Upanishads : "The cream of Vedas"

20/07/2019. Mandukya Upanishad : Chapter-1. Agama Prakarana ( The Scriptural Treatise ) Sri Gaudapada's glossary begins : Karika Slokam-s 1 to 9. Mantram : 9. "Bhogartham srstir-ity-anye kridartham-iti-capara, devasyaisa svabhavo-yam-apta-kamasya ka sprha." bhoga-artham = for enjoyment; srstih = the creation; iti = that; anye = some ( others ); krida -artham = for the sport; iti = that; ca capare = and others ( consider ); devasya = of the  Lord; esah ayam = this ( creation ); svabhavah = is the very nature; apta-kamasya = for the ever fulfilled Lord; ka sprha = what desire? "Others think that the world is being created for the purpose of God's enjoyments. While still others attribute it to a mere play of the Lord. But it is the very nature of the Effulgent being, the Atman; for, what desire is possible for Him, whose desires are always in a state of perfect fulfillment?" Discussion : 1. There are others who believe that the worl...

19/07/2019. 4.Naive Idealism There is another of reality which goes by the name of naive idealism. It is the view that what is experienced is the same as the real, and that this real is identical with the idea of the individual subject. This is equal to merging the whole cosmos in the idea or the consciousness of the individual. All the substance of the earth and the heavens is my idea; you all are contained in my conception or notion. There is no cosmos independent of the subjective idea. The world is the projection of the experiencing subject. This view is quite good as far as it is confined to the private reactions which the subject manifests towards the objects of the universe in consonance with the interests which the subject cherishes on account of the presence of various kinds of desires and impressions imbedded in itself. But when this theory is taken to be metaphysical one, i.e., a theory of reality, it falls to the ground. It cannot be said that an individual can perceive ...

18/07/2019. 4. "The Upanishad says this knowledge ( academic knowledge with as many Phd-s ) cannot make you free. It is only the knowledge of your own self that can assure you true freedom." The reason for this opinion of the Upanishads is also very deep-rooted. How is it that freedom is embedded in you only and not anywhere else? I mentioned to you on the very first day that this particular something which the Upanishads call Atman is not a prerogative of any particular individual; it is not something that is in you only, it is the pure subjectivity of all things. The deepest essence of anything and everything in the universe is what is called the Atman. So the study of the Atman is not the study of the self of some person, Mr. So-and-so and all that; it is the study of the self of every Mr. So-and-so, so on and so forth. Everything, everyone, all things are a pure subjectivity in them. There is an I-ness or a feeling of self-identity even in a tree which grows acc...

17/07/2019  Tattvam : The whole is all That. The whole is all this. The whole was born of the whole. Taking the whole from the whole, what remains is the whole.     Om Peace! Peace!! Peace!!!     Glory of the Upanishads :     1. Salutations to all Brahma Vidya Gurus or the preceptors of the knowledge of Brahman.     2. Prostrations to Satchidananda Para Brahman, who is the prop, basis and source for everything.     3. The acme of wisdom of the sages is to be found in the Upanishads.     4. The Upanishads teach the philosophy of absolute unity.     5. The knowledge of the Upanishads destroys ignorance, the seed of Samsara.     6. Behind the names and forms, there dwells the Eternal, Infinite Satchidananda Brahman.     7. This world is indwelt by Para-Brahman or the Absolute.     8. Renounce all desires. Renounce egoism, selfis...

The Kathopanishad: A Wondrous Epic of the Spirit : 1. Swami Krishnananda 16/07/2019. (Spoken on June 19, 1972) 1.1 The search for truth is an arduous task demanding of us the spirit of real adventure. We have records of such instances where adventurous spirits had to encounter forces which were most unexpected in their search and quest for the unknown. A remarkable example given to us through the Upanishads is the heroic march of that lad called Nachiketas to that unknown mystery which began to work within him in a subtle, inexpressible manner. 1.2 In that mystical tale of the Kathopanishad we are given a history of the human spirit, which passes through various stages of suffering, test and experience. It is not all milk and honey that we see before our eyes when we walk the path of the spirit. That it is hardship and also accompanied with a sense of mystery and awe is exemplified by Nachiketas in the philosophical epic that we have in the Upanishad. 1.3 There are three or f...

  Kathopanishad: The Science of the Inner Life -1. Swami Krishnananda 15/07/2019 Introduction -1. 1.1 The Kathopanishad may be regarded as a most appropriate introduction to spiritual life in general. The story with which the Upanishad begins provides the proper foundation for commencing a study of the science of the higher life of man. From the exoteric ritual of the performance of sacrifice and charity by sage Vajasravasa, the Upanishad takes us to the spiritual longing of the seeker, Nachiketas, which moves along a definite pattern of development. The three boons requested for by Nachiketas from Yama represent the terrestrial, heavenly and spiritual realms of attainment. In the movement from the outward liturgy of Vajasravasa in the world to the inner aspiration of Nachiketas for spiritual values, we have the first step taken towards the higher consciousness. The second step is the rise from temporal relationships to the universal significance of all things found...

14/07/2019 (Spoken on January 14th, 1973) 3. The objective analysis given to us in the Aitareya Upanishad tells us that the individual seeking freedom and salvation has come out from the Supreme Being Itself and, therefore, its blessedness, its final destiny lies in the realisation of its original identity with the Supreme Being. The Atman is consciousness, the Brahman is consciousness. Prajña pratishta prajnanam brahma (Ait. 3.1.3) says the Upanishad. This prajnana is also the essence of the individual soul. By the saman adhikarana method, or the bhauda saman adhikarana, as they call it, the recognition of a common substratum being there between two entities establishes the existence of a common factor between them. The objective side as the creative principle and the subjective side as the individual soul have a common substratum called consciousness, and in consciousness they are one. "Tat Tvam Asi, Ayamatma Brahma, Prajnanam Brahma." These dicta of the U...

13/07/2019 7. You may ask me what ‘meaningful' is. Meaning is that character in the object by which we can consider that object to be of some utility to us. If it is totally non-utilitarian, if it is a meaningless hotchpotch, then our mind cannot be attracted. Thus, symmetry of contour, perfection of presentation, precision and orderliness, together with the meaning that we see in it, pulls the subject towards the object. However, considering any aspect of the matter, it does not mean that we love the object for its own sake. There is some subjectivity involved in it. Unless a meaning is seen in the object, we will not be pulled towards that object. We want to put that object into some utility. If there is no meaning at all, no attraction takes place. So, "na va arey sarvasya kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati; atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati" : Nothing is dear for its own sake; for the sake of the Atman, everything is dear. When we love a thing, we are lovi...