Dakshinamurti Stotram Part 09 on 28 January 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMIM ORMUHOHO We are studying the first verse of the Dakshinamurthy Stotram PISHVAM DARPANA DRISHYAMANA NAGARE TULYAM DIJAN TARGATAM PASHYAN ATMANI MAYAYA BAHIRIVA UDBHUTAM YATHA NIDRAYA YAK SAKSHAT KURUTE PRABODHA SAMAYE SWATMANAMEVA ADVAYAM TASMAI SHRI GURUMURTHAYE NAMAIDAM SHRI DAKSHINAMURTHAYE TO HIM WHO BY MAYA, WHO SEES IN HIMSELF THE UNIVERSE WHICH IS INSIDE HIM AS IF IT WERE OUTSIDE, JUST AS IN A DREAM, LIKE UNTO A CITY THAT IS SEEN IN A MIRROR, TO HIM WHO APPREHENDS ON AWAKENING HIS OWN SELF AS THE ONE WITHOUT A SECOND, TO HIM OF THE FORM OF THE GURU AND BLESSED DAKSHINAMURTHY IS THIS PROSTRATION. What is the essence of this particular verse? The essence is to tell us that Brahman alone is the truth and the visible universe is at the beginning only an appearance and to that extent it is unreal. But we have to understand there is nothing called unreal. Upon realization for a realized soul only one thing is real and that is Brahman and you can call it universe, you can call it the impersonal aspect of God. What is the Vishwam? Whatever I experience is the world. So there are two things, only I and everything else. VIVIDHA PRATYAYA SAMOHAHA is called Vishwam. In this verse two analogies have been given. One is that of the dream and the other that of the appearance of reflection in a mirror and both have a very special purpose. Of course we always have to keep in mind that all this we are discussing and explaining is only from the Advaita point of view. We follow the footsteps of Sri Ramakrishna who said Advaita is the last word in sadhana. Once a person realizes that Advaitam, another name for it is Brahman, then that is the last. But for that in the beginning we have to expand our view of whatever we experience. We live in a world of duality. What is the duality? I and everything else. ASMAT YUSHMAT PRATYAYA In our mind there are always two thoughts. I and everything else. The whole life is nothing but an action and interaction and again action which Swami Vivekananda called only a reaction. Swami Vivekananda had given a beautiful analogy. Imagine a long circular tube and you push a ball into it, a rubber, bouncy rubber ball and you push it from one side and it strikes the upper part of the tube and then goes to some distance in the forward and strikes the bottom and again bounces. Like that it goes on bouncing. Now the first push is called action and everything else that follows is nothing but reaction. So truly speaking according to Vedanta nobody is acting. Everybody is only reacting. Our very life in this particular life is only a reaction. Here understand that who is the creator of this world and how do we react? Is there alternative way of reacting? Yes. So I will just briefly mention and come back to it again. The modern psychology had discovered after long experimentation any problem that we create in our life is our own creation. No one else is responsible. The idea that there are evil people in the world and they can create problems to the world is an outmoded idea. In any case whether people accept it or not according to the theory of karma which is the fourth pillar of Hinduism. I hope you remember Brahman alone is the truth, direct realization, Sakshatkara is the second pillar and the idea of Ishta Devata, the law of Ishta Devata, Ishta Devata Siddhanta is Hinduism's third pillar and the fourth is the law of karma. That means we are Brahmans, we are the creators of our own fate whether we understand it or not and that particular idea is brought out in this second analogy just as we create upon waking up from a dream state. We cannot blame anybody. So this is the tag the modern psychology has taken and it is called CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Very useful therapy. In brief what it means is that we have no control over the outside world. Of course Vedanta completely disagrees with it. In the sense the whole universe is a creation of none other but of ourselves and this idea also brings up a corollary idea that is each one of us, we are not, all of us are not living exactly in the same world but each one of us are living in our own individual private world just as our dreams are nothing but purely private affairs. This point of course the psychologists, CBT psychologists do not agree but what they definitely agree and are very helpful to us is that we have no control over the outside world but we have absolute control if we only can train our mind how we can react. In the past I have given an example, a man, a soldier, a devotee of Sri Rama was stabbed and he was asked just before his death, you just tell us the name of that person who stabbed you and we will punish him. He smiled and said the same Rama who protected me all this time, he is the one protecting me by stabbing me. How could we understand that he is protecting by stabbing because very soon I am going to join him in his place. The CBT, speak about it a little bit later on because the spiritual truths, spiritual laws are not only useful in spiritual life, in fact they are the only solution for any problem we encounter in our, in this world. Whether a person believes in God or not, he must believe that he has control over his own mind. This is what Yoga really means, Chittavrithi Nirodha, absolutely it means, Nirodha here doesn't mean oppression or suppression which only leads to undesirable consequences but here it means complete transformation of how we look at the world and the same world which perhaps is appearing like hell. Now is nothing but pure heaven because Vishapayala Rana Nebheja Peevat Meera Haasi Re. Okay, we will come to that later on. So here two analogies are said, first that of the mirror and second that of the dream. Now in our last class we have brought up that definitely more than five important corollaries can be derived from both these examples. So let us try to find out what are they. That just first of all imagine you are sitting, there is a huge mirror and it is kept at 45 degrees angle and you are seeing whatever is happening in the street through the reflection in the mirror. What is it now says that we are seeing that reflection and how are we seeing? We are highly aware of the mirror and the whole city that means that reflection, where is it? Inside not outside. Please keep it in mind. This is a very highly useful and practical hint for us. That is the first analysis. Even when we are experiencing we know that this is a reflection but this is the real world is outside. It is completely an appearance like cinema going on on a cinema screen but it is not real. That is the point we have to keep in mind. So also when we experience the presence of this universe we are always experiencing as if something is outside us just as we find the reflected one. So also when we dream upon we wake up then we say the whole dream world has been created by me and it is nothing but my own imagination. The problem if there is, is within me. If problem is within me the solution is also within me only. There is nothing else. Now in the dream analogy also we have seen. We have to understand both these analogies and get it into our brains that the entire what we call Vishwam. That's why please remember that so many thoughts. How many thoughts? Five thoughts. Why five thoughts? Because five thoughts means the information coming through the five sense organs is what we call Prapancha. Pancha means five not four not six exactly five but if someone happens to lose any one of the sense organs accordingly his universe also shrinks into four, three, two, one and in deep sleep state completely nil. That means we have the power to reduce this whole universe into an absolute zero. These are the lessons we have to learn and what is the lesson? How do we see this reflection? Only when there is a mirror and how do we see create a dream world? Only when we go to that particular state we lay ourselves down on a bed and relax everything. That means what is relaxation? Withdraw our mind from the external world and turn our attention inward and the residual impressions left over from the outside world will take over. Previously they were merely thoughts. Now they have become realities. Our thoughts have become realities. This is the most wonderful point. If a good thought can become a reality similarly an evil thought can also become a reality. Where? In the dream state. So also is it possible that what we call in the external world evil forces, evil side of life, evil side of the universe can also be only a thought but reflected through the Poorva Janma Sanskaras. Our Poorva Janma Sanskaras, the impressions that we gather from many, many past lives is the greatest mirror. Let me dwell upon this idea a little bit. Supposing there is a Ravanasura or Hitler and when a devotee of Rama looks at, he is a Rakshasa, he is evil personified and he did lot of things. There are lot of problems with this particular thought. First let me state what is the problem. Whom are you telling? He is an enemy of Rama. What is your concept of Rama? Rama is Bhagawan himself. If he is Bhagawan, who created Ravanasura? Only Bhagawan has created. If Bhagawan has, can Bhagawan create a non-Bhagawan? Can a good God create an evil force? Absolutely it is not possible. Then what is the explanation? By whose will has Ravanasura become Ravanasura? By whose will has he obtained that power? By whose will Ravanasura was able to kidnap? Is it possible to kidnap mother Sita who is the Jaganmata? So these are some of the questions our devotees never raise in their minds. You have to raise these things. Then what does it mean? Means it is all Leela. From the point of Leela or divine sport and that is what this entire universe is. Everything is God's will. If everything is God's will, everything is God. If everything is God, where is the question of enemy or friends or anything? What is the point I am trying to derive? My point is our dreams and our experience of the external world both depend upon how we want to project. When Swami Vivekananda had issued that statement, the law of Karma, Karma Siddhanta makes each one of us squarely responsible as the architects of our own fate. If we take Swami Vivekananda's words are Parama Sathya, Rishi Vakya, Aapta Vakya, then we have to think over it. If I am suffering, who is responsible? Me. If I am happy, who is responsible? Me. If I am blind or lame or deaf or stupid idiot, who is responsible? I am only responsible. So because I have created. A very good part of the Karma Phala is, Karma Siddhanta is, we always have to remember, Karma is limited. Therefore the effect of Karma is also limited. Supposing you find someone who is autistic and naturally the parents are very unhappy and the child of course is blissfully unaware of it. How long is this child going to be autistic? Only for some time. Until they, just as we take up a ball in our hands and throw it or we take up an arrow to take the classic example and discharge the arrow. Is the arrow going, is it will go on and on and on endlessly? Its initial momentum, when it is exhausted, that arrow has to fall down somewhere. Exactly in the same way, as soon as our momentum of Karma is exhausted, Karma Phala is also exhausted. Now why is this? When God created, why did he create? So that we can create these evil momentums. Because first of all, without evil we can never appreciate the value of goodness. Secondly, it is a Leela. Only when we separate ourselves, this is one of the most important principles of thought. Why does God separate himself? That's what Sriram Krishna had given in seemingly innocuous words. As if it were, you see, Krishna divided himself into Krishna and Radha. And you know, in Vaishnava literature, this Radha always sings beautiful songs. O Krishna, I am suffering from you. Have you ever sat down and thought whether Krishna was also suffering from the pain of suffering from Radha? Of course, he cannot live without because it is his own reflection as it were. Why did he separate? That's why the whole Vaishnava Padavali, Vaishnava literature is based upon two principles. That of separation and union, is Viraha and Milan. These are the main topics. Why did God separate? What am I talking about? I hope you are able to connect the threads. Why did God create this universe? Why did God create? What do you mean by creation? As if he is dividing himself into two. Himself is the Ishwara, the creator, the sustainer and the recycler, as I prefer to call it, and this whole universe. I and the whole universe. Asmat Ishmat Prataya. Who did it? Before this division came, who was he? Just as before the dream comes, who are we? The waker. How many wakers? One waker. And in dream, we separate ourselves and divide ourselves into three. So why did God do it? Because he would like to enjoy himself even more through Leela. Oh, so will it stop at some point? No. Srishti is Anadi. Therefore, it is Ananta. Then what is the hope for us? In fact, it will never come to an end. But then am I never going to get liberation? Yes, you are already liberated. The question of your getting liberation doesn't arise. But if you cannot believe it, yes, there is plenty of room for what we call self-improvement. Higher and higher happiness we can get until the highest happiness is Brahmananda. Now what are we talking about it? I raised the topic just as in a dream. That is even though I created as if it is I am dreaming. But what is the phenomenon of this dream? Even while dreaming, I think there are many things outside me. For example, I am sleeping in a small cot in a smaller room. And then I dream a huge elephant entered into my room and then it pushed me aside. I don't know whether there is enough space. And then threw me outside and it started sleeping on that small cot. And then where from this elephant has come? From outside. Where did it now come? Inside. So this inside and outside both are absolute realities so long as we are dreaming. But upon waking up, several points come up. First of all, who created small room? Say, I told you a small funny joke. One day a devotee came and told one of our Swami, Swami, today I am a very happy man. He said, Swami asked, why? Because I dreamt I have won 100 rupees in lottery ticket. This Swami said, you are a stupid fellow. When you are dreaming, who prevented you from winning a billion rupees? After all, it is a dream. You could have won. So our dreams are circumscribed by our own samskaric thoughts which limit us. So that is one. First of all, I am the creator. Second, everything is inside me but I feel as if it is outside me. These are the points whether I am seeing a reflection of the city inside the mirror or I am seeing the dream as if I am inside my house. Something has come from outside. This inside and outside are mere thoughts in the mind. Just as an enemy and a friend are also thoughts inside my mind. Cold and heat are also thoughts in my mind. But don't go on saying, giving up all your cloths. You go and stand. Today I heard Swami's talk. So it doesn't make any difference. So long as we are in the world, we will have to understand that everything has a what is called realistic value is there. Okay. Now coming back to our how do we create what is called a dream? We have a power. Every mind has a power and that power of the waker is called Nidra Shakti. And the same Nidra Shakti, if it is applied in the waking state, it is called Maya. So Maya Shakti as well as Nidra Shakti. They are counterparts. Only why two names? If it is in the waking state, we call it Maya. And because it is much larger. When we are dreaming, it is the Nidra Shakti. But this Shakti, that what is the Shakti? What is Nidra? What is Maya? It creates. It has two powers. One is called Avarana Shakti, which completely covers up the truth. Second, Vikshepa Shakti, it projects. So it works both in waking state as well in the dream state also. It works exactly in the same way. Our problems come because we, this Maya Shakti or Nidra Shakti have got also positive powers, not only negative powers. Through our right action as directed by our Guru and the Guru is only interpreting the scripture, we can enlarge the power of both these Shaktis and which is called Vidya Maya. And here also good dreams, sweet dreams and very pleasant dreams, etc. That's why we wish sweet dreams when we are taking leave at night, etc. By reason of this Maya power, we have this false knowledge and that think that the universe is something other than Brahma. But when the realization dawns upon us, but how? By the grace of the Guru, we then realize that there is nothing other than Brahma. These two analogies give us five points. Let us analyze. Why am I going to go into these details? Because the point of the analogy is not simply to know about the analogy. Okay, okay. That is not the point. We have to derive lessons. Five lessons we have to learn from both of these analogies. What are the both analogies? The reflection in the mirror as well as our dream state. First, the entire universe is contained within the mirror. The entire dream also is contained within the waker. So this is called Adhishtana and Adhishtatha. Container contained lesson. In this example, the mirror is that which contains. That is called the support, Adhishtana. And the entire reflected city is called contained. So the mirror is the contained and the reflected city is the contained. The mirror is called Adhishtana because if there were to be no mirror, there would be no reflection at all. So this Adhyarupita means superimposed. Second, just to see when you are... You just imagine and I am speaking. You are looking at the reflection and so many cars are coming. So many from opposite directions and there is good, there is evil and suddenly there is an accident and two cars collide with each other and there is broken glass, blood is coming and people are gathering around and suddenly some terrorist comes and opens fire. Imagine a great explosion has taken place. You must use your imagination that all these things you are witnessing in the reflection in the mirror. What is happening to the mirror? Does the mirror glass breaks? Nothing happens. It is absolutely, it is unbroken and it is one. That is the lesson we will come to. Then secondly, what is the second lesson we are learning here? That whatever is happening outside which is being reflected within the mirror, the mirror is not affected at all. This is called Sangha and Asanga. The mirror is Asanga, unaffected and the reflection we see is constant movement is there. Does the mirror move? No. Whatever is reflected, it moves. Does the screen move? No. But whatever is reflected on the screen, projected on the screen moves. Nothing happens to the screen. Nothing happens to the mirror. Here also we can take the example of Uchi. Vidyaranya takes in the Panchadasi Nataka Deepa or Chitra Deepa. Chitra Deepa means here is a cinema screen and so many figures living, non-living, men, women, good people, evil people, Mahabharata are watching but there is sometimes what is called Varunastra. Terrific rain is coming down. Then Agnayastra. There is a terrific fire is there everywhere or Brahmastra. What happens to the screen? Absolutely nothing. Apply that second rule. One is completely unattached means unaffected. Which is unaffected? The waker is unaffected as well as the mirror in this sense is also unaffected. Reflected city is affected by different objects in the scene but the mirror remains completely unaffected. Then the third corollary we derive is what happens? Whatever is temporary, it is called Mithya. Whatever is changing is called Mithya and whatever is unchanging, unaffected by time, space and causation is called Satyam. That is to say the mirror alone. Supposing you know it is night. What happens? There would be no reflection but the mirror remains absolutely exactly the same. What changes is the reflection. What remains unchanged is the mirror. This is called Satya-Mithya. Similarly, the waker is alone the Satya. Remember this is only an analogy but we have to go beyond this analogy. An analogy never gives us the truth. It is only to clarify our understanding to give a better understanding, deeper understanding. Whatever is changing in the reflection, it is called Mithya and once again I am trying to clarify. A billion times I will tell the same thing. Mithya is not non-existence. Mithya means that which is partial appearance is called Mithya. If you know the rope completely then there is no snake but partial knowledge of the rope. What is it? There is a rope. In that sentence, there is a snake. If you analyze these two sentences, there is a rope, there is a snake, there is a doesn't change. Instead of rope, we substitute snake and when the right knowledge comes through proper light then the snake as it were expands itself and merges itself in the right knowledge which is called the rope. Partial knowledge of the rope is called snake. So partial knowledge of Brahman is called this world because a non-existence has no existence at all. Na sato vidyate bhavo na bhavo vidyate satah. Please remember 16th verse of the second chapter. Sangi asangi. That one is attached, another is unattached. What is unattached? Mirror is unattached, breaker is unattached. So the reflected city is completely changing but that which is reflecting the medium never is affected by it. Then satya and mithya. Whatever is reflected is mithya, whatever reflects is called satya. Then the mirror is one but what is reflected in the mirror is many. Now another point of the analogy is supposing you are watching intently looking into the mirror and you see what is reflected in the mirror. Now I will ask you a question. Are you aware all the time at least that you are also aware of the mirror and also the reflection? This is a very deep question. When you are aware of the reflection, you are not aware of the mirror. When you are aware of the mirror, you are not aware of the reflection. To make this point clearer, I give you the example of the cinema screen and the cinema that is going on. When you go and sit in the theater, you see that slight light is there. There is a white screen is there. Completely white screen only alone you are going to see. But listen carefully. As soon as the projector starts projecting the film, instantaneously do you still see the screen? Even though you cannot answer me but I am giving the answer. Now the answer is immediately you see the figures and when do you come to see the screen? Actually speaking, only on two occasions. At the end of the cinema is over, projector is stopped, lights come on, then you see the screen. Or if by any chance the electricity goes away, for a moment there is a reflection of the screen before complete darkness overtakes it. So what is my point? The mind has only one capacity. It cannot think of two ideas at the same time and that is called concentration. Concentration means only one particular idea and that is every idea, every thought, every mentation is called Pratyaya. But if the same thought arises again and again, that is called concentration, that is called meditation, etc. But there is no place for a second Pratyaya, second thought. So what is the corollary? If you are seeing the reflection, then you are not seeing the mirror. If you are seeing the mirror, you are not seeing the reflection. But it appears as if you are seeing both because of our poor understanding. Keep it in mind. So bring back. Here is a waker. Who will have the dream? Before dream, what was the person? A waker. And this waker goes into dream. When you are dreaming, are you identifying yourself with the waker? Absolutely no. It is like asking a question. Take up a stopwatch. Lie down on the bed. Tell me exactly when your dream starts. It is impossible. If you are aware of the clock, you are not dreaming. And if your dream starts, you are not aware of the watch. You will not be able to tell. This is a point I want to emphasize again and again. The mind is capable of entertaining only one idea at any given time. But the succession of one plus many ideas can take place very fast, which give us the impression that is a continuous ideas. This is what we call in scientific language movement. What am I talking about? See a single frame, stationary static frame, when it is moved, I think 24 frames within one second, it gives what? Movement. What is this movement? There is nothing called movement. It is all called illusion of a movement. Because the moment you stop the frame, you see a stationary something. This was the greatest, I think, discovery of Edison. He dabbled with these things, played with these things. And then he was astonished. And that is how the modern cinemas have come. Every single, you lift your what is called your leg and you lifted one foot and between from the floor to the one foot height, there may be a hundred moments of stationary simply lifting of this one. If you take pictures of it, photographs of it, and then play one by one per second, one frame, then you will see only a one single stationary movement. Now there is no movement at all. What am I trying to tell you? The mind can entertain only one thought. How does it help us? That is called concentration. How does it help us? Because when the mind becomes capable of holding one thought of God, then the entire universe, what happens? It merges itself into the God. And when our mind is thinking of the world or Vishram, then God becomes merged into it. So coming back, I hope these are all thoughts for food for brain. A lot of deep thought has to go. So the mirror is one and the objects that are seen as reflections are almost infinite. A come and A come, one and manifold. In the reflected city in the mirror, there may be so many varieties, houses, roads, men, women, birds, etc. That is called manifoldness. Whereas the mirror is a separate mirror for each object. That's why the mirror is called Advaitam and the reflection is called Dvaitam. Then the next point we have to understand. Fourth point is there may be good things, bad things in the reflections. But when we look at it through the mirror, if there is muddy water flowing in the reflected city, sewage water spilling out and mixing with drinkable water and it happens in Mumbai and other places, does the mirror get dirty at any time? No. That means the mirror is pure and the reflection is a mixture of purity and impurity. Simple words, purity is the nature of the mirror. Impurity is the nature of the world, Vishram. So any number of impurities can be there in the reflections. But in reality, it is nothing but pure. The mirror is the support and everything is supported. And then the mirror doesn't have any attachment. Everything that is reflected is called Asangi or Sangi. That means it undergoes Raga and Dvesha. And what is the mirror is Sathyam. Remember, I will come back to the point. We are not talking about the mirror. We are not talking about the reflection. It's only as an example. The mirror alone is the real. Even if the entire world is destroyed, the mirror will remain without any change. The mirror is the truth. Everything else is a projection. That is the another point. And the mirror is one and whatever is reflected is many. The mirror is completely pure. And whatever is there inside can be both a mixture of good and evil, etc. Now what is the lesson we have to learn? That it is this pure consciousness that is reflecting the entire universe. As I mentioned, when we are talking about the entire universe, not as many foldness but one object. Entire universe as one idea. That idea is called Vishwam. Forget about all the many things that consists of the Vishwam. Just imagine that world. Forget about other things. This is the world. But when you come to the details, what do you mean by world? Oh, here is my family. Here is my neighbors. They are all details. But we use this word Vishwam. This entire Vishwam. Through this analogy, what is it? This Chidabhasa, a pure consciousness is reflecting in the mind. The mind is the mirror. That is the point. But the mind is completely inert. What really it is? It is only the pure consciousness. But the pure consciousness takes help of the mind which is like a mirror. And the entire what you call outside universe, inside universe are nothing but thoughts within this. Reflected thoughts within the mirror called the mind. Now some doubters may raise the question, I am not experiencing this world inside the Atman like the reflection is experienced inside the mirror in the waking state. It is a very what is called illogical question. We are not talking about dream. We are talking about the waking universe also. This is only for our understanding. Just as upon waking up, entire dream world disappears. Then what happens that inside and outside ideas while dreaming will completely disappear because both are false. Both are imaginations in my mind. But when we come to the waking state, that is where this question comes. Sir, every day I go to dream and I wake up. But the waking world doesn't change. I see so many things. Inside I see my house, my car, my wife, my husband, my children. Inside me I see I am happy, I am unhappy and I am respected. I am not respected. I have been disappointed. I have been made happy. So many thoughts come. Where are the thoughts? I say inside me. Where are the husband and wife? They are outside me. The answer, the short answer is Prabodha Samaye. This waking up from the dream is only in this universe of Maya. Waking up from the waking state into the state called Turiya. Then all these three states will disappear. Then only we understand what is the real meaning of this verse. The entire universe is within me. Now I am going to very shortly tell us something. There are lots to talk about. That's why I am taking so much time. What is the point? The whole point of whether it is the analogy of the dream or of the reflection within the mirror. What is the point? I, the one, the pure, the unchanging, the unsullied, unattached, pure consciousness and this pure consciousness, within this pure consciousness, this entire universe is inside it. That means earlier I made a division. What is the whole universe? I and everything else. Now I can experience the entire universe. The universe cannot experience me. Why is it? Because I am called the subject. The universe is called object. A subject is with consciousness. The object is inert. That means the entire universe. So you apply a general rule. Whatever I experience is Jada, inert. So Jada, whatever I experience is an object. Every object is a Jada. Therefore, if you even are having a vision of say Krishna with beautiful Vishwaroop or whatever it is. My question from an Advaitic point of view is, are you experiencing Krishna? Yes. Then Krishna is an object or not? Yes. Then he is Jada. He is nothing but a thought in your mind. You, the experiencer, you are the real subject. So who is the real Krishna? You are the real Krishna. Okay. I will come to that point now. That is a very important point. I means pure consciousness. Because without consciousness, without awareness, nothing can be experienced. First question is, is there a universe outside my consciousness? The pure answer is absolutely no. If at all there is, I will never come to know about it. And here also unimaginative people pose a question. Even while I am sleeping, I am deeply unconscious of the external world. There are other people who are awake and who are experiencing this world. The short intelligent answer. Intelligent answer means only intelligent people can understand is there are no other people. Those other people are also thoughts in your own mind. Do you ask this question in your deep sleep state? I am sleeping. I do not see anything. But there are other people. When do you ask this question? Only upon waking up. Or you can even ask this question in a dream state. If you are listening to too many of my talks, you can do that in your dream also. Okay. What is my point? The universe cannot exist. The object cannot exist without the subject. But the subject exists independently without the object. This is the meaning of independence. What is independence? The object can never exist without the subject. But the subject absolutely can exist and does exist all the time without any change. That's why it is called the subject. One simple but very profound thought is who creates this universe? I create this. Who creates the dream? I create the dream. Who is responsible if I am happy? I am responsible. Who is responsible if I am unhappy in the dream? I am responsible. Bring that idea into this waking state and ask your question. Who created this waking state? I created it. How do you prove it, sir? Here, just now I am proving it. Just imagine, even while you are listening or even while you are seeing me in the Zoom class, you know, I know there are so many of my audience for the sake of better concentration, they close their eyes and want to listen. And very soon they start agreeing with whatever I say, even if it is irrational, meaning that they go very nicely to sleep. So do not close your eyes. Open your eyes wide. Look at me all the time. And then only there is some chance of some ideas going inside. Okay, what I am trying to tell you. See, supposing you are seeing me. For a millisecond, your awareness has disappeared. You are thinking, for example, a sweet. For that millisecond, when that sweet occupies your mind, the entire universe associated with Swami, the Atmananda is a talk. Is it existing or has it disappeared? It is I who create the universe by cognizing it. Please keep, I am repeating. Through my cognition, I create this universe. If I do not cognize, nothing exists. So I look at my reflection, I create my reflection. I look at my body, I create my body. I look at my mind, I create my mind. I look at a tree, I create the tree. I look, I go to the temple, I create the temple. I see the image in the temple, I create the image in the temple. Then I attribute, this is a living God who created that livingness I created. The existence of God is totally dependent upon me. Then come to the Guru. Who creates the Guru? Guru doesn't create me. It is I who create the Guru and say, I am a disciple. This is my Guru. He is a great Guru. And no other, Mannadha, Jagannadha, Madguru, Jagadguru. My Guru is the greatest Guru. So many foolish ideas I attribute to my Guru. Even he would not accept if you tell these things. So I create my Guru. Now I'll give an example. Beautiful example. I heard it from an elderly Swami. So I have to give credit to him. So here is, so many devotees visit Venkateshwara and then he is supposed to be the greatest attractive power. Who gave that attractive power? If I am not believing in Venkateshwara, can he attract me? Absolutely no. First I believe that you exist. I create you are Venkateshwara, you are God and I create that thought that you are God. I endow you, you can solve all my problems and I create that power of solving problems in you and therefore I go there and I tell my experiences and some other foolish fellow follows me and then like that many people come. All these people make, whom God makes all these people or we give him the power of attraction, one. Secondly, we all go because many of us want money and here is one God who does exactly the opposite. He goes on collecting funds from whom? Because if he was a rich man, he need not have borrowed money. Lord Venkateshwara borrowed how much money? From people. So, he borrowed from Kubera and Kubera thought this is one lifetime chance. So, I will give high demand and I will squeeze the highest compound interest possible. No Bank of England ever gives. So, highest only in India we get 6%, 7%, 8% even now. So, this God had no option. Why? Because he wanted to get married. Take the lesson. If you want to get married, you will be suffering, you have to borrow and ultimately many lives it will take to get rid of the dead. Sorry, I am just making fun. This Venkateshwara borrowed money and people go, oh give me money. He smiles and says stupid fellow, I want money from you just to repay the monthly, yearly interest. That's why in Telugu is called Voddi Kaasalu Vadu. What is the point? I create the universe. I create personal God, Saguna Brahma. I create the Nirguna Brahma. Whatever thoughts I have in my mind, they are my creations. But for creating, the mind is inert. Only when I the conscious being take the help of the mind and project my own consciousness into it, that is called God, that is called Vishnu. This is the most crucial point. I hope I am able to convey this idea. That is what it means. The whole universe is within me, means I created it, I sustain it and I destroy it. I also mentioned, I will also talk about a little bit what is called Cognitive Behavioral Disability. It is simply this, very simple it is. So there are some people who are good to us. There are some people, many people who are not good to us and we cannot avoid. Unfortunately, we have no control over them. All over the world, all over history, most evil has been perpetuated. There is nothing the people can do. But I have the power, how I can react towards it. How can I do it? By doing sadhana, I can do it. I will just give an example and then close this talk. Prahlada was tortured. By whom? By his own father. And whenever he was tortured, attempts have been made to do away with him and by a father to his own son because he is not reflecting his own ideas. Then what did Prahlada do? He simply said, Narayana, it is thy will. What does it mean? That I will remain calm, entire responsibility is upon my own higher consciousness because everything is God. So what did Prahlada do? My father is God. All his people who are working for him are God and these knives, fire, elephants, ocean, water, everything is nothing but God. With that idea, whatever happened, he remained absolutely unaffected. If we can also learn through sadhana, how to accept everything with peace, with calmness, with equanimity, then not only the outside things do not affect us, on the contrary they can elevate us and say it is all God's will. That is what exactly God's will means. I train my mind to bring most positive thought into my mind and through that I become extremely happy. So like a mother beating a child, the child is very happy because if he is beaten by the father, it will be horrible. A mother never beats a child, only appears to be beating the child. So this is called CBT and these verses not only give us the highest philosophy ever possible to anybody but it is also psychologically highly helpful to us. There are a few more points, we will talk about them in my next class day after tomorrow. May the Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti.