Taittiriya Upanishad – Brigu Valli – Swami Nikhilanada Saraswati 1st August, 2013 – Chinmaya Mission Delhi. We will study Brigu Valli, the 3rd Valli in Taittiriya Upanishad which is from Krishna Yajurveda. We have seen the Brahmananda Valli in last month. These Upanishads are found in Vedas are also called Vedanta. One meaning of Vedanta is end portion of Vedas. There are various branches of Vedas and after every branch there is an Upanishad. The other meaning of Anta is lakshya – ultimate aim and goal. Vedanta means ultimate goal. Upanishads are called pramana – means of knowledge. When we go through the Upanishad properly we gain knowledge. The question is why should we gain knowledge? What knowledge is this? We know the importance of knowledge in the world. We acquire lot of things through action. Action is very important. We have to perform appropriate action to gain the desired result. We perform action to fulfil our desires. All of us have a stock of desires. Why do we want to fulfil our desires? Whenever we fulfil our desires, we become happy. Fulfilment of desires makes us happy. Why do we want to become happy? This is a natural urge. Every being is born with this natural urge to become happy. Everyone seek happiness. All our desires are aimed at happiness. We feel happy and satisfied when desires are fulfilled. We have to put forth efforts to fulfil our desires. Most of the people have to struggle hard to fulfil their desires. Unless we fulfil the desires, we don’t feel happy. Our whole life is a struggle to fulfil our desires. What is the importance of worldly knowledge? We send our children to school and colleges to gain knowledge. It helps us to fulfil our desires. We get good job, we can start a business. Knowledge helps us to fulfil our desires more efficiently. Therefore we strive to learn the skills in this world. But we find that even after studying a lot and trying to fulfil our desires, some desires remain unfulfilled. Many persons desires always remain unfulfilled even after striving hard except the Self-realized person. We have some unfulfilled desires even when we die. Then we are born again. Desires make us take more births. Again we spend whole life fulfilling desires. This goes on. We encounter many emotions like anger, jealousy, pride, greed, fear, dejection, rejection, depression etc when we are striving to fulfil our desires. There is importance of knowledge in the world, we know. But knowledge does not help us to fulfil all our desires or to gain the state of total bliss, happiness. Knowledge has got its own limitations. The Upanishads say that you keep on fulfilling your desires and the problem is not in the desires but of knowing your Self. We don’t know ourselves and therefore we have so many desires which we keep trying to fulfil. As long as we don’t know ourselves as we are, fulfilling desires cannot satisfy us. we have to know, recognize ourselves as we are. People might ask, how do you know that I don’t know myself? I have my visiting card, facebook account, I am on twitter besides me the whole world knows who am I. Why do you say that I don’t know myself? We have not given a deep thought to it. When someone asks us who we are, we might give our name, age, gender. But everyday it keeps on changing. What I say on a day is not true on the next day. One day I say that I am a happy person and the next day I find myself depressed and I say that I am a sad person. In Childhood I said, I am a child then I grew and I said I am a young man. Depending on the changing phenomena of the body, I keep on changing my own identity. Depending upon the changing mind I keep on changing my view about myself, happy, unhappy, sad, glad etc. Who am I is not clear to me. In dream, I go into a different world altogether. I might be sick in my waking state but I go mountaineering in my dream. I am sleeping in Delhi but in my dream I am in Honolulu. If someone asks me in my dreams that where am I then my answer would be, I am in Honolulu. When I wake up my answer is Delhi. So whatever I say about myself is not fixed. In deep sleep state I don’t know where I was. I don’t know how I was. When I wake up then I say I don’t know. I was asleep. But I know I was there. I am not very sure about my own nature. What I am sure of is ‘I am’. I exist; there is no doubt about it. But I am not sure about my nature. I don’t know where I was before I was born. I don’t know what will happen after this body fall off. Nothing is clear about the Self. The most strange thing is that very rarely people have jigyasa about the Self. If a new person comes in your neighbourhood, you will be curious to know about him. We have curiosity and inquisitiveness. Jigyasa about Self is very rare. Nachiketa and other great Rishis had this jigyasa. Why don’t we have this jigyasa? Because we are not sure that we don’t know ourselves. It is great puzzle. Many times little children have this jigyasa. They ask where they have come from. They want to know where they were. they ask, ‘main kaun hoon? We tell them some cock and bull story and try to satisfy their jigyasa. The first step to understand Vedanta is to have this jigyasa. If the jigyasa is not there then Upanishads and Bhagvad Gita will not make any sense. They are the answer to this question, who am I. These text are not based on faith, they are like book of science. Even the scientists try to find out about atoms though it cannot be seen. But the scientists do not rest till they get the answer. They do all sorts of experiments and find out everything about it because there is jigyasa. Similarly Vedanta begins when we have serious jigyasa, when we seriously what to know who am I. The answer is there in our scriptures. Who am I cannot be known through all the faculties of knowing. If I want to know about atoms, I can use my eyes, directly and indirectly. Science has found out how light behaves by doing experiments. Light not only behaves like waves but it also behaves like photons. We can find out about the world through our senses. We can infer, compare and find out the nature of the world. Our senses, mind, intellect finds out this. Intellect has the capacity to understand the world. Human beings have gained lot of knowledge about the world and outer space also. All these faculties fail to know my Self. What I am in my waking state is a mixture of ‘I’ and what is not ‘I’. In my waking state I am enveloped by the body, mind, intellect so it is very difficult to exactly pinpoint my nature in the waking state. In dream state also I am mixed up with mind and intellect. In the deep sleep state I become free from body, mind and intellect. I get separated from them. That is a chance for me to recognize myself but unfortunately, that time I don’t have my senses, mind and intellect to myself. The instruments through which I can know myself are not available in deep sleep state. I am there but I don’t know who am I. Suppose I want to see how my eyes look when closed and I close them and stand in front of the mirror, but I can’t see. If I open them then I can’t see the closed eyes. If I close them then eyes are not there to see! Similarly, in deep sleep state, though I am alone, I don’t know. All the means of knowing myself fail. Some people may say that they can know themselves in meditation. Meditation is only quietening the mind, it is like sleep. Just by quietening the mind and intellect, I cannot know myself. In deep sleep state, mind is still, intellect is still, I am alone there but still I don’t know my Self. Quietening the mind and intellect will not lead to Self-knowledge. There seems to be no way! There is a way. Upanishads are a wonderful gift of Ishvara to us, in which our nature is revealed. They not only tell us who we are but also they give us the steps by which we can experience ourselves as we are. The proof of pudding is in eating. The proof of all pramana is finally in experience. Suppose I see smoke and infer that there is fire, the proof is only when I actually see fire. Similarly, the scriptures are saying that you are Brahman and the proof will be finally experiencing it. Upanishad not only tell us who we are but they also help us gain the experience. It is called aparokshanubhuti of our Self. We take support of the teacher to help us in our pursuit who guides us. We have studied Brahmananda Valli where the lakshnas of Brahman are indicated as satyam, gyanam, anantam. And that Brahman is indicated as our own Self. How to experience the Brahman? How to finally recognize and gets established in Brahman? That also has to be revealed and that is revealed in Bhrigu Valli. In Kaliyuga, it is said that the parents will teach their children how to earn money, not Brahmavidya. It is said in the Vedas, Chhandogya Upanishad father teaches his son. In Brigu Valli also son Bhrigu approaches his father Varun and request him to teach Brahman. He had heard Brahman is our own Self. Then the father teaches him. The stress is given on the process, means of recognizing Brahman and that means is Tapah. Tapas means focussed contemplation. In the end of this Valli is the song of enlightenment. We have named this series of talks on Upanishad as ‘Songs of Enlightenment’ from the same. The realized master sings, he expresses his state of enlightenment through verse. That is a beautiful portion. ॐ सह नाववतु | सह नौ भुनक्तु | सह वीर्यं करवावहै | तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै | ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः || This is a prayer for peace. The teacher and the student together they pray for peace before commencing the studies. Let there be peace within me, the surroundings and let there be peace in the whole world. This is a prayer addressed to Ishvara. Ishvara is the master of the whole world, Brahman. Let there be peace in my mind, intellect, body, senses. Let me be very peaceful. I will be able to comprehend what is said in that peaceful state. If mind is restless then it is not possible to comprehend. One should study the scriptures in leisure. One should stay in ashram and calmly study. Bhagvad Gita was taught right in the battlefield but all other Upanishads are studied in calm and peaceful environment. If the situation is such, then one can study even in the middle of the battlefield. But if the atmosphere is calm and peaceful then the study is more effective. O Lord! Please protect us. May we enjoy this study together. Study happens nicely when the there is enjoyment for teacher and the student. May we put forth efforts together. The teacher and the student have to put forth efforts together. Pujya Gurudev used to encourage people who used to come for his pravachan to take notes, discuss, contemplate and study the scriptures. It should not be heard passively. It is serious and sincere study. We have to put forth efforts. May my understanding and grasping should be clear, bright and brilliant. The subject is made very clear in Upanishads. There is no chance for vagueness. It does not depend upon our mood. The knowledge is based on the object as it is. Similarly, nature of the Brahman is revealed in Upanishds clearly. When the understanding becomes clear then we meditate and experience. There are only three steps in Vedanta – shravana, manana and nididhyasana. shravana is to listen to the Upanishads that what they are saying about my Self. Manana is to understand it clearly. That clarity removes the avidya. Ignorance goes away through the clarity. Experience is gained through nididhyasana. One leads the mind and intellect in that clear direction is called nididhyasana. One gains the direct experience of Supreme. May we not dislike or hate each other. The teacher and student should have perfect rapport. Let there be peace, peace and peace. भृगुर्वै वारुणिः | वरुणं पितरमुपससार | अधीहि भगवो ब्रह्मेति | तस्मा एतत्प्रोवाच | अन्नं प्राणं चक्षुः श्रोत्रं मनो वाचमिति | Shruti is giving us this story of father and son for our easy comprehension. Father has welfare of his son in his heart. He reveals authentic knowledge. Bhrigu is the son and Varuna is the father. One day Bhrigu approached his father. Bhrigu was an intelligent child and must have studied Vedas and heard the word Brahman. He approached his father. This is a very important step – Guru-upasadanam. The student has to approach the teacher who is established in Brahman. He is approaching his father with due respect and reverence. The question should be crisp. He is not asking out of curiosity. Jigyasa is depicted. One does not give up till one gains the final experience is called jigyasa. It is like head on fire. You will not wait even for a second! Jigyasa is the thirst to know and one will not stop till one gains the knowledge. It is not like other karmas. Karmayoga is sincerely performing duties. Upasana is sincerely and regularly doing puja. Jigyasa is proactive struggle to find out answer and not to rest till one gains final realization. It does not have time limit. You cannot do jigyasa for one hour in morning and one hour in the evening. Tat chintanam, tat kathanam, anonya tat prabodhanam – constantly talking about it, thinking about it, discussing it till one recognize and gain the final state of enlightenment. That is being indicated by the term adhihi. Bhagvo means Bhagvan. Bhrigu is addressing his father as Bhagvan. The one who is revealing us that everything is Brahman, we have to see Brahman in him first. One should have great reverence for the teacher. Bhrigu had heard Brahman. Brahman is satyam, gyanam and anantam and Brahman alone is the cause of entire world. Satyam is that which is sat, sanmatra - existence per se. Everything in this world is ‘existing’. What is that because of which everything is existing? All the sweets are sweet so we say sugar is present in every sweet. Therefore the sweetness is experienced. Similarly, there are names and forms but everything is ‘existing’. What is that because of which everything is experienced as existing? That is the existence per se. That is Satyam. Gyanam is that because of which knowledge happens. We know. Anantam means infinite, it is not limited by time, space or object. Bhrigu had also heard about Brahman so he requests his father that please teach me about Brahman. Father said that food, prana, eyes, ears, mana and speech. Shankarachryaji says that these are doorways to recognize the Brahman. Brahman is beyond our senses. Who we really are is not something which we can see with senses or grasp with intellect. It is beyond all these. Our real nature is Brahman which is indicated as the source of entire creation. How can we comprehend Brahman? What is the upalabdhi dwar – doorway to reach there? The upalabdhi dwaras are mentioned here. Annam – our body which is made up of food. We have to take help of the known to know that which is unknown. The world in which our body is there is karya – effect and Brahman is indicated as cause. Cause is different from the effect. The nature of the cause of effect but the cause is present in the effect. The pot is made up of clay. I only know the name pot and shape pot. But I don’t know the clay. I can know the clay through the pot only. Clay is there in the pot. Here clay is also visible and the pot is also visible to eyes. In case of Brahman, world is visible to eyes but the cause is not visible. Pot is like the world and the clay is like Brahman. We have to take help of the known to know the unknown. Brahman is my supreme nature. To know myself I need to take help of my upadhis. They are called the upalabdhi dwar. Annam is physical body. We have to have a human body to know Brahman. We may drop the body after death but the desires like hunger and thirst remain. We can drink and eat properly when we get another body. Physical body is called as Annam because it is made up of food and we are food. It is born from food which our parents have eaten and grown on food we eat and after death goes into prithvi from where all sorts of food, herbs grow. So body is food but it is means to know the Brahman. Annam is controlled by pranas. Pranas – life force are also means of knowing Brahman. Prana is the kriyashakti of Bhagvan. The eyes and ears represent all the organs of perception. They are also means to know Brahman. you require ears to do shravanam. Manah represents manah, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara. These are the inner equipment. Ahamkara is the owner thought. It owns the senses, mind and intellect. Mana – sankalpa-vikalpa. Buddhi – nischyatmika. Chitta – memory in which we have impressions. mana, buddhi, chiita and ahamkara are the most important instruments by which we can recognize Brahman. Speech represents all the organs of action. Body, organs of perception, organs of action, mana and pranas are like the doorways to recognize Brahman. First the teacher mentions this so that the student understands well. Now the teacher has to give some guidance. The teacher does not say it in direct words. He gives hint. He wants the student to contemplate. The contemplation is the means. It is a slow, steady, systematic process. Now the teacher gives lakshanas of Brahman. तँ होवाच | यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते | येन जातानि जीवन्ति | यत्प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्ति | तद्विजिज्ञासस्व | तद् ब्रह्मेति | स तपोऽतप्यत | स तपस्तप्त्वा The teacher says to the student that you ask for Brahman so I am giving you hint and you contemplate on this. These are the lakshanas of Brahman. All the creatures have born from Brahman. Brahmaji is first born. All the creatures are born from Brahman and they survive in Brahman. All the creature merge in that destination, that is called Brahman. You find out that. You enquire. Contemplate. That is Brahman. It is hint. We see gold ornaments. All the gold ornaments come from gold. They remain as gold and again merges back in gold. Similarly, all the beings come from Brahman, they remain in Brahman and again merge back in Brahman. You enquire into that. He only gives hint. So Bhrigu went and contemplate.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 20:02:40 +0000
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