Mandukya Karika Lecture 013 on 25 August 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur Om Bhadram Kanne Vishrunaya Madhevaha Bhadram Pashye Makshavirya Jatraha Sthirai Rangai Stushtu Agam Sastanobe Vyase Madhevahi Tanyadayo Svasthina Indru Vrithashravaha Svasthina Poosha Vishwa Vedaha Svasthina Starksho Arishtanimi Svasthino Brihaspatir Dhadhatu Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hare Om Om O Gods, may we hear auspicious words with our ears. May we see auspicious things with our eyes. Worshipping the Gods with steady limbs. May we enjoy a life that is beneficial to all. May Indra of ancient fame bestow auspiciousness on us. May the all-nourishing potion be propitious to us. May Garuda, the destroyer of evil, be well disposed towards us. May Brihaspati ensure our welfare. Om Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all. In our last class, we have been studying the introduction given by Shankaracharya. We have seen why this Advaita Vedanta or Self-Realization. He says, Dvaita Prapancha Upashame Dukhaatmakasya Aatmanah Svasthatha Health can be regained only when this disease, what type of disease? Dukhaatmakaha, full of misery. That was what Buddha's entire teaching. Life is full of misery. And that's what Advaita Vedanta says. There would be birth, there would be growth, there would be change, there would be old age, decay, disease and death. Six-fold changes. Aatmanaha Dvaita Prapancha Upashame What is the way to get out of this misery? Not to be born. To be born is called Dvaita. Dvaita means duality. Duality means Sukha changes into Dukha. And Dukha changes into Sukha. Good into evil. Evil into good. Life into death. Death into life. As I mentioned many times, actually speaking, there is no death even from the scientific point of view also. What is death? Going from the manifest to the unmanifest. That's all. Therefore, we are talking about the four-fold requirements before starting the study of any scripture. And this is what Anubandha called Anubandha Chaturstaya. So, what is the most important thing? Prayojanam. What is our goal? So, Advaita Bhavaha Prayojanam. Advaita, to realize that there is only one reality. That's called Advaita. But at this moment, we are living in a world of duality. So, we have to completely destroy it. Destroy means merge this duality into non-duality. There is no question of duality getting destroyed. Why? Partial understanding of Advaita is called Dvaita. And partial, complete understanding of Dvaita is called Advaita. Both are real. The snake is also real. Why do we call it real? Because we experience it. Why do we call it unreal? Because it changes. Rope changes into snake. Snake changes into rope. It can happen any number of times. That's why, though this Prajusarpa is a classical example, we should never stick to it, having understood what the example really is meant for. Once we understood that, we have to give up the idea that there is no difference between the snake and the rope. Because, what is a snake? Partially understood rope. Rajyugnana. Partial Rajyugnana is called Sarpagnana. Complete Sarpagnana is called Rajyugnana. If we understand this, we can understand that duality is not non-existent, but it is part of the reality. And that reality, that partial understanding, is not outside. It is within our own brains. So, we should not beat the snake outside. We should beat our own heads. So, this is why Shankaracharya is telling, Advaita Bhava Prayojanam. It is very interesting. Roga, disease. Roga is called in English language disease. What is disease? Dis-ease. Not at ease. When we get complete health, then it becomes at complete ease. So, this Roga, that is also what is called partial health, not complete health. So, Shankaracharya says, Similarly, to a grief-stricken self, tranquility results from getting rid of the universe of duality. The realization of non-duality is the ultimate highest objective. And that is the teaching of Mandukya Upanishad. That is the teaching of Shankara's commentary. The teaching of the Gaudapada's 215 Karikas. Shankaracharya continues, This Upanishad, Asiya means this teaching. Through this Mandukya Upanishad, through every Upanishad, remember the teachings of every God-realized soul is a Upanishad. How come? The very definition of the Upanishad is Upa plus Ni. These are called Upasargas or prefixes. Upa means near, approaching reality, truth, Brahman, God, nearer and nearer and nearer. And this teaching alone, by showing the right way, helps us approach that reality. What happens? Niseshatah, Until completely, without the least bit of Dwaita, differentiation, that this scripture, Upanishad, leads us ultimately to teach there is no difference between you and the Divine, between you and Brahman, between me and Brahman. So this Upanishad is started. This commentary is only an explanation in case we do not understand it. For whom is the Upanishad meant? There are people who intuitively understand. It's not for them. There are some people for whom it is somewhat obscure. For them, this Upanishad. There are some people even in spite of repeatedly teaching, they do not understand. It's not for them. It is only for the middle type of person who understands, who is eager, who is sincere, who wants to dedicate his life to understanding this Upanishad for them. So whatever is the teaching of a realized soul, that is Upanishad. So Sri Ramakrishna's teaching, Gospel of Ramakrishna, and the Gospel of Holy Mother, and the Gospel of Swami Vivekananda, these are all nothing but Upanishads. What about their disciples? Swami Brahmanandaji, etc., they are all Upanishads because we will not see any difference between the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and the direct disciples. So this Upanishad is started, the beginning of the Upanishad. Why? So Brahma Vidya Prakashanaya for the enlightenment, for the illumination of Brahma Vidya. What is Brahma Vidya? Vidya means knowledge. Here in Sanskrit, this word Vidya has got two meanings. One meaning is a worldly meaning that I am here and here is a table and I know the table. I have knowledge of the table. But I and the table remain completely separate. That is the lowest, worst type of knowledge. But then in the second meaning, Brahma with Brahma, Eva, Bhavati. I know Brahman means I know I am Brahman. That is the Brahma Vidya. That is what this Upanishad is going to teach, Brahma Vidya. So by showing, by teaching us what is Brahma Vidya, how is it going to help me? Because another name for Brahma Vidya is Atma Vidya. Atma Vidya means knowledge about myself. Atma Jnana. Now we have a different idea, different knowledge. I am a man, I am a woman, or I am a mosquito, I am an ant. This is Dvaita Jnana, Mithya Jnana, Partial Jnana. Always remember, Mithya Jnana means Partial Jnana. Misunderstanding or partial understanding of a rope creates the illusion it is not a rope, but it is a snake, serpent. But here, Brahma Vidya is Atma Vidya. Atma Vidya is Omkara Vidya. So between Omkara, Brahman and Atman, and finally, even this Prapancha is none other than Brahman only. It is not that we are converting the dualistic world into non-dualistic Brahman. There is no world. Just as we misunderstand or partially understand a rope as a snake and think this is a snake, this is not a rope, so also we understand this is the world, this is not Brahman. But when the right knowledge comes, when the light comes, then we understand what I mistook so long as the world made up of the Pancha Bhootas, five elements, both gross and subtle, is none other than Brahman. So many people misunderstand this world is Mithya, Maya, etc. But it is only to enlighten us because that tremendous, meaningful law, what is that law? There would be absolutely no difference between the cause and the effect. If there is many ornaments made out of one kg of gold, all these ornaments, how much they weigh? One kg. Unless, of course, the goldsmith smuggles something from out of it, magically makes it disappear, like saying Keshava, Keshava, Gopala, Gopala, Hara, Hara, Hari, Hari, like that. So how does it look? Gold only. How do these ornaments taste? Like gold only. How do they smell? Gold only. How do they appear to our touch? Like gold only. Why? Because they are nothing but gold. So this prapancha has come from God for the beginners. Actually it has not come, it only appears. Prapancha has not come from God. But we are thinking it has come from God with various names and forms. He is the creator, we are the created, the world is created. According to Advaita Vedanta, this is a complete misunderstanding. Brahman cannot be changed. Becoming Brahman cannot become. Being and becoming, Brahman is beyond both. So that is called Brahma Vidya, where we cannot even call it Brahma Vidya. So long as we are in the dualistic world, we call it Brahma Vidya, Atma Vidya, Sadhana, Siddhi, Sakshatkara. But just as when we are in deep sleep, there is no word, because there is no idea, no thought. So also when a person realizes Brahman, he will never be able to talk about it. Talking is only in the Dvaita Prapancha. And Dvaita Prapancha is already polluted Prapancha. That's why Shri Ramakrishna says, everything in this world is polluted, excepting Brahman. Then some wise crack, he says, but you uttered the word Brahman. When you say it is Brahman, it is Brahma, not Brahman at all. It's only for conveying the idea, for teaching. So this teaching, learning, and doing sadhana, and realizing this is all part of the mind only. That is the highest truth. And this highest truth has been so succinctly put in the second chapter called Vaitatya Prakarana, I think 32nd verse, there is no bondage, there is no sadhana, there is no sadhaka, there is no mukte, nobody is in bond, nobody is released, ityesha paramarthata. This is the highest truth. Even to talk about these things is possible only in the realm of our dualistic world. So coming back to Shankaracharya's most beautiful, sweetest linguistic expression as an introduction, Brahmavidya Prakashnaya. For enlightening us with Brahmavidya, this Upanishad is Arambha Kriyate. It is started. What is the purpose? Tat upashamaha syaditi. So that the ignorance will be, something will be completely removed. Upashamaha means removing, destroying, etc. And what is to be destroyed? Dvaita prapancha. This dualistic world, which we are experiencing as the subject and object, I and everything else. And where from this Dvaita prapancha has come? How did it manifest? Avidya kritatvat. Because of the Avidya. Minus Avidya, there would be no Dvaita prapancha. So what does Vidya? Right knowledge. It just destroys the Avidya. So here also something very subtle point we have to understand. When a person brings a light, when I am scared, frightened of a snake, when the light is brought, the light need not reveal, tell us that here is a rope. It simply destroys the snake. As soon as snake is destroyed, then there is no need to make any effort to know of the rope. Because that is the most natural condition when there is adequate light and we are also in a right condition, instantaneously the transmission takes place, the knowledge comes, this is a rope. That has been obscured. That obscuration has been destroyed. So avidya krita dvaita prapanchasya upashamaha. How? Vidyaya. So Vidya doesn't give Brahma Jnana. Vidya need not give Brahma Jnana. Vidya cannot, should not give Brahma Jnana. What is this strange statement? Because when light is brought, you don't need specially to make effort to get the knowledge of the rope. So when this Vidya, Atma Vidya, how does it? Simply remove all the dualism. Immediately what remains, remains. And what remains is ever remaining. That is the meaning of these words. Since ignorance constitutes the universe of duality, its cessation is possible through knowledge. Therefore, in order to reveal the knowledge of Brahman, the instruction is begun. The instruction from the Upanishads. And then, one very important point, whenever any Acharya, Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, any Acharya, he only bases, what is the basis of your assertion? As if you are talking truth. And any Acharya should reply, yes, I am talking the truth. How come? I am not talking the truth. I am merely quoting the truth which is revealed in the scriptures. And you cannot question the scripture. Here is a very important point. You cannot question something of which you are completely ignorant, unaware. If you hear something of which you have no knowledge, you cannot question its credibility. You have a choice, either to believe that person or not to believe that person. But you cannot argue about what he says. Why? Because these truths are called Only the scripture can tell us. So, Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, they quote heavily. I am only quoting the Upanishads. And the fun is, if Ramanuja quotes, he quotes such quotations, such teachings, which support his qualified non-dualism. If Madhvacharya quotes, he takes teachings which are completely dualistic statements. How come the Upanishads have self-contradicting, some are dualistic, some are qualified non-dualistic, some are non-dualistic, with regard to the same Brahman or God? The answer is, the Upanishads do not have any contradiction. But when they are teaching to a third-class student, to a person who believes everything is different from everything else, then he teaches, he takes by hand where a person is and gradually, slowly but surely, takes him to a higher level. And if he gives Advaitic teaching, then he wants mukti, pramukti itself. So, here Shankaracharya quotes, and this is a common feature for every Acharya. Every Acharya wants to quote heavily. What is he telling here? From the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, he is quoting here, where there is a reality as it were. So, this view that ultimately, Brahma Vidya is Advaita, Brahman is Advaita, this view is supported by so many scriptures. Naturally, Shankaracharya being an Advaitic teacher, he only quotes from all those teachings which are only Advaitic. That's why Swami Vivekananda, he brings the true light, true interpretation and says, every Upanishad contains every type of statement suitable for particular mentality of the student so that they can guide from a lower state to a higher state. And another point we have to keep in mind is that any good teacher, even if the highest Advaitic teacher also, if he comes across, say, a most ignorant person, he will not say, my friend, I am going to teach you the highest non-duality. No. Because he is a great teacher, he knows how to teach, he says that, yes, you are right, you are separate from everything. But do you know, everything comes from God. Therefore, everybody, everything is only a part of God. And the man is very happy and there is a beautiful Upanishadic story, several times I quoted, there was an Upanishadic teacher and one day, an illiterate person, but very sincere person, came to him and said, please instruct me about God. So, at first the teacher instructed him, God is everywhere and Advaitin is nameless, formless, qualityless, etc., etc. Now, you go and meditate. So, he went and meditated. After 10 minutes, he came running, said, nothing enters into my head, so, please teach me. Now, this time the teacher understood, he has given the wrong instruction. So, he says, he asks this man, where from are you? I am a village. And what do you do? I graze some buffalos and cows, goats, etc. And whom do you love most? Oh, there is a particular buffalo, I love it most. Alright. Now, consider that buffalo as the God and meditate. So, this man was sent into a hut, where the entrance is very low. One has to literally crawl to enter inside, but once inside, person can stand up, sit very comfortably. So, he went. He was not coming out at all. After some time, the teacher got worried and he went and he asked, hey, come out. He says, Guruji, I am unable to come out. I want to come out, but I am unable to come out. Why? Because I started meditating on my buffalo. Now, my horns are so big, that means he became identified with the object of his meditation, that this entrance is not sufficient to bring me out. This is the methodology from a low step to a higher step. That was the methodology that was taught by Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, direct disciples, by everybody, like a mother, slowly helping the baby to take first steps, to crawl first, to stand up, and to take tottering steps. Finally, a baby is able to run, jump, everything. So, this is the Shankaracharya being an Advaitin and not extremely wise in many senses. If he was wise, he would never have said to the low caste man, he was still an ignorant person, and like Totapuri, no, I will not go to the temple of the Divine Mother, because she belongs to Maya. It is all Maya. You gave sannyasa to Sri Ramakrishna. It is also Maya. And if I ask him, he has to admit shamefully, yes, it is Maya. And you think you are the Guru, is that knowledge or Maya? Yes, that is also Maya. And you are lighting up the dhuni fire. Is it Maya or not? Yes, it is Maya. You consider it as sacred. Is it Maya or not? It is also Maya. Maybe someday feast was there, payasam was there, laddu was there, and unconsciously you must have become quite happy. Is it Maya? Of course it is Maya. He would be forced to admit that if it is Maya, why did you react so happily? You should not have reacted to Maya. Maya means that which is not true. So if your eating is not true, how come your happiness is very true? That contradiction should never have come. For that reason, he had to stay with Ramakrishna for 11 months and get his knowledge. Shankaracharya was forced to get that knowledge from low caste man. And very funny, you know, many followers of Shankara, when this story is quoted to them, they say, no, no, no, he was not a low caste man, he was Shiva himself. Who said that he is Shiva? He may be low caste man. Is there anything called low caste man cannot attain to Brahma Jnana? Did anybody ever say? Katopanishad categorically says at the end, whoever listens to this story and practices, they never say it is only for Brahmins or non-Brahmins. Anybody like Nachiketa with Shraddha, even listens to this Nachiketa Upakhyanam, they will also be enlightened. Not only that, So categorically, the scriptures are declaring many places, everybody is fit because each soul is potentially divine. Of course, we have to say, it should be an Adhikari. Everybody and anybody, they have the freedom, but it doesn't mean they can become, anybody can become a musician, but it doesn't mean a donkey can become a musician. So, Shankaracharya quotes heavily. This particular point I have brought, if it was Swamiji, he would have quoted many things without being fanatical. Being Shankaracharya, he is the most very active propagator of Advaita Vedanta and he quotes only from the Upanishads or other scriptures also, sometimes from Bhagavad Gita, sometimes from Mahabharata, etc. Here he is quoting from the Upanishads. What is he quoting? In support of what we discussed earlier, Brahma Vidya is Brahman is Advaitin. Ekam, etyam, advaitam, shivam, shantam, prapancha upashamam. That is what we will get here itself in the Upanishad itself. Seventh mantra we get it. So, where there is as if reality. As if means what? Whenever we say as if, it is not outside, but it is within our mind. There is something wrong with our thought process. But as if should be applied only to ours, not to anything outside. This is from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 2nd chapter, 4th section, 14th mantra. And then another. Where there is somebody, something different as it were, there one can say something, one can know something. This is also from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad only. Yatra. Supposing there is a place. There are two people are there. Two people means two living beings because you can't say a table is watching you or an almirah is watching you. You cannot say that. Only a living being, a mosquito is watching you. Yes, we can tell. An ant is watching you. A snake is watching you. Yes, you can tell. That means in reality there are no two. But in our condition, this is the only reality. Is there in that condition of the mind One sees the other. I see you, you see me. Anything, one X sees Z, Z sees X, etc. I know you, you know me. X knows Y and Y knows Z, Z knows X, etc. is also from the Pradhanika. Where means in which state of mind in that advanced spiritual state of mind. Remember, if Shri Ram Krishna was at Dakshineshwar, another man was at Dakshineshwar, a dog was at Dakshineshwar, a mosquito was at Dakshineshwar, they all perceive the same Dakshineshwar according to the capacity of their minds. So it is not a phenomenon outside. It's a state of the mind. Yatrava in that state of mind Sarvam Atma Eva Abhut. Everything is realized. Abhut means became as it were one. What does it mean became one? If something became one really, then that one also can become many. If many can become one, one can also become many. We should not misunderstand because anything that is changeful, if that is that nature of the changeful, change is the nature of that something. It will never become changeless. Similarly, if something is changeless, it can never become changeful. So in that state of mind, somebody's state of mind, Yatra, Sarvam, everything I see the world, I see only Brahman. That's why there is a beautiful song of Sadashiva Brahmendra Khelati Brahmande Bhagavan. Atma Evaham Paramatmoham Paramatmoham Paramatmoham I am Paramatma Parabrahma Aham Parabrahma Aham Aham Brahmeti Khelati Brahmande Bhagavan. Where a person sees absolutely no difference only that unchanging, non-dualistic one Tatra in that condition Kenakam Pashet, who sees whom? Kenakam Vijaniyat who understands the other? Because at least there must be two to experience this person, X experiences Z, Z experiences X, etc etc Shruti Bhiyo Asya Arthasya Siddhi These statements completely support the Advaitic view that what is is nothing but Brahman where the self has become everything to a realized soul then what shall one see and through what? Whenever we see something first of all I am there, secondly the object is there thirdly, there must be an instrument in this example I have eyes, you have eyes so we can see each other I have ears, you have ears so we can hear each other but a fourth condition is also necessary what is it? There must be favorable circumstances suppose both of us are there it is pitch dark we may be there one foot apart but because the darkness is there or light is there but both of us are blind then we cannot see each other so there must be the person persons to experience each other there must be the instruments like eyes, ears, what we call sense organs to experience thirdly, the external and internal conditions must be absolutely right this is called karakas I hope you remember karaka means in English grammar cases are there so Prathama Vibhakti Ditiya Vibhakti nominative case, objective case instrumental case dative case etc, possessive case etc, etc where there are two all the karakas come into play where there is one there is no two, there is no karaka, there is no inside outside, no instrument is absolutely necessary so this was the introduction and part of that introduction, tatra in the context, tatra means if you know a little bit of Sanskrit, tatra means there here it is not saying, tatra means what we are discussing here that particular subject tavad, omkara nirnaya for the determination, right understanding, nirnaya means right understanding of what, omkara nirnaya understanding of omkara, prathamam prakaranam, agama pradhanam prathamam the first, prakaranam chapter, agama pradhanam its main importance is agama agama means upanishads vedas, upanishads, shrutis, etc, why? because the upanishad this particular mandukya upanishad, in this case it has only 12 mantras but 12 mantras are as it were, so tightly compressed keeping inside a vast bundle of meaning and it is the highest meaning is there the smallest upanishad contains the deepest, biggest type of meaning will be there and added to that even 215 karikas of the Gaudapada they are also too much for that and not only that adding to those karikas Shankaracharya has written bhashya not only that adding to Shankaracharya's bhashya Anandagiri has added even tougher what is called pointers, clarifying certain things, does it end there? No so many people have written bhashya upon bhashya upon bhashya why? because first of all in those days they were completely free time was in their hands they were deeply interested and it is not meant only for refuting the opposite views but more importantly for understanding things at least intellectually, thoroughly you have to always remember that in the path of Gnanamarga the rationality reasoning takes a big part so to understand through human reason the correct meaning of it and if we really understand it correctly we cannot but behave according to our understanding there is no such thing as superficial reasoning only doesn't produce any effect but real reasoning leads one to the highest goal so Tatra in this context of trying to understand the Mandukya Upanishad this Shankaracharya as earlier said that this whole Mandukya Upanishad consisting of just 12 mantras but have been commented upon in an independent manner and that is called Karika the difference between Karika and Upanishad has to strictly follow the particular words explain the words not only in its deepest meaning but in that particular order whereas a Karika is a summarization a brilliant summarization of any of these mantras sometimes earlier mantra, sometimes later mantra there is no such order but it doesn't depend upon the words but it is digesting as it were the Upanishads mantras and formulating it in its own words giving the highest meaning for the sake of our clarity of understanding that is the difference between Bhashya and Karika Karika is an independent, you can say explanation that's all for coming at the right understanding of this Omkara because the Upanishad starts only with this word Omkara Prathamam Prakaranam that is based upon Gaudapada Karikas this Mandukya Upanishad plus 215 Karikas of Gaudapada all together have been divided conveniently into 4 chapters as mentioned earlier 1st is called Agama Prakaranam 2nd is called Vaitatya Prakaranam 3rd is called Advaita Prakaranam 4th is called Alatha Shanti Prakaranam so what is Agama Prakaranam the 1st chapter is heavily dependent upon supporting statements from the Shrutis, Upanishads etc that's why it is called Agama what is the 2nd chapter called Vaitatya, Tathya means as it is Vaitatya means completely opposite, not at all as it is so to make the opponents your conclusion, your understanding of the Upanishad is completely wrong I will point out to you through quotations, through arguments through refutations etc and then prove without the least bit of doubt that your conclusions are completely wrong misleading and they are dangerous because if some people believe in you they will be going in the wrong way so this is the 2nd chapter is called Vaitatya means unreal interpretation not as it is but as it appeals to me as my small brain misunderstands it Vaitatya, so remove all those misunderstandings having argued with the opponents, kicking them out throwing their arguments aside and how do they do it? there is a particular methodology it is called Prathama Malla Nyaya Nyaya means analogy, Prathama Malla means what? Supposing there is a competition between 2 Resilers one from India and one from Russia, for example now this Indian Resiler need not fight with every Resiler from every state in the Russia there that one Resiler will be wrestling with another Resiler so from state slowly they eliminate one fellow from each state and then interstate and then states will be eliminated ultimately quarterly, semi-final final and whoever wins that fellow is called the highest Resiler best Resiler in the world because from all over the world he will get the gold medal now if anybody wants to get that gold medal, he need not start fighting with everybody beginning from one's own village simply he goes and challenges that gold medalist if he can win the gold medalist then that gold medal will come to this fellow, so Prathama Malla means the highest opponent what does it mean? means there are so many opponents they will go on fighting that means arguing actually, in India they don't fight, they only fight by arguing, that's all so they go on shouting that is the best weapon Indians have got so now they will go on arguing, whoever is strong, then he will be going on suppressing the other fellow and then he will go on they go on fighting with each other and ultimately whoever is the best among the opponents that fellow is argued with and then if this one party wins, his school of philosophy stands the highest, of course Shankara stood highest so the methodology employed in this Mandukya Upanishad by Gaudapad Acharya is, you fellows belonging to all the six schools of philosophy, excepting Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy you go on arguing with each other and you go on defeating each other and then ultimately one fellow stands supreme and I will take on that particular fellow, if I can defeat him then my system of philosophy stands the very highest so in the Vaithathya Prakarana that is the methodology employed by Gaudapada then he stands supreme he establishes Advaita is the right way of understanding the Upanishadic teaching statements then in the third, when this whole realistic world becomes Upashama, that is it merges itself, Advaita merges itself into Advaita about this Advaita wonderful in-depth discussion disposition has been taken up in the third chapter, that is why it is called Advaita Prakarana with this the main teachings are over but then to wrap up the whole thing and to get rid of some of the pestering questions that may arise, either within ourselves or within other people, Shankaracharya Gaudapada Acharya they take up these doubts as if these were the opponents who are putting that questions and then he will go on answering actually they are meant for possible doubts that may arise from within ourselves at some point of time now, of course no doubts will come, because when we have not understood even the one statement, where is the question of any doubts coming but as we go on doing Shravanam, Mananam and constantly dwelling and then slowly doubts will come and then any possible doubts are raised by these great teachers like mountaineer guides who have travelled up and down many times they know where are the obstacles, where are the difficulties, where are the shortcuts everything at their fingertips that knowledge will be there this has been exhibited to prove that Advaita is the highest understanding and that is the Shri Ramakrishna Mata also we will come to that when we come to that point, that has been firmly established in the fourth chapter called Allatha Shanti Prakarana and he employs a very peculiar analogy or example, what is the example you take a glowing tip you take a stick even an incense stick but sufficiently visible tip and how many tips are glowing? only one but you go on rapidly moving it in a circular way it appears as if there is a flame of circle if you do it rapidly in a square in a triangle etc, it appears to be like that if you are even more skillful, you can whirl it in such a way, it can appear as a human being, it can appear as a dog, it can appear as any form that one chooses so if this appears to be like that then it appears as if it is a whole something, what is the point? the point is there is only, reality is only one single tip which is called Advaita but because of the movement not of the Advaita but of our mind it appears as if there is a dualistic world for that also we employ another example suppose you stand absolutely immobile but in front of you there are 10 mirrors are there and all the 10 mirrors are moving up and around and high and below left and right very well it seems as if that you are moving in different ways in each mirror are you really moving? no, you are absolutely immobile but because of the movement of the mirrors in this analogy what is the mirror? our minds so the Advaita is not outside there is only one infinite immovable Brahman but because it is reflected in our minds our minds are fast moving it takes on names, forms qualities, movement everything it takes and this has been beautifully illustrated in the fourth chapter called Alatha Shanti Prakaranam so Shankaracharya is referring here to this Omkara Ninnaya Prathamam Prakaranam first Prakarana is started and what is this first Prakarana full of Agama Prathanam, quotations from the scripture just as we have seen three quotations from the Pretharnika Upanishad and why these quotations? Atma Tattva Pratipatti Upaya Bhutam that is Atma Tattva that is Tattva means truth, Atma means self, Atma Tattva means the truth about the self the correct knowledge about the self Pratipatti, obtaining Upaya Bhutam these Upanishads, these scriptures they are the best and only instruments for obtaining the knowledge of one's own self, earlier Brahma Vidya he said here he is selling Atma Tattva equating Atma Tattva, Brahma Tattva Atma Vidya, Brahma Vidya Atma Jnana, Brahma Jnana there is absolutely no difference at all Upaya Bhutam, Omkara Ninnaya and how to attain that? by understanding Omkara and that's why Upanishad starts with Omkara, thus the first section or chapter which is meant to determine positively completely the glory of Om is of Vedic import as well as the means for the attainment of the knowledge of the principle of the self, in brief what Shankara is telling is Omkara is Brahman Atma is Brahman Atman is Omkara this world also is Omkara excepting Brahman there is nothing else is there so he is trying to equate first Omkara, what is Omkara then what is Atma Omkara is Atma and Atma is Brahman and Brahman is this Prapancha so there is no difference at all between Omkara Atma, Brahman and this world now everything is different the world is different, ISGY is different, Brahman is different, everything is different Omkara is different but there is a unity if we understand it properly and for the sake of understanding this grandest unity of Omkara Atma, Brahman and the Prapancha this particular Upanishad is going to begin with the glory of the Omkara so Omkara is both Brahman as well as the way to the Brahman that's being said here most wonderfully which we will talk about, continue in our next class as I mentioned earlier or warned earlier one of the toughest Upanishads is this Mandukya Upanishad especially it is, so much meaning is comprised, secondly it involves quite a good amount of intellectual sharpness it is not meant for dull type of people but we will try our level best to understand nobody understands it at first go you hear first, you understand a little and you mull over it, understand better hear again understand it a little better so we go on it may take many lives but this is the highest truth second question is it opposed to Bhakti? absolutely no here Bhakti is for Guru who teaches us Bhakti is for Omkara which is the doorway to Brahman and devotion to the Ishwara who consists of both the Maya Nirguna Brahma and devotion to Nirguna Brahma and finally seeing everything as the whole world also as non-different from Atman itself so that is why this is private, only for few people those who are interested and those who are prepared to invest sufficient amount of time etc this is a wonderful thing so we will discuss about it Om Jananem Sharadam Devem Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padmetayo Shritva Pranamami Muhurmuhu