Mandukya Karika Lecture 103 on 17-May-2023
Summery
The 12th mantra of the 3rd chapter of the Mandukya Upanishad is explained by Gaudapada in his Karikas. Gaudapada is an extreme Advaitist, emphasizing non-duality. He states that there is only one reality, Brahman, which is unchanging and eternal. However, it is difficult for us to understand this conceptually. Gaudapada argues that birth, growth, and death are all products of the mind, and our thoughts are our only reality. He uses various illustrations, such as the example of dream and the distinction between pure space and pot-space, to support his arguments. While Indian philosophers give secondary importance to reasoning, they rely on scriptural teachings to understand the truth. Advaita philosophy, including Gaudapada's teachings, is not without its flaws, but it is considered the best philosophy for solving worldly and spiritual problems. Gaudapada addresses the question of how Brahman, which is all-knowing, can become entangled in ignorance. He argues that it is not possible and that reasoning alone cannot provide the answer. Ignorance, or avidya, is considered to reside in Brahman itself. Other philosophical schools, such as Ramanujacharya's Vishishtadvaita, try to refute Advaita but fail to provide satisfactory answers. Ultimately, Advaita teaches that we are not really suffering, and by realizing the truth, the effects of ignorance can be eliminated. Although no philosophy is perfect, Advaita philosophy is considered the best for solving various problems. The essence of Gaudapada's teachings is that our experiences and objects are not our true selves. We are the knower, the witness, and everything experienced is ultimately unreal or Mithya.
The scripture praises the identity of the individual soul (Jivatma) and the supreme soul (Paramatma) as non-dual, condemning the belief in their multiplicity. The goal is to realize that there is nothing apart from Brahman, no separate objects or entities. The scriptures repeatedly condemn the perception of differences and promote the view that everything is Brahman. The scriptures teach both duality (Karmakanda) and non-duality (Jnanakanda) to cater to the understanding of different individuals. The initial teaching of duality is for those who are incapable of understanding the abstract concept of non-duality. As one progresses spiritually, the teachings shift towards non-duality. The scriptures use different approaches to suit the capacity of individuals, just like a mother cooks different dishes for her children according to their digestion abilities.
Full Transcript
In our last class we have been discussing about the 12th mantra of the 3rd chapter of the Mandukya Upanishad. The 2nd, 3rd as well as 4th all these are nothing but explanations of Gaudapada for the 12 mantras of the Mandukya Upanishad. These verses are called Karikas. And here, says a person who thinks there is anything besides Brahman, he is to be pitied, he is to be re-educated. There is only one reality. That is Brahman. It is never born, it cannot be born, it will ever remain exactly in the same way. That is the burden of this entire 3rd chapter called Advaita Prakarna.
Advaita means non-duality. And especially Gaudapada was an extreme Advaitist. There are mild Advaitists. For example, we have got Sridharaswamy, we have got Madhusudana Saraswati. These are mild Advaitins. Shankaracharya etc., these are called middle class Advaitins. Why? They don't go to the harshest expression of Advaita. Not that they do not know. They know it, but they adopt a softer view. But Gaudapada is the one who doesn't compromise at all. And he tells, nothing is born. And that is the truth also actually. But for us to understand, it will be difficult. So, what is the problem? Problem is the scriptures. Like a mother has to feed a baby in a mild way, a little grown-up child in another way, a fully grown-up child, what Sri Ramakrishna calls, with all spicy, what is called pulao, all made up of the curry of fish. It is very hard to digest. But ultimately Advaita means there cannot be birth, there cannot be anything else. But it is appearing. So, our question is very interesting question. How did this all-knowing Brahman can ever entangle himself? Frankly, the answer is, no it is not possible. So, some foolish Advaitins try to convince all of us that it is through reasoning one can do it. No, we can never do anything through reasoning. But we find ourselves in this position. How did Brahma become caught? Nobody knows and why, how, but we are all suffering. Can we get out of suffering? Yes. How? By knowing that we are not really suffering. How? By getting the knowledge that all the while we are thinking there is a snake. As soon as light comes, not only we know the truth, but the effects of the truth will completely eliminate, destroy the effects of ajnana. And that is good enough for us. We don't need to go further deep into these hair-splitting arguments.
But one thing is very common among all the Indian philosophers. They give secondary importance to reasoning, but primary importance is to the scriptural teaching which is to be accepted on its face value without any compromise. But to understand them properly we have to take the help of logic or reasoning. So, keeping this in mind we have been seeing that according to Gaudapada Brahman has never become what we call born, not growth, not sadhana, not siddhi, nothing of these things. And what are all those things? They are play of the mind, thoughts in our mind. And our thoughts are our only reality. So, if a person is dreaming that he is sleeping in his room and very safe after nice food, and there is no danger. But he had imagined himself, maybe because he read a nightmarish book, that he was surrounded and he was taken by force to a dungeon, dumped there, and being beaten black and blue. And days and days together he is like that. But so long as we are dreaming it seems to be real. When we wake up, we laugh. The problem is with our imagination. Gaudapada says birth is an imagination, growth is an imagination, and laya, death is also an imagination. For that he tries to explain to us with various illustrations. One illustration is Ghatakasha and Mahakasha. As if with the birth of the pot, Ghatakasha is born. But really speaking Ghata is born, pot is born, not pot-space. In fact, nothing can divide space, because emptiness can never be divided. Now he is supporting his arguments, not only with logic, all the examples of dream, examples of pure space and pot-space are all through reasoning, rationality. But the main thrust is do the scriptures tell us? Yes, they do tell us. Advaita is great, but the opponent comes up. You are saying they teach the Upanishads, especially the Upanishads. That is part of the Vedas. Why do I call it part of the Vedas? Because Vedas are divided into two parts, Karmakanda and Jnanakanda. The old Karmakanda is nothing but emphasizing differences. This is Bhuloka, there is a Svargaloka, there is a Narakaloka, hell and heaven and earth. So, if I want to go to heaven, I have to do certain things. So, if I want to go to Brahmaloka I have to worship Brahman. Is Brahman one with me? No, no. Brahman is not one with you, but Brahman is far superior to you. If you want to go to Brahmaloka, then you have to worship that particular deity called Brahma and for that you have to do Upasana, meditation, contemplation. So, there is a difference. The old Karmakanda is nothing but difference that I am a human being. Gods are different, Goddesses are different, denizens of this Svargaloka are different and I want to go there, and I will enjoy. Then I have to come back. So, there is no permanency in any one of the Lokas. So, I will ever remain separate. Everything is separate. This is our common experience. But Advaita tells us that this is because of ignorance. One is Avarana Shakti, another is Vikshepa Shakti. We have to get rid of them through spiritual practice. First get rid of Vikshepa Shakti and then deal with the Avarana Shakti. One is called Avidya, another is called Tulavidya. Tulavidya is Avarana Shakti and this Vikshepa Shakti is what is called our Avidya Shakti. So first get rid of the surface problem, visible problem. Then go to the cause of that visible problem which is called Avarana Shakti. This is how the sadhana proceeds. But Gaudapada simply brushes the whole thing aside and he denies the whole thing. There is no sadhya, a goal to be reached. There is no what is called Purushartha. The truth is exactly the same. But even the greatest Advaitins, this is a side point, even Advaita philosophy is not a fool proof philosophy. It has a lot of holes. That is why I call it holy philosophy. It is the best philosophy. But philosophy is only the expression of our intellect. Intellect is limited. Therefore, our understanding will be limited. Therefore, our formulation will also be limited only. Are there defects in Advaita? Yes. Will there be a philosophy without defects? No. Every philosophy has got some defects. So, what is the defect of Advaita philosophy? They can never explain. They try to not explain but explain away saying that Brahman cannot entertain Avidya or Maya. This is, as I said, a side talk to make our understanding more enjoyable. So, we are in this condition. So, are we in ignorance or not? Yes, we are in ignorance. And what are you saying? You are not in ignorance. Your thousand billion times saying that I am not in ignorance is simply stupid, useless. Because if a pin pricks me, I am experiencing the pain. I am listening to your talks and yet you go on emphasizing. What is your answer? So why am I suffering? Because of ignorance. What is ignorance? Opposite of knowledge. What is Brahman? Pure knowledge. Wherefrom the second thing called non-knowledge, wrong knowledge, ignorance, partial knowledge, mistaken knowledge, wherefrom it has come? Oh, does it reside in Brahman? And they have to admit that Ajnana, ignorance, resides only in Brahman. What is the argument? Argument is, suppose there is a table in front of us and you ask the table, hey table, are you knowledgeable thing or are you an ignorant? It cannot answer. Why? Because it doesn't have consciousness. Only a conscious being can tell whether I am knowledgeable or ignorant. So, before creation, who was there? Only Brahman. Was Brahman consciousness or something else? Pure consciousness, pure chit. So, wherefrom this has come? Wherefrom Jeevatma thinks? Why does Jeevatma think I am limited? I am consciousness but limited consciousness. I am limited by body and mind. I am a Jeevatma. I am Alpagnya, little knower. I am Alpashaktimaan. My power is very limited. I continuously experience both happiness and unhappiness. All because of what? Because of my ignorance that I am Brahman. Right? That is what you are teaching. So, you are telling me I am Brahman. Brahman means complete knowledge. But here I am suffering from ignorance thinking that I am not Brahman. So where is the residence? What is the location of this Ajnana? Because after creation we are all the locations. I have ignorance. You have ignorance. But before creation where was this ignorance? They have to admit it is in Brahman. So, you are saying that Brahman is Advaita. It cannot be justified. No, no, no. It is only a notion. You may say thousand times it is a notion. Before creation, Brahman is Brahman. And why should he think I want to think I am not Brahman. I want to suffer. Why does Brahman want to suffer? Why does Brahman search for things so that he can be happy? He is already happy.
So Ramanujacharya, very beginning of his Sri Bhashya. Sri Bhashya means commentary on Brahma Sutras. Ramanujacharya's commentary on Brahma Sutras is called Sri Bhashya. Shankaracharya's Bhashya is simply called Bhashya. Advaitins follow, Shankaracharya's Bhashya. And so why are we ignorant? And that is where Shankaracharya in one and a half page, not much actually, refutes that in any way this whole world is Adhyasa, superimposition. And who is the superimposer? Maya. Who is the superimposed? Jeeva. So, my dear sir, before creation there was no superimposer, superimposed. In between, where from it has come? That is to say, logic tells us if something is created out of gold, suddenly silver cannot come from somewhere and insert itself in the ornaments. If silver was absent, it cannot come. If silver is present it cannot be pure gold. If ignorance is there, if ignorance were absent, Advaita is Advaita. If ignorance or avidya is present, it will be Dvaita. One is consciousness, another is ignorance. One is knowledge, another is ignorance. As I said, they try to refute it, but they miserably fail to refute it. Ramajunacharya, every right, and he was a very sharp intellect, he refutes them. And somebody has to answer that one. Madhusudhana Saraswati and others try to answer, but it is all completely useless answer. They cannot tackle the original question. What is the point? Why am I talking all these things? It is nothing to do with Mandukya Upanishad, but just to sharpen our intellect, simply without background you cannot enjoy all these things. Coming back to our subject now. What is the essence of what I said? That Advaita is not a perfect philosophy. Was Visishta Advaita perfect? No. Was Dvaita perfect? No. No philosophy is perfect. No intellectual formulation can ever be perfect. Shruti is perfect, because it is apaurushaya, not human made. Anything human made will be imperfect. But the best philosophy we have, that which can solve the problems of the world, whether secular or spiritual, only the Advaita philosophy completely. And Advaita philosophy doesn't have any quarrel with any other philosophy. This is just, as I said, a side talk. Now in the twelfth mantra, twelfth Karika rather, the Gaudapada, first earlier he had given Ghatakasha Mahakasha, and in the second chapter, called Vaithatya Prakarna the main emphasis is a dream. That is, whatever we experience, just briefly to recollect, whatever I experience is not me. And I always experience something, not only as the main object, but main object coloured or covered up with so many qualities, small, big, red, white, etc. And this is what allows us to distinguish one object from the other object. And whatever qualities belong to any perceived object, belong to that object, nothing to do with me. I see the body, body is born, body grows, body is beautiful, body is ugly, body is healthy, body is unhealthy, body is talented, body is not talented, they all belong to the body, it has nothing to do with me. If somebody can sing well, it has nothing to do with the Atman at all. That is the second point. Third point is, whatever I experience is Jada, because only consciousness can experience. I am the experiencer and whatever I experience is called an object. And every object is Jada, every object is concrete, every object is external, every object is ever-changing, every object depends upon the perceiver for its very existence and cognition. Therefore, I cannot be a Vastu, I cannot be the Drishya, I am the Drik, I cannot be the Known, I am the Knower, I cannot be the Witnessed, I am the Witness. This is the burden of the entire Vaithatya Prakarana. We are experiencing the waking, and the dream, and the deep sleep, since they are all experienced, along with all their objects, they are all Mithya. An object is called Mithya, because whatever depends upon others for its very existence. If I do not cognize something it doesn't exist for me. Somebody must cognize either in the past or present or future. If anybody tells us that there is an object, did anybody see it? No. Did anybody hear of it? No. Did anybody ever experience it? No. Such a thing cannot be accepted as existence, existing. And therefore, anything that is existing must be experienced. And the experience is totally different from the experience. This is common sense. I see a car, I am not the car. I see a dog, I am not a dog. I see a donkey, I am not a donkey. But we become donkeys when I see my body, then I say, I am the body. I don't say, when I see a donkey, I am the donkey. But when I see, I experience, see means experience the body, I become deluded, I am the body. But sometimes common sense comes out, even in English language. This is my hand. This is my head. My head is throbbing, paining. So, my means other than me. And you say, I am having headache. And this is the greatest headache for all of us to think that what we are experiencing is us. Extend it to the mind. The mind has the thoughts, I am happy, I am unhappy, this is desirable, this is not desirable. But when it comes to our experience, whatever I am experiencing must be separate from me. So, I cannot be the mind. But we get deluded because of what is called Nidra Shakti or Avidya Shakti. If it is collective ignorance, it is called Maya or it is called Moola Vidya. If it is experienced individually, it is called Tola Vidya. It is called Avidya, simply. Maya is collective aspect. Avidya is individual aspect. Moola is collective aspect. Tola is individual aspect of it. So, this is the burden of the entire second chapter is the whole universe. That means all the three states every Jeeva experiences in the form of waking, dream and dreamless, they are all completely false because I am experiencing them. And the experiencer can never become the experienced. That is the burden. In the third chapter, Advaita Prakarana, he wants to prove everything is Advaita. For that he gives some examples and he gives the same examples earlier too. But here what is important is that he wants to take the help of the scriptures. And once we understand it is very easy for us to proceed further.
In this 12th mantra he gives the example of Madhu Kanda. Now it is from an Upanishad called Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is divided into six main chapters. And every chapter has got several sections. And every section is called a Brahmana. Nothing to do with a born Brahmana or anything. Here a section is called Brahmana. And the fifth section of the second chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is called Madhu Brahmana. And this is a marvellous Brahmana. I am going to tell you the essence because it is not difficult. The whole universe is divided in different ways into two pairs. What is it? One is the experiencer another is the experienced. One is the Drik, another is Drishya. And we just now talked about it with regard to the Vaitatya Prakarana. But what is reality? The whole universe is divided into two, Adhyatma and Adhidaivika. What is it? Supposing I have what is called the eye. My eye, the Indriya, that can see. It has the power to see only because there is an Adhishtatru Devata, there is a presiding, ruling deity called Surya Deva. Surya Deva is the power for the collective eye power to see. Whether it is a dog, whether it is a lion, tiger, a rat or anything, their power to see individually is called Chakshu and universally it is called Surya Deva. Both are dependent. If I have no eyes, Surya is useless. If I have eyes, but Surya is not there, equally useless. So, Surya depends upon me, and I depend upon Surya. Similarly, Surya is only one example. So, I want to hear. I have got ear. Ear is an instrument for hearing. And this instrument called hearing, this will be useless without the Adhishtatru Devata called Akasha. Akasha will be useless if I am deaf. And if Akasha is not there, which is never the case, Akasha is not there, I have the ear. That is also equally useless. Like if the teacher is not there, the title student is useless. If the student is not there, the word teacher, the title teacher is completely useless. So, if the Sishya is not there, Guru is useless. If the Guru is not there Sishya is useless. So, this Guru-Sishya, Guru depends upon the Sishya and Sishya depends upon the Guru. Surya depends upon my eye. My eye depends upon the Surya. Each are related. If one is absent, both will be functionless. That is why, in a beautiful language, the whole universe is nothing but the experiencer and the experienced, the giver and those who use what is given. This is a Jeevatma is dependent upon Paramatma. Paramatma is dependent upon the Jeevatma. It is useless for the Jeevatma. If there is no Paramatma, Jeevatma will not be Jeevatma. If Jeevatma is not there Paramatma also will not be there. You have to understand this very subtle concept. So, there is an invariable, inescapable, unbreakable relationship. What is that relationship? That relationship is interdependence. That interdependence is called Madhu. Simple example, without a baby a mother is a woman. She is not a mother. Without mother, the baby cannot survive.
So, mother loves the baby. So, for the baby, mother is the Madhu, honey. Honey means what? That which is the only, without which one cannot exist. That is called Madhu. So, if there is an object and I don't have eyes, then the Surya Deva is completely useless. I gave that example. Apply it to all the other five sense organs also. So, all the Panchabhutas are the Adishtatra Devatas and all the five sense organs are the Indriyas. These Indriyas individually depend upon the Adishtana Devatas, Adi Daivika Devatas. They are called Adi Daivika. We are called Adhyatma. Adhyatma and Adi Daivika, they are there. So Gaudapada tells, Dvaiyoho Dvaiyoho Madhu Jnane. That is between these pairs are there. How many pairs? Infinite number of pairs, but all of them are categorized. I will give an example very soon. Dvaiyoho Dvaiyoho means between two pairs. Madhu Jnane. What is Madhu Jnane? Without the other, I cannot exist. Without wife, a man is not a husband. Without husband, a woman is not a wife. As I just now gave, any number of examples, without the audience a person is not a singer or teacher or anything. So, there are no singers but there are listeners. It is useless. There are listeners but no speakers or singers. That is also useless. So, apply it to every type of Indriya Jnana. This is a marvellous thing that we have to understand. But who is it that sustains both? Well, Parambrahma Prakasitam. So, are you a Jeevatma? Yes. How do you exist as Jeevatma? Because of the Parambrahma. And here is Paramatma, Ishwara? Yes. Can Ishwara exist without Parambrahma? No. Only a collection of Jeevatmas is called Ishwara. If there is no Ishwara, there is no individual soul. If there is no individual soul, Ishwara will disappear. So Ishwara depends upon the individual soul. And individual soul depends upon the Ishwara. In this world everything is dependent upon the other one. This is why the whole universe is called interdependent universe. Dependent means it cannot even exist without the other. So without Sat, without Chit, without Ananda, nothing can exist. Here all, anything that is existing must have Chit part of it and Ananda part of it. Even sometimes manifest, sometimes not manifest. Even a human being, when he is sleeping, then his existence is known by all. But his knowledge is not gauged, fathomed by anybody. Nor his Ananda which he is experiencing in that state, cannot be also experienced. It is a divine mystery. Every day we see, when you find somebody else deeply asleep, you cannot know whether he is experiencing happiness or not. Only when he gets up and says, I am happy, then you have to believe that he was really happy. This is the gist. Madhukanda, everything is dependent upon everything else and one part cannot exist without the other part. Therefore, if one has to exist, that thing which makes it possible to exist becomes the most dearly loved thing in the world and that is why we are dependent upon the body and the body is dependent upon us. We are dependent upon the mind. Mind is dependent upon us. If you understood the essence of what I said, the whole universe is divided into pairs. Every pair is dependent upon the other. Pair means husband and wife, teacher and student, guru and sishya, friend and enemy. These are called pairs. Mata, Pita, etc. This is a marvellous something. So, this is the teaching. Gaudapada wants to give, quoting from the Madhu Brahmana, that is the fifth section of the second chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Then, just like Ghatakasha and Mahakasha, he wants to reinforce with another example in the second line. pṛthivyāmudare caiva yathākāśaḥ prakāśitaḥ
So, you see, various stomachs, a child's stomach, a grown-up person's stomach, a diseased person's stomach, and a dog's stomach, a cow's stomach. They are all of different proportions, different capacities. The wolf's capacity to digest can never be equalled by anybody in this world and that is why it just tears and swallows because of the terrible hunger. And it can digest even bones. Hyena can even digest the very bones very quickly. It's all because there is some acid there. I think it is called hydrochloric acid. It just dissolves everything. The moment the whole physical body becomes dissolved, and more of that acid, more hunger will be there. That is why some people can eat more and digest. Some people can hardly eat and digest. That is why when you see Bhima Sena, it is called Rukodaraha. That is the stomach of a wolf. How it gulps down and enjoys it, etc.
So, what is the point? So, for filling the stomach with food, there must be space. It must be empty space. And how much space each stomach can contain differs. An ant's stomach and an elephant's stomach is not exactly the same. What is the point? The point is the Akasha or the space within all, just like Ghatakasha and Mahakasha, small space, big space. That is foolishness on our part. Small stomach, big stomach. So small space, big space. There is no difference in the space. Difference is only in the container, not what is contained. This is a beautiful idea. Our body is a container. Mind is a container. Atman is the contained. There is no difference between the Atman within my container and within your container. That is why Kabir Das says, Ghata Ghata Rama Ramayya. Rama is sporting in every. Patu Kavachana Matha Bol. Do not utter and hurt Rama because within everybody that Rama alone is there. This is popularly known as Jeevatma. Every Jeevatma is none other than Paramatma. He is not Jeevatma because with reference to the body-mind, we call that pure consciousness as Jeevatma. But once you remove body-mind, then everything is Paramatma. This is the meaning. The descriptions by pairs, as that of the Akasha, which is in the earth, is also in the stomach, though referred to separately, applies equally to the Supreme Brahman described in the Madhu Brahmana as being both Adhyatma and Adhidaiva.
So, earlier also we have seen the microcosm and the macrocosm are one and the same. Swamiji had explained this Madhu Kanda in his Jnana Yoga lectures. Especially, I think, two or three lectures are there. The microcosm and the macrocosm are built on the same plan. There is absolutely no difference between the microcosm and the macrocosm. That perception of difference is because of this, what is called Maya or Avidya. So, in this twelfth verse, Gaudapada is taking a quotation. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, as I told, six chapters. Each chapter has several sections, and each section is called Brahmana. So, in the second chapter, the fifth section is called Madhu Brahmana. In this Madhu Brahmana, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad divides the whole world into several pairs belonging to individual planes as microcosm and their Adhishtatru Devata, ruling deity, is the corresponding microcosm.
So, this fifth section called Madhu Brahmanam has nineteen mantras and the purport of all these nineteen mantras is the whole creation is divided into two pairs. One cannot exist without the other. All of them ultimately is the manifestation of that Supreme Brahman. I'll give you just a small sample.
iyam pṛthivī sarveṣāṁ bhūtānām madhu, asyai pṛthivyai sarvāṇi bhūtāni madhu; yaś cāyam asyām pṛthivyāṁ tejomayo'mṛtamayaḥ puruṣaḥ, yas cāyam adhyātmaṁ śārīras tejomayo'mṛtamayaḥ puruṣaḥ, ayam eva sa yo'yam ātmā, idam amṛtam, idam brahma, idaṁ sarvam.
This earth is like honey to all beings. Why, honey comes from where? From flowers. Flowers come from where? From plants. Plants come from where? From the earth. So, everybody, honey means food. So, this earth is food and without food they cannot survive. So, earth is like mom for the baby. We are all babies. We are sustained by the milk of the mother and that is called Bhumata. And all beings are honey because like him. For a mother, mother is no mother. Mother wants to feed. If mother cannot feed, who will suffer more? The mother suffers more. So, for a mother her baby's life is even more precious than her own individual life. So, Bhumata, she loves every creature in this world. She provides for every creature in this world. Every creature loves mother. That means that which makes its existence, its knowledge, its ananda possible. That is called mother. That is called earth in this example. But there is one shining immortal being who is within this earth. He is shining. He is immortal. He is appearing as a corporeal being in the body. But all these are but this self. And when a person attains this self-knowledge, that is the only means of immortality. This underlying unit is Brahman. This knowledge of Brahman is the only means of becoming all. Ima, then Imaapaha. That is an example. So, Imaapaha is water. Sarveshvam Bhutan. Without water we cannot survive. I am Vayu. Without this Pranavayu nobody can survive. No jeeva can survive. Purushaha Ayam Eva. And that conscious being is only this Brahman in the form of Jeevatma. Ayam Aditya, the sun that we see. Sarveshvam Bhutan. Madhu is the most... You don't see the sun for 2-3 days your whole life will become bitter. So, if you don't have, create an artificial sun. Imaadishaha, if you don't have the space to run about, then the whole life becomes bitter poison. And if we don't see, if there is only sun whole 24 hours, you will be burnt to death. There must be Chandra who will cool the whole body and makes the mind spontaneously become cheerful. It is because the Chandra is the ruling deity of the mind. I am Chandraha. I am Vidyut. There must be lightening because lightening comes usually when it brings water. And I am Stanayatnohu. When you see, after summer season or within summer season, Stanayatnohu. Stana means breast. Stanayatnohu means one who gives what comes out of the breast for the baby. What is it? Here it is called the water-bearing clouds. Water is Jeeva. Without water we cannot survive. Stanayatnohu. And I am Akasha, space. All the Pancha Bhutas and their products are referred here. They are all Madhu for all of us. And when we talk of this, all the sun, the moon, the lightening, the fire, etc., it is called the macrocosm. When we are talking, I am this human being, you are that human being, that is called the individual. I depend upon all these and all these Devatas, all of us put together are all these Devatas. So, as I said, the individual expression of the sun is the eye, within each one of us. And collective eyes, everywhere, it is called the sun. So, we are dependent upon it, upon each other, but through both of us, who is that manifesting? Parabrahman only. And those who have got this knowledge that the Jeevatma and Paramatma are one and the same, he alone will become immortal.
And that is being expressed in the next Karika, 13th Karika.
jīvātmanorananyatvamabhedena praśasyate
nānātvaṃ nindyate yacca tadevaṃ hi samañjasam
Since the identity of the Jeevatma and the Paramatma has been praised and the multiplicity, that is Jivatma Paramatma are separate is severely condemned in the scriptures. Non-duality alone is the rational and that is the correct view. And that is our goal how to know that there is nobody else excepting Brahman, no second object, not even a single object that is called Brahman. And in this 13th, Jivatmanoho Ananyatvam Jiva means individual soul, Atma means Parabrahman, Ananyatvam, they are separate from each other. Abhedena Prashasyate The scriptures are praising again and again as how Abhedena, they are not separate. So that is why Hanuman says when we are in the lowest state of sadhana
Deha buddhyato tasoham Jiva buddhyato padam shakaha
Atma buddhyato tmevaham Iti me nishchitamatihe
So, but the ultimate truth is everything is Brahman. There is no Jeevatma, there is even not even Ishwara or Paramatma, everything is only that one
nandvayal ekam advaita akshara purusha shashvataha
ajo nitya shashvatoyam purano nahanyate hanyamane sharire
and nanatvam nindyate eccha and wherever opportunity comes these scriptures, they go on condemning. We will come to that example where a person sees difference between himself and others. That is to be condemned. That is called the effect of ignorance and so it leads only to dukkha not to sukhayata. That is what Gaudapada says Tadevam hi samanjasam That alone is the correct view. What is the correct view? There is no difference and wherever there is a difference, the scriptures are condemning it. This is the correct one. So here, Jeevatma Paramatma Bheda is not there. That is why in Kathopanishad this is there.
Yadeveha tad amutra Yad amutra tad an iha
Prutyoho samrutyoho apnoti Yaiha naneva pashyati
Yad eva iha, whatever is here, tad amutra, that alone is there. Yad amutra, whatever is there, tad anu iha, that alone is here. But if somebody sees differentiation, maniness, Naneva iha. Iha means through this body-mind because of ignorance, nana eva pashyati, everything is separate from everything else. What happens to him? Saha, that person Prutyoho smrutyoho apnoti, he will die, he will be reborn. Again, he will die until he gets the knowledge that everything is Brahman. I do not exist. You do not exist. Everything is nothing but Brahman. And in the Shanti Mantra of the Brihadaranyaka
Pournamadaha pournamidam Pournat pournamudachyate
Pournasya pournamadaya Pournameva vasishyate
I will take only the first two. Pournamadaha, whatever is there is infinite. Pournamadaha, whatever we see as this world as me and you, that is also infinite. So, what I see here as these different individuals is nothing but infinite. I am unable to see this infinity because of ignorance. But in infinity, that is 50% of the infinity. This is another 50%. But some people are there. That is 99% infinite. This is 1% infinite. And this is how they do it. Atyatishta Dasha Amulam is totally wrong. Infinite cannot be multiplied, divided, subtracted or added. So 0 plus 0, 0 minus 0, 0 into 0, 0 divided by 0 is only 1.
Everywhere these Mahavakyas are there.
Prajnanam Brahma, Ayamatma Brahma, Tattvamasi, Aham Brahmasmi, Sarvam Kalvitam Brahma.
Therefore, wherever you see a difference because of ignorance, the truth is everything is one and the same.
And in the Karika 14,
jīvātmanoḥ pṛthaktvaṃ yat prāgutpatteḥ prakīrtitam
bhaviṣyadvṛtyā gauṇaṃ tanmukhyatvaṃ hi na yujyate
So, what does it mean? The separateness of the Jeeva and the Atman which has been declared in the earlier ritualistic portions of the Vedas before the texts of the Upanishad dealing with the creation of the universe can only be figurative because this portion is a description anticipating what is to follow. When we take the example of mathematics, we can understand it better. So, there is a beautiful declaration by advanced or what is called abstract mathematicians. What do ordinary people say? Ordinary mathematics, whether it is B.Sc. mathematics, M.Sc. mathematics, two infinite lines can never meet. Two infinite lines can never meet. But the same mathematicians say that in infinity, two infinite lines definitely may come together. It is impossible for us to conceive two parallel lines can ever meet. Yes, they can meet in infinity. They do meet in infinity and their mathematical formulations have been derived from there.
What is the point? I will deal with it in my next class. What is important here is that in the scriptures, our Vedas have been divided into two portions. First is non-Upanishadic, called Karmakanda. Second is Jnanakanda, means Upanishadic portions. In the Karmakanda it is nothing, but everything is multiplication, everything is manyness, everything is different from everything else and that has been praised, that has been encouraged and then you do this, you go to Indra Loka, you enjoy that, you do this, you go to Brahma Loka and you enjoy that and you will come back after some time. The whole ritualistic portion is possible only because of what is called duality, division. How it is, I will talk in my next class. But why do the scriptures, do they teach contradictory things? First, they say everything is different. Later on they deny they reject the same thing what they taught and say that there is no difference. Everything is but Ekam Sat. The question comes, the objector raises that question, and the answer is for the children who are incapable of understanding. Yes, yes, yes, everything is different, your experience is right. But for those who understand, no, no, no, there is nothing called separate, everything is completely different. That is a wrong notion. Everything is one and that one is called Brahman. Excepting Brahman, nothing exists. That is why it is called Jnanakandam. But is there any reason? Yes, the reason is for the child to grow this separation is very necessary. The same child, when he grows up, capable of understanding abstract things. Upanishads are abstract things. Advaita is abstract. Then the same young person is taught now Advaita. That was only to make you properly fitted to understand this. Now you have become a Yogi Adhikari. I will teach you pure Advaitam. There is no contradiction. It is, as Ramakrishna says, same mother cooks same curry in different ways to suit the different digestive capacities of children. With this, I will stop now.