Mandukya Karika Lecture 152 on 01-May-2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We have come to the end of the Mandukya Upanishad, Mandukya Karikas, the fourth chapter. In our last class, we have been discussing the very last Karika or Shloka. And this last Shloka is the ultimate meaning of the entire—not only Mandukya Upanishad, but all the Upanishads; not only all the Upanishads, but Smriti, Shruti, Purana, Tantra, Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism. What is it? In dualist language, a devotee. That means all of us. We are going to God, attainment of God. If we think He is personal, that is absolutely fine. Our opinion, idea about God doesn't really matter. What matters is the grace of God. If any person lives the type of life that is indicated in every scripture, I am just giving you only one sample. Moses, long before Jesus Christ. That old type of Judaism, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. That means true justice can be done only in this way. But Jesus Christ came and reinterpreted the same thing. Not an eye for an eye, a life for a life. But if somebody slaps you, how many times? Not 7 times, but 70 times. You don't go on counting. Like Krishna was counting 100 times. I will forgive this Shishupala and after that I will cut off his head. Not like that. Because anybody who does harm is doing harm to himself. Similarly, anybody who is doing good is really not doing good to anybody else excepting to himself. This is the most marvellous Vedanta, the essence of Vedanta. Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. That is being summarized in this 100th Karika. We will just read because even the very utterance or chanting of some of these Shlokas is very uplifting.

durdarśamatigambhīramajaṃ sāmyaṃ viśāradam |

buddhvā padamanānātvaṃ namaskurmo yathābalam || 100 ||

Even Gaudapada was constrained, forced. That to say, the truth about Brahman can never be expounded. That was what Sri Ramakrishna was trying to drill into our brains. We should never limit him. That is to say, whatever we think, it doesn't really matter. If we suppose somebody thinks God is very cruel. There are some tribes and it is based upon this belief what is called Narabali. That is offering a human life itself. Sometimes I myself am inclined to think what is so great about human life. If you want to take a mosquito's life, for a mosquito, mosquito's life is the most precious. It doesn't care what we call even a particle of dust for even the life of Sri Ramakrishna. So far as it is concerned, its own life is the most precious thing in this whole world. For each one of us, the same truth holds good. If I am dying, then the whole world is dying. When I enter into a deep sleep state, the whole world enters into the deep sleep state. What is the point? The point is, it is not what we conceive of God or Brahman or whatever it is, whether Sakara, Nirakara, Saguna, Nirguna. These are all thoughts about God in mind, not God. That is why all the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna, whenever they are singing vespers, the very second line, because even the thought he is Nirguna is only a thought. Can the mind ever conceive what is called Nirguna? That is an impossibility. Nirguna can never be thought about. If you think whatever you think, whatever I think, it is only endowed with Guna. Guna means attributes or qualities. It's not just about equality, but encompasses various concepts such as good, evil, pleasant, unpleasant, with form, without form. All these are what we call Dwandwa. The word Dwandwa itself holds deep meaning here.

But if we want to understand how we can perceive Brahman, it's a challenge. We cannot see Brahman. We can't see, hear, taste, smell, touch, or even conceive of it. It's impossible. Then how can we know it? There's only one way: to become one with it. Like a river merging into the ocean, then it becomes the ocean. Who says it becomes the ocean? We do. The river doesn't say, "I was a river before. Now I merged in the ocean and became the ocean." It doesn't think that way. If it could speak, it would say, "What river? I don't know what that is. I am the ocean. I was the ocean. I will be the ocean. There's no question of becoming anything else."

The infinite cannot think, "I have become finite." That's why whatever we conceive is only for what purpose? What's the real point? The real point is that the limited mind, any limited instrument, can never measure that which is infinite, immeasurable, inconceivable, etc. But we should never lose sight of the fact that there is such a thing.

Because whenever we think of God, unconsciously, not consciously, we go to Tirupati and have the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara, Narayana. And then we think, "I have come to Tirupati. Why did I come? Because I wanted to have darshan of Lord Narayana in the form of Venkateshwara." Is Venkateshwara only here? In my village, there's a Venkateshwara temple. In my house, there's a small puja room where Venkateshwara is worshipped. And wherever I go, even if it's America, Australia, there are devotees who have Venkateshwara in their temples or even in their own private houses. We never feel that the Tirupati Venkateshwara is separate from the Venkateshwara in our puja room or anywhere else. The same Venkateshwara is everywhere. That means He is infinite.

And then do you imagine this Lord Venkateshwara? Since childhood, I have been seeing him. I have become old. Does Venkateshwara also become old like me? No. We all have that concept that God is everywhere, which means God is infinite, God is changeless, God is eternal, and that gives us hope. Why? How are we able to conceive it? Because indirectly we are only thinking about ourselves.

Because this is what Swami Vivekananda meant. For a mosquito, God is a huge mosquito. How can it think it is a mosquito? Because since my awareness is in the form of a mosquito and God, who is infinite awareness, must also be in the form of a mosquito. That is what is called an indirect way of conceiving what is called infinity, eternity. We cannot really conceive of it. But we can say something like that really exists. And that is expressed in this 100th verse. But, as I said, this is the essence of every scripture. Not only that, this is what all of us want to become. That is why I mentioned earlier that every living creature has three prayers, vocalized or not, properly conceived or improperly conceived: Let me not die. Let me be endowed with the light of knowledge. And let me always be happy. "Sat." In other words, let me be Sat. Let me be Chit. And let me be Ananda. Because each soul is potentially divine.

So "durdarsham" means impossible to conceive. "Atigambhiram." What does "gambhiram" mean? It is difficult to measure the depths. It is so profound. Why is it profound? We have come across "Anuraniyan Mahato Mahiyan." It is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. So how can something have these opposite qualities? Many Upanishads also talking. It moves and at the same time it doesn't move. And it is near, it is very far. It is inside, it is outside at the same time. And Shankaracharya gives a marvellous interpretation for people like us. What does it mean? In our normal, finite condition of the mind, something is either moving or it is not moving. At the same time, it is not possible for both things to happen. Even though modern science is puzzled. So Schrodinger's cat is supposed to be an example. There is a cat. It entered into a cage. Now the question is, is it dead or is it alive? Why this question? For ordinary people like us, either something is alive or it is dead. But this particular experience, provable by mathematical science, is that at the same time, the cat is both alive and dead. Of course, as I said, these absolutes, abstract ideas, it is impossible for people like us even to conceive. But there are people who can do that. So this is what is called even abstract mathematics. So science, when it goes beyond a line, it must become abstract. In fact, we cannot think of, if we go deep into it, there are some abstract principles. They are the foundation of the science itself. Science cannot explain why it is so, but it takes for granted. For example, 2 plus 2 is 4. It cannot be 3. It cannot be 5. 3 times 3 must be 9 only. It cannot be 8 or 10. These are called, take for granted, they are truths. So why are they like that? That nobody answers. It is God's will. It is like that. We have to accept it and they will never change. So even the understanding of this so-called changeful thing is only based upon this firm platform of what is unchangeable, inconceivable, the abstract concept. So what to speak of? God Himself. So, "Ati Gambhiram." So what does Shankara say? How does he interpret this verse, this mantra from the Isavasya Upanishad?

And the Upanishads are full of such mantras. The interpretation of Shankaracharya is that for a person who is a realized soul, Brahman is both moving and non-moving. That is to say, how can Brahman be both? The interpretation is when I am in the state of duality, it is either moving or non-moving. But when I am in the state of realization, what ignorant people call moving or non-moving are both dualistic concepts only. So for an ignorant person, it is a puzzle. For a knowing person, it is as plain as a simple fact of life, about which we never question at all. That is what is called "Ati Gambhiram." This doesn't mean just an intellectual understanding. "Gambhiram" means there are many people like Einstein, Beethoven, or some great painters, etc. No, that is not the meaning of deeply intellectual. Ati Gambhiram means even the concept is very limited from the viewpoint of reality. But how can we know? We will never know. Then we can never know about it. Yes, you can know, and you cannot know at the same time. What do you mean by you cannot know? With this limited mind consisting of time, space, and causation, I can never know. But when I become one with it, then I know what I am. So we should never say "I know Brahman." The plain translation should be "I know myself." Because as if I know such and such a person, I know Brahman. Brahman is somebody else. I am the knower. Brahman is the known object. All these distinctions must be transcended. Reality must be transcended. "I am." And even that expression is only from our viewpoint, not the truth. Brahman does not sit there thinking "I am Brahman, I am Brahman." If you can imagine Brahman sitting and thinking "I am Brahman," it's getting deluded. Brahman's Brahmatva is "I am Brahman." "Ati Gambhiram," but only a purified mind. What is a purified mind? A non-existent mind. That which doesn't stand as a prism, as an instrument. That is called "Ati Gambhiram." "Ajam." Unborn. We have the concept of this is born, that is not born. That is the humanness. "Ajam" means unborn. "Samyam." That means it is the same everywhere. "Visharatam." And it is the purest of the pure. We have seen this word "Visharatam" that has come earlier in the Karikas also. "Budhva Padam." "Budhva" means knowing. But here it means having become one. "Padam" with that state. That means having become Brahman. "A Nanatvam." Then only this multiplicity will be completely destroyed. There is no multiplicity at all. And this is the very essence. And then what can I say? "Namaskurma Yathabalam." With all my body, speech, and mind, I can only salute that Brahman. There is no other way. So having realized that knowledge, the knowledge of the supreme reality, which is extremely difficult to grasp, profound, worthless, always the same, all light and free from multiplicity. So here plurality is used. Instead of saying I salute, here we salute it as best as we can. Because this is all we can do. Expression. With this, Gaudapadacharya has completed. So he starts with a Mangala Charana. And here also he completed with a Mangala Charana.

At the beginning of this 4th chapter, especially from the 2nd Karika, Gaudapada describes certain qualities. He says, "Sarva Sattva Sukhaha," which means it gives happiness, the only source of happiness for everything in this world. "Hithaha," that which conduces to the well-being of everybody. "Avivadaha," and about which there can be no quarrel at all. "Aviruddhaha," it is not opposite to anything because there is no second one. "Deshithaha," this marvellous teaching. That is how Gaudapada starts this 4th chapter called Alatha Shanti Prakaranam, which is the biggest. About 100 Shlokas are there which actually squeeze the essence. But according to me, already 3 chapters are over. So what is described in the 3 chapters? He should have squeezed the essence. It should have been even much less. But he goes on into how to refute the other schools of philosophy, etc. So that is what is happening. But at the same time, these are the beginnings. I am going to talk about what is Asparsha Yoga, which is beneficial to everybody and which conduces to the well-being of everybody and about which there can be no opposition or no quarrel or no argument. That means everybody agrees. "Aviruddhaha," that is, it is unopposed by anybody. There can be no divisions either philosophically or religiously or spiritually. And such is the teaching called "Deshithaha." That is why a person who teaches is called "Deshika." And what he teaches is called "Deshithaha." So "Upadesha," we call it. That is, showing the right direction. And he ends it with these 6: "Durdarsham," "Adigambhiram," "Ajam," "Samyam," "Visharatam," "Ananatma." So this is how one can only talk in words only so much. It is not possible to go beyond that. So with this, the 100th is also over.

What is the meaning of "Namaskurma Yatha Balam?" According to me, this is a most marvellous thing because earlier in many other classes, I have raised the point: What is the meaning of this "Namaskara?" "Kara" means the action. "Namaha" Kara is called Namaha. That Visarga "Aha" it becomes "Am Aha" we call it. Visarga becomes "S." "Namaskaraha," Kara means the action. What is this "Namaha?" In previous days when Yajnasa Yagas were being performed, they offer clarified butter into the blazing fire and then they have they keep an empty vessel, a smaller one, and from the bigger vessel which is full of ghee they take it after offering to whichever God. So "Agnaya Swaha," "Indraya Swaha," "Agnaya Swaha," "Somaya Swaha," "Sri Ramakrishna Swaha," etc. and a few drops will be there in that ladle and that should not be dipped. Somehow they have that part of that ritual. So whatever few drops are remaining in that after pouring into the fire because he can't go on keeping there those one or two remaining drops in the ladle have to be kept in that empty vessel and the people who perform them, they are not the people who organize. The people who organize are rich people. They may be kings, they may be rich merchants, but capable of employing all these people. The people who actually perform them, they are called Ritwiks. That is what we call in modern language a priest. And the priests are being paid.

So whenever these offerings are made, it's like saying, "I am offering this oblation to this particular God, but oh God, addressing Agnaya, you go and tell Indraya Swaha. This is an offering to Indra, but if Indra is pleased and wants to give, oh, the person who offers to you this, I am happy with that person, I grant some desires." But no, I am not the person who is offering. I am only the representative of the real person who organized it, the entire Agnaya Yaga. So the result should go to him, because I receive my own result in the form of what is called Dakshina. So that is the agreement, like a servant who harvests the land. And all the harvest that belongs to the owner of the land, not to the servants. But of course, he will distribute something to the servants, also share some of it to the servants. And he always does it with us. So then, after offering this ghee into the fire, those few empty drops are to be put in an empty vessel. And then, at the time, "Na Mama." The result should not belong to me. I should not think I am giving the offering. I should think the offering is actually being given by Yajamana to you, your boons, whatever you give must belong to him. That word "Na Mama," if you utter fast, "Nama Nama Nama Namaha." And in the course of time, it became "Namaha," salutation. Salutation also means there is also something when two sadhus meet in some place. Then, you know what they do? "Narayanaya Om Namo Narayanaya." Salutations to Narayana. So that means what? That I am saying Narayana himself. So who is doing Namaskara to whom? Am I doing Namaskara to Narayana? No, Narayana is doing Namaskara to Narayana. How do we know? Because the other sadhu also, he also replies, "Om Namo Narayanaya." So this sadhu sees Narayana in the other person. And the same thing happens with the other person also. So let us both see God himself. And it is true because I am able to see Narayana in this person or in either person only because of the grace of Narayana. That is why in the Bhagavad Gita, in the eleventh chapter, Arjuna says, "I want to see." So Krishna says, "You cannot see me with your human eyes. It is impossible. So I will give you my eyes. Divyam means what? My eyes I will give you because how I perceive myself, that I will grant you. And with those eyes, when you see, you know that it is me." That means what? You do not exist. Only I exist. That is the meaning of it. So here also, Namaskurma, that is, whatever way is possible, through either words, through deeds, through bowing down, but above all, with this knowledge that we are bowing down to whom? To Brahman, actually. When we realize, we are also Brahman. Who is bowing down to whom? This is beautifully expressed in many of the texts. "I am Brahman and therefore I salute myself." Because even if somebody says, "I am saluting you," very interesting. Supposing a disciple salutes the acharya, and imagine that acharya is a realized soul. Do you think that realized acharya will ever even allow the thought to enter into his mind? "Here is my disciple. I am his Guru and he is bowing down to me. I accept his namaskara. I am superior. He is inferior. I am the teacher. He is the student." Impossible.

Sri Ramakrishna echoes this beautiful sentiment through a small incident. Shukadeva was sent by his father to Janaka, and Shukadeva approaches and requests Janaka Maharaja, "You teach me about Brahman." Immediately, Janaka Maharaja says, "You give me Dakshana right in the beginning." Nowadays, it is opposite, you know? First, you enjoy and pay later on. But in those days, neither God nor any wise acharya would accept that philosophy. "First you pay, then we will see whether we want to give you something or not." So give me fees, Dakshana. And Shukadeva was wise enough to question him, "You have not even given me the teaching, and you are demanding Guru Dakshana?" And then Janaka said, "So once I tell you, you are me and I am you, then you will not recognize me as a Guru. And who is going to give to whom? Therefore, I am demanding right at the beginning itself." So who is going to salute whom? Brahman doesn't certainly salute Brahman. It is only ignorant human beings like us who think in this particular manner. So that is the most important thing. Why is it so profound? Because we have seen in this very 4th chapter, see how many different ways are there: "asti," "nasti." "Asti" is the first school. Of course, there are so many schools of philosophy, but Gaudapada, or Advaita Vedanta, classifies all of them into four categories. What are they? "Asti," Brahman is. Then "nasti," Brahman is not. Second view. What is the third school? "Asti," "nasti," it is and it is not also. We have discussed already; don't expect me to go through it again. Then what is the fourth one? "Nasti," "nasti." It doesn't exist at all and doubly doesn't exist. So we have so many ways are there, but then how does Gaudapada counter all these things with one simple thing? And this is so beautifully put forward by Ramana Maharshi. Somebody questioned him, "So I have doubts." Then he explained, "Say you are a doubter." So the doubter can doubt everything, but he cannot doubt about himself because to doubt also, you must exist. That is the final teaching of Gaudapada: there can nobody can destroy your "asti," your existence. And that is what we are talking. Everybody knows I exist, and most of us are not aware of what is my true nature, what is the true nature of existence. So with this salutation, the 100th is completely over. Now Gaudapada concluded with this 100th verse, but Shankaracharya, who had written commentary because Gaudapadacharya is incomprehensible. There are so many sometimes a little bit understandable and sometimes not so understandable. Shankaracharya has a facility, superb linguist. He can write so beautifully, simply profoundity and simplicity. Swami Vivekananda perhaps even surpasses Shankaracharya in that respect: the highest truths in the simplest of English language to understand. The meanings, word meanings of Swami Vivekananda's language is very easy, but every time you read, a deeper meaning comes to the mind, and that we can understand only at the end of God realization.

So, similarly, Shankaracharya, having concluded his commentary upon the Karikas of Gaudapada, which are the explanations of the 12 mantras of the Mandukya Upanishad, then he adds three beautiful Shlokas of his own, saluting what is called Gaudapadacharya, his own Guru. Here they go:

अजमपि जनियोगं प्रापदैश्चर्ययोगा-

दगति च गतिमतां प्रापदेकं ह्यनेकम् ।

विविधविषयधर्मग्नाहिमुग्धेक्षणानां

प्रणतभयविहन्तृ ब्रह्म यत्तन्नतोऽस्मि ॥ १ ॥

ajamapi janiyogaṃ prāpadaiścaryayogā-

dagati ca gatimatāṃ prāpadekaṃ hyanekam |

vividhaviṣayadharmagnāhimugdhekṣaṇānāṃ

praṇatabhayavihantṛ brahma yattannato'smi || 1 ||

1. I bow to that Brahman, the destroyer of all fear of those who take shelter under It,—which, though unborn, appears to be associated with birth through Its (inscrutable and indescribable) power (of knowledge and activity); which, though ever at rest, appears to be moving; and which, though non-dual, appears to have assumed multifarious forms to those whose vision is deluded by the perception of endless objects and their attributes.

I am not going into a detailed explanation of this, but just I will read out the English translation and wherever necessary, I will try to expand the meaning of it.

"I bow to that Brahman ultimately everywhere we salute. You are saluting Ganesha; it is nothing but Brahman. You are saluting Mariamma; that is also Brahman only, your concept of Brahman, etc. So who is this Brahman? What is his special quality? The destroyer of all fear of those who take shelter under it. Those, in other words, who practice Sharanagati, that idea is reflected here. Brahman is one, and whoever takes shelter, what does shelter mean? It means 'I belong to you.' Then what does the Brahman do? So that Brahman removes all fear. How does Brahman remove the fear? Simply through this idea that if you are having a fear, there must be something other than you, dvitiya, second, other than you, who is separate from you. And then only that being, that object, can create fear. It could be a mosquito. And don't say, 'I am not frightened of a mosquito.' If anybody says, 'I am a human being, what is a mosquito for me?' So if you have got a mosquito curtain, that shows you are terribly frightened of mosquitoes. How many mosquitoes do you need? Do you need 100 mosquitoes? No. Suppose there are only five mosquitoes. Do you still need a mosquito curtain or not? Yes. Suppose there are two only. Will you need a mosquito curtain? Yes. Suppose there is only one mosquito. What will you do? Even then, we need a mosquito curtain. So, a mosquito curtain, possessing a mosquito curtain, and using a mosquito curtain indicate that you are terribly frightened of a mosquito, even though you don't admit it even to yourself. So this is that Brahman who removes all fear because even fear comes only from the second. It is such a marvellous thing. Fear comes from a second. Is it your father? Fear comes. Is it your mother? Fear comes. Is it your husband or wife? Fear comes. Anything that is even living, non-living, anything can create fear itself. But the idea is you take Sharanagati, that means what? You become one with it. So it is unborn, Ajam, but appears to be born, associated with birth through its inscrutable and indescribable power of Maya.

Maya manifests through knowledge and activity. Though Brahman, ever at rest, appears to be moving, even though Brahman is immovable, why? Because it is infinite, but it appears to be moving because of duality, because of Maya. They give a beautiful example: when we see the moon on a full moon-lit night in the sky, we are fortunate enough to sleep on the roof or whatever, because town people rarely get to see such a thing due to light pollution. But if you are staring at the moon, it soon appears that the clouds are moving at the beginning. Later on, the clouds become still, and the moon appears to be dashing from one cloud, then it disappears, then slowly it appears, etc. So, even though unborn, Brahman appears to be born, which, though ever at rest, appears to be moving, and which, though non-dual, appears to have assumed multifarious forms. One without a second appears to be many. For whom? For whose vision is deluded by the perception of endless objects and their attributes. In other words, for an ignorant person, one who perceives what is called multiplicity.

I prostrate to the feet of that great teacher, the most adored among the adorable, who, out of sheer compassion for all beings drowned in the deep ocean of the world, which world is infested with the terrible shocks of unceasing births and deaths, and that great Guru rescues and for the benefit of everybody. How does he rescue this nectar hardly obtainable even by the gods from the innermost depths of the ocean of Vedas by churning it with the rod of his illumined reason? Prostrations to that Guru, Gaudapada. What is his nature? First of all, I prostrate to the feet of that great teacher. Why? Because what I am now is all because of my Guru. His grace is what made me what I am now. He is the adored, the most adored among all the adorable. There is nobody else who is more adorable. Why? Because he had become Brahman, one with Brahman, and he made me one with Brahman. Who made me realize that I am Brahman. And what type of person? Why did he do that? Out of sheer compassion. And he does it not only to me. Whoever takes shelter at the feet, you must remember, Gaudapadacharya is not an individual Guru but Brahman in the form of Gaudapada, Brahman in the form of Sri Ramakrishna, Brahman in the form of Holy Mother, Brahman in the form of Swami Vivekananda, Swami Brahmananda, Swami Sivananda, etc.

So, anybody, any being, ignorant people because they are drowned in the deep ocean of the world. "Drowned" means what? They think, "I am the body, I am the mind." That is called deep ocean, samsara sagara. And what type of world? Infested with the terrible sharks of incessant births and deaths—continuously being born, growing up, dying, again being born. How many chaurasi lakh janam? And the grace of this great Guru, not because of our effort, but our only effort is to strive our utmost to take shelter. So, he rescues. How does he rescue the agnanis? How does he do it? Because he churns the great ocean called the veda sagara. Just like in the Bhagavatam, we get the kshira sagara matana, churning of the milk ocean, and then what happens at last? The amrutha, which can make a person immortal. That dhanvantari, that is the possessor of amrutha, Bhagavan himself in the form of the dhanvantari, he comes, and only he can give. And the law is, whoever has got, only he can give, and whatever he has got, only that he can give. So, this Guru, he himself had dived deep into the ocean of all the Vedas. So, vedasara amrutam, called vedamrutam. What is vedamrutam? Tatvamasi, Svetaketo. The word that, "O Svetaketo, you are none other than Brahman." When such a great person like Shiva speaks tatvamasi, every jeeva immediately realizes. That is how Shiva grants mukti to everybody in this Varanasi. And this knowledge, amrutam, hardly obtainable even by the gods. We see in the Katha Upanishad also that Yama Dharma Raja himself says, even gods had no knowledge of this Brahman. So, you yourself said so when tempted by Yama Dharma Raja, says, "I am not going to ask for any inferior, what is called, object, because having seen you, having been fortunate, I am not going to surrender this invaluable, which only you can give." So, obtainable, not at all obtainable even by the gods. And his great Guru, called Gaudapadacharya, remember, for an enlightened soul, Guru is not a human being, is Brahman himself. So, where from did this great Guru, in this instance, Gaudapadacharya, bring that nectar? From the innermost depths of the ocean of Vedas. That is the saara of all Vedas.

That is the very essence. What is it, the word that 'Tat Tvam Asi' (you are Brahman) by churning it with the rod is element reason only he could do it, nobody else could do it, and Shankara concludes,

प्रज्ञावैशाखवेधक्षुभितजलनिधेर्वेदनाम्नो'न्तरस्थं

भूतान्यालोक्य मग्नान्यविरतजननग्नाहघोरे समुद्ने ।

कारुण्यादुद्दधारमृतमिदममरैर्दुर्लभं भूतहेतो-

र्यस्तं पूज्याभिपूज्यं परमगुरुममुं पादपातैर्नतो'स्मि ॥ २ ॥

prajñāvaiśākhavedhakṣubhitajalanidhervedanāmno'ntarasthaṃ

bhūtānyālokya magnānyaviratajananagnāhaghore samudne |

kāruṇyāduddadhāramṛtamidamamarairdurlabhaṃ bhūtaheto-

ryastaṃ pūjyābhipūjyaṃ paramaGurumamuṃ pādapātairnato'smi || 2 ||

2. I prostrate to the feet of that Great Teacher, the most adored among the adorable, who,—out of sheer compassion for the beings drowned in the deep ocean of the world, infested with the terrible sharks of incessant births (and deaths),—rescued, for the benefit of all, this nectar, hardly obtainable even by the gods, from the innermost depths of the ocean of the Vedas by churning it with the (churning) rod of his illumined reason.

यत्प्रज्ञालोकभासा प्रतिहतिमगमत्स्वान्तमोहान्धकारे

मज्जोन्मज्जच्च घोरे ह्यमकृदुपजनोदन्वति त्रासने मे ।

यत्पादावाश्रितानां श्रुतिशमविनयप्राप्तिरग्या ह्यमोघा

तत्पादौ पावनीयो भवभयविनुदौ सर्वभावैर्नमस्ये ॥ ३ ॥

yatprajñālokabhāsā pratihatimagamatsvāntamohāndhakāre

majjonmajjacca ghore hyamakṛdupajanodanvati trāsane me |

yatpādāvāśritānāṃ śrutiśamavinayaprāptiragyā hyamoghā

tatpādau pāvanīyo bhavabhayavinudau sarvabhāvairnamasye || 3 ||

3. I make obeisance with my whole being to those holy feet—the dispellers of the fear of this chain of births and deaths—of my great teacher who, through the light of his illumined reason, destroyed the darkness of delusion enveloping my mind; who destroyed for ever my (notions of) appearance and disappearance in this terrible ocean of innumerable births and deaths; and who makes all others also that take shelter at his feet, attain to the unfailing knowledge of Scriptures, peace and the state of perfect non-differentiation.

I salute with my whole being, tanu vacha, and manasa, manasa vacha, karmana, to those holy feet of the Guru. Which holy feet? The dispellers of the fear of the chain of births and deaths. Once that grace of God in the form of the Guru comes, then there is no punar janma of my great teacher, who, through the light of his illumined vision, destroyed the darkness of delusion enveloping my mind. I would never have been able to do it because of the grace. All that I did was that I was fortunate enough to come into contact with him, and he glanced at me, 'Karuna Drishti Apataihi,' just by a glance, who destroyed forever all my notions of appearance and disappearance in this terrible ocean of innumerable births and deaths. But I am not the only one. Whoever surrenders to the Guru is fortunate enough to receive his grace. He makes all others also that take shelter at his feet attain to the unfailing knowledge of the scriptures, which is 'Aham Brahmasmi.' And what does he gain? Peace and the state of perfect non-differentiation. Take what is called complete identity with Brahman, he attains. But all this is possible only by the grace of God. That is what Bhagwan Krishna also says, that you surrender yourself to me, I will take care of you, and you need not worry. You need not be deluded, you will not be deluded, and you need not unnecessarily suffer, because I will take you out of all suffering. He will go beyond all sorts of suffering, what is called three types of afflictions. With this, we have completed the even three salutation verses, most wonderful verses. And in our next class, I will be doing a summarization of this entire Mandukya Upanishad along with the four chapters.

And with that we will conclude and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna!