Svetasvatara Upanishad Lecture 33 on 24 June 2023

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the fifth chapter of the Svetasvatara Upanishad. Why did the name come? Because of a Rishi called Svetasvatara. We have discussed in our last class the fourth mantra.

सर्वा दिश: ऊर्ध्वमधश्च तिर्यक् प्रकाशयन् भ्राजते यद्वनड्वान् ।

एवं स देवो भगवान् वरेण्यो योनिस्वभावानधितिष्ठत्येकः || 5.4 ||

Just as the sun shines lighting up all space above, below and across, even so does that one adorable God, the repository of all goodness and greatness, preside over everything7 that has the nature of a cause.

What is this fourth mantra? Who is it that illumines the entire universe? Illumination in two senses one is called Light and another is called Light of the Light. Every day the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna would be singing in the Arathrikam, Jyotira Jyoti Ujjvala Hridi Khandhara. So for example, the Surya, the Sun has been created by the Divine Lord and He gives Light to the whole world. Light means knowledge. So when there is Light, we are able to get knowledge of the things. But we are not only talking Light of the one sense organ, but of every sense organ. Because according to the modern scientists, it is the Sun who is responsible for the winds, for the fire, for the water, for the earth. And of course, the Sun alone is responsible for time and for space. Remember, time and space are inseparable. If we think of time, we have to think of space. If we have to think of space, we will be thinking of time inevitably. That is why during sleeping state, we are not aware of both. Either we are aware of both or we are not aware of both. And that is the essence he wants to say that the Lord is the creator of Light. He is also the Light of the Lights. What does it mean? Even if the Sun is shining, if the mind is not alert, that means if the awareness is not functioning, then we would not take notice. Many times I gave you the example, once M came to Dakshineshwar, went straight to Sri Ramakrishna's room, did not find him, he knew Sri Ramakrishna was in Dakshineshwar, so he went to the Panchavati, found quite a number of devotees gathered there, so he stood right in front of Sri Ramakrishna and he was inquiring, Sri Ramakrishna, where is he? And everybody laughed and then he became acutely aware, he was embarrassed. Looking at Sri Ramakrishna, he did not see Sri Ramakrishna. Was it the case of M only or all of us? All of us are under the same category. That is the point every scripture wants to drive into our thick brains. That whatever we see, whatever we hear, sarvam brahma mayam jagat. How do we understand? Everything, anything that needs to be experienced first must exist and that existence belongs only to God. And every object comes with its own knowledge. A tree and the knowledge of the tree, tree knowledge cannot be separated. A rock and the rock knowledge cannot be separated. So that is called the chit part of the Bhagawan. Then every object has its own effect. It could be positive, it could be negative or it could be neutral. This point also we discussed elaborately. Every object will have, though we may not be aware of it, we may not take notice of it, every object will have its own effect upon us and that effect is called Ananda. And that effect is the manifestation of Ananda. So this is the mantra, sarva disha (all the directions), all the space and really there is no direction in any space. For our transactions, for our convenience, we say that which is in front, back, left, right, above, below, inside, outside. sarva disha, urdhvam (above), adhascha (below), kriyam (across), means left side, right side, front side, back side, etc. Prakashayan, that Divine Lord Brahman is only making it possible for our transactions to take aware, to become aware, to take notice of it. Bhrajate, and it is shining with unimaginable intensity, luminosity. यद्वनड्वान्, that Surya, anadvaan means a name for Surya. Evam sa devaha, thus this Divine Lord, devaha means derived from the root div, to shine. Bhagavan, He is the Bhagavan. Varenyaha, He is the only one vadya being chosen. Why? Because He is the only Satya. And Yoni Swabhava, Yoni means the source, the origin. When we look at anything in this world, something must be the origin, cause. Even mountains, there is a cause, there is a movement of the tectonic plates far beneath the earth. And when they are not moving harmoniously, when they collide and something is thrown up, that's what could be an island, could be a mountain, etc. Not only that, even a fertile land or even a desert land, everything is the effect of the nature. And nature is nothing but Prakruti. Prakruti is called Maya. Maya is consisting of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. This Maya is the inherent power of Brahman, inseparable. So Yoni Swabhava, अधितिष्ठति , He rules over everything and how many? Ekaha, He is the only one, what is called Advaita. Nadvitiya, there is no second. Even this word, Advaitins hesitate to use Ekaha because the number Eka automatically reminds us many. So, that which is without a second, that is called Advaita, Advaitiya. And what is the description? It is Brahman who is manifesting as the creator. Brahman who is manifesting as the sustainer is Brahman who is manifesting as the recycler. I prefer to call it what is called Layakarta. Otherwise the idea comes, He kills, He destroys. No. The manifested is taken back into the non-manifest, unmanifest, so that it can be manifested. Then why can't we see Him? Because we are so totally taken up with the names and forms. That idea is going to come in the fifth mantra. And this is a very beautiful mantra. Every mantra is beautiful. So every mantra seems to be surpassing in some aspects.

यच्च स्वभावं पचति विश्वयोनिः पाच्यांश्च सर्वान् परिणामयेद् यः ।

सर्वमेतद् विश्वमधितिष्ठत्येको गुणांश्च सर्वान् विनियोजयेद् यः || 5.5 ||

The Lord is the source of the entire creation. He alone ordains the nature of each thing. He alone modifies the things thus created. He alone endows them with qualities, Gunas, and He alone presides over this whole universe and that is why He is called Bhagawan.

This fifth mantra, describes God as the great Srishti (creator), sthiti (sustainer/maintainer/nourisher), laya (withdrawer/destroyer/recycler), karta, as the only one and as a great cook. He is in this fifth mantra described as a great cook. I thought that was a very beautiful, apt simile to give to the divine Lord. And we get this idea reinforced in other aspects also. The meaning of the 5th mantra is He who endows everything in this world with its specific nature because of which it can be distinguished. That is one meaning. The second meaning is when, for example, fire is there, what is the nature of the fire? Heat and light. Let us take heat as a simple example for understanding. We can never separate. Why is it not separable? Because God, He will not allow this fire to lose its heating capacity. So that is the meaning of यच्च स्वभावं पचति He determines, He fixes the nature of everything. And again the same idea is repeated, विश्वयोनिः, He is the cause of this entire changing world and then what does He do? पाच्यांश्च, whatever He has created and whatever He is maintaining, He is cooking. सर्वान् परिणामयेद् यः, He is only making.

He divided things in such a way, seemingly, not really. This is Advaitic point of view, we have to specially take note of. According to non-Advaitic schools of philosophy, the creation is real, the destruction is also real, the maintenance, everything is real. But according to Advaita, it is seemingly reality. Another word is Mithya. So that is another word is Maya. Another word is Magic. So many different words to indicate because some of us are endowed with, unfortunately or fortunately, with the faculty of reasoning. And if this reasoning crosses a particular limit, then it says that if God really creates, creation means changing, change both sides. He also changes and what He creates also changes. How does He change? Say for example, that you earn some money and you become a rich person. So what did you do? Before earning money, you were somebody, but you changed your situation. How? By adding more wealth to your possession. And now you are a more wealthy person. So there is a change. Previously, you were a very happy person. What am I talking about? When you were a baby, so only very temporary things affect all of us. But most of the time, you sleep heartily and most importantly, you live an authentic life. And why is it? Because you totally identified yourself with your mother. This is what the modern psychologists have found. Babies, until they are three to four years old, they do not have an individual ego like all of us have. Then what do they have? Their identity is with the mother only. Only mother, that's all. So they have complete self-surrender. And that's what we are supposed to gain. That is why perhaps Jesus Christ once taught a person, unless a man dies and is reborn as a child, he is not going to enter into the kingdom of heaven. What does it mean? A child has not yet developed hypocrisy. We are all hypocrites. We know something inside. We think something and we behave another way. Sri Ramakrishna, he was not familiar with the modern psychology, but every yogi must be a first-class psychologist. Why? This is a very important point.

Yogi means a spiritual aspirant. Progress in spirituality is to understand the nature of the mind. So everything, what the mind, what type of habits, vasanas it has, what type of samskaras it has, what type of hidden desires it has, a person must know. And even when we progress, we will know. This particular samskara is very weak now and it is going to sprout. I have to be careful. How do I come to know about it like this? Because continuous observation. I come across a particular object. That particular object, as soon as I see, my mind is completely drawn towards that object. So I know what is the effect. At the beginning, it may be weak, but as time goes on, even the thought of that object, as we say, Ramakrishna himself gave the example, even thinking of pickle, the mouth starts watering. And it is a very peculiar psychology.

It will take time to explain this and it will also deviate our discussions. Now there is something called nervous system. So behind our what we call sense organs, it is there are nadis are there. These nadis are not to be confused with the nervous system, but very subtle. Nobody can know about it. So, for example, if I'm looking at a thing, the information is taken by the eye and it is passed in the form of knowledge and by the way, every experience is only in the form of knowledge. You hear something, oh, such and such a person is calling me and this is the song that is being played. So this is the fragrance of a rose or a jasmine or this is a beautiful taste, mango, for example. So like that, only the mango will be separate, object will be separate, but the knowledge of the object enters into our mind and that is possible. The poor eye, the poor ear, the poor nose, the nose, it is called a nose, but it doesn't really know anything. So it is only a window and it conveys this information. How does it pass through the nadis? And the nadis themselves do not know. Like servants, they pass it on to the mind, but the mind understands it, it deciphers. Oh, these nadis have carried the message from the eye like a servant. Oh, I have seen, like a lookout, I have seen some people approaching, be careful. So like that, this mind will tell to the nadis, you go and tell to the sense organs to be very alert and to take care, to be prepared. So the poor nadis are only what is called messengers. Now what I am telling, supposing a person, he thinks he has eaten a pickle, he likes it, because as soon as you put a pickle in the tongue, tongue starts watering even before that, but that would be later on. As we go on eating, then the nadis will get the message back and forth. So the message is, so this is very tasty, so convey this information to the mind and the mind says, tell the mouth to water and so the mouth starts watering. And these nadis understand after some time that if I give this information to the mind, inevitably the mind will say that you water as soon as the information of pickle comes. Although the nadis themselves are just in between messengers, sometimes without our knowledge, suddenly our mouth starts watering. A physical object is not necessary at all. That is why sometimes you dream that somebody is presenting nice pickle, you have opened it and with a spoon you are putting and the moment you wake up and then already you find that some part of the pillow is wet. Apply this to many things that happen to us in our lifetime.

Anyway, what is my talk about? That this awareness is borrowed by the mind and all the information that comes is interpreted with the help of the awareness. But then this awareness is only possible when the kutastha (that which is unchanging) is there. That is why a yogi watches these things very carefully. Oh, whenever I think of this pickle, the mouth starts watering. Ah, I was caught by that. This samskara has to be overcome. Patanjali Yoga Sutras says, prati paksha bhavanam. That is what a yogi also says, if this is your problem, think of the opposite. So like that we have to practice. So by practicing, a person understands even long before this thought is hiding and it is about to sprout whenever the opportunity comes. Like Vishwamitra, the idea was sprouting but he was completely unaware and I don't call a person who is unaware of his thoughts, a spiritual aspirant. He is a blind fellow, that's all. That is why he has to pay a heavy price. We also have to pay a heavy price and we are paying every day. That is the problem. That is why the divine lord endows everything with its own quality. That quality will be inseparably associated with that object. Light means showing knowledge, fire means heat, milk means white, water means wet and the earth, means fragrance. पाच्यांश्च सर्वान् परिणामयेद् यः and the same person, what does he do? He has created two types of things and both things are present in every individual creation. For example, I have the body-mind and I am also endowed with a bit of the consciousness called Chidabhasa. Chidabhasa plus Buddhi plus the Sharira is called Jeevatma. So in this, there are two aspects. The nature of the consciousness never changes. That is what the first half part of the first line says, यच्च स्वभावं पचति. पचति means cooking but here पचति means endowing. Second half of the line says, सर्वान् परिणामयेद् यः. The same Divine Lord, what does He do? Everything is changing. So what does it mean? It means the situations are changing all the time. Body is changing, mind is changing, everything is changing. But He is the Kutastha. He is the in-charge, supervisor. सर्वमेतद् विश्वम Sarvam, everything, Etadvishvam, this entire universe. Saha Brahman, that Brahman. Ekaha, being one, Aditishtate, He only presides over.

mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram |

hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate || BG 9.10 ||

That viparivartate has to be applied in the second part of the first line. So there is something which never changes. There is something which is ever changing. What is the reason? If we can understand it through discrimination, nobody wants that which is changing. I gave you many funny examples. A man approaches a woman and he thinks she is beautiful. So he says, I love you very much. Do you love me? And she says, yes, I love you. How much do you love me? Maybe one billionth of a part I will love you. Then what else do you love? I am only making up, you have to enjoy. So you know you are a billionaire. That I love much, much more. Much more percentage. Okay, how long will you be loving me? Maybe for five seconds. After that, I will get terribly bored with you. What about my wealth? I will never ever get bored with your wealth. Suppose this happens. So do you think that person will be running after that? Absolutely no. And it is also worth mentioning, you will enjoy it. In New York City, a young man used to travel in a bus and another young woman, he thought very beautiful, was also traveling in the same bus and he started chasing her, what is called stalking her. She noticed it. One day, she smilingly invited him, come to my house, we will have dinner and we will talk things over. And this fellow went very eagerly. And she, after eating perhaps, I hope, so he asked, she asked, what do you find so beautiful in me? Oh, your hair, marvelous. And she took off her wig. And then 50% of his love automatically exploded, died. Then she asked, what else do you find beautiful in me? He said, your teeth, so beautiful. She took out her dentures and then he ran away. I don't want to go on dwelling upon it. So, none of us, including mosquitoes, will not want to run after what is unattainable and what is unattainable truth is unattainable. What is attainable? Anything changing is attainable only.

So, the mantra is saying that the whole world is a mixture of what is called Chaitanyam and Jada, Prakruti and Purusha. And why is it saying? Because we must have that Viveka. Then only, Vairagyam will come. By the way, this is also my oft-repeated saying, true Viveka can be judged only by Vairagyam. Somebody says, I know, but I am still running after it. That's not Viveka. That is information. But if somebody says, I know automatically, like a filthy droppings of a crow as soon as they fall. Do you think 10 minutes, 15 minutes, what shall I do? Shall I keep it? Etc. Just as instinctively we throw it out, that which seems to be poisonous, undesirable, if it can be removed like that, automatically dropped like that, without much thinking, that is the only characteristic of true Viveka.

So what in this mantra is telling? That he created everything, endowed everything with a particular nature, but he also endowed the world with some changeable things. परिणामयेद् यः सर्वमेतद् विश्वमधितिष्ठत्येको He is supervising both the unchanging as well as the changing. After all, this world is nothing but a mixture of Prakruti and Purusha. गुणांश्च सर्वान् विनियोजयेद् यः And what? How did he do it? Through Gunas. So what does it mean? Guna means Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. If we analyse, everything in this world is manifesting all the three Gunas at the same time. I'll give you a small example. I know you are very intelligent. You can extend that example to everything else. Suppose there is a carpet in your room. Is it having three Gunas? Yes, it is having three Gunas. Suppose it is a beautiful Persian carpet, very beautiful, very harmonious, pastel colours and very soft and smooth. You don't feel like sleeping anywhere excepting on that carpet. So that is Sattva Guna is more. But what happens? It is also changeable. After some time, it gets frayed, dust and dirt also gathers. Now what happens? When you lie down, you feel pricked and Rajoguna dominates. And after some time, you don't feel like even doing anything there. So that is called Tamoguna. Now with this example, extend it to every experience that you have, you will understand there is nothing in this world which doesn't have all the three Gunas. Three Gunas cannot be separated. Intellectually, we try to understand their effects. But existentially, transactionally, we cannot take a knife and then throw away some of them. Sometimes, Sattva dominates. For example, when our mind is calm, when we are doing Puja, meditation, listening to this class, Sattva Guna is dominant. And when you have to drive, I don't hope Sattva Guna will be dominant or Tamoguna. But Rajoguna is highly alert, which vehicle is coming from front, back, side, etc. And when you want to sleep, then Tamoguna is dominent. No Guna is bad. Every Guna is good in its place. Every Guna is bad in others' place. That is very important. Through these Gunas, सर्वान् विनियोजयेद् यः, the whole universe is being run, supervised. That is how the Divine Lord, that Brahman is controlling this world. Another meaning of Guna is called rope. That which binds is a Guna. That's why Ramakrishna's story, including Sattva Guna is also a robber, helpful robber, but cannot take us to God because every Guna is a limitation. That is how we have to understand. Tamoguna binds more and Rajoguna binds even more. Sattva Guna binds even more also. But Sattva Guna is preferable because our Viveka, Vairagya, Shatsampatti and Mumukshutva is a direct manifestation of Sattva Guna. All the three are robbers. That is the beautiful expression by Ramakrishna.

So, the English translation of the mantra is, The Lord is the source of the entire creation. He alone ordains the nature of each thing. He alone modifies the things thus created. He alone endows them with qualities, Gunas, and He alone presides over this whole universe and that is why He is called Bhagawan. Who is Bhagawan? He who has got Bhaga. Bhaga means six qualities. This is very popular in the Puranic literature. What are the six qualities? Aishwarya, that means his wealth, knows no boundaries. Vīrya, and his courage, his valour. Nobody can overcome him. That means what? Finally, everybody will be absorbed into him, defeated and absorbed. Like the Divine Mother, Durga, who absorbed all the Asuras by just fighting with them. And Esha, and his name and fame, because he is the only one who is Satyam. His fame is unparalleled. And Sri, Lakshmi Devi is always his companion. Lakshmi, by the way, means all the happy qualities. Many of us mistake Lakshmi Devi only as wealth. Now, you must have heard the news that some submarine went to visit Titan and then they never came back. Most of them are extremely rich people and they are dead now. Their families must be grieving a lot. I am not sure about that statement. Maybe their children or uncles or relatives, especially if they don't have children, must have been rejoicing. But I am just talking lightly. So Sri means that which is creativity, that which gives happiness, that which makes us progress in life. That is called Sri. Gnana, the highest Gnana is to know that, O Lord, I am You and You are me. And of course, Vairagya. Vairagya means not to be attached but to enjoy this universe as a Leela Sahasrara, as a companion of the Divine Lord. That is called Vairagya. What am I talking about? Vairagya means give something up like poison. Nearly speaking, if God is Amrita, there cannot be any poison. But what does it mean? Only after knowing Bhagawan, everything becomes a Leela. Like Mirabai, when either her husband or her brother-in-law sent what is called virulent poison, halahala visha, and he did not hide the fact. He said this is visha, my commandment, you drink it. And then she also happily took it and then she expresses it beautifully in a poetic manner. विस का प्याला राणा भेज्या, पीवत मीरा हाँसी ! How could she laugh? Because she knows if I have to die, I will be with Krishna forever. But if I have to live, then this visha will become Amrita. Because Krishna is the visha for visha. By dancing on the Kaliya visha, He transformed every drop of it into Amrita. So, all the six qualities, Aishwarya, Vīrya, Esha, Sri, Jnana, Vairagya. He who has it in 100% measure for all the time is called Bhagawan. Wan means Dhanavan, Vidhyavan, Gunavan, Bhagavan. He who possesses.

So, Shri Ramkrishna's short commentary on this fifth mantra is this. We are all under the rulership of the Divine Mother. Now, coming back, one meaning of Pachati is cooking. That is also absolutely true. What is cooking? Transforming something is called cooking. That is why you remember we have dealt in the Yaksha Prashnas. Yaksha asked Yudhishthira, Ka Varta? What is the news? Very beautiful word. And then Yudhishthira, without a moment's hesitation, he goes on replying,

asminmahAmohamaye kaTAhe sUryAgninA rAtridivendhanena | mAsartudarvIparighaTTanena bhUtAni kAlaH pachatIti vArtA ||

The universe is a very big cooking cauldron. The sky is the lid because this big vessel can be covered only by the sky, Akasha. The who is the cook? I am the cook. What does he do? He puts all movable and immovable things, all creation into this vessel. He uses the firewood. What is the firewood? Night and day. And then how does he light them up? He lights them up with the sun. Then as the ingredients are cooking, he has to stir them so that they will cook properly. How does he do it? He stirs it with the ladles called seasons and months of the year. And this happens every day. And then he says, Bhutani Kalaha Pachati Iti Varta. This is the news. And this is the greatest news. If we can keep this in mind, it will be marvelous. And the same thing with a deeper meaning perhaps has been expressed in the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita when Arjuna got frightened seeing the universal form of the Lord. Why did he get frightened? The Srishti is pleasant. Sthithi is somewhat pleasant. But Laya is absolutely terrifying. Death is terrifying. And then he said, I can't understand you because Bhagavan is in the form of Kala. Bhagavan is not showing Kala. Bhagavan is showing himself in the guise of the Kala. That means what? Creation will be there and it will be dead. That is what Sri Ramakrishna illustrates with a beautiful Auranic story. Once Lord Shiva was sitting on top of the mountain Kailasa and suddenly Parvati Devi was with him and she was very happy. Suddenly there is one boom like that one sound had come and then she was startled and then she asked, Lord, what is this? He smiled and said Ravanasura is born. And after a millisecond boom like that another sound has come. Lord, what is this? Ravanasura is dead. So, life and death. Hundred years, thousand years, a million years, a billion years. By the way, there is a beautiful video on the YouTube and I happened to come across it by chance and I recommend all of you have to see that if you want to appreciate this particular fifth mantra. I forgot the title but it is something like that. The earth before the time of the dinosaurs. The earth before the time of the dinosaurs. Truly mind awakening events so beautifully described just within 15 to 20 minutes time. Now what are we talking about it? God is the cause of all causes and all other causes will be changing excepting the final cause that is God. But everything else is changing. Nobody else can change. The sun also is born. Sun is growing old. After few billion years it will die. The moon was not there. It is there. It will not be there. Planet earth was not there. Just if you watch that video you will understand it much better these meanings. Sometimes you will have to see these things with your own eyes and I can promise you your understanding will be much better. And all these things cannot but function. Why? Because the Divine Lord is bringing about those changes and that is beautifully expressed in the Katha Upanishad especially in the second chapter, sixth section third mantra Bhayat Asmat Agne Tapati So the fire, it burns because of the fear of Brahman. Bhayat Tapati Suryaha. So the sun is shining, giving light, giving heat because of the fear of Brahman. Bhayat Indrascha Vayuscha. Through fear Indra Vayu and Mrityu Rudhavati Panchamaha The fifth one is called Mrityu, even death because death is the one of the series of changes. Just as Janma is a change and also death is a change. All these changes, they cannot be stopped though we wish wholeheartedly after becoming youth if we can stop like that. It is not going to happen at all. So after that you try, put on a wig, put on some false teeth but temporarily people might be mistaken nobody can mistake after sometime. So this great cook, the Lord, creates different ingredients, each with its special quality mixes them up in different pots and we are all pots. If we don't understand that we are pots, we will be going to pot in different combinations to create this great feast called creation. But what is the way out? Now the glory of the Brahma Vidya what are we talking? Every Upanishad is nothing but Brahma Vidya. What does it do? It destroys the delusory knowledge. The what is called the temporariness, the conviction that temporary is permanent. It destroys and it gives us the knowledge of the truth called Brahma Vidya. So that is what in this sixth mantra Tad Veda Uhya Upanishad Sugodham Tad Brahma Vedate Brahma Yonim E Porvam Tevaha Vishayascha Tad Viduhu Te Tanmayaha Amrutavai Babuhuhu First I will read the English translation then come back. That truth, that means that Brahman, that is called truth. It is also called the truth of the truth, Satyashya Satyam, lies hidden in the Upanishads in every scripture in Koran, in Bible in Tripitaka in every scripture, Kuru Granth Sahib in Tantras etc. So these are the Upanishads. What are they? The mystical parts of the Veda, essence of the Veda. That's why they are called Vedanta. Vedanta means, one meaning is that which comes at the end of the Vedas. Why do we call it at the end? Because every part of the Veda is a groping for deeper and deeper knowledge. So first we know this world alone, this life alone is true. Then we say maybe there are other worlds. Maybe there are better worlds. Maybe there are worse worlds. Svargas, Narakas, Brahma Loka, 14 Lokas etc. But is it wise? Will it be any different? There is a difference. What happiness we get on this earth is very little. But what we get in the higher Lokas, very much. But at the same time, if we happen to go against Dharma and Satya, then our experience will be the opposite. The further down we go, the deeper our agony, our suffering. Until we reach Patala, there it is said, two Yamadotas will be sawing the fellow. At the same time, what is called roasting the person with a rotating wheel, and they will give you an injection whereby you will not lose your consciousness. So that's telling, in case you want to avoid it. So, what is it telling? That truth lies hidden. Where can we get it? In fact, that is what we are seeking whole life. We are not seeking anything else. We are seeking only God. But we are seeking in the wrong directions, wrong objects. But after some time, our experience will guide us to the right place. As Sri Ramakrishna puts it so beautifully, a servant at night, in deep darkness, wants to contact his master, enters into the room. He could not see anything. It's a big room. He goes on touching every object. This is not the master. This is not the master. This is not the master. Finally, after probably touching almost everything, he touches the God. And his heart leaps up in great joy. This is the God. The master must be there. Then he touches the master. I hope the master will not leap up in fright. Anyway, what is meant is the God is there, but we are seeking in the wrong, groping in the wrong places. So, these Upanishads are the essence, the very Saara, that is, of the every knowledge. Saara, knowledge, Jnana Saara. And that was given to Brahma, Lord Brahma, the creator. That is why he said, Brahma Prathamaha. The first person to obtain this knowledge by the Divine is Brahma. And he passed on to his disciples, Atharvana, etc. We saw it in the Mundaka Upanishad. And this Brahma knows that truth and it can be known only through the Vedas. That is why another appellation for Brahma is Chaturmukha Brahma, representing the four Vedas. Vedas means through Karmakanda we equip ourselves, then we move forward, then we come into Jnana Kanda, and then finally through Upasana, we reach the Brahma. So only Brahma knows. No. He passed that knowledge to many people. So those ancient deities and the Rishis, yes, who knew it, indeed, became one with it and became immortal. What is it? They became one with the truth and they became the truth. They became one with Brahma and they became Brahman. That's why they could say, Aham Sarvam Brahma. Then this mantra reminds us of Sri Rao Swami Vaikunanda's favorite Rishi. All of us are coming from that Brahman. Our nature will never be different from Brahman. That's why he says, it is a standing label to call man a sinner. No. Every human being, every Jeeva, children of immortality. Swamiji was very fond of it. So this truth is known in the Vedas and Upanishads, but it is not easy. Unless we are prepared, you can't understand Einstein's theorem. It is impossible. Very easy, very simple, but very difficult to understand. But through Guru Parampara, starting with Brahma and so many Devas, so many Rishis, that we can finally reach. What do I get? Whoever knows that Brahman, Tanmayaha and by knowledge, what does it mean? They become one with Brahman. Tanmayaha means Tatmayaha. Sameness. They obtain. Amrutavai Babho Bahu. They have all become immortal by knowing that Brahman. That is what is more important. Now there is a very interesting definition of Veda. What is Veda? Some people, especially Buddha, he told the concoction of the priest. But he knows the truth. But his saying is for an entirely different purpose. Misinterpreting the Veda is not believing in Veda. But Buddha was not a non-believer. He was nurtured. He drank the very milk of Gita, very milk of the Upanishads. After all, even if you drink the milk of the Gita, what is the nectar of the Gita? Sarvopanishadogavo Dogdha Gopalanandana. So it is nothing but Sarvopanishad. Partho Vatsaha. Partha means Guru. He is the starter point, starting point. Especially for Indian cows. And then who are the enjoyers? Sudhir Bhokta. Only those who are endowed with extreme wisdom. And what is that nectar? That nectar is nothing but Amritam. That is the divine knowledge. What is that knowledge? I am Brahmam. Dugdham Gita Amritam Maham. So Gita is nothing but essence of the Upanishads. And what do these Upanishads teach? Atma Vidya. That is the nature of the Atma. That is why this definition is there. Anything and everything cannot be called a scripture. Pratyakshena Anumityava. Through direct experience or through inference. Istu Upayona Vidyate. That truth can never be obtained. Because it is Apaurushaya. It is beyond the sense organs. It is Atindriya Gnana. Evam Vidanti Vedena. But that knowledge is obtainable through the instrumentality of the Vedas. Tasmad therefore Vedasya Vedata. The knowledge of the Vedas alone can lead us. The Upanishads are the only valid means for this knowledge. Here Brahma, as I mentioned is also Vedas. And Yoni means valid means. That is scriptures are the only valid means of knowing the truth. Whether it comes in the form of Guru. Comes in the form of Bhajans. Whether it comes in the form of simple teachings. There was a great soul in Karnataka called Anjanapaswamy. And he was a great devotee of Anjaneya. And his words are so simple. Any villager can understand it. But they contain the highest truth. Because the same Upanishad alone comes out of the mouths of every Rishi. Every spiritual personality. So Vedavyasa also he wants to tell us in his very Brahma Sutras. There are about 555 Sutras, Brahma Sutras. And why is it called Brahma Sutra? Because Brahman that is Brahma Gnanam Niyate. It is Brahma Sutra. Sutra means an indication. So that which leads us to Brahman is called Brahma Sutra. The first four Sutras are most important Sutras. They are the first four. If we don't study the rest it is absolutely fine. The first Sutra, Shastra unit. Athato Brahma Jignasa. Second one Janmadyase Athaha. Third, Shastra unit one. Fourth is Tattu Samanoya. But for us what is important here is Athataha Brahma Jignasa. The final destination of every creature is Atha. That means now that. What does now that? That means since you have done so many things you searched the entire world you have experienced it you know the ephemerality of that but you also have trained yourself you made your mind pure you are ready. Then Atha. Therefore no more turning to back to the world. Straight you go to Brahma Jignasa enquiry about Brahman where? With a proper Guru and then do Sravana, Manana and Nibbidhyasana. And why did I raise this topic? Janmadyase Athaha. It says the entire creation sustenance and laya. Janmadya etc has come only from that divine Athaha from whom I will discuss about it in tomorrow's class but such a marvelous thing is being said in this Shweta Shwetara but that is what Vedavyasa wants to explain to us. Janmadya that means janma sthiti and laya from whom they have come. That means this entire Jagat was created is being sustained and goes back and this is based upon Bhrigu Valli Varunas teaching to his son Purna, Ketuva Imani Bhutani Jayanta etc. And then the third sutra the most important Shastrayonitva we can know about God, Brahman only through the medium of the Shastras and how do we know Shastras are right? Because there is a secondary meaning given two meanings are given because the creator of the Shastras is God it is full of meaning we will talk about it tomorrow and we will continue our talk. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagat Gurum Pada Padme Tayo Srisla Pranamaame Moham Moho May Ramakrishna holy mother and Swami Vekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna