Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 92 on 06 April 2025

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYOH SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHU OM APYAYANTUM AMANGANIVAKPRANASYAKSHUH SHROTRAMADHU BALAMINDRIYANICHA SARVANI SARVAM BRAHMAHU PANISHADAM MAHAM BRAHMANIRAKURIYAM MAMA BRAHMANIRAKARO ANIRAKARANAM ASTVANIRAKARANAM ME ASTU TADATMANI NIRATE YAUPANISHADSU DHARMAH TE MAI SANTU TE MAI SANTU OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI HA RE HE 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 So in our last class we completed the seventh chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad which is specifically called Bhuma Vidya which is equivalent to Brahma Ananda. Bhuma Ananda, Bhuma Vidya, Brahma Vidya, Brahma Ananda. So a Jivan Mukta, a Jivan Mukta is one who knows I am Brahman and such a Jivan Mukta obtains Bhuma Ananda and this is the essence of the seventh chapter. And what does it mean? It means we are all seeking only Bhuma Ananda but we are seeking infinite bliss only through the medium of finite things. Any number of finite things, all the finite things put together is not going to become infinite. We are also, when we are saying that we are seeking infinite happiness through finite things, even we are thinking about our own selves. I am a finite person, finite individual, Jivatma. So with this instrument it is not possible to get infinite Ananda. If there is a cup which can hold only a small quantity of anything that is put in it but it cannot say I will obtain so much of happiness even though I am so small and Shri Ram Krishna gives a brilliant example. Once an ant went to a sugar hill and it was so happy it was carrying at best one or two grains of sugar but while coming it was exercising its imagination. Next time when I come I carry the whole sugar hill. Now what is the symbolism of this story? So an ant is a very highly limited thing and the sugar hill is so huge the ant can only say it is infinite. So being small it doesn't have the capacity excepting one or two grains it can carry. So we are also, so long as we are identified with the body and mind then we cannot obtain that infinite joy Bhumananda. Then is there any way? Sure there is a way otherwise the teachings of the Upanishads are completely useless, redundant. So what is the way? That you become infinite then you will attain at the same time Bhumananda. That is what is Bhumananda limitless. Limitedness according to Vedanta is divided into three categories time, space and object. Desha, Kaala, Vastu, Parichcheda and our bodies, our minds they are all Vastus and being Vastus they are limited by time and space and therefore when we can transcend, give up our limited identity and beyond the limited identity there is only one identity that is called Bhuma or Brahman. Even the very word Brahman means limitless. So that is the only way and one who sheds these attachments and become identified with Brahman then that person will certainly enjoy. Even as I mentioned, I will not be tired of mentioning that all these descriptions are for people who know that they are Jivatmas, limited beings. Brahman doesn't require a description. Do you know Brahman? You are such and such, there would be no mind, nothing is necessary. So this is our goal whether we know it consciously or unconsciously. So a hearty prayer springs up from our heart to become the infinite. Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya, Nityorma Amrutangamaya. So now in the last class we have completed the seventh chapter which is called Bhumananda and then that was a dialogue between Narada and Sanatkumara. Sanatkumara was the teacher and Narada was the apt pupil that is Sadhana Chatustaya Sanpanna Adhikari, a fit disciple for this Brahma Vidya, knowledge of Brahman and in this Bhuma Vidya Brahman was revealed as Sukhaswaroopam or Anandaswaroopam. As I mentioned earlier in the sixth chapter Brahman is revealed as Sadroopam, pure existence. Sat means pure existence. In the next which is seventh chapter Brahman is studied as explained as Anandaswaroopam but as we know Brahman is defined as Sat, Chit, Ananda. So Sat has been explained, Ananda has been explained and Chit has not been explained and that is going to be expounded in this eighth chapter present chapter which we have just now we have started that is Chitswaroopam that is to say in the sixth chapter O Shweta Ketu, Tattvamasi is the word that and in the seventh chapter O Narada you are that Anandaswaroopam you are Bhumananda and in this last chapter as we can recollect Chandogya Upanishad has got eight chapters from the first to the fifth these five chapters deal with various types of Upasanas and there are marvelous stories small stories to illustrate which I have not entered into which I propose to take up after we complete this eighth chapter. So the explanation or exposition of the real Brahma Vidya in the form of Sat, Ananda and Chit sixth, seventh, eighth chapters. So we have completed Sat Swaroopa and Ananda Swaroopa now we are entering into this. So here what is this Brahman? It is Avastha Traya Sakshi Roopam Brahma, Avastha Traya. What is Avastha? Jagrat, Swapna, Sushupti. What is the Avastha? Avastha means a state of consciousness the waking, the dream and the deep sleep and they are limiting each one limits the other two therefore they are all limited but that being who thinks he is identified temporarily so long as he is in one particular state he is really not one not three but he is the Turiya not even one he is beyond all description. So in this eighth or final chapter we have got 15 sections remember in the last seventh chapter we had 26 sections and here we have got 15 sections and of these 15 sections the first six sections first to sixth they are dealing again with many Upasanas. What Upasana? Saguna Brahma Upasana. We have to keep in mind Upasana always pertains only to Saguna Brahma you can't say I am doing Nirguna Brahma Upasana that is not possible so that is section one to section six then the next six sections that is seventh to twelfth sections we have this Nirguna Brahma Jnanam and it comes in the form of a beautiful dialogue or conversation between Prajapati and Indra and Virochana. Prajapati supposed to be the teacher Indra and Virochana two disciples just recollect sixth chapter Aruni and Shwetaketu one Guru one disciple seventh chapter Sanathkumara Narada one Guru one Shesha but in this third one so the at least at the beginning there are only two disciples but after a little bit of austerity and after the first teaching the Virochana who represents ignorant people are those who are identified with the body and mind especially with the body and that's why they are called Asuras. Asura means Asu means Prana, Prana means sense organ, sense organ means body those who are completely identified I am none other than this body and that is a very interesting point because this eighth chapter begins only to repel that idea that we are the bodies that is beautifully said comparing this body to a beautiful temple in which there is a Garbhagriha or Hridayakasha or a lotus a heart which is compared to a beautiful soft lotus and this imagery of the lotus we get in Narayana Sukta we got Purusha Sukta we got many other Suktas and if you look at any Gods and Goddesses of Hindu pantheon Deva Devathas everybody is practically either standing or sitting on a lotus what does that lotus represent not that it is a kind of soft sofa seat it is the God becomes comfortable only when there is a soft seat is offered and that lotus represents every devotee's heart that is when our heart becomes as pure as untainted and as concentrated as pleasing as a lotus then only God will come and sit on that lotus that is why even our meditations Hridaya Kamalamathye Rajitam Nirvikalpam so everywhere this lotus symbol is affirmed that lotus represents the purity of our heart we have seen earlier also Ahara Shuddhau Sattva Shuddhe Sattva Shuddhau Dhruva Smrutehi that when the heart becomes pure then a remembrance of God becomes permanent there is no separation between two thoughts one is God one is other than God and that memory that Smruti and that is termed here as God representing God and our heart it is also compared to what is called Mantra Chaitanya when we go on devotedly repeating our mantra given by our great Gurus and then one day like after self-start when a truck or a jeep first you have to start it after some time the engine catches on that is called self-starting mechanism after that there is no need and those who have read the way of the pilgrim they also understand as soon as the Guru instructed him in the Jesus prayer and within few days that prayer had taken hold of him and that is that memory we are talking about beautiful concept so this lotus of our heart that is our heart can never forget that oh God you belong to me I belong to you whatever may be the relationship I and you I am the devotee you are the deity or I am you only these two attitudes are there so that for the sake of contemplation Upasana this is given there so in this eighth chapter the chit the pure consciousness pure knowledge has been taken as the subject matter so we get in this Prajapati Vidya we are going to get in the form of dialogue between Prajapati and Indra the whole Chandogya Punshad is mostly in the form of a dialogue only and this starts with the seventh ending with the 12th section now there are I said 15 sections in the last three sections again this eighth chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad talks about some spiritual disciplines and this is the what is called division first six seven to twelve and then 13 14 15 but the overall theme is how can one become identified with that Vidya I am pure consciousness so in the first six sections as we mentioned Saguna Brahma or Ishwar Upasana is talked about I made a point you will have to keep in mind what is that point the Nirguna Brahma cannot be contemplated it is only Saguna Brahma who can be contemplated why can't Nirguna Brahma be contemplated because he is Nirguna whatever you think that falls under Una so God is big God is smiling God is frowning God is male God is female God is gracious now God is thundering at you as some old biblical quotations are looking down at you so all these things are only our thoughts about Brahman whatever we think about Brahman falls under Saguna Brahma and it is false because it falls it is false only but it is a stepping stone so now Upasanas are talked about in the first six chapters now for doing Upasana just like Asana you know you spread a sheet a small sheet in in the shrine room what do you do after prostrations you sit there you do some puja or some hymning God or sit and do you have to sit there that is the external meaning of Upasana you go to a seat and you sit on that seat and you are supposed to think only about God that is why that is the Asana Upasana but the real meaning is Asana means God here Brahman here that is who is the nearest to you to me to you to anybody Brahman is the nearest pure existence that's why whenever we talk in English language any language the first thing Aham I am who are you I am afterwards so many things come out good bad etc so that I am is real Brahman that's why it is called Aham and this Aham can never be removed after Aham certain things are added any number of things I am male I am female I am good I am evil of course few of us still I am evil but others they know who we are so that's why they point it out but all this is changing good changes into evil evil changes into good selfishness changes into unselfishness and many times unselfishness changes into selfishness the youth become old of course old also become young again when because after their death again they restart the same cycle that is called Brahma Chakra so the inner meaning of Upasana is we have to enter into the shrine room and that shrine room is compared that's why we say Garbhagriha temple and in the sanctum sanctorum God is available but for that we have to cross in every typical real Hindu temple there should be the what is called seven compound walls representing seven chakras what is the highest chakra Sahasrara Chakra and what is that Sahasrara Chakra that is called sanctum sanctorum and that is what we call in tantric language Sahasrara Chakra and when our mind reaches Sahasrara Chakra it attains true Darshana. Darshana means complete identity no difference no bheda abheda no dvaita advaita through contemplation but we forget we have to cross six states of consciousness what are those six states try to starting from Muladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha and Ajna these are called six chakras don't confuse chakra with fainting spells chakra not chakra chakra means state of consciousness when the mind in the lowest state of consciousness man is identified with possessions that is called Muladhara in the same person sometimes he identifies himself with his Indriyas especially two Indriyas that of taste that of procreation so when the person identifies with the what is called state of procreation that is called Swadhishtana and when the same person at other times they identified with the organ of taste stomach that is called Manipura and most of the people they are in these three states as that beautiful verse clarifies Ahara, Nidra, Bhaya, Maiduna these four but when a person transcends these three after lot of experience and suffering of experience of suffering then he turns his mind away attempts to lift himself up and that is when he enters into the Hridaya chakra or Anahata chakra then he clearly sees there is a separation between Atma and Anatma the Anatma is insubstantial the Atma alone is substantial Atma alone supports and supports sustains keeps it up protects the Anatma that is what Sri Ramakrishna describes man sees light everywhere and he is wonderstruck what is this what is this what is it previously I was not aware of my body my mind and me we are separate I and my body are separate that is why that Viveka discrimination between I and my in language nobody mistakes this one I am so and so but this house is my house my car or my land so that my nobody mistakes even the most ignorant person will not mistake I am the house I am the car I am the land but we use interchangeably with regard to our body and mind both first breath I am I am not well so what is wrong my head is aching my teeth are aching my stomach is aching even though there is a crystal clear grammatical difference between I and my the person cannot understand it but after lot of sadhana or prayer to God and the same person somehow even for a short time transcends these three chakras then he clearly perceives there is a huge difference between I and my and that is what is called that subject and object crystal clear division which is not at all clear in these three lower chakras that is called he sees the light I am the Chaitanya a glimpse of it not completely and then he gets so much of joy then slowly he has to do sadhana then he becomes more and more pure that is called Vishuddha chakra that is a subject becomes now more weighty and then when the person comes to this higher chakra in between the eyebrows which is called Ajna chakra Ajna means commandment what is the commandment I am the subject I am the lord I am the master of the body and the mind complete control that is what Patanjali yogi crystal clearly says he becomes a yogi and who is a yogi he who could completely master his body and mind that is chitta vritti nirodhaha then who can do that only a person who identifies himself avasthana means complete identification with whom rashta means the seer the subject the experiencer the atman then he will be there but then he remembers I have nothing to do with this object even the subject is related with the object when there is no object there cannot be any subject when there is no subject of course there will be no object and when he reaches the state of Ajna then he wants to plunge himself into that other state which is called sahasrara what is sahasrara we have dealt with this Purusha Suktam and there also in the Narayana Suktam we get this description of the a beautiful lotus which we will deal when the time comes so the first six sections are about Upasana of Eshwara. Eshwara means Saguna Brahma and we require an Alambana Alambana means we have to sit somewhere and we should clearly be able to perceive that supreme reality and that place inner space is symbolized as a Hridaya Akasha so that is going to be described here and Hridaya Akasha is also known as Chidakasha so there is a small space obtaining within the lotus of the heart and that is called Dahara Akashaha. Dahara means that is indescribably Sukshma actually it means limited space small space but it here it means Sukshmaathi Sukshma subtler than the subtlest and in that Dahara Akasha space in the Chidakasha obtaining within the heart we have to meditate upon Saguna Eshwara and that is why this Upasana is also popularly known as Dahara Vidya. Dahara Akasha and in that Akasha we have to see the Eshwara that's why it is called Dahara Vidya and this is the most popular Dahara Vidya in the Chandogya Upanishad one of the most famous Upasanas and then we know about a little bit about Brahma Sutras. In Brahma Sutras also there is a particular Adhikarnam called Dahara Adhikarnam it comes in the first chapter third section and then Dahara Vidya is expounded there discussed there so what is the speciality of this that in this Dahara Upasana this very limited impure physical body is to be considered as a temple and our own heart is to be taken as sanctum sanctorum and earlier I told you every Hindu temple is symbolized by seven surrounding walls representing seven chakras and the sanctum sanctorum is Sahasrara Chakra and in that sanctum sanctorum only one crystal clearly perceives Brahman or Nirguna Brahma or Chaitanyam pure Shuddha Chaitanyam and becomes identified with it that's why elsewhere I also had mentioned that in Hindu temples especially it is very much obvious to all of us there is a big pillar that is called Dwajasthamba the pillar where there will be some kind of flag will be there just like national flag some flag will be there what does this flagpole it is called what the what does it represent it represents our ahamkara remember not aham ahamkara I am the body and the mind and this this kara goes identifies in three ways when the lowest grossest person I have my possessions and a little evolved person I am the body not even I am the mind and if that person is more purified then he feels I am the mind but even beyond these three this true spiritual life only will start so the seven chakras are as just now as we discussed is various obstacles what is an obstacle ignorance what is this ignorance our identity first with possessions then with our body then with our mind it is a huge struggle and that struggle has to be continued we have to first separate I am not the object I am the subject I am the Kshetragna and then slowly identify ourselves with that as much as possible and then finally there comes crystal clear understanding there are two things one is called subject another is called object and I am neither the subject nor the object because remember they come together they also disappear together in the waking and dream both of them work out but in the Sushupti both of them become merged in in another state which is called Karana Sharira or causal body so we are accustomed to see Ishwara outside as Bheda what are we seeing whatever we see is nothing but Ishwara for that there are so many examples are given in the sixth chapter so we have studied that one take the example of clay and there are a hundred pots made and our Drishti is completely merged in Nama and Rupa and Prayujana but we are forgetting the what is it the whole thing the whole thing is nothing but clay and that clay we have to identify ourselves that is the first step and that separation I am not the Nama Rupa but I am the clay even a little bit of intellectual understanding that's what takes place in what we call Anahata Chakra so therefore we are accustomed to see but we don't see Ishwara Ishwara with the covering of Nama Rupa or Guna that is called this Jagat that is why other words the gross body, subtle body, causal body or the Panchakoshas, five shriths they are all Anatma only but the Atma is identified at any given time with any one of these shriths or any one of these what is called bodies for example when we are identified with the when we are eating food because we are hungry or drinking water etc we are identified with what Stola Sharira and when we are thinking deeply we are happy or unhappy and we are related we are depressed what was our identity with our mind Sukshma Sharira and when we temporarily escape from these two identities and then we are ignorant who we are but we are free from the identity with body and mind and that is called Sushupti or deep sleep and to that extent our joy becomes Anandamaya Kosha so even identity with either these three bodies or five shriths that is called Anatma but when a person reaches this Agnya Chakra then he knows crystal clearly that even this is this subject object division is also a bondage and he wants to get out but that can only happen by the grace of Ishwara and not otherwise so we have to slowly get rid of this identity that is the purpose of Upasana that's called a Bheda Upasana so we see Karma Kanda it slowly helps us to develop everything associate we are eating food offered to God now it becomes God's food called Prasadam so slowly slowly we have to lift ourselves what is the purpose of this Upasana approach our own true self slowly slowly and slowly and that is going to come in in this so with this background we will enter actually into this one but before we enter is a brilliant introduction by no other than Shankaracharya at first I thought I will summarize the whole thing but I was mesmerized by seeing this Shankarabhasya it is only a small text and therefore I thought I will read out that complete translation and it will be very helpful so this is how it goes remember Shankaracharya's what is called introduction to the eighth chapter what does he say this is what he says although from such a text says it is existence which is one without a second in the sixth chapter and the self is all this Sarvam Kalvidam in the seventh chapter so in both these chapters it has been known that Brahman in its true nature is free from direction location time etc what is all these things Kala, Desha and Vastu for each other but still since the intellect of dull people cannot be suddenly turned towards the supreme reality and since the supreme goal of life cannot be attained without realization of Brahman hence the location of the lotus of the heart has to be here introduced and instructed for its realization so what is the essence of it for ordinary people like us we cannot conceive of that supreme reality and at the same time without realization of God life becomes futile what Buddha calls full of suffering and one cannot realize God without certain preliminary steps and what is the first step find out a location seated on which or imagining God seated on that in a Saguna form with certain qualities one has to slowly develop that thinking this is what exactly Sri Ramakrishna meant on the very first evening when he met him Sandhya means Vedic rituals merge in Gayathri remember profound words without Sandhya nobody can suddenly go on understanding Gayathri only after a long time maybe many lives and then we understand what is the essence of all the Karmakanda to think about mother Gayathri what is the source of all our understanding our and this has to be purified it can come only by the grace of God that is called Gayathri when we have that intellect that right understanding right understanding alone can save us from what is called Tapatraya, Adhyatmika, Adhibhautika, Adhidaivika sources of suffering Shankara continues although the reality of the self which is existence is the only object of fullest knowledge and is devoid of any quality still it is necessary to speak of it as possessed of such qualities as having unfailing desires etc this language is a little bit unfailing desires means that something which we call Ishwara he fulfills everybody's desire unfailing means whatever desires an Agnani an ignorant person has his desire will be completely fulfilled by the of Saguna Brahma also since people of dull intellect seek an entity with qualification therefore this Upasana is prescribed similarly although for the men of realization of Brahman there is a spontaneous detachment from such objects as women and others that means objects of all the five sense organs still since the thirst for objects which has been generated through the enjoyment of these objects in countless past lives one cannot suddenly stop these desires therefore injunctions about particular disciplines such as celibacy etc has to be enjoined so also although for persons who have realized the unity of the self that is Jivan Muktas there is absence of the idea of traveler travel destination reaching etc on the cessation of the causes for continuance of the traces of ignorance etc they merge in their own self like lightning or blowing wind getting merged in space or like fire whose fuel has exhausted what is Shankara talking about for a realized soul the term such as I realized Brahman I reached Brahman the goal of life is the realization of God it is something to be reached as though Vaikuntha is somewhere else and I am here and I have to travel through the help of spiritual disciplines and one day I will find myself traveling all these are false ideas because traveling is possible for a limited object I am here Calcutta is somewhere therefore I have to reach Calcutta and I am small and you are big and therefore I have to obey whatever you speak so I have to do something about it but Brahman who is everywhere and in fact who is everything there is no question of preaching it is purely a cognitive change what is cognitive change that I am ignorant even many people don't know that they're ignorant but to think that they're men or women that is called ignorance so even there is no difference between a mosquito and a man so therefore Shankaracharya continues for a Jeevan Mukta these ideas of travel reaching obtaining Brahma Jnanam etc these are all ridiculous terms because he was Brahman he is Brahman only that cognitive change had taken place previously I did not know I am Brahman now I know I am Brahman that is the change that happens through sadhana this is the experience of Jeevan Muktas but still for those whose intellect has been tainted by such ideas as traveler sadhaka sadhya travel etc and who meditates on the qualified Brahman existing in the heart going out of the body through especially through the cerebral opening at the top of the head called Brahmarandra has to be spoken of and therefore to read these ignorant ideas is eighth chapter and especially this Upasana has started and it starts like this daharo asmin antaraakashaha tasmin yath antaha tad anveshtaviyam tad vava vijignasitaviyam iti nothing can be more clear than this Brahman in the heart that is the section's name om there is in the city of Brahman an abode and that is the small lotus of the heart and within that lotus of the heart there is a small amount of space called chidakasha now what exists within that small akasha that is to be sought after that is what one should desire to understand so it is telling you go to the temple and don't go on looking staring at the shops just enter into you go stand in front of the sanctum sanctorum and go on gazing at the divine lord so where is it to be contemplated within this body within this physical body there is there are two akashas are there outside this physical body there is an akasha called bahya akasha external space but within this sukshma sarira and karana sarira there is something called chitta akasha the mind itself is the space where all the thoughts about everything that we have we are experiencing we are going to experience and what we have experienced remaining in the form of memories they're all there because for an object there must be something for them to stay that which sustains keeps all these objects that is called space but when a devotee rises above these things and tries to think of pure thoughts that is called chit akasha chidakasha and in that chidakasha there is something what is that something it is not telling he is going to tell later on so in that tasmin yad antaha within it whatever is there that that alone had to be sought after that that alone has to be known this is what swami vikaranda says each soul is potentially divine and the goal is to manifest that divinity within by controlling nature external and internal and that is how he has summarized it so i will stop here today because this very beautiful chapter again like other chapters we will talk about it in our next class may ramakrishna holy mother and swami vikaranda bless us all with bhakti hey ramakrishna