Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 58 on 08 December 2024

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU OM APYAYANTUM AMANGANIVAKPRANASYAKSHUH SHROTRAM ATHO BALAMINDRIYANICHA SARVANI SARVAM BRAHMAHU PANISHADAM MAHAM BRAHMANIRAKURIYAM MAMA BRAHMANIRAKARO ANIRAKARANAM ASTVANIRAKARANAM ME ASTU TADATMANI NIRATE YAUPANISHAD SU DHARMA TE MAI SANTU TE MAI SANTU OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI HA RE HE OM OM May my limbs, speech, vital force, eyes, ears, as also strength, and all the organs become well developed. Everything is the Brahman revealed in the Upanishads. May I not deny Brahman. May not Brahman deny me. Let there be no spurning of me by Brahman. Let there be no rejection of Brahman by me. May all the virtues that are spoken of in the Upanishads repose in me. I am engaged in the pursuit of the Self. May they repose in me. OM PEACE PEACE PEACE BE UNTO ALL We are studying the seventh chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad. We have completed section 5, which is called Chitta Brahma Upasana. Earlier to that, we covered Nama Brahma, Vag Brahma, Mano Brahma, Sankalpa Brahma. Thereafter, we studied the fifth section called Chitta Brahma. Then in our last class, we started the sixth section called Dhyana Brahma Upasana. I have given a brief summary or a sense of what this section is about. So what is it? This section deals with the greatness of meditation, Dhyanam. When Narada asked, is there something superior to Chittam? And he said, yes, of course. Chittam means memory. Chittam means discrimination. Chittam means the ability to give up whatever is not conducive to our progress, either spiritually, of course, but also secularly. Then Sanat Kumar answers, of course, there is. That is called Dhyana. Now you enter into this sixth stage. All these stages are steps to come from Nama. First step, then walk, second step, then Manas, third step, Sankalpa, fourth, Chitta, fifth, then Dhyana. This is what I have given you the background. So what is it about? Dhyana means we know meditation. What does it really imply? Contemplation, concentration, both meanings are there. Dhyana or concentration and meditation is the root or Karana, the cause of all preceding possibilities. When Swami Vivekananda says each soul is potentially divine and manifest, that is the goal of life. And he says through either through work or worship or psychic control or philosophy, he means exactly what Sanat Kumar is teaching. Start from where you are and slowly move upward. As I mentioned earlier, I gave you the analogy of a pyramid. There is a vast difference, vast number of things. As it were, not really. Just as there are millions, billions of pots made out of clay. But what is the reality? Only clay. What is the reality of which Sanat Kumar wishes? Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda were speaking of what is called Brahman or simply when Sri Ramakrishna says God, he doesn't mean only the Saguna Brahman. He means both Saguna and Nirguna aspects of Brahman. So when our mind functions, even the usage of the word Nirguna falls under only Saguna category. When we say it is cold, in the background we have the idea, I also know about what is hot, what is heat. Like that, if I am talking about Saguna without the contrasting knowledge of what is not Saguna, we can never distinguish what is Saguna. That is peculiar nature of the mind. So Sri Ramakrishna in the very first chapter, he advises, God is with form, God is without form. And both these ideas are also in the mind only. But then Sri Ramakrishna says God is beyond both, with form, without form. Sri Ramakrishna is not telling another idea, another thought, another vritti in the mind. Sri Ramakrishna is talking about that which is beyond the mind. That's what he says. Beyond both means beyond the mind. So we have to understand that slowly, wherever we are, and these are the steps, where are we? Do we have knowledge, really speaking, correct information? Then have we got the ability to understand and express? And do we have that thinking power, Manaha? And then do we have that tremendous memory power? Do we have that power of meditation or concentration? And that is the step, each one of us, whether we know it or not, we have to start with Nama only. That is why Nama Brahma Upasana is also very closely related with a Guru initiates a disciple into a name. So first thing is the name, that is called Nama Upasana. Then it is not easy to think about with our poor mind, limited capacity of the mind, to think about the Rupa. How do we know about the Rupa? As prescribed in the Dhyana, meditational forms like Shuklaam, Varadharam, Vishnum, or Hridaya, Kamalamadhi, Rajitam, Nirvikalpam, etc. So every Devata has got his or her own, what is called meditational mantras. So we will have to contemplate deeply upon that, that is called Rupa Upasana, as enumerated in the scriptures. That's what I mentioned in the last class, if you remember, Shankaracharya, he says his meditation is not simply whatever I desire to meditate, I cannot. It should be a subject, it should be an understanding, an idea, given only by the scriptures, or of course through the mouth of the Guru. And it involves not only our particular form of God, name of God, qualities of God, but also how we are transforming our life into that of the God, by thinking about these Gunas. Simple example, I will not enter into depths of this one, Hridaya, Kamalamadhi, Rajitam, where is God, not in Vaikuntha, not in Kailasa, but within Hridaya Kuhara, in the cave of the heart of each one of us, including mosquitoes. When a mosquito says, I am, that is referring only to that innermost being, which is reality, which is called Brahman. Only it confines itself to its body and immediate surroundings, which are real. We are also doing the same thing, that's why there is no difference between a crude person and also animals. But I don't agree with that statement, most of the animals, they are most natural, they are not greedy, but a human being, he exhibits every worst quality that is possible. Anyway, so Dhyanam Bhava Chitta Bhuyaha, he says, concentration, this is how we have to manifest. Slowly mastering every step and unless we master, we cannot go to the next step. So the more we are able to concentrate our attention and meditate in the proper way, to that extent we progress and that is called becoming great. So in this sixth section of the seventh chapter called Bhumananda, the Sanat Kumara is telling, Dhyanam is specifically equated to any greatness that we see manifested in this world. Concentration, of course, means fixity of the mind and with regard to that, I have also quoted Swami Vivekananda extensively. Now what is important for us to understand, so this greatness is equivalent to Dhyana and that is what Swami Vivekananda also says, that if we see any greatness to any degree in anybody, in any place, in any person, that is what is called Vibhuti, Yad Yad Vibhuti Mat Sattva. So supposing there is a musician and he is great in his village, so far as his village is concerned, he is the most respected, powerful musician in that village. Maybe there are millions of others far superior to him in other places, but his power of ruling or his happiness lies only in that. Everybody praises him, you are the greatest musician in our village. So if he becomes even greater, other villages also will recognize him and this greatness, how did it come? Because of meditation. What is meditation? Unceasing identity with, in this example, music. I want to learn music, but it is a general term. I want to understand what is Raga, what is Bhava, what is Sahitya, what is Laya, what is Shruti, what is Thala. And the more he pays attention, the quicker he understands, quicker he masters, he becomes as if a master. The Hindi word Ustad means a master or even we can say a maestro. So Swami Vivekananda says that concentration is the greatest power, but that concentration according to Swamiji is what distinguishes the lowest man from the highest Yogi. Highest Yogi has much, much more concentration or meditation. How did he get? Through practice. Don't think that simply sitting and reading will help. No, through deep meditation. Swami Thuriyanandaji Maharaj, he mastered all the 8 Upanishads with Shankara Bhashya. We don't know exactly what are the 8 Upanishads. He memorized them. And then he said, until I understood one particular mantra and also what Bhagavan Shankaracharya is trying to make us explain, I could not move from that mantra to the next mantra. And there was also a funny incident. So once Swami approached him, I think most likely it was Swami Prabhavananda. Maharaj, we want to study Bhagavad Gita under your guidance, with your explanation. He said, come tomorrow. And he took a class and then he said, until you realize this, don't come. And Swami remarks in a lighter way, that was the first class and that was the last class because we could not master what he asked us to do. Now you can see how great a person is. So the Upanishad says, whether there is a God or a human being, success of that God or human being is due to the power of concentration of the mind, the inherent applicability of the mind. So the whole soul absorption of thought on a particular object to the exclusion of any other thought is called concentration and this is Dhyana. One becomes free, liberated from bondage and succeeds in life, not Moksha, ultimate Moksha, but he becomes liberated to the extent of his success or her success that he has mastered in the practice of concentration or mind. And this is the stage Narada, of course, has reached now. This is the background, this is the essence of this sixth section and you must have noticed I am giving these essences of these sections so that once we understand, that is the light through which we can understand the very essence of the section that follows. So with this background, let us study the sixth section, Shashtaha Khandaha, that is called Dhyanam. And then earlier Narada asked, is there something greater than Chittam? He says, yes, Dhyanam, Vaba, Chittat, Bhuyaha. So Dhyana is superior, subtler and the cause of Chittam. So Chittam means memory, Chittam means discrimination, we have seen earlier and the depth of our meditation or concentration determines the capacity of our Viveka, Vairagya, etc. And then the Rishi, Sanat Kumara, goes on giving certain analogies. Dhyayateva Prithvi, Dhyayateva Antariksham, Dhyayateva Dhyauhu, Dhyayanteva Apah, Dhyayanteva Parvataha, Deva Manushyaha, Dasmat Yaha Iha, Manushyana Mahattham Prapnamanti, Dhyana Pada Amshaha, Iva Eva Te Bhavanti. First, let me translate this much. Contemplation or Dhyana, which includes Ikagrata or concentration, surely is greater than mere intelligence and memory. And then the analogies follow. The earth contemplates as it were. What does it mean? Absolutely still. When we see the earth as if it is merged in meditation, the sky contemplates as it were, the heaven contemplates as it were, the waters contemplate as it were. Have you seen a vast water in a lake? Absolutely still. Don't we see agitation? Yes, when there is a force, wind, that disturbs and then spurs it into wavelets or it could be even tsunami. But that is not the nature of water or oceans. It is absolutely to be still. But if there is no agitating force, then the waters become absolutely still, the mountains as it were are doing, all the pancha bhutas as it were are doing. Not only that, the mountains contemplate as it were. Not only that, Gods and men contemplate as it were. Here the word used is Devo Manushyaha. And there are two ways we can understand this. Devas and also Manushyas. Devascha, Manushyascha. Both men and Gods, they are great. How did the Gods become great? Because of meditation. How did Indra become a Brahma Gnani? Through meditation. How did Agni become? How did Vayu become? So it is all through meditation only. The first meaning is anybody who is great is because the cause of greatness is meditation and discriminating concentration is called meditation. And that is the first meaning. Gods and men contemplate as it were. That means they are great. Gods are great. Men are great because of contemplation. But Shankaracharya gives another meaning also. Devo Manushyaha means among men, there are some people and we call them, they are not men, they are Gods. If anybody is unselfish, great, we have to say he is not an ordinary human being. He is Bhagawan Himself and which is very true. And of these greatness, Avataras greatness is the greatest. And incidentally, curiously, Vidyasagar asked Sri Ramakrishna, Is there any difference in the manifestation of Shakti of different people? And Sri Ramakrishna made a beautiful punch line. He says, if you are not so great, why did we come to see you? Even an Avatar has come to see a person like much less personage called Vidyasagar. Have you grown two horns? No, because you are having vast learning. You are an ocean of learning. And like Narada, he knew many things. Not only that, Vidya dada ati vinaya. He was a very unselfish person. One of the greatest social service he rendered, he helped everybody, anybody. That's why there is another name, not only Vidyasagar, but Dayasagar also. So great qualities are there. And Swami Vivekananda says that I am indebted to people like Vidyasagar. They are greatest people that at that time India had produced. There were of course others also, but Swamiji acknowledged just that. And then Upanishad continues, Therefore, verily, those who attain greatness among men, they are called Deva Manishas. They seem to have obtained a share of the result of contemplation. What does Sanath Kumar mean? That means these people, those who stand out among the men as greatest persons, they contemplated. They, what is called, performed austerity called meditation. And to be merged in meditation is the greatest austerity. Tapo brahmeti vijanat tapasa brahma vijinknasasva. Bhrigu instructs to his student who happened to be his own son to Varuna. Varuna instructs Bhrigu. So here also, why I say Ramakrishna? He compared Swami Vivekananda. If Vivekananda is a thousand petalled lotus, even Keshav Chandra Sen is at best one or two petalled lotus. And like that, if Swami Vivekananda is a moon, the others are dim stars. And he was not exaggerating because at that time nobody could believe in Ramakrishna. But he knew. How did he know? Because Divine Mother let him know. And who was the Divine Mother? Ramakrishna Himself. So Upanishad continues. Anybody who is great or who wants to be great has to practice meditation. And those who practice sincere meditation, they are going to become great. And then Upanishad sarcastically downgrades other people and says that those who do not really contemplate, that means those who do not have the habit of practicing concentration, contemplation, what do they become? They become the worst of humanity. They become Alpaji Vinaha. Not only that, what does the Upanishad, what does Sanat Kumara mean by small? And those who are small people, they are quarrelsome, Kalahinaha. So Pishunaha and all those, call it abusive and slanderous. So not only they are the people who are quarrelsome. So what? Pishunaha Upavadhinaha. These are the three words. Kalahinaha means quarrelsome. So Pishunaha means very abusing words. They never speak. And nowadays in the West, it has become such a horrible habit. I wonder what happened to the whole of the West. They use what they call four-letter words. Even those who are highly placed CEOs, etc., etc. When they talk privately and many times publicly also, they use horrible words. Even though they are highly placed, they are actually Upanishads. It classifies them into Kalahinaha, Pishunaha, Upavadhinaha. Upavadhi means what? Not only they use abusive words, but they go on finding faults with everybody else. What is called fault finders. That is what Holy Mother meant. The very first step is stop finding faults. Stop becoming a meditationless, concentrationless, stupid idiots. Stop it. Stop it means what? You have already attained greatness in becoming Alpa Jeevinaha, becoming small people. Small people means Kalahinaha, Pishunaha, Upavadhinaha. That is what Holy Mother meant. So these people, they are like that. Therefore, even if we want to be happy, another quality we can say, those who want peace of mind, those who want higher happiness, it is possible only through concentration and through meditation. That is very important. So the two characteristics of perfect meditation are tranquility. That is why what is called Uparathi and Dharana. So first is we need to draw the mind from what is not worthy of thinking. Then hold a higher thought. That is called Dharana. And in course of time, this Dharana becomes Dhyana. And in course of time, Dhyana becomes what is called Savikalpa Samadhi. Then Nirvikalpa Samadhi. This is beautifully analyzed in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras in the very first chapter itself. So perfect meditation, if anybody is doing, how do we know? We may see them sitting long hours. But that is not a characteristic of perfect meditation. They are tranquil, full of peace. They are radiating joy. And then that is what is called contentment, born of success. They are successful. They know we are successful. So therefore the earth, the mountains, the sky and all the worlds appear to be tranquil in meditation. This is the essence of the sixth chapter called Dhyana Brahma Upasana. And then Sanat Kumara instructs, Sa Yo Dhyanam Brahmaiti Upasate. He who succeeds in contemplating in Ekagrata, in meditation as Brahman. Brahman means God. Here God means lower aspect of God, not Brahman actually. But lower aspect of God is none other than Brahman. But our mind is not capable of grasping it. That incapacity of the mind to grasp the highest reality that is called this Saguna Brahma. So in this case it could be Virat. It could be Hiranyagarbha. It could be even Eshwara. What result he will get? Yavat Dhyanasya Gatam Tatra Asya Yatha Kamacharo Bhavati Yo Dhyanam Brahmaiti Upasate. And he who contemplates this Dhyanam becomes slowly progressive in that capacity of meditation and concentration. And so far as the power of meditation goes, greatness goes, he will be a very great person. A person is great to the extent of the greatness or depth of his meditation and concentration. So if the person wants to enjoy the results, that is called Sakama Upasana. The contemplation with the idea of becoming more happy, enjoying more powers, etc. But any spiritual person who says, I don't want all these things, then what happens? First of all, Chitta Ekagrata. He will develop perfect capacity to concentrate. Then Chitta Shuddhi. Mind becomes pure. How does mind become pure? Because any person who is meditating must be extremely alert and attentive. Then if any negative, a lower thought, a worldly thought, an unworthy thought, the moment it shows up, even one hair of its head, immediately the fellow pulls it up, like as soon as an undesirable weed shows up, peeps out of the earth, immediately an alert farmer, gardener, immediately he will pull it out with their roots and very easy to do that at that state and then he makes what he wants to cultivate and becomes much more successful. Same thing happens here also. So that is how a person's mind becomes pure. Then Chitta Vaishaliyata. Then the mind gets free from the shackles of smallness, finiteness, what is called narrow-mindedness and becomes identified. Just like as you go up to the pyramid, it becomes smaller and smaller compared to the base. This is how the result will come. So Narada was such a person and he must have perfected and he must have understood everything. Then he came back. Of course, as usual, he asks, Asti bhagavo dhyanad bhuyah iti. Bhagavan, so is there something superior or is there something more subtler, more pervasive than dhyana? And then, as usual, dhyanad bhavah bhuyah asti. Yes, yes, surely something far superior, not little superior, very far superior is there. If it is there, Tatme bhagavan praviti iti. So if it is there, please may the Bhagavan, here Bhagavan means Guru Brahma, so may he instruct me in that so that I can progress it. And we have to note every time, Sanat Kumara is a Sadguru. Any Sadguru, he will not give like any good teacher unless his pupil succeeds in understanding the lower concept. He will not introduce the higher concept. So Narada must have become fit for receiving. So Sanat Kumara, without the least hesitation, he started instructing. Remember, when Totapuri Maharaj came to Dakshineshwar, at one glance, as soon as he landed, his eyesight fell upon Ramakrishna. Immediately he recognized. He asked, would you like to receive Sanyasa? Because you are fit person to take Sanyasa. I can see that. So if Totapuri Maharaj did not think, maybe he is a good man, but not yet ready, not yet fit, then he would not have received that Sanyasa at all. But he understood. Of course, there were some other things which we will not talk about it now. But he understood it. And Sri Ramakrishna also, if you study his life, he tried in his excess of love for Narendra to give that knowledge, and which at that time, Narendranath was not capable of receiving. You know the story, on his second visit or third visit, Ramakrishna touched him and wanted to give everything that he himself possessed, Brahmagnyana. Of course, Swamiji was not ready. And then he said, what are you doing to me? I have my parents in Calcutta. And Sri Ramakrishna, he withdrew immediately by touching. By touching, he put him in that state. And by touching, he brought him out. And then he created a funny story. A ghost died, unfortunately, on an inauspicious day. And it became a ghost. And it was searching for a companion because it was leading a very lonely life. And the whole world nowadays is like that. Ghost only leading a very lonely life. If nothing is there to entertain them, time hangs heavy. Anyway, so Sanat Kumara must have found out that Narada was ready. And he goes to the next step. So that is what we are going to do. I hope we are able to comprehend that meditation is very essential. Concentration is very essential. The ability to withdraw our mind from wrong objects, wrong thoughts, unwanted thoughts. They are very necessary, not only in spiritual life, but even in secular life. A first class student or a first class first student, I have seen people, how much devoted they are. So wonderful. So now we will step into the seventh khanda. It is called Vijnanam. So understanding, right understanding, truthful understanding, Vijnanam. I will give you, as usual, the essence of this section also. Vijnanam vava dhyanad bhuyaha. Vijnanena va Rig Vedam Vijanati, Yajur Vedam Vijanati, Sama Vedam Vijanati, Adharvanam Chaturtham, etc. These are the Chandogya Upanishad mantras actually. So Vijnanam vava dhyanad bhuyaha. Yes, there is something superior, O Narada, and that is what is called Vijnanam. So Vijnanam is superior. What is this Vijnanam? Vijnanam means right understanding. Understanding or Vijnanam is superior even to the action of concentration. Why? Because before we want to concentrate our mind, all the pros and cons of concentration, what is it that I am going to focus my mind on and why do I want to focus? And what is the purpose, etc., etc. So pros and cons we have to think should be crystal clear. And what is the benefit I get? Phala. That's why Phala also is given at every stage in this. So before we apply ourselves to the activity called Dhyanam, so what should we concentrate? What is it that I really want to concentrate? A chemistry student should not concentrate on cricket match. And a cook while cooking, he should be concentrating how much spices to add, whether salt can be added or I have already added. Many times people commit that mistake, either no salt or double salt. So that is why it's called somersault. So on what should one concentrate and why should we concentrate? So is it possible for me? Am I fit for that? And so is it possible? So what result I will get? Is this what I'm really thinking of? I should get this result. So what is the process of concentration? The methodology of concentration and meditation. The purpose for which the mind is directed in concentration. And the problems that one may have to face in the practice of concentration. All these have to be perfectly well understood beforehand. And that is what we do every time we are going to the office. Office is such a distance. So it has become a habit for us. What do we do? So it takes half an hour. So if I start half an hour before, more or less it should be okay. Barring some traffic jam or accidents, etc. That is why anybody who wants to go to take a plane to the advice two hours before you come. Because the plane will not be waiting for you. If you are late, make whatever reason, accident, traffic jam. So try to avoid it. If there is sufficient time, perhaps you can even go around but reach. That is very, very important for us. So this is the purpose for which what problems can arise. And all these pros and cons have to be understood beforehand. Now if you recollect Ramakrishna, whenever he wanted to practice any particular sadhana, I mentioned it many times before. So he used to divide his mind into two. So the examiner and the examined used to ask himself, what is it that you really want to do? Oh, I want to meditate. And in this particular way, like Sanat Kumara instructing Narada, so Bhairavi Brahmani or Totapuri were instructing. And then he used to ask, oh mind, do you really want it? Are you yearning to do this? And without hesitation, without thinking, without saying how, etc., the mind should say like a person who is extremely thirsty. Do you want water? Yes, yes, yes. Where can I get? So that instantaneous response is what is necessary. That means the person is really yearning for it, is thirsty for it. It's called yearning for God-realization. And then do you know that there can be many problems. Are you ready to face? Are you ready to give up all these obstructions that may arise? In other words, for spiritual persons, you will have to give up your attachment to everything in this world. Not only this world, this world means the family, parents, family members, and the property, I and mine. Not only that, Paraloka, even heavens, everything one has to give up. Otherwise, he is only after prayers. So Prayokami, not Shreyokami. And that is what Manduka Upanishad says, Kato Upanishad especially says. So if the mind answers, Yes, I want only this. I don't want anything else. I'm ready to face or if I don't succeed, I may die also. I'm prepared to die even if I don't, but I will not give it up. If the mind can answer the divided, the examined mind can answer spontaneously without thinking, then both the minds will become combined. And Swami Shardanandaji, who analyzed this aspect, says no wonder that 100% of his mind, so it used to plunge into what we just now studied Dhyanam and maximum three days to reach the desired state that is prescribed in the Upanishads and by his Guru. So this is what we have to understand. So Sanat Kumara gives the entire list. Now in the very second section, Sanat Kumara asked, if you remember, What do you know so far? And then he gives a huge list. And now here also Sanat Kumara gives the entire list and Vedas, Sciences, Arts. So then he says that did you really understand all these things? Or just as so many people do, they just mug it up and then vomit it in the examination hall and they get sometimes if their memories are good and they will pass brilliantly also. But one thing is there. We have to admire the West in this respect. They don't care. Most of the time, they don't ask, What do you know? They ask, What can you do? Unfortunately, in India, what do you know? Oh, I am an MSc, BSc, PhD. But that is why practically India is sitting what it was 70 years before. And maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit. Whereas look at China, how it is progressing practically in every field. Of course, even in the field of wickedness, cruelness, brutality, that is also progressing. But here it is our country, neither progressing in brutality, neither progressing in sciences. Still, we are unable to produce even the minimum things that are necessary. Every foreign country is coming and looting money. All because of what? Our people, when they go to other countries, they give up practically their offer, their life. Whereas the same people, if they come to India, this Indian atmosphere, there is something which will make it. Anyway, I just deviated a little bit. But what is meant is that right understanding. So that is called mastery. So whatever Narada said that you are able to master those things only when there is right understanding. So Narada applied his thought to this direction of the Guru, analyzed these objects, grasped the implications in a crystal clear manner, has understood very well all that he has learned. And if understanding is to be absent, meaning also is absent because meaning and understanding are very close together. When meaning is absent, what remains? Zero. So the determining factor of the value of any object, whatever is the understanding behind it, you don't understand how to drive, you don't understand the mechanism of even a mixer, then you cannot use it properly. So the knowledge behind every object, we must be able to understand. That capacity of the knowing the subject is superior to the character of the object. So therefore, O Narada, you go and contemplate Vijnanam. And Vijnanam is the cause of even the meditation. Only when you understand, Oh, God is great and the scripture tells, I am coming from God and my peace is possible, security is available only in my home and this is a foreign country to me. So the power that we exert in life, personally or socially or in either way, is all due to the extent of our knowledge and knowledge means right understanding. A person without knowledge or understanding, so with knowledge or understanding becomes very powerful. So Vijnanam is far superior to all other principles mentioned earlier because that is the cause of even Dhyanam or Ekagrata. This is the essence of the seventh section called Vijnana Brahma. With this background, we will enter into it. So I will just read out where before and then I will go into the smaller details. Vijnanam Pitriyam Prashyam Daivam Nithyam Vako Vakam Ekayanam Deva Vidyam Brahma Vidyam Bhuta Vidyam Nakshatra Vidyam Sarva Deva Jana Vidyam Devancha Prithivincha Vayuncha Akashancha Aapascha Tejascha Devascha Manushyancha Pashyamscha Vyamscha Trina Vanaspateen Shwapadani Aakeeta Patanga Vipelikam Dharmancha Adharmancha Sathyancha Anrutancha Sadhucha Asadhucha Hridayagnancha Ahridayagnancha So Annamcha Rasamcha Imanchalokam Amuncha Idam Sarvam, this is not part of the mantra but I added Vijnanenaiva Vijanathi Tasmag Therefore Vijnanam Upasva Iti This is what Sanat Kumara had said. What is the plain English translation? Understanding, always understand. Understanding means right understanding, correct understanding. Surely is greater than contemplation. And then Sanat Kumara gives the examples. By understanding alone, that is the right grasping of the meaning alone, one understands the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharvana Veda, Itihasa Purana which is called the Panchama Veda, a grammar, the rules for the worship of the ancestors, mathematics, a science of portents, a science of treasures, logic, a science of ethics, etymology, ancillary knowledge of what is called Vedas and these are called Upa Vedas. All the physical sciences, a science of war, a science of stars, a science related to serpents and the fine arts and the knowledge about heaven and earth, the knowledge about air and akasha, water and fire, these are the pancha bhutas, what we call gods and men, cattle and birds, grasses and trees, beasts down to worms, flying insects and ants, then merit and demerit, truth and falsehood, good and bad, pleasant and unpleasantness, food and drink, this world and the next. All this one understands by right understanding alone. Therefore, Vijnanam Brahma, worship, contemplate Vijnanam as Brahma. So having said Vijnanam is far superior, means the cause of everything that we discussed earlier, everything else becomes the effect. So for example, Vijnana becomes the, Vijnana's effect becomes Dhyana, Dhyana's effect becomes Chitta, Chitta's effect becomes Sankalpa, Sankalpa becomes Karana and then Manas becomes the effect and then Vaak becomes the effect, then Nama becomes the effect, etc. We have to understand what we have studied earlier. So we know the four Vedas, Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Dharma Veda, then Itihasa, Puranam. So this is Itihasa and Puranas, they are called Pancham. Vedana Vedam, that means grammar. Pitriyam, the knowledge about our ancestors, upper worlds, their rites, etc. Then Rashi, mathematics. Daivam, through certain portents. In Mahabharata it is said Yudhishthira saw some portents and then he understood that he had no contact with Krishna. I see very bad omens, portents, definitely something has happened and it is true also. If we observe, some people say even when the birds are crying, animals are crying in a peculiar way, maybe some earthquake or a tsunami, something like that happens. It is not mere superstition, it is a fact of life. Only if we do not know, we call it superstition. But there are people who could really understand that. So Daivam. Then Nithyam. Some people have the capacity to what is called water divining or treasure divining, whether there is silver, whether there are precious metals or precious earth, which is very much used in modern electronics. Then Vako Vakya, means logic, Tarkashastra. That is how to understand the Vedas, etc., any science properly. Then Ekayanam, means ethics. Deva Vidyam, that is etymology or science of the words. Brahma Vidyam, that is Brahma Vidya here, not knowledge of spirituality, but here Brahma means Vedas. Veda Vidyam, through six Vedangas. What are the Vedangas? Siksha, phonetics, Chhandas, that is metrics, Vyakarana, grammar, Nirukta, etymology, Kalpa, rituals, Jyotisha, astronomy. All these help a person understand the Vedas and help him to perform certain Yajnas, Yagas in a particular way at a particular time, etc. So then Bhuta Vidya. Bhuta means external. Vidya means all the physical sciences, which includes physics, chemistry, zoology, biology, etc., etc. Kshatra Vidya, the science of the art of war. Nakshatra Vidya, that is Jyotisha, that is all about the stars. And there are two types. One is astrology and one is astronomy. And our Rishis were great in astronomy also. Then Sarpa Vidya. Sarpa means visha, poison. Not only sarpa, snakes, but even poisonous insects they bite and some of them can kill also. So some of them can cause what is called brain-eating bug or muscle-eating bug. Any bug, it doesn't matter. That which bugs us is called a bug. So we should know how we are able to cope and bring back the health. If there is poison, any sort of poison, then Deva Jana Vidya. Deva Jana means the artist Gandharva Vidya, arts and crafts. And then the knowledge, true knowledge about Diwancha, that is the upper world, Prithvi Incha, our world, Vayu. About this, Pancha Bhutas. So Vayu means air, Akasha means space, Apaha means waters, Tejascha means the fire and Prithvi of course is the earth. The Pancha Bhutas, five what is called gross elements. And there are Devas. They live in upper worlds. And the knowledge about them which we derive only from the Vedas and knowledge about the Manushyas and what is life. So will there be any dangerousness etc. Understand about Pashumscha, animals, Payamsi, birds, Trina, that is grasses, Vanaspati, plants and trees, Swapadani, beasts, Aketa, worms, Patanga, flying insects, Pipilika, ants. Any knowledge that is external or internal, secular or spiritual, all fall under this Vijnanam. Then Dharmancha, Adharmancha, what is right and what is wrong. Satyancha, Anudhancha, what is truth and what is falsehood. Sadhucha, Asadhu, what is good, what is evil. And what is Hridayagnamcha, Akhridayagnamcha, and what is pleasing, what is displeasing. Annamcha, what type of food is good. Prasancha, that is all about the tasteful things. And Imancha, Lokam, Amuncha, about this world, about other world. Everything is possible only because of this right understanding. Therefore Narada, please contemplate on Vijnanam and the result of it will be, if it is Sakama with desire, he will be enjoying this world, upper worlds, higher worlds, higher happiness. But if he wants spiritual practice, then his mind becomes pure, his mind becomes extended and his mind becomes capable of grasping. He will have concentration of the mind and above all his longing for liberation will increase. And that is what must have happened. Then Narada again asks that is there something greater than Vijnana or Vijnana is the end. No, there is something superior. Therefore please teach it to me and we will talk about it in our next class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.