Brahma Upanishad Lecture 13 on 11 May 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Brahma Upanishad in our last class. We have been studying the third mantra of this Brahma Upanishad. And where we have left off is where earlier the Rishi has been talking about two things. One is called Ignopavita or the Sutra or Sacred Thread. Another is the Shikha, tuft of hair. These are two very important symbols of control over oneself and open to the highest reality. And every twice born and according to Hinduism, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are supposed to go through this sacred thread ceremony. And thereafter, as if they are reborn into the spiritual realm and they have to keep these two. Always wear sacred thread under no circumstances should it be left out. And also the Shikha, tuft of hair. What is the idea behind this? They have to remind us. You know in our modern computer language, so there are softwares or yellow slips, reminders. Do this, do this, do this. So these are constant reminders. I should do what the sacred scripture ordains me. And I should assiduously avoid what is forbidden by the scriptures. And they are not like dictators trying to tell us what to do or not to do. The benefit in this case goes only to the dictators. It is in their selfish interest. But here the scripture is more than like a loving mother. Again and again, it wants to uphold us, to help us so that we can run into her lap. And once a baby is in the lap of the mother, feels absolutely safe, sound, mother efforts, protection, nourishment, love, everything. And our divine mother is none other than Brahma. This is what Sri Ramakrishna used to call my mother. So this is established in the state of the highest yoga. The wise person should put off the external thread. One who is really self-conscious must put on the thread constituted by the awareness of Brahman. That is continual remembrance of God. And so just as a person when he is performing a special puja or yajna, that person wears a special ring made out of Darbha or Dhruva grass. The reason is until I complete this ritual, I am not going to divert my mind here and there. But once it is complete, then he should discard it because the purpose is over. Similarly, wearing the sacred thread or keeping the tuft of hair are useful. How long? Only so long as they haven't realized God. Once God realization takes place, it is not necessary. In fact, Sri Ramakrishna used to say that these external symbols, they insignia, they fall off themselves like when a palm tree grows up, the lower branches automatically dry and fall off. So that is what the Upanishad is indicating that once a person is well established so that he never forgets God or Brahman, then there is no need for them. Just as alarm clock is needed only so long we have not got up. Once we get up, suppose sometimes we get up before the alarm goes off and then we carefully put off that alarm so that it should not disturb us in whatever we are doing. So also, when a person progresses by the grace of God long before, then he need not wear all these things. But so long as a person has not reached the goal, it is foolish to give up all these things because when we understand the inner symbolism, then we understand how valuable things our ancestors had bestowed upon us. So, what is called the sacred thread, it is the most purest of things in the world. Brahma Bhava Mayam Sutram. This is nothing but manifest Brahman and whatever, whenever he is wearing, that it is God who is manifesting through this body-mind. It belongs to him and nothing belongs to me. I belong to God. That is the knowledge which one should attain and that is being said. We have discussed this one and then he is also defining what is called Sutra. Sutra means thread. I mentioned two meanings there. A pointer and that which pervades like thread. Without thread, all the flowers or gems or anything, they will not be united. Or when we enter into a huge place, we require directions. Where to go? To the dining hall or to the meeting hall or to the prayer hall etc. This is the definition given. And by wearing this Sutra, sacred thread, a person should become sacred, pure. What happens to such a person? Such a person has attained such a state that nothing can pollute him. In fact, everything makes him very pure. That which is used, touched, polluted by others or anything, even by nature, feces, stools, urine or rotten things, even if it is there, it cannot make a person impure. But we have to take it with a pinch of salt. Means physically, we should never do. There are some sects. They are called Aghoris or sometimes Kapalikas. They habitually live in crematoriums and then they eat sometimes corpses, sometimes rotting meat, whatever they can get. So they do not observe these rules of purity etc. But you know, a body will not know what is called impurity. So if somebody contaminates, then a person is likely to take ill, to become ill or to get some kind of infections. I don't know, perhaps by living that kind of life, the person may even develop a great strength of immunity. There is no doubt about it that those who are living in the so-called third world countries, this is a coinage that is used by the western countries. So those who are poor, those who are economically at a lower stage, they are called third world countries. And it became an insulting word. Later on, they changed it to developing countries and developed countries. We are all developed countries. And most often, the most horrible things, most impure things, so unimaginably cruel things like wars etc. take place only in the so-called developed countries, not in the developing countries. Quarrels may be there. But this scale of destruction is impossible because they do not, for simple reason, they do not have access to these things. Once they have access, yes, they will do anything. So this is what is said here that a person becomes spiritually so pure, mentally so pure, nothing can make him impure. Shri Ramakrishna's life, I am going to quote a few things. So usually, when we have access to something which is so-called contaminating, impure, like seeing pornographic pictures etc. And even animals copulating. Shri Ramakrishna once was returning from the side of the, after answering calls of nature and he saw two dogs copulating. What type of picture does it arouse in children? Nothing. What type of children feelings come to a grown-up adult? Impure feelings. But what type of feelings Shri Ramakrishna had? Look at this. He says, I saw Shiva and Shakti sporting with each other. That was the picture that came. The very same sight as created because his mind is pure. A pure mind sees everything pure. An impure mind sees everything impure only. It is a beautiful story. It is not in Mahabharata. Somebody created, but it is a beautiful story. Yudhishthira and Duryodhana, they went on a world tour and after completing, they came back. There was a public meeting in reception of them and both were asked to narrate. Duryodhana got up and he said with a disgusted face, I had nothing but very tragic experiences, shocking experiences, negative experiences. Nobody is good. I saw everybody is a devil. I have nothing to say. Such was my experience. He sat down. Then it was the turn of Yudhishthira. He got up and said, how can I describe? Everybody was, as they say, was falling head over heels to help me. Wherever I went, people were playing with each other, competing with each other. Who can host me? Who can feed me? Who can make my life a little more comfortable? They were competing with each other for the privilege. I cannot describe how good the world is. So this is the story that is told because Duryodhana's eyes see nothing but wickedness, selfishness. The whole world appears to be like that. But the same world in the eyes of Yudhishthira is nothing but pure Brahman. Once Ramakrishna was returning from Calcutta to Dakshineshwar. He saw a public woman. But what we call public woman. But what he saw was pure Sita who is compared to what is called Murtibhavi. That is purity personified. We also sing, With regard to holy mother, she was purity herself. So Ramakrishna had attained to that state where he sees nothing but God. What about a murder? So that is also God sporting only. It is worth remembering. Ramakrishna once saw a grasshopper, a small insect with a stick protruding out of its backside. And he said, At first I felt very painful because it is suffering so much. Then I entered into a higher state. I saw, Oh Rama! You have become the grasshopper. You have become the stick. You have become the person who stuck this small stick in the backside of the... So you are everything. You created your own problem which accords absolutely well with our study of Mandukya Upanishad. Whatever we imagine, whatever multiplicity we create in our dreams is only springing from one. When we wake up, we say, I was myself. My neighbours were also myself. My friends, my enemies, everybody was none other than my own self. So that is expressed in this beautiful thing. But how did Shri Ramakrishna attain to that state? Of course, he attained to that state even much before. But while he was practicing Tantric disciplines, Bhairavi Brahmani, she used to collect so many materials. She made him go through the most important 64 types of rituals. Because Tantras are many, not 64. But she culled what is most important and made Shri Ramakrishna go through most of them. So she once brought rotting human flesh and asked him to taste. He said, At first, I felt very abhorrent as we all do. But then Bhairavi Brahmani said, What is there, my child? Everything is a manifestation of the Divine Mother. Look, I am taking. And then she tasted it. Remember, what I said earlier should not be taken like we eat sweets, etc. This is meant only to make the idea that everything pure and impure is the manifestation of the Divine only. There is no doubt about it. So Shri Ramakrishna said, At first, I couldn't take. Then I felt the spirit of Chendi possessing me. And then I did not feel any hesitation. I have taken it as Prasada. And then once she cooked fish in a human skull and asked him to taste it. You know, we all shudder when we think of such things. And then finally, she brought a woman, asked him to sit in her lap and perform Japa. At first, Shri Ramakrishna felt frightened. But he prayed to the Divine Mother. Then he sat down because the ritual has to be completed. Then she saw he was sitting in the lap of his own Divine Mother. And he entered into Samadhi. And then Bhairavi Brahmani certified, My son, most Sadhakas fall down here. But by the Mother's grace, you have succeeded completely. And with that, his Tantric practices were over. And one day in the public hall, that which is in front of the Mother Kali's temple at Dakshineswar, not called Natamandir or Dancing Hall, a beautiful woman was brought. And in the public, Shri Ramakrishna worshipped her as Divine Mother. And then he offered one rupee as his Dakshina, like we give to God. And then with that, the Tantric practices were over. So Shri Ramakrishna had to go through these things to say that there is nothing else except God everywhere, what we call pure and impure. But if we look from another point of view, we see that what we call impure is the very reason for our existence. For example, if we want to grow some crops, then we have to add fertilizer. And what is fertilizer? And what is called organic fertilizer? It is nothing but cow dung or the droppings of birds or even bats or anything what is not absorbed by the animals becomes fertilizer. And that fertilizer transforms itself into the most nourishing elements. So what we cannot digest becomes nourishing element for some other stomachs. And what becomes indigestible for them becomes suitable material for us. Even I just now remembered the world's most expensive coffee seed is that which is eaten by a bird and then comes out as feces and they wash it and it acquires a special flavor there. And that is the most expensive. So we eat so many things which are rotten. There is no doubt about it. Anyway, what is the point here? We are talking that nothing can pollute a person mentally or spiritually. And when? When only these people become what is called spiritually wearing the sacred thread. That means they have become sacred. Another name for God is purity, sacredness. And they become one with God. So that sacredness will be there. So this is about Ignopavita. Now Rishi turns his attention to what is this tuft of hair. It is called Shikha. So he concludes there. They among men know the Sutram. They really wear the sacrificial thread who are devoted to Jnana. Who have this Jnana for their sacred hair tuft. This Jnana for their sacred thread. What is the essence? That the real wearers of a sacred thread are those who keep the tuft of hair. Or those who have acquired that knowledge. What is that knowledge? I am divine. And they have become firmly established. So only in their case, both Ignopavita and tuft of hair are symbolic of pure knowledge. Self knowledge. Brahma knowledge. So this is what again the Rishi is moving. So the Rishi takes a little bit of poking at the ignorant people. Means those upper caste people after being invested with the sacred thread. They go on wearing externally this sacred thread. And also keep a tuft of hair on their heads. They are called merely wearing. Because nothing, no change has come in. We are not or the Rishi is not condemning these people. In fact he says it is a condition for spiritual progress. But what he is telling is let these people never forget the ultimate goal of wearing a Sutra is to become like Sutra all pervading. Wearing or keeping the tuft of hair is only to indicate my mind must always reach Sahasrara Chakra. That is why it is on the head. So this is what being expressed in this. Again part of the third mantra. For them Jnana is the greatest purifier. Jnana that is the best as such. Those who have this Jnana for their tufted hair are as non-different from it as it is fire from its flame. So this wise one is really said to be a Shikhi, a wearer of the tufted hair. While others are mere growers of hair on the head. So the word Pavitra means purifying agent. In every scripture practically the best purifying agent. What does it mean? Means if we come across any impure object, it could be physical, it could be an impure thought etc. The best antidote not only to remove the impurity but to transform it into the highest pure something. That is knowledge. So knowledge there is no greater purifier than knowledge. So this is what Bhagavad Gita also which is of course the essence of the Upanishads reiterates. Nahi Jnanaena Sadrusham Pavitram Evidyate. Eva means on this earth. Jnanaena Sadrusham equivalent to Jnanam. What type of Jnanam? Pavitram. That which makes everything pure. So it doesn't exist. That means real knowledge. What is the real knowledge? Everything is God. That is the real knowledge. You can call it everything is God, everybody is Jesus, everybody is Buddha. Each soul is a potential Buddha. So each soul is potentially divine. So only when a person attains that knowledge. What is that knowledge? Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. Everything is Brahman only. So what is that impure thing? That is also Brahma. So recollect one of the most meaningful episodes in the life of Totapuri or in the life of Shri Ramakrishna. This Totapuri belonged to this Naga Sampradaya. Naga is the word which means naked. Nagna. So they don't wear a cloth. Not because they want to exhibit their bodies. Because they want to become immune to the inclement weather. That is why they are given a long training. First on hard seats, very soft seats. After that gradually the seat is made to be harder and harder and then the seat itself is removed. What is called asana is removed. Cushion is removed. And they were made to sit on the ground floor. Their own legs become the best seat, Padmasana etc. or Sukhasana, whatever it is. And all inside the protected rooms. After that they are asked to go outside and slowly their bodies are made to be able to wear just as in the what is called spring season, very pleasant season. These people let it be very cold, let it be very hot. It doesn't affect. There was a Swami in Varanasi. His name was Swami Bhaskarananda. And he used to live always on the Ganges, completely naked. And then whether it is winter, whether it is summer, doesn't matter. I heard of another great Paramahamsa who used to lie down in the burning streets outside. It is maybe 40 degrees hot midday or it may be raining or in winter it may be freezing. At all times he will just lie down on the road and slowly some people will bring some food and he will accept whatever is needed. So there are people who would not like to be slaves to this inclement weather and by creating this kind of training they slowly become. But this is all external. But the real thing is that with knowledge only. So this Totapuri was supposed to have entered into Nirvikalpa Samadhi. But these Naga Sannyasins, they cherish, always they have a fire lit. In those days firewood is available everywhere because forests were there, jungles were there. Very easy to get. And this also protects them and they can cook also something or they can keep a little bit warm in winter season. Because Totapuri also used to sleep under the Panchavati, under the Banyan tree. And at midnight he will get up and stroke the fire and then sit and absorbed in meditation. He was such a great soul. That is why the Divine Mother had brought. But then he had that discrimination. This Dhoona is very very sacred whereas ordinary fire is not sacred. And the Divine Mother in the form of Shri Ramakrishna wanted to teach him a lesson. One day when Totapuri was in an eloquent waxing mood of teaching, then a servant came to take fire and he took the fire and he was about to go. Then only Totapuri noticed and he was overcome with a terrific anger. He wanted to beat the temple servant. Then Shri Ramakrishna was witnessing this and he fell down on the earth and started laughing uproariously. And Totapuri could not understand. Why are you laughing so much? He said, a very beautiful Bengali word, तोर ब्रह्मग्यन दाउड कोतटु को देखची। Now my point is that when you have attained to that Nirvikalpa, means the slightest shade of difference one doesn't see, एकं एवा द्वितियं Everything is one. Then why do we make this sacred fire? Fire itself is always sacred. Nothing can pollute it. Whatever is poured into the fire, it makes that object also fire itself. The highest purity will be there. So he could not see it. Then he understood there is a power which can give us the highest knowledge and which can also throw us down from that highest knowledge. So we have to remember these incidents that there is nothing purer than the knowledge. What is that knowledge? There is no second. If there is a second, who is superior? Who is inferior? Who is pure? Who is impure? Who is big? Who is small? All these differentiations are bound to crop up. But here there is no such thing at all. And so this Rishi is elucidating in this third mantra, those who have attained to that knowledge, तेशाम् For such Jnanis, ज्ञानम् एवा परम् They have attained to that highest knowledge. And what type of knowledge? पवित्रम् ज्ञानम् उत्तम That is the most wonderful knowledge. It is the best of knowledge. And it is पवित्रम्. And it makes us see God only everywhere. You can't see impure God or pure God. अग्नेरिव शिखा न अन्या And what is the shikha they have got? That is tuft of hair. It is like blazing fire. यस्य ज्ञानम् एवा शिखा Again what does this tuft of hair symbolize? Only pure knowledge. And such a person is called विद्वान A true knower of ब्रह्मान, highest reality. सशिखी इत्युच्यते He alone deserves the title शिखी. What about the others? Yes, if they are careful, then slowly they will have to progress towards this state of knowledge. What is the knowledge? Accepting God. There is nothing else. That is the idea. So if one forgets it is Here they are only growers of hair. But they are not progressing spiritual life. What is the lesson from this mantra? So whether we are initiated from our Guru, whether we are invested with the sacred thread, we have to remember the purpose of all this is to grow in true knowledge. What is that knowledge? I belong to God. God belongs to me. And there is no difference between God and me. This has been beautifully explained by Shri Ramakrishna. He cites the example of Hanuman. So what is your relationship with God? That means what is your knowledge towards God? And then he says there are, he did not say that. We have to understand there are three stages of spiritual progress. When I think that I am separate from God, that is what is called identity with the body and mind. Then I have to assume the attitude of servant, but servant and the master, there is a tremendous relationship is there. So nowadays when we talk about servants, whether it is men servants or maid servants or whatever it is, that loving relationship which used to exist, it has almost come to an end. So what is meant here is that it is a most loving relationship. This is my master and I will not serve anybody. And the master also says this is my servant. He is like my child. I will protect him. I will nourish him and I will look after him. This is the relationship. This should be the relationship. So long as we are thinking we are body mind, that means we are separate from God. Then when we enter jiva buddhya padam shakaha When I consider myself a part of you, jiva means I am having identity with body mind at the same time, I am also a part of you. So half body mind and half I am the consciousness. Jiva, jivatma, far superior, much more advanced than those who are completely identified with the body and mind. Padam shakaha So I consider myself as a part of you, an infinitesimal part of you. This is called Isista Dvaita. Earlier they were called Dvaita. Everything is different from everything else. Here everything is united in God, different and yet not different. Unity in diversity. But there must come a time if we continue our spiritual practice, Atma buddhya tvamevaham That when I attain to that state, I am the Atman. Tvamevaham I am you, you are me. There is no doubt about it. So Madhusudana Saraswati, a great Advaitin in the 15th century, he had written Godha Artha Deepika. That is secret notes on Bhagavad Gita with deep meaning. Godha Artha And there he concludes saying there are three stages of spiritual progress. First stage is I belong to you. When he progresses, you belong to me. And when he progresses, there is no difference between you and me. And that is what is indicating of what is called Dvaita, Isista Dvaita as well as Advaita. That is being said here. That is the meaning of what we discussed it. But after hearing all this, we might have a wrong notion since the Upanishad is telling that wearing sacred thread, keeping up a tuft of hair are not really useful. They can be dispensed with. That would be the greatest, what is called danger that comes. That is why Shri Ramakrishna used to say, don't give up actions. As you progress, actions themselves will give you up. That is the most natural thing. This is what is a caution in the further mantra. But those belonging to the three castes, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, these are called upper castes, who have the right of performing Vedic works, that is follow Karmakanda, they must put on a sacred thread as well as a tuft of hair as surely as this thread is ordained to be part of such works. In fact, our Vedas prescribe that without a person, even though he may belong to the three upper castes, if he is not invested in sacred thread ceremony, then he is not fit to perform these. Not only that, they go even further and say, a person who is not married, who is not having a wife, so Dharmapatni is not there, then they are also unable. Remember Ramayana, Rama wanted to perform a great sacrifice and he himself had banished Sita. So he was constrained to create a golden Sita and keep her by his side and as if she is alive, then only he was able to do it. So those who are privileged to be born in these higher castes and well, they are authorized to perform these Vedic Karmakanda such as puja, etc., such people should never throw out this sacred thread, etc. Then who can throw out? When can they throw out? No, one should not throw out, but they follow them. That is called the state of Sannyasa and Sannyasa is not an external state. It is a mental maturity, a person steadily progressing in knowledge. Progress in knowledge is called progress in life. That is why there are so many discussions about are we progressing? A great historian, Phil Durant, along with his wife, Ariel Durant, has written 11 huge tomes, tomes means big books, the story of civilization and then he says that if a man from, let us say, 5,000 years back, a child from 5,000 years back, if he is brought into this 22nd century and then he doesn't find it very strange. What changed? Earlier he had to do hunting, etc. He had to save himself from all these wild animals, tigers and hyenas, wolves, saber-toothed tigers, mammoths, etc., etc. Now he has to do what is called online hackers, pickpockets and these people who go on cheating hundreds of lakhs of rupees from gullible people and most of the time, these so-called computer experts, IT people, they are the most gullible people in the world. So how? They are milked online and then there are people working. Intense competition to get privilege, even if it be a temporary privilege and it has become a terribly competitive society and anytime this competition is not going to come to a stop because previously it was a matter, the wars were for survival. Now also the wars are there for survival only. So one reason why wars are there is for survival. Another reason why wars are there is insatiable greed. People want to become more and more and more possessive of money, property, etc., etc. But they have not conquered. I sometimes feel like laughing when I hear that first thing, a news came some time back, these multi-billionaires, they are buying frantically underground what is called buildings. So that is, they think it is a safe house, there are going to be nuclear wars and life will be exterminated but these people will be protected. These underground bunkers, very strong bunkers, that is not a new idea. Hitler used to have a bunker and whenever there is an air siren warning, then there are bunkers created in every city. People have to run there, giving up, leaving everything, whatever they are doing. That is one. Then there is a, scientists are also toying with the idea of bringing back the same person by the regeneration of DNA. So after 50 years or 100 years, this fellow's body will be recreated, regenerated and that was what our old Ayurveda, even an old man can be made a young person through certain processes, etc. This is there. I want to live long time. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that idea. What is wrong is, if you are so much worried now, out of 24 hours accepting in deep sleep, you are worrying most of the time. Your restlessness of the mind is called worrying. Then if your longevity is prolonged, what are you going to do with those things? That is the idea. Anyway, just by the way, I spoke about these things. So long as a person has not progressed truly and progress is always in knowledge and progress in knowledge always indicates self-knowledge. Who am I? Once I know who I am, then I will know who everybody else is. That is to say, if I know I am a human being and even if I keep that knowledge in mind, so just as a pin prick pains me, so the same pin prick also can pain even an insect, even an animal, any human, not to speak of any human being and that is very important. But if I think I am the Jeevatma, everybody is looked in the same light because our judgmental values always follow about our concept of ourselves. If I think I am body, everybody is a body. If I think I am the mind, everybody is a mind. If I think I am a Jeeva, everybody is a Jeeva. If I think I am divine, everybody becomes divine. This is the knowledge towards which whether you call it baptism or the Muslim young men are supposed to go through certain rituals. The Jewish children are supposed to go through certain rituals. In Buddhism, first of all, The same idea, I have to obtain self-knowledge. I must become Buddha. Then only my buddhi becomes enlightened. So until I reach that state, I require all this. In England, there is a saying, every little helps. So this Ignopavita can help. A tuft of hair shikha can help. And taking bath can help. And three sandhya, three times, remembering God, especially Gayatri can help. Everything can help. So this is the caution. Those who are authorized to perform this Karmakanda specially, though that means the fourth caste, what is called Shudra. And again, I am cautioning, it is not by birth. It is by qualification, Una and Karma. So until the Shudra reaches higher stage, these rituals will make no meaning for him. Not that he is bald. He doesn't want even those things. But those who are supposed to progress, they should be highly aware that everything helps. And especially that which reminds us that you have to do exercises. You have to do this. You have to do that. That reminders. Ignopavita and shikha is a reminder. If I forget, others will remind me. And that brings me the idea. You know, Shiva bhaktas put three lines across, crosswise on the forehead and the Vishnu bhaktas, Vaishnavas, they put it vertically, horizontally and vertically. What is the meaning of it? That I cannot see what is I have put on my own forehead. But when I see the other one, Oh, he is a Vaishnava and he accepts Vishnu or Shiva. And therefore, I should never forget Shiva or Vishnu. Similarly, that person also will remember. That is why two monks, when they meet, they have to greet each other. Om Namo Narayanaya. Adrishti Safai. Is your vision clear? That is the idea. So those belonging to the so-called higher castes, three castes, Brahmana, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and they have been authorized to perform these Vedic rituals. They should surely hear this one. After hearing this Upanishad, Oh, it is all inner matter. There is no need to wear outside. No. That is Vaishnava Krishna's beautiful saying that don't give up Karmas. When the time comes, Karmas will give you up. That is, as we grow, whatever is not necessary, they drop off with him. There is somebody who is going to take our look after us. And there is a Vedic injunction also. Tasmad ignopaviti eva adhiyeta yajayet yajayetava So only those who are entitled, who have been invested with sacred thread, adhiyeta, they only should study under Gurukula or yajayet, or they must help other people perform rituals or swayam yajayetava. They themselves, if they are doing it themselves, they alone are authorized. So they should not give up ignopavita and shikha. Let them fall off. When a person grows, that is the caution. shikha jnanamayi yasya upavitancha tanmayam pramanyam sakalam tasya iti brahma vidho vidho And this idea is reinforced with this beautiful mantra. Very beautiful. One who has the jnana for his tufted hair. So this person's knowledge, what knowledge? That I belong to God, I am God, etc. And the same for his sacred thread. The sacred thread also, I belong to God. That's why it is called second birth. First birth is biological, second birth is spiritual. And such a person has everything about him characterized by Brahmanhood. That means his behavior, his speech, his thinking. And in the beginning, he has to do it with tremendous effort. But in the end, it comes out spontaneously. What is acquired through, with difficulty, with practice, becomes so very natural when he becomes firmly established in that knowledge that I am divine. So know the knowers of the Vedas. So those who know the Vedas, that means those who know the Brahman. It is a beautiful word. So Veda is also called Brahma. Another name for Veda is Brahma. That is why those who go to Gurukula to study Vedas, they are called Brahmacharis. They have nothing to do with Brahmacharya. Here it means those who are completely absorbed, focused, concentrated on acquiring the true knowledge of the Vedas. First, of course, by what we call, how to pronounce, Siksha. Then comes various Upasanas. And then finally comes Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma. Then with that knowledge, one has to analyze the three states of every Jiva's experience. Jagrat, Swapna, Sushupti. The waking, the dream, and the dreamless state. And then slowly progress in spiritual life. That is being elogized here. Sikha Jnanam Iyasya. For a person who is a Sikha, there is no external tuft of hair. Such a person having Jnanam is like having a tuft of hair. Having Jnanam is having like the sacred thread. Upavihitancha. And the beautiful word Tanmayam. The person who has become completely absorbed in God is called Tanmayam. That is he never knows anything excepting God. Brahmanyam Sakalam Tasya. Everything about him, as it were, it is coming out, unstoppable expression of Brahmanyam. So it is said when Shudhiram, the father of Shri Ramakrishna, used to go and walk in the streets, everybody spontaneously gets up. Because they understand this is called Brahmanyam. True Brahmana. Who is a true Brahmana? Brahma Jnanateti Brahmanaha. He who realized Brahman, that is I am Brahman, he is a true Brahmana. It is a beautiful anecdote. After Buddha, first Buddha had mixed with five sadhakas, spiritual practitioners. And then very soon he found out what they were practicing, extreme asceticism is not going to take a person anywhere. So he broke his fast by taking some milk offered by one very spiritual lady called Sujatha. And seeing that this person has become a little broken in his hardest, what is called extremities, the five people have left and they reached Sarnath here near Varanasi. And then after some time, Buddha, Siddhartha had become Buddha. Then he said the most fit persons to receive my Jnanam is my, these co-sadhakas. So he came to this place Sarnath and they saw from a distance. They decided not to respect him, not to raise him. But when he came near spontaneously, they had to get up. That is called Brahmania. And that everything about such persons, they exudes, he exudes as it were, that purity, that sacredness. This is the knowledge of the Brahma Vidhas. We will continue in our next class. Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Saritva Pranamami Muhurmaho May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.