Aitareya Upanishad Lecture 02 on 6 August 2023

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Aum Jananem Sharadam Devem Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Adha Padme Tayo Shritva Pranamami Mohur Mohur Aum Vangme Manasi Pratishtita Manome Vachi Pratishtitam Aavir Aavir Mayedhe Vedasya Ma Anistha Shrutamme Ma Prahasi Anenadhite Nahu Ratran Sandhadhami Vritam Vadishyami Satyam Vadishyami Tanma Mavatu Tad Vaktaram Mavatu Avatu Maam Avatu Vaktaram Avatu Vaktaram Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti Hare Aum Aum May my mind be fixed in my speech. O Self-luminous Brahman, graciously be manifested in me. O mind and speech, may you bring me the meaning of the Vedas. May what I study from the Vedas not leave me. I shall unite day and night through this study. I shall think of the right. I shall speak of the right. May Brahman protect me. May Brahman protect the teacher. May Brahman protect me. May Brahman protect the teacher. Aum Peace Peace Peace be unto all. This is the second talk on Aitareya Upanishad. As we have discussed in yesterday's introduction, Aitareya Upanishad is a very small Upanishad containing three chapters and only five sections and 33 mantras. Aitareya Rishi was supposed to be the author of this particular one and the importance is this is one of the major ten Upanishads that Shankaracharya had chosen to comment. And secondly the Mahavakya Prajnanam Brahma that is consciousness is Brahman. The consciousness which is expressing in you, in me, in every living creature that is none other than Brahman. Indicating whoever has got consciousness is none other than Brahman. But according to Hinduism or Vaidika Shastra, there is nothing called non-living. Even the so-called non-living only is appearing to ignorant people as merely existing but there is life within. How do we know? Swami Vivekananda supplied us with the scientific reason. According to modern scientists and it is also our experience, we do not consider a lump of clay, a piece of rock or a drop of water as living creatures. Living creatures may be in the rock, in the earth or in the water but not the earth, rock or the water. This is the view of the ignorant people. What do the Upanishads say? First statement Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma Everything is Brahman. What is the second reason? That since before creation only Brahman existed both as the material as well as intelligent cause. And every object that we see is the effect of a cause called material cause. A pot is nothing but clay, an ornament is nothing but gold, a furniture, a chair, a table is nothing but wood. So everything we see is nothing but the material cause. And what was the material cause of this entire universe before creation? It can only be Brahman. Brahman is both the material as well as the efficient or intelligent cause. And that is what is going to be described in much more elaborate way in this Aitareya Upanishad even though it has only 33 mantras. So if the material is Brahman, what we call living and as well non-living cannot be different even scientifically speaking. Swamiji, he counted the scientists, what do they say? That at first it was the inorganic, that means non-living, matter alone was in course of time when climate, circumstances, everything has become favorable, slowly inorganic had evolved into organic. Now Swamiji had pointed out the flaw in this reasoning. If something doesn't have life inherent in a potential form earlier, it can never manifest. If there is no mango seed, mango tree is not possible. So a seed is nothing but an entire tree of that particular species waiting to manifest. Just at this time it is in an unmanifest state. Unmanifest means beyond time, beyond space, beyond causation. But when all the causes peak rightly, then it will manifest itself. This is what science is telling us. So according to their own definition, that which doesn't have something can never manifest in the three times, past, present and future. Since we say that life has come out of the so-called non-living, a life must be potentially unmanifest form, must be there. This is the logic he has given. So everything is Brahman. And so we have this Aitareya Rishi must have been approached. Yesterday I was discussing how did this name come. Because his mother's name could be Itara and that could be a lawfully wedded wife or she may be a first wife. The woman called Itara has given birth to a son and so he has become Aitara, Aitareya. That is one. Second meaning of Itara is it could be a second wife. Third meaning is it could be a servant woman, not married. So somehow the father of this Aitareya Rishi had a relationship with her and she became pregnant and this child was born. And there are many stories I didn't tell you yesterday. But some people say people started ridiculing her. How come that you are not married? You have a child like that. So she became very distressed. She prayed to the Lord, please save me. And the Lord himself came and endowed her son with that highest knowledge. Like Sri Ramakrishna endowed Swami Adbhutananda with the highest knowledge. Anything is possible for the Divine Mother, Divine Lord. So he became a great Rishi and whoever knows Brahman, he becomes a Brahmana. Even if he is born in a low caste family. In fact, there is something very interesting. Many people ridiculed Swami Vivekananda. And even today, many of the followers of Shankaracharyas or even the heads of the Shankaramats, they do not accept non-Brahmins as Sannyasins. Even if they are Brahmins also, these people will not touch because they do not know whether these Sannyasins are Brahmins. High Brahmanism is practiced in their Mathas, damning the whole Sannyasi Sampradaya. A Sannyasi is one, first of all, who has nothing to do with any Ashrama. A Sannyasi is one, secondly, who sees the same God everywhere. Apparently, the experience of Shankaracharya encountering the Chandala did not at all affect these people. It is going on even today. It is a sad day and there are so many people because their brains have been washed. They will be revering them highly. If anybody is really a realized soul, he will not worry about any caste restriction because from the body point of view, the caste by birth, that is valuable, counted. But from the guna point of view, anybody who has got Brahmin qualities is a Brahmin. We get this story in the Upanishad itself. We are all familiar with it. Satyakamajabala, he was a young boy eager to become a Brahmana, a Nairav Brahman. So he asked his mother, who is my father? Because in the ancient times, father played a very important role. The Jati caste is often determined by the father's genealogy. So his mother frankly told him, I don't know. I served many people and you are born. And the boy was so truthful. He, without hiding anything, went to his Guru. Guru, as usual, asked, who is your father? He said, I don't know. I asked my mother and she told me she doesn't know. And the Rishi, Guru, must have been a great enlightened soul, said such a terrible truth can come out of only a Brahmana's mouth. So your father cannot be anybody other than a Brahmana. So he was accepted. So we have these instances. Ramakrishna vividly represented this true Brahmanism. He was the true Sanyasi. And anybody who observes caste distinction is a fake Sanyasi. Worse than that is bringing bad name to the entire Sanyasi community, brainwashing people's mind that Brahmins also, Sanyasins also can live like a high Brahmin life, not touching other people, etc., which is just what is opposite to what this scripture is telling. This is all by way. So this great Aitare Rishi, some people say that he was known as Mahidasa. Dasa means a servant. Later on, they have been absorbed in the Aryan system or what we call now Hindus. But earlier, they were slaves, they were servants. The Aryans seem to have conquered them and made them slaves. And then what happens is in course of time, men and women get attracted irrespective of caste or whatever it is. And what we call illegitimate children are born. And so the Aryans were forced to accept even these people. That is a minor reason. The major reason is if you have some servants and they are very efficient and you depend upon them, you cannot lose them. So willy-nilly, you have to accept them, find some way to compromise and forge a relationship with them. This is what has happened. So this Dasa Sampradaya, Mahidasa and his Mahi means earth. So he might be cultivating land, must have been doing whatever it is, but he became enlightened. Thereafter, he became a Rishi, a Mantra Drashta and earnest souls. They don't care whether a person is low caste, high caste. They only want if this person can give what we are seeking, he is our Guru. And that is how some people must have come, so he has given us. And the highest truth was being given by him in the very first mantra. We will come to that. Yesterday we were discussing the Shanti Patha. Said there are certain purposes. First purpose is Vijnani Varana, all the obstacles. And any obstacle can be removed only by the grace of God. So that is the first prayer. And second prayer is to become fit, to receive the knowledge. Because knowledge is God. Reception of knowledge is grace of God. When we say grace of God, it means the knowledge or God himself in the form of knowledge. This concept I have expounded many times. For example, if you are drinking water, Ganga water, you are not drinking water. You are not drinking water given by Ganga Devi. You are drinking Ganga Devi herself. Because the entire river is called Ganga. Extend this. When you are breathing Vayu, air, prana, oxygen, then you are not getting some air from Vayu Devata. Vayu Devata himself is entering into you, is becoming you. Similarly, whatever we are eating is called Prithvi Devata, is also called Annapurna Devi. We are literally eating or enjoying Annapurna Devi. And that's what she wants. Every mother, when she is giving milk to the baby, you take this example, what is that milk? Mother herself, her own self is being transferred from her body to the baby's body. And the baby's body also grows along with the mother's milk. Now, is he not, in a way of speaking, eating the flesh of mother, drinking the blood of the mother? We choose not to use such words. But the truth is exactly that. We cannot live without Pancha Devatas. That means Pancha Devatas themselves are entering, becoming one with us. And that is how we are called the products of the Pancha Devatas. Take this. What is the second one? Yogyata Prapti. It's all the qualities necessary. What are these qualities for? To receive the divine grace in the form of knowledge. God's grace is not waiting for somebody. It is ever there, all the times, past, present and future, everywhere. God is everywhere. God and God's grace, like fire and its heating power, like the sun and its illumining power, is not separate from God. God means Satyam, Gnanam, Anantam, Brahma. And that God, whenever we are getting in the form of living Satyam, speaking Satyam, obtaining knowledge, feeling happy. By the way, feeling happy means being one's own self because that's our nature. We are actually, literally eating Brahman, breathing Brahman, drinking Brahman. Everything is nothing but Brahman. That is the idea. He says that only Atma was alone there before creation, meaning Atma alone is there even after creation and Atma alone will be there even after this samsara or creation disappears also. Srishti, sthiti, laya, at all times, three phases of Brahman. Brahman without creation is Brahman. Brahman with creation, when created, is called Srishti. Brahman when Srishti is being maintained is called Srishti. Brahman when this world merges in him is called laya. So Srishti is Brahman, sthiti is Brahman, laya is Brahman. I will use other words. Brahma is Brahman, Vishnu is Brahman and Shiva is Brahman. But reverse the word. Brahma is Brahma, Brahman is Brahma, Brahman is Vishnu, Brahman is Shiva. Everything becomes clear. This is called Maha Vaakya, that is called Prajnanam Brahma. So what is the purpose of Shanti Mantra? First Shanti, that is Vijnana Nivarana, removal of the obstacles. What is the second? Becoming fit, sadhana chatushtaya sampannaha, adhikari, great devotion etc. So that we will be able to receive and retain God's grace. What is the third purpose? I mentioned earlier, sometimes Shanti Mantra itself works in the place of the Upanishad. I gave the example of Purnamadaha, Purnamidam. Whenever we chant Isavasya Upanishad etc., we chant that one. So that itself is sufficient. We don't need to go any further. And there is a fourth purpose. The fourth purpose is, until we attain to that state of God, may you protect me by providing. Everything is necessary for the body, the mind. A good teacher or what Shankaracharya unparalleled expresses it, a human birth, a deep desire for liberation and everything necessary for each one of us to realize. So yesterday we were discussing this prayer. Very beautiful prayer. What is the first prayer? Vag me manase pratishtita. I said there are lots of meanings there. That's what I am going. What does it mean? It means may there be no dichotomy, duality, no separation between what I think and what I say. And very marvelously Shri Ramakrishna defines what is the truth, what is satyam. He says a marvelous thing. What is the satyam? Mon, mok, ak, kora. Make the mind and make the speech and in the brackets our actions. Manasa, vachaha, karmana. There should be no dichotomy. That is called truth. Any separation, that is called mithya, satyam. So this is the prayer. I may not know myself. I may do sometimes, I may think wrongly because of my ignorance. Oh Lord, see that my mind thinks only what is right. My mouth speaks only pritam udishyami, satyam udishyami, etc. You will see in it. This why are vak and manaha, speech and mind given such importance? Because the vak is very important. Vak means speech. How do we obtain knowledge? First thing is our guru should have that understanding. His mind should be a mind which is filled with satyam and he must also realize God and what he understands, knows, mantra drashta, he has to express. Because if a person doesn't express, it cannot be conveyed, transmission, shruti. That is why all our scriptures are called shrutis. So my teacher should be a realized soul or should be a man of knowledge. He should know what I want to know. Otherwise he cannot be a teacher. But knowing is not enough. He should have the capacity to express it. That is not enough. Because if a teacher has got two, ten, hundred students, he should have the intelligence to understand how to present and lead gradually every one of them. Let them be two or ten or fifty or hundred. That is the special power of a guru. A guru, as it is said, a teacher must come down to the level of each student. Because there is great variation between even two people, not to speak of everybody. Just take the example of holy mother and her brothers. Take the example of Sri Ramakrishna and his brothers. Take the example of Swami Vivekananda and his brothers. Take the example of Jesus Christ and his brothers. See what a difference it makes. So a teacher should be able to understand this is the capacity of my child. So I should be able to slowly take him from a lower place to a higher place. That is on the part of the teacher. On the part of the student also, there must be some conditions fulfilled where my mind will be calm and quiet, not hesitated and must cherish only one desire. I want knowledge. This my guru, my teacher can convey it to me. But he may be conveying. I must be able to focus upon it. So I should pray to God that simply saying I want this knowledge through my mouth is not going to fulfill the purpose. Not only that, when I am speaking either with my guru or with other pupils, it must be truthful. And truthfulness, first of all, should be in the mind. Then only it will come out in the form of the speech. So that is why, may my mind be established in my speech. That means what I know, I should be able to express, to speak out. Not I know something, I speak something. That is called untruth. That is called hypocrisy. We will get into this because Bhagavad Gita can help us. And then let the speech be rooted in the mind. That means what? That I should be able to listen and I should be able to ask questions. Suppose my teacher tells me something and I say yes, yes. And after some time some doubts come. Now should I not be conveying these doubts to the teacher? How am I going to convey? They must be conveyed only through speech. So I must have right speech. But I should be able to understand that this is the doubt. If I don't understand what my doubt is, that means I should be able to understand. My teacher told me this. This is what I thought I understood. This is what I thought he meant. And this is what I understood. And certain part of it may be absolutely I have no doubt. But about some part of it I have doubts. We get it practically everywhere. I'll give a small example. The Guru tells us this world is Brahman. And then we say what is my experience? Everything is different from everything and it is not Brahman. It is not even Brahma. Neither Brahman nor Brahma. It is called Mithya. And I am taking Mithya. If I know Mithya is Mithya, I am an enlightened soul. I will be knowing only Mithya is real. And merrily I am leading my life. But one day I wake up. Then I understand that if my understanding is right, I should not suffer. This is one of the criteria of Satyam. If I have the Satyam, I will never suffer. That is why it is said, Satyameva Jayate Nanrutam That is one of the greatest Ashoka's epithets that he had exhibited everywhere. Satyameva Jayate So only truth will triumph. Nothing else. So my mind should have the capacity. It must be pure and it must think rightly. It must require so many qualities. But that will not do. My Vaak also must be purified. That is why Shankaracharya has so many marvellous things which he wants to teach to us. What is this? Yogasya Prathamam Dwaram What is the very first door if we want to progress in spiritual life? Maunam Maunam means, many meanings are there. Don't speak untruth. And then don't speak unnecessarily. And speak only what is truth. And certain conditions are there. This is what we are going to discuss. This prayer is, let my mind be pure so that I can receive your grace. And your grace is called knowledge. Let my mind be filled with knowledge. But when I understand also, if I have doubts, I should be able to speak them out. Or I should be able to propagate them in my own way. Even worldly wise, I must transact with the world, with my fellow pupils, with other people. Society at any given time is not the affair of one person. So speech is very important. Of course, the foundation is the mind. And whatever I am learning is called Swadhyaya. That is why this word Swadhyaya is a marvellous word. Swahusha, Santosha, Tapaha, Swadhyaya. It is only next one step below Ishwara Pranidhana. I will just expound because this idea has to be clearly fixed in our mind. Our Patanjali Rishi, he propagated Yoga. Yoga means a strong marga. That means eight-stepped way. So if we can climb eight steps, then we will reach Brahman. The very first two steps, the first step is called Yama. Yama means getting rid of all negative qualities or turning negative qualities through Pratipaksha Bhavana. By thinking of their opposite into very positive qualities. And Niyama means Visayasha Lakshanas, certain characteristics. And they are called five. Shaucha, Purity, Santosha, Contentment, Tapaha, Austerity. Means deep thinking. And in that order. Then only Swadhyaya. Swadhyaya, the word means study of the scriptures. But it has two meanings. Both are necessary for us to understand. First is you study the scriptures. Studying the scriptures doesn't mean that only you take up a book and read. You listen to a speech online. You listen to your teacher. You listen even to great people who are talking what they know about. And so many things even scientists can tell us and psychologists can tell us. They are marvelous things. Our Freud wants to teach us. Our Jung wants to teach us. And there are so many other people. Traditionally, they are not called spiritual people. But they have garnered the very core of the wisdom through their sincere living. And some of them I might quote in future. But in today's class, I want to tell you, listen first. The capacity to listen. Don't judge, prejudge. What does this fellow know? I will not listen to him. Be open-minded. Listen. And God has given us the capacity to. That is called Manana, deep thinking. And then Nididhyasana. Once we are convinced, it is of value. And if we don't put it into practice, we will remain only fools. So Swadhyaya, the first meaning is the obtainment of knowledge. That probably conveys the meaning better. Whether it is through books, through lectures, from the mouth of the Guru, from the mouth of known people, mother, father, teachers, etc. Swadhyaya. But the second meaning is even more important. Having heard, I must make it my own. And that is called Swa-Adhyaya. Swa-Adhyaya. Adhyaya means study. Swa means oneself. Study oneself. Hey! You have heard that never speak untruth. Satyamvata. Dharmamchara. Are you speaking truth? Are you practicing Dharma? We have to question ourselves. And nobody from outside can know all these things. Only our own mind knows how much, whether it is hypocritical, whether we are sincere, how much we are practicing. Nobody can know better than ourselves. If we only turn the torch light upon ourselves. This is called self-analysis. That is what if we cannot do it, then we have to go to a psychiatrist. But a much better way is there. So you go and criticize your wife. And she will analyze you threadbare until from your 14 generations and all freely and frequently reminds you also. Now, what are we talking about? Swa-Adhyaya. Study yourself impartially. In an objective way. And go on doing it. That is more important. What should we do in Swa-Adhyaya? This is what I know. And I must put it into practice. How much am I able to practice? What is preventing me from turning into practical experience? And in technical language, this is called Nididhyasana. First listening, Shravana. Then ponder upon it deeply until all doubts more or less are extinguished. And then once we are convinced, then we must put into practice. This is called Nididhyasana. So that is what is called Swa-Adhyaya. And then comes the fifth quality. In what? In Patanjali's Niyama list. Ishwara Pranidhana. Pranidhana means complete surrender. And Ishwara. There is Bhagawan is there. And nobody can progress in any field excepting by His grace. So we should be able to surrender ourselves to Him. What do we gain? We gain all. We gain everything. Because God is not like us giving only a pittance or a peanut. God is one who gives everything to us. Only we must have the capacity to contain. So instead of where will we keep? Once some rich Arab purchased a huge shopping mall in London. It is called Harrods. So huge. Then afterwards where is he going to keep? He purchased. It is his. But so he kept it there and started running it. That is exactly the process. God gives us everything freely out of His love. Where are we going to keep it? Don't keep it. Just keep it where it is. And where is God? He is everywhere. So we should be able to see God everywhere. Now I will trace the Krama, the order like five steps. What are the five steps? First of all I must try to get rid of all impurities. That is the very first step. And what is impurity? Getting rid of impurity means whatever is not me that should be gotten rid of. That means I start with evil qualities or selfish qualities etc. And then I become neutral. Then what happens? As I get rid of impurities, more and more I remain myself. And what is my nature? Paramananda Swaroopa, Sachidananda Swaroopa. Therefore what happens? As I become purer and purer, I become a person of greater and greater happiness called Ananda. That is called Santosha. The word Santosha is a beautiful word. It means content. Content means what? I am getting more than what I deserve. God has given me. I don't need anything else. And if something comes also, I reject it firmly. Because more than what I can contain, God has given. And to whom can this come? Only to a person who is pure. That is called Santosha. Santosha leads to Santushti. Saucha leads to Santushti. And once we get Santushti, mind becomes absolutely restful. And only a restful mind can think deeply without being pulled here and there. Concentration, deep thinking, meaning the same thing, can come only to a person who is content, whose mind is calm, and it doesn't run here and there. There is no need to waste our time trying to bring it again and again here. That is called Tapaha. Forget about austerity, which means hardship. No. Always, in Indian scriptures, Tapasya means deep thinking. And deep thinking, what does it bring? Swadhyaya. I'll be able to understand the scriptures, the meaning of the scriptures, in the right perspective, deeply, only when my mind becomes focused, concentrated. And concentration means memory also improves, capacity to understand improves, joy improves. All things will be accompanied. But the second meaning is, I will be able to really analyze myself only when I have that tremendous power of objectivity unbroken. Otherwise, I'll be identifying myself, trying to superficially saying, yes, yes, defects are there, but other people have got more defects than me, trying to justify oneself. That will not do. So Swadhyaya, study of the scriptures with greater understanding, as well as study of oneself, both meanings will be fulfilled only when it is pre-accompanied by Tapasya. And once we studied ourselves, studied the scriptures, we understand the finite can never attain to the infinite. And therefore, the only way is, O Lord, out of Your grace, You make me Your own. You pull me, merge me, drown me into Yourself. That is called Sharanagati. And this is what Bhagavad Gita advocates in the end. But only when everything that is possible is done, this sense of helplessness comes. That is the meaning of Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Maam Ekam Sharanam Rajah. That is called the state of Mukti, how beautifully they fall. Similarly, if we analyze Yamas, that is Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha, there is also an order there. And without following that order, it is not possible. But today I am not going to discuss. So the prayer is, O Lord, by Your grace, let my mind be pure. Let it understand as just now I explained in the Niyamas. And then let what I speak be only in conformity with what I understand. When I understand truth, I cannot speak untruth, etc. So let there be no division, let there be no hypocrisy, no separation. What I say, I know I mean it. And what I mean, I say. What is the hypocrisy? I say one thing, I mean another thing, I do completely something else. That is why every part of the mind, what in English we call mind, is not a very happy world. Really the mind is called Antahkarana. It has got four parts, Manaha, Uddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. All the four parts, if they cannot be pure, they cannot be made pure. Only when they can be made pure, can the real Shravana takes place. Only when Shravana takes place, understanding comes, right understanding comes. Only when right understanding comes, speech will be right speech. And it is followed, it follows the action also. This is how we have to do. So a beautiful shloka is there, Vidyaranya tells us, Tat Chintanam Tat Kathanam Anyo Anyam Tat Prabodhanam Eta Deva Eka Paratvamcha Brahma Bhyasam Viduh Budhaha Panchadashe is telling this, that think of God, think only, talk only about God and address each other. That is what Sairam Krishna says, Satsanga. And Eta Deva Eka Paratvam, this should be the only goal of life. Thinking of God, speaking of God, listening about God, reading about God and associating our action with God. This is called Brahma Bhyasam. And one who practices this Brahma Bhyasam, he is called a Brahmachari. Brahmani Charateeti Brahmanaha. And Budhaha, wise people, that is what they are telling, think only about God. And then this is what Sairam Krishna says, the goal of life is to think about God, to speak of God and to live for God. That is why to make the understanding, clarify the understanding. In the Gospel, frequently we see Sairam Krishna asks M, what did I say? And sometimes then M understood it either partially or wrongly. Sairam Krishna lovingly corrects it. No, I did not say that. This is what I said. And then the Vaak, the speech, very very important, especially in the 17th and 18th chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. It is said there is a Vaak Tapasya. What is this Vaak Tapasya? It says, Anudvega Karam Vaakyam, Satyam Priyam Hithanchayat, that whatever is, doesn't disturb, make other people unhappy, make other people restless, agitate. Anudvega Karam Vaakyam. And it must be truth. And it must be beneficial. And it must be lovingly given. Four qualities are there. If we want, this is called Vaak Tapasya. That is why we have to understand what are those things. Anudvega Karam. What is Anudvega Karam? That whatever speech comes, it must help the other person, not disturb another person. And it must be Satyam means, the word Satyam has got many connotations. Usually it is, whatever truth, I speak the truth. Ramakrishna warned many times, don't speak what is called a truth which hurts other people. No. Whatever is beneficial, whatever does good for the other person, whatever uplifts the other person, that alone is called Satyam. And that is what it is said here, Satyam means, in other way of translating Satyam is, speak only of God. Speak spiritual talks. Don't speak rubbish. Priyam. And that which is pleasing to the other person, making good to that other person. And what is Priyam? It is qualified by Hitham. Whatever is beneficial to the other person. So, I should not talk what I don't know. I should not talk what I am doubtful about. And I should speak only truth. And I should speak only whatever is helpful. And I should speak only whatever is beneficial. And I should speak so that, in such a way that the other person is not put to trouble or hesitating. Because even truth can be spoken in a very harsh manner. These are all very very bad things. But there is a deeper meaning is there. What is Satyam? Satyam means that which is without any doubt. That is why in the Vedanta, they have given a beautiful definition. It is called Pramana. Pramana means that which is absolutely irrefutable. And it must produce four conditions. Anadi Gatha. Don't tell somebody something which he already knows. Avadhita. Whatever you speak, later on it should not be denied or destroyed. Asandigdha. And don't tell anything that which is doubtful. And Arthavat. It must make meaning both to the speaker as well as to the listener. So Anadi Gatha, Avadhita, Asandigdha, Arthavat, Gnana Janaka. That which produces right knowledge with regard to anything. It could be about food, climate, body, health or mind or Shastras or spirituality. It must produce right knowledge. And whatever fulfils these conditions, it is called a Pramana. And those things only we have to talk. Just look at Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Many times he says that stop talking useless things. And then he demonstrated. If anybody brought a newspaper and the newspaper is kept somewhere, he will sprinkle Ganges water. And if a worldly person, that means he who thinks worldly things, talks worldly things and makes other people worldly persons. So he says 7 inches below the earth where that person sits becomes impure. And what is the remedy? The purifying effect of Ganges water. We see it. And then if we observe Anudvega Karam Vakyam Sathyam Priyam Hitham. You know what happens? We practically will have very little to speak. And that saves a lot of time. And then what happens? All so-called friendship will drop away. That is the great disadvantage. All our friendship, what? I will gossip and you will listen. You will gossip and I will listen. What is gossip? Condemning, criticizing, finding fault with other people. What is the purpose? To feel that I am not like that. I am much better. But these very fellows will, those who are habituated to criticize, will criticize. They will criticize God. They will criticize dog. They will criticize you behind other people's back. They will criticize them to you. But you will be a fool if you think they are not criticizing you. They will be criticizing you left and right in front of other people. So if we can really make friends with whom we can speak spiritual talks about God only, I think very few friends will be left out. This is what Satsanga means. Sri Ram Krishna advocates, make a choice. We want to go to God, then fulfill all these conditions. Not only that. There is an entire scripture has come out. So if we want to speak something, first of all, it should be the right thing for us to speak. I want to speak something right. Secondly, I must use such words which will without doubt convey what I want to convey to the other people. It is called precision of expression. Third thing is that when I am speaking, I must have the right attitude not because I know better or anything. And to assist in these three tasks. For the three tasks, I must speak right knowledge. I must convey right knowledge. I must use precise words with right meaning. And I must also convey them with the right attitude. That is why there is Vyakaranam, there is Tarka Shastram, there is a Pramana Shastram. What does this Vyakaranam do? Help us to speak out correctly so that there will be no mistake by anybody who listens. What does Tarka Shastram do? That I should be able to tell in such a way, the other person cannot contradict it. But it is illogical. No, it should never be there. And then what is the third thing? It is called Pramana. Pramana means that what I am speaking has been verified by many people and it is there. Though it is of academic interest, I am only telling you that so deep our Vedanta teachers have gone. It says when you are speaking, one should avoid three defects. Avyapti, Ativyapti, Asambhava Dosha. I will not go into the details. There are Sanskrit definitions. But what I want to convey is Avyapti means when you are speaking, it should be intelligible to the other person. Ativyapti means it should not be too much so that he will get confused. Do you mean this? Do you mean that? And Asambhava, don't speak of something impossible. Only I know it. Nobody else knows about it. Anyway, we don't need to. That is why there is a beautiful shloka. That is, if a person especially wants to give a talk, what should be his qualification? Shabda Shastram Anadhitya Yappuman Vaktum Ichchati Vachaha Sabantare In a big meeting place, if a person, whichever person wants to convey certain ideas and he doesn't know grammar, he doesn't have the right knowledge, and he doesn't have even the right motivation, his only purpose is that I also spoke in that big meeting and they allowed me to speak like that. No. So if anybody speaks like that, Rodhum Ichchati Vane Madhotkatam Hastinam Kamala Naala Tantuna That means his words will be totally useless. Like, if a person wants a huge elephant in breast, and you want to bind it with the very tender branches of a lotus flower. That is why it is very important for us to observe these rules. So there are many other things. Then there afterwards is a prayer to the Divine Lord. What is the first one? To conclude what we discussed yesterday and today practically whole talk, that may my mind be united with my speech and in brackets with my actions, and may my actions and my speech and my mind be united. That means, may I be a Satyamanta Purusha. This is the definition of a truthful person. And it is said, when first Swami Vivekananda, that is future Vivekananda, Narendranath, first met Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineshwar temple, he observed something which very few people can analyze really, because he was such a great soul. He said that this is the utmost sincere person I have ever met. He speaks what he knows, and he knows what he speaks. That means he is speaking what he himself has experienced. That means he is an authentic personality. What else do we want? That is what is meant by may my mind and speech be united with each other and united only in God. Simple words. Then there will come Aavihi, Aavihi, Ma Edhi. Aavi means light. Light means Prakasha. Prakasha means knowledge. O Lord, You are of the nature of knowledge. This is called Chaitanya. This is called Swayam Prakashakathva. And you reveal yourself to me because I don't have any way I can understand you. Just as Sri Ramakrishna clarifies, we have to pray to the police sergeant. Sir, you can see everybody, but nobody can see you. Please turn the light upon yourself. These are very beautiful words are there, meanings are there in this Shanti Mantra. We will continue in our next class. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagat Gurum Pada Padmetayoh Saritva Pranamami Muhurmuhu May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagat Gurum Pada Padmetayoh Saritva Pranamami Muhurmuhu May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishna Jagat Gurum Padmetayoh Saritva Pranamami Muhurmuhu