Purusha Suktam Lecture 08 on 13-July-2023

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SUMMARY OF 4th AND 5TH SLOKAS

We have been studying this most marvelous Purusha Suktam. As I mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of Suktams, but one of the most famous, most meaningful, most helpful to our spiritual life, giving us the hint into the final truth, everything is Brahma. "Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma" is this Purusha Suktam.

In our previous class, we have discussed the 4th and 5th. "TRIPADA URDHAM UDAIT PURUSHAHA PADO ASYAEHA ABHAVAT PUNAHA| TATO VISHWAM VYAKRAMATU SAASHANA NASHANE ABI." What does it mean? The 3/4ths part of God is in that unmanifested state on top. Top means invisible. Invisible means an unmanifested state. The other 1/4th quarter has evolved into this entire world, that is, I, you, and all of us, living or non-living, are included. And as I mentioned, 1/4th is not 1/4th. "ISTABHYAHAM IDAM KRISHNAM EKAM SHENASTHITO JAGAT." Just one teeny-weeny part. But even that is not true because there is no creation. It is only manifestation. That is to say, we are looking at God, at a tiny little bit of God, and thinking that we know everything. That is the meaning.

Then the Divine Lord or Divine Mother penetrated into all the inert substances and also living beings and spread them. That means He has become everything, is manifesting as everything. This is the essence of the 4th mantra of the Purusha Suktam. Then what happened? Further elaboration of this Srishti Kriya, creative act, is being explained. The entire Purusha Sukta is talking about creation, sustenance, and recycling. So that we can understand, an inquiry should come into our minds. What is all this effect? Every effect must come from a cause, and who is that cause, which or who himself doesn't have any cause. "KARANAM KARANANAM KARANAM MAHAKARANAM AKARANAM." That is the entire burden so that we can claim our divinity that all this time I did not know who I am. Now I know I am thou because I do not exist, only you exist. That is being said in the form of describing the manifestation of the universe and it will come how this creation, the act of creation itself was done. That is going to come. "TASMAD VIRAT AJAYATAH." From that divine, or that divine manifested himself as Virat. Virat means the universal, is the cosmos. "VIRAJO ADHI PURUSHAH." And then what happened? He himself has entered into it. He himself is inside. He himself is outside. He is everything. He is pervading everything. "VIRAJO ADHI" means everything. "PURUSHAH." And he is known as "VIRAJO." "VIRAJO" means to shine. "VIRAJO" means everything is nothing but his manifestation, his splendor. "SAJYATAH ATYARICCHATAH." But do not think that whatever we experience is that much only is HIM. It is infinite.

What we are experiencing is finite. Why? Because we are looking at the infinite with the instruments of finiteness: mind, time, space, and causation. But He is unimaginable. He is beyond any thought, beyond speech, and, of course, beyond any action. "PASCHAT BHOOMI MATHO PURAH" Then He created Bhoomi means Panchabhutas. And then, out of the Panchabhutas, his entire universe has been manifesting. Like ornaments made out of gold, like furniture made out of wood, like pots made out of clay. It is really speaking, there is no pot excepting Nama and Rupa. This is what we discussed in our last class.

Now we are coming, we were actually discussing the sixth (6th) mantra which says

"YAT PURUSHENA HAVISHA

DEVAHA YAGNA MATANVATA

VASANTO ASYA ASID DAAJYAM

GREESHMA EDHMAH SARAD HAVIH." (6)

What does this sixth mantra really mean? Very simple. That there was a great YAJNA and YAJNA means in these olden days modern puja can be translated as YAJNA in the olden days. Especially when we want to understand with the English language. YAJNA means sacrifice. Sacrifice means I have something and I voluntarily give it up. That is an entirely wrong idea. YAJNA means I came from God and I am nothing but God. I have forgotten I am God. I must live in such a way I will again remember I am none other than God. Whether it is scripture or Guru or experiences of life are there only to lead us to that final knowledge I am Brahman, I am God. Aham Brahmasmi So here the concept of YAJNA.

Usually what happens just like our puja, modern puja there will be somebody whom we are worshiping. There will be certain things. So in every puja, three elements, three important elements are involved. The deity whom we are going to approach, the devotee who wants to approach, and the materials through which he wants to approach. And all of them must be one. What is the idea? That the knowledge that my body, my mind plus this world is nothing but God only. So even if I want to offer something to God, I cannot offer because there is nothing which is not He, which is not His.

If we recollect, Sri Ramakrishna first started his spiritual life at the Dakshineshwar Kali temple first as the pujari in the Radha Krishna temple. Subsequently, when his eldest brother Ram Kumar fell sick or became old, he was at Ram Kumar's request and Madhur Babu's request, Sri Ram Krishna took up the position of the pujari. And for a few months, every day he was progressing by leaps and bounds. And a few months after that, it was Sri Ram Krishna's habit to go and collect the flowers and make garlands and then decorate the Lord and with some flowers worship the Divine Mother. One day he said " I went out and then I saw clearly that everything, every tree, every flower-bearing tree, every fruit-bearing tree, they have already offered themselves completely. In fact, if we understand their language, we were created only to adore Thee, to worship Thee, to offer ourselves in Your service". Sri Ram Krishna clearly perceived.

So if something is already offered to somebody, to take it out and offer it to somebody else will be what is called in our language, Uchishta, impurity, pollution. So he said, "My external puja had borne fruit." What is the fruit? To perceive the Divine, a worshipper, a worshipped, and the items with which one worships. All these things are three manifestations of the same Divinity. When that knowledge came, my external puja had come to an end, and funny things happened.

After that, Hriday worshipped for some time. We don't know what happened. He was not suited actually for the job of a pujari. Then one Haladhari, one cousin of Sri Ram Krishna, was given the job. But he had a peculiar idea about the Goddess, especially Mother Kali. Many people have. She is a tamasic deity. Whereas Sri Ram Krishna said many times, "She is neither tamasic, nor rajasic, nor sattvic. She is the very embodiment of all the gunas. Srishti sthiti vinashanam, shakti bhute sanatani. Gunas shraye. She is the substratum, adhishtatra devata of all the gunas. But also gunamayee. She herself is the gunas. She is prakriti, she is maya, she is shakti. By whatever name a person chooses to call her." So that is the understanding.

When a person truly progresses in spiritual life, that becomes a worship. Breathing itself. That is why in the Bhagavad Gita also we say, "When I am breathing, I am doing pranayama. When my hands are moving, I am doing arathrikam. When my legs are moving, I am doing pradakshinam. And when my mouth is uttering words, I am hymning. And when I lie down even to sleep, 'Nidra samadhi sthiti yat yat karma karomi tat tad akilam shambho tava aradhanam.' Because he himself is the worshipper, he himself is the worshipped, etc." So this Haladhari, he had this concept that it is the tamasic deity. Because of the ferocious appearance. He did not understand the symbolism. Kala deified is called Kali. Kala springs, or we imagine Kala from timelessness. When we perceive at a time which is infinite, that means there is no past, present, and future.

To our limited vision, time appears to be in the form of past, present, and future. This is the linear concept. And so even now, the western countries are suffering terribly from this concept. And I don't know how much misery they have to go through before they understand time is a part of the timelessness, Mahakala. And Mahakala is always there. Just as my form cannot be without existence, it is a part of the formless existence. My knowledge is formless Chit. And my manifested joy is nothing but a form of Ananda. Sat, Chit, Ananda. So timelessness, time can never be separated. We cannot see any form without pure Sat. We cannot think of anything without pure Chit. We cannot respond to any emotion without that Ananda. So everything is divine but playing a dual role. One single entity playing a dual role, manifest and unmanifest, formless and with form, etc. And that was what Sri Ramakrishna had realized and said with that, my puja had come to an end.

But this Haladhari had to learn a lot of lessons. But everybody will grow up, no doubt about it. That's why Swami Vivekananda had issued a statement, any soul that is going to be united with God in its last birth at least must be born only in India. Because these partial or faulty, fanatical concepts of religion, God, etc. cannot be tolerated as we grow. God also grows. A finite God, God is never finite. But as man thinks he is finite, he only created us, and he created us out of the best material. And he is our chosen deity. He will not protect anybody excepting us. These childish tribal ideas should vanish altogether. So this is what is being explained through this beautiful Suktams, that the whole world that we are experiencing, the experiencer called the Jivatma, and the instrument called body and mind, and the object called this entire Jagat, all this is without distinction, nothing but that pure Brahman. This is the concept of Yajna. And when we have this knowledge, and every breath of ours becomes a Yajna, a natural Yajna, an automatic Yajna, call it Ajapa , Japa, or call it Yajna.

That is why Sri Ramakrishna was hymned by Swami Vivekananda, "Pranarpana Jagatatharana Krintana Kalidho." Pranarpana. Every millisecond of his life, his very breath is for the good of the world, for the welfare of the world. So with this background, seeing how creation had come about.

Why am I giving such an elaborate introduction? Because don't think, first of all, creation is a separate act. Like a potter taking a material which is not the potter, creates pots, is not like that. The cause of anything is called the material cause. But that is applicable only in this world. But when we look before the creation, the material cause, called Upadana Karana, and the intelligent cause, which conceives of such an idea, only translating with the help of the material, into what the divine being thinks, is called intelligent cause, called Nimitta Karana. So Abhinna Nimitta Upadana Karana is the message that we have to understand. For that, beautiful psychological concepts are being explained here, elaborated here. One such beautiful concept is what we call the psychosomatic effect. It is purely understood in the form of what is called the mind, or the feelings of the mind bring about the physical changes in our body. But our Upanishads go much further than that. What do they say? Whatever we think, and thinking is an internal process that affects not only ourselves, it affects the whole world. For example, a good person can affect the whole world. An evil person, perhaps, even more he can affect, which is not true, the whole world. So that is the idea. Creation itself is a concept of psychosomatic effect. Here somatic, I am not interpreting as the body, somatic means world, psycho means thinking. This process of deep thinking is what brings about, creates.

I want to talk about it a little later, but the sixth mantra we are exploring, what happens in any puja. And here Yajna. And the difference in the Yajna is, they did not have temples, they did not have any constructed, what is called, places, except in Yajna Shalas. And then fire is the most important medium.

What we now call Ishta Devata was in the form of fire, Agni. That's why Agni is called Purohitaha. He who is in front of us to carry is like a postman. We give a letter, and he takes it to the addressee, and then if something the addressee gives, he will bring it back. So this communication facility between us and Gods or superhuman beings is called Purohitaha, priest. That is the idea. Even today in the temples, devotees go there, take offerings, and hand it over to the priest. The priest takes it inside, offers it to God, keeps something there, and then brings it back and then gives as Prasada. That Prasada is symbolic. Our offering is also symbolic. We have certain prayers. What we are offering is a medium. It is like the cover of what we call a letter. An envelope. The cover of the envelope. When we are offering fruits, flowers, garlands, or jewels or money, etc., it is like the envelope, the cover. But what is inside? I want to pass the examinations. I want to get a job. I want to get married. I want children. And I want a better job. And I want to go to America, Australia. I want to earn a lot of money. Big bank balance, etc., etc. This is the real letter. And that is what we can do. Just as a small child wants to feed its mother.

Anyway, this idea is to lit a fire. But that fire has to be lit in a particular way with certain materials called bricks. And then certain things, especially clarified butter, have to be offered into that brightly burning fire. And while they are doing that offering with various prayers and mantras, the whole place has to be protected from malevolent elements. And that idea also, I will come to that. But then, to do this kind of yajna, we require bricks, we require firewood, we require offerings, we require so many other things. But we are talking about where were all those things when this whole physical creation had not come. For that, this Purusha Suktam is giving a brilliant idea of how this had taken place. Through intuition, some rishis came to know about it. Very briefly, it is like this. But first, I will give you an example. Suppose you want to start a business, start a company, start an enterprise, whatever you want to, construct a factory, whatever it is you want to do. What do you do first of all? You will find out some people, people who know how to construct, people who know how to recruit employees, people who know how to manage the whole thing and what raw materials are necessary. So different people you hire, and through them, they are the first creation. And then when you have done this one, and then you command them, "Now you start your job, I want the factory to be built, and it should be working within such a time frame." So that would be the secondary creation. What is the idea I am deriving? First of all, God decided there should be creation. Sankalpa. And then He created what is called Adi Srishti or Primary Srishti, and He created Brahma. For example, Vishnu said, "I want creation." So He created Brahma out of Himself. Meaning He manifested Himself as Brahma. That's why Brahma, the creator, is always depicted as having come from the navel of Vishnu.

This is a Puranic way of conveying the same truth that Purusha Suktam is attempting to express. So what did Brahma do? He had to create. So what does he do? He creates four Manasa Putras. That is precisely what we are going to explore. These Manasa Putras, with their help, he wanted to create. But, of course, there is a story. They understood the whole problem, renounced promptly, and disappeared. Then Brahma did something else. That is not the point. The point is, Parabrahma has created Brahma, as it were, commanding him to continue the act of creation. This Brahma, in turn, created certain Devatas, certain Rishis, certain Sadhyas, and then commissioned them. It's just as I mentioned earlier, when you want to start an enterprise or business, you first have a primary creation with people specialized in particular fields, and then you assign each of them responsibilities. First, construct a place; afterward, procure these raw materials; then keep the machines ready. A factory will be ready, and at some point, you start actually using those raw materials. Out of that factory comes the secondary creation. So creation is primary, and we have talked about that creation. This analogy is excellent for giving us an idea of what Purusha Suktam wants to convey. But there is one problem. In this example, everything is physical and concrete; they are already available. So even those people whom we have employed to carry on the primary creation, the first phase of starting the creation, they already have physical things. But these Devas, the Shatru Devatas, the Rishis, and the Sadhyas, etc., they did not have any of these raw materials. And what did they do? Just like a surgeon – you know, so many expert surgeons are there – this is a beautiful example. The surgeon knows that if they perform an operation in a particular way, there is a great chance of the patient recovering, and the operation being successful. But for that, there is no existing instrument. And though that instrument must be created, how do they do it? They sit down and imagine it should be of this size, this length, this shape, this angle, how thin, how thick, what it should be for different jobs – different types of surgical instruments. And they will call an engineer. The engineer belongs to the infrastructure. And then, with the help of different engineers – somebody to choose the material, somebody to create the particular type of machine to produce, to bend, and to connect this kind of material – different departments have to be harmonized. And then the result will be a concrete instrument that can be used by the surgeon. And most often, they will be very, very successful. Take this example as a model. The primary creation is over, and that was called Purva Srishti. What is Purva Srishti? Now we have discussed. God created Devas, God created Rishis, God created Sadhyas. Why do I mention that? Because that is exactly what is given in the next mantra when we proceed to the next mantra. And then God commanded. Here, God means Brahma, who was created by God. Brahma created the infrastructure. Then Brahma called them together and said, 'Now that I have created you, you go on starting the factory and then start factory creation.' Everything is factory creation.

Why do I say so? Because the Vedas themselves are mentioning it. The Rig Veda itself states, 'Dhātā yathā pūrvam sūrya-candra-masau akalpaya,' describing how Brahma created in the past. When did this creation occur? 'When' here signifies an unknown point in time. However, in the past creation, He created Surya and Chandra. This is reflected in the Krishna Upanishad, which mentions, 'Rayincha Pranincha Aditya Chandrama. Then Samatsaraha. Then Kalaha. Then Anna.' We have discussed these aspects in a beautiful way.

So, the first primary creation is called Adi Srishti. From there, time, space, causation, everything has to be created, and that is referred to as Uttara Srishti - secondary creation or subsequent creation, which we are going to discuss. The crucial point is that they did not have the raw materials to successfully perform the 'surgery,' so to speak.

Similarly, just as a surgeon expresses through experience, 'This is how I would like to imagine the instrument to be,' Brahma, endowed with divine intelligence, says, 'I have created.' When did he create? In the past. What does he do now? There is no need. That's why I used the analogy of a factory. Once the factory is complete, the same car, motorcycle, chapati, and everything will come out without any change. The first time, you have to think and create the instrument. After that, the material will come out. You clean it up, put in the material again, and it gets shaped in a particular way, coming out again. This 'mould,' which I call the factory here, has been created much earlier, and Brahma remembered it. Others also remembered, 'Oh, we constructed a similar factory many years back in that country, in that country, in that country, in the past, and last year also we did. This year also we are doing. It is no great deal at all.' They remembered it. The Smriti has come. This is exactly what these people are doing. They sit down, meditate, and then go on saying, 'This is how one after the other the creation has to come.'

So, just as we do puja for the purpose of creating wealth, materials, or fulfilling our desires, the same thing has to be done. Exactly in the same way, and this is said – the same creation. That means, James Swami, the Atmananda, was there in many, many, many Purva Janmas, and the same audience, all of you, are there. That is a good reason why you should strive for Moksha and then you will be free forever. Somebody else will come in your place. Otherwise, you have to come again and again, hear the same class until you get out, and I have to take the same class until I get out also. So, it applies both ways.

In this introduction, we will be proceeding. It should not be difficult, actually. So, the sixth one, 'Yat Purushena Havisha Devaha Yagna Matanvatha Vasantho Asya Asidh Aajyam Greeshma Edhamah Sarad Havihi.' What did the Devas do? What did they do? They lit up a fire, and then what did they do? They brilliantly invoked the burning fire. Now, for the fire to burn, they require firewood, and for the God to be put as an offering into that, plenty of food should be there. So, they require petrol, firewood, and food, etc., to be offered. What did they do? They sat down and mentally imagined because they were Sathya Sampanna Purushas. 'Sattva Sampanna Purushas,' 'Sattva,' and 'Sathya' are synonymous. Whatever they thought, it just came out.

I will also give you some examples. So for the Yagna performed by the deities with God as the object of fire, the spring was Ghee, the Grishma (that is the summer time) was cooking firewood, and the atom Sharath Kala where plenty of food harvest was there as the offering. They imagined. Now what happened? The miracle has taken place. What is the miracle? It is a creative act. Creation is a creative act. That means it is something unique. Just like any other artist, a sculptor, a musician, he will sit and meditate and bring out new ragas. This bhava, feeling can be expressed this way. He will be doing it and exactly that way and great scientists. They will be working hard. This is what we want to discover or this is what we want to create. They will be thinking deeply and as a result of depth of thinking, ideas will spring forth into their minds. That's why even in the cartoons, they depict here is a person, here is a problem, he is thinking deeply about it. Suddenly an idea comes shown in the form of a bulb lighted up above their heads. Creative act is what the devas did. What happened? As they thought of the Sharath Kaala, Sharath Kaala was created, food was created. As they were thinking of the summer season, summer was created, firewood was created. As they were thinking of the spring season, ghee was created, and Sharath Kaala was created. Why? Sharath Kaala is inevitably associated with ghee etc. and summer season is associated with firewood. Symbolic, remember. And the autumn season was invariably associated with plenty of food. So these are the materials he has to do. The materials come in the course of seasons. Seasons represent time, and time is controlled by the movement of the sun and moon. And the sun and moon were also created as part of the Panchaghutas Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Jala, and Prithvi. Remember, what a beautiful concept. That is what they did. And then what is the raw material? The Gods and the Rishis and the Sadhyas were all made up of Bhagavan. The material for everything beginning from the first, before creation, after the first creation, and even after the second creation, the raw material is nothing but God only. And the intelligent material is also called God.

So Abhinna, Nimitta, Upadana, Karana. This mantra starts describing the later Srishti after the infrastructure has been given. What do you do when you want, as I said, to start a new business? Hire a few experts, assign them the task of completely planning, and then complete the factory, etc. After that, procure the raw material, start manufacturing the goods, and then distribute them. This is what accountants do, along with accounting and educating people on how to use the products, etc.

This is exactly what Brahma did. So, Brahma, in his turn, created Devas, Rishis, and Sadhyas. By offering oblations into a duly consecrated fire, whatever the Gods wanted, whatever they desired, immediately materialized. That is the difference. Not really much difference. Whatever you desire, a musician desires a particular Raga, and he creates it; it becomes materialized. Similarly, a cook wants to create a new recipe, and that is what happens. What does this mean? Ignorance is a system of creation. That is why Shri Ramakrishna said. And to reinforce this idea, whether our interpretation is correct or not, we can beautifully go to Krishna Upanishad, fortunately, which we had done, as a Kabandhi Kathiyayana.

There was a disciple called Kabandhi Kathiyayana. He came to this Rishi and said, 'Hey Bhagwan, how did this creation come about?' Then the Guru said, the Rishi said, Prajapati, which means Brahman here, became desirous of creating this creation. What did he do? Tapas, which means deep thinking here. If somebody wants to realize God, he goes and does Tapasya. What does it mean? He starts living a simple life and sits for meditation for many hours. What does he do in meditation? Deep thinking. Tapasya means deep thinking, not simply a hard day's life, but it is all to aid this deep thinking. Keep only the minimum things which are necessary and then for the Tapasya, do Tapasya, think deeply

That's what Varuna advised his son Bhrigu. 'So you teach me about Brahman. Think deeply, my child, and whatever is necessary to think deeply, that is what you are going to do.' And then, as a result of that, he created the subject and the object, the man and the woman. So Mithuna means the subject and object, enjoyer and the enjoyed, etc. 'First, I will create the infrastructure called Rayi and Prana, and through this, my purpose will be served.' That is what the Bhagavad Gita also says, 'Oh Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all living beings. No creature, moving or non-moving, can purely exist without me. Whatever you see as beautiful, glorious, powerful, good or evil, know that it springs from but a spark of my splendor.'

Arjuna also reinforces this particular idea. 'Why should they not salute you, O Lord? Even the first creation called Brahma, you are the creator of that Brahma. You are, earlier to that, changeless. Everything has come, and that same thing is there in the Bhagavad Gita, again in the 11th chapter. You are the primeval God, the original divine personality. You are the sole resting place of the universe. You are both the knower and the object of knowledge. You are the supreme ego, O possessor of infinite forms. You alone pervade the entire universe.'

And then, to clinch, the 39th verse of the 11th chapter. 'You are Vayu. You are Yamaraja. You are Agni. You are Varuna. You are Chandra. You are the creator of Brahma, the great grandfather of all things. I offer my salutations unto you a thousand times, again and again, again.' So, this is called, as I mentioned, that's what exactly every creative person does. That is what we also do. The whole Samsara is a case of involution and evolution. That is thinking and manifestation, etc. So, as soon as the Devatas, with a prayerful mood, meditated deeply, thought deeply, and what they thought became protection.

So this entire process, as I explained, involves a deep level of contemplation, meditation, and a profound understanding of the connection between the divine, the manifest world, and the process of creation. The analogy of a factory, the creative act of a musician or a cook, and the concept of tapasya or deep thinking all help to illustrate the intricate nature of creation as described in these sacred texts.

The idea that everything is a manifestation of the divine, and that creation involves a partnership between the intelligent cause (Nimitta Karana) and the material cause (Upadana Karana), reflects the philosophical depth present in these ancient texts. The interplay of thought, desire, and manifestation is a recurring theme, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all existence.

That's a profound perspective—equating the act of creation described in these ancient texts with the creative power we experience in our dreams. The analogy of mental Manasika Yagna, where our thoughts and desires play the role of the intelligent cause (Nimitta Karana), is a compelling way to understand our own creative potential.

The connection that is between our desires, Purva Janma Samskaras, and the cycle of creation is fascinating. It aligns with the idea that our past experiences and tendencies influence our present state, and the ongoing cycle continues. The purity and truthfulness I mention as qualities in those ancient beings resonate with the idea that a harmonious and virtuous state of mind can influence the outcomes of our thoughts and desires.

The call to convert our entire life into a Yagna, to see our actions, thoughts, and existence as an offering, aligns with the spiritual teachings emphasizing selfless service and living in harmony with the divine order.

SAPTA ASYA SAMPARIDHAYAH

TRISAPTA SAMADHAH KRITAAH

DEVAYAD YAJNAM TANWANAAH

ABADHNAN PURUSHAM PASUM (7)

The detailed explanation of the seventh mantra provides valuable insights into the cosmic order and the role of these rituals in establishing protective boundaries during worship. The concept of Paridhis, representing the limits or borders, is intriguing. If time allows, I'd be interested to hear more about the significance and nature of these Paridhis in the next part of your discussion.

The association of specific mantras and rituals with protective barriers against malevolent forces is a theme found not only in ancient Vedic practices but also in various cultural and religious traditions worldwide. It reflects a universal human concern for protection and the recognition of different realms, both physical and metaphysical.

Additionally, the concept of gross and subtle elements, where the subtle elements become the inner world (Sukshma and Karana Shariras) and the Panchikrita Pancha Mahabhutas form the physical world, provides a framework for understanding the interconnectedness of the macrocosm and microcosm.

The reference to the subtle elements as Tanmatras and their role in shaping the inner world adds depth to the understanding of the creation process. The incorporation of time, represented by day and night, as an essential element in the ritual further emphasizes the holistic nature of these Vedic concepts.

The human body and brain evolve to a point where Chit, intelligence, becomes dominant, and Ananda, the bliss aspect, also begins to manifest. This marks a shift from the primarily Sat manifestation to a more balanced integration of Sat, Chit, and Ananda. With the human birth, the potential for a deeper understanding of the divine nature of Sat, Chit, Ananda becomes possible.

The Yajna, performed by the Devas and other celestial beings, symbolizes the conscious and purposeful engagement in this process of creation and evolution. The sacrificial fires, borders, and firewood all represent the various aspects and materials involved in this cosmic ceremony.

The concept of Pashu, often misunderstood as a sacrificial animal, is elucidated as a representation of the animalistic qualities within individuals. These animalistic qualities include excessive identification with the body and mind, and behaviors driven by basic instincts like survival, procreation, and dominance. The symbolic killing of Pashu in the Yajna represents the transcendence of these animalistic tendencies and the recognition of a higher reality beyond the ego.

In the next class, the discussion will likely delve deeper into the symbolism behind Bali (sacrifice) and how it signifies the relinquishment of egoistic tendencies to attain enlightenment. The ritualistic aspects of lighting three fires, the significance of the seven borders, and the role of 21 firewoods in the Yajna are anticipated to be expounded upon in the upcoming sessions.

In summary, Swami Atmananda explains the three-fold evolution of individuals: biological evolution, moral evolution, and spiritual evolution.

1. Biological Evolution: This is an external and vertical process where the human body and brain evolve to a point where Sat (existence), Chit (intelligence), and Ananda (bliss) manifest in a more balanced way.
2. Moral Evolution: This is an internal and horizontal process where individuals identify with progressively larger groups, starting with the self, family, village, state, country, and expanding to encompass the entire world and beyond. It is a growth beyond limited body-mind identification.
3. Spiritual Evolution: Following moral evolution, spiritual evolution takes place. It is a vertical process that is independent of biological and moral considerations. Individuals embark on spiritual evolution individually, transcending previous identifications and reconnecting with a higher reality.

The concept of Yajna is essential in understanding these evolutions. Yajna symbolizes an act of creation, expansion, and evolution. Through Yajna, individuals grow biologically, morally, and spiritually. The act of sacrifice in Yajna is not about a literal animal sacrifice but symbolizes the relinquishment of egoistic tendencies and the recognition of a higher reality beyond the ego.

Swami Atmananda concludes by equating Yajna with modern Puja, emphasizing that to worship God, one must become God. This involves sacrificing one's ego (Ahamkara) and surrendering to the divine (Sharanagati). These profound ideas will be further explored in the next class.