Hinduism 07

Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Prayer

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु ।

मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।

हरिः ॐ ।

Transliteration (IAST):

Om Saha Nāvavatu

Saha Nau Bhunaktu

Saha Vīryaṃ Karavāvahai

Tejasvi Nāvadhītamastu

Mā Vidviṣāvahai

Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ

Hariḥ Om

Translation:

Om, may Brahman protect us both.

May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge.

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

May what we both study reveal the truth.

May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other.

Om, peace, peace, peace be unto all.

Introduction to Hindu Scriptures

So we are discussing Hinduism, and of it we are discussing the Hindu scriptures. Of the Hindu scriptures, as I mentioned, there are seven classes, but the first is called Śruti. Śruti means that which is intuitively perceived in the hearts of purified beings.

I promised in my last class that I would give you a glimpse of what is contained here. I can only give a small glimpse because this is so vast that nearly 22,000 mantras are there. This Veda, as I mentioned earlier, has been divided into two parts: the ritualistic part, Karma Kāṇḍa, and the knowledge part called Jñāna Kāṇḍa. This Jñāna Kāṇḍa, which also goes by the name of Vedānta, consists of Upaniṣads which need a separate class by itself—not one class, but I will try to finish in one class.

Common Misconceptions About the Vedas

Now coming back to these Vedas, there are several misconceptions regarding them. Swami Vivekananda used to say that every Hindu must at least have some study of Vedas in order to get rid of superstitions. Just to give you a small glimpse of two superstitions:

First Misconception: Vegetarianism in Vedic Times

One: Hindus never ate beef, whereas our ṛṣis were practically eating beef almost every day. Swami Vivekananda used to say two young ṛṣis used to polish off a well-grown bull calf.

Second Misconception: Women and Vedic Study

The second superstition is that in the Vedic times, even women used to be called Brahmavādinīs. Brahmavādinī means she who thinks, talks, and practices the teaching about Brahman—that means God-absorbed life. So what about today's women? In the olden days, anybody, everybody was entitled to Yajñopavīta. But nowadays women have no such Gāyatrī Mantra access.

In fact, it is only after Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa came, or Holy Mother's birth, that books have been published, women have freedom all over the world, and they are studying these sacred scriptures. Holy Mother represents a new type of generation, the beginner of Brahmavādinīs. In our Śāradā Maṭh, so many nuns are there. But lest you should think only monks should study the Vedas and nuns should study the Vedas—that's not the idea. Anyone who is a devotee of God, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, is entitled to study. This is one part.

Third Misconception: Otherworldliness

There is a terrible misconception about Hinduism that Hinduism is always otherworldly. How stupid are people to make such a statement! In fact, if you recall what I spoke about Hinduism, our supreme values as indicated by the Vedas are four. What were they? Dharma, Artha, Kāma, and Mokṣa. Mokṣa means liberation. But what about Dharma, Artha, and Kāma? To which world do they belong? This world or is it the spiritual world? Purely this world—enjoy more and more. That is why Swami Vivekananda had come to rouse our consciousness to that.

So as I mentioned, these superstitions even among the Hindus will vanish once we study the Vedas. Of course, one problem is that many hymns in the Vedas are very archaic. The language is very archaic. Even if you know Sanskrit, it makes no meaning at all. That is why there were several translators right from the very beginning.

Understanding the Vedas

The Vedas have developed certain subsidiary parts in order for us to be able to understand them and interpret them properly. There is etymological meaning, there is grammar, and there is Vyākaraṇa. There is a way of reading and interpreting.

Just to give you an understanding: in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, the very first chapter is called Śikṣā Vallī. Śikṣā means how to study Sanskrit, how to pronounce, how to be able to understand it properly. It is a very beautiful chapter by itself and it also contains what we call contemplation.

Modern Interpretations

The meaning of Vedas has become very difficult for us to understand. In the 14th-15th century there was a great scholar who was rumored to have become a monk later on. His name was Sāyaṇa. He literally commented upon these Vedas. In modern times, several people tried to do it. Of them, Aurobindo was one of the most important. He had written a book called The Secret of the Veda.

He claims—which might be true at least in part—that every Vedic mantra has two meanings: an exoteric meaning which is outside, and an esoteric meaning which is secret meaning. Of course, I would not agree with that completely. Yes, there is an esoteric meaning, but this is a religious development. In the beginning, people's understanding is very small, but as time went on they developed a higher and higher type of understanding. This would be the structure with which I would be today dealing with some of the important quotations from the Vedas, as it were, and some important concepts.

Vedic Prayers and Their Significance

So I will begin here, excluding as I said Upaniṣadic things. First of all, this Hinduism has got a bad name that people are only talking about liberation, that this world is Māyā and they do not want to enjoy. Prayers always consist of three things in any religion. Any religious prayer has for its goal three contents:

1. First: Let me never suffer.
2. Second: Let me always enjoy.

These would be the two prayers common for all common people. But there would be a few exceptional people who would say: "I am tired of this worldly life. I want the ultimate goal which is Niḥśreyasa, Mokṣa."

For most of the people it is: I want to live and let live—in modern language, "live and let live." There is a special word for this "live and let live" which includes prosperity and moral life. That word in English language is called "righteous life."

The Concept of Ṛtam

In music there is a term which is used: rhythm. You know what is rhythm? A song must be sung in rhythm. The Śruti must be alright and the Tāla must be alright. Everything must be in harmony. These two words—rhythm and righteousness—have sprung from the Sanskrit word Ṛtam.

Prayer for Happiness

So the point I am trying to make is that our Vedic ṛṣis were very vigorous people who wanted to enjoy this world. Here is a prayer for Sukha Prāpti, for obtaining all that makes for our happiness in this world:

"I invoke at repeated sacrifices Indra, the perceiver, the protector, the hero who is easily propitiated. Indra, the powerful, invoked by many. May Indra, the lord of affluence, bestow prosperity upon us."

This also indicates faith in the saving grace of God. There are innumerable prayers like that from the Ṛg Veda. I am not going into them.

Prayer for Longevity

Then here is another example: "May we see the sun rise a hundred autumns." What does that mean? May I live 100 years—not less, not 99, not 99.999, but 100 years. If possible, more also, of course.

"May we live a hundred autumns, hear through a hundred autumns, speak through a hundred autumns, and be happy and contented a hundred autumns, even beyond these years."

I will repeat it again because it is a very meaningful prayer. What is it? May we live a hundred autumns—not like a living dead. May we hear a hundred autumns. That means what my grandchildren are speaking, let me hear.

There was this old man who suddenly lost his power of hearing. So he went to the doctor, and the doctor made some adjustments and he was able to hear. But after a few days, the doctor saw him again and said, "Your hearing is all right. So why are you still wearing this hearing aid and taking it off? Pretending as if you needed that?"

He said, "You don't know, doctor. Because of this instrument, I have changed my will several times."

Perfect hearing—that means may I be full-limbed. May I see everything. May I be able to speak. There should be no impediment in hearing, in seeing, in tasting, in touching—in all. That means may my sense organs be in full vigor for how long? Fifty years? No. Ninety years? No. One hundred years.

Lest God may not understand it properly, he is repeating it: a hundred autumns. Speak through a hundred autumns and be happy and contented a hundred autumns. May, nay, even beyond these years, if possible—at least a minimum of this.

Who can say, who would dare to say that ṛṣis were otherworldly people?

Women Seers

There were also many, many women seers, ṛṣis, in whose name—see the Sūktas, what these seers had experienced and then made a statement of their experiences. They are called Sūktas. Sūkta means su-ukta, well-stated. Well-stated means not referring to the power of speech, but to the power of experience. What Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to call "authorised," because they had genuine experience.

Here is a statement: She, the ṛṣi, had known or realized as her own self the Supreme Brahman—that which must be realized. Here is a statement in the Vedas.

Prayers for Protection from Enemies

So these are all a glimpse, a small percentage for happiness and obtaining of happiness. But we also must get rid of unhappiness—enemies especially. Everybody will have enemies. Even ṛṣis will have enemies. Prayers for duḥkha nivṛtti, including destruction of enemies:

"O bounteous one, you are our father and mother. O Indra, with you as our helper, let us answer our enemies. You are ours and we yours."

What a beautiful statement—let us answer our enemies. That means, let us get even with them, conquer them. Like this, hundreds of hymns are there throughout the Vedas.

The Quest for God

But as I said, these Vedas contain right from the beginning a quest for happiness in this world, a quest for happiness in the other world, and a quest for liberation from all this bondage. But they must have a concept of God.

So there are beginnings in these Vedas where people question: Is there such a God? They may not use the word God; they use the word power. Always the quest for higher things starts with the word power. So what is that power behind a plant? What is the power behind the sun? What is the power behind my enemy? What is the power that makes this body—what in English language they call "tick"?

From Many to One

So here is a beautiful concept. They had analyzed these things and from the many they are slowly traveling towards the one—from the many to the one.

"He is the sun dwelling in the heavens, the air dwelling in the sky, Vasu, the appointer of the stations of all creatures in the mid-region, the fire existing in the altar, the Agni on earth, the guest in the house. He dwells among men, among the gods, in truth and in space. He is born in water, born on earth, born in the sacrifice and born in the mountains. He is the truth, he is the great one."

Understanding Supreme God

In the beginning, the Vedic people—and mind you, when I am talking about Vedas, one important point you must always keep in mind is there were people divided into two classes:

1. First: Common people with common problems seeking common solutions.
2. Second: People deeply thoughtful who have gone beyond these human necessities—thinking people, thoughtful people trying to find out the reality.

So these people said: Who is the sun? That is the God. Who is the air? That is the God. Who gives us all this bounteousness, harvest? There are gods. So how many gods are there? They praised in turn, each in turn, and made that person the supreme God.

Now, though it is not directly relevant to our talk: What do you mean by supreme God? Supposing you are dying of thirst, who is your supreme God? Suppose your fields are drying up, who is your supreme God? Your family members or your animals are dying of disease—who would be your supreme God? So you see, what is called "supreme" is dictated by our necessities.

Then, for ordinary people, it is fine. Even in India today, you will get—you know, Hindus believe there is a God for everything, including diseases. There is a God or Goddess who is in charge of a particular disease. For example, Śītalā is for smallpox. Like this—is it true?

Story of Swami Śaradānanda

I mentioned, I think, an incident. Once Swami Śaradānandaji was there in Belur Math and cholera was raging in Calcutta at that time. One afternoon, he was standing in front of the kitchen. He saw a ferocious Goddess trying to enter into the kitchen. He put out his hands like this: "I will not allow you to enter into the kitchen." Of course, he must be praying to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa.

Then this Goddess turned her face and entered into that area which used to have the brick factory, you know, behind where the present training center is. Several days later, so many workers there contracted cholera and then they died. If Swami Śaradānanda had not prevented, then this Goddess would have come.

You know, we know very little about the workings of nature because we are so gross-minded. See, Hindus believe that every phenomenon, good or bad, has its own in-charge. It's a power.

The Ultimate Power

Then the question comes: These powers—just as we have little powers—and all this understanding is based upon common human experience. You see, I am a common person. There must be somebody who is ruling me. Who is ruling? Our council is ruling us. These councils are ruled by some higher officer. Ultimately, the government, British government, is the ruler. In the British government, who is the real ruler? Prime Minister, or whoever moves the Prime Minister, whatever it is.

So the idea is: Who is this power behind all these powers? Who is the ultimate? It has one advantage. If you can catch hold of the ultimate, then all your prayers will be answered in one place. You do not need to go to like a supermarket, you know, where you can buy everything there. Of course, God is a supermarket where we don't need to buy—you just go there and take whatever you want. So that is the idea.

Ekam Sat Viprāḥ Bahudhā Vadanti

So here is the beginning of wisdom. This particular mantra which occurs in the Ṛg Veda had become the guiding dogma of Hinduism:

"They—the men of wisdom—call Him (the ultimate power): Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, and He is the heavenly, noble-winged Garutman. The reality is one, but sages call it by many names. They call it Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan, and so on."

This famous one—Swami Vivekananda had made it even more famous: Ekam Sat Viprāḥ Bahudhā Vadanti.

In a way, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's incarnation is just to prove that this statement is the most important statement. He condensed it even more in his own words: Yato mat, tato path—as many opinions, so many paths. As many faiths, so many paths. This is the greatest contribution of Hinduism to the world religions.

The Hymn of Creation: Nāsadīya Sūkta

Then, these people also—when we see something, a product—as I said, all this wisdom, guessing, imagination comes out of human understanding. You see in front of you that there is nothing, it is an empty space. Suddenly after some time, a beautiful plant has come. What would be your idea? There must have been a seed and this seed must have sprouted and now I see this. Nobody would believe that mangoes will fall from the sky.

There was a beautiful hymn. It is so famous. Swami Vivekananda himself had translated it. It is called Nāsadīya Sūkta, the hymn of creation.

Mahāpuruṣa Mahārāj used to love this. At midnight, when he was not getting sleep, he used to ask his attendant: "Will you please read out that?" Because it is so profound. The thought, you know, is unimaginable for most of us.

Swami Vivekananda's Translation

So here is Swami Vivekananda's translation:

"Existence was not then, nor non-existence. The world was not, the sky beyond was neither. What covered the mist? Of whom was that? What was in the depths of darkness thick? Death was not then, nor immortality. The night was neither separate from day, but motionless did that vibrate."

Some people compare this to quantum mechanics. If you are paying attention to what I am reading, just I am telling you: Death was not then, nor immortality. Death was not there. Why was death not there? Because there was no manifestation. When there was no manifestation, how can there be death?

There is this Mother Ādyāśakti Kālī. When creation was not there, when there was no creation, where, Mother, did you get this garland of skulls? Paradoxical!

Sat and Asat

Well, life and death, this Sat and Asat—Sat means existence, Asat means non-existence. So there can be Asat only when there is Sat. When there is no existence, there cannot be non-existence. But one will always be there with the other. Which one? Both of them will be there at the same time.

One of the most paradoxical teachings of quantum mechanics is: a particle is both a particle and a wave, and a particle is at opposite ends of space at the same time. Can you imagine that a thing will be at the same time at two different places? Can you imagine yourself—you are here and you are also somewhere else? Is it possible at the same time?

It is possible only if there is something which is unified. It is possible when you are the only one. If you are infinite, you are here, you are there. You are in the past, you are in the future. You are everything. This concept of infinity, immortality—this is what these people are thinking in those days.

Motionless Vibration

"But motionless did that vibrate." How can anything vibrate in motion? Vibration means what? How can something vibrate motionlessly? What does it mean? This is what is called a glimpse of quantum mechanics.

"Alone with its own glory, one, beyond that nothing did exist."

So it goes on and on:

"Creative then became the glory, with self-sustaining principle below, and creative energy above. Who knew the way? Who there declared whence there arose projection—from where? Who therefore knew indeed came out this whence? He, the ruler in the supreme sky of this—He, O Sharman, knows, or perhaps even he does not know."

This is a very, very profound hymn. It itself needs a big commentary if we have to understand it, even intellectually, a bit of it—just to indicate what these Vedic seers were thinking about.

Creation from Nothing

Where from did this creation come? If it has come from there, there is also a Christian concept of Genesis. So God was there, there was nothing. Out of nothing, he produced this. Is this a quantum mechanics principle or not? Out of nothing, he created. Is it not what is called paradoxical, irrational, that something can come out of nothing?

But what was that nothing then? It must be something. But clearly it is telling: out of nothing he created, he brought out this creation. But we understand literally, without understanding that there was nothing and simply it came out. No—there is something. And what was that something? Only God.

So this creation has come out of whom? Logical conclusion.

Anyway, these paradoxical statements—because creation is beyond thought. Why is it beyond thought? Because thought is thought. Thinking is done through what? Through the mind. Mind is a created thing. Therefore, how can you think something before you came?

Illustration: The Child and His Parents' Wedding

Just mentioning, you know, when I was in Delhi, there was one devotee who used to come. This devotee used to come with his grandson and his parents. Some other devotees used to poke fun with this small one. They used to make friends with this small child.

"Did you know you like cakes and other things?" He said yes. "And what an injustice that when your father and mother married, they didn't invite you, did they?"

And of course, he was a child, you know. He would turn to mom: "Why did you not invite me?"

The body, mind, the whole creation had never taken place. How is it possible for this mind which is created, which works through time, space, and causation, that it can think of something beyond time, space, and causation? This is called Nāsadīya Sūkta.

There are several Sūktas like this which are most marvelous. This is just a small, tiny, one billionth of what profound thoughts are there.

Puruṣa Sūkta: The Cosmic Being

I am slowly taking ourselves, you know, from prayers for avoidance of dangers and happiness, then acquiring things which would make us happy, then after settling down, thinking about: Well, where from this universe has come—all this?

Then you see, look around. Man looks around and he sees there is so much variance: intelligent, dull, rich, poor, strong, weak, Brāhmaṇas, non-Brāhmaṇas, those who are rulers, those who are ruled, those who are friends, those who are enemies. This varied creation is there. But where from all this has come? Who created all these things? Why did God create all these things?

Here also we get a Sūkta. It is called Puruṣa Sūkta. It is one of the most important Sūktas for understanding the structure of Hindu society, the theological thought about creation.

Three Key Concepts

Where from this universe has come? If it has come from somewhere, then it must have sacrificed itself. So this particular Puruṣa Sūkta gives us three concepts which are very famous today:

1. First concept: Where from the creation has come.
2. Second concept: Every creation needs sacrifice. Something doesn't come out of nothing. Everything comes out of something. But for something to become something else, it must sacrifice itself.

To give a small example: If you want first-class yogurt, the milk has to be sacrificed. If you want a plant, the seed has to be destroyed. Something has to be given. So this concept of sacrifice.

1. Third concept: In the present-day Hindu society, the much maligned and misunderstood caste system—Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra. It is based upon this Puruṣa Sūkta.

The Hymn

I will just first read out briefly Puruṣa Sūkta:

Om sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt Sa bhūmim viśvato vṛtvā atyatiṣṭhad daśāṅgulam

The Puruṣa, the Supreme Being, has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet. He has enveloped this world from all sides and has even transcended it by ten aṅgulas or inches.

Thousand-headed—so you will see pictures, you know, Viśvarūpa Darśana of Viṣṇu. He's got a thousand heads. How many hands? Thousand heads and four hands!

A Humorous Aside

I am reminded of a joke. There was this poet. His name was Rāmakṛṣṇa, unfortunately. So he went to the Divine Mother's temple, and the Mother had ten heads but only two hands. So he started laughing uproariously. The Mother got very, very annoyed.

If you pray, she may not appear. But if you ridicule, definitely she will come. Immediately she came. She said, "Why are you laughing?"

He said, "Let me explain before you take any action. Look, when I have a cold, I have only one nose, two hands, yet I can't manage. You have ten noses, only two hands. How are you able to manage?"

So just imagine: four hands, thousand heads. How is he going to manage at all? Thousand feet, thousand hands? No.

The True Meaning

What it means is: every being that has a head belongs to that Divine Lord. Every hand that we see belongs to Him. Every body, every mind that is here belongs to Him. Everything is He and nothing else.

This is the concept of the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā. Viśvarūpa Darśana means it is not that He has a billion hands, billion heads. Whatever we see in this universe is nothing but a part of His body. Just as we see in our body—here are eyes, here is nose, here are hands, here legs—whatever we see in this world of ours, everything belongs to Him.

So it goes on and on: "All this verily is the Puruṣa." All this means whatever we see is nothing but Puruṣa. Not only see here—if you go to Svarga Loka, what is it? That is also He. You go to Saptarṣi Maṇḍala, what do you see? That is also He.

Higher Worlds

Hindus believe there are several higher worlds. Among them there is a world called Saptarṣi Maṇḍala, where seven sages sit. That is where Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa has gone.

Here is an interesting question to you: You are all devotees of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Do you believe he was sitting and having bright imagination? Or do you believe that really there are such worlds and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's mind has really gone there?

You know, it is a very profound question. There are worlds, because Chandramani Devi had seen so many gods and goddesses, and they also get tired traveling in the sun. Not only you, but they also get tired. We have no reason to disbelieve. Several different worlds, different creatures, different things are there.

Continuing the Hymn

So all this is really the Puruṣa. All that which existed in the past or will come into being in the future is also the Puruṣa. Also He is the Lord of immortality. That which grows profusely by food is also the Puruṣa.

So much is His greatness. However, the Puruṣa is greater than all that we can imagine. All the beings form only a small part of Him. The three-quarter part of His which is eternal is established in the spiritual domain—meaning it is invisible. What we see in the form of this universe is only a small part of Him.

In fact, when we see a small part of infinity, that is called Jagat, the world. How much can you see? How much can you hear? How much can you taste, touch, etc.?

The Cosmic Sacrifice

From Him, the Devas performed a Yajña or sacrificial ritual using the Puruṣa as the sacrificial material for the ritual. Then the spring became the ghee, the summer served as pieces of wood, and the autumn filled the place of oblatory material like the rice cake. That means the whole time—time itself became a part of the sacrifice.

The Origin of the Four Varṇas

We see so many castes, especially the Hindu caste system. Wherefrom have they come?

From His face or mouth came the Brāhmaṇas. From His two arms came the Kṣatriyas. From His two thighs came the Vaiśyas. From His two feet came the Śūdras.

Understanding the Symbolism

What is the idea? Some people misinterpret it. The idea is not that Brāhmiṇs are superior and Śūdras inferior. The one point we have to understand is that the whole body is one unified whole.

So supposing you say, "Okay, two feet—they are very inferior. Cut off the feet. It doesn't matter." What happens to you? Then, you know, only mouth is there, no stomach is there, no legs are there, no feet are there. What would be your condition? There is no condition because you will not be there. Simple truth.

This is to indicate something very interesting psychologically. What is the psychological aspect? Where is the brain? Up here. Where is the strength? You see, man protects the most important part of our body. What is it? The head.

But the hands—both hands are used for action. To move, the Kṣatriyas—the warrior class—are there to protect. But the brain is there. How to protect? But what is protected, what is accumulated has to be distributed. That distribution is done by whom? By the legs, because of movement. Legs indicate movement.

And the lower feet are indicative that everybody must be served. There will be people who are less intelligent, there will be people more intelligent. Variations are there.

The Unity in Diversity

This is to indicate that in this universe there will be variations. You cannot get rid of the variations. Second, do not look at the variation—look at the whole universe as a single unit, as a body. This is the concept they want to give us. And that is the great sacrifice.

In any case, from whom did the Śūdras or the fourth caste spring? From God. So if they have sprung from God, then what is inferior about them?

The Sweetmeat Analogy

Let me give a small example to make this point clear. Supposing you make a sweetmeat like a human being. Nowadays they make cakes. Imagine a sweetmeat, a cake, is made in the form of a human being. Now somebody says, "Why should I eat the feet? I will eat only the head of the sweetmeat."

Does the leg of the sweetmeat taste any bit less because it is the leg? It is only the shape!

This is to indicate that not only have we come from God, but for this universe to function properly, all these parts are necessary. For a cinema, there must be a hero, a heroine, a villain, and a driver, a chauffeur.

Just imagine what would be the condition of the world if a fellow is a billionaire but he had to drive his own car. What a horrible thing it is!

Holy Mother's Teaching

This world consists of everything, but do not make a distinction. This beautiful truth has been taught by Holy Mother: "Baba, do not look down even upon an insect, because this insect also is part of this creation."

So finding a meaning, a unified meaning in the whole universe as equally valuable—that is called a holistic view. If we don't have that view, it is called a wholistic view. The only difference is: in the first there is a "W," in the next there is no "W" there. Holistic view and wholistic view.

Modern Recognition of Interconnectedness

Now we are realizing how much damage we have done by the destruction of some species, plants, etc. And there is something very interesting I have to tell you. There is a—I don't know how many of you know—there is a huge project for collecting the wild seeds of all varieties of food material. Wild seeds.

Because the modern varieties of rice—Basmati rice and all these things—they all have been assiduously cultivated over millions of years from wild varieties. So why are these scientists so eager to do this? Because they are fearing there may come a bug when the entire modern crop could be destroyed. But the wild ones, they are free from this. So if such a time comes, they will be our savior.

Three Key Concepts from Puruṣa Sūkta

This hymn is indicating for us three facts, as I said:

First: Everything Came from God

First, everything came from God. If everything came from God, like a sweetmeat, then which part of it is inferior? No part is inferior. Or it looks very ugly otherwise. Supposing, you know, there is a fellow who has no legs. How does he look? Does he look beautiful? Every part must be there for him to be complete.

Second: Creation Through Sacrifice

The second point is: It came from whom? From God. How did it come? Because God sacrificed—the infinite sacrificed himself to appear as the finite. The immortal sacrificed himself as though to become mortal. The unlimited, the blissful sacrificed himself to become as though unhappy Because in this world, both happiness and unhappiness are there. Where from does the unhappiness come? It must be from God himself. He is called Cidānanda. Sat has become Asat. Cit has become Acit. Ānanda has become Duḥkha.

Is it not a great sacrifice? Which is a great sacrifice? I give up my 10,000 pound yearly job only because I have been offered a 100,000 pound job. Is it a sacrifice? The other way round is a great sacrifice. That is why it is called Yajña.

This concept of Yajña I have to discuss later on.

Third: Necessary Variation for Harmony

The third point is that this variation—it is also necessary for the harmony of this universe. And Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's words are so profound. This universe is like a drama. And this drama will not be complete without Jyotsna, Jyotiṣa, and Kuṭila. Without Jyotsna and Kuṭila, this drama will not be complete.

What does it mean? Without some bad characters or humorous characters, this drama will not be a nice drama. What is he indicating? That if there are only Brāhmiṇs, what will happen? If there are only warriors, what will happen? If there are only all rich people, what will they do? Who will cook? Who will clean?

The Bride's Complaint

There is a beautiful story, you know. This couple got married and the honeymoon was over. She came back. As soon as this bride came back, the wife, she phoned her mother: "Mom, mom, take me away immediately from here. My husband is a horrible fellow."

"So what happened? How did your honeymoon go?"

"Excellent."

"Then when did you come?"

"Only today, half an hour back."

"So what is the problem?"

"You see, the moment I landed, he started using these horrible four-letter words. Immediately you must take me away."

"Come on, tell me what are those four-letter words?"

"Mama, mama, I can't even utter those things."

"Come on, come on, I am your mother, please tell."

He says, "Cook, wash, iron."

And the mama said, "This is really horrible. I will collect you in ten minutes' time."

Everything Is Necessary

See, everything is needed for completing this drama. And for that, a great sacrifice has to be made. This harmony cannot be achieved in this world if everybody is exactly in the same position. Everybody must be there.

This was also illustrated by Ṭhākur through a beautiful parable. I think, I hope you remember it. Once Sītā looked out of her window and said every worker was slogging in this hot sun. "So why should there be differences? Rāma, you are God himself. Why don't you provide for everybody?"

He said, "No, this world cannot go on like that."

Then she said, "No, no, no. If you wish, you can make everybody happy."

So he announced, "Take as much money, as much food as you want." And next day everybody stopped working—only eating and sleeping. Very soon, by the will of Rāma, the roof of the house started leaking. He wanted it to be repaired. But where were the workers to be found?

In this world, though painful it may appear to be, everybody is necessary. What is forbidden, however, is: do not look down upon anybody. Everybody is fulfilling his own work.

Rāśik's Story

And how Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa turns this into the greatest spiritual practice! Once Rāśik came and complained to Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "How unfortunate I am, Baba. Everybody can come to your room and enjoy your presence, singing. I am unfortunate, I can't come."

You know what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said? "Rāśik, you are doing the greatest work. If everybody is sitting and listening, who will clean this Rāstā, you know, the roads? And if you don't clean, the devotees of God coming to the Divine Mother, they will suffer. You are rendering the greatest service."

What a wonderful concept, you know. See, it was really true. Of course, he could not have come to his room in those days. But it lifted him from an ordinary lowly job and it became one of the highest service to the Divine Mother. And that is why Rāśik also accepted it, followed it. That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's boon came: "When you die, I will come and with my own hand, I will lead you to the highest place."

This Puruṣa Sūkta—I just gave you a small glimpse.

Three Foundational Vedic Concepts

Then comes, as I mentioned, the Vedas contributed three wonderful concepts. We have to discuss them if we have to understand our Hinduism or heritage.

1. Ṛtam: The Cosmic Order

The first is called Ṛtam. From the word Ṛtam came the word "rhythm" and also the word "righteousness." What are the first three letters of righteousness? R-I-T. Ṛtam, R-I-T-A—Ṛta or Ṛtam.

Om, Ṛeam, Ṛtam. This word we find in the Vedas.

2. Dharma: Individual Harmony

So Ṛtam is the first concept. The counterpart of this Ṛtam is called Dharma.

3. Yajña: Sacrifice in Action

And Dharma in action, day-to-day action, minute-by-minute action, in daily practice, is called Yajña.

This concept of Yajña is so beautifully illustrated in the Bhagavad Gītā. The whole life is nothing but a sacrifice. That is why those of you who have taken food with us on celebration occasions—before taking the food we utter the mantra from the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā. What is it?

Brahmārpaṇaṃ Brahma havir

Brahmāgnau Brahmaṇā hutam

Brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ

Brahma karma samādhinā

Understanding Karma Samādhi

Many of the devotees never read and understand the meaning. There is a Samādhi. You hear of various Samādhis, you know. Samādhi means a person meditates, goes into a particular state, and he becomes unconscious of the world. That is known as, commonly known as, Samādhi.

But here what is he talking about? Karma Samādhi. What is Karma Samādhi? Karma Samādhi means Karma itself becomes a Samādhi. Samādhi means—what does a person do in Samādhi? He becomes one with God. He is only conscious of God.

So when a person is doing something and if he is only conscious of God, what is he doing? That Karma itself has become Samādhi. Samādhi means knowledge. Samādhi is not a pose or posture. Please keep it in mind. Samādhi is not a pose or posture.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Samādhi

Just look at Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is that image? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa in Samādhi. Suppose he is eating rasagullās or frog-jumping—you know frog-jumping, that game? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to play this. You know what is that? One fellow bends down, the other fellow jumps over him. What do we call it? Leapfrogging.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is leapfrogging. Is he in Samādhi or not? He is in Samādhi, because upon whom is he leaping? Who is the person who is bending? God. And who is the person who is leaping? He is also God. He sees everything as God. Therefore, is it Samādhi or not? So it is not the posture only.

Elaborating on Ṛtam, Dharma, and Yajña

The concepts of Ṛtam, Dharma, and Yajña—Dharma means we have more or less an idea. But this Yajña, the word sacrifice, the ancient word Yajña has become the modern Pūjā. That is why here we do perform it. Whenever we have special celebrations in some devotees' houses, at the end we do Homa. For example, Kālī Pūjā. That is a remnant of these Vedic sacrifices. And Tāntrics also do it, but they have also taken it from the same concept.

The Foundation: Ṛtam

Now briefly I would like to discuss one point here before we go further. The foundation of all these three—of this Ṛtam and Dharma and sacrifice—is the word Ṛtam.

What is this Ṛtam? Ṛtam means our ancients opened their eyes, observed everything, and found out something wonderful. There is an invariable process, a harmonious process amidst these changing things.

The first thing is: everything is changing. But amidst this change there is a meaning, there is a harmony, there is a Ṛtam.

Examples of Ṛtam

For example, the sun rises and the sun sets. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Is it changing or not? But in this change there is a changelessness. What is that changelessness? Every day, from morning till evening, every day morning where does the sun rise? In the east. Where does it set? In the west.

You put a seed in the earth, in soil, and it becomes a plant, and the plant becomes a seed again—goes back to its state. A baby is born, becomes a man, and he produces some more children and he goes back. It's a beautiful cycle which is termed in the Vedas, in the Upaniṣads, as Brahma Cakra.

Everything is changing, but there is a harmony. What is this harmony? That which makes life absolutely pleasant, possible, happiness possible—that is called Ṛtam.

The Necessity of Duḥkha

Now Duḥkha, unhappiness. If there were to be no unhappiness, do you know how unhappy life will be? Can you imagine? No, most of the people don't imagine. Let me give an example.

Supposing you like sweetmeats, and because you like them, your father is a rich man and he will only give you sweetmeat for breakfast, for lunch, for afternoon tea, for dinner—from birth to death. You will commit suicide, I can guarantee you that.

Unless you eat some bitter things, your happiness will not increase. Suppose the sun always stands in one place—do you think any life will be there on this planet? Suppose there is no night—will there be life on this planet? Everything has its right place in this world.

The sun rising is important, the sun going to midday is important, the sun setting is also important. Suppose every season is a spring season only. Will there be a spring season? Will you know what is a spring season? You will get terribly bored, this much is very sure, and life will come to an end. This is the truth.

Death as Gift

Though we do not really understand it, Duḥkha—or the opposite, the dualities—are a necessary part of life. Without death—just as a matter of curiosity, what is the greatest gift God can give us? Death. Do you know that? The greatest gift, because if he gives you, blesses you, "You will live forever"—that is the worst curse anybody can have.

Aśvatthāmā—he was cursed. What was his curse? Cirañjīvī—you will never die. Do you know what a horrible thing it is? What a horrible thing it is? You know there is an end for any amount of unhappiness. But this fellow has to bear that burden day after day for how long? Is it not a horrible thing?

But yet what we really do not want is untimely death. That is disharmony. That is not in harmony. But death at a particular point of time is in perfect harmony.

The Crisis in Healthcare

Just imagine what would be the condition of the NHS if nobody is dying and everybody is suffering from disease, but nobody is dying. What would happen?

Cosmos, Not Chaos

What our ancient Vedic sages found is that good and evil are a necessary part of this harmony in the right proportions. They called it—it is not a chaos, it is a cosmos. There is a harmony in everything.

When they discovered this, their eyes opened. This whole universe is, first of all, a harmony. Second, it is a sacrifice—it is a Yajña.

Yajña and Its Connection to Ṛtam

Yajña is of two types. So what is this Yajña? How is it connected with Ṛtam? Because Ṛtam, as I said, is harmony. That harmony has to be created, because everything is changing in this world. There must be somebody who has to create this harmony, maintain this harmony. And to maintain that harmony, one has to sacrifice.

Dharma: Individual Harmony

At the individual level, Dharma is the counterpart of Ṛtam. Dharma, as I mentioned, means individual harmony.

Just to give an example: there is a clock. Every part of the clock must be in harmony with every other part—or a car, clock, anything like that. If one part goes off, then what happens? The entire thing will come to a halt.

Individually, if we can be in harmony with the universal harmony called Ṛtam, that is called Dharma.

Dharma in Practice

But Dharma should not remain in the mind. It has to be practiced. Without practicing, Dharma is no Dharma at all. Every second we have to practice this Dharma. Do you know what it is?

Our breathing itself must be in Ṛtam, in harmony. And only then can you sit, you can eat, you can enjoy, you can sleep. If the breathing becomes disharmonious, you can't sit, you can't sleep, you can't do anything. Every second we have to struggle to maintain this rhythm or Ṛtam. That is called Yajña. That is called real Pūjā.

Conclusion

These beautiful concepts I will deal with in my next class a little more elaborately.

Closing Prayer

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

Om Śānti, Śānti, Śānti.

Om, peace, peace, peace be unto all.