Prasnopanishat – Answers to the Sixth Student

Peace is non-existent, Truth is scarce, 
Fear of weapons has mounted. 
Selfishness is the cause of these harmful trends. 
These words convey the truth.

Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma - Brahman (God) is Truth, Wisdom, and Infinite. Aksharam, Paramatma, Para-tattvam, Kshetrajna – These terms are merely synonyms for the Atma. Names are based on place, time, and situation. Every being aspires to be happy, to keep misery at bay. Although man desires joy and peace, why is he compelled to experience sorrow and difficulties? Sorrow, unrest, and fear are nothing but reflections of joy and peace. Without sorrow, joy has no value. If unrest did not exist, why would we yearn for peace? These dualities follow each other and are interdependent.

We spoke of Om yesterday. We saw that the three sounds - A, U, M represent Bhoolokam (physical world), Bhuvarlokam (astral world), and Suvarlokam (solar world). Also, the three Vedas - Rig, Yajur, and Sama – merely elaborate whatever is contained in Om. To attain the Pranava principle – namely, the unity of trimatra, triveda, and triloka – three paths are available.

Nama-smarana, Bhavam, and Sadhana

First, chanting the Name of the Lord (nama-smarana). Second, feeling (Bhavam). Third, spiritual effort (sadhana). By chanting the Name, you can experience pleasures of the Bhoolokam, that is, worldly comforts and amenities. All worldly pleasures can be obtained through chanting the Divine Name. However, these are temporary and unreal.

Next, Bhavam. What is Bhavam? Appreciating that a Divine Power runs the world of living and non-living entities, making this conviction central to one's daily activities, and contemplating upon that Power is Bhavam. By treading the path of Bhavam, one reaches chandralokam . To trust that there is a basis (moolam) for the gross (sthulam) worldly Bhavam. Chandralokam is the realm of the mind, where man enjoys peace and contentment.

Through nama-smarana, physical comforts, through Bhavam, mental intelligence are attained. Man remains dissatisfied with these two joys and proceeds into the third stage, sadhana. Sadhana takes him to Suvarlokam. Suvarlokam means the realm of the sun or the Atma principle, characterized by highest awareness and consciousness. It is the highest Jnana born of divine vision. In this wisdom, which reveals the unity of everything, there is peace.

Bhoolokam and Bhuvarlokam pertain to the physical world which is fleeting and unreal. Bhoolokam is gross (sthulam) while Bhuvarlokam It subtle (sukshmam). The body is gross, the mind is subtle. Bhoolokam and Bhuvarlokam relate to the body and the mind. Suvarlokam is the domain of the Atma.

Through nama-smarana, Bhavam, and sadhana, these three planes of existence are attained. When these three paths are followed, man can reach a state beyond the three lokas, a state of supreme peace and bliss. This is the goal of human life. These were the answers given by Sage Pippalada to Satyakama.

Purushottama and the Sixteen Kalas

At this time, Sukesa, son of Sage Bharadvaja, rose and prayed, Swami! All scriptures declare that there is a Divine Being, Purushottama, who is a reservoir of sixteen attributes (kalas). Who is This Being? What are the sixteen kalas? Where are they found? Please appease my curiosity."

Pippalada smiled, "Son, Sukesa! Purushottama is not limited to some secluded place. He is present as awareness in every being and experiences Bliss in that form. He is Satchitananda, Being Awareness-Bliss.”

Sat means one who is changeless, true, and permanent, to whom nothing can be added. The one who recognizes complete awareness is Chit. The one who experiences Sat and Chit is the embodiment of Ananda. Names and forms may vary, but Sat and Chit lead to the same goal. The right eye and left eye are distinct, no doubt. But when you open both of them, left and right merge in your vision. Similarly, the unity of Sat and Chit is Ananda. These three are present within every human being.

Satchidananda is one possessing all sixteen kalas. Now, the sixteen kalas have been expounded by scriptures in various ways, confusing the common man. The kalas are not meant to be earned by us but instead, they are natural to us.

Space (akasha) carries sound. Sound causes wind (Vayu). Wind gives birth to fire (Agni) and brightness through which, water is made possible. The grosser aspect of water is itself earth. The five elements are space, air, fire, water, and earth. The five life-forces (pranas) in our body are prana, apana, samana, udana, and vyana. Together, they form ten concepts. The five organs of perception (jnanendriyas) eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin – bring the total to fifteen. The mind is the sixteenth. These sixteen attributes shine in every human being

Purusha

The kalas are all-encompassing and full (purnam). The one who experiences these kalas in all their fullness, employs them to recognize the state of fullness and attains that state, qualifies for the title of Purusha or Purushottama.

Who is Purusha? It does not mean one who wears a pant and shirt, namely, a male! In the body, which is called Pura, that consciousness, that awareness, that Divine Power which pulsates from top to toe is called Purusha. The one who experiences this awareness is also Purusha. The one who appears in everyone, or the collective consciousness throughout the cosmos, is Purushottama. In other words, the individualized awareness is Purusha, while the collective awareness is Purushottama.

What must the Purusha do to sanctify his time in the body? Sound (shabda), air (vayu), fire (tejas), water and earth – The five elements must be regarded as manifestations of God and used appropriately.

Sacred Use of Senses

God has bestowed on man the five organs of perception (Jnanendriyas). Sight is fire. It must be used in the proper path. See good. Only then this kala of sight becomes a Divine instrument. Second is hearing. We must employ our ears to hear only words which encourage awareness of our pure, transcendental nature. Third, the nose. Sweet fragrances do not just confer joy, but are conducive to health as well. Bad odours lead to bad health and disturb mental peace. Good smells are God's manifestations in the air.

Next, the skin. The sense of touch is very pure. It must not be used indiscriminately. To sanctify the sense of touch, our ancient sages left villages and towns, sought solitude in forests and spent their time in silent meditation. There is a Divine Power in our body called Chit-shakti. This power is like a current. With touch, currents in bodies are exchanged. It is very likely that in this process, our good qualities deplete and bad qualities increase! Therefore, it is advisable to touch only pious and great individuals, especially their feet, to ensure that our virtues flourish and our vices subside.

When you sit for meditation, ensure that you are not close to others, that you do not touch another's body. Sit alone, focus on your innate potential, express it in behaviour, and mentally enjoy the Divine Power which is within you and outside you. Antar Bahischcha Tat Sarva Vyapya Narayana Sthitah - Narayana is inside, outside, everywhere When we cultivate friendships and attachments indiscriminately, our Divinity is drained day by day. Our ancient sages used the five elements and the five sense organs in sacred ways and transformed themselves into Divine personages.

Swami told you yesterday – Our body has 720 million Nadis. The life force called vyana pervades every Nadi uniformly. The Divine force of vyana ensures health, joy, and enthusiasm. Vyana manifests as a thousand-petalled lotus (sahasrara Padma) in the crown of the head When the kundalini energy journeys from the muladhara Chakra to the sahasrara Padma, the petals of this lotus blossom. Then the kundalini glows with infinite effulgence in the sahasrara. Man today, drained of this divine energy, is susceptible to all kinds of sorrow. Our sages were made of stronger material. They purified the muladhara Chakra, awakened the kundalini power, made it traverse the path to sahasrara, and redeemed the purpose of their birth Therefore, the five life-forces must be utilized properly. Only then we can attain the state of Purusha, divinity.

The Source Is Within

Thus, although man has the sixteen kalas within himself, he is unable to use them properly, unable to recognize his Divinity.

When you have Kamadhenu, granting milk upon mere request,

Why buy an ordinary cow paying money?

When the wish-fulfilling tree is with you,

Why crave for the wild weeds growing around your house?

When you have a golden mountain shining with infinite brightness,

Why search for nuggets of silver and gold?

Although man is an embodiment of the Divinity which expresses itself as sixteen kalas, and man contains these sixteen kalas within himself, he does not recognize their Divine significance and thereby, performs actions which wreck peace of mind. Leave out not attaining the state of Purusha or Purushottama - Man slips downward into animal and demonic tendencies. Why? He does not use the sixteen kalas in the right way.

Give up Selfishness, Sanctify the Kalas

Yes, we may not be well-versed in Vedas, epics, and Puranas. But man does not put into practice basic morals in his daily life. You must speak the truth, and speak it sweetly. Speak words which instill joy in others. Never hurt others with words. We know these teachings, but we fail to practice them! Why? Selfishness, selfishness. In the anxiety to realize his selfish goals, man uses the sixteen kalas in detrimental ways.

Therefore, man is endowed with sixteen kalas, which are full (purna). One who sanctifies these kalas and recognizes their Divine significance qualifies to be called Purushottama. One who wastes his kalas is the lowest among men.

The answer to Sukesa's question was that Purushottama is not a separate Being residing in a secret place. God is not in some other place (desham) but in your own body (deham)! Similarly, sin does not reside outside, but in your ruinous actions. Actions alone turn us into Purushas, Purushottamas, men, demons, or animals. Actions can lead us to higher states. Actions can also drag us into hellish existence,

Nature of Avatars

Puranas declare that one who has completely sanctified the sixteen kalas is Purushottama. Therefore, the Avatars alone can apply the sixteen kalas with total, unalloyed selflessness. Whatever is done, seen, spoken or thought by Avatars is absolutely selfless. No Avatar at any time, has ever used His five organs of perception, five life forces, five elements, or mind for selfish ends. While conducting themselves as ordinary men, they have unmistakably displayed purity truth and eternal qualities through unselfish actions. Man is blind to such subtle truths and thus, unable to understand his humanness.

Prajna - The Invisible Awareness

Pippalada bestowed these grand teachings upon Sukesa. He instructed him to enquire about the unity of the gross (sthulam) and the subtle (sukshmam). The gross is perishable and the subtle, indestructible. The world is perishable and the Atma, imperishable. Life is perishable, God is imperishable. Only when you grasp the significance of these two principles can you understand the sixteen kalas in their fullness,

The entire cosmos, mobile and immobile, has emerged from the Indestructible Principle (akshara). This akshara principle has given birth to this world, sustains it, and ultimately merges it into itself. The unity of the individual soul (Jiva) and God (Deva) is akshara. The combination of the temporary and the permanent is akshara.

The sixteen kalas are sanctified when they are dedicated to the Atma. Let your vision not be restricted to the external, physical sight, but proceed inward to the Atma. Foster the feeling that your physical sight is made possible only by the light of the Atma. Do not misconstrue your organs of action (karmendriyas) to be the source of awareness.

Your ears are able to hear only because of the power of the Atma. The invisible cause is the power of the Atma, called Prajna.

Our external vision beholds the world, called Vishwa. The inner vision, the dream and deep sleep states pertain to Prajna. This prajna gives birth to effulgence or tejas.

Whatever we do, see, think, and say, we must dedicate to the Atma. Then the kalas will blossom to their full capacity. How? Rivers with distinct names and forms flow in their respective directions. But ultimately, all rivers acquire the name, form, and qualities of the ocean.

Similarly, the five elements are distinct streams. So are the five life forces (pranas) and the five organs of perception (jnanendriyas). Lastly, the mind is the most turbulent river of all! When all these streams are offered to the Atma, they merge into prajna. They lose their individual names and forms and acquire the immaculate qualities of the Atma – formless, true, eternal, unsullied. Hence, to become Purushottama, we must use the sixteen kalas meaningfully.

(Swami continued the discourse in the next chapter with “Hari Bhajana Bina Sukha Shanti Nahin”)

May 29, 1991