Aitareya Upanishad Lecture 17 on 30 September 2023

In our last class, we have been studying the final mantra, rik of the Aitreya Upanishad, second chapter. Here, the graphic description of what happens to anyone who attains Atmajnanam, Self-Knowledge, is provided. Now, this is not a simple process; it will take many, many, many lives. That was what Rishi Vamadeva was conveying in the fifth mantra. The description of Rishi Vamadeva was incredibly beautiful. Even while he was in the womb of his mother, he attained Paramatmajnanam, Brahmajnanam, Atmajnanam, Self-Knowledge. How did he attain it? Not as an ordinary person, suddenly by some fluke, but rather through a rare process that spans many, many hundreds of lives back.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥEvery life we experience teaches us lessons, leading to gradual improvement. If something joyful happens, we should not become overly excited; if suffering comes, we should not be overly depressed. Slowly, over time, we come to understand the nature of Samsara, realizing that the world serves a great purpose—it acts as both a school and a gymnasium. After realization, it can also appear as a circus, known as Leela, where everything becomes enjoyable.

Vamadeva must have passed through several lives; how do we know? Because he himself stated, "Vishwa Jani," meaning, "I have gone through many, many, many births." "Devanam" here refers not to gods but to the body-mind complex, the Sharira Manaha Sanghataha, using which he had become attached to this world. As discussed before, every experience creates two effects: Raga and Dvesha, both of which serve as great teachers. Raga develops tremendous attachment, while Dvesha develops tremendous aversion. However, Raga and Dvesha are not enemies. They are not counterproductive entities. they are like instruments, neither inherently good nor bad. We can develop attachment to God and detachment, vairagya, towards the world only by learning how to be attached and how to be detached.

This world is created neither for happiness nor for unhappiness but for our spiritual progress—an inevitable journey towards God, as Swami Vivekananda stated: "Each soul is potentially divine." . And this is not only for Rishi Vamadeva, there is only one path forward, that is towards God. And as much as we progress towards God, so much we leave the world behind. But the body-mind are the instruments, the only instruments through which we can advance towards God. This is the path not only of Rishi Vamadeva but for anyone who follows it. Thus, a wise sadhaka, a practitioner who has realized God, experiences detachment from both body and mind after the fall of the body, Urdhvam utkramya, his mind completely detaches itself, both from the body and mind. Sarvan kaman atva, he becomes one with Brahmananda, not obtaining Ananda but becoming Ananda. He doesn't need to go anywhere; he is already there. Asminneva asya pranah pravileyante. A realized soul cannot go anywhere because he is ananta, infinite. At that stage, everything becomes Svarga Loka; he is alive, which is Brahma Loka. Amrutaha samabhavat, this is how he becomes immortal, as Swami Vivekananda wishes for all of us to attain, Shrinwantu Vishwe Amritasya Putra, for we are all children of immortal bliss. Again, children. God is our father. For sadhana, that is fine. But there is no son, father, mother, brother, or sister. There is only one pure consciousness, Pure Purna Chaitanyam. That is what we have seen.

So, Gnanam Edhi Labhyate. If anybody follows the footsteps of Vamadeva, he inevitably obtains that knowledge, I am Brahman. How? He has to approach a Guru. He has to sit humbly.

tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

There is no other way. Nobody has ever attained knowledge, either spiritual or secular, without the help of some teacher. So, Edhi Labhyate. If he succeeds, what happens? Moksha Bhavateva. He becomes free and he knows Aham Brahmasmi. That is the end of the matter. With this, the second chapter of the Aitareya Upanishad, which has only one chapter actually, is finished. Now, we are entering into the Adhyayatri. What was the conclusion in the last chapter? That is, he who knows the Atman.

The whole problem comes now. What is the nature of that Atman? In this unique description of what is called Prajnanam. Prajnanam is pure consciousness. But as we are situated at this time, Prajnanam, we do not experience as pure Chaitanyam because pure Chaitanyam is only beyond description and beyond contamination, beyond duality. It cannot be experienced. We can become that, but we can never experience, like we see a table, we see a tree, we see another person, like that. Because this is called dualistic knowledge. I am the subject, another person is the object, and an instrument called a body-mind-sense organs, and I am connected with the object. That object becomes a Vritti, a thought in the mind, and that mind is element by the Chidabasa. Then I have limited knowledge, but all the time I am aware. I know this tree. I am there. The knowing process is there, and the tree is there. This is called Triputi or triad of knowledge.

But Brahmajnanam is not triad knowledge. Aham Brahmasmi means I am there, Brahman is there, and I am one with Brahman. That is not the way to understand. There are no two. Aham Brahmasmi for our expression, for our understanding. What remains? Aham. And what is the nature of that Aham? That is going to be described. This is the burden of every Upanishad. With this small introduction, we will first read what Swami Nikhil Anandaji had given. A beautiful sub-introduction before we go into this third chapter, the first mantra. The knowledge of Atman realized by Vamadeva was transmitted to the world by a succession of teachers. It is very important. When was Vamadeva alive? We don't know. Thousands of years back. We see it in the Vedas, and Vedas are thousands of years old. In fact, Vedas are called Anadi. Who was Vamadeva? One such person. Anybody who realizes can be called Vamadeva.

But how did this knowledge come? Today we are able to discuss this Aitareya Upanishad because this Aitareya Rishi is talking about Vamadeva. How did he come to know? He came to know from his teacher, from his Guru. And how did his teacher know? From his Guru. This is called Guru Parampara, Shruti Parampara, Karna Parampara. Karna means here hearing. The tradition of hearing. The teacher transmits the knowledge by speaking, and the disciple hears it. That is called Shruti. That is called Karna. And since it comes unbroken from Bhagawan Vishnu Himself, Narayana gave that knowledge to Brahma. Brahma gave it to his eldest son Atharva. We see it in the very beginning of Mundaka Upanishad. So, that Guru Parampara is emphasized here.

So, this knowledge of Vamadeva. But we can remove that word Vamadeva. Knowledge of the Atman was transmitted to the world by a succession of teachers. At a later time, that means when we are talking about this Aitareya Upanishad, Aitareya Rishi was telling certain Brahmins, desirous of liberation through self-knowledge as taught by Vamadeva, came together and held a discussion about Brahman. This is how Atmava Idu Magra Asit Anya Kinchit Mishat So that is how it starts.

What is that Atma? Atma means Aham. How many Ahams are there? Just to distinguish two kinds of Aham: the participating Aham and the witnessing Aham. The witnessing Aham is merely called Aham, but the participating Aham, very often we call it Ahamkara. Whatever is added to the Aham. That is like there is a table. So table is added to that existence. There is. There is a table. There is a man. There is a tree. There is a dog. For example. So there is the existence. That is common. But whatever is added. There is a man. There is a tree. There is a table. There is a dog. Man. Tree. Dog. Table. As soon as we add, that Aham becomes identified with that object. So this is a table. When we say this is a table, we forget this is. And we focus upon table. So tableness, treeness, manness, dogness, etc. And each of them are completely separate from each other. And all of them, every one of them, serves a special purpose. And that is called Ahamkara. So what we are experiencing, how do we experience? Through body and mind. So the ultimate substance is the body the Atman? Is the mind the Atman? etc.

Some sadhakas who have done a tremendous amount of sadhana, they became purified. What we call Sadhana Chatustaya Sampannaha. They become completely fit. Then only the desire, intense desire for Mumukshutvam will come. They came together. They were discussing. Naturally, with whom were they discussing? Because mere discussion will not help. There must be somebody to coordinate all the discussions. What we call nowadays, call them anchor. But we used to call him a Guru. No, you are not right. You are partially right. And you are more or less right. You are absolutely right. So each one has to be separately guided. Now that is what in the company of a Sadguru, a realized soul like Vamadeva. Anybody realized can be called a Vamadeva. Vamadeva is just a name. An XYZ for a realized soul. He happened to be called Vamadeva earlier, before realization. Later also he was called Vamadeva. Very interesting fact is when this Vamadeva was in the womb of the mother, nobody will call him a Vamadeva. He is just a foetus. No different from any foetus, from any woman's womb or even for that matter of fact non-human beings also. After birth, they do Nama Karanam. Your name is Vamadeva. Your name is Deva Datta. Your name is Yagna Datta. Your name is Brahma Datta, etc. etc. will come. So, there must be a Guru and these are all fit disciples because a discussion must be held. This is a lesson for us. Any fruitful discussion must be held before a teacher whether it is physics or music or administration or Brahmajnanam. Only an authorized person can really solve our problems because he will be able to find out what the defects are. Otherwise, doubts will be assailing us. So, they held a discussion party and then they came together and this is what Upanishad wants to tell us in the first mantra.

And why does Upanishad want to tell us in this first mantra? Because every now and then we have to pause and say take stock. Where am I? Am I progressing in the right direction? How do we know what direction we are progressing? As Sri Ramakrishna used to tell that as we go nearer the fire, we feel more and more heat. As we approach the seashore, more and more cool air will be coming to us. Swamiji, interestingly, has given the example of a person travelling towards the sun with a camera. So, he will be taking thousands of pictures of the same sun. But as he progresses or approaches nearer to the sun, the clarity of the sun becomes better and better and better. But only a person who becomes one with the sun, he will have the complete picture that Aham Aditya Asmi. This is called Aditya Upasana as an example. But real Upasana should be Brahma Upasana. Aham Brahma Asmi. And the teacher also will tell Tat Tvam Asi. Now the discussion about Tvam and then about Tat.

And in this third chapter, we get the famous Mahavakya Prajnanam Brahma. As we all know, there are hundreds of Mahavakyas. What is a Mahavakya? Any teaching that tells us that you are Brahman. That is called Mahavakya. Or to put it in the traditional way, every Jeevatma is not a Jeevatma, it is Paramatma. So, to convey that idea, a Jeevatma is not really a Jeevatma, it is Ajnana, it is ignorance. When the Jeevatma inevitably sheds his ignorance and comes to know I was never a Jeevatma, I am, I was, I will be only a Paramatma. And that is the truth about it.

So, this discussion is not meant for those people only because they must have attained the same knowledge, especially it is said that if anybody is fortunate to get a realized soul, a realized soul will not leave those people until his disciples also get liberation. Why? Some Swami made a very funny remark, just as I also make a funny remark. So, a Sadguru will be very sad so long as the disciples do not realize God. Only when the disciples realize, so he will wipe away all the sweat and say thank God I am, now I can rest in peace. So, Guru cannot be freed as Swami Brahmanandji Maharaj said, until every one of his disciples becomes free. That is why Guru is so anxious. Not only Guru, as I make fun, Shiva is not bothered about our Mukti. Somebody asked me, does Shiva give Mukti in Varanasi by dying? I said yes, it is there in the scriptures, Sri Ramakrishna had confirmed it. But why does he give Mukti? Is he loving me too much? No, no, no, it has nothing to do. Actually, he does not love you. He wants to get rid of you and the only way he can get rid of you permanently is by giving you Mukti. That is why he says, come, come, come and give up your body in Varanasi and I will be forever free from your terrible guilt. Then only I will feel really freed. This Brahmajnanam will not give freedom. It is only by getting rid of the disciples, the Guru gets real freedom. So, just making fun, but Guru is none other than only Bhagawan. Bhagawan's grace comes in the form of the Guru.

So, these Brahma Jignasus, they gathered together under the guidance of a Guru and he is guiding how to even discuss and this is what the very first mantra in this third chapter signifies:

OM ko.ayamAtmeti vayamupAsmahe kataraH sa AtmA . yena

vA pashyati yena vA shRiNoti yena vA ga.ndhAnAjighrati yena vA vAcha.n vyAkaroti yena

vA svAdu chAsvAdu cha vijAnAti .. 1..

Who is He upon whom we meditate thinking: "This is the Self"? Which one is the Self? Is it He by whom one sees form, by whom one hears sound and by whom one tastes the sweet and the unsweet?

So, this is the mantra. What does it mean? Om. Anything auspicious should be started with Om. Before going to bed, simply utter Om, Om, Om, and as soon as you get up, say Om. These Bengali devotees have a beautiful habit - Durga, Durga. Before going to sleep, because it is a travel, it is a journey into another state, start with Durga, Durga. She will protect. And when you get up also, it is another journey. So, Durga, Durga. Twice only. Because when you get to dream, if you make a habit, you will also be doing the same thing at all. So, Om. Any discussion must start with Om. Any study must start with Om. Any auspicious activity must start with Om. Who says? Bhagawan says. Where does He say? At the end of I think the 17th chapter or 14th chapter. I don't remember exactly.

So, what was the discussion? We are meditating, contemplating. Are we doing the right contemplation? What is the nature of the real Atma? So, how many Atmas are there? They say there are two. This word is very important. Kaha, Kataraha, Katamaha. Kaha means singular. If there are two people who is superior, Kataraha Shrestaha. But if there are more than two people, Sanskrit grammar, Katamaha Shrestaha. Among so many people, who is the best? Like, in the Sabha of Janaka, so many scholars were there. Who is the Katamaha Brahmavid? Who is the best Brahmavid? But if there were only two, Janaka would have said Kataraha. Kataraha means, we know about two Atmas. What is the Atma here? One is called Ahamkara, another is called Aham, as we discussed earlier.

So, first of all, we are discussing what is the nature of this Ahamkara? Ahamkara means bound personality, Jeevatma. What does Jeevatma do? Or who is Jeevatma? Chidabhasa, plus mind, plus Sharira, is called Jeevatma. So, first of all, what is called Atmatatvam or Tvam Padartha Shodhana. Tvam means you. You means the Jeevatma. Jeevatma means a Sadhaka. Jeevatma anything with life is Jeevatma. A mosquito is Jeevatma. A dog is Jeevatma. Cow is Jeevatma. A tree, a plant are Jeevatmas. But, a human being also is Jeevatma. Even though it is true, we are not talking about anybody with life is a Jeevatma. We are not talking about that. Talking about a person who is awakened. He has not reached the goal, but he wants to reach the goal. That means he came to know through the scriptures there is the highest state that is the Poornam and that is called Tattvamasi. The Guru must have told. Then the vichara starts. Tattvamasi. Thou art that. Thou means you. So, who am I now? Because the Guru is telling you are not what you think you are. You are Tatt. What you cannot even conceive that description is going to come and that Tatt is named as Prajnanam. We will come to that later on.

What is the nature of this Ahamkara or what we call simply participating I? Just to distinguish it from Sakshi. Sakshi never has Ahamkara. Sakshi is called Aham. But anybody who is participating. Participating means what? We have got body. We have got mind. Body is consisting of 10 Indriyas. Dasha Indriya. What are they? 5 of Gnana Indriyas and 5 of Karma Indriyas. The Gnana Indriyas are called inputs where knowledge comes into and how to put that knowledge to work through activity for obtaining, enjoying, discarding, etc. And that is done by 5 Karma Indriyas. 5 Karma Indriyas and 5 Gnana Indriyas. Sometimes it is also described as 11. Sometimes it is described as Dashama Dwara. Sometimes it is described as 9 doors. nava-dvāre pure dehī naiva kurvan na kārayan. This is the Bhagavad Gita description of the Jeevatma. Here it is 10. All the 10 organs not only the body plus the 4 faculties of the Antah Karana that is Manas, Chitta, Buddhi and Ahamkara. So all these are they the Atman? Why? Because the Atman is called I. All the time from birth to death we are using this word I. This was the discussion. What is the real Atman? Is it what we are calling I, I, I? Or is it real I which is purely called Aham? That is the teaching of the Guru not of the disciples.

So, in this first mantra, it is graphically describing what we got in the Kena Upanishad in different words. Practically in every Upanishad, we are going to get this. The functioning of both body and mind and that creates the Chitta Abhasa, the reflection of the Chaitanyam. Identifying with any of these 5 sense organs of knowledge or 5 sense organs of action or the 4 organs of the mind. All the 14 are not given here in this description but most of them are here, what we call in English language, etc. So, etc., etc. That is what we have to count like that. Now, with this background, we will go. "Kaha, Ayam Atma." Guru Deva, you taught. So, that Tat is supposed to be Brahman or Atman. What we see is what we are experiencing is one type of Atma. All the time saying "I, I, I." And what you are teaching is the another type of "I." In fact, vehemently you denied what you call yourself is not yourself. Yourself is completely, totally, eternally free from your body and mind complex. That is being described here. "Ayam Upasmahe." We are contemplating. Why this contemplation brought here? Because even when we are meditating, doing Japam, for example, or worshipping Ayam, this particular individual, and here is God. He is my Ishta Devata and my, what is called, Brahman is manifesting in the form of Rama, as Krishna, as Durga, as Kali, as Shiva, Ganesha or Shanmukha. This is Venkateshwara, etc. So, I am there. My Ishta Devata is there. Chosen Deity is there. And I am doing it in the form of contemplation or worship in which all the body-mind, all the fourteen organs are actively involved. So I am calling it. I am seeing. I am thinking. I am meditating. I am worshipping. Is this the Atma? No, it cannot be because the Guru categorically denied. "Tat tvam asi" You are not this. This means what we are experiencing every day. You are that. But this is Guru's words. Guru's knowledge.

How can it become my knowledge? That is called Sadhana. Shravanam, then we have to do Mananam, then we have to do Nidhidhyasana. What is the Mananam? What Guru told until all the doubts are removed. What he spoke alone is the truth. What I am experiencing is not the truth first. Then this is what is called Nischayatmika. Satya Buddhi Avadharana. This is called Shraddha. Through Mananam we develop Shraddha. What is Shraddha? Satya Buddhi Avadharana. Knowing that what the Guru said is absolute truth. That is the only truth. There cannot be two truths. What I am experiencing is looking like reality but not really real. What Guru said I am not experiencing but I have to experience. That alone is the true reality. Supreme reality called Brahman. How do I know? Because I also gave a hint. How do I know what is our reality to whichever we are acting and reacting. That is called reality. Simple example. I know I have been repeating these things and I will be repeating thousands of times. Otherwise who can I take the class? So many classes. "Brahma Satyam, Jagan Mithya." So one minute the old teaching is over. I have to pass my time. You also have to pass your time. So we have to repeat it. Asakrit Upadesashya. So we have to go on repeating it until we know what is to be known. So that is called Manana. Manana means completely destroying every possible doubt so that in future also those doubts should not arise.

Then once I know this is the truth, these samskaras, vasanas, they come in my way. They will not allow me to move forward. So to destroy them, I have to do sadhana guided by my Sadguru. And then that is called Nidhidhyasana. Through that process of removing all the obstacles which are nothing but samskaras or call them vasanas, then my identity with the body and mind will be totally destroyed and what remains is that is the Paramatma. That is body-mind will not be there. What remains without body-mind that is called Paramatma and that is being described here graphically. "I am Upasmahe." Whatever contemplation, puja, meditation we are doing, but we see in front of us two Ahankaras. That is they called it Atman, two Atmans. What is that Atman? Katarahasa Atman. Among these two, which is the real Atman? That's why I said when there is dual case that is only two objects are there. This word Kataraha is used. And what is that we are experiencing from birth to death? Kenava Pashyati. By which instrument am I seeing whatever I am seeing? Whatever I am hearing through my ears. By my nose, through my nose, by using my nose I am smelling good as well as pleasant as well as unpleasant smells. Fragrance as well as abominable smells. By another organ called Vacham, by my tongue, by my mouth Vacham Vyakaroti, I am able to express. I am able to talk. We are talking so much. We are talking, in fact, excepting for Sushupti, all the time we are talking. What is Jagratavastha? Talking. Either with others or with ourselves. And what is a dream state? Talking only with ourselves. And we are not happy, we are bored with ourselves. So in our dreams we create a lot of people and we bore them. That means me, bore, myself others also and then I cannot tolerate it any longer then I come out to do the same thing but one state we do not do that one. That state is called Sushupti state. So Enava Vacham Vyakaroti, by which I am able to speak and communicate with others. Then through my tongue, Enava Swaducha Aswaducha Vijanati. So through this tongue, that is whatever I am tasting which is tasty, which is not tasty, Swadhu means taste, Ruchi and Aswadhu means Aruchi, not tasty at all. Vijanati. So I come to know I am able to see, I am able to hear, I am able to smell, I am able to talk, I am able to taste, etc. So only a few have been given, a few more also will be given.

So, what is it the Upanishad, this particular mantra in the third chapter wants to convey? We are convinced I am the seer, I am the hearer, I am the speaker, I am the smeller and I am the eater, I am the taster, etc. etc. and from birth to death, life after life we are doing it. Am I? Are we? Guruji Bhagawan are you talking about this Atma? But here what are we talking? We are not really talking about the body, we are not talking about the mind. Remember body, mind as we all know are inert, that means without consciousness, without awareness. And what should be with awareness? That will be only with what we call pure consciousness, that pure consciousness becomes divided as it were reflected as it were that is why it is called Chidabhasa. Chit is there, Chidabhasa also is there. That Chidabhasa illumines through the eyes, it illuminates the colours, through the ears it illuminates the sounds, through the nose it illuminates the smells, and through the tongue it illuminates all the taste and through the mouth it illuminates whatever I have to talk unless a person is a raving mad, everything is done only with this. So when I am thinking that I am aware I am thinking, when I am remembering I am aware that I am remembering and when I am deciding I am aware I am deciding so I know I, I, I, I, I it never goes. Even it doesn't disappear in Sushupti state also. How do you know? As soon as we wake up we express it very well I slept very well, I did not know anything. Even that I persists until it is destroyed or merged in Paramatma. So that is what he is telling this self. So what is that self here? Who is he whom we are worshipping, thinking that is the self? Of the two mentioned earlier in this very Aitareyopanshad in the form of Jeevatma and Paramatma which one is the real self, which one is the false self? Is it he by whom one sees forms, by whom one hears sounds, by whom one tastes the sweet, and the bitter one by whom one smells everything, and one by whom the speech comes out? So here is the Vichara, contemplation of the Mahavakya. What is the Mahavakya? Tattvamasi is the Mahavakya. Three words are there Tatt, tvam and Asi. Tatt means that. We have to assume, I don't know what is that Tatt, only Guru has to explain. I only know about Aham, Tvam means Aham, I see I hear, I taste, whatever I do, even I dream, I sleep, everything I know, that is the Jeevatma. So which, between these two, which one is the real Atman? This is called Tatpadartha Shodhana. What is my real nature, who am I really. That is what we have seen in Bhaja Govindam. If you remember, Kastvam, who are you Koham, who am I, Kutavayataha, where from have I come, Kamejanani, who is my real mother Kometataha, who is my real father? Tattvam Chintaya Tadihabhrataha, my brother think over this. So this is what we want. And then Sri Ramakrishna about this he says beautifully, if a man knows his own self he knows other beings and God until that time, he doesn't know himself and he doesn't know anybody else.

So what is my ego? Is it my hand, my foot, my flesh, my blood, muscles, tendons? Ponder deeply and you will know that there is no such thing as "I." That means it appears to be there, but really there is nothing. That is called Mithya. And then Sri Ramakrishna illustrates, for every teaching of Sri Ramakrishna is followed by a beautiful simile. Kalidasa was famous for his similes, Sri Ramakrishna even more. As you peel off the skin of an onion, you find it consists only of skin, you cannot find any kernel in it. So, you go on doing, ultimately nothing will be left out. That is what he wants to tell. So, on analysing the ego, it will be found that there is no real entity that you can call "I." Such an analysis of the ego convinces one that the ultimate substance is God alone. When egotism drops away, divinity alone remains. That is called divinity manifesting itself. So long as God seems to be outside and far away, that means some other, one object among many objects, that is called ignorance. But when God is realized, there is true knowledge.

And then Sri Ramakrishna says, pointing to his heart, "He who has God here has him also," pointing to the external world. "He who does not find God within himself, he will never find Him anywhere else. But he who sees Him in the temple of his own soul sees Him also in the temple of the universe."

Every mantra of any Upanishad tallies with the gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Then Swami Vivekananda is nothing but, you know, Swamiji used to call himself. So, he is the master's voice. Earlier, there was a company, records used to come HMV. That means, "I am only a voice," a real person, a real idea or knowledge belongs to God only. When we say "Sri Ramakrishna," don't again bring the individuality. If you ask Sri Ramakrishna, he will say, "I know nothing, only my mother knows." And if you ask Mother Kali, she will say, "I know nothing, only Brahman knows." And you cannot go to Brahman and ask, "Is it true?" So, you have to accept it.

Swamiji says we see then that this human being is composed first of this external covering, the body; second, the finer body consisting of mind, intellect, and ego; but behind them is the real self of man. We believe that every being is divine, is God. He who says he is the body is a born fool. We are spirit, spirit that has no form or shape, spirit that is infinite and not matter. The seer, he to whom they all belong, the soul of man, he who is awake in the internal man, alone is infinite. And to seek for the infinite cause of this whole universe, we must only go there. In the infinite soul alone, we can find it. You, as body, mind, or soul, are a dream. But what you really are is existence, knowledge, bliss. You are the God of this universe. You are creating the whole universe and drawing it in. All that is real in me is He, all that is real in Him is I. The gulf between God and man is thus bridged. Thus, we find how by knowing God, we find the kingdom of heaven within us. "I have divided myself into God, that is called Tat Padartha, and me, Tvam Padartha. I become the worshipped, and I worship myself," a beautiful commentary on this mantra.

Adding the great Bhagavan Shankaracharya in his introduction to this particular, he says Etat Brahmana, here "Brahmana" means those who are seeking Brahman. They are called Brahmanas. Who are Brahmanas? Satva Guna Pradhana. They have developed this quality, Satva Guna, over a number of lives, and then they have developed, Viveka, Vairagya, Shama Dama Adi Shadga Sampatti, and intense longing for God realization. So, we saw the same thing in Prashna Upanishad also.

And they are interested only in one thing, which is called Atmajnanam. And so the discussion was these are the two, Bhagavan and myself. So what is the real Atma? I know by experience, I am the Atma, but through scriptural words, through Guru's words, I know that it is the Paramatma now. Which is the one? That means I myself have to be convinced I am Brahman. Not by realization; that comes later on, but by conviction. What Guru says is absolute truth. The body is doing everything. Not only the body, but the mind also, sukshma shariram, it is doing everything. How? The mind, or combining with the mind, comes out through every sense organ. So for example, through the eye, it perceives. This is green colour, this is red colour. And then, through other organs, it smells, it tastes, it can hear, and it can touch, soft, it is ripe or unripe, etc. We use many times, even while cooking also, you see whether the thing is properly cooked or not. How do you know? Rice has got a particular smell. By that smell, we know. So, whether a jackfruit is ripe or not, you don't need to do anything. Just put one jackfruit and then slowly you will understand. A time will come and you cannot stand it any longer and then you start finishing it, destroying it by eating it. Then you know by smell, whether it is Bangannapali or banana. Every fruit has got a smell, some may not be strong. But smell is a great indicator, whether it is food or anything else. So, am I this Atman which is always connected with the body-mind, or am I really what our Guru is teaching? This is called Mithya Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya. So, these are all Uttama Adhikarinatvam. That means, this discussion is going to help them. And then the Guru must be guiding them, then they came to know that there is behind every experience, something called Prajnanam. That is the most marvellous thing for us to understand.

I will give you a small illustration, then only we can go forward. So, supposing I am seeing a table, the table is inert, my eye is inert, my mind is inert, but that Chidabhasa, as if, lends its awareness, power of consciousness to the mind, to the sense organ. And through the mind, through the eye, the mind endowed, combined with this Chidabhasa goes out. Just like you know, when your dentist has to make an artificial tooth, he takes a mould. Just like that the mind goes out and brings a mould of that object which is later on known as thought, vritti. So when I am seeing, there is a vritti, when I am hearing, there is a vritti, when I am tasting, there is a vritti, etc., And then take away, and then I experience it, and then I say this is desirable, this is not desirable, this is sweet, this is not sweet, this is tasty, this is not tasty, this is beautiful, this is not beautiful, this is very fine, and this is not fine. And then we develop likes and dislikes. So whatever we do, minus chaitanyam, it is impossible to do it. Now what is the point? The point is, the thought of table is different, the thought of tree is different, the thought of dog is different, the thought of man is different, the thought of woman is different. But there is something which is not at all different, it is the one. What is it? That is called the awareness. Aware of the sight, aware of the sound, aware of the smell, aware of the taste, aware of what I am speaking, touch, shabda, sparsha, rupa rasa, gandha. So the vrittis are different, but that which is illuminating the vritti is exactly the same, and that is given a special name here; that is called Prajnanam.

Even the sight is Prajnanam, plus sight, Prajnanam plus sound, Prajnanam plus taste, Prajnanam plus speech, Prajnanam plus touch, soft, hard, cold, hot, etc., etc. These experiences are different, but the chaitanyam is one and the same; it ever remains unbroken and it is behind everything. So is this Prajnanam which is behind this what I call I all the time? I am saying I was born, and that baby whose photo you see is me, that child whose photo you see is me, that adolescent whose photo you see is me, that young person that you see is me, that middle-aged person, that old-aged person is me, me, me. That there are two I's, one I, I am the child; another I, I am the same child, so I am the child participating I; I am the same child witnessing I. So that Prajnanam is what is being pointed out. Even any ordinary person, he has got that Prajnanam that is within every one of us, but we are not aware. This mantra wants to bring out that point out to us. There is a variable egotism; there is an invariable sakshi ahankara. Now what is spiritual life? Shift from the variable changing ahankara to the invariable aham. That is what Ramana Maharshi also says, find out who you are, koham, who am I? That is the specialty of Ramana Maharshi. In this first mantra, this is what the Rishi wants to point out to all these brahma brahmagnasad brahmanas, that is brahma jnana sadhan sadhakas. That you experiencing is okay; you need not stop the experience, but find out who you are really. Now many vrittis are there that is being said. This Prajnanam, one Prajnanam is manifesting in innumerable forms in the form of innumerable vrittis called thoughts that is going to be enumerated in the second mantra which we will see in the next class.