Kaivalya Upanishad Lecture 07 on 05 November 2023

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Kaivalya Upanishad. There was a great sadhaka called Ashvalayana. He approached the original Guru, Brahma himself, and asked him, Please help me in realizing my real nature, which is Brahman. And I also understand this is the ultimate goal not only of myself but of everybody. And in reply, Bhagwan Parameshwari said, There is a way. Those who are pure in mind, striving through the path of renunciation, come to ascertain clearly the deep import of knowledge, which is the essence, the theme of the Upanishads. They alone, in the end, gain the world of Brahman and liberating themselves from everything, gain the highest immortality. There is no other way for Moksha. One has to practice Sadhana. Sadhana is not to attain Mukti. This is a point we have to remember all the time. The purpose of Sadhana is not to gain something. It is to know what we are already, what we have already. There is a beautiful Sanskrit word coined, Swarajya Siddhi, attainment of one's own kingdom. A person, he was the emperor and he forgot he was an emperor. Somebody reminded him that he is the emperor and he did not get emperorship, but he merely remembered, which he temporarily forgot. This is what we get Arjuna also replying in the same way, Smriti hi labdha, nashto mohaha, smriti hi labdha, but the next word is very important, tat prasadat maya achyuta, by your grace. The grace of God is there, but we have to do Sadhana, not to obtain the grace of God, but to be capable of receiving the grace of God. Further Sadhana has to be done. And Sadhana, whether a person is an aspirant, is a Hindu, is a Christian or a Muslim or a Buddhist, it doesn't matter. Philosophical views, world views may differ widely, but there is absolutely no difference in Sadhana. What is Sadhana? Sadhana is spiritual practice. What is spiritual practice? That I have come to think I am somebody else, that I am not divine. That idea that I am not divine, that is called bondage. And the bondage will be destroyed only with the knowledge that I am not bound, I am really free. For that, the same procedure, the goal is the same, the Sadhana is the same, irrespective of the philosophical views. So this has been beautifully outlined, so rationally, logically and sequentially, by Patanjali Rishi. That is why it has become so popular, Astanga Yoga. And the advantage of the Patanjali Yoga is one need not believe that there is a God and there is a soul, nothing is necessary. If a person has belief, that is fine. If a person doesn't have belief, equally fine. What is important is to climb the steps and such steps are eight. And the very first two steps called Yama and Niyama, these are called universal, Vishwa Dharma, universal dharmas for happiness, either in this world or in the other world. People think spirituality is meant only for certain type of people who believe in God etc. No, everybody without exception believes in happiness and anybody who wants to be happy, certain conditions have to be fulfilled. Why? Because pain is a state of mind. Similarly, happiness is also a state of mind and if we have to attain to that state of mind, it doesn't fall from the sky, we have to painstakingly earn it. So the steps are same, Yama, Niyama. What is the essence of Yama and Niyama? Get rid of all negative qualities and acquire all positive qualities. In Gita's words, get rid of all the Asuri Sampath and obtain Daivi Sampath. This is the only goal. For that purpose, everybody follows Patanjali Yogi's directions. In Bhagavad Gita, the whole sixth chapter is only devoted for that. But here in the Upanishads, which are earlier and whose essence is the Bhagavad Gita, same steps are followed, whether we study Katha Upanishad or any other Upanishad, it is the same, only phrased in different words. So we have come to the fifth mantra. विविक्त देशेच सुखासनस्थः शुचेः समग्रीवशिरः शरीरः अन्तियाश्रमस्थः सकलेंद्रियाणि निरुध्या भक्तिया स्वगुरुं प्रणम्य Let the sadhaka, how does he attain God realization? Let him sit in an undisturbed place, resting in a comfortable posture. And he must be clean externally and pure internally. And he must keep his backbone, neck and head in one line, straight line. I explained also why is it so. Because our condition of the mind is very much influenced by breathing. And breathing evenly is possible only when this particular posture is practiced. So, one should keep one's neck, head and body in one line, should be held erect. And then, this is the physical posture. Mentally, the attitude of sannyasa. What is sannyasa? No relationship should ever provoke within us, even through memory, hatred, like, love and hatred. Likes and dislikes. Even if we love, that's a bondage. Even if we are attached, that is a bondage. If we hate, even greater bondage. If we dislike, even greater bondage. So, we should float above as circumstances present according to our prarabdha karma. We must, like a witness, we must go on observing. So, even without acquiring this quality, if one sits, meditation will not be fruitful at all. The whole purpose of all this is to rise above likes and dislikes, raga and dvesha. And the root cause of raga and dvesha is intense attachment to the body. That is why, what is sannyasa ashrama has nothing to do with physical style. It is a mental attitude of total equanimity of mind, not closing the eyes, not running away from situations, but facing the situations. What can be avoided, of course, must be avoided. But what cannot be avoided must be faced with equanimity. And then the root cause of success lies in controlling the senses. And the senses can be controlled only when we look in front of us some great example. And that example is called Guru. So, saluting one's own teacher with greatest reverence, as if he is no other than God. And after all these things, meditate within the lotus of the heart upon whom? Upon the Supreme Reality, which is described as the untainted, the pure, the clear and the griefless. That is what we are going to see. Yesterday we discussed these things. This is just to remind ourselves. Most important is a living ideal in front of us. And that living ideal, if we can come into contact, keep that company, that is called holy company. And Shri Ramakrishna's very first commandment for the realization of God is to cultivate holy company. Now and then, go into solitude and dive deep into meditation. Then always discriminate. Everything is changing. Everything is temporary. The only permanent entity, Vastu, is God Himself. And live in this world like a maid servant who works in a rich man's house. Why did Shri Ramakrishna have to mention a rich man's house? Because a maid servant, a servant cannot be employed by a poor person. Poor persons can be employed by rich persons. But no servant ever commits the mistake that the house I am working in and the people with whom I am working is my family. No, it is impossible. So we get the same idea reflected in the Gita also. I quoted yesterday, Samankaya Shirogreevam Dharayan Achalam Sthiraha Samprekshan Asikagram Swam Dishashya Anavalokayan Prashantatma Igatabhehi Brahmachari Vrateshthitaha Manasayamyam Achittaha Yukta Asitam Atparaha In total, this sixth, chapter 14th mantra, Prashantatma, that is, all the sense organs are controlled. Igatabhehi If it is a solitary place, if one goes on fearing some tiger will come and kill me up or some evil person will come and kill me up. No. If a person depends upon God, he should not have any fear at all. Then, Brahmachari Vrateshthitaha Firmly established in the vow of a Brahmachari. Who is a Brahmachari? A Brahmachari is beautifully defined as Brahmani Charati Iti Brahmachari One whose mind is firmly fixed in Brahman, he is called a Brahmachari. Or there is a secondary meaning. Brahma means Veda. He whose mind is always thinking on the lofty teachings, lofty ideals presented by the Veda, he is also called a Brahmachari. Because we have no idea about God, about the highest reality. And the idea we get, either from the Guru, and who gets it from the scripture, is all from the scriptures only. So for meditation, we must be presented with some ideals, and that is called, represented here, Brahmachari Vrateshthitaha, which here, so Sanyasa Ashrama, that is the Sanyasa word is used instead of Brahmachari word. And Manasaiyamya, so Mano Nerudhya, Indriyane Nerudhya, that was the, these are the words used in this Kaivalya Upanishad. And Manasaiyamya, that is what is used here in Bhagavad Gita. Machittaha, keeping, focusing the mind completely upon me. Yuktaha, that means equanimous, thinking only about God. Matparaha Asita, one should go on striving, only surrendering himself to me, O Lord, only you can really make me reach the goal. Nobody can reach God unless God pulls us up. That is the idea. We get it very clearly at the very essence of Bhagavad Gita. Now, we move on to the sixth mantra. So, here is a person, is a beautiful place, pleasing place. In fact, Patanjali Rishi himself says, one should not choose any place at random. It should be pleasing to the mind. It should be having good, what is called temperature, not too hot, not too cold, not high, not low, not wobbly, not full of thorns, not full of stones. No. Everything should be very pleasant and at the same time, of course, it should not put us to sleep. Beautiful place and the climate is very, very suitable and then sit there. After a few seconds, start calling God loudly with snoring. That is not going to work out. So, one should be very alert and Shri Ram Krishna's life represents to us this alertness. Whenever Shri Ram Krishna sat for meditation, two events have happened. He prayed wholeheartedly, O Mother, you please see that my mind doesn't stray from thinking of your lotus feet. As a result of this wholehearted prayer, Shri Ram Krishna started seeing a Paramahamsa resembling exactly like himself with a trident and threatening Shri Ram Krishna. That is, Ram Krishna himself kept a part of his mind as a watchman because mentally he was a sannyasin and physically also he became a sannyasin later on. But mentally he was a sannyasin from the beginning because he never had any Ahamkara. A person without Ahamkara is a true sannyasin. So, another sannyasin used to threaten of course that is a watchman kept by oneself. We also keep a watchman. We should keep a watchman. This is the first. And then we do keep at times, we are surprised. Supposing you have to board a plane at 6 o'clock in the morning and you will put up alarm, go to bed and then the alarm need not wake you up. You will be waking up several times in the night thinking that it is already time. You might also dream that I got up late and I ran and just as I was reaching, I saw the plane taking off. So, our fear keeps us awake. Every one hour we get up and see is it time for me to get up? It is time for me to get up. No, there is still 3-4 hours is there. Okay, let me sleep a little bit. Now, how are we able to get up? Every day we are not able to get up even with alarm clock and without alarm clock we are getting now. Why? Because the urgency of our work keeps a watchman. If I miss the plane, a lot of loss will be there. If we can also keep that mental attitude, if I cannot think of God properly, I will be the loser. If that idea is firmly established in the mind, then we also will not fall asleep. So, this is the secret of every great person doesn't become great just by sleeping. He will always keep awake. So, here is a person. So, let us imagine he has fulfilled all the conditions. Now, what should he meditate upon? Hint is given earlier a little bit on the highest reality. But much more detail is coming here. Very, very detailed in fact. So, God can be thought. In fact, there are three types of Upasana we call it. Upasana is the act of completely focusing the mind upon God and it should progress. The lowest state of Upasana is called Stadevata Upasana. For example, a person may be Krishna devotee. So, he thinks of Krishna and nobody else. This is called Eka Eshwara Dhyana. That is, God in the form of Maishtadevata. But as he progresses, he should not stop because the Ishtadevata should be identified with all the other Devatas. So, then Bahudevata Dhyana. That is to say, Maishtadevata is only manifesting as Shiva, as Kali, as Christ, as Buddha, as Allah, as God in Heaven, etc. That is, fanaticism should be overcome and inability to overcome this fanaticism will be a degradation really, both physically, morally, mentally. Even a person can become a demon by that. You see, in our Puranas, there are stories. Every Asura, Ravanasura, Narakasura, Panasura, Bhasmasura, you name the Asura, they all approached God but their character has remained demonic character. That is selfishness and they want to have the blessing of God, grace of God to increase, to intensify their selfishness. And that is, we have to be aware, a spiritual person whose very purpose is to get out of this selfishness. So, for that purpose, first Ekeshwar Dhyana in the form of Maishtadevata, then Bahudevata Rupi Dhyana. When I progress in spiritual life, Maishtadevata is only a temporary aid, but the same God is manifest as everybody else. And then, the highest meditation is one should go beyond both Saguna and then obtain Nirguna. All forms have limitations. In fact, the quarrel between one religion and another religion is only this. Everybody insists my way of thinking of God alone is the right way, the other fellow will go to heaven. What heaven? Where he will be suffering terribly. In fact, it is called hell. I alone will go to heaven, everybody will go to hell. This is called fanaticism. So to overcome that, we have to go beyond both with form, without form, beyond both form and formlessness. That was a great lesson taught by Sri Ramakrishna to him and to any one of his devotees, to Brahmos especially. Don't think what you think about God alone is the right way of thinking. No. Everybody is only approaching God in his or her own way. Children have their own idea of God and everybody also has got an idea of God, etc. We have to think like that. So, how to meditate upon God? That is being explained or given to us in the sixth mantra. विचिन्त्यमद्ये विषदं विशोकं अचिन्त्यं अव्यक्तं अनन्तरूपं शिवं प्रशान्तं अमृतं प्रम्हयोनिम् Nearly thirteen descriptions are given how we should meditate upon the highest reality. But first of all, where to meditate? And that is भरत् पंदरीक Every dhyana shloka starts only शुक्लांबरधरम् विष्णम् शशिवर्णम् चतृ भुजम् Actually, this is not a dhyana mantra of Vishnu. Many people think शुक्लांबरधरम् विष्णम् Vishnu means it is Vishnu dhyana. No. This is actually Ganesha dhyana. शुक्लांबरधरम् विष्णम् शशिवर्णम् चतृ भुजम् शुक्लांबरधरम् विष्णम् How do we know it is Ganesha? सर्वपिज्ञः पशान्तये Anyway, this is Vishnu and Ganesha. There is no difference at all. परब्रम् मरूपम् गनेशं भजामह It is a beautiful stotra by Acharya Shankara. Now, heart. We have to meditate in the heart. And the heart is always compared to a lotus. This is the peculiarity of Indian Vedantic mind. For India, a lotus is full of significance and symbolism. First of all, it is a beautiful flower. And it comes in variegated flowers, colors. Pure pink is there. Light pink is there. White is there. And different shades are there. Now, so many hybrids are also being developed. And it is multi-petalled. Either Lakshmi is standing or Vishnu is standing. Brahma is sitting. Everywhere, only this Padmasanastam. Even if you see, Ramakrishna's image at Belur Math. So, out of marble, they have sculpted out a beautiful lotus flower on that. So, what is the symbolism? That this is as open, completely blossomed. And it has got beautiful fragrance. Very faint fragrance. And it is our national flower also. Anyway, the heart is compared. Which heart are we talking about? Not the physical heart, which is a little to the left side in our chest. We are talking about the spiritual heart. Where is the spiritual heart? In fact, even Narayana Suktam also. Like that, there is a beautiful description. But this is only as an aid for meditation. But really speaking, a heart which is pure, which is without any egotism and which is full of bhakti, devotion, which wishes a person who only thinks the good of the other people. Like a mother's heart, which only thinks in spite of her own individual suffering. Every mother wishes the happiness, the convenience of the children only. So, Hrit Pundarekam and it is fully blossomed. And how it blossoms in different centers. Ramakrishna had given a marvelous description, which we rarely get even in the tantric works. In the gospel of Ramakrishna, we get a person resembling exactly like me. He has started his journey in the form of the Kundalini. And this Paramahamsa was travelling up and he transcended the worldly lotuses. That is Muladhara, Manipura, Swadhishtana and then only Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna and finally, Sahasrara. Seven chakras are supposed to be. Chakra means a state of spiritual consciousness. When the mind moves up from going far beyond the realm of the worldly object, that is called spiritual center. And every center, according to some rishis, has particular petals. Only the highest chakra, Sahasrara chakra, is supposed to have a thousand petalled lotus where Shiva resides. Shiva means Paramatma resides. Always we have accepted that Brahma chakra or Brahmarandra, Sahasrara chakra is at the top of the head. And when Paramatma comes, as we have seen in the Aitareya Upanishad, piercing the highest, the top of the head, Paramatma, that is pure consciousness, enters and starts working like a Jivatma. So this Shrit Pundarekam. What type of Pundarekam? And there God has to be meditated. How? Virajam. Raja. There is absolutely no impurity at all. Vishuddham is completely detached. No attachment is there. And then, Vichintya, one has to go on thinking. Vishuddham, with every heart beat, with every thought, Sarvabhava Iditam, as Kena Upanishad says, every thought that directly points out to that consciousness, Iditam, that consciousness, I am, I am, I am. And Vishvakam, Ananda Swaroopam, Sat Chit, Ananda Swaroopam. And then we get, this is what is called beautiful meditation we have to do. But Saguna meditation is going to come a little bit later. Now, for now, the Kaivalya Upanishad is giving how to meditate on the supreme reality, that is Nirakara Dhyana. Truly speaking, Nirakara cannot be meditated upon. But, we have to abstract, this is what is called abstract thinking. Abstract mathematics, abstract thoughts. And that is we have to cultivate. Unless a person is somewhat pure, cannot think of what is abstract. That is why Shri Ramakrishna used to make fun of the Brahmos. Even a six year old Brahmo child is deeply meditating upon Nirakara Brahma, making fun of him. Now coming here, these are some of the things, Virajam, absolutely pure. How you look at the sun and Vishuddham, no dirt can ever approach. Any dirt approaches immediately the heat of the sun, it is so intense. I don't know, 10,000 degree Celsius or I don't know exactly, it simply burns out everything. You know what we do when we want to purify something, we heat it up. Water is impure, you boil it and all the dirt and dust will settle down at the bottom and then you take out, cool, cool the water and you can drink safely, even if there are many germs, they will not usually attack you if we can boil the water. So many people come on places of pilgrimage and then they feel thirsty and they go on drinking all sorts of cool drinks, etc. which is full of germs because germs also like cool drinks very much and they make their home in the cool drinks or drink some water or cup of tea, cup of coffee and the cup will not be washed, full of these things will be there. So they drink and then stomach gets upset, so food and drink if we can control during the pilgrimage, more or less we can be safe. Of course some factors are there beyond our control, we cannot do anything. So, we have to think deeply about this Nirakara Brahman, Nirguna Brahman supreme reality is far beyond, there is no form, where there is no form, there cannot be any name, where there are no names and forms, there cannot be any qualities, that is how we have to think. How to think? That is, He has given so beautifully, what are the things that we are seeing here is so beautiful, you know first thing is Achintyam Achintyam Can I think of God? No you cannot think of God, because God is Ananta infinite Sarvavyapaka, that means He doesn't have any form and He is Sakala Guna Nidhana Anarana Madheesham Pragupati Varadutam Vatajatam Namame So, Ramanuja describes Him that is an ocean as many good qualities who is going to catalogue, how many good qualities are there, one can be a good cook, one can be a good listener, one could be a good reader, one could be a good sleeper, you just try, if you are a good sleeper, that means you are able to sleep under any circumstances at any place in any climate, you are able to sleep such a person is a good sleeper only when there is air conditioned room and a soft bed and it is all enclosed with seven walls so that nobody can by mistake also peep into that room and then you try to sleep fearlessly that is not a good sleeper anything anybody can do well that is called a Suguna good, auspicious quality so if this is the case, we cannot catalogue all the good qualities how are we going to think, because he is the hearer of the sound, he is the seer of the sight he is the smeller of the all smells and he is the thinker of all the thoughts, he is the decider of all the Buddhis, that means the pure consciousness we will never be able to think in its own right but we have to think so he is good, he is very gracious and he is always smiling at me and I know I am mischievous but God doesn't mind because he is my father and mother so this is how we limit God and Shri Ram Krishna's greatest teaching is that there is one thing you have to do, never limit God Bengali expression is beautiful you should never be able to say this much is God and no more than that and we cannot say even about another person even whom we hate that this person has got only bad qualities not a single good quality is there once somebody is talking to me and I make joke or opportunity arises that person is what is called all bad qualities why? because he always criticizes me I said that is the greatest quality he has got the ability to criticize you I think is the greatest good quality that person has got you should be thankful to him because instead of spending hundred pounds in some useless fellow points out your bad qualities he is telling you freely and many times and without appointment how grateful you should be to that person so if anybody criticizes you Swami Vidyaranya says thank him because he is doing the greatest good if you want your own good of course so Achintya means what everyday we are trying to think about it we sing opening our mouth but we do not think about it what is it? the very first thing niranjana how do you understand what is niranjana but nararupadhara yes, he has taken a human form and nirguna he doesn't have any gunas so how will you think anything, any object we think has got a quality gunamaya but it is full of auspicious qualities everywhere it comes there om rim pritam tvam chalo gunajit unediya and then namo namo prabhu vakya mana atita mana vacana ek adhar this is why it is called Achintyam yato vachoni vartante aprapya manasasaha you are not actually we are not able to capable of thinking of you but we are capable of thinking something that is because of your power even to say I cannot think about you and you are making a statement I am able to think about you as unthinkable so that quality capacity comes only from God you are the source mana vacana ek adhar then avyaktam vyakta means that which is manifest you see a tree it is manifest you hear a sound it is manifest so whatever we are experiencing through the five sense organs and even whatever we are able to think imagine visualize that is also vyakta only avyakta means unmanifest very beautiful avyakta vyakta yaha sarve Bhagwan Krishna says every being is only coming from the avyakta we don't know the baby is born but where from the baby has come we have no idea at all and after the baby passes away we don't know anything so how to think oh lord whatever we are seeing vyaktam vyakta cannot come vyakta is never eternal it always springs from avyakta so the cause root cause of everything that is manifest and you are that root cause this is called avyaktam then anantaroopam it is a beautiful idea even in the Vishnu Sahasranama as I pointed out many times the very first Nama is Vishwam and when Arjuna was given the grace to see God Vishwaroopa Sandarshanayoga and Bhagwan clearly says to Arjuna when he expressed I want to see your divine form as described by you in the previous chapter what is the previous chapter 10th chapter what is the 10th chapter called Vibhuti Yoga Vibhuti means what the whole universe is my manifestation I believe in it but I want to see you have direct experience of you and then he says anenaivasvache kshusha you will not natu shakhyase you will not be able to see me with this ordinary human eyes where you can make fun with me Hey Krishna Hey Yadava Hey Sakayate you will be able to do that with your ordinary eyes but if you see my Vishwaroopadarshana you will not be able even to hold it you will be quaking shaking and you will have terrible heart attack that is why Arjuna had to pray please withdraw your form because if I continue to see you in this way for a second longer I think my prana will quit the body like that so Anantaroopam that is the exact word Arjuna uses there Vishwamanantaroopa and as we have seen in many many places for example Narayana Suktam starts exactly the same way like Purusha Suktam what does it mean Lord you are only manifesting and in what form you are manifesting because anything that exists that existence belongs to the existential aspect of Bhagawan called Sat and every existing thing is endowed with knowledge which comes into our minds in the form of Vritti and that is what is called Gnanam Chit and then every object produces an effect within us and that is called Anantaswaroopam Anantaroopam that is if I have to attain to your highest reality which is you then even we should not use the word you because you indicate a particular person I should not use I, I should not use you, I should not use it or they all these are redundant but for the sake of convenient understanding we use these words, we should understand them in their proper Swaroopam Anantaroopam that is I see a beggar, he is none other than you, that's why Swami Vivekananda coined a word as Mahatma Gandhi coined a word Harijan that is Hari in the form of these Janas Swami Vivekananda Narayana Rogi Narayana Ajnani Narayana so everybody is Narayana only, there is a beautiful story, a saint was approached by a devotee and requested Swami please come to my house and have Bhiksha, that means I want to feed you, immediately the Swami said tomorrow itself I will come, so this person prepared all the devotion and capacity of cooking, because devotion is separate issue and the ability to cook is a separate issue, one should never mix these two together because I have seen many devotees, hopeless cooks and I have seen many hopeless cooks, extraordinarily great cooks so this Anantaroopam, this person prepared and at 12 o'clock, waiting, waiting a dog came, wagging its tail looking wistfully at the food and the fellow took a stone, pelted it and it ran away, at 3 o'clock a beggar boy came and this fellow scolded and sent him away, at 5 o'clock an old woman has come and she wanted a little bit food, I am going to die, I am starving and this person scolded and sent her away and the Swami of course, she thought did not come, next day she was a little bit annoyed with that Swami because annoyance cannot be shown to one's own before saints but they think that they can keep it in the mind, we are experts in that, so we go there, she went there and then she complained, Swami you promised to come, you did not come Swami smiled and said what are you talking about? 3 times I came to you first in the form of a dog second in the form of a poor boy and third in the form of a beggar woman, 3 times you have scolded me, pelted me and I had no option but to run away from you so we have to be ready it can come, God can come in any form that is why Swami Vivekananda's beautiful poem is there you know where are you searching my friend for God that whatever you see in front of your eyes he is the same God and forget about the other God, what you are seeing is nothing but pure God manifestation of Shiva only Anantaroopam everything that has existence is a manifestation of Brahman only Shivam, marvellous word, what is Shivam? auspiciousness is called Shiva and if it is Divine Mother we call it Shiva or Shivani and then we have seen Shakti also is another name, Shiva Shakti Aayuktho, Edhi Bhavati Shaktaha, Shaktaha Prabhavitum, Nache Devam Deo, Nakalu Spanditum Api, even to move a little bit Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara cannot discharge their duties if Divine Mother Shakti is not associated with them how? even those who are not Shiva's devotees even if they are normal people so Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati these are the Shaktis that is why Narayana cannot be without Lakshmi Lakshmi cannot be without Narayana we have to understand that Shiva means auspicious what are you talking about? is everything auspicious? so much of war is going on so many people are dying so many people are going to die is it Shivam? definitely it is Shivam because if you believe in the scriptures there is no death but if there is a death anyway death cannot be avoided as Bhagavan Krishna says even if you don't kill Bhishma, Drona etc they are not going to live forever and they don't want to live they are already one foot in the grave without you also they will die but the fate is there like that and what is this fate? it is called Karma Siddhanta I reminded you many times about it the only purpose of quoting this news is that really speaking nobody is dying but we must only have faith in Krishna's words is it not suffering? definitely it is suffering and that suffering is not brought about by wicked people by evil people no, it is because each person has done some Prarabdha Karma is there and is what is called Jati, Ayu, Bhoga is we earn our own Prarabdha Karma so the worldly people will never think like that they will even become angry if this kind of talk is given to them but the point is if we are destined to enjoy nobody can stop it if we are destined to suffer nobody can stop it and if we are destined to die nobody can stop it if we are destined to be still alive nobody can kill us that is why one then what is the next point through suffering we learn oh I must I am responsible after a long time human being wakes up and he understands whatever I am going through is the result of what I myself have done in many many past lives so I have to learn the lesson now we blame everybody and accepting our own faults nobody wants to accept no country wants to accept no individual no leader wants to accept and all the blame belongs only to the other person and we bring in God also to support our views so every event that happens in our life in each one of our life it not not necessarily we have to believe in God whether we believe in God or do not believe in God whatever happens is because of our prarabdha karma whether we were born in the past doesn't depend upon our faith if it is a fact it remains a fact if it is not a fact of course it will not be a fact but we can never explain what is happening so many things in this world if it is not a fact now so Shiva means what the process of learning from suffering from hardship why am I suffering so I must have done something wrong bad so next time let me not do it and let me lay the foundation for my own happiness this is called avoid Adharma and obtain Dharma and in simple words in today's topic this is what is called Yama and Niyama anybody who neglects Yama and Niyama can never progress in life this is called Shiva when a person accepts everything as for one's own good then the mind becomes Prasantham absolutely equanimous absolutely like a ripple less lake like a flicker less lamp in a windless place yatha deepo nivatasto na ingate ha upama smruta in the Bhagavad Gita we get it describing a mind which is which has risen above both likes and dislikes not being affected by anything that mind becomes Prasantham and then only that state of mind gradually leads one leads one to where Amrutam he understands that is what Patanjali Yogi wants to give by giving an example by very definition of Yoga chitta vritti nirodaha when our mind chitta means our mind becomes absolutely ripple less without any thoughts vrittis or it doesn't mean a sleeping person also doesn't have any vrittis but that is not a state of Moksha but let there be billions of thoughts but I will not attach myself to them I will be Nishangaha completely detached I just watch as we watch cinemas etc if we can do that then all the agitations they will be going on I have nothing to do with that this I which becomes isolated that is named as Purusha that is why Patanjali Rishi continues after defining Yoga Yogaha chitta vritti nirodaha here two definitions are given one is complete elimination of thoughts but that is a inferior meaning second is completely control the mind that means a person will not allow any adverse thoughts negative thoughts unspiritual thoughts into his mind but if we have to live in this world some events are most of the events are beyond our control then what happens when this person is moving about some people honor him some people garland him some people abuse him some people kick him Shri Ram Krishna was kicked by the family priest of Madhur Babu and curiously he was named as Bhakir and he was after riches, money, fame power and he thought Shri Ram Krishna had a special mantra and that mantra controls Madhur Babu if I can get that mantra I can also control Madhur Babu you know what happens a fellow wanted to control a ghost and his Guru told him never even think about it but that fellow pestered and then Guru gave the mantra and then he thought I will use it and then he started ordering it you build me a house you cultivate these fields and in a twinkling of an eye the ghost you know after all ghost it is doing was it really doing I have my own doubts it was hypnotizing you thinking that you have a house you have a lot of fields cultivated fields like your dream and then give me work give me work if you don't give me work I will eat you up then that fellow realized there is no more work to be given so somehow he started running towards his Guru stupid fellow should have told carry me to the Guru twinkling of an eye the ghost should have carried him no that time his brain is completely lost and then he fell at the feet of the Guru Guru took pity upon him I warned you you did not listen anyway I will save you I hope you will learn your lesson and then what did he do he said quick there is a tail of a dog it is a curly tail ask it to straighten it of course even ghost could not do it and he was saved what are we talking about that it is let there be billions of events producing billions of thoughts but as if it has nothing to do with me that is called Prasanthi and then this equanimous and peaceful mind serene mind naturally Purusha Tadha Patanjali Rishi continues Tadha and means when the Chittanirodha happens this person identifies himself with Purusha his real self we will talk about these things in our next class Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Padapadmetayo Sritva Pranamami Mohur Moho May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti Jai Ramakrishna