Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 11 on 29 June 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Chandogya Upanishad, which belongs to the Sama Veda. In our last class, we discussed what do the Upanishads teach. Upanishad means Vedas. Veda means scripture. Scripture means not only what we call Veda, the Bible, the Koran, the Tripitaka, the Guru Granth Sahib, everything that we know, every religious scripture is an Upanishad. So every Shastra or scripture must deal with six categories, six topics. What are those six topics? They must tell me who am I and they must tell me what is the nature of the world and whether God exists and what is the nature of this God and what is called bondage and also what is the nature of liberation and finally what is the pathway to get out of these limitations. And they are called Koham, that is my real nature. Jagat Swaroopam, Eshwara Swaroopam, Bandha Swaroopam, Moksha Swaroopam, Sadhana Swaroopam, Vedanta are the Upanishads. They discuss all these topics elaborately and Vyasa in his Brahma Sutras has arranged all these topics. Brahma Sutras, which I am not going to go into details, is divided into four chapters. First of all, what is the real essence of the Upanishads? Every Upanishad, however seemingly contradictory, they might appear at a superficial glance. They all teach only Brahman. This is called Samanvaya Adhyaya, the chapter dealing on Samanvaya. Then the second chapter, if there are any objections, doubts, oscillations, it must deal. This is the second chapter. The third chapter deals with how to attain it, Sadhana Swaroopam. And the fourth chapter, what do we gain, Phala Adhyaya. So more or less, every scripture must deal with these six topics. And all these six topics are relevant, so long as we are under the sway of Ajnana or Mahamaya. And we also discussed that there are so many Upanishads, but ten Upanishads are called Principal Upanishads. Why are they called Principal? In Sanskrit, it is called Mukhya Upanishad. Why? Because for two reasons, Vyasacharya, in his Brahmasutras, he had quoted mostly from these and mostly from two Upanishads, Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka. And the greatest number of quotations are from the Chandogya Upanishad. And so Shankaracharya also decided to comment upon them. Even though Mandukya Upanishad is one of the smallest Upanishads having only 12 mantras, Andesavasya Upanishad next is only having 18 mantras. But this Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka are huge in number. That is why the Brihadaranyaka, Brihat means very, very, very, very, very, very big. So Shankaracharya also has written beautiful commentaries, extraordinarily great commentaries. And as I mentioned many times, there are three parts in that commentary. Elucidating the meanings of the words of the Upanishads, which being archaic language, is not very easily understandable. So making the words, which are not, most of them are not currently in usage. So he makes it clear what is their meaning. And then he comments it most cogently in every way. That is the second part. But the third part is attacking the opposite views. Pratipaksha Khandana. That is not important for us because the Pratipaksha, excepting Dvaita and Visishta Dvaita, which are available now, all the other schools like Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Yoga, Sankhya and Purva Mimamsa are all irrelevant to us. They are not there. So that is the importance of these 10 Upanishads. And this Chandogya Upanishad, as I said, belongs to the Sama Veda. What is Sama Veda? It is not a separate Veda. Sama Veda consists of so many mantras, only a very limited number of mantras. But they are all bodily taken from the Rig Veda. But they have made it singable. They have made it so that they can sing very nicely. Whereas all the other Upanishads are chantable, not singable. But the Sama, that is why the Gregorian music, even the call of the prayer by the Muslims, it also has some resemblance to this Gregorian music. So our Sama Veda is something like that Gregorian music, but long before. Why? Because Christianity came only when Jesus was born. That is around a little bit more than 2000, what is called 300 years. And Islam had come only about 800 years later. But these Vedas are one of the earliest, even though many people accept only about 1000 to 1500 years before the Christian era. But according to Hindus, they are more than 10,000 years. In fact, they are eternal according to Hindu Mata, Hindu opinion. So Chandogya Upanishad is one of the major Upanishads. And there are eight chapters in it. And what is the first to fifth chapter? That is the first five chapters are full of what is called Upasana, about which I have elaborated. But I am going to deal with it again just to remind. So only sixth, seventh and eighth chapters deal with the highest reality called Brahman or called Brahma Gnana or Brahma Vidya. In these first five chapters, Saguna, Ishwara, Upasana. But Chandogya Upanishad gives equal importance to both of them because it is just like unless a person reaches the doorway to any house, he cannot enter into the house. So like that without Upasana, one cannot come. I will come to that very brief remarks a little later on. So Vyasacharya, as I mentioned earlier, has taken, somebody had counted it and it is nearly 813 or something like that, more or less maximum number of quotations from the Chandogya. And this Chandogya contains one of the most important Mahavakyas called Tattvamasi. And Chandogya Upanishad, the sixth chapter called Sadhvidya, that is where we have talked about Shuddlingas. How do we know what is the real purport of this new Upanishad? And for that, six characteristics or measurements by which we know. So in the beginning, it is mentioned, this is what I am going to teach and this is what I have taught. And again and again, the teaching is repeated called Abhyasa. Again and again, it is praised. Again and again, this knowledge can never be got from any other source, only from Upanishads, not from earlier part of the Vedas. So this is how slowly we decide. And the sixth chapter is the greatest example, having these nine times it is repeated, Tattvamasi, Shweta Keto, nine times Tattvamasi, the what that, the what that. And this Chandogya Upanishad is a very big Upanishad consisting of, somebody counted 627 mantras, whereas Brihadaranyika has only 434 mantras. Even though both Chandogya and Brihadaranyika are quite big, but Shankaracharya's commentary is much larger and very very deeper in the Brihadaranyika rather than the Chandogya Upanishad. So quantitatively, qualitatively, the commentary of Shankaracharya on Brihadaranyika is better than this Chandogya Upanishad. Now coming back, why is the Upanishad devoting five important chapters with Upasana? First of all, what is Upasana? That which cleanses, purifies us, makes us fit persons, Yogyata, so that only we can pursue the true spiritual sadhana or practice of the spiritual qualities is possible. Like if anybody wants to participate in any big game, then he has to go to the gym, he has to qualify and there also take note. If he is a runner, mostly general health should be okay, but the legs are specially trained. If it is like tennis, etc., then he has to train the coordination of the hands automatically so that you all understand. Still I am reminding you that the ball is coming and what am I supposed to do? You should not think like that. Boxing also like that. This fellow's lightning speed is giving me a blow and you should anticipate it and you should see it in a flash and react to it in a flash. Otherwise, instead of flash, you will be flat. So, Yogyata or qualification. Only after one gets it. This is called Adhikaritva. This is also called Sadhana Chatursthaya Sampatti. The fourfold treasury of becoming fit in the Vivekachudamani is called Adhikari, a fit person. Only in this Chandogya Upanishad, the last three chapters deal with different aspects of the highest reality through our day-to-day experience. So, the first five chapters are for acquiring qualification. The last three chapters are for the practice of Guru Upadesha, the teaching of what is called Shravana, Manana and finally Nidhidhyasana. And why is this Upanishad called Chandogya? Because Chandas means meter and Vedas consists of meters only. So, as I said, the Chandogya Upanishad belongs to Sama Veda. What is Sama Veda? So, a number of Rig Mantras are taken bodily and somehow they are found out because the very nature of the mantras allow them to be put rhythmatically so that they can be sung in a particular way and they have developed a peculiar way of singing. And that is why it is called Sama. Sama means singable. Sama means equal. That is rhythmic, singable. So, this entire Sama Veda is a part of any Vedic ritual and there are some specially trained singers in this Sama Veda. And while the ritual is going on, usually a Yagna, a Yaga etc., these specialists sit there and sing just like in our normal day-to-day puja or special puja. Some people will be doing puja but some others are trying to sing and keep the audience very entertaining and make it enjoyable etc. All other Vedas are only for chanting, not for singing. So, a Sama Vedi is a Vedic singer. So, Sama Veda mantras are very singable mantras and therefore this Chandogya belongs to the Sama Veda. So, it is a singable Upanishad. That is how we have to understand. Now, as just now we discussed earlier also, the first one to five chapters are devoted to marvellous Upasanas. So, what is the purpose of a Upasana? Earlier I told you, it is to make the person fit. How is this fitness acquired? And for that, this fitness is divided into four categories. First, I will give you the Sanskrit terminology, then we will have a brief explanation. Chitta Shuddhi is the first one. Chitta Ekagrata is the second one. Buddhi Vyapti is the third one. Chitta Vaishalyata is the fourth one. So, what are these four things? Chitta Shuddhi means the mind must be purified. What is the purification of the mind? What does it mean? It means, first of all, the mind acquires a tremendous faith in the scriptures. Even if I want to enjoy this world, I must obey what is called the commandments of the Vedas or any scripture, like ten commandments, five commandments for do's, five commandments do not do's. Here also, Vidhi and Nishedha, two types. Do this and never even think of doing the other one. And the second one, never think of doing anything. It requires a tremendous amount of effort. It's a very funny thing actually, not to do something, that means you are not doing any action. It should be the easiest thing in this world. But not to do something which we feel like doing and to control it and not allow it to take place is even more effort than doing something that is required to do. That is why that is Nishedha. That is a very important part of everyday activity. So as we go on doing this one, then slowly detachment from undesirable things, attachment to desirable things take place. And as I said at the beginning, we are like children. We want enjoyment and we want higher and higher enjoyment. There are certain laws of the happiness. L-A-W-S, not L-O-W-S. What are they? First one, that at any given time, we are at a particular state of spiritual evolution or mental state and our happiness that we derive is totally dependent upon our state of consciousness. A pig's consciousness is always to eat as much as possible. That's why a gratin is always compared to a pig or even a wolf also. So what is the first law? That the type of or the quantum quantity, quality of happiness that we derive is dependent upon our state of consciousness. Second, that everybody has an insatiable desire to experience higher and higher states. So long as we don't get higher happiness, the lower happiness is not satisfactory, we strive. But as soon as we attain to that so-called higher happiness, it becomes lower happiness and then we see another peak behind it. Just as you climb, you are standing at the bottom of a mountain and you are not able to see excepting that particular mountain in front of which you are standing. As soon as you climb, you see a bigger mountain. Oh, I thought I have reached the peak of the mountain but there is another which is higher. So natural desire will come that I want higher and higher and still higher until we get to infinite happiness. This is beautifully described in the here also in the seventh chapter that is called Bhumayeva Sukham. Infinite alone is happiness. In what is called smaller happiness is no happiness at all. So what is the second law of happiness? Within everybody, like each soul is potentially divine, in each soul there is a teleological urge to attain higher and higher states of happiness until we don't get happiness but we become happiness. This is the second law. And the third law, if we want to attain higher and higher happiness in any realm that we can think of and every realm, even every scientist, there is what is called a beginner scientist, an advanced scientist and a highly developed scientist and nobody should think that is the end of it because as Swami Vivekananda used to say so beautifully, physics must enter into metaphysics. So every science pursued to the very end must end only in infinity, otherwise called Brahma. So what is the third law of happiness? If we want to attain higher state of happiness then we must attain to a higher state of consciousness. That is to say we must evolve both the body and mind and that is where Upasanas come into this one. And the fourth law of happiness is that this quest for happiness stops only with the acquisition of or becoming one with Brahman or Bhoma. Bhoma means infinite and it will not stop even if we pause on the way. And the last law of happiness tells us that it is an inborn desire. It is not an acquired desire. It is an inborn desire. So as we go on obeying the injunctions of the scriptures, do this and do not do this, slowly certain things happen. First of all, when we go on obeying the Vedic commandments, we get what we are hoping to get by performing what the Vedas prescribe to us. Do this and do not do this. There is no other way. Secondly, this is what we call Dharma. And this word Dharma in this particular context is the following of any particular scripture without the least bit of doubt or hesitation. That is called Dharma. And as we progress in this Dharma, then our faith in the scripture increases. How? Because doing scriptural prescribed activities only produces Punyam. Dharma means Punyam. But Swami Vivekananda defined a better definition. Dharma means that which takes us, any activity which is Dharmic takes us nearer and nearer to God. And any activity which takes us further away from God is its opposite called Dharma. So as we go on performing, first of all, our tendency to do only what is right increases. Secondly, that produces a particular state of the mind called Punyam. Remember, Punyam is a state of the mind. And what is the result of Punyam? That is Sukham. So Paapam, sinfulness, Adharma or Paapa is also a state of the mind. What is Adharma? That even the best of things produce only suffering. What is Punyam? Even the worst of things produce only much greater happiness. That is the transformation that happens because of the Punyam. So Punyam is equated to Sukham. Paapam is equated to suffering. So what is the second result? What is the first result? The tendency to repeat good actions and not to repeat or not to think of prohibited activities grows. That is the first result. Second result, this Samskara we call it, that as we go on doing it, it almost becomes automated. That's what Sri Ramakrishna used to say, an expert dancer even by mistake cannot take a wrong step. Second, every action must yield its result. What is the result of these good actions? That is called higher happiness, greater happiness. Both quantity and quality. Qualitatively and quantitatively the happiness will increase because of this. This is the second result. What is the third result? That we develop tremendous amount of faith. Our faith also grows. Always we have to remember, faith means here I am talking about Shraddha, but here we have not received that grace of Shraddha, but faith, our deep belief that if I follow this scripture, I will get this result. Why does it increase? Because I am getting the result. I did this experiment, I got the result. I got the other, I experimented the other one, I got the result. Whatever I experimented with, I am getting the result. Therefore, that faith, even if I have not done something, but whatever is written in the Vedas is absolutely true. And what does the Vedas say? God exists, other world exists and life on other worlds continues and Karmaphala is inevitable. All these things become taken for granted facts of life. Just as if I see a tree in front of me, I will have no doubt this is a tree. That kind of convection comes, that is called Shraddha. What is the fourth thing that happens? Chitra Shuddhi. These are, remember, part of the first result called Chitra Shuddhi as a result of Upasana. So this, what happens at that time? That the same scripture which tells us, if you do this, you will go to higher lokas, Indra Loka or Chandra Loka, Prajapati Loka or Brihaspati Loka or Gandharva Loka or ultimately Brahma Loka. They are all okay, but these are all only temporary. You do this action, equivalent result will come. If you don't repeat that action, you will not get. So the result will not continue. But if you want unbroken happiness, you must exist without any break. That means no birth, no death. And that is possible only when we become one with Brahman or popularly called God. So the same scripture at first encourages a person to obtain higher and higher worlds and during that process, these are the three aspects of Chitra Shuddhi. Higher enjoyment, strong samskaras and crystal clear faith. These are all increments will be there. But finally, these are all temporary. There is something permanent and once that conviction becomes firm, then the discrimination steps in. And I don't want temporary. I want only permanent. This corresponds to the third law. That is every man wants higher and higher type of happiness only. So these are the four results of Chitra Shuddhi while doing Upasana. What is Upasana? I will come to the quotation which Shankaracharya has given. That's complete concentration. Any success in any endeavour, in any field is proportionate to the amount of concentration. Why? Please. Satchitta Ekagrata. What is Upasana? The mind must become absolutely one-pointed to the exclusion of any other thought. There is a beautiful definition given by Shankaracharya. I will come to that. And Swami Vivekananda's teaching, let us not forget, said the essence of education is the art of concentration. Not exact words. I am only paraphrasing. So once a child learns to concentrate his mind, then wherever he focuses, whenever he focuses, the knowledge will flow in automatically because the magical key to the opening of any knowledge is this complete concentration. And when it ripens, it will be called Dhyana. That way first is withdrawing the mind from undesirable things. So this is called taking Pratyahara. Then focus it. See that it doesn't move here and there. That is called Dharana. And finally when it ripens or becomes mature or becomes automatic, it is called Dhyana. So Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana. According to Patanjali Rishi, these three are the inner parts of Samadhi. So this is the second stage, Chitta Ekagrata. And then a third one, Buddhi Vyapti. What is it? The ability to think deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper. So as long as we are doing Upasana, the third result that comes is our capacity to penetrate, to understand things deeper and deeper. Like Swami Vivekananda who only heard about the Vaishnava. And from the mouth of Ramakrishna, he only understood better than other people. This is called Buddhi Vyapti. And this is for this purpose the Vedas, Rig Veda, prescribes the repetition of Gayatri Mantra. That Dhi is what I am talking here. That is the third result of this Upasana. As we go on praying and acquiring identity with our chosen deity, whatever he may be, and don't identify Bhakta's chosen deity with this Upasana. Upasana is only a progress on the way. That is not the final thing. And as Upasana progresses, a person's capacity to understand the same teachings of the scriptures becomes deeper and deeper. That is the third result. What is the fourth result? Chitta Vaishalita. That is, as a person goes on contemplating a particular deity. And what is a particular deity? He is a universal aspect of each one of us. I'll give you a small example. Here is a scientist. Here is a great cook. Here is a great poet. Here is a great musician. They're all great in their own particular departments. But the universal source of knowledge from where these four examples derive their knowledge is called universal aspect. Knowledge is universal and particularly called a particular deity. Aspect of Brahman. Here in this case, it is called Saraswati. So all the prosperity a person is having a talent for some particular thing. One person can do this. Another person can do that better, etc. And as a result, that person will be able to enjoy things better. But the universal aspect of enjoying everything together, that is called Lakshmi. So on, so forth. Every Vedic deity is none other than Bhagawan Himself, God Himself. But because of our needs, our efforts, our varying individualities, we give them different names. So as this person goes on doing this contemplation, what happens? He also becomes universal and the particularities, they slowly lose their borderline and he becomes identified more and more and more with larger and larger holes. That is called the expansion of one's personality. So these are the four results. Chitta Shuddhi, again it has its parts. I have told you just now four parts. That is, this is called purity of the mind. Second is called concentration of the mind. Third, the ability to understand things much, much deeper. And fourth, our narrow personality from which we start or starting point, we go on losing our borderlines. Limitations become more and more universal. These are the four what is called results of Upasana. Naturally, nobody can enter into the welling of Brahman excepting through the doorway of the Upasana. And all these four, all the results of this Upasana, four results of Upasana, this is called Adhikaritvam. That is a fitness for the acquisition of the knowledge of Brahman or identity with Brahman. And then such a person, he should approach a guru and the guru knows the individual tendencies. So he accepts many disciples, but he will train each one of them completely separately, each individually. His relationship with each of them becomes completely different. Simple example I am giving from the life of Sri Ramakrishna. So the relationship between Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Advaitananda is that Dasya Bhava, servant-master relationship. The relationship between Sri Ramakrishna and Narendranatha is called Sakya Bhava, you are my friend, Sri Ramakrishna expresses. And Swamiji used to address Sri Ramakrishna as Sakha, my friend. And Sri Ramakrishna's relationship with Swami Brahmananda was Vatsalya Bhava. And his own relationship with mother Kali is I am your child and my child is Swami Brahmananda, Prakarmara. Even though these are different individuals with different tendencies, so this relationship doesn't depend upon Sri Ramakrishna. It depends upon the particular attitude of that particular person. So there was an interesting incident. I go on quoting these things. You should be able to remember them. But I know unfortunately you don't remember. So I will be reminding you. Once Sri Ramakrishna wanted to chew his betel nut preparation. So he told Swami Brahmananda, who was lying at that time on the bed of Sri Ramakrishna, like the camel which pushes out the Arab, occupies the tent. He pushed out Sri Ramakrishna and he was lying. He was a big man, you should understand. And then Sri Ramakrishna sitting, he said, Rakhal, go and prepare this. He simply turned to the other side and said, I don't know how to prepare. Sri Ramakrishna said, we need to go to university to learn how to prepare betel nut preparation. This topic was, conversation was going on. And his beloved sevaka, Swami Adbutananda was there by the side. And by the minute, he was getting angrier and angrier. He cannot imagine how anybody can reject Sri Ramakrishna's even simple request. So he addressed, said, he is telling you, go and get prepared. So Rakhal Maharaj turned his face and said, if your head is having headache, why don't you go and prepare yourself? And turned his face to the other side. And Rakhal Maharaj became very, very angry at that. And then Sri Ramakrishna was enjoying the fun. And he called his nephew Ramlal. And he told him, Ramlal, this is what had happened. Now tell me, who is my greater devotee? And Ramlal Dada understood the whole thing. And he said, of course, Rakhal is your greater devotee. And that made Swami Adbutananda even more angry. I am ready to obey. And this man is refusing. How can this man be greater devotee than me? Sri Ramakrishna chided Swami Adbutananda to Maharaj and said, you are showing anger in front of your guru. Is that good? And then he never said, I will never again show my anger. Whether he wants to show his anger in front of me and you, that's a different issue altogether. So these are all these attitudes. As Upasana also has got various relationships are there. But slowly, our identity with the chosen deity, that is the goal of every Upasana, there should not be the slightest differentiation between me and the object or maheshta devata upon whom I am doing it. Now I also mentioned these were all Vedic Upasanas. But nowadays, those Vedic Upasanas, people are not familiar with for certain reasons. One reason was, in those days, people used to study the Vedas, be in the Gurukulams and etc. That system is completely gone. And most of the, what is called Upasanas are natural symbols, like the sky, like the fire, like the sun, like the moon, like the earth, etc. And that is not very easily understandable for people nowadays. And we are all very heavily influenced by the mythology or Tantras. So Tantric and Pauranic Upasanas, Tantra is full of these Upasanas, Mantra, Yantra, Tantra. These are the three important ones. So, for example, Sri Vidya Upasana, that is the chosen deity, there is a particular Yantra itself, that is Sri Chakra, that is called. So Tantra, there is a particular Yantra, then a particular methodology, particular Mantra, particular process, and only a person who is initiated, he can understand it. But they all fall under non-Vedic Upasanas. And for ordinary people, whether he learned it or not, initiated or not. For example, Sri Rama became Avatar, Krishna became Avatar, Jesus became Avatar. So people started meditating on these Avatars. So some people became, Hanuman, for example, became one with Rama. Sri Ramakrishna meditated on Hanuman, became Hanuman. Hanuman became Rama, so Sri Ramakrishna became Sri Rama, etc. So Devi Upasana, Shiva Upasana, etc. Now, what is this particular thing? These Upasanas are what is called Anthropomorphic Upasana. That is, we have lost the capacity to concentrate on the abstract ideas. We are totally dependent upon the concrete object. And that is, our minds are not that capable. Sri Ramakrishna used to say, if anybody meditates like the Vedic type of Rishi, within a few minutes, he will be burnt because they cannot do it. But for us, this is suitable. But it makes no difference because the purpose of Vedic Upasanas is to become Brahman. The purpose of Auranic or Tantric Upasanas is also to become Brahman only. But the Avatars or the deities like Shiva, Kali, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, they become doorways. That's why Sri Ramakrishna used to say that there are infinite ways to reach the infinity. So these Upasanas called Auranic or Tantric Upasanas are more appealing. Why? Because Sri Ramakrishna had given an important, very important hint. He said, in this age, man is Manushya. Annagatha Prana, that is, body identifier. Extremely difficult to say, I am not the body, much less to say, I am not the mind. So when we are so totally identified with the mind, we must also necessarily think of God as endowed with a body. And since we are growing up in a particular cultural and religious environment, our concept of God, for example, the person who is born in a community of worshippers of Jesus will be worshipping only Jesus. The community of Rama as Rama, community of Kali as Kali, like Ram Prasad, community of Shiva, two Shiva Bhaktas, community of Krishna called, both Rama and Krishna Bhaktas, they are all called the generic name of Vaishnavas. So, and we who follow Sri Ramakrishna, actually we are following Sri Ramakrishna and peculiar, there is a peculiarity, we must be aware, here Sri Ramakrishna is not only the chosen deity, but he is also our Guru. That's why the Jai that we give in most places, especially South India, Jai Sri Guru Maharaj Ji ki Jai. So for us, Ramakrishna is both the Guru and as well as... So, this is what has happens. We have the freedom to choose our own chosen deities and this is suitable for most of the people. That's why they are more appealing. Since we are body-minded, our Ishta Devatas are also considered as endowed with a human body and human qualities, but good human qualities, etc. This is called Saguna Ishwara Upasana. So, a personal God is always more appealing to us because we feel he is also like us, he understands us and then we can talk, we can weep, we can look upon God as our child or as our father, we can jump into his lap or her lap, we can feed especially those items that we love to eat and if we eat without offering, we feel very guilty, though we feel like doing that, but same thing we place in front of God and afterwards without the least bit of conscience, guilty conscience, and we can enjoy things very much. So, we can feed especially those items we like. So, we offer as Prasadam and eat it for ourselves, that is not a problem, but in this Saguna Ishwara Upasana, we have to be aware there is a big problem. What is that problem? Fanaticism, sectarianism, hatred, war mongering, all these are the results of what we call, we become very fanatical and that's why so much of war is going on. More in the name of God, in the name of religion, than because of some other important reason. So, as contrasted in Vedic Upasanas, they are all abstract Upasanas. They are all nature-centered Upasanas. Therefore, there is much less chance of all those things. As mentioned earlier, the first five chapters of the Chandogya Upanishad, there are marvelous Upasanas. We have to admire these great Rishis who have discovered these. For example, Upasana means contemplation. There is a contemplation on rain, which is a very natural phenomenon. There is a contemplation on clouds, on thunder, on lightning and there is also different rivers, that is bodies of water. Then there is Akasha, space Upasana and there is a contemplation on the mind. So, various aspects of nature are taken for Upasana. And of course, we have the Vishwaroopa Upasana. It is also called Vaishvanara Vidya. When occasion comes, I will refer to it. But not only deity, but even our Vedic Rishis have taken the very mantras also. For example, first comes Gayathri Mantra and then the Upasana. That Gayathri Mantra is imagined as a deity and then Gayathri Upasana is given later. So, there are so many mantras taken themselves. Another example would be Omkara is the best example. Omkara Upasana. The very first mantra in the very first chapter of this Chandogya Upanishad is called Udgeetha Omkara Upasana. So, not only entire mantras, because part of the mantras are also taken for Upasana. Simple example is, there is something called Vyahruti. And whenever any Hindu is repeating Gayathri Mantra, he repeats this Vyahruti Mantra, which are not part of the Gayathri Mantra. Om, Bho, Bhuvah, Svaha. These are not part of the Gayathri Mantra. These are extraneous mantras. So, these are called Vyahrutis. What are they? Bho, Bhuvah, Svaha. That is to say, our Thola Sharira, Sokshma Sharira, Karana Sharira. Cross body, Subtle body, Causal body. And symbolically represented as Earth and then Heaven and in between these two, whatever is there. So, there are Upasanas exclusively. Bho Upasana, Bhuvah Upasana, Svaha Upasana, etc. Such is the great extent to which these Rishis have facilitated our progress in spiritual life. So, in the Chandogya Upanishad, Gayathri Upasana is given very great importance. And as I mentioned Omkar Upasana is also there. And after all the five chapters, not only they have elaborated various Upasanas, but there are beautiful stories also. I will take up those stories also as the occasion demands to teachers. Why is a story introduced? To facilitate the teaching in a much better way. Of course, these same stories continue in the sixth, seventh and eighth chapters, which are dealing with what is called the highest reality, supreme reality called Brahman. So, this sixth chapter reveals what is called Brahman in the form of Sat. Sat means pure existence. Therefore, the sixth chapter is also called Sat Vidya Prakarna. The chapter dealing with Sat Vidya, knowledge of the Sat, knowledge of pure existence. The seventh chapter reveals what is called the bliss aspect of Brahman known as Bhuma. Bhuma means Purna, perfect, infinite. So, the seventh chapter reveals that nothing satisfies a human being excepting infinite happiness. Why? Because he is infinite. The eighth chapter reveals Brahman as the supreme reality, Turiyam Chaitanyam. And there the Chit nature of Brahman is revealed. Sixth is about Sat, eighth is about Chit and seventh is about Ananda. Sat, Chit, Ananda or Satyam, Manam, Anantam, Brahma. So, the eighth chapter is called Prajapati Vidya Prakarnam because Prajapati teaches to Indra. That is a beautiful story again. Now the question, can we do away with Upasanas? So, can we do away? Absolutely not. Just as a child cannot do away with its childhood, adolescence, youth, etc. They are all part of the process of growth. So, what does Upasana do? Upasana is meditation or meditative worship, a ritual associated with meditation. What does it do? It is the only gateway to Brahman. And just as if there is no door, as we cannot enter into a house, so it is impossible for us to enter into Brahman, become one with Brahman, accepting through Upasana. But I would go so far as to say, what is Upasana? Upasana is gradually identifying ourselves by degrees with Brahman. And for that, first we use imagination as an aid, like a staircase. And ultimately, of course, we become one with Brahman. Until we become, we cannot really dispense with Brahman. So, a little bit description about what is Upasana, which I will deal in my next class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Ramakrishna.