Chandogya Upanishad Lecture 106 on 25 May 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 with all the information about the Nadis. Let us recollect what are Nadis. Very subtle channels, not available to any physical instruments, but they are the channels of carriers of energy. From the Sun they come and they enter into these channels and the Prana also comes through them. Then you may be wondering what is the purpose of food that we eat, physical food, that is to keep these channels ready, strong. But for the purification we have to adopt certain methods and there are two meanings to this purification. First meaning is we have to make our body, mind pure by controlling everything. Second, there is a good aid according to Swamiji in the Raja Yoga, Nadi Shuddhi, that is Pranayama can help us. That word Prana, that is what is meant by Pranayama, controlling the Prana and increasing, strengthening that Prana and channelizing that Prana and this exercise called breathing can help us very greatly. So this whole sixth section having six mantras are dealing with that. These are the channels of energy. Now when a person is alive, so that person has to work whatever, whether he does any activity through the body, through the mind, Prana is necessary. Every single thought expends a certain amount of energy. If it is a higher thought, it requires more energy and that is why Brahmacharya, that is in the sense of control of the body, mind is advocated. The more we lessen the unnecessary activities, then the more beneficial will be, more energy will be available for us for our requirements which is of higher ideals and Pranayama is only merely external help. If anybody mistakenly understands through Pranayama, he can realize Brahman when such a person is an irrational person. Pranayama's role is only to regulate the Prana and the purpose of the regulating Prana is to make our body and mind come under control. That is all its function. To the extent it helps, it is great. So this is the first understanding we have. Nadi's are those subtle channels which are activated, energized or not by the contact with the Surya Rashmi, rays of the Sun because the Sun, even the physical orb is full of energy, full of energy he is sending throughout the world into every type of kingdom, plant kingdom, insect kingdom, bird's kingdom, animal kingdom, of course human kingdom. Now there is some new theory also is there. Probably you have heard about it. It is called metal fatigue. When a metal part of even an aeroplane for example is used without giving rest, it slowly loses its utility and there may be accidents. Now that is a living being we can understand becoming fatigued. Metal but what is it? Wear and tear. We are not talking about wear and tear. We are talking about fatigue just like when a person works very hard, he becomes fatigued. So wear and tear comes through age. That is a different process but this fatigue it is because of excess expenditure of energy. If these metal parts are given sufficient rest whether they be factories, aeroplanes, cars or anything, they slowly recover their energy and they function very normally. That's why even factory owners close up their factories for 10 days, 15 days, 20 days for the machines to recover from this fatigue. If that is true then how much is it true with regard to the prani, a living creature, whatever be its status. This is the first part. What is the second part? So we all know that when death comes, it is the physical body which is left behind but the pranas, they depart from there. Here prana means along with the entire subtle body and causal body. It is only the gross physical body which is left behind because it has served its purpose but the other, they don't get tired. They do not die. They die only when liberation is attained. Then the subtle body, gross body, if there is a physical body along with them, all the three will disappear. But whenever what we call death occurs, the physical body is left behind. That's why pranaha utkramanti. Now yesterday we discussed that through which part of the body these pranas depart, go out and we also discussed depending upon what terrible attachment a person has got, whether it is possessions, whether it is sex, whether it is food or many other types of attachments. So sometimes we hear this one. When we hear the sad news of somebody whom we love, they die suddenly without our expectation, engage or accident, then our heart gets very much affected because our heart is that particular organ from where the pranas depart for that person. How beautiful is this understanding. Anyway, this is my understanding. You can develop what you are convinced of, your own understanding. So now what are we talking about? So we are talking about how the pranas depart and the subject matter of the nadis is how to strengthen them, how to purify them so long as we are alive. Then they will be available to us, what we call the full functionality of any machine. These are after all instruments, machines for the purpose of the Jeevatma. So that is what the Upanishad wants to tell us. What happens when a person departs from the gross body, he enters into that special loka called Swapna Aastha, dream state. But his physical body remains completely inert, mechanically maintaining the life. But when and the same process, the body maintains its what is called vital forces even during Sushupti also, otherwise the person will die. But when a person departs, even from that dream state, enters into the Sushupti. What happens? When a person enters into that Sushupti state, this is the third mantra, Samastaha, that is his entire knowledge of the physical world, subtle world, both become completely absorbed in the third state. Samprasannaha, all the duality is absorbed into that non-duality. Then Swapnam Navijanati, he doesn't understand, I am a dreamer, much less I am a waker. Aasu Tatha Nadi Shrupto Bhavati Tam Nakashchana Papma Sprushati. Where does this Jeevatma live during these three states? That is a subject matter with which we left our last class, yesterday's class. So during the waking state, he is Nadi's function in one way. He becomes, he lives in a particular Nadi's. During dream state, he lives in a different Nadi's and during the deep sleep, he lives in the Nadi's. And to be very brief, when we are awake, so the Nadi's depart from our heart because that is the origin, as if it is the mother house and they enter, identify with the waking gross body and experiences the waking state. Similarly, when these Nadi's withdrawing from the gross body, they go out of the heart and works through the mind, means thoughts, means imaginations, that is the dream state. But during this Shrupti, what does he do? Tatha Nadi Shrupto Bhavati. He becomes, he stays, he remains as if in his bedroom and that is called the state of the Sushupti. What happens? Tam Nakashchana Papma Sprushati. No sin can ever attach. So it doesn't mean that he is getting rid of all Papas. Temporarily, so long as he is in that state, since he doesn't have body-mind consciousness, so all the sinful thoughts, sinful memories of sinful actions, they all become temporarily subdued, submerged, not destroyed. Therefore, temporarily, like a person running away from police or authorities, takes cover, hides himself in a bush where nobody can see and he takes rest there. This is Kashchina Papma Sprushati, means he doesn't suffer. He doesn't know what he is suffering. Tejasahi Tatha Sampanno Bhavati. He becomes completely imbued with that power of the Atman, though, as we discussed earlier also, the Mahamaya has two powers, that what is called, imagining so many things, Kshipana Shakti, that is absent, but he doesn't know actually, during that state, but without knowledge, he becomes identified with Eshwara and that is called unbroken happiness. Broken happiness is called Sukha and Dukha. This side of the broken is Sukha, that side of the broken is Dukha. This side of the broken Dukha is Sukha, that side of the broken Dukha is Sukha. So, in between Sukha and Dukha, but in this state of Sushupti, neither Dukha nor Sukha. From the waking standpoint, several hours, he forgets I am the body and mind. That is what the Upanishad wants to say. Tatha Sampanno Bhavati. Sampannaha in English language is a very interesting word, that means he is endowed with wealth. What wealth? Wealth of happiness, bliss. So, the Jeeva travels through the Nadis, not only at death, but the Jeeva's travel at the time of death is most important for his next birth, but continuously the Jeeva travels from one state to the other state. What happens in the waking state, in Jagra Davastha, the Jeeva moves outward through these Nadis to engage, identify with worldly activities. In dream state, Swapna Avastha, he roams within the Nadis experiencing a dream world. In Sushupti, he rests in the Hridaya. Hridaya, remember, is the mother house of the Nadis. Thus, travel through the Nadis is constant and continuous. What happens? He becomes serene. When all the senses and the mind are withdrawn, he is in deep sleep without any dream and then Tatha Nadis Swapna Bhavati. The Jeeva travels through these Nadis to rest back in his house, in his bedroom, which is called Hridaya. That is called Hridayakasha. That is called Chidakasha. That is called Paramatma. So, that is called Brahmapuri. Everything is the same. Thus, in Sushupti, the Jeevatma merges with the Paramatma, dwelling in the state of bliss. I can give you a small example, analogy perhaps. So, there is a baby and he is restless. He is fearful and then his mother takes him up in her lap and happily, fearlessly, with complete security, the baby goes to sleep. And during the sleep, that is Sushupti Avastha, he may not know, my mother is taking care of me. He may not be aware. In fact, he is not aware. But he knows this much, I am in a right place and I have nothing to fear. Somebody is looking after me. That is why somebody had said, whole day, every one of us, each one of us work only so that we can enjoy this Sushupti. There is no comparison with any other state than this Sushupti state. So, he is free. Naturally, the question comes, why does he wake up? Because there are many Punyas and Papas and they are lying temporarily outside the door of the Sushupti house and they stay there for some time. Let this, our Master, whom we want to specially torment, so let him have a little rest, both from happiness and unhappiness. And why rest from happiness? Because let us take him into the air-conditioned room, keep him for 10-15 minutes and then we will take him out and then keep him in the scorching midday heat for several hours. And that several hours is intolerable only because of that few minutes of absolute bliss obtained in the air-conditioned room. Anyway, this is one type of analogy. So, the Punya Papas are paused, affecting the Jeevatma during the Sushupti and then at the right time comes, they are like seeds. So, some bridge comes, bridge of the wakefulness and then immediately they resume urging him, means not urging him, not requesting him, but literally marching him out. But during this Sushupti state, he becomes one with Brahma Chaitanya and he knows unconsciously, I am Brahma Chaitanya. That was what the mantra wants to tell us. But now, what is the condition of a Jeeva before death? So, what is the role of the Nadis during this time? That is what mantra 4 wants to tell us. Now, when a Jeevatma is thus reduced to a weakened condition and others know that he is about to depart, give up this physical body and his relatives and his enemies also, waiting for this moment, confirmation of this moment. Those who sit around him say, do you know me? Do you know me? And the Upanishad is continuing as long as this Jeevatma has not departed from this body and not only that, he should be conscious. That is to say, he is conscious of the physical world. So long, he knows them. That is what mantra 4 wants to say. When this state comes for the Jeevatma just before death, Balamanam means full of strength. Balamanam means weakened condition. So, attained to that state. Those who sit surrounding him, they want to make sure why this fellow is still lingering. Do you know me? Do you know me? And it is not given here, but it is said that they are testing whether he is still awake or not. Saha, that is Jeevatma, about to give up the body. So long as asmat sarirat, from this body, anutkrantaha bhavati, does not depart, but at the same time is conscious. He may not be able to tell all the time. If he has that capacity, he says yes, yes, yes, but if he doesn't, he knows inside they are talking, but he is not able to reply. So, the nod is, what happens? The prana is getting ready. So, he doesn't want to flow through the mouth, etc. So, very flippingly, he will tell yes, yes, yes. Afterwards, he nods his head. After some time, he closes his eyes, but he can hear. After some time, he can't hear and I have seen this condition, how this Jeevatma passes away because I am staying near a hospital. These are very common things, some of our sadhus. So, this is what happens. Now, the next mantra wants to tell something, how a upasaka departs. Not ordinary people, upasakas depart. I recollect Ramakrishna's beautiful quotation. So, he is making fun of these worldly people. He is about to die, still conscious and they are asking, perhaps they are asking, do you recognize me? Do you recognize me? Yes, yes, yes. I recognize the hell out of you. Why is the wick burning so high? Are you out of your mind? How much oil is being expended? Don't you understand how much it costs? And he is on his deathbed. Ramakrishna graphically describes it. When he was describing, I don't know what feelings you can have. So, why is the wick burning? Lower it, lower it immediately. I want to see before death that so much oil is not wasted. So, this is what the Upanishad wants to tell, to remind us. So, do you fall under this category or do you want to follow the other category? And what is that category? So, what would be the condition of the upasaka lifelong? And recollect again what the upasaka is doing. He was praying, he was unable to get up. And then, I am unable to get up and prostrate before you. Therefore, I am saluting you with words only. Swami Sahabasya Upanishad continues, Upahasaka departs. Very interesting. So, mantra five, that is what he wants to describe. Until now, the description pertains to the condition of all beings and especially ignorant beings. Now, from here on, the departure of the upasaka is described. And this is the mantra number five. Athayatra etat asmat sharirat utkramati yatha etaih eva rasmeve uddhvam akramate sa om itiva uddhava miyate sa evat kshepyet manah tavat adityam gacchati etadvai khalu lokadvaram vidusham prapadanam nirodhah avidusham Now, in this way, upasaka departs from this body. Then, he goes upward through these very rays of the sun. Remember, you have to understand, the rays of the sun emerge as if he is throwing them out the pathways. And those rays come to this world and they build a setu, a bridge, an embankment, so that somebody can go there, something can come from there also, like two villages connected with a pathway, motorway. So, those very nadis, now they help him, the Surya Rashmi, the rays of the sun entering becomes that what is called modules of energy, packets of energy and those same helped him to discharge all the functions of the body as well as mind, as well as spiritual disciplines. Now, they are coming to his aid. So, what happens, it becomes as it were, he steps out of his body, like we step out of our house, in front there is a road, if it is a small road, we go, we know where is the motorway and we reach there. From there, we reach a big city and that city is a gate or getaway gate and from there, we go to various destinations. So, that is what the mantra, this particular fifth mantra, graphically describing that through that very rays, he goes out. Where does he go? He either goes upward by meditating or uttering and meditating on Aum, if he is an enlightened Upasaka. Otherwise, he might go to a lower loka, higher loka maybe, but lower, higher loka. This Upasaka reaches the sun within the time that the mind takes for traveling from one object to another. Imagine, you are thinking this moment about a tree. Next millisecond, your thought turned towards a house, a car, anything. How much time does it take or another example is you are in India and your friends are in America and you think of them or you visited them and the memories are still sweet and lingering. The moment you remember where are you, how much time it took you to reach America from India, just the distance of one thought from another thought, that is the time it takes. Still it takes time, but very little, every activity requires some time, but it is not like traveling through the physical body, just a thought. So, that is what happens, he reaches the sun. Why does he reach the sun? Because he has been worshipping the sun for such a long time. So, how much time it takes to reach the sun? As much as a thought takes, I am thinking of the sun and he is with the sun. So, for enlightened souls, here enlightened means those who are Jnanis or Upasakas, this is surely the doorway for reaching the world of Brahma. Remember, this is called Krama Mukti, but is closed for the unenlightened. Unenlightened means remaining confined within the body, attached to the body. So, such a person's mind again and again is pulled towards the body, towards the mind, etc. They cannot go out through the cerebral opening, that is what he wants to convey, that is through which Randra, the soul goes out. So, on based on what authority, the mantra is giving us this information and that authoritative mantra will come in the next last mantra. So, let us briefly discuss this. Atha, now Yatra. And this Upasaka, remember Upasaka, departs giving up this body. How does he travel? Through these very rays of the sun. He always goes up because his mind was always tuned to a higher ideal. So, as if with one step he reached his Ishta Devata. How does he depart this body? He utters Om. Om doesn't mean Om. Om means Narayana. Om could mean Rama. Om could mean Ramakrishna, or Radha, or Kali, or Tara, or Jesus, or Buddha, whichever concept of God the person had during that Upasana. So, Sri Ramakrishna remembers Kali, Kali, Kali. Shuddhiram remembers Raghuvir, Raghuvir, Raghuvir, a monkey in Swami Vignanandaji's house. Rama, Rama. So, we see that Shabari looking at Rama, thinking of Rama, uttering Rama. What do you think she was doing from the time of her childhood until on the very last day Rama appeared to her, came to her? What do you think she was doing? What do you think Gopala's mother was doing? That's why she had those vivid visions of her Bala Gopala. But if Shabari had visions, she would have had the same God but in the form of Rama. Anjaneya Upasaka will get only the visions of Anjaneya. So on and so forth. It goes on. So, Om. Om means any name of God. Name of God means he did not utter the understanding, the feeling. What is it? Like Ajamila. Do you think he went to Vaikuntha because he was uttering the name of his youngest son Narayana? No. He was thinking of Bhagavan Narayana at that time and these are the subtle points we have to understand. If he was thinking of his youngest son, then he would have been born again as a human being like Jada Bharata was born as a deer. So, thinking of one's own chosen deity, that is thinking of God in the Nama Rupa of one's own chosen deity, he jumps as it were. And then how much time it takes to reach Vaikuntha, O Loka, Ramakrishna Loka, Devi Loka. With one thought, he reaches. Like with one thought, we all reach wherever we want to reach. This Aditya is the doorway for further higher upper Lokas. For whom? Pidusha. Only those who are Upasakas. Pidusha means people who know about what they are doing and who do it continuously, constantly, unbrokenly. Prabhadanam, a retainment will be there. But those who do not think of God all the time, Nirodhaha Pidusham. For those ignorant people, that means non-Upasakas, non-devotees, Nirodhaha. Where will they go? Beautiful answer has been given in the Bhagavad Gita by Bhagawan Shri Ramakrishna in the form of Shri Krishna. What did he say? Urdhvam Gacchanti Sattvastaha, Madhye Tishtanti Rajasaha, Adho Gacchanti Tamasaha. So if somebody's guna is dominantly Tamasic, he goes down as an animal, non-human. If he is a Rajasic, he will be born on this very earth. And if he is a Sattvic, Urdhvam Gacchanti. And every Upasaka is a Sattvaguna Sampana, endowed with these Sattvic qualities. See how beautifully that's why Shri Ramakrishna says, continuously practice Japa, Tapa, Dhyana, etc. So that at the end, you may not be able to utter. That is the first point. You may be even unconscious. That is the second point. But before becoming unconscious, whatever you are thinking, Bhagawan counts that last thought. So that is what Holy Mother said. Whatever Holy Mother says is a Veda Vakya for all of us. So these non-Upasakas, herein called unenlightened souls, remaining attached to the body and mind. So what happens? They do not go out through the Brahmarandra. That is the point they want to mention here. So this is on the authority of a mantra, which is going to come in the next two, in this very section itself. So what is the essence of this fifth mantra? So people is when is a Upasaka. People means Upasakas, Bhaktas, devotees depart from this body. They go to higher Lokas, of course dependent upon their Sadhana. So they may reach Vaikuntha, etc. But always they remember the names of God as their Ishta Devatas. And it takes a twinkling, just a one simple thought, a bilisecond to reach that place because it is the travel by the purified mind, nothing to do with physical body. And that is where the Krama Mukti we are talking about. Remember this is a description of Krama Mukti. But a person who knows I am Brahman, he doesn't go anywhere because there is nowhere where he can go. He is everywhere. But for all other people, depending if he is a Rajasik, that means worldly thoughts, he will be reborn on this earth. And if he is a Tamasik, that means he is too lazy even to be attached to anything in this world. That is why the food that is rotten, evil smelling, etc., etc., he is quite happy. Just how is he happy? Because his Tamasikata is more important than what he is eating, etc. So that is what he says. And Taittiriya Upanishad also strengthens this one. So this through the Sushumna Nadi which is called Indra Yoni because it leads to upper world or Indra Loka. So a knowledgeable person goes through Brahma Randhra. Other persons go through other Randhras. Mainly here we are talking about Upasakas. They always go through Brahma Randhra, but not necessarily they reach Mukti. Krama Mukti, yes. Sadya Mukti, no. And that is why we have to remember God always. We all know this one, what happens to such a person. So now description. What happens to this Upasaka? How, through which part of the body it departs? I don't place much importance to these things. If a Upasaka dies by accident, it doesn't mean that he doesn't go to Devi Loka or anything. Very interesting. I will talk about it. So we are entering into Mantra 6. Mantra 5 describes how the person departs and there is a highway made up of the rays of the sun. Here sun means Ishta Devata and he will go to that Ishta Devata Loka. But how does a highest Upasaka depart? Tat Eshas Lokaha. This is the authority. Tat Eshas Lokaha. Repetition of this Utkramane Bhavanti, Utkramane Bhavanti twice is to signal the end of this particular section or chapter or the whole Upanishad. Many times in the Upanishads we see this. So there is this Mantra, authoritative Pramana Mantra about what we are going to talk about in this 6th Mantra. A hundred and one are the arteries of the heart spreading in different places. But only one of them that is through the Sushumna Nadi leads up to the crown of the head, Brahmarandra or it is called also Indrayoni. Passing upwards through that Brahmarandra, one attains immortality while the other artery serves for departing in various other directions. So what does it mean? Here is the Pramana because for the followers of Vedas, Vaidika, whatever Veda says is Tadetat Sathyam. As Mundaka Upanishad put, every single syllable is absolute truth. So here is the Pramana Mantra. Shatamcha Ekacha Hridayasya Nadiyaha. From the heart, one hundred plus one, one hundred one Nadis. I use the word Nadis only. There is no English equivalent. Don't use the word Narus because Narus can be experienced, not Nadis. So hundred and one, they come out of the heart, they spread above, sideways, below, behind, in front, etc. But Tasam, among all those hundred one, Eka Abhinishruta. One particular Nadi specially goes from the heart to the Murdhanam, to the top of the head. Murdhanam means top of the head. Taya Urdhvamayan and only a Upasaka who can travel through that Urdhvamayan, having travelled and he is in the right direction, upper direction, higher direction and he comes through the to the Brahmarandra, departs through the Brahmarandra. What happens? Amrutatvam Eti. He attains immortality. He is the authority. That's why many Yogis, they believe in it and they try to depart through the Brahmarandra. But unfortunately, unconscious desires pull them down. So through the mouth, through the ears, somebody is very much attached to music, through the ears, attached to forms, then through the eyes, attached to food, through the stomach and attached to other desires. So that person will depart through those openings because it is like a huge tent. There is a royal door but there are all sorts of doors are there. By the way, Swami Brahmananda used to talk about Varanasi. It is like the back door to Shiva Loka. But I don't care back door or front door or side door or above door or below door. I don't care. If I reach Shiva Loka, I am quite happy. And I think that is also same thing with you. What about others? Vishwam. There are so many. All other hundred Adi's, they lead the Jeevatma through various Lokas. Utkramane, that is departure. Bhavanti, they become instruments. Utkramane, Bhavanti, that means they reach what they desire. I am very attached to food, I will go to Anna Loka. Attached to music, Sangeetha Loka. Attached to other things, to those particular Lokas. I am attached to Krishna, I will go to Gu Loka, etc. So, this is what this mantra wants to tell us. But as I said, I am not 100% convinced of this. First of all, a knowledgeable person will not depart at all because he has become Brahman and Brahman is beyond time, space and causation. Therefore, there is no way for him. There is no here and there. There is no body and mind. It is only for the other people who are still dwelling in this world of duality. That is all that we can tell. Now I want to just quote before I close today's. With this, practically the 6th section of this 8th chapter comes to an end. Now, when Shri Ramakrishna promised to Rashik, promised to Ajra, promised to Swamiji at the time of death, I will come and look after him. Promised to Kalipada Ghosh and how many people he promised, God alone knows. We don't know. And they actually saw and he took. Where do you think they go? They go, they attain Sadyo Mukti, complete liberation because he is a Parabrahma. Now recollect, after Mathur's passing away, somebody asked specifically, where did the soul go? Because Shri Ramakrishna said, I saw a chariot coming from the Devi Loka, taking Mathur and departing hence to that Devi Loka. So somebody mistook it. Is it what is called Mukti? He said, no, he has to be reborn. And he also explained because he had some unfulfilled desires are there. So there is a difference between these. But if Shri Ramakrishna himself takes them, he will not leave them to that Loka where they have to be reborn again. So these are the things we have to relate, connect when we are studying the incidents, the teachings of Shri Ramakrishna.