraneous for its origin and that which never ceases to be itself.

In simple words, Prakruti is that our own true nature which can never change, which will never change and which will remain always the same. That is the meaning of it. For that, what is Prakruti? To make us understand, four examples are given. What is it, four examples? In fact, Shankaracharya explains to us, Samasidhiki, Swabhaviki, Sahaja and Akruta. What does it mean? Samasidhiki means what? Prakruti is similar to the supernatural powers of Siddha Purushas that they are born with. I will give you another example. Suppose there is a person, he wants to become a musician or a scientist. Let us say musician and he works life after life. As much knowledge as he gains of the music, that becomes part of his personality. And once knowledge is acquired, it can never ever be lost. Very few of us know this particular law. So, if we acquire some knowledge, what is the knowledge? We never knew earlier, 2 plus 2 is 4. Now, when we attend the school, we come to know 2 plus 2 is 4. But remember the fun also. When a child is given by rote, 2 plus 2 is 4, 3 plus 3 is 6, 4 plus 4 is 8. You know, we go on shouting. When we were in the elementary school all these things the teacher used to make us memorize all these tables. But the real understanding was not there. This is only borrowed understanding and vyavahara is possible, transaction is possible. Even a child knows. Why did you give 4 laddus to my elder brother and in my case, you gave me only 2? He understands it very well. But why 2 plus 2 is 4? Only when we are more than 10 years old, most of us, we understand the real understanding. This is what we call inviolable law. 1 plus 1 is 2, 2 plus 2 is 4, 3 plus 3 is 6. There is no deviation. And once we understand that, that knowledge will never depart from us. This is called Prakruti. One example given. And here another example, just now I gave you. Scientist acquires knowledge. Before he acquired knowledge, that person's knowledge is the reality for him. Once he thinks, why does something thrown up into the sky falls down? Previously, people used to think there were some creatures and they do not like. In fact, some people used to believe that whatever is thrown up, something doesn't like this, and it throws its back on our heads with force as a revenge. But then somebody discovered there is the force of gravitation. And once that knowledge comes, any person who has that knowledge can never again go back to that old knowledge. That means this modified, updated knowledge becomes part and parcel of himself. But then you say, maybe what happens when his brain is damaged? A lot of things we have to understand here. According to Vedanta, the brain is not the mind. Brain is only a physical instrument of the mind. Mind belongs to Sukshma Sharira. Brain belongs to the physical body. So even if the physical brain is damaged, it is not losing the knowledge. But the ability to recollect, that is very important for us. Supposing there is a small aperture and something has gone inside and you want to pry it out. But you don't have a smaller instrument. So if you take a hammer and if you give a blow, what is inside might break, might die. For that you require a small instrument. But if the instrument is not there, you cannot bring it out. But it doesn't mean the thing is lost. So memory is one thing. Losing the memory is another thing. Once we get knowledge, there is no way we are going to lose it at any time. And that is why once we know something better, we cannot pretend that we have forgotten it and we have gone back to the old knowledge. It is possible sometimes we might forget it. Forgetting is not losing. Please remember this. Forgetting is not losing. Whatever we have gained, that will always be ours. This is called Sam Siddhi Ki. And Gaudapada gives an example. This is called Siddhi. Some people can fly in the aeroplane. What is the big deal about it? I am also flying. I also flew most of the time. And not a few feet, but 35,000 to 50,000 feet. I also have flown better than any bird. You don't see any bird there. What is so great about it? But that is not my nature. That is something, it is an instrument. What is meant is whatever knowledge we gain, it can never be lost. Temporarily, because of the lack of instrument, defect in the instrument, we may not be able to recollect it. But the knowledge itself will not go away. How do we know? Suppose there is this musician and he acquired a tremendous amount of knowledge. In old age, he cannot sing and then he dies. Next birth again, what do you think he will be born? Until we attain Mukti? He will be reborn and as soon as the body grows up a little, immediately the old knowledge will come back because the knowledge was never lost. Only the instrument was defective. That is how many child prodigies like Beethoven, like Mozart was a great example. In our India, Balamurali Krishna, even as a child, he was an expert in identifying different Ragas, even with the slightest variation. So this is called Sam Siddhiki.

Then Swabhaviki means by nature, some Prakruti is there. One example will be heat of the fire. So fire and heat can never be separated. Wherever there is fire, there is heat. And whenever you feel heat, then you must infer there is fire all the time. Wherever there is smoke, there will be fire. This is the connection. We may not see the fire, but if we see the smoke rising, we have to infer. Even though I am not seeing the fire, the fire is there already on the other side of the hill or some obstruction is there. Swabhaviki means like the heat of the fire, etc. And then Sahaja. Third example is Sahaja. What is Sahaja? A bird can fly. Flying is the very natural ability of any bird. So you can cut off its wings, but it doesn't mean it has lost the power of flying. But merely the instrument is not there. So we can walk. But if rheumatism comes or rheumatic pains come, then also we cannot walk. But it doesn't mean we have lost the power. As soon as that obstructing condition is removed, immediately we will be able to walk. So everything has got an intrinsic nature. That is called Sahaja means natural. Then Akrutha. That is somebody has not made something. The example given is like water. Naturally flows down. Wherever there is a lower level, it just flows down. These four examples are given. All these are called the intrinsic nature of things. And that nature will never be lost at any time. And I have a problem with the first definition, Sam Siddhi Ki. What is the problem? Siddhi means a Yogi, through many, many lives of Yogic practice, he might attain Anima, Garima, Mahima, etc. One of them is called the power to be invisible. So there is an incident in Sri Ramakrishna's life. There was a person, I think it might be Girija, either Chandra or Girija, Sri Ramakrishna's brother disciples, disciples of Bhairavi Brahmani. And one of them had the power of invisibility. What happened? It is never permanent because he misused it. So it is written in the Great Master. He developed an immoral relationship with a woman, rich family. And because he was behaving immorally, and when he was in that house, suddenly he was found in the room of that lady. And he was thrashed blue and black. And he was kicked out. And that is not the only thing, he lost that power again. How was he found? Because he lost his power. Why did he lose his power? Because of the inappropriate lifestyle. So what I am trying to tell you, the natural flow of the water, the heat of the fire, and the ability of the bird to fly, all these things are natural. But acquiring a Siddhi, one can also lose it. And at that time, he will not be called a Yogi. He will not be called a Siddha. Or you can call him thoroughly well-boiled by somebody. So this is the description of what is called Prakruti. But a better description would be, every Jeevatma, what is his intrinsic nature, not incidental nature? Having a body is incidental nature. Having a mind is an incidental nature. Sometimes happy, sometimes unhappy, is an incidental nature.

But Sat, Chit and Ananda. I will very briefly explain, because it is a very important point. What is Sat? Nobody ever doubts. No Jeeva, especially a human being never doubts I am not, I do not exist. Because even to say I do not exist, I must be existing. So that is Sat. What is Chit? If I have to know that I am existing, that is called knowledge. I know I am existing. If I don't know, if a person is unconscious, he will not be able to say, I know I am existing. So every Jeeva knows I am, and I know that I exist. That is called Chit. And every Jeeva, as long as the person is conscious, he is trying to be happy and trying to avoid to be unhappy. So this is the nature of every living creature, not only human, any living creature including a mosquito. Another way of saying it, Satyam. Satyam means corresponding to Sat. Jnanam, corresponding to Chit. And Anantam, corresponding to Ananda. Why is Ananda related to Anantam? Because Ananda means that which doesn't have a break, that which doesn't have its opposite. Sukha has an opposite called Dukha. Every dual object in this world, male and female, heat and cold, happiness and unhappiness, and respect and disrespect, and profit and loss, everything has its opposite. But this Ananda doesn't have an opposite. Why? Because it is beyond time, beyond space. Time means reality. What is it? Sometimes happy, sometimes unhappy. But when somebody has gone beyond time, he cannot say sometimes because sometimes is only an expression within time when we are caught in the net of this one. So how do we know our nature is Anantam? Because of our very behaviour. What is that behaviour? Whenever we are unhappy, even slightest unhappiness, we try to get rid of it. But whenever we are happy, even slightest happiness, we never try to get rid of it. That means our nature is this. Whenever we are healthy, we don't rush to the doctor. Doctor, I am so healthy, something wrong with me. So treat me well. No. But whenever the slightest discomfort is there, immediately we run. Not only that, when we see somebody very happy, usually we don't say that why are you so happy? Of course, we want to know what is the cause of happiness. We are not questioning the happiness. But when we see somebody is unhappy, what is your unhappiness? Are you suffering from a disease? And can I help you? So our nature is not to be non-existing, not to be non-knowledgeable, not to be Nirananda. Our very nature we don't question. But slightest deviation, imbalance in Sat or Chit or Ananda, immediately take the opposite view. We try to get rid of it. And that is our nature. Because nobody can get rid of nature. In fact, everybody wants to maintain one's own nature. That is why the only goal of life is So Sukha Prapti Dukha Nivrutti. Obtaining more and more happiness and getting rid of even the slightest bit of unhappiness.

Continuing, again Gaudapada is reinforcing. What did we learn earlier? We learned that Prakruti cannot be slightest way, also we cannot remove it.

जरामरणनिर्मुक्ताः सर्वे धर्माः स्वभावतः ।

जरामरणमिच्छन्तश्च्यवन्ते तन्मनीषया ॥ १० ॥

jarāmaraṇanirmuktāḥ sarve dharmāḥ svabhāvataḥ |

jarāmaraṇamicchantaścyavante tanmanīṣayā || 10 |

So the obvious truth which we had discussed earlier, which he himself umpteen number of times expressed so clearly and unambiguously. He is reiterating the same thing. Reiteration or what is called again and again telling is very important. Why? Until we realize God, we have to go on repeating. That is called Japam. Why do we want to repeat? Because if we do not repeat God's name, we will be repeating some other name. That is why. So what is he telling? Sarve Dharmaha Svabhavataha Jara Marana Nirmuktaha Svabhavataha, by their very nature. Sarve Dharmaha means all beings. Here Dharma means what? One's nature or Jeevatma. That is Jeevatma is none other than Paramatma. Every Jeevatma, Svabhavataha, in real nature. Jara Marana Nirmuktaha, Completely devoid of Jara and Marana. Old age and death. Jara means old age. Marana means death. This is the part of the sixfold qualities. Asti, Jayate, Vardhate, Viparinamate, Apakshiyate, Vinasyate. To indicate, instead of saying all these six, simply he said Janma, means there will be growth. Growth means there will be youth, there will be old age, etc. Old age means there will be disease, Apakshiyate. Then finally it will come, the person has to give up the body because it is Agantuka. It is accidentally it came. It came at a particular point of time. It is bound by time. And growth also takes place within a certain limit of time. And that which has come, Jo aaya, so gaya, whatever comes, it also disappears.

But what is the scripture telling? And Gaudapada is telling the scriptural words. He is only rephrasing Sarve Dharmaha, Jara Marana Nirmuktaha. How is he rephrasing? Earlier I quoted in this today's talk itself, Shunvantu Vishwe Amrutasya Putraaha. We are all Amrutaputras, not Mrutaputras. So Swabhavata, that is, is not something to be acquired. It is our true nature and we are Atmans. But what is the tragedy? Because of a special power called Maya, what do we do? Jara Maranam Ichchantaha Shivante Tat Manishaya. It is a very beautiful word. There is a corresponding beautiful teaching very often quoted by lecturers, etc. What is it? Manayeva Manushyanam Karanam Bandha Mokshayoh, Mind alone is the root cause of both bondage as well as liberation. So what does it mean? It means a person is sleeping and he feels he is in his own house. He has eaten very nice food, a beautiful house, beautiful family, and there was no danger. But because he might have read some nightmarish book or a mystery novel and he put himself in the place of the hero and the villain promptly came and at the point of gun, he bound him, gagged him, bound him and carried him to some dungeon and beating him black and blue. And then at that time, we often dream like that, what do we feel? We feel that we are miserable. Somebody had bound us and they are torturing us. This is our thought so long as that event lasts. Then my favourite example, oh you are a devotee and then you have a Guru and your Guru loves, helped you many times. Now you are mumbling because your mouth is gagged. So means Gurudeva, come and save me. Suddenly you find your Guru entered with a big stick into that dungeon and the other fellows were frightened because hefty, and then he comes and your heart leaps up in joy. What does he do? He comes to you, lifts up that rod and gives you the biggest blow. And then what do you find? You wake up and then what do you find? Did your Guru save you or not? So this is what every Guru does. He only wakes us up from this such a long, long dream. Sapana Jupare Mamata Tunagai Mere Manate It's a beautiful bhajan by Tulasidas. And he says, how many lives have gone? How? Sapana Jupare, like a dream. And one day we wake up because the Gnana Prakasha, Gnana Ravi, the son of knowledge, as soon as the sun rises, we also rise.

So like that one day the knowledge is bound to come to us. So it is our thinking that is being expressed here. Manishaya, usually Manishi is called a wise person. Here Manishaya means by that very thought. What is that thought? I am born. I am a human being. Why do I say I am a human being? Because even a mosquito is a Jeevatma. But a mosquito doesn't say I am bound. And really the scripture tells me and I have a Guru. My Guru also confirmed it that I am a Amrutasya Putra. The mosquito Guru doesn't come and shout. Shunvantu Vishwe, all the mosquitoes, you are all Amrutasya Putra. He doesn't shout. Only in the case of a few human beings, He shouts. So it is only a thought in my mind that I was born. I am the body. I have the body. I have a mind. I am the mind. And I have a house. I am the house. I have a car. I am the car. What am I talking about? Does anybody say I am the car? He doesn't say that. But his behavior is as if he is the car. Because if somebody scratches the car, who feels the scratches? It is only the person. So even though we say I am not what I see or what I experience, but a tremendous attachment to the possessions. And that is the first obstacle. Second obstacle, I am the body. Third obstacle, I am the mind. Means I am the thoughts. Means I am happy, I am unhappy, I am good, I am evil, etc. So that very thought, so long as that thought lasts, a person truly feels, like each one of us feels in the dream, as if we are not jarāmaraṇanirmuktāḥ but we are jarāmaraṇamicchanta. Svabhāvataḥ, all the Jeevas are by their very nature free from senility and death. But they think as it were that they are subject to old age and death. Means birth, growth, old age, disease, suffering and death. And thus by that very thought, they appear to deviate from their very nature. Carefully observe the wordings. They appear to deviate. But really they are not deviating. They cannot deviate because Prakruti can never be deviated. So mortality is a thought in our mind. Sadhana, what about Sadhana? That is also a thought in our mind. And what about Mukti? Mukti is also a thought in our mind. Nobody can attain Mukti. There is no need to attain Mukti. And one cannot attain Mukti. Why? Because I was always free. I was never bound. Who can say that a person who is always free is bound? It will be a wrong notion. But because of this misconception and what is the reason? Again there is a mysterious power called Maya. Because of that Maya, I feel like this. Once I start thinking I am the Jeevatma, others are also Jeevatmas, and there are Kshatroos, Mitras, friends, enemies, and the world is there, sweets are there, bitter things are there, and people with money, people without money, and all this, I have fallen into this worldly Samsara Vandana, and God is there, etc. So instead of assuming that I am a Jeeva, and only this is applicable to those who are really enlightened, awakened people.

You know, what does Ramana Maharshi say? He says, find out who you are. Then we have to ask, who am I? Am I really the Jeeva? Remember, I hope you remember, in our Bhaja Govindam Stotram, 8th number shloka,

Kaate kaantaa kaste putrah samsaaro

ayamatiiva vichitrah kasya

tvam kah kuta aayaatah

tattvam chintaya tadiha bhraatah

Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this samsara, this world. Of whom are you? From where have you come? Brother, ponder over these truths.

In case this has not sunk into our brain, in the 23rd shloka, in that called Mohamudgara. Again, Shankaracharya, so beautifully written, one of the greatest writers in the world, apart from his philosophical dispositions.

Kastvam Koham Kuta Ayatah

Ka Me Janani Ko Me Tatah

Iti Paribhavaya Sarvamasaram

Visvam Tyaktva Svapnavicharam

Kastvam, who are you? Koham, who am I? Utaayataha, where from have I come? Kame janani, who is my mother? Kome tataha, who is my father? Here, tata is not Telugu tata. Tata means father. And incidentally, grandchild is also called tata. Child also is called tata. Sishya is also called tata. It is an affectionate term. Iti paribhavaya, go on thinking, meditating. Sarvam asaram, that is, whatever you are thinking about the world, about yourself, it is all asaram, means untruth. Vishvam tyaktva swapna vicharam. Just like when we wake up from a dream, what would be the thought? That it is all a dream. So, in the same way, vishvam tyaktva. Unfortunately, it takes us many lives to enter into this self-enquiry.

Therefore, what is the conclusion? That there has never been any Jeeva. Paramatma has never been born. There was no world. If Jeeva is not born, world also is not born. And this is going to be expounded from the 6th verse to the 10th verse. Now, from now onwards, in the next three verses, the Gaudapada is going to talk about refutation of some vadas. What is the vada? Very important. But I will give you in today's talk a small introduction for that. What is a vada? Vada means theory. What is the vada? Whether this world was existing before or non-existing before. This world which we are in, was it an existent world which was born or was it a non-existing world which is born? And there are two schools of philosophy. One is called Nyaya Vaiseshika. These are all mostly irrelevant things for us. But the process of intellectualization is very important. It sharpens our brain. It helps us to apply that sharpened mind, intellect, to probe into other things also. That is why it is very important. Simply don't say I want only the essence, you tell me this in simple truth. That is meant only for a few people who have gone through actually all these processes. But in the beginning, we have to protect ourselves from a lot of things for that purpose this vichara is necessary. Those who believe that the world was never existing, but it was born completely as a new object, they are called Asat Karya Padins. And this is the main argument of Nyaya and Vaiseshika school of philosophy. What is the opposite party? Which is called Sankhya and Yoga school of philosophy. What does it say? It says if there was no clay, no pot can be produced. That is the idea. What do these Sankhya people say? They say if the pot was there, that is the example we will be discussing in our future classes a little bit, to give us a little bit, sharpen our, honing our intellect. So this Sankhya and Yoga, what do they say? That a non-existing something can never come into existence, like a hare can never be born with horns. And a Vandhya, that is a barren woman, can never give birth to a son. It is impossible. And I cannot present to you flowers grown in space. Space means empty place. It is impossible. Then I can bring you beautiful water, cooling water, especially in the summer season, from a Mirage, Rajasthan Mirage. If anybody says, we must consider that person as having no intellect at all. Not that he has a dull intellect. It is a complimentary thing. No intellect at all. Somebody was asked, who wrote Shakespeare's works? And he said, I don't know. There is a person like that. So this one is called a Nyaya-Vaisheshika. A completely non-existing object comes into existence called Asat. Asat means non-existence. They are called Asat-Karya. Karya means this world. Karya means an effect. This world is an effect. Pot is an effect. So there was no pot, but it came out. These are called Asat-Karyavadins. The people who argue in this way are called Asat-Karyavadins. And as opposed to them is Sat-Karyavadins. But they are called this Sankhya and Yoga. What do they say? A non-existing thing can never come into existence. It must be existing. And the opponent will say, if it is already existing, where is the question of its again existing second time? So the argument is, no. For example, a pot is already existing. Not as a form called pot. That is in the form of the clay. Clay is a lump, a lumpish form. But what we call pot, this lumpish form of the clay has been fashioned into a particular shape. That shape was not before. So the birth of a pot is not a new object. But the shapeless clay has been shaped into a particular shape and given a particular name called pot. And it is meant for a particular purpose, to keep things, to boil, to cook rice, or to carry water, etc., etc. And if anybody doesn't understand the simple truth, we call that person, he has gone to pot. I will stop here. And we will talk about it in the next class.