Brahma Upanishad Lecture 16 on 19 May 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We have been studying the last, that is the fourth mantra which is quite big and we have come to the description of the Hridaya Guha, heart cave. This heart cave is the place where we can meet, that is the Divine Lord, Paramatma, Brahma is easily obtainable. It's a place which contains what is called the Hridaya Akasha. There are Bahya Akasha, Chitta Akasha, Chidda Akasha, Chit Akasha. Akasha where Chit is more manifest than in any of the other places. It is a pure place. And very interesting point we have to note down is Yogic psychology, Tantric psychology had developed a kind of visual image to imagine how this will be. And as I quoted yesterday, Sriram Krishna had experienced this arousing of the Kundalini and if you remember there are three pathways, Ida and Pingala, like roads where the Jeevatma goes up and down, state of consciousness with the help of the mind because we have to remember the mind is like a mirror which mirrors the Chit called Chidda Akasha, reflected consciousness. And this reflected consciousness when it is stuck and cannot rise above the three lower chakras which represent what is called Kama and Kanchana, woman and gold, sex and money, then they will be moving only within those three chakras, Mooladhara, Manipura, etc. But by some great good fortune, when a person is practicing spiritual disciplines, when he attains sufficient amount of purity, then a new path opens and that path is called Sushumna. These are not physical things. By examining the body, we cannot get them, not even by a microscope or any scope, electronic scope, etc. But it is purely belonging to the subtle body. But once this Sushumna, that is spiritual path opens, then the Sadhaka has to raise his consciousness degree by degree, slowly but surely. And the first place it reaches is called Hridaya, that is, it rises from the Nabhi to the Hridaya, Heart Chakra it is called, Anahata Chakra it is called. And this Anahata Chakra or Heart Chakra is beautifully described in the Narayana Sukta. Probably this Pippalada, this Brahma Upanishad Rishi called Pippalada, when he was questioned by disciple Shaunaka, Mahashala, a great, earnest, fit Sadhaka disciple. And as part of his teaching, he is giving this description. When a person starts practicing Sadhana, how? By offering his body and mind completely to God, dedicating his body and mind to the Divine Lord, surrendering his body and mind to the Lord. And that is called the body-mind complex, BM complex, is identified as the lower Aranyi and Omkara as the upper Aranyi. As the churning process takes place, slowly the Jivatma, through the path of Sushumna, rises to higher and higher states of consciousness. And how they do it, that is being described in this present part of the fourth one, I would call it ninth part of the fourth mantra. Padmakosha Pratikashagam Sushiram Chaap Yadho Mukham Hrudayam Tad Vijaniyat Vishvasya Ayatanam Mahat They, as I said, the yogic psychology, they have developed this technique. And some people must have experienced it like Sri Ramakrishna. Remember, Sri Ramakrishna also practiced not only Raja Yoga, but which is a very important part of Raja Yoga, which is called the Jada Yoga. That is mainly consisting of Asana, Pranayama, etc. And through this, he had progressed sufficiently. And one day he had an experience and then he was graphically describing it. I saw the Jivatma as if he was the Jivatma at that time, but as if he was witnessing it or remembering it. So slowly the Jivatma was going up and up and then he came to the Anahata Chakra, Hrudaya Chakra, the Heart Chakra. And from that point onwards, all the lotuses were hanging as if with long stems and the stems in a complete bud form, not degenerated, because when a flower blooms fully, after some time it starts rotting up. Not that way, as if it is not able to open its petals, but ready to open the petals. And then this Sri Ramakrishna was visualizing that there was a Paramahamsa and this Jivatma in the form of a Paramahamsa. And I am sure that Paramahamsa looked exactly like himself only, just as we see ourselves in a dream also. Very interesting. So supposing Sri Ramakrishna was very old and you know he passed away only at the age of six months past 50 years. So with partially whitened beard etc., then probably he would also visualize the Paramahamsa exactly like that. But he was a very young man and then he saw. He was describing graphically. So as soon as the Paramahamsa, he went up, he saw this lotus and with his tongue he touched. And at this divine touch, the lotus along with the stem, as if it stood completely upright, opened its full into its blossom, whether it is eight petaled, ten petaled or thousand petaled etc. So this has happened with what is called Agnaya Chakra, Vishuddha Chakra, which is next at the neck, at the Kantha and then the Agnaya Chakra, which is at the forehead and the thousand petaled lotus where Paramashiva himself, that is Paramatma himself will be shining and that is the place he entered there. And it is also said how many different ways, five different ways like an ant crawling, like a bird flying, like a monkey jumping, like a frog jumping etc. or like a snake zigzagging. Once a sadhu from Rishikesh came and then Ramakrishna was describing and he was astounded and he said that I have read about these things in the books but this is the first time he is meeting a person. Of course Ramakrishna did not know in which book these were so graphically written. So like that from the heart to the throat to the forehead and then to the on the right in the Brahma Chakra in the head Sahasrara Chakra. So here in this ninth mantra of the ninth part of the fourth mantra 4.9 that is being described Padmakosha Prateekasagam Sushiramcha Api Adho Mukham. Sushiram means a small opening that is called Sushumna Path and this is like a Padmakosha that is like a lotus bud. Prateekasha means similar to a lotus bud but it is shining like anything. Ramakrishna said when a sadhaka can reach this Anahata Chakra then every object that is the sadhaka experiences every object as completely shining. Now very interesting incident happened. Ramakrishna was lying very sick with suffering with the throat cancer at Kasipur and one day suddenly M felt a terrible urge to visit Kamarpakur and of course without Ramakrishna's permission he would not do anything but Ramakrishna also encouraged to go and M went there alone and he saw he had a very divine experience. Saw everything even the very dust of Kamarpakur all the places associated with Ramakrishna were shining like burnished gold. When Ramakrishna came to Varanasi he saw a golden Kashi. So this is part of the spiritual experience that is to say when Sattva guna increases the nature of Sattva is Gnana and Gnana is often represented as light. So M was astounded wherever he was looking. So he was making pranams, prostrations again and again everywhere and that was very overwhelming experience. He came to Sri Ramakrishna and joyfully of course his heart was filled with tremendous joy which perhaps he never experienced before and he was describing and then that attraction of that Kamarpakur rather his experience of Kamarpakur and surrounding places he blurted out. Can I go again? Sri Ramakrishna said no. So he did not go so long as Ramakrishna was alive. So this shining objects it is very interesting also even when a person starts to love somebody then that person looks at any object that he loves as if shining as if a man loves a woman she is shining like a moon. This is a very classical description in Sanskrit literature of Kavya, Kavitva, etc. Now here we are getting this there is a lotus and it is in a form of a bud and it is closed and a long stem is there and it is hanging down and where is it hooked up in that opening called Sushumna. Sushiram cha api adho mukham and then there the description stops but only with the help of Sri Ramakrishna's experience we can see that how the sadhaka is able to experience it. Hridayam tad vijaniyat and when once anybody has experience of this that lotus bud is supposed to be Hridaya and then Vishvasya ayatanam maha. If a person manages to rouse it up and stays identify as if he enters within it and then he becomes one with the consciousness associated that is very important associated with that particular center then he will see that this whole universe is an infinite universe. Another meaning of ayatanam is as if he can understand, he can contact, he can communicate with any object in this world. These are called siddhis and the preaching experience of each higher chakra affords its own type of higher experience that is being described here and Swamiji also discusses this point in microcosm and macrocosm in his jnana yoga lecture but as I was referring to this Narayana Suktam, it gives a beautiful much more elaborate description. Padmakosha pratikashagam hridayam cha api adho mukham adho nishtiya vitas tyante na bhyam uparitishthati a few inches from the what we call Adam's apple that is in the throat like that and above the heart about 10 inches or so and then it is hanging here uparitishthati. This lotus bud it is only for imagination, it is a state of conscious, a particular development in consciousness. Then further description from the Narayana Suktam jwalamala kolam bhaati and it is shining as if it is exuding a number of what is called flames jwalamala vishwasya ayatanam maha and maybe Narayana Suktam has been taken from here or Brahmopanishad takes it from here, doesn't really matter. And there are hundreds and hundreds of nerve endings are there. Shilabi means nervous endings and they are all hanging as it were. At the end of these nerve endings, Sushiragam, there is a beautiful spiritual pathway. Sokshamam, extraordinarily subtle and Tasmin, in that hrudaya sarvam pratishthita, everything is there. Everything means because God is established and God is everything, therefore everything is and again further description in the very heart of in the middle of this one tremendous fire is blazing fire and it is heating up, it is giving light to the whole world, entire world. And its flames are spreading all over the world. So agrabhuk whatever is offered to it, it is the first one to eat. Bhajan, teshtan, aaharam, ajaraha, kavihi. He is ajara, never becomes old. He is kavi, the imaginary poet. And it has got tremendous amount of nerve endings like threads hanging and something is, these flames, shining flames are moving up and down with the help of those nerve endings. And this heat is enlivening the whole jivaatma, body, mind etc. from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet. And within that there is one particular branch of fire and its flames are upward. Upward means what? That is where the paramatma is shining indescribable way. Those who experience, they can experience. This is the detailed description in the Narayana Suktam and if you are interested, please refer to it which I have elaborated in that. Then we move on to the next part of it, 4.10 we call it. This Brahma Upanishad started in the second mantra that this soul, every soul, jivaatma goes through four states. What are the four states? The waking state, the dream state, the deep sleep state and that state called Turiya which envelops all the three states, which sustains all the three states. Yet it is not confined, it is not limited by the three states at all but it is completely separate. Like when we experience anything, we are the experiencers but the experienced cannot limit us. We are separate from the experienced. The subject is always illimitable but the object is always completely limited. So what are the three places in this BM complex, body-mind complex but always we have to remember this is a spiritual part of the body called the causal body. All these are located in the causal body but their effects can be felt in different parts of the body. That is to say, four particular places are specified where four different types of experience. What are those experiences? Waking, dream, dreamless and Turiya. That is being elaborated here. Netrastam jagaritam vidyat. One should recognize that the central place, central bit of consciousness is in the eyes. When the Jeevatma is identified as Vishwa and is sporting in the waking state, I am the waker and where does he live? Netra. But Netra doesn't mean we have to say etc. Etc means what? It is in all the five jnana hindriyas he is there. All over the body he is there but you know among all the five senses, the eyes are the most important sense because the confirmation comes only through the eye. That is why when we have seen somebody, met somebody, seen somebody, talked with somebody and even if the whole world denies that you have never met, our heart refuses to believe them because this is called Pratyaksha Pramana, direct experience. Though it is not really direct but it is the next to the direct experience. So this is what he said Netrastam. When the Jeevatma is experiencing the Jagradavastha, the waking state and he identifies himself, I am the waker and he is located in the eyes, especially Dakshinakshi, the right eye. This we have seen elaborately in the Mandukya Upanishad. But when the same Jeevatma enters into the next state which is called the dream state, that is called Swapna and he is called a dreamer. He is called Thaisasa and then where is he located? In the throat. Now it is very interesting because different books really describe in different way but this is only a kind of hint. We do not need to take it 100%. But what happens is probably it is like that when a person is sleeping, his body is moving but even if it is dark, of course if it is dark we cannot see what the person is doing but we can see he is making various types of noises and these noises are coming from the throat Kanta. Therefore it is said that even I have seen babies that they laugh whole heartedly. A child is completely asleep but he must be seeing something. Maybe he feels that he is in the hands of the mother, lap of the mother and he is playing. We do not know or he may be remembering as the scriptures tell that he is remembering the past incidents. So Kanta, the throat, is the place when a person is fixed in the dream state and his name is Thaisasa. And when the same person, when he enters into the next state which is called Sushupti. Sushupti state is equated with the heart state. A heart. Why is the heart? Because when a person is fixed in the heart, he obtains the highest type of peace and no other person can experience it. That is why even the death himself comes and stands. If he is in the waking state, he may have a heart attack. If he is in the dream state also, he may have a heart attack. But if he is in the deep sleep state, he is completely unaware because mind is not functioning. Therefore thoughts are not there. Therefore experiences are not there. Even remembrance has come to a stop. So that is why Sushupti is equated with Hridaya. In Sushupti, Jivatma is called Pragnya. Let us also not forget that there are two. One is the individual, one is the universal. If he is the individual in the waking state, he is called Vishwa. If he is universal in the waking state, he is called Virat. If he is individual in the dream state, he is called Taijasa. But same dreamer as universal, he is called Hiranyagarbha. When the same person enters into the deep sleep state, individually he is called Pragnya. But collectively, universally, he is called Ishwaraha. So this is the Vedantic description of it. And always the individual remains part and parcel of this universal only. All the time there cannot be two beings. But how a person identifies? This is very interesting because when a person in the waking state expands his identity, for example, a Desha Bhakta, a patriot, a lover of his own country, then he identifies with the whole country. Even if it is as big as United States of America or Russia or China or India, he identifies with everybody. If his mind is capable of identifying, he is called Virat. And same thing in dream, he is called Hiranyagarbha. And in the deep sleep state also, if this person has been doing spiritual practice in the waking state, in dream state also he will be doing spiritual practice. You may wonder, how does he do spiritual practice in the dream state? Because his dreams will be only spiritual dreams. I am going to Belur Math. I am going to Tirupati. I am having darshan of the Lord. And then he will have the same idea. But if this sadhana continues, when he enters into the deep sleep state, then that very momentum, impetus carries him to identify himself with the Ishwara. But the precondition is in the waking state, he should expand his identity with the whole. Same thing with the dream. Of course, automatically that takes place in the deep sleep state also. You cannot simply do that when we are in the deep sleep state. But the foundations of the deep sleep state will be in the both waking and dream also. So this is how the description is given. Jagrat, that is in the eyes, dream state. Swapna, that is in the throat. And the deep sleep state in the heart. What about the fourth state? Toriyam Moordhini Samsthitam. This accords beautifully what we call thousand petalled lotus. So Moordhini means on the top of the head. So Toriyam is what is called, described as Brahmarandra also we call it. You know there is a concept that when the Jeeva chooses a new body and from the old body, it separates itself from the physical body, only that one. The Sokshma, what is called Sokshma Sharira, mind, Karana Sharira, both of them come with all the memories etc. like carrying from one hard disk to another hard disk. So he enters into the Moordhini. But remember, it has nothing to do with the body and it is only description for our imagination, our contemplation. So know the wakeful state to have for its centre the eyes. And the dreaming state should be assigned to the throat. The state of dreamless sleep is in the heart. But the transcendental state called Toriya is in the crown of the head. And this description might differ in some of the books but we are not bothered too much about it. This is only as a help for contemplation. So this is the state we have to reach. What is the state? Toriya state. And how to reach? That is to say through Sadhana. What is Sadhana? Churning our body-mind complex until it becomes purified and is completely identified with Paramatma as yours first and as you in the last. So one has to do Sadhana. That is being described in the 11th. Again, earlier we have seen how every three upper classes, that is Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaishya, they must be invested with sacred thread. And whenever they are invested with sacred thread, then they will also have to keep a tuft of hair. And what do these things stand for? We have elaborately discussed with them. It is to acquire perfect control over the body and mind, to become completely pure, to attain the highest state of concentration and to expand our identity to the larger whole, gradually of course, even though slowly. So that is what is being said here. What is the real significance of sacred thread? It should remind us that we have got three things to control. The gross, the subtle and the causal. And or the thought, the speech and the action. Or we have to overcome Tamoguna, Rajoguna and try to keep the Satvaguna. But here also we have to understand properly that Satvaguna by itself or the three Gunas can never be thrown out. One Guna alone I will retain. That is not possible. Ramakrishna used to illustrate it by saying with pure gold, no ornament can be made. Some copper or some other metal has to be combined so that it is like making Rasagulla. Unless you mix some kind of wheat, it is not possible to keep the shape. So like that it is control over one's own three bodies, making them pure. That is the real symbolism as indicated by the sacred thread. Three strands of the sacred thread. And also the Sikha, tuft of hair. That is to say my mind must only look forward towards the Divine Lord. Nothing else. I should not think of anything else. And so in a similar vein, here also the word Sandhya. Remember Ramakrishna's first words that M had recorded. Sandhya should merge in the Gayatri. Gayatri should merge in the Omkara. That is exactly what is being repeated here. So Ad Atma Pragnaya. Through intelligence. Atmanam Sandhya. So what is the first Atma? Body and mind complex. What is the second Atmanam? The Paramatma. So the Jiva Atma must become one with the Paramatma. For that the separating factor which is called ignorance has to be completely destroyed. How to destroy it? By Pragnaya. That spiritual understanding. That is called Pragnya. That is Pragnya, Dehi, etc. Deyo Yonaha Prachodayat. That is what we have to remember. So that which unites the Jiva Atma with Paramatma. Sandhate Paramatman. That is called Sandhya. Thena Sandhya. Therefore this is the definition of Sandhya. For what and how to do it? Dhyanam Eva. Sandhya Dhyanam. That is the rituals one performs, the prayers one offers and the meditation one practices at the time of the Sandhya Vandana. The meaning is I and Paramatma are not two separate beings. We are one and the same. And that Tasmat Sandhya Avivandanam. So that which joins the individual with the universal Jiva Atma with Paramatma. Therefore it is called Sandhya. Very interesting word is Sandhya means the joining the middle place between day and night and night and day. If it is in the morning, the night joins with the day and a little bit of light, a little bit of darkness. Same thing, a little bit of light and a little bit of darkness. That is why it is called Sandhya Kaala. Vesper time. So at that time it is said the whole world is affected by this. It becomes much more calm than what it used to be. And really speaking when we get up early in the morning, then we can see how beautifully this works out. This meaning mind automatically becomes very very quiet. That is why that particular Sandhi that is between day and night, night and day is prescribed for meditation. That is being justified here. What is real Sandhya Vandana? That is uniting Jiva Atma with Paramatma. And what does this Sandhya do? It is a Dhyana. It is a contemplation. What does it do? That Sandhate Paramatmani. Atmanam Atma. That is our body, mind. That is our personality. That is our Jiva Atma. Through the process of meditation, it gradually approaches Paramatma, the supreme reality nearer and nearer. And one day it joins there. Therefore Sandhya Dhyanameva. So Sandhya, that which, what is true meditation? Meditation is that which unites the lower self with the highest self. That's why Sandhya Abhivandanam. Therefore it is the greatest worship. That is why it is aptly defined as Sandhya. From the fact of an individual holding his self by means of Pragna or spiritual understanding in the supreme self, holding oneself in the supreme self, we have what is called Sandhya and Dhyana. That is called Sandhya. That is called Dhyana. There is also a worshipping associated with Sandhya. So an orthodox Brahmin is supposed to do it three times a day, in the morning, noon and evening. And these are the derivatives. Sandhate, that which holds. Meditation is that which holds the unity of the Jiva Atma and Paramatma. And whether it is prayer, that is called Sandhya Vandana or it is meditation, it is the spiritual practice. But the ultimate goal is to unite oneself with the Paramatma. That is called Yoga. So that is why a beautiful definition of what is Sandhya. This is exactly what Sri Ramakrishna was trying to tell. Sandhya, slowly, means rituals, slowly bring our minds, that means our personality, our Ahamkara towards the Ishta Devata. So Sandhya merges in Gayatri. Gayatri is our Ishta Devata in the form of knowledge. And this Sandhya with further sadhana, with intensifying progress, further progress in spiritual life, merges in Omkara, becomes one with Omkara. That is why it is called Sandhya. It is alternatively also called Dhyana, Sandhya Upasana, etc. Now he is worshipping it just as a Sanyasi. What is the Ignopavita he holds? That is, I do not exist, only Paramatma exists. That final knowledge is called real Ignopavita and he is called real Sikhi. And such an advanced spiritual person or realized person, he alone is fit to be called an Ignopaviti or a Sikhi. And funnily, this Rishi is telling that the others are Keshadharina, only growers of long hair. Nowadays, it has become very common, huge long hair, sometimes better than even women's hair. And they also wear one earring. Some people also wear a small chain in the throat and they also plate their hair from behind. Only I have not seen any male fellow putting some flowers there other than that is exactly the same or better than even some ladies, as I said. So what he is telling is that a real Sandhya is a state of a realized soul. That is being described beautifully in this next mantra. In this mantra, the description, the definition of Sanyasins who are called Ekadandis. Ekadandi means sometimes only they take one step. Tridandi means there will be three small sticks tied together and these are wandering Sanyasins. Not always necessary, they can be in the monasteries also. But whether they sit, they stand and only when lying down, they keep it by their side. Whenever they move, they take this. So this Ekadandi, one who only takes one step is called Ekadandi. If you observe carefully, you see some people carrying one staff, some people three staffs tied together. So what is this Sandhya? An Ekadandi who has succeeded in uniting himself, his individual self with the universal self. He is called a real performer of Sandhya and that is what he wants to convey in this twelfth part of the fourth mantra. Nirodhaka. Udhaka means waters. Na udhaka nirodhaka. That is to say, this is part of the ritual. A person has to take water in the right hand and sip and sprinkle and then do many things during the puja time. But here, this person has reached the goal. Just as Sri Ramakrishna used to say, what is the use of a boat? Once it reaches the destination and you get down from the boat, the purpose, the boat has served and we don't need to take that boat anywhere. Just as you take a car and leave it in front of the house and then you enter into the house. So this Sanyasi who has realized that I am the Paramatman, he doesn't require any water because he is by nature absolutely pure. Water is meant only for purification. So he doesn't require any water at all. And then Dhyana, Sandhya, Vak, Kaya, Klesh, Varjita. What is that Sandhya? Where there is no meditation. Sandhya here means rituals and there is no need for hymning the Divine Lord or studying the scriptures or talking about the scriptures. Vak. And there is no need to move from place to place. Kaya, Klesh, Varjita. That state. Sandhini Sarvabhutana. Not only a realizer of the Divine knows I am Brahman but here he becomes one. Sandhini here means that which unites with Jeevatma, with Brahman who is everything. Sarvabhutana. That is called Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. So there is no Sarvabhuta. There are no multiplicity but he becomes completely merged in one and remaining in that knowledge is called Sa Eka Dandinam Sandhya. So that is the Sandhya of these particular Sannyasins who are called one staff or Eka Dandis. The Sandhya by meditation is devoid of any offering of liquor and also of any exertion of body and spirit. It is the unifying principle for all the creatures and this is the really the Sandhya for Eka Dandini. So the spiritual symbolism of what is Sandhya is just like Yagna Upavitha becoming one with the Divine. Similarly Shikha becoming one with the Divine. Similarly Sandhya becoming one with the Divine. So these things are necessary until we reach the goal but once we reach the goal they fall off themselves. So we can call him such a person. He need not wear sacred thread. He need not keep the tuft of hair called Shikha and he need not do any rituals called Sandhya. So when once Ramakrishna says the Jivatma merges in the Omkara that is Turiya that is the Brahman then all the Sandhya falls away. Gayatri falls away. All the Ishta Devatas completely merge in the Paramatma and that is why we have seen the Beeja Mantra means a seed. Every seed that means there are different seeds. All the different seeds come out are the outcome of only one particular tree and that is called Omkara. That is the highest reality. That is what is being described in this 12th. So the Sandhya by meditation is a divide of any offering of liquids and also of any exertion of body and speech but it is that knowledge which unifies all creatures and this is really the Sandhya for Ekadanya. What is that unifies all creatures? That knowledge that Aham Brahmasmi Sarvam Kal Idam Brahma and how to express this state and again this Upanishad as I said had culled the very best definitions. It is really indescribable. That is what is beautifully said in the Taittiriya Yato Vachoni Vartante Aprapi Manasasaha. Exact same words. So from which without reaching it the speech falls back with the mind that is the transcendental bliss of this embodied being called Jivatma but after attaining only he becomes that Paramatma knowing which the wise one is released from all bondage. That means through the help of Sandhya, Yagna, Shekha, rituals etc. He finally transcends all of them. He becomes free. That is what is described here. The exact words are from the Taittiriya Upanishad Yato Vachoni Vartante Aprapi Manasasaha from which without reaching it means Brahman. That means unable to think. If mind is there that's not union. The mind itself gets destroyed. Duality is destroyed because the mind is the creator of division, destroying subject-object. The speech falls back with the mind and what is that state? What does this person gain by identifying with Paramatma? Anandam etat Jivasya. The transcendental bliss. Brahmananda. Brahmananda of this embodied being. It is his own Ananda. He is not obtaining Ananda. He is Ananda. He becomes Ananda and once he understands I am Sat Chit Ananda. I am Satyam Gnanam Anantam Brahma Yam Gnatva Muchyate Udaha. Udaha means realized soul. That is the real intelligence and knowing that Paramatman, this person becomes forever free. There is no coming back to this world and then Upanishad concludes. And this bliss is really the Self which pervades the whole universe as butter pervades within the milk and this is the Brahma Upanishad or the supreme wisdom of Brahman in the form of the unity of the Atman of all founded on the spiritual discipline which is nothing but the Vidya or the science of the Atman. What does it mean? This Paramatma is a bit described Sarvabhyapinam. The only reality is Brahman. He is all-pervading and he is in the form of Atma which is beyond gross body, subtle body and causal body and where is it? The answer is where is not it? It is there but it is hidden like butter is hidden in the milk. Earlier we have seen the butter hidden in the yogurt, curds but here milk itself is Kshire. Kshire means butter. Kshire means in the milk. It is there. In fact, everything is Brahman only. That is he wants and that is the realization of that Brahman is called Atma Vidya, the science, the knowledge of Atman. But it is rooted in Tapasya that is to say Sadhana. Only through Sadhana. Without Sadhana one cannot realize it and this beautiful Upanishad. Here Upanishad means Brahman and that Brahman is the supreme, param reality and again repetition. There is no separate being. Everybody is Brahman. Everything is Brahman, living and non-living. So a repetition. This repetition is to indicate the closing of a particular chapter or the entire book. Here this Upanishad comes to a close. Here ends the Brahma Upanishad belonging to the Atharva Veda. I will just quickly summarize this Brahma Upanishad. This Brahma Upanishad is an ancient Sanskrit text and considered as one of the minor Upanishads. It is among the 32 Upanishads attached to the Krishna Yajur Veda and also classified as one of the 19 Sanyasa Upanishads because Sanyasa is praised, upheld as the supreme state of human being. So firstly it is said Atharvana Upanishad but here it is said Krishna Yajur Veda because these Upanishads can be found just as what is called Brihadaranyaka is obtainable both in the Krishna Yajur Veda and Shukla Yajur Veda and this is a one of the important Upanishads dealing with the renunciation, Sanyasa Upanishad. That is why it is one of the Sanyasa Upanishad and what does it deal? This Brahma Upanishad discusses Atma and its four Avasthas that is waking, dream, dreamless and finally Turiya. For the sake of elaborating the Turiya, the other three states are completely described here. So Brahma Upanishad is presented here as a conversation dialogue between sage Vipalada and a great spiritual aspirant called Shravanaka Maharshala. So this Brahma Upanishad is specially dedicated entirely to Brahma Vidya. The text opens with Shravanaka, a wealthy householder but now he is ready to renounce the world. He is a very fit aspirant. He came and met a great realized soul called Vipalada and then surrendered himself and then asked the question inquiring how a human body is constituted and what is the source of power found in human body. That is to say what is the purpose of life, what is my real nature and how to attain it. This is the theme of any particular Upanishad. So the answer given is Brahman is the self in human personality. That is the only reality. So states sage Vipalada. Indeed it is the body, it is the mind, it is everything and this Jeevatma in spite of our ignorance is not affected by rituals or rites, by good, by evil, by punya, by papa etc. And as I mentioned earlier it culled many of the gems from the other Upanishads so it gives a complete and clear idea of the nature of the Atman along with four states we undergo for the sake of sadhana. So the description just I am quoting only two. And the sadhana also is indicated there.