Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Introduction Lecture 04 on 01 February 2026

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Invocation

Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum

Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh

OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI

OM

That Brahman is infinite, and this universe is also infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahman alone.

OM Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all.

Introduction to Pramanas

We have been studying the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in our last class. We have been discussing about the pramāṇas.

We have discussed that pramāṇas are generally divided into two categories.

First Category: Pratyakṣa Pramāṇa

The first category of pramāṇa is that which gives us valid right knowledge from the universe through the instrumentality of the five sense organs plus mind. This pramāṇa is called pratyakṣa pramāṇa—direct perceptual knowledge.

Sometimes we may have to infer, compare, or presume. There are other means, other ways of arriving at the right knowledge. But all of them—four of them—are based upon direct perception called pratyakṣa pramāṇa.

These are called respectively:

Anumāna: Inferential knowledge
Upamāna: Comparative and analogical knowledge
Arthāpatti: Postulation or presumption
Anupalabdhi: Knowledge obtained by non-perception

But all these five, based upon direct perception called pratyakṣa pramāṇa, work only with regard to the experienceable world. And experience of the world is obtained only through the five sense organs.

Questions Beyond Sense Perception

But there are things which we cannot explain. We cannot understand. About that, knowledge is needed.

For example, if anybody questions: Is there afterlife? Is there another world? Is there God? So what I am now—my fate, my birth, my body, my mind—why is it so different from many others? In comparison with the entire universe, I am a unique personality. And my fate is totally different from anyone else's fate. And therefore, why is this difference?

If God is the only creator, one and only creator, why is there so much of differentiation? Is He partial? Or is there some real reason behind this? Is He entirely responsible for our fate? He is responsible solely in the matter of creation, maintenance, and merging back.

But is there also some part from our perspective? Yes, that is called karmaphala. Each individual's karmaphala is totally different from other people's karmaphala. Hence, what we have done in the past births.

So, we have no knowledge of past births, neither of future births. We don't have the foggiest notion what is going to happen next second. We have absolutely no control to change even one hair's color of what is past.

And many things we cannot also change or prevent in this present experience also. So, we need some other type of pramāṇa. And of course, that pramāṇa depends totally upon faith.

Second Category: Śabda Pramāṇa

Names and Definitions

What is that pramāṇa which can give us knowledge of what we cannot experience, obtain through the five sense organs with the help of the mind, with the help of the background consciousness? That is called apauruṣeya pramāṇa, śabda pramāṇa, āpta pramāṇa, Veda pramāṇa.

So many names are there: apauruṣeya, śabda, āpta, śāstra, Veda. All these words mean one and the same.

So, what is this śabda pramāṇa? We will use either śabda pramāṇa or Veda pramāṇa interchangeably.

Why Is It Called Apauruṣeya?

When we are trying to understand the Vedas, one very important point we have to keep in mind all the time: Vedas are not the creation of any particular individual or individuals.

An individual is called puruṣa. And what an individual does is called pauruṣeya. But this knowledge is purely God's knowledge.

God Himself is knowledge and His knowledge—some people had experienced through purified minds. And what they had experienced, they had put in the form of teaching to other earnest seekers. And when they expressed their experiences, naturally they have to use language.

The Limitations of Language

And language is always limited. And there are so many languages. Even in one of our states or even in other countries—Texas English language, New York's English language, Hollywood's English language, California's English language—there would be variations.

Like in England, what is called Welsh language, Scottish language, King's language, Queen's language—difference will be there. Sometimes very difficult to understand, especially Welsh language. In India, there is no need to describe. There are more than 21 spoken written languages. But there are innumerable only spoken languages.

The Role of Rishis

What I wanted to convey is: ṛṣis also may be belonging to different regions. Anybody can become a ṛṣi in any part of the world. There is no such thing called Hindus, Christians, Muslims. Every religion, every region had produced in course of time its ṛṣis.

A ṛṣi is an experiencer of God. And he is a complete experiencer of God. But when it comes to expression, the person's mind is limited. Thoughts are limited. Expressions are limited. Words are limited.

But nevertheless, they convey the truth, maybe in a partial way. Such a person who knows the truth is called ṛṣi. Ṛṣati, jānāti is ṛṣi.

So the collection of these expressions of all these ṛṣis—that were gathered by a person called Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana—he collected, codified, classified, and divided into four Vedas and distributed to each one of his disciples.

Anyway, so Veda is not a creation of human being. It is the knowledge of things not available to the sense organs. And mind also is one of the sense organs.

Is This Knowledge Reliable?

Is this knowledge reliable? Is it valid? Yes. People like scientists—they discover some experiment and they say, if you follow these footsteps, you must get the same result.

In the same way, our ṛṣis also tell: this is also purely like scientific knowledge. Not scientific knowledge, but alike scientific knowledge. Why? Scientific knowledge can only give us sensory knowledge, not supersensory knowledge.

But what does it mean by using the word "scientific"? It means you follow the teachings of a ṛṣi or Ramakrishna or Holy Mother and you practice, and you must get—you will get, if you have taken exact steps—the same result. In that sense, it is invariable. Whether 5,000 years back, 50,000 years later, anybody who follows these steps, he will get exactly the same result, like mathematical truth.

So that is, in that sense only, it is scientific. But no science can ever prove whether there was a past life or is going to be a future life and what is the relationship, what a person had done in the past or in this present life and the future life. Nobody can tell. Only Veda can tell.

What Does the Veda Want to Teach?

So there is—then what does the Veda want to teach? That you are immortal. Each soul is potentially divine, and you have been born so many times and you will be born until you know who you really are. And there are scientifically proven paths by which you can know really what is your true nature, and then you will be birthless, deathless, fearless, and all-knowing. And above all, you become Brahmānanda svarūpa.

So this is called śabda pramāṇa, and that is reliable. Because now you first don't hear it from somebody and then skeptically you do it. No, first you have faith and then you put it into practice and then you will get the result.

So this Veda is also called āpta pramāṇa, śāstra pramāṇa, apauruṣeya pramāṇa, etc.

The Teachings of Śabda Pramāṇa

The Existence of God and Brahman

Now we will discuss about the śabda pramāṇa. The knowledge about God—whether God exists—is available only through śabda pramāṇa.

What does śabda pramāṇa do? It teaches us God exists. Or I am using the word "God," but actually from the Upaniṣads we have to use the word "Brahman exists." And what is this world? It is nothing but Brahman with modified names and forms.

Who am I? You are none other than Brahman—tat tvam asi. And through experimentation I will prove to myself aham Brahmāsmi.

The Unprovability of Brahma Jñāna

Here we have to note down: nobody can prove "I am a Brahma jñānī." Only one Brahma jñānī knows another Brahma jñānī.

Even if Śrī Ramakrishna goes on telling "I am an avatāra" or "I am even a Brahma jñānī," nobody is going to believe him—especially his own nephew who served him, who saw him practicing so much sādhana. He said, "You are fake. If I had not helped you, all your Brahma jñānam would have melted away long back." He got angry. Who would get angry after knowing this person is none other than God?

So it is only anubhava siddhānta—a conclusion that can arrive, definitive knowledge we can get only after direct unity in Brahman. Until that time, as if God is far away.

Each Soul Is Potentially Divine

So this—each soul is potentially divine. Can it be proved? No, it cannot be proved. You have to believe in it through the śabda pramāṇa practiced by following without deviation, not even single deviation.

The Four Steps of Vedic Teaching

The teachings of the Vedas in brief are like four steps:

First Step: Karma Kāṇḍa

First step is you turn your ordinary activities into rituals, sacraments. That is the first step, and that itself will give proof that I can get many things in this world through the means of rituals, not through worldly means like doing business, etc.

I mentioned earlier that if somebody recites Śrī Sūktam or Kanakadhārā Stavam, he will get wealth, but it must be for an unselfish purpose, for social welfare purpose and with complete faith. You can experiment. The only way you can be convinced—anybody can be convinced—is through experience only. Mere teaching will not help.

So first step, the Vedas tell: you stop suffering much. Suffering cannot be avoided because life means there will be ups and downs, seasonal changes, and tāpatraya will be there. Three types of sufferings from three sources: from the body, from the external world, from our mind, from gods.

But they can be minimized and our happiness can be increased very much. We discussed about it. One can cultivate intellect, then enjoy medhānanda. One can cultivate aesthetic knowledge and thereby enjoy aesthetic happiness called kalānanda. One can, with faith in the scriptures, in the karmaphala, practice dharma, avoid adharma, and can experience dharmānanda.

Of course, if one removes all duality, becomes non-dual, he becomes—not he experiences, but he becomes—ever experiencer of his own ānanda called Brahmānanda.

The Question of Proof

So this Swamiji's words—"each soul is potentially divine"—cannot logically be proved. In fact, it can be logically proved to be completely wrong statement by observing how even the great so-called religious and spiritual people misbehave so grossly, which Swami Vivekananda had expressed. In the name of religion, rivers of blood had flowed. Even now it is flowing. It has not stopped. Even in this 21st or 22nd century, it is still going on.

Supersensory Knowledge

So these facts: After death, what happens? Why we are suffering? Why some suffer? Some are in more fortunate circumstances. Is there a God? Can God be realized? Are there higher worlds? Are there lower worlds? Such knowledge is called supersensory knowledge, and it can be attained only through Vedic knowledge.

And Hindus believe in this Vedic knowledge, and that's why we believe in past lives as well as future lives. And if we are suffering, a true Hindu, a Hindu believer should never blame anybody else excepting one's own self. I have done something wrong. I am only reaping what I sowed in many past lives.

Understanding Pramāṇa

So that is why śabda pramāṇa is the only pramāṇa. As I said, pramāṇa comes from the word pramā. Pramā means to measure. To measure means to obtain right knowledge.

And there are certain means like pratyakṣa, anumāna, etc. And the second category is called śabda pramāṇa.

We get the right knowledge, but in the second category called śabda pramāṇa, conveyed through thousands of years of what is called traditional teaching coming down through paramgurus. They are called āpta vākya. Vākya means teaching, not merely sentences—teaching.

It could be in the form of writing like Vedavyāsa's Brahma Sūtras or Śaṅkarācārya's writings, etc. Ṛṣi's teachings, Upaniṣads, etc. So it was passed in the tradition from mouth to ear. That's why it is called śabda. Śabda comes from the mouth.

The Importance of Faith and Practice

And people had faith. I think they had more faith in the past than at the present time. How do we know? Because the result tells us. If anybody believes—even a strong belief—he cannot misbehave.

But the way we are conducting our lives conclusively proves that we are only professing that we believe, but we are not turning our lives into practical transformation. That has to be done. We have śravaṇa, but we have not done manana, and therefore change in our character. Nididhyāsana is bringing about appropriate change in our character. That's not happening. So it remains only as sounds. That's all.

Śrī Ramakrishna's Example

So the śabda pramāṇa is the only way. That is why Bhagavān comes now and then, practices Himself as an example. Ramakrishna wanted to know whether this image he was worshiping in the temple is real or only superstition. But he was prepared to take the footsteps. So he prayed and he did rituals.

Is the ritual also a provable fact? So as an example, just to recollect your memory: as soon as he used to utter the bīja mantra "Rām," a wall of fire used to spring up around Śrī Ramakrishna, protecting him from all malevolent beings.

Is it the only one? He had myriads of experiences. He said in a very peculiar language: "Day and night, experiences are passing through me like diarrhea." Because when Hṛday became overwhelmed with one experience, Śrī Ramakrishna said, "Do I make much fuss? You had only one experience. That is only for a short time and you are disturbing the whole world so much. And day and night I have these experiences."

Even to contain those experiences, one must have the appropriate receptive capacity, a fit vehicle, vessel; otherwise it will crack like a weak fuse. When high current passes, it will be blowing out. That is highly useful, by the way.

Primary and Secondary Meanings of Śabda Pramāṇa

So Upaniṣad mantras, what is called the truths inculcated by the ṛṣis, is the first primary meaning of śabda pramāṇa. And the books or even the teachers who are not enlightened but who are sincere sādhakas—they are the secondary meaning. So books called Upaniṣads, printed books, e-books—they are the secondary meaning.

Why do we say secondary meaning? Because is it the books that give us the knowledge, or is it the meaning of the books that give us real knowledge?

So this Upaniṣad is one of the most marvelous śabda pramāṇa. This Upaniṣad also, like many these things, contains upāsanas.

Second Step: Upāsana Kāṇḍa

Earlier I was mentioning the first step is external rituals for gross minds. When the mind becomes more concentrated, more pervasive, expanded, more pure, so the compassionate teachers inculcate, teach, add now mental contemplations called upāsanas, which are much more effective than pure external rituals. The second stage is upāsana kāṇḍa.

So karma kāṇḍa means Vedic ordained external rituals—first stage. As the mind progresses, the teacher at the appropriate time will teach the second step, which is called upāsana.

Third Step: Jñāna Mārga

And the third step will be the well-known śravaṇa. He initiates the disciple into this jñāna mārga. Jñāna means knowledge.

We have to be very careful to distinguish, to separate, not to identify: jñānam and jñāna mārga. Jñāna mārga is followed by some minds. But jñānam is the goal for everybody.

Another name for jñānam or knowledge—pure knowledge—is also parābhakti, supreme devotion, supreme knowledge. They are synonymous words. Why? Because without knowledge, you don't get devotion. And without devotion, you won't get knowledge. Both of them should go together hand in hand.

The Mahāvākyas

So that jñānam, initiation into that jñānam or parābhakti, is the third step. And as we all know, after initiation, what is the initiation? Mahāvākya śravaṇa.

There are hundreds of mahāvākyas, but each Veda for the sake of brief reminder only had chosen one mahāvākya, as we earlier learned:

Prajñānam Brahma
Ayam ātmā Brahma
Tat tvam asi
Aham Brahmāsmi

This last is the essence of this particular Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad.

Fourth Step: Manana

But whichever mahāmantra a person—he has to sit and deeply think about it. Because this mahāvākya contradicts what we are experiencing every second of our life.

Mahāvākya says you are pure consciousness. Our experience says I am the body-mind. I am different from everything. Mahāvākya says pure consciousness is infinite, one without a second. What we see is just the opposite.

Pure consciousness has no birth and death. What we see is every millisecond, billions and billions of countless births and deaths. The mahāvākya says you are of the very nature of bliss, and we are anything but bliss.

So direct experience completely seems to contradict. How to reconcile? Here is a person—I believe in him—and he is telling from his experience. But my experience is different.

So is there another way of understanding? So the purpose of deep thinking called manana is to get rid of all the doubts. As we become more and more convinced, our behavior changes. This is a great secret we have to understand.

The Power of Conviction

The more we are convinced, automatically, naturally, instinctively, without effort our behavior follows. Our decision follows. Then our speech follows. Then our actions follow.

Simple example: if I am convinced that this bottle contains poison and if I drink I am going to die, that conviction will not allow me to drink that, even it be nectar. If on the contrary, if somebody is convinced that this is not poison, this is pure nectar, then he will not hesitate. In fact, he will rush before anybody else can snatch that. He wants to be the first, which the rākṣasas have done after amṛta was brought out of the samudra manthana.

What a marvelous thing we are talking about here: conviction. That conviction has to grow slowly.

How Conviction Grows

How does it grow? With a little conviction, skeptically, we experiment. We experiment—a scientific experiment—and then surprisingly, it proves to be giving exactly the result it claims to give.

Exactly like that: if I do this ritual, then this is what I am going to obtain, and that is what Vedas assure us. You develop at least some bit—they are not saying 100%. Then you practice it, but you have to follow strictly what is said.

So every ritualist will not be having 100% faith, but he is sincere enough to practice 100% what the scripture teaches. "This you have to do, including commas and full stops." And then to his surprise, he gets the result.

And the result will be—whatever be the result—it finally is judged only by its bliss judgment, bliss value. I am more happy than what I was before. Obtainment is only secondary. Experiencing bliss is primary.

This applies to any type of attainment, whether it is physical, mental, or aesthetic, or moral, or spiritual. Then a little bit of this experiment proves to us that there is a truth in this. Once that faith comes: "Okay, let me experiment." Now the faith is stronger than before, a second ritual, and he will obtain it.

Faith in Unseen Results

So that convinces him certain things we cannot experience in this world. For example: Svargakāmo agnihotram juhuyāt—one should do agnihotra ritual if one desires to ascend to heaven. That cannot be experienced here.

So this person who had obtained and proved to himself that these rituals, if followed, definitely will give that—"I have experienced it. There is no great faith creator than experienced." Then same must be true.

So he goes on doing it. Then he will definitely experience svarga loka, many types of svarga loka, and then comes back. By that time he is growing in faith.

Spiritual growth means growth in faith. Growth in faith means growth in purity, growth in concentration, growth in right knowledge. So thus step by step he progresses.

Seeking Permanent Bliss

Then one day he thinks deeply: "I have been studying the Vedas and I have practiced them and I obtained the result. But now the same Veda is also telling: These are all temporary, ephemeral results. Why do you want to go to heaven and come back?" Come back means what? Fall back. "No. You can be there permanently."

So temporary Brahmānanda is called svarga loka. Permanent svarga loka is called Brahmānanda. Anything permanent must be infinite.

So this person opens his eyes, looks up, and the scripture itself telling: "This is just to produce conviction in you. But now this is the real goal."

And then the person has to believe because of his experiences. So now he will start: "Where can I get this knowledge?" Approaches a guru. That is called guru upāsadanam.

Summary of Śabda Pramāṇa

So this is how śabda pramāṇa will work.

What did we discuss so far? With regard to supersensory or non-sensory knowledge, we have to rely upon the scriptures.

What is the supersensory knowledge? Whatever lies outside the sense organs such as:

Past and future births
Higher and lower lokas
Continuation of life after the fall of the body
Existence of Brahman

These are the four important topics. So, karmaphala also. If I am suffering, it is solely due to my responsibility. If I am happy also, because of my own actions.

Now this person says: "These are all temporary things. How can I permanently approach God, become one?" And then he enters into that third stage called jñānam. Not jñāna mārga—jñānam.

Approaching the Guru

He approaches a guru, a bhakta approaches Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, Swamiji, other Swamijis, etc. And the guru, the teacher knows better than the disciple, because objectively to observe others from outside is easier than trying to observe oneself.

We are heavily biased, especially with regard to ourselves. With regard to everybody, every object we are biased. But with regard to ourselves—too much biased.

So, let us become objects of observation to another good person. A guru by definition means is a reliable person, āpta. Āpta means reliable. Every guru is an āpta puruṣa.

So, we have to pray to God: "O Lord, I want to come to You." And this sincere desire, when it arises, God Himself will bring about an appropriate meeting between the guru and the śiṣya.

This is what Swami Vivekananda explained: when the field is ready, the seed must come.

The Guru-Disciple Relationship

When such a meeting takes place, some extraordinary transformation takes place. The guru makes the disciple his own, and the disciple also looks upon the guru as the most near. Ātmanastu kāmāya—there is nobody nearer to me, nobody who wishes my welfare more than my guru, not even my parents.

Even the parents, they have partial love. But if some of the children say "we want to renounce the world," they will put on pressure. Why? They become jealous: "When we are so much suffering, what right have you got to escape this suffering and live a happy life?" This is their unconscious. So, they want to drag everybody and say, "Okay, now I am happy, you also are suffering, we are great companions now."

So, a guru is one who knows what is real welfare for us and himself leads that life, and he guides his disciple without any motivation.

Availability of the Guru

So, such a guru—is it possible to get? Yes, but it can happen only when we are ready and by God's grace, and both these are same. Our readiness and God's grace are exactly the same.

And then we approach the guru, and he can be a jñāna mārgī, he can be a devotional guru, he can be a karma yogi guru, he can be a rāja yogi guru—it doesn't matter. But all of them have the ability to understand the mentality of the students and guide them appropriately.

The Three Steps of Practice

So, such guru will come definitely when the right time comes, and then the disciple, placing his full faith, should follow the teachings. And those teachings are:

1. Śravaṇa (Listening)

First, listen with complete faith called śravaṇa.

2. Manana (Reflection)

Then think deeply like samudra manthana, churning of the ocean, so that any doubt lingering, hiding—and they all hide—they must come up. By churning they do come up, and then keep what is essential, throw out all the unessentials.

3. Nididhyāsana (Transformation)

Then the person becomes śraddhāvān. At that stage, śraddhā controls him. Until that stage, he is controller, master of the śraddhā. Once śraddhā possesses like a ghost, a person has no option but to behave according to that śraddhā.

And that śraddhā will be transforming: "God is everywhere, He is watching me, so I can never do—I can never think, I can never talk, I can never do anything that meets the disapproval of God. I can only do what brings the grace of God, what brings the approval of God."

And then that brings about slowly but surely transformation in our thoughts, in our faith, in our words, and in our actions. And that is also called the development of sattva guṇa.

Understanding the Three Guṇas

These things must be appropriately understood in that category, so:

Tamas means absolute wrong knowledge
Rajas means half right knowledge, half wrong knowledge
Sattva means absolutely right knowledge

And right knowledge cannot but take a person to God.

The Role of Karma Siddhānta

So that is why, as soon as we develop a little faith—how? By following the rituals, by following the contemplations—then we experience.

Now, not only we experience the results through the rituals, we experience more results through the contemplations called upāsana. We can—I should not equate, but in a way it is comparable to what is called CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—is what scripture tells: what happens outside is not under your control, but how you can react is under your control.

And if anything is happening outside which is making you suffer, no one is to be blamed, because this is the result coming through the medium of somebody or the other. It can be circumstances, it can be weather, it can be other people, other animals, insects, or even family people—anything. But they are not responsible. We are solely responsible.

A person who has faith in scripture, that is what he will come to. And then once the person accepts it fully, this karma siddhānta says: "Since I am the responsible person for my happiness and unhappiness, I want to be happy, so I will be responsible for all my actions which will bring more happiness and less unhappiness."

Remember: there is no happiness without suffering, there is no suffering without happiness. Both go together, but the percentage, proportion differs too much. And that is how the character change takes place.

Accepting Responsibility

How does it take place? First we have to accept: no one is responsible. No one is at fault. If I am suffering, I alone am responsible. Vice versa. If I am in fortunate circumstances, I alone am responsible.

And more reliance upon God will come: "Without Your grace, I will not be able to fight this war, spiritual warfare." And that faith is already there: "If I do my best, then God will do His best."

This is what Śrī Ramakrishna says: if a sincere sādhaka takes one step, God comes running towards him taking 10 steps—not 10 steps, maybe 100 steps. That is absolute truth.

Ramakrishna proved it to the hilt that sincere prayer brings down the grace of God. Whatever be a person, he can be changed.

The Complementary Role of All Pramāṇas

Śabda pramāṇa alone can help us finally, but even in this world, if we want to be happier, healthier, and suffer less, the other pañca pramāṇas must be able to help us.

Very often, discussing this point in the Vedantic scriptures, people don't pay attention. Teachers don't elaborate it.

Physical Health

If I want my body to be healthy, then approach a dietician or a doctor. "Doctor, how can I be more healthy?" Then he will conduct a thorough examination: "These are the defects. This is the type of food you have to eat. This is the type of food you have to avoid. These are the exercises you have to do." And then it includes psychology also, so you should get very good sleep, worry-free sleep. So you should not worry.

How to become free from worries? CBT. Certain things cannot be avoided: hot weather, cold weather, wars—these are everyday things, happening anytime. It can happen universally. So, I have to accept it. That wholehearted acceptance is part of the mental health.

Mental Health

Just like physical health is the result of following certain rules and regulations strictly—avoiding some and practicing some—exactly, mental health also is the result of a person following mental health rules and regulations: do not cherish, entertain these thoughts; cherish only these thoughts.

And if we follow, even an ordinary psychologist can give us extraordinary piece of wisdom. He knows it. Only he may not practice it, but he is ready. I saw once a person in USA who was wearing a t-shirt, and the back of it, front of it is written: "Take my advice. In any case, I am not following it."

Most people are like that. But if we follow psychology, by ourselves we can get psychological knowledge—we are intelligent enough—or if necessary, take the help of well-wishers, take the help of counselors, and follow them strictly. Mental health is guaranteed.

Conclusion: The Comprehensive Value of Pramāṇas

What am I trying to convey is: pramāṇas are good, whether we are in the world or whether we want to progress in spiritual life. Pramāṇas are always good for business improvement, family improvement, social improvement, every kind of improvement.

This is the role of pramāṇas, and especially we have to understand equally the śabda pramāṇa, Veda pramāṇa, śāstra pramāṇa, āpta pramāṇa, adhikārika pramāṇa.

We will talk beautiful points in our next class.

Closing Prayer