Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 08 on 10 July 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Taittiriya Upanishad. In our last class, we started the meaning of the Shanti Patha, also called Peace Chant. This Taittiriya Upanishad belongs to the Krishna Yajur Veda. So, the Peace Chant for this is "Shanno Mitraha," which I have just now chanted. However, this particular Upanishad has two Shanti Mantras. The first Shanti Mantra, "Shanno Mitraha," is called Purva Shanti Patha. That which comes in the last section of this first chapter, called Sikshavalli, is called Uttara Shanti Patha.

Why two Peace Chants? The first Peace Chant is a prayer for the grace of God, only for the grace of God. The second, we have successfully completed this first chapter of this. Therefore, our thanksgiving. This is a beautiful prayer. So, twice it is sung. There is a very slight variation. I speak you as direct Brahman, but I have spoken you as direct Brahman. That is how the slight variation is there.

From the second and third chapters, we have got, Sahana Vavatu, Sahanao Bhunaktu, "May the Lord protect us together. Make us intelligent and capable of both. The power of teaching on behalf of the teacher. And the power of receiving, understanding, retaining, remembering and using it for the right purpose on behalf of the disciple." So we started the Purva Shanti Patha. The first one that comes, "Shanno Mitraha," just now.

What is the purpose of any Shanti Patha, Peace Chant? So just to remind us, four ends are served through the chanting of the Shanti Patha. But only through one instrument, that is the grace of Ishwara. Let there be the grace of God. Without the grace of God, everything is impossible: life in this world, life in the other world, life beyond the world. All are impossible.

So what are the four ends? First of all, removal or destruction of all the obstacles. Secondly, even if there is no obstacle and many people have no obstacles, but at the same time, the instruments are not fit. So the body is not fit, mind is not fit. So these are the instruments, what we call 11 instruments. 10 of the body, 11th is the mind. So let all these 11 sense organs be completely fit. And so that is also possible. Of course, we do our part, but the grace of God is most important.

Why is this grace of God important? If I do exercise or whatever is necessary to keep the instruments fine, is it not possible? No, because we do not know our present unconscious. We also do not know what are all the things that we have done in the past. So they may come as suddenly unexpected guests. And when such things come, because we are not expecting them, and because we are not prepared, and we are unable to cope with them, the only way out is the grace of God.

So removal of obstacles, fitness of the instruments, these are the two purposes. Then that will not do. Third, for everything there is a right condition. The society must be alright. The climate must be alright. If it is full of mosquitoes, for example, and the teacher wants to teach, and the student is also ready and eager, but these external conditions are just now. Half an hour before, in Varanasi, such a terrible thundering and flash, lightning flash. If it continued, it would have created some problem for our class. But so far, now they have subsided. We do not know whether they will come. At any time, we can expect.

So right conditions for the transmission of knowledge, for the reception of knowledge. That is the third end. Nobody can realize God excepting by His grace. Even the Upanishads, even Katha Upanishad, crystal clearly tells us that he whom the Atman chooses, that person alone becomes capable of realizing. Sri Ramakrishna puts it very simply, "O police sergeant, please turn the light on your own face because he can see everybody, but nobody can see unless he himself deliberately turns.

So, Brahma Gnanam. Why? Rationally also, any amount of limited instruments can give us unlimited results. Only if the infinite, by its grace, swallows and removes all three limitations of time, space, and object, is it possible to realize. These are the four: removal of all obstacles, making the instruments (in this case, body and mind) completely fit, creating just the right conditions not only for me, but also for my teacher and for me. And of course, the very purpose of all this study of the Upanishads, etc. Not only Upanishads, even in what is called secular science. You must have heard about Stephen Hawking. Oh, he was such a brilliant brain, but he was overcome with a neuromotor disease, and it was very difficult for people to understand what he was speaking. Because of computer-generated speech, understanding what he wanted to express, only those who lived with him for a long time and understand what it means, they are able to converse with him and convey it to others. If that is the condition of a teacher, then it is very difficult. If it is the condition of the student, it is almost impossible. So, grace of God from the beginning, in the middle, in the end, Poornaha. There is no other way. Sri Ramakrishna used to emphasize nobody can realize God without God's grace. And so, the prayer is very important, not only for spiritual ends, but for all secular ends also.

So, Shanti means peace. Peace means the grace of God alone brings that condition which fulfills these four things. Now, we will just go. We have got that Hinduism has a very beautiful concept that this world is created by God. So, this creation is of three types. First of all, each one of us, individuals called Adhyatmika endowed with body and mind. Secondly, this body-mind must interact with the entire world. So, the external world consisting of billions and billions, almost an unlimited amount of knowledge. So, to experience the world, God only is manifesting. And then, He is the presiding deity. But God or Ishwara, Ishwara is what is called the English equivalent of God, which means He is the creator, sustainer, and destroyer. So, He manifests in this world in the form of what we call the presiding deities. And of all these presiding deities, the most important is called Panchadevata. So, Adhishtana Devata, Panchadevata. We hear of so many: Lakshmi, Saraswati, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara, etc. They are nothing but other names for this Panchadevata. Why? Very simple logic. If an ornament is made out of gold, it is the gold alone that sustains the ornament. It was unmanifested gold. Then, it becomes manifested gold in the form of an ornament with a particular name, with a particular purpose. For example, you can't put a ring around your neck. Neither can you put a necklace around your finger. You can put, but it doesn't serve the purpose. So, every manifestation has a particular purpose. So, there may be limitless, any numberless amount of manifestations, but they are all sustained only by the cause, the original cause. It may be clay, it may be wood, it may be gold, it may be iron, whatever it is. So, there is nothing else that exists. So, Panchadevatas, that is what I wanted to convey.

So, Hinduism has developed this marvellous theory. This Atman manifests in the form of Akasha, space. Then, Akasha manifests in the form of Vayu, or air. Air manifests again and becomes fire. Manifestation means the unmanifest becomes manifest. That which is invisible slowly becomes experienceable. So, Vayu manifests as Agni, or fire. Fire then manifests as water. Fire, also known as Tejaha, transforms into water. Water emerges from fire, which is why water is the remedy for fire. Further grossified, water becomes Prithvi, or earth.

Thus, this is a prayer. The Shantipata is a prayer. Hinduism teaches that for every organ we have, there is a presiding deity. This means all sense organs combined universally are called the presiding deity. For instance, the sun is the presiding deity of the power of sight. The act of seeing is done through the eyes. So, everyone's eyes, whether it is the eye of an Amoeba or even Brahma's eye, are manifestations of Surya Devata. Similarly, the power of touch, whether sensing cold, heat, softness, or hardness, resides in our skin individually. Universally, this power of experiencing through the skin is called touch, twak.

Agni refers to form. Fire, water, and earth are visible to us. We can feel air but cannot see it. As for space, no sense organ can fully comprehend it—not through sight, nor hearing. However, we understand space through our actions, through movement. Anything that moves does so because of space. Without space, movement is impossible. That is the concept.

These are the Panchadevatas, the five deities. The entire universe, whether the external world or our individual bodies and minds, arises from these five elements. Chemistry acknowledges important elements, about 103 or so, some newly discovered. Hinduism categorizes these into five elements, which are the manifestation of Ishwara's powers.

When these elements settle, they form the mind, including ego and intellect. When external, they manifest as gross matter. Panchikarna, though a technical term, signifies dividing into five parts corresponding to these five elements—the power of hearing, feeling, tasting, smelling, and touching.

During Aratrikam in temples, five items are offered to God, symbolizing, "O Lord, this 'I' does not exist, nor does 'anyone' exist, except You. You manifest in the form of these five elements. The entire universe—be it earthly, heavenly, or hellish—falls under the creation of these three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas."

These Panchadevatas, the five deities, are represented by the Sun, Moon, Fire, Varuna, Indra, Vishnu, and others. In essence, "O Lord, You manifest as every presiding deity. Without You, we do not exist. Your existence is our existence. Our consciousness is Your consciousness. Our joy is Your joy. There is nothing separate that we can claim as 'mine.

So, if we understand this philosophy and this triangle—the individual, the external world, and He who presides and directs—harmonizing or making it possible to experience, for example, sunlight. Sunlight manifests in two forms: it manifests as the external world and also in a particular form that enables my eye, for instance, to experience it as the same deity manifesting in the form of a tree.

What is an animal? It is also nothing but the Sun God. How? Because without the Sun, there is no life. The Sun is the cause of creation, and creation is facilitated through activity. Activity requires energy, which comes from the Sun in the form of light. As discussed earlier, the plant kingdom possesses a special capacity given by God—photosynthesis. We, and many animals, do not have this capability. We are like children receiving pre-digested food from our mother, which is a significant concept we will delve into later.

How did the Upanishad itself get its name? When we consume a plant, it is essentially the product of the plant kingdom's energy absorption from sunlight. Sunlight equals energy, where light and heat are inseparable at a higher level. Plants gather this energy and store it in everything—from roots, bark, leaves, blossoms, flowers, fruits, to what we call nectar, later known as honey. Everything is essentially energy. Honey serves as an energy source because it is pure sugar.

This exemplifies the role of Surya, the Sun God, who is also known as Agni Devata. Agni, in turn, originates from Vayu Devata (the deity of air). Air requires space to move—it is always in motion. For fire to exist, air must churn rapidly, creating heat. Fire then evaporates water, leaving behind salt through distillation, thereby providing pure water that travels hundreds or thousands of miles, ensuring water reaches every living creature via gravitational force.

Without water, life would be impossible. This continuous distillation process, driven by heat, defines the nature of fire. From water, a portion becomes gross and solidifies into what we know as Prithvi or Bhumi—earth. Even scientists acknowledge aspects of this Hindu division of creation.

Our bodies and minds are outcomes of Pancha Devatas (the five deities) and are sustained accordingly. For instance, when hungry, it indicates a lack of energy, necessitating food consumption. Similarly, thirst signals a need to replenish water levels.

So, I must drink. And if there is less heat, then I must seek more warmth somehow or other. We must bring homeostasis. Of course, every minute, we have to breathe in and breathe out Prana Vayu, Prana, 16 times. That is a very important concept. And then, after that, the energy we receive, Prana Shakti, in the form of breathing in and out, must be expended. Receiving energy and expending energy is called activity. Activity is the manifestation of life, and life goes on. Wherever there is life, there is activity. Activity means energy, and energy must be obtained and expended. God replenishes us as much as necessary, whenever necessary, wherever necessary, and in whatever form necessary to sustain us all.

So, we are not only created but also sustained by the Panchadevatas, and ultimately, when this body falls, it merges back into the five Devatas. Similarly, the mind, which is a subtle body, merges into the subtle elements. Each part returns to its origin. This is the outline. The prayer in this peace chant is for these instruments, which are the outcome of the Panchadevatas, presided over and sustained by these Panchadevatas, to be universal expressions of individual Indriyas, also known as the presiding deities. We must pray for success in whatever endeavour we undertake.

With this background, let us proceed. What is the first one? Shanno Mitraha. What is Mitra? Mitra is the presiding deity of Prana. He is introduced to the Prana. Prana is Mukhya Prana, which is life, but it becomes subdivided according to Hindu religion into five parts: Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, and Samana. These are the five functions of energy. The first one is breathing in and out. Who is in charge of that power of breathing in? Those who have experienced breathing problems, like asthma, understand this better.

One activity of Prana, Praak Gamanavan, is defined as Prana, which moves at the very front itself. This is the most important point. According to Ayurveda, when there is a disturbance between breathing in and breathing out, we become uneasy, which is what we call disease. The presiding deity of Mitra, Devata, for Shanno Mitra, Shanno, means what? May they bless us, may they be blissful to us, by ensuring their functions in our body are carried out correctly. That is their blessing, nothing else.

Varuna Devata represents the Apana aspect of Prana. Apana pushes out, which is necessary not only for breathing in but also for breathing out. Even to expel something disagreeable, we require that power. If Apana Vayu is not functioning properly, we will become very unhealthy, and so on.

So, how nicely these concepts are explained. What is the meaning? Oh, presiding deities called Mitra and Varuna, in whatever activity I am doing, please help me to breathe in and out in a measured, peaceful, and harmonious way. Whether I am hearing from my teacher, reading a scripture or a book, watching a movie on the cinema screen, or meditating (most importantly), this control of in-breathing and out-breathing is called pranayama. When prana is controlled, what happens? This in-breathing and out-breathing have a tremendous influence upon our mind.

When both nostrils can breathe in and out evenly and peacefully, the mind automatically awakens. For example, the conjunction of the night with the day is called sandhya, the intermediary time between the end of darkness and sunrise, and between sunset and nightfall. Naturally, because we are connected with the entire universal system, our mind automatically calms down somewhat during these times. Swami Pramanandji explained that when you observe during the day or when engaged in activities that your in-breath and out-breath are flowing evenly, you will find your mind harmonious. To that extent, the mind becomes very peaceful. At that time, if you notice it, you should, if possible, leave everything and utilize that condition for reading, listening to a talk, or meditating. It will be wonderful.

Of course, he was not advocating that if you are a spiritual aspirant working in a hospital and an emergency call comes in, you should immediately stop the vehicle and sit in Padmasana to meditate. That is not what is meant. However, whenever you can postpone something non-urgent, sit there and utilize that condition for spiritual activities. This harmonious in- and out-breathing is possible by the grace of God, Ishwara, in the form of Mitra and Varuna Devata, who are the presiding deities of in-breath and out-breath.

What is this in-breath and out-breath? The two primary functions of the prana-shruti. Remember this one. Then Aryaman, meaning Surya, is the presiding deity of the power of seeing. As I said earlier, every presiding deity of every sense organ and every organ of activity is not mentioned here, but this is what we have to recall and understand. O Surya Devata, be pleasant to us. He is the presiding deity of the Chakshu Indriya. Similarly, space is the presiding deity of the power of hearing, hearing properly. The word "see" is a beautiful English word. When you want to observe something very well, you require this power. But when you are hearing something and someone asks if you are able to follow it, they might say, "Are you able to see it?" meaning clearly able to understand.

By the grace of Surya Devata, the great Devata, without whom Srishti (the creation itself) is not possible, we pray. Let me see well. The organs of knowledge, sense organs of knowledge, are called Jnana Indriya. We also have a prayer for the Karmendriyas, the organs of action. May the Sun God be pleased with us, bless us, and let my life become very auspicious. It is possible only by his grace.