Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

God is eternal and controls the universe by his appearance and disappearance.  Bhagavanta can appear in earth from moksha or he can go to moksha from earth.  But the jeevas who have reached moksha cannot come back.  The one who has the knowledge of God and thinks in the same way as God may attain moksha.  The one who believes that Vedas are apourasheya and who understands the knowledge given by Bhagavanta in puranas and Itihasas (Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavata) can reach moksha.  It is difficult to understand the mystic language of Vedas and Puranas directly.  It is believed that Vedas and Puranas are in three forms: Saatvika, Raajasa, Taamasa.   But Vedas and Puranas are not Raajasa or Taamasa.  Vedas and Puranas should be understood in proper way.  We must become SAtviks to understand Vedas and Puranas.  In Bhagavad-Gita Bhagavanta has stated that there are two jeevas namely Dyvi Sampath jeevas and Asuri Sampath jeevas.  Dyvi Sampath jeevas reach God and Asuri Sampath jeevas will never reach God.  Even in moksha Bhagavanta is Supreme and he controls muktas. He is niyamaka (Controller) and antaryami.    

There are six waves categorized into three types:   Psychophysical, Psychological and  Physical waves.   

1.   Psychophysical waves are HaSivu and bAyArike (hunger and thirst).  A jnani (scholar) cannot overcome from hunger and thirst.  Bhagavanta is free from these two waves.

2.   Psychological waves are shOka(grief) and mOha (delusion or ignorance).  When we lose something dear to us or acquire unpleasant things, we become sad.  When, what we don’t get what we desire and when we get what we do not desire, we become sad.   Our mind is affected.  Mind goes to depression.  That is shOka.  The reason for shOka is attachment (mOha).  Attachments through ignorance is mOha.  Ajnana (ignorance) and mamakara (love and attachment) are mOha.  If these feelings of attachment are reduced then shOka also get reduced.  ShOka and mOha are psychological waves.  

3.   Physical waves - Dyhika wave – jara (disease) & mrutyu (death).  Muppu (old age) and rOga are another two waves.  You cannot overcome muppu and rOga.    Jara and rOga are physical. 

Jnanaswarupa Bhagavanta is not bounded by these six waves.  The binding of these six waves is samsara or life.

Bhagavanta will help to surpass these six waves.    Bhagavanta is always free from these six waves.  Those who do not have these six waves are muktas.    The one who has this knowledge is a Brahmana.  BrahmAparoksha and mukta means brahmana.   (mental waves) attachment itself ignorance.  If you get rid of this then then you become aparoksha jnani of Bhagavanta.   Mrutyu means diseases. This is dyhika (related to body). Jara and rOga are physical.  After disease to death occurs.   If you can get rid of shOka and mOha then mukti can be attained. 

The three desires (aasegalu) are

i)                 Continuation of parampare (heritage)

ii)              Acquiring property

iii)          Reservation for paraloka (other or future world).                                                                     

The aspirants of moksha must not have these desires.    These are three foolish desires. For Swarupa Ananda these external things are not required.  All these desires lead to unhappiness.    PUNYADA BAYAKE , ELLA BAYAKE DUKKAMAYA.  Accept the world as it is.  Enjoy the world as it is.  One gets freedom (mukti) by parting with these desires.  Read Shaastra and understand it well.   Respect shAstra.  Understand the meaning of shAstra in the right perspective.   Then one can become BrahmaJnaani.  Then he can see God mentally and can see Bhagavanta by becoming a mukta.  Even in moksha God is EEsha (powerful) and muktas are dAsAs(servants).

In this way Yagnavalka Rishi clears the doubts of VidvAns about the difference between Muktas and Bhagavanta.

Based on Shri Bannanje Govindacharya’s discourse.

    

Bhagavad-Gita – Chapter 2

Bhagavad-Gita – Chapter 2

Through (jnaana) knowledge only, we can get rid of our pride or arrogance.   The knowledge must be applicable to the problem in hand.  For example an Engineer can solve the problem s regarding engineering works and a Doctor can solve problems relating to health…)   If we know our problems according to the knowledge, it becomes easy to solve the problem.    We must have faith in God.    With microscope, closing one eye you can observe very minute objects.   Like that you must concentrate on God if you want to know about God.  From the text book only one can acquire knowledge.  We are very unhappy when we are in the womb or at the time of death.  You must write the answer in the Examination hall only.  Giving answer paper is like giving our body(deha) after death.   Postpartum is different from surgery.  We have to do saadane when we are alive.  There are two types of abhimana.   Sadhabimana and durabhimana.  Sadhabimana should be there always.  We come in empty hands and go in empty hands.  Heart specialist will die by heart attack.  We are so dependent.  Even a heart specialist cannot escape from heart attack.  We have no right on our bodies.  If we are healthy, we can do saadhane.    Cars are run by diesel and petrol.    Rules are smritis in shaastra.    Loukika(material) is  like using salt in tak our food.  The real happiness is moksha(liberation).  We must have the concept of Vaikunta loka.  The side effect of happiness is unhappiness.  We must use our earnings in a noble way instead of hoarding.   Kunti requests Krishna to give sufferings always and remembrance of Him always.  Too much of happiness is also dangerous.  Shaastra adhyana(study of scientific treatise) must be the aim.  Shri Madhvacharyaru has stated that the word Purusham is applicable to purusha(man) and sthree(woman) also.  It is only Shri Madhvacharya only who has stated that for everybody moksha(liberation) is there.  Jnana is moksha.    For good deeds, in the end.  you are rewarded always.  For bad deeds punishments are always there.  This is the statement of Bhagavanta in Bhagavad-Gita.  Bhagavanta answers Udbava that the one who is not having contentment in life is poor.  For example Raghavendra Swami(Rayaru)  is very rich today even though he suffered a lot for four years with poverty when he was 20 years old.  .   

Even today Shri Madhvacharyaru is alive in Badarikashrama.  He disappeared on Magha masa shudda Navami in Udupi while teaching “Áitariya Upanishad” to his disciples.   As you cannot see Vayu(wind), you cannot see Acharya also.

In the battle field Lord Krishna gives upadesha to Arjuna.  Samsara itself is kurukshetrra.  Because Arjuna declined to do his duty as a warrior, Lord Krishna give sermons to him to realize the power of God.     Only by studying Shaastras, we can understand God.  For Kshatriyas shastras are essential.  For Brahmins shaastras are essential.  Permanent job is Vaikunta.  Shaastra is unique.  There is no substitute for it.  If boss is satisfied then the job is secured.  Boss means God and hence we must satisfy God.  Vasudeva is praanadevaru.  Vaasu is Bhagavanta.  We must satisfy vasu to reach vaasu.   V yaapta has no end.  Space (aakaasha) has no end.    Material value is there for gold but notes have no material value.    There is no destruction for God.  He is imperishable.  For example, Hiranyakashipu, Ravana, Kamsa are all victims of Bhagavanta.  By devotion only God can be won and not by hating Him.  For all death is assured.  Jeeva is nitya. Deha is anitya.  Jeeva is pratibimba of Bhagavanta.  Hence jeeva is nitya. When you stand before the mirror you are bimba and the reflection is pratibimba.  Likewise, Paramatma is bimba and jeeva is pratibimba.  Mirror is upaadi.  If the mirror is broken  pratibimba is gone.  Deha is upadi.  Bimba will not move.  Swarupa deha is nitya.  Hence jeeva is nitya.  Image is only a reflection.  Hence bimba and pratibimba are not same.  That is jeeveshwara bEda.  In a lake we see the reflection of sun.  Lake is upaadi.  When the lake is disturbed the reflection of the sun is a;so disturbed.  But the sun in the sky does not move.  Total dependence of pratibimba is there on bimba.  If one leaves a job, he can find out another job.  This is external dependence.   Fish survives in water.  If fish is separated from water it dies.  Nothing happens to water.  God is independent but we cannot live without God.  We are dependent on Him.  Hence God’s omnipresence should be felt always.  When we think that God is guiding us in our activities, we will be the happiest persons in this universe.     The water is totally independent of fish.  Realization of truth is saadane.  The direct pratibimba of God is Vaayudevaru.  This Navami a very precious day.  By giving us “sarvamoola granthas Shri Madhvacharya disappeared on this day and joined Vedavyasa devaru in Badarikashrama.                                                       

This presentation is based on Dr. V. Prabhanjanacharya.

   

Self Realization                                                                                                                    We always listen to the God’s Strength but we forget about His strength in our daily life.  Once there lived a brahmin by name Atmadeva who believed that Atma(soul) is God. We must understand the “tatwas” in our life.  It is God within us who is responsible for all the deeds done in our life.  Mama Swami and Sarva Swami are the two” tatwas”.   God is Atma (soul).  All the activities are performed through Atma.  God is always ananthagunaparipurna. Atmadeva was married to a beautiful woman.  But she was very talkative and was interested in gossiping. They had no issues.  Atmadeva was very much worried about it.  While wondering in the forest Atmadeva became thirsty and he was taking rest after drinking water.  Another Sanyasi joins Atmadeva.  The worried Atmadeva confesses to the Sanyasi that even though he had made lot of sacrifices he was not able to have children.  Atmadeva tells Sanyasi that he has decided to commit suicide and prays to the Sanyasi if he could help him to beget a child.  The Sanyasi from his knowledge found out that Atmadeva cannot have children even after 7 janmas.  Sanyasi told Atmadeva about his inability to help him.  In Mahabharata the following are the reasons for not being able to have children:  i) poisoning of children ii) consuming the flesh of calves and birds iii) Guru dwesh iv) hating the children of others v) those who do not perform shraddas.  Tarpanas and shraddas must be performed.  Sanyasi asks Atmadeva to take Sanyasatva.  But Atmadeva refuses to become Sanyasi and pleads Sanyasi to bestow him a son.  Then Sanyasi   tells Atmadeva about an incident that happened once for a king Chitraketu who got a child in spite of advise by Angirasa rushi that he cannot be blessed with a child.  The child born was poisoned by other concubines.  Even then Atmadeva persists of having a child,  then Sanyasi gives a fruit to Atmadeva and advises him to give to his wife.  Sanyasi advises Atmadeva to observe strictly truthfulness and devotion to God for one year; he should eat only once daily and be involved in helping deserving people.  Atmadeva gave the fruit to his wife.  But she was not willing to follow these instructions and was also not willing to be pregnant.  At that time her younger sister came and she was pregnant.  Her sister advises her to act as pregnant and she will give her child to her.  The fruit was given to a cow in the house. The cow became pregnant and gave birth to a son with cow’s ears.  That child was named as Gokarna.    Dundali the wife of Atmadeva named her sister’s child as Dundukari.  He followed the wicked path.  He was giving lot of troubles to his friends and he started living with wicked women.    Atmadeva became very sad.  Gokarna advises Atmadeva to renunciate family life and think of God.  Atmaderva by his sadhana and devotion gets salvation.  Dundali fell into a well and lost her life because of Dun Dakari’s torture.   Dundukari lives lavishly in illegal manner.  His concubines kill him for the sake of property. The moral of the story is we must not desire for the impossible things beyond our reach and be contented with whatever God has given to us.

Based on the lecture of Uttaradi mutt Swamiji