Svetasvatara Upanishad Lecture 19 on 06 May 2023

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananem Sharadam Devem Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padmetayoh Sritva Pranamami Mohor Mohoho Om Sahana Vavato Sahanao Bhunakto Sahaveeryam Karavavahai Tejasvinavaditamastumavidvishavahai Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Hare Hare Om Om May Brahman protect us both. May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge. May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge. May what we both study reveal the truth. May we cherish no ill will towards each other. Om Peace Peace Peace be unto all. We are studying the third chapter of the Svitashvatara Upanishad. Especially what we find here in this third chapter. It's a prayer for complete surrender first and since we are doing the Narayana Suktam, the entire third chapter is only re-echoing this Narayana Suktam. What is it? Sahasraseersha Purushaha Sahasrakshaha Sahasrapah This is the only theme. Narayana is Vishwam. Narayana is everything. There is nothing other than Narayana. That is the idea that has been reflected in this third chapter containing 21 or 17 mantras. The seeker by realizing his identity with the non-dual Brahman attains the highest good. In our last class, we have seen how Swami Vivekananda combined from the second chapter and this third chapter. I have realized this great being who shines effulgent like the sun beyond all darkness. One passes beyond death only by realizing him. There is no other way of escape from the circle of births and deaths. In other words, Samsara. What is this darkness? That is what is said. Tamasaha Parastha What is this darkness? Darkness stands for ignorance. Just as in darkness, we have no knowledge of what is what, including ourselves. Very interesting thought. Supposing a person is blind, does he know what he looks like? Physically, I mean, impossible. Supposing a person, just imagine, is brought up from birth in complete darkness. So does he know what he looks like? Does he know what his parents look like or any human being that comes into contact with him? It's impossible. We are all like that. Interestingly, Shri Ramakrishna had a vision. He had seen that the Divine Mother at Dakshineshwar was standing on the balcony outside her bedroom and with loose end hair watching the Calcutta people. And then Shri Ramakrishna remarked, Mother is piteously looking at these people, not only Calcutta people, everybody. So just like worms crawling in darkness. Very telling word. And we are no better than worms. Worms also have their marriage, their, I don't know, without going to court, divorce will be there. They kill each other. And there is a competition for food, competition for what is called land, suitable places for making life easy. Absolutely comparable to what human beings, what we are doing right now. There is no difference at all. There is one slight difference. That difference is that every human being has the potentiality to realize. Potential divinity is everywhere. But the potentiality to realize our divinity is manifest only in human beings because of our viveka buddhi. That is the only difference. So darkness stands for ignorance which is the cause of samsara. So here the Rishi is telling with all emphasis, knowledge of Brahman that is called Aditya Varnam, bright, effergent, shining like the sun, alone can destroy the darkness of ignorance. How? By knowing He is not different from me. Aham Brahmasmi. And this is the only way. There is no other way. There is no other path to liberation than the realization that one's inmost self is the birthless and deathless Brahman which constitutes immortality, amritattva. And that knowledge of Brahman, He, the Divine Lord bestows and that state surpasses, transcends everything. There is no other way. What is that knowledge of Brahman? That is why in the Taittiri it is said, Whereas if we know something, I know there is a beautiful car, car remains separate, I remain separate. But by knowing Brahman, I am here, Brahman is there, that's not the idea. I am Brahman. That is the knowledge. And that is how He becomes Brahma with. And Mantra 9 continues in the same way, describing the Brahman for the sake of our meditation. Because if we sit, many people do japa. For most people, spiritual practice is japa. But they don't do japa. It is a repetition. It is not a reminder. Japa is not a repetition. A parrot also repeats. That's what Sri Ramakrishna says. A parrot, when it is absolutely safeguarded, can go on croaking from morning till evening. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. But when a cat, that means when death approaches near, its natural voice will come. Because it is mechanical. Once somebody asked me, while doing work, can I play a cassette player? A cassette playing the Hare Rama, Hare Krishna chanting. Will it make me liberated? I told, certainly the cassette player will get liberated. But if you want, you have to do it. So what is japa? One has to dwell on the meaning of the Ishwara, Omkara. Here, the best mantra for that can be applicable to everything. Because Omkara is everything. That is Pranava. So Tasya Vachakaha, Tasya means Paramapurushasya, Brahmanaha, Ishwarasya. The mantra, the syllable which represents God. And Nama and Namne are non-separate, inseparable. So what is that word? Pranavaha. But Om, Om, Om. Let us go on repeating it. That is not going to give much benefit. But what happens? Tat Artha Bhavanam. We have to go on meditating. And this is the way to meditate. And that is why the Upanishad or the Rishi, he is taking so much of trouble. First he said, what is the point of this japa? Well, it will arouse your divinity, make you realize you are divine. Second, it will take you to that and make you Amrita. It takes you beyond death. Here death means ignorance. Ignorance means Samsara. There would be no Samsara. Like when light is brought with the disappearance of the snake and with the dawning of the knowledge that this is a rope. All fear of snake completely vanishes. Knowledge of the rope destroys not only snake, that means the idea of the snake, mistaken notion, but along with that all its consequences. So the consequence of Ajnana is repeated birth, repeated death, repeatedly suffering like wave, happiness and unhappiness, etc. That is what he wants to describe. And in the mantra 9 he is describing further lakshanas, characteristics of what this Brahman is. यस्मात् परम् न अपरम् अस्तिकिञ्चित् यस्मात् न अनियो न जययो अस्तिकस्चित् वरिख्षयव स्तब्धो दिवि तिष्टति एकह तेन इदम् पोर्णम् उरुषेण सर्मः There is nothing higher than Brahman. There is nothing different from Brahman. There is nothing greater than Brahman. There is nothing minuter than Brahman. This Brahman rooted in His own glory, He stands like a tree, one without a second and immovable. By that being the whole universe is filled. This entire mantra is a most marvelous mantra. Even though every mantra in the Upanishad is capable of taking our awareness to a very high level, but some mantras are worthy of remembering by memorizing. So what is the description? यस्मात् प्रम्णः So from Brahman, परम् न अपरम् अस्तिक् There is neither something different. परम् means two meanings are there. One meaning is different. That is why we say परलोका, अनुधरलोका, परमनुष्या, अनुधरमनुष्या So no, there is nobody, that means only Brahman is there. And अपरम् अस्तिक् Here अपरम् means there is nothing other than Brahman. So one is that it is everything. Other is whatever we happen to see. Because when we experience, experientially something may be there. But factually it is not different. For example, and this is a beautiful example. And we can give this example in a myriad ways and understand in a myriad ways, many ways. Suppose we are seeing at a cinema. And very soon we forget that it is all that we are seeing is nothing but projections of light on the cinema screen. And most marvellous thing is the screen itself has no colour. It is purely reflecting medium, pure white. But as soon as the film, the light through the film falls upon the screen, the screen is forgotten and the whole life, world comes to life. But what is the point we have to understand? The moment we see that light, all the objects, they are nothing but light. How do we know? Switch off the light. The entire cinema will come to an end. Put on the light. Everything comes as before. So whatever we see, including darkness there, that is also a projection of light only. You see, light is never absent. So what is the comparison? Our mind is like that screen, especially when it is not contaminated with lot of Raju and Tamoguna. It is endowed with Satvaguna. Satvaguna is always depicted as white. We have seen also. Ajam, Lohita, Krishna, Shuklaam. Shuklaam means white. That is why Bhagavan, Ganesha's meditation, Shuklaam, Bharadharam, Vishnum, Sheshivarnam, Chitrubhujam, Prasannavadharam, Dhyayet, Sarva Vignopashantaye. By the way, this is not a Dhyana Mantra or Narayana. Even though the word Vishnu comes. Vishnu in its etymological meaning, meaning that Ganesha is all-pervading. He is none other than Parabrahman only, Parabrahmaropam. Ajam, Nirvikalpam, Parabrahmaropam, Ganesham, Bhajaimaha. There is a beautiful Sotram written by Shankaracharya. So there is nothing higher than Brahman. There is nothing different from Brahman. And we also have to add, there is nothing lower also. That is expressed here. There is nothing that is smaller. It is the smaller than the smallest. Remember, Anuraniyan Mahato Mahiyan is bigger. It is not bigger in the sense that mountains are very big, a mosquito is very small. That is not the idea. The idea is all-pervading. All-pervading is small. All-pervading is also large. All-pervading is the highest. All-pervading is the lowest. So there is nothing bigger, larger, greater than Parabrahman. Neither smaller. But in such a one, who is the sustainer? Who is the being? Is there any other being which is giving support, supporter? No. Brahman himself is his own supporter. He doesn't need any other support. He supports everything. But he himself is not supported by anything. Here, a beautiful reference comes. And first time, if we are hearing this word, some kind of doubt or misunderstanding can come. But even we see, when big tsunamis come, big storms come, typhoons come, tornadoes come, even big, huge trees are completely uprooted. But what to speak of? No. This Vriksha is not normal Vriksha. This is This is beautifully described in Mundaka Upanishad, also in the Katha Upanishad. But summarized in the 15th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Purushottama Yoga. The very first shloka in this 15th chapter is So where is the root? It is firmly rooted in God. What is firmly rooted in the God? God is firmly rooted in the God. And whatever we see, this Jagat, this world is nothing but our perception of that same Brahman with Nama and with Rupa. So that is the Vriksha we are talking about. This Vriksha comparison, similarity is marvelous. We have dealt with it very elaborately while we were discussing the 15th chapter. Huge tree, rooted up, that means rooted in God. And the whole creation, just like this, from the roots, tree will come. Normally we see the tree going up and up, above. But here it is coming down and down and down. This is called involution. That is what is referred here. This tree is absolutely rooted in itself. And what is that in itself? Just imagine, this universe is also infinite. And this infinite universe is as if coming out. This is only for meditation, for dull minds to understand. Not really true. Because infinite cannot be divided, cannot be multiplied, cannot be subtracted, cannot be added. Whatever we do, it remains infinite only. Why? Because even to add, something has to be there existing other than the infinite. And as we know, there is nothing other than the infinite. So this is the meaning. Stabdaha means firmly rooted. Nothing can shake it. Nothing can make it restless. Nobody can break it. And it is firmly rooted. Where? Divi Tishtati. Divi means, usually Divi means Swarga Loka, higher Loka. But here Divi means Brahman. Tishtati Ekaha. How many are there? Only one is there. Because it is Advaita, Advaitiyam. Tena, by that Brahman, which is one. Idam. Idam means this visible universe. Tena Purushena, by that Purusha. Here Purusha means not male, but that being who is everywhere. Sarvam Purnam. The whole universe is pervaded. Pervaded means what? It is not like you put paint on a huge house. The house is different. Paint is different. As if the whole house is nothing but paint. No. Here it means accepting Him, nothing exists. This also we can take as an explanation. Purnamadaha Purnamidam Purnat Purnamudhachyate Purnasya Purnamadaya Purnameva Avasishyate There is nothing higher than or different from Him, nor greater nor more minute than Him, rooted in His own glory. He stands like a tree, one without a second, and immovable, firmly rooted in His own being. By that being, this whole universe is filled. Purnamadaha, that is infinite. Purnamidam, this is also infinite. This means the visible universe. This is all forever contemplation. So the whole world is filled with Purusha. Here Brahman, hence there cannot be any question of somebody being superior or inferior. That is why Swami Vekananda was uttering in ordinary understandable world, Moorka Narayana, Dharidra Narayana. So, Nirakshara Narayana, Rogi Narayana. Don't emphasize on the Moorkatvam, on the Rogatvam, Deenatvam, Dharidratvam. Focus upon the Purnam. Shiva Jnane Jiva Shiva So everything is that Purusha. Then if everything is that Purusha, who is left out? Am I left out? I am also that Purusha only. So Brahman pervades this entire universe. That means, just as it is an expression, gold pervades all the ornaments. No, gold is the ornaments. Ornaments are nothing but gold. Even if there are billion golden ornaments, you melt them. They don't become silver or any other metal, but only gold. This is the meaning of pervading. Pervading means appearing, manifesting as something. So this is called Vivarta Vada. So when we see a snake, the rope had become Vivarta. What is Vivarta? As if, without becoming, as if it has become a snake. That is a complete wrong understanding. The rope has never become. Rope cannot become. Even if somebody wants to do it, rope will remain rope only. Where is the problem? Problem is in my head. So don't beat that rope. Beat your head. There is some hope that enlightenment will come. That is what Zen masters usually do. So Brahman pervades the universe as gold pervades any ornament, as wood pervades all the furniture, as clay pervades all the pots, etc. So whichever is the metal, whatever is made out of that metal, that original metal, pervades everything. But he is the only substance in the universe. While the names and forms are all created by Maya. Maya means my mind. Nothing happened. Brahman has not become the universe. Brahman is not manifesting as the universe. Through my limited mind, I am seeing Brahman as this universe. That is the meaning of Maya. It is Maya alone, which creates the ideas of superiority, inferiority, difference, etc. which belong to the realm of phenomenal world. We have seen in the Mandukya Upanishad, like a magician performing the famous Indian trick. He goes up. He disappears in the sky. After some time, terrible battle sound is heard. And after some time, some ugly looking creature falls down and is cut to pieces by this so-called hero, who was the magician. All the while, the magician was standing by the side. And until the show is over, nobody can see the magician. But the magician knows it is all magic. But the audience is completely taken away. Their mind thinks that some terrible calamity, disaster is taking place. Maybe the magician who has climbed up, he has fallen down. No, nothing of that sort. So what is the idea, the essence of this ninth mantra? There is no universe apart from Brahman. Brahma Satyam Jagat Satyam Jeevaha Brahmayeva Na Aparaha This is what the ninth mantra or the Svetasvatara Rishi wants to convey to us through this ninth mantra. And further, the same thing is being said that what is the prayojana, what is the result that we get by meditating upon it, by doing upasana. Tato Yad Uttarataram Tad Aroopam Anamayam Ya Yaha Etadviduhu Amrutahate Bhavanti Atahitare Dukham Eva Apiyanti Again, another beautiful mantra. Tathaha That means accepting that being called Brahman. Yad Uttarataram, that is better than that or Shrestha or beyond that. Nothing is there. And that is also Aroopam. Aroopam means completely formless. Not only that, Anamayam. Anamayam means that which is totally not to be affected by anything. Amaya means disease. Amaya means what is called substanceless, weak. There is nothing. He is because there is nothing which can affect him. It's a very beautiful mantra. If I have to be affected by a malarial fever or a typhoid fever or so many other types of COVID for example, there must be something else besides me which has to infect me. But there is no such infection at all for the simple reason Brahman is only one and he is unborn. He doesn't have a body. He doesn't have a form. How can anybody, anything affect something which is formless? A beautiful illustration is given by Ramakrishna. Once a sadhu, he had a doubt. Is God with form or is he without form? He was at that time at Puri. He entered into the temple of Lord Jagannath. He took out a big sword. If God has form, the sword, the body of the form of the Lord will stop the sword. If he is formless, then nothing will happen because formlessness cannot be cut. He went to the left side and stood perhaps in front or back and from right to left he passed and the sword effortlessly passed as if there was nothing. Oh! God is formless. And he wanted to double check it. So again he passed that sword from left to right. This time as soon as the sword touched the image immediately there was a sound and the sword could not go further. Then the sadhu was given that understanding God is with form. God is also without form. How can two contradictory things be together? That was M's doubt. When Shri Ramakrishna told him do not think. What you understand alone is the truth. The truth is God is with form, God is without form and God also is both beyond form and formless. Now we may naturally something is cold, something is hot, something is tasty, something not tasty. How can diametrically two opposed things can be the same thing? For that the answer is given if the mind is in a lower state of progress then everything is seen with form. What does it mean? It means if we think we are the body and body has a concrete form then God also will be with body only. It is impossible for anybody to think of God without form if this person is having the idea I am the body. That is why in the 12th chapter when Arjuna asked which is better Bhakti Yoga or Gnana Yoga Bhagwan says both will take you exactly to the same goal. Then what is the difference? The difference is Bhakti Yoga is easier for people. What type of people? Kleshah Adhikataras Tesha Asakta Chetasa Deha Vrata Nahi Deha Vrata Shakyaha If a person has got the body consciousness that I am the body so for them Avyakta Sakta Chetasa it is not possible for them to think about they can only think about Vyakta. So that is what Bhagwan Krishna is telling but if the same mind removes its identification with the concrete body and advances further into the realm of ideas which is called mind which is called Sukshma Deha subtle body then that very mind can you tell what form the mind has got? Is it black? Is it white? And is it tall? Is it short? Is it white? Black? Coloured? Yellow? These are all belonging to the body. That is why we have to understand it is a state of the mind and whatever the mind perceives so if Bhagwan is thought of, imagined with the idea that I am the body Deha Buddhiya Taasoham Taasoham means what? I am a body but I am a servant you are my master Jeeva Buddhiya Tvadamsakaha then if I consider myself a small flame and you are the roaring fire, blazing fire I am a spark and you are the original fire that is Jeeva Buddhiya Tvadamsakaha but when I transcend even the mind then Atma Buddhiya Tvamevaham Itime Nischita Matihi how beautifully all these things gel together we have to understand so that is being described here Tat Tataha, that Brahman so besides him Yat Uttarataram Na Bhavati there is one thing which is higher than that and that is Arupam see even the comparison small and big and left and right larger and smaller all these things will be meaningful only first of all there must be two objects and two objects must have two separate forms when Bhagwan is formless how are you going to say which is smaller and which is bigger so you take two streaks of light which is better, which is smaller which is bigger, which is darker which is brighter because both are streaks of light only that is being expressed here Tat Arupam not only that because there is no concrete form Anamayam it doesn't undergo any change what is the change we are talking about so youth and old age is a change healthy and unhealthy is another change birth and death is another change and that which is not having any form it doesn't have, it cannot have any birth and so all the other effects Shat, Urmi, sixfold changes that is being expressed Anamayam this is the description of Brahman it is without form and it is without any weakness, change, disease and there is nothing smaller or bigger higher or lower that is for our meditation and those who know Brahman as such what do they gain Te Amruta Bhavanti Yaha whoever, it doesn't matter is a Brahmana, is a Shudra it doesn't really matter Eta Dvidoho those who know in the manner described above what happens Te Amruta Bhavanti they will attain immortality what is immortality they will not be reborn again they will not have body and mind so they will go beyond all this Samsara and they will be enjoying what but very few attain to that but everybody will attain to it but at any given time only a few attain it Atha but Itare those who do not know Brahman as such as such means what that Brahman is without form and Brahman is one Brahman alone exists therefore I do not exist I must be Brahman I am also formless I also do not have birth and all the consequent changes etc sixfold changes existential problems will not be there because there is no birth and death for those they become Amrutas those who know but those who do not know Dukkham Eva Apiyanti they have to go through this rigmarole of Dukkha what is Dukkha Dukkha should not be interpreted as continuous unhappiness here Dukkha means Samsara Samsara does not consist of only one thing so gain and loss victory and defeat good and evil black and white light and darkness so birth and death and ignorance and knowledge these are the dualities Samsara means duality Dvandvas Dvandva, Moha, Nirmukta those who know they become free from these Dvandvas but the rest of us we have to suffer what does it mean sometimes we are happy sometimes we are unhappy not only that when we are happy there is in a corner existential tremendous fear how long is this going to last because nothing lasts in this world more than very short time that is why every Sukha in this world is called Kshanika Sukha so that being is far beyond this world that being is formless and free from misery misery means Samsara they who know this immortal being themselves become immortal but all others those who do not know that I am that immortal Brahman have indeed to suffer misery until they also come to know so Hinduism or Vedanta never tells that only a few privileged people will attain to it everybody will attain so Holy Mother has a beautiful way of expressing whatever comes out of the mouth of Holy Mother is every sentence is nothing but pure Upanishad she says there are some people who get at nine o'clock in the morning some people at noon some people in the evening some people early at night but some people at midnight nobody will go hungry everybody will be filled but if they can make an effort effort for what? not for realizing but for opening to the grace of God they will get sooner that is why spiritual practice spiritual life is not optional it is inevitable so this is what is being said Brahman is everything he is the inner and outer of the self that is being expressed here again we don't need that's why you must have noticed I am not going too deep into it because it's a repetition of the same ideas how long? until those ideas enter, sink and become the very support of our spiritual practice until that time we have to go on reading it after that what should we do? become like that sadhu with a huge book on every page only the name Rama is written and nothing else so mantra 11 sarvanana-siro-griva-ha sarva-bhuta-guha-sheya-ha sarva-vyapi-sa-bhagavan tasmat sarva-gataha-shivaha earlier we have seen the word Rudra here he is using the word Shiva what is the meaning of Rudra? that which the being who makes us weep because of our evil deeds in the form of karma phala vidhata that is one meaning but the other meaning is even if we do not want to progress in life Rudra catches us by the hair and then makes us progress and get out of this samsara like a mother at the end of the play the child does not want to leave so she will drag the child takes him to the bathroom and washes up all the dirt feeds him to his stomach full and puts him to bed so that he can get up and play again so Bhagavan will not give that is another meaning of Rudra in spite of our weeping in spite of our suffering because of our attachments he will not leave us everybody will be given the same and also we have to remember whenever we talk of Rudra we have to talk of Nataraja what is the Nataraja? it is called ananda-tandavan-rutya it is a dance out of sheer what is called irrepressible unsuppressible ananda that is what is called a Nataraja murthy Raja he is the king of all dancers but he is dancing out of sheer joy so mantra 11 is repeating the thing that we have seen in the Narayana Suktam sahasra-seersha-purushaha sahasra-akshaha-sahasra-pad Purusha Sukta we are going to see next sarva-anana-siro-grivaha so wherever we look whether it is ours or others sarva all anana anana one meaning of anana is mouth so siraha that is head grivaha neck that means the entire body representing entire body sarva-anana-siro-grivaha wherever you see a head and here in Varanasi and many other places when a feast is given by sadhus they will say so many heads so they don't say so many swamis so many heads are invited so one one head represents one one person so wherever we see any head any person, any being be it mosquito or be it a human being be it a saint who is that? that Brahman alone sarva-anana-siro-grivaha not only this is outside what about inside? sarva-bhuta-guha-shayaha so he is there manifesting in the cave of everybody's heart in the form of antaryami in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad there is a beautiful chapter called antaryami brahmana brahmana means nothing to do with brahmana jati but a chapter every chapter in Brihadaranyaka is called brahmana and in this brahmana now what we are seeing in this brahmana prithvi he is, he has become he means brahman has become prithvi whom the prithvi does not know who resides at the antaryami of prithvi and controls prithvi and nobody can see him and that is brahman like that whether it is vayu or akasha or jala or this entire universe everything one one the surya, the chandra, the nakshatra everything is given as the separate paragraphs of mantras but the essence is that he is the star he is outside, he is inside and he is all pervading but because of their ignorance the individuals do not know that I am the brahman we also have seen that why gopis are mad after Krishna is it because he was very handsome no bhagavata self tells krishna himself asks so there is a beautiful wisdom filled hymn of gopikas called gopika gita and therein they tell the truth nakalu gopika nandano bhavan akhila dehinam antaratmadrik you are not the just the son of a illiterate milkmaid you are the indweller antaryami of the whole universe and also we have seen a first class story in the Mahabharata Draupadi was being dishonored and she has nobody else her mighty husbands were sitting there helplessly with bent heads and then Dushasana was trying to disrobe her just see the what is called the culture of those people this is what most of the people were doing here and lording them to the skies so at that time she prays hey krishna you who dwell in Dwaraka come and save me but there is no reply for that prayer next she changes so she says this one sarva bhuta koha sheha sarvantaryami and then immediately krishna comes and then immediately he saves so he is sarvantaryami in fact sarvantaryami doesn't mean like water in a pot like contained in a container sarvantaryami means outside is he inside is he that is why it is said sarvanana siro grevaha outside whatever we see is jagrata avastha and whatever we experience in the vapna avastha also is he sarva bhuta koha sheha sarva bhuta all the beings koha means hridaya kohara or the cave of the heart sheha means he who dwells there but how can he all pervading bhagwan dwell in that small place no it is not what is meant dwelling means here so here a zamindar is available in a visitor's room interview room that is where usually he meets all his visitors it doesn't mean he lives there it means he is available there availability is the meaning of the hridaya kohara that is being expressly stated here sarva vyapi sa bhagwan that bhagwan is sarva vyapi everywhere that means there is nothing else excepting bhagwan tasmat therefore sarva gathaha shivaha therefore this sarva gathaha everywhere and he is called shiva shiva means what auspicious because if he is alone then i cannot do anything wrong to myself because that is not our nature that is the meaning of it so therefore means what because he is formless all pervading he can take any form and he can be present anywhere everywhere in any form according to the wish of the devotee and he is shivaha benevolent if he did not graciously dwell in the hearts of all beings and guide their senses thoughts and actions it would not have been possible for man to realize him by his own unaided effort our effort is to know that we are effort what is called helpless our all our efforts are to know understand our efforts are not adequate only his grace can save us but until we put forth our utmost we will not be able to understand that fact so to bring about the evolution of the souls ultimately bring them to his himself to the goal of liberation that is how he is a shiva furthermore same thing is being continued mahan prabhu vai purushaha sattvasya esha pravartakaha sunirmalam imam praptim ishanah jyoti avyayaha certain epithets which are but repetitions are given here he indeed is a great purusha purusha means sarvata samantat yo vyapno vyapya tishtati sa purushaha a lord of creation preservation and destruction he is called purusha and he inspires the mind to attain the state of stainlessness very beautiful word how does the lord bestow his grace dadami esham satata yuktanam dadami buddhi yogam tam enamam upayantite i will grant them that buddhi that right understanding what is that right understanding our minds become sattvika our thoughts become sattvika our speech becomes sattvika our actions become sattvika we have dealt with both 17th as well as 18th chapter of the Gita how wonderfully so sattva guna influences a karta a bhokta and a dhriti buddhi and dhairya sahasa everything is affected by the three gunas there is no creature which is not affected by the three gunas but if somebody takes surrenders himself tries to surrender and surrender means trying one's best to lead a dharmic life without doing anything i take refuse in you going on repeating like a parrot a lord is not going to give you anything there is a funny a senior swami was telling a fellow was hungry and he heard this that if he surrenders himself to god he will get everything he laid himself on a bed god i am hungry bring food grant me food lord grant me food lord grant me food suddenly he heard a voice with a thunderous voice yes yes i have put that food in the hotel he walk there pay money and eat this would be the answer so our effort is necessary first to know all effort limitation secondly it is to be able to receive his grace we clean our vessel so that we can get the vessel filled by the divine lord our body and minds are the vessels this is being said here mahan prabhu is the supreme is the great purusha prabhu ruvai purushaha he is the ruler prabhu means lord lord means he who creates he who sustains and he who gives us rest he is called prabhu so sattva sesha pravartakaha pravartaka means he who increases what does he increase sattva guna eshaha this purushaha what does he do to devotees sattva guna he will increase this sattva guna and what does this sattva guna do sunirmalam becomes pure that's why it is given the color of the whiteness purity is of whiteness so sunirmalam imam praptim so when the mind becomes sattvic it becomes pure like a mirror stainless mirror and on that tada bhrasthu swaroope avasthanam then I stand in front of that mirror then what does it show I have no body I have no mind and then I am the atman oh every time I was looking I thought I am the body but now I see I am the atman how do I know I am the atman because I have gotten rid of the idea that I am the body as if you have got three dresses one above the other and when you look at your reflection you see the outermost dress remove it you see the dress that which is just below that and you think you are that and remove that and then you see you think you are that last dress remove that and then you see exactly who you are what is the problem problem is we identify with the dress that is when we are in the waking state I am the waker when we are in the dream state I am in dream when we are in the deep sleep I am the prajna or I am the sleeper but bereft of these three devoid of these three stripped of these three what do I become I am turiyam I am pure so sunirmalam imam praptim sah purushaha pravartakaha means dadhati and he is ishanaha is the lord of all and he is jyoti he is the light of the lights jyoti rajyoti and he is the pure consciousness and he is avyayaha he is not subject to time whatever is subject to time is called avyayaha he is avyayaha and if he is avyayaha and if he is all pervading and if he is everywhere everything who am I who are you there is no I there is no you and it is all there if we can sincerely take refuge in him what does he do the supreme being directs our intellect and inspires us to attain the state of pure spiritual enlightenment a transcendental experience which is imperishable non decaying that was what earlier being expressed amrutasya amrutatvam apnoti then we see the first mantra purusha suktam which we are going to take next in our thursday class om sahasra seersha purushaha sahasra akshaha sahasra paath sabhomim vishvato rithva atyatishta dashangulam purusha eveda eva idam sarvam adbotam ecchavavya the purusha the supreme being has a thousand heads a thousand eyes and a thousand feet has enveloped this world from all sides and has transcended it by ten fingers of the breath what is that whatever we have discussed earlier sarvabhuta guhashaya etc is being reinforced this most of us have heard it comes in the a bit of it in the narayana suktam and the whole of it in the purusha suktam very first mantra itself it will come and we will talk about it in our tomorrow's class om jananim sharadam devim ramakrishnam jagadgurum paada padme tayo saritva pranamami muhur muhur may ramakrishna holy mother and swami vekananda bless us all with vati jai ramakrishna