Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Ch.1 Lecture 10 on 22 February 2026
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: An Introduction to the Madhukāṇḍa and Aśvamedha Upāsanā
Opening Invocation
OM PŪRṆAMADAḤ PŪRṆAMIDAM PŪRṆĀT PŪRṆAMUDACYATE PŪRṆASYA PŪRṆAMĀDĀYA PŪRṆAMEVA VAŚIṢYATE OM ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTI ŚĀNTIH
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.
Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: Lecture on the First Chapter
Opening Invocation
Oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate. Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.
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. Oṃ, peace, peace, peace be unto all.
The Śānti Pāṭha as Mahāvākya
So we are studying the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. And as we said, the Śānti Pāṭha is a very special Śānti Pāṭha — it is a Mahāvākya. We discussed about that. Then the next point of information: this pūrṇamadaḥ doesn't occur at the beginning of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka, but it only comes at the beginning of the fifth chapter. But Śaṅkarācārya had given a brilliant commentary. What is the essence of that? That everything is Brahman — that and this, that Brahman and this Brahman. These are divisions made by us, the Jīvātmās, from the viewpoint of Avidyā. Really speaking, there is no "that" and "this." In infinity, this and that, here and there, above and below, small and big — do not exist. Infinite means just one single nature. That is called Brahman. We, of course, cannot think about it, but we are to meditate upon it — considering that every effect is none other than the cause, albeit with three modifications: Nāma, Rūpa, and Karma — in other words, form, name, and a utility.
When Brahman is looked at with this division — which Swami Vivekananda said is time, space, and causation — then it appears to be different from Brahman. That is what we call this universe. This universe includes all of us. But this universe is again subdivided into that which is consciousness, called the subject, and in opposition to that, everything else is an object. The cognition of an object totally depends upon the subject alone. That is why, when we go into deep sleep, the whole universe disappears — because the cognising subject, the cognizer, the pure consciousness, is not non-existent, but it is not associated with mind and body. That is why this universe doesn't exist even for a second in that state.
The Three-Part Division of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad
Then we also have given a brief introduction that the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad has been divided into three parts. The first part is called the Madhukāṇḍa. This Madhukāṇḍa consists of two very special methodologies called Adhyāropa and Apavāda. Adhyāropa means accepting that this world exists, it is real, but there is so much of variation in this world. One must strive to rise from the lowest to the highest. For that purpose, the scripture prescribes first rituals, afterwards contemplations called Upāsanās, and afterwards entering into the second part of the Veda called Jñānakāṇḍa. So first Karmakāṇḍa, then Upāsanākāṇḍa, then Jñānakāṇḍa.
The Principle Behind the Upāsanākāṇḍa
And this Upāsanākāṇḍa is nothing but internalising — doing everything in the mind. Whatever we have been doing externally, now we must do it internally. And there is a great psychological principle involved here. What is that principle? Just before I go further, I will give you an example first. When we go into that state called dreaming, whatever thought comes, it becomes real. If I can really think I have gone to Kailāsa, or Vaikuṇṭha, or paradise, or hell — I will be there instantaneously. There is no gap between thought and experience. So the purpose of the Upāsanākāṇḍa is slowly to train our mind that we are in higher lokas, even in the highest loka, but finally in Brahman. The mind has to be trained. Really speaking, the mind of course cannot enter into Brahman, but it can think of various higher experiences. And higher experience means higher Ānanda, higher joy. So there is nothing higher in this dualistic world. In the dualistic state of happiness, the highest such happiness is called Brahmaloka — that is the limit. After that, it is only not Brahmalokananda, but Brahmānanda. That is also called Kośānanda — Ānandamayakośa.
The Scripture's Gradual Method of Teaching
So the purpose of the scripture is to take the hand of the baby and slowly guide him so that he can progress step by step. The first step, of course, which has infinite variations, is called Karmakāṇḍa — purely ritualistic sections, and it is mostly external. Then slowly the scripture introduces partly external rituals and partly contemplations. That is why in our pūjā — I explained earlier — every pūjā can be divided into four parts.
The first part is purification, called Śuddhi. The second part is called Nyāsa — slowly getting rid of our egotism by saying: this is not my hand, this is your hand; this is not my mind, this is your mind; this is not my individuality, this is your individuality. This is called Nyāsa. Nyāsa means transferring my ownership to God. That is the second part.
And then we sit and do the third part, which is called mental worship. In mental worship, in contrast to external worship, we can imagine the best things possible. You can bring the lotus or the lily from the Himalayas. After all, it is a thought, it is an imagination. The freshest flower you can pluck from French gardens — the most beautiful, the most fragrant rose, any number of roses — and offer it at the feet of the Lord. The best food, the best fragrance, the best music, the best smell — everything the best. Mind has no limitation to its imagination. So that is where we have to train the mind.
And then slowly, when the mind becomes capable of focussing, concentrating, identifying — then we do not require anymore these external rituals. Just like a child does not require a wax apple, a wax bee, etc. — once he learns what it is, once he understands what it is, this is an apple and this is a bird and this is a cat, then he does not need it anymore. The very word conveys its meaning. That is called Upāsanā. And this Upāsanā has several benefits, which I will discuss very shortly.
And then after that, the person becomes completely fit to enter into the last spiritual stage. For that he has to approach a Guru. For that matter, for everything we have to approach a Guru from the very beginning. Then God comes in the form of the Guru and takes the disciple slowly. But he must be a fit person — that is called Adhikārī. Sādhanacatuṣṭayasampannaḥ — endowed with the fourfold qualifications. And then the Guru tells the highest truth first, asks us to meditate, get rid of all our doubts, and then transform our life by identifying ourselves with the highest reality. This is the process.
The Universal Pattern of Scripture
Every scripture practically starts only with external rituals — and in the rituals, do this and do not do that; you must perform this, you must never do these things. Do's and don'ts. And slowly the promised result is experienced. With each such experience verified, our faith in the scripture grows. Our faith in the Guru also grows — because scripture is nothing but Guru only. And the Guru is someone who also had followed the same pathway and has reached the goal, or is far ahead of us.
Adhyāropa and Apavāda: The Two-Fold Process of Advaita Vedānta
So this is how scripture works. For that purpose, this Advaita Vedānta specially had designed and formulated a special process — and it is called Adhyāropa and Apavāda. What is Adhyāropa? Whatever we are experiencing at this present moment, and we are going to experience it for a long time to come — including Brahmaloka experience — it is all superimposition. Simply what it means is: it falls under the name of universe, cause and effect, duality — purely called Avidyā, ignorance. And slowly guiding us to recognise this fact — that is Adhyāropa.
Then the teacher says: now we have to get rid of this superstition. That is called Apavāda — removal of this ignorance. That is when the Guru initiates, and the process takes place through three steps: Śravaṇa, Manana, and Nididhyāsana.
Why are we talking about Adhyāropa and Apavāda? Because the first chapter, which is called Madhukāṇḍa, speaks about Adhyāropa, and the second chapter speaks about Apavāda. And this first chapter is also called Upadeśakāṇḍa. Kāṇḍa means chapter. So what is Upadeśa? That you are Brahman. But first you are a devotee, you are a believer, you are an āstika. And then you go on obeying the scripture through your experience. As you grow, your concept of both yourself and of the world and of God grow together.
The Progression of Happiness Toward Brahman
And then slowly the teacher takes the student along. Yes, the lower state is also real — but there is a higher state, which is much more real. The more real, the more happiness comes. More reality, more happiness. Higher world, more happiness. Highest world, most happiness. Nothing can surpass that happiness of the highest world, which in other words is called Brahmalokananda. Still it is a loka — still it is under ignorance.
But Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says there is a vast difference between Vidyāmāyā and Avidyāmāyā. Brahmaloka is within Vidyāmāyā — and that Vidyāmāyā helps us to transcend even that Brahmalokananda by negating. "I thought this was the highest — now I realise it is not." Neti, neti. Not this, not this.
The Manifest and Unmanifest Worlds
And again, for this facility of easier understanding, the scripture divides this world into a manifest world and the unmanifest world. What is manifested is called the effect, and what is non-manifest is called the cause, the seed. I gave the example of the seed. And everything — every object that we experience in this world — consists of three things: a form, a name to distinguish it from others, and every object fulfils a particular prayojana, utility. A small pot to store small things, a bigger pot for storing more things. So whatever we experience through our five sense organs, that is called vyākṛtaprapañca, the manifest world. And every object in this manifest world has a name, has a form, and has a utility. But these are all called effects. And an effect is called an effect only in relationship with its unmanifest cause. So vyākṛta, avyākṛta — manifest and unmanifest. But both of them fall under only the creation, which is called Māyā.
Sādhanaprapañca and Sādhyaprapañca
Then the world is also divided, from another viewpoint, into Sādhanaprapañca and Sādhyaprapañca. We all have desires. I have to eat food, I have to drink water, I have to take rest — so my desires have to be fulfilled. There are desires, objects to be attained, objects to be experienced. Then we get pleasure, joy, happiness, etc. But in order to fulfil our desires, we also have to fulfil certain conditions — and that is called Sādhanaprapañca. Sādhana means striving to achieve something, and Sādhya means what is desirable, which we think will help us experience more happiness. Nobody wants to experience pain. So that is Sādhyaprapañca. Even the greatest ascetics — which are galore, many in every religion — they undergo the hardest suffering, but voluntarily. But that is only a payment — that is called Sādhanaprapañca. It is only spiritual practice. The purpose is to become spiritual, to become godly, to know that I am Brahman. So the whole world is divided into that something which needs to be attained, and the means of attaining that one. The desired goal is called Sādhya, and the means to that is called Sādhana.
The Structure of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: Chapters and Sections
In this Upaniṣad — the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad — every chapter is called an Adhyāya, and the sections that follow in every chapter are for some reason called Brāhmaṇas. All these we have seen. So in the first three Brāhmaṇas — that is, the first three sections of the first chapter — we are introduced to three types of meditations, or rather, meditation on three objects. What are they? The first object is called Aśvopāsanā — meditation on a horse. The second is called Agniopāsanā — meditation on Agni Devatā. The third is called Prāṇopāsanā — meditation on Prāṇa Devatā.
Now we have to stop and think: a horse is to be contemplated, fire is to be contemplated, Prāṇa is to be contemplated. How are they to be contemplated? That this is not a horse, but this is Hiraṇyagarbha. This is not Agni or fire — this is also Hiraṇyagarbha. This is not Prāṇa — this is also Hiraṇyagarbha. So what does it mean? It means: I am not this particular individual. In reality, I am that Hiraṇyagarbha only. This is the first step that is adopted in this Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad.
The Purpose of Upāsanā: We Become What We Contemplate
What is the purpose? Upāsanā — we have to remember. What is Upāsanā? Upāsanā in the English language is merely translated as contemplation. And what a person thinks, in course of time he becomes that. If a person thinks of a bad quality, he becomes that bad quality. So a person, by meditating on evil, becomes an evil person. The quality called evilness doesn't remain separate from him. That is the magic of the mind — we become one with that object. Just as the moment you think, "This is a tree," your thought and the object outside called a tree become inseparable — similarly, if I can think I am seeing Hiraṇyagarbha, I become Hiraṇyagarbha. But that thought has to be sustained; otherwise other thoughts will come. One flash: I am Hiraṇyagarbha. Another flash: I am a donkey. Another flash: I am a book. In fact, many of us do not realise — if I am thinking of a book, I have become a book; if I am thinking of a tree, I have become a tree for the time being. And if I have to think I am me, we have to think of me — that means we should stop thinking of any other object. So whatever we think we are, that we become. So Bhagavān says this great psychological fact.
Why the Upaniṣad Begins With Upāsanās Rather Than Brahmavidyā
So the first parts of this first chapter contain these Upāsanās. Naturally, the first question that comes to our mind is: when the Upaniṣad is supposed to teach us about the highest reality called Brahman, why is it talking about a horse, fire, and Prāṇa? But the Upaniṣad is not a fool. The Upaniṣad here means the teacher, the Ṛṣi who is teaching his students — and he is not a fool. He may be having several students. The mental level of one student may be very low, another student may be much higher, and another student may be a first-class first — like Yājñavalkya himself. So a real teacher must come down to the level of his student's capability of receiving, and give him what he is capable of receiving. Rāmakṛṣṇa says: a mother cooks the same curry, but she cooks it in different ways. Very thin soup is given to the baby, because that is the capacity of the digestive power of the baby. Similarly, a Guru also gives the same curry — the same teaching — but in different ways. And once the baby starts growing, like the student starts understanding better, then higher and higher levels of the same truth — the same Satyam — but given in different dosages. So slowly, from terrible dilution, the dilution becomes less and less, until the highest truth, when the student is ready, will be given to that person.
Overview of the First Chapter's Upāsanās
So let us see some details of this Upāsanā. We start with the first chapter, and this one contains six sections. The first section contains two verses, and the second Brāhmaṇa consists of seven. Both these first section and second section — consisting of two plus seven, nine mantras — are devoted to the meditation on the horse and the fire used in the horse sacrifice. This horse sacrifice is called Aśvamedha Yajña, and this is the highest — considered to be the greatest Vedic ritual. What happens if any person performs this correctly? It confers upon that person — upon the one who performs this sacrifice, that is why it is called Yajña — the attainment of Brahmaloka, or Hiraṇyagarbhaloka, or Prajāpatiloka, which is the highest possible dualistic happiness.
The Brahma Yajña and the Vision of Universal Brahman
But there is something very special about this Aśvamedha Yajña. There are so many Yajñas. For example, all of us are entitled and advised to perform what is called Brahmārpaṇa Yajña. Before eating anything, you utter that mantra: the food is Brahman; the fire with which the food is cooked is also Brahman; the vessel in which it is kept is also Brahman; and the spoon or the hand which brings that food to the mouth is also Brahman; and the person to whom it is offered is also Brahman; and the fire that digests this food is called Vaiśvānara Agni — that is also Brahman. So the giver of the food, the cooker of the food, and the digester of the food — everything is Brahman. That is why it is called Brahma Yajña — looking upon everything as Brahman.
And if somebody really can do it — the example of food, or reciting this Brahmārpaṇam just before the food, is not really Brahmārpaṇam. Any act that we do — including aśnan, śāsan, gacchan, pralapan, nimiṣan, unnimiṣan — whether we are breathing in, breathing out, eating, walking, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting — every action that we do through our five sense organs of knowledge, through the five sense organs of action, and through the mind — eleven in all: five of action, five of knowledge, plus the mind — through any one of these eleven, whatever we do, we will have to think: it is God who is breathing, it is God whom God is breathing, it is God who is coming, appearing in the form of the food, etc.
I gave you also several times, just to remind: Annapūrṇā means food — it is not that there is a person called Annapūrṇā who has plenty of food, annam, and she gives us food. No — she comes in the form of the food to sustain us. Gaṅgā Devī is not a Devatā giving us water — she comes in the form of water and then she sustains us. Agni Devatā comes in the form of the required warmth, the required fire. For our physical body it comes like homeostasis, but for digesting the food, the same fire has to come in the form of the digestive fire — that is called Vaiśvānara Agni. Therefore, different manifestations of that Agni sustain every created being, every creature.
So God is creating, God is the created, God is the food, God is eaten, God is the eater — there is no division called subject and object. The subject becomes subject to one object, and that object becomes subject to another object. For example, when I am looking at you, I am the subject and you are the object. When you are looking at me, you are the subject and I am the object. There is no such hard and fast rule that one is the only subject and everything else is object. No — it is the same Kṣetrajña, pure consciousness, which, having assumed one form, appears as the subject, the experiencer, and also comes in another form as the object.
The Dream Analogy: Subject and Object Are One
The example is the dream. You are the waker, and you are the only waker in your dream — there is nobody else coming and dreaming for you. So you, the waker-consciousness, divide yourself into yourself as the individual in your dream, and also yourself as the objects: as your neighbours, as the trees, as the animals, as the insects, as the birds, and as the non-living — a house, a mountain, a cloud, the earth. So you yourself have become both subject and object. When you are eating a potato in the dream, the potato is the object and you are the subject — the potato is the enjoyed and you are the enjoyer. But if you are caught by a tiger, the tiger becomes the enjoyer and you become the enjoyed. But even in the dream we are enveloped by that ignorance, so we think: "I am me, and everything else is separate." Upon waking up — who is the tiger? You. Who is the potato? You. Who enjoyed the potato? You. So whom did the tiger enjoy? You. Everything is I, I, I. If we can contemplate like that, what wonder is there? God can create this entire Sṛṣṭi — the whole creation.
The Aśvamedha Yajña: Its Nature and Who Can Perform It
So now — what is the topic? Aśvamedha Yajña. So three types of contemplations are given in the three sections: first on the horse, second on fire, third on Prāṇa. But there is a commonality between these three. What is that commonality? All three are objects of Upāsanā. Upāsanā means you must strip all these three of their externalities and come to the core, which cannot be changed. Every externality can be changed, but that core cannot be changed. You can change the form of clay, the name of the clay, the utility of the clay — but the clay itself, which is the core, cannot be changed. So like that, when we strip off the Aśva — the horse — and the fire, Agni, and the Prāṇa, the vital force — then what remains is Hiraṇyagarbha. That is to say, we have to look upon everything as Hiraṇyagarbha.
All of a sudden, we can't become abstract mathematicians. We have to slowly learn what is 1 plus 1, what is 2 into 2, what is 4 minus 2 — these are the fundamentals — and slowly progress. And a time might come in this life when we might become abstract mathematicians, capable of abstract mathematics. And for that, tremendous intelligence is needed. So here, these three objects are to be used for Upāsanā.
Upāsanā always means taking an ordinary object and, in our imagination, contemplating upon it as the highest object — something very high. For example, there is a small piece of stone. If you are a devotee of Śiva, you call it a Liṅga — like Lord Viśvanātha. What do you see? It is only a piece of stone established there. But how many millions of people, how many times they visit and feel themselves blessed! Similarly, another small piece of stone is called Śālagrāma, and that represents Lord Viṣṇu. Where is the resemblance between a small stone and Lord Viṣṇu? There is no resemblance at all — it is not even alive. But in our mind it represents the Divine Lord. It helps us — just like an apple is given to a child and told repeatedly, "This is a fruit called apple." So like that, slowly, slowly, our uncultured, uncultivated minds should be made more and more capable — capable of understanding higher concepts, higher knowledge. That is the purpose of the Upāsanā.
The Aśvamedha Yajña: Historical and Ritual Description
So in this case we will discuss about it. But briefly — this is not a horse, but this is Hiraṇyagarbha, Virāṭ, the universal. And for that, a beautiful description is given. Practically every part of the horse is described very beautifully. So what is the speciality? This is called Aśvamedha Yajña. Before we go further, I have to tell you: nowadays in this 21st century, we do not know the mysteries of these Upāsanās. But in the olden days, they used to take a cow, a horse, etc. — even a human being — and perform special rituals.
This particular ritual called the Aśvamedha Yajña can only be done by kings. A king belongs to the class called Kṣatriya — what is called the warrior class. Because they are strong, they are endowed with Rajas, they are fearless — they are what we call rulers, or upholders of law, so that the society becomes a sane society, not an insane society. Just imagine: when the rulers, the presidents, the prime ministers, become unwise people — selfish people — there is chaos, not only for themselves. Because they are under the delusion: "We are unchallenged powers, we can do what we like." But the Karmasiddhānta of Hinduism comes to the fore. These very people — sometimes they are shot dead, sometimes they are hanged, sometimes they may die naturally in this birth — but the result of their evil deeds are being recorded by the highest intelligence. And accordingly the Karmaphala will come. That is why we see people born blind, born disfigured, born with all sorts of diseases, dying very soon with the greatest suffering — whatever it is, it is all the result of past Karma. And every true Hindu believes it.
So what I am trying to tell: not only are there so many warrior classes, but every person belonging to this warrior caste does not become a ruler. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa tells beautifully: there is one man who is frightened of even a mouse, and there is another person of whom even a thousand people are frightened to approach. There is so much of variation between any given two individuals.
So a king — a Kṣatriya king alone — is entitled to perform this sacrifice. There are certain rules. So when a person decides to perform it, it is also very expensive — no ordinary person can do it. Not only should that person be a king, not only should he be a strong person, he should be a very powerful person. Not only a powerful person — he should have plenty of wealth, because a lot of expenditure is involved. So he selects one of the best horses that are available to him, and he lets that horse out free. But the horse is accompanied by thousands of soldiers. The horse, according to its will, is made to roam near to all the places that are possible. And if anybody opposes, the soldiers will fight with that opposition party and subdue them. Only when they subdue them, the other party becomes docile, agrees to pay what they call a yearly tithe, and they swear loyalty to this king. So like that, the horse must return back after several years. And if someone opposes, the soldiers of this king have to defeat them.
Then, when the horse reaches the original place from where it was let out, there would be a big ceremony. So many Brāhmaṇa priests have to come, and they will have to do a special ritual in which the horse is sacrificed and its brain is offered to Vedic gods — especially Indra, etc. — and that is taken, just as we offer sweets and fruits to the Lord and accept prasādam. So the people who participated, including the Brāhmaṇas, have to take it as sacred prasādam. Medha actually means brain. So that brain has to be offered in a ritualistic manner. This kind of thing was prevalent, and historians tell us that many people used to do it — sacrifice in the name of gods and goddesses.
So then that person becomes great. Now all this description I am giving because such an Aśvamedha Yajña can be done — must be done — but can only be done by a very powerful, wealthy, intelligent king. Others cannot do it. What is the result? This person will attain to Hiraṇyagarbhaloka, which is also called Brahmaloka.
The Aśvopāsanā: A Path to Brahmaloka for All
Now the question comes: even Brāhmaṇas cannot do it. Why? Because especially in those days, Brāhmaṇas voluntarily renounced wealth, lived the very simplest possible life — their lives are dedicated to the study of the scriptures, propagating the scriptures, and living holy lives. That is why they are called Brāhmaṇas. So those Brāhmaṇas cannot do it for the simple reason: first of all they don't want to do it, secondly they don't have the power to do it, thirdly they don't have the required wealth, etc. Not only Brāhmaṇas — other warriors also cannot do it. Of course, the question of Vaiśyas and Śūdras doing it doesn't arise at all.
But everybody has the right to ascend to Brahmaloka. So how is it possible? For that, the Ṛṣis have devised a special Upāsanā, a special contemplation — and that is called Aśvopāsanā. So in this, every part of the Aśva, or horse, is described, and every part is assigned to the whole universe. We are going to talk about it later on. So every part of the horse — very minutely, very elaborately — is described, and then every part is compared to one part of the universe. The whole universe combined is called Saguṇa Brahman, Īśvara, or Hiraṇyagarbha. That means: by contemplating this horse — this special horse, which is only a symbol — but that symbol is now contemplated as a universal symbol. And if somebody does it successfully, they need not do anything physical — they will attain to Brahmaloka. Because their mind is thinking of Brahman as Prajāpati or Hiraṇyagarbha — not as the supreme Brahman, but next to him, as Īśvara, Saguṇa Brahman, Śakti.
So the person takes their ālambanā — a support, a symbol, a lower symbol — to be contemplated as the highest accessible reality. That is the purpose of Upāsanā. And how the limbs of the horse are so vividly described, and the corresponding elements of the universe assigned for contemplation — that we will study in our next class.
Closing Prayer
Om Jānānāṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum
Pada Padme Tayo Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhur Muhuh
May Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.
Jai Ramakrishna!