"Kathopanishad Day - 01" Talk in English by Swami Aparajitananda, Chinmaya Mission Mangaluru.

3:31 Humble prostrations to one and all. So, from today onwards we'll be taking up a very famous Upanishad called Katha Upanishad. One good thing about online classes is that there is no time limit you need to fix for these classes. For example, if it is a Yagna or a camp so, there are limited classes available. So, in those limited classes you will

4:16 have to finish the entire portion. So, that problem is not there when we have these online classes. So, therefore we will take up this Upanishad slowly explaining each and every verse in complete detail as best as we can. If this question is asked to most of the seekers which is the one Upanishad you like the most? If this question is asked to the seekers those who have studied all the

5:02 Upanishads especially the main 10 Upanishads if this question is asked which is the Upanishad you like the most? So, we find that majority of the seekers they say it is Katha Upanishad. So, that itself is the glory of this Upanishad. The Upanishad which is loved by majority of the people. Very interestingly we find that even in Bhagavad Gita maximum verses have come from Katha Upanishad.

5:50 Bhagwan has literally taken these verses from Katha Upanishad as it is and he has put it in Bhagavad Gita. So, that is another glory of Katha Upanishad. That very many verses in Katha Upanishad these verses have found its place in Bhagavad Gita. So, if all the Upanishads are cows if all the Upanishads are compared with

6:37 cows then Bhagavad Gita is the milk of those cows, it is said. Meaning Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all Upanishads. So, we can say maximum milk has been milked out from Katha Upanishad cow as far as Bhagavad Gita is concerned. So, this Katha Upanishad comes in Krishna Yajur Veda. The name of this Upanishad it is Katha Upanishad, this name has come because this comes under the Katha

7:23 Shakha. So, there are some 101 Shakhas, branches in Krishna Yajur Veda. This Katha Upanishad comes in the Katha Shakha. So, therefore this Upanishad has been named Katha Upanishad. There is another reason why this Upanishad is named Katha Upanishad. They say it is because Katha Shoke, Katha means sorrow. This Upanishad starts with a story a tragic story where the father loses his son, his beloved son to Lord Death.

8:09 So, that story comes. So, that story is a very tragic story. So, Katha also means Shoka, sorrow. So, maybe this Upanishad was named Katha Upanishad because of this tragic story. Sometimes this Upanishad is also called as Kathaka Upanishad. Kathaka Upanishad. That is because the Rishi to whom this Upanishad was revealed that Rishi's name was Kathaka Rishi. So, therefore this Upanishad is also known as Kathaka Upanishad. So, anyway in this Upanishad

8:54 we have around 119 verses. And these verses are spread out in two chapters. And each chapter we have three sections or Vallis as it is called. So, two chapters each chapter having three Vallis, three sections. So, there are total six Vallis, six sections. So, we are now going to see the first section. So, before we enter into Katha Upanishad every

9:40 Upanishad starts with a Shanti Mantra. So, we will first see the Shanti Mantra of this Upanishad and then we will enter into the text proper. So, the Shanti Mantra of Krishna Yajurveda is a very famous Shanti Mantra. So we will just chant it once. Om Sahanavavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu Saha Viryam Karavavahai Tejasvinavadhita-mastu Ma Vidvishavahai

10:30 Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi So this is the famous Shanti Mantra. I'm sure all of us we already know. So we will today we will see the meaning of the Shanti Mantra. Very many times we know the Mantra but we don't know the meaning of these Mantras. So Om it starts with Om. Om means Lord. So this is called a Shanti Mantra. So what is the meaning of Mantra?

11:17 Mantra means Mananat Trayate Iti Mantraha That which protects you when you chant it. Mananat Uchcharanat Trayate Iti Mantraha So that Mantra which protects you when you chant it and when you reflect upon it. This is how a Mantra is defined. Trayate it protects you. So this is called a Shanti Mantra. The Mantra which when you chant it gives you Shanti. It gives you peace. So why are we chanting the Shanti Mantra? We are chanting the Shanti Mantra so that the mind attains Shanti peace. For any study

12:05 the most essential thing is the mind has to be quiet and peaceful. Because an agitated mind cannot concentrate. An agitated mind cannot absorb the knowledge. So therefore it is necessary that a student has to quieten the mind before entering into any study. It is something like sharpening the axe before cutting anything. In the same way we must quieten the mind before applying this mind to studies. So Shanti Mantra quietens the mind. Shanti Mantra makes the mind Satvic.

12:53 It makes the mind divine. It makes the mind pure. It makes the mind quiet. Silent. So the teacher and the taught they sit together. They chant it together so that a divine atmosphere is created. A study friendly atmosphere is created. And this is absolutely essential before study begins. So Shanti Mantra. So this is the reason we chant this Mantra. So what is the meaning of this Mantra?

13:38 So it starts with Om. Om means O Lord. O Lord who is the support of this universe. Who is the very essence of this universe. Who is the very substratum of this universe. Who is the only reality in this universe. And also in each and every individual this reality this Om this Lord he is the one who is the guide in us. He is the one who is the life in us. He is the one who is the controller in us. He is the one who is the very essence in us. So the whole prayer is directed to that

14:25 supreme Lord who is the very essence of the individual and who is the very essence of the whole world. So unto that Lord this prayer is addressed. So O Lord So the first line is Sahanavavatu Sahanavavatu. Now here very many times we hear people chanting Sahanavavatu. Please understand it is not Sahanavavatu. It is Sahanavavatu.

15:11 This has to be kept in mind. This mistake has come because very many times we chant Sarvesham Swasti Bhavatu Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu. So therefore we think it is Sahanavavatu. So it is not Sahanavavatu. It is Sahanavavatu. So what is this Sahanavavatu? It is Saha Nau Avatu Saha Nau Avatu So by the way we are following the Chinmaya Mission book. So this is the book which we are following.

15:57 This is a new edition. So now this Mantra you will find in Roman number 17. So just before the first page you will find this Mantra. So we'll be following this Mantra I mean this book for our discussion of Kathopanishad. Right. So Sahanavavatu is nothing but Saha Nau Avatu. Saha together Nau both of us both of us means teacher and the taught. Saha Nau Avatu Avatu means to protect.

16:47 So the prayer is O Lord please protect both of us. Please protect both of us. Now naturally the question will come protection from what? So in our tradition we ask the Lord to protect us from the Tapa Trayas the three types of Tapa. Difficulties. Problems. Obstacles. So what are the three types of Tapa? The first one Adhyatmika Tapa The second one Adhibhautika

17:33 Tapa And the third one Adhidaivika Tapa. These are the three types of obstacles that can come during our studies. So what is the first one? Adhyatmika Tapa. Adhyatmika means Adhi Atma pertaining to oneself. So obstacles which can come from within is called Adhyatmika Tapa. So what are the obstacles which can come from within? So maybe the person is not interested in studies. Lack of interest in studies it is an obstacle from within.

18:19 Lack of faith in the knowledge. Lack of concentration. Or maybe some physical disease which is not allowing me to concentrate allowing me to study. So these are all the obstacles that can come from within. So these obstacles are called Adhyatmika Tapa. This is the first one. The second one is Adhibhautika Tapa. So what is Adhibhautika Tapa? The obstacles that can come from the surroundings. The obstacles that are known to me.

19:06 So I know the sources of those obstacles. So these obstacles which come from the surrounding these obstacles are called Adhibhautika Tapa. Suppose you are studying and from the nearby flat or nearby room some youngster keeps that full volume rock music blaring very loud you are not able to listen. You are not able to pay attention. Now this can be an Adhibhautika Tapa. So any disturbance coming from the external surroundings or you are troubled by a lot of

19:51 mosquitoes in the room. This can be another adhibhautika tapa. So, there can be so many reasons. So, all those obstacles which are coming from the immediate surrounding, the sources are known to you. All those obstacles are called adhibhautika tapa. Now, the third one is adhidaivika tapa. The obstacles which come from the sources unknown, where you have no control at all. So, natural calamities, like earthquakes and tsunamis, etc. where you have absolutely no control. Lightning. So, these are the obstacles coming from

20:38 say, cosmic forces. So, they are called as adhidaivika tapa. So, adhyatmika tapa, obstacles from within, from one's own self. Adhibhautika tapa, obstacles from the surroundings. Adhidaivika tapa, obstacles coming from the sources unknown. These are the three types of obstacles. So, the first prayer is Bhagwan, saha nau avatu. Bhagwan, please protect us. Protect us from these three obstacles. Only then the study can proceed. Only when you protect us from these difficulties, from these obstacles,

21:24 only then the study can proceed. So, Bhagwan, please shower your grace and blessing upon all of us. You are the lord of this universe. You are the lord of these bodies. So, therefore, definitely you can. Your grace and blessings can have an effect. So, therefore, Bhagwan, this is our sincere request. May we study without any hindrance from within or without. From inside or outside. This is the prayer. Saha nau avatu. Avatu means to protect. Oh lord, protect both of us from these three obstacles. The next one is

22:10 saha nau bhunaktu. Saha together. Nau, both of us. Bhunaktu, bhunaktu means to enjoy. Oh lord, may both of us enjoy this very process of learning. So, the teacher must enjoy the process of teaching. And the student must enjoy the process of learning. Together they enjoy this very process of study. So, this is another request from to the lord. Bhagwan, please bless us that both of us enjoy.

22:58 The tragedy of this modern times is neither the teacher is interested in teaching, nor the student is interested in learning. This is a tragedy of modern schools and colleges. So, when the students find that the teacher is absent, the professor is absent, they celebrate. What a tragedy. So, when it was announced that the schools and colleges will be shut because of COVID, children were celebrating. Youngsters were celebrating. Because now they don't have to study. So, such a thing should never happen.

23:45 So, here the prayer is Bhagwan saha nau bhunaktu. May we enjoy this process. What a beautiful prayer. In fact, this prayer should be chanted in every school and college before the study begins. So meaningful it is. Saha nau bhunaktu. Oh lord, bless us that we enjoy this process of learning. So, teacher enjoys the process of teaching. Now, the question is, why should the teacher enjoy teaching? Now, as far as we are concerned, the subject matter is self-knowledge. And what is the nature of atma, self?

24:30 The nature of atma is it is sacchidananda swarupa. It is of the nature of bliss. So naturally a teacher who is teaching the nature of the self, the nature of the blissful self, the nature of ananda swarupa atma, naturally, when you teach something which is of the nature of ananda, you must get ananda. You will enjoy it. So, the beauty of self-knowledge is the one who teaches it enjoys it. When you teach, you enjoy. When you reflect, you enjoy. When you meditate, you enjoy. When you listen, you enjoy. When you learn, you enjoy. Why do you

25:16 enjoy? You enjoy it because the nature of atma is it is ananda swarupa. It is blissful. So, anything which you think which is of the nature of bliss, naturally you must experience bliss. So, as far as self-knowledge is concerned, this is absolutely right. The teacher enjoys teaching, explaining, expounding, thinking upon this blissful self. And the students also enjoy. The beauty of self-knowledge is it puts an end to all sufferings. It permanently puts an end to all

26:04 sufferings in life. This is the beauty of self-knowledge. So, naturally, when a teacher is teaching this knowledge, with a sincere desire to put an end to all miseries, so, when he teaches, he knows that he's doing the right thing because he's removing the suffering of others. You will always find that whenever you remove the sufferings of others, with a sincere heart, with a pure heart, you will always find that there is joy in the heart. Whenever you try to wipe the tears of others, remove the sufferings of others, you will always find that heart becomes joyful. You enjoy the very process of removal of

26:51 suffering. Therefore, the teacher enjoys this process of teaching. Another reason why he enjoys is he is doing the job of this guru parampara. So, our ancestors, they have given this knowledge to us. So, it is our duty, it is our responsibility to pass on this knowledge to the next generation. So, when we do our duty, when we fulfill our responsibility, there is a natural joy emanating from the heart. So, therefore, teacher enjoys this teaching.

27:39 Also, whenever you teach any subject, you will find you get more and more clarity in that subject. Because you are thinking. You are thinking from different directions. You are thinking deep. So, what happens is clarity comes. The students ask so many questions. And all these questions make you think. And the more you think, more you contemplate, more you meditate upon any subject, clarity comes. And the beauty of teaching is the more you teach, again clarity comes. Clarity comes. Depth comes.

28:24 So, that becomes another source of enjoyment. As far as the teacher is concerned, he enjoys teaching because every time he teaches, there is more clarity. And that is why in Chinmaya Mission, we encourage people to take classes. Classes on Bhagavad Gita, on Upanishad. Because when you teach, you learn more. Even if there are two or three people, call them, and then start teaching. Take up some text and start discussing. So, what happens when you teach, when you discuss, when you reflect, there is more and more clarity, more and more clarity. In Chinmaya Mission, the motto is

29:10 maximum happiness for maximum people, for maximum period of time. How can you give maximum happiness? There is only one way. Make them revel in their own self. Turn their attention towards their self. Make them think about their own self. Discuss about this self. So, therefore, the study groups were formed. All over the world, there are so many places where study classes are happening. So, what is the beauty of the study class? The more and more you revel upon your own supreme self, there is more and more happiness. This is the way Chinmaya Mission spreads happiness to maximum people. So, therefore, we encourage people to

29:56 take classes. Because when you take class, you think over it. You reflect upon it. You meditate upon it. Only then you can speak about it. So, sahanau bhunaktu, oh lord, may we enjoy this very process of learning. And every student also enjoys this process because this knowledge is something which puts an end to all suffering. This knowledge is the practical means and the permanent means to put an end to all sufferings in life. So, therefore, the student also eagerly learns. And with full of joy, he learns this knowledge. He becomes a seeker of this knowledge.

30:42 And even when he's learning this knowledge, even when he's gaining this knowledge, there is only joy. So, the teacher is teaching with joy, the students are learning with joy. So, in an environment filled with joy, this learning is happening. Such an environment it is a job of the teacher and the student to create in our schools and colleges. This is a responsibility of the management to create that kind of joyful environment to study. Right. So, this is the prayer. Oh lord, sahanau bhunaktu, may we enjoy this process of learning. Right. And the And one more thing, yes.

31:29 One more thing is as far as the self-knowledge is concerned. If you find this joy emanating from the heart, when you teach, when you reflect, when you meditate, when you listen, if you find that there is this joy, understand you are really blessed. How do we know that Bhagwan's blessing is upon us? This is one sign. When you study self-knowledge, when you listen to self-knowledge, there is joy in the heart. Bhagwan is as though giving this joy in the heart because he says as though your heart is pure. So, go ahead. This is the highest

32:14 knowledge. Go ahead and get it. This is the meaning of that joy. If the mind is impure, you will not find any joy while studying this. So, if you find this joy while while studying the scriptural text, understand you are indeed blessed. Because this joy indicates that you have a pure heart. Yes. And as the mind becomes more and more pure, you will automatically be gravitated towards this knowledge. This is a glory of spiritual knowledge. The more and more the heart becomes pure, the more and more you are attracted towards this knowledge. Yes. So, sahanau bhunaktu,

33:01 may we enjoy this very process of learning Bhagwan. The next line, saha viryam karavavahai, saha together. Karavavahai, may we put forth what? Viryam. Viryam means effort. Oh lord, together, may we put forth effort. So, on one side, the teacher is putting forth effort in trying to make the student understand. And on the other side, the student is putting forth effort to understand what is told. Saha viryam karavavahai.

33:51 Wherever there is joy, effort is natural. So, here we find the student and the teacher, they enjoy this process. So, because there is enjoyment, there is wholehearted effort also. So, what is the attitude of the teacher? The attitude of the teacher is he's trying his level best to give whatever knowledge he has unto the student. He's trying to come down to the level of the student in order to make the student understand this knowledge.

34:38 Now, this teacher is a broad-minded teacher. Not a narrow-minded teacher. Who is a narrow-minded teacher? A teacher who will not teach everything because he doesn't want his students to overtake him as far as learning is concerned. Now, such teachers are narrow-minded teachers. So, therefore, they don't give everything because they don't want the students to go higher than them. But what about broad-minded teachers? They give everything to the students. In fact, they rejoice when their own student excel them.

35:25 This is the nature of broad-mindedness. So, here is a teacher who is putting forth all effort to ensure that the student is getting everything. So, for that, he uses anecdotes and similes and day-to-day examples. Case histories. Our Pujya Gurudev was one such great teacher. So, he used varieties of means to create interest in the public, to create interest in scriptures. So, what all means he had used in order to attract the attention of the people,

36:12 to inspire them to study the scriptures and to live the scriptures. This is the greatness of a teacher. So, saha viryam karavavahai, so the teacher puts forth all effort in making the student understand the subtle concepts of the scriptures. And on the other hand, the student also, he's also putting forth effort. So, now the beauty is when the teacher is not able to convey the concepts to the student, the teacher doesn't stay say that the student is inefficient, therefore I could not

36:58 teach. No. The teacher says, maybe my teaching is not up to the level. That is why I could not convey this knowledge to the student. So, he finds fault with himself. He finds fault with his own teaching. He says, I am inefficient, therefore I could not give knowledge. And what is the attitude of the student? If he's not able to understand, he will not say the teacher is not good, therefore I did not understand. No. He will say teacher is perfect. Maybe it was because of my inability, my lack of preparation, that I could not gain knowledge. So, it is not the problem with the teacher, it is a problem with me. So, with this attitude,

37:45 the student also works hard to gain this knowledge. You see that attitude. And the student, he's absolutely humble. He has total faith in the teacher. And even when the questions are raised by the student, he's not asking question to show off his knowledge or to test the teacher or to compare the teacher with somebody. No. He's not asking question with all these intentions. He's asking only with a sincere desire to know. So, here is a student who is absolutely humble. Humility is absolutely essential for

38:31 gaining knowledge. So, here is a student who is absolutely humble, who has absolute faith in the scriptures and in the teacher, and who has an intense desire to know, and who is ready to put forth any amount of effort to gain knowledge. So, this is the attitude of the student. So, even when explanations are given, if he doesn't understand, he doesn't find fault with the teacher, he finds fault with himself. He says, I am not able to understand, but teacher is always right. Even though it is not my experience whatever he has said, but he alone is

39:18 right. Even though I am not able to understand, but he alone is right. Now, this is called as faith. So, with this faith, with humility, he proceeds in the path of knowledge. So, both of them are putting forth effort. So, naturally, what happens? When effort is put, so the next one Tejasw now of a heat up a stew. This is the fourth line. Tejasw now of a heat up a stew. Tejasw now a heat up a stew. A heat up whatever we have learned.

40:04 A heat up Tejasw a stew. Tejasw means bright and brilliant. Oh Lord, whatever we have learned, let that knowledge be bright and brilliant. This is another prayer. Let the knowledge be bright and brilliant. So what are the stages necessary to make the knowledge bright and brilliant? What are the stages which we have to keep in mind? What are the factors which we have to keep in mind so that the knowledge becomes a bright and brilliant? So

40:50 number one, we must approach the knowledge with total faith. Faith in God, faith in the scriptures, faith in the teacher, and faith in oneself. That I can gain this knowledge. So first one is approaching knowledge with total complete faith. First step. Second step. Listening listening to this knowledge with complete attention, with total attention. Now this is another very important aspect. So the whole thing is shravanam. You

41:37 have to listen to the teachings from the teacher. Now there is a difference between hearing and teaching. When you don't pay attention to what you hear, then that is called as hearing. When you pay attention, that is called as listening. So there is a difference between hearing and listening. Now there is something called selective listening. You must be careful about this also. Very many times people used to listen to Gurudev. Not listening to the scriptures, but they were more tuned to his jokes, his storytelling, his English.

42:27 They were focusing upon his oratory skills. Now this is called as selective listening. You are only listening to certain things. So what kind of shravanam a Vedantic student must have? His shravanam should be such that he is grasping the essence of the entire teaching. What is the central message which the teacher is trying to give? There is a central message. In order to make that message clear, he is using so many stories and anecdotes and jokes and etc. All those things are secondary, but through all these stories etc., he's trying to convey a

43:14 point. He's trying to make us understand something. What is that central teaching? What is that central message that person should be able to grasp? Now this is called as shravanam. Very many times people get stuck up in all the non-essentials, and the main thing is forgotten. So you ask the person, "Oh, you have listened to such and such great man. So what did he say?" So many times people who listen to Gurudev, they say, "Yeah, I did not understand what he said, but he told such and such joke. He narrated such and such story beautifully. Oh, what an English." Now see, now this is not called as listening.

44:00 This may be selective listening. He's only listening to some of the jokes, some of the stories, pronunciations etc. No. So the first step is approaching this knowledge with total faith. The second step is listening to this knowledge with total attention. Paying attention to the central message of what is being taught. This is a second step. The third step is remembering this knowledge. Giving it the highest priority. So whatever you consider important, there is a tendency that the mind stores it. Whatever you consider as the highest

44:47 priority in life, whatever you consider as important in life, the tendency of the mind is it registers it. It absorbs it. It stores it. It remembers it. So considering this knowledge as the most important, one must be able to grasp it, absorb it, and remember it. This is the third step. And then reflection with total dedication. So once you have listened, now you have to reflect. You have to do mathanam churning.

45:33 You have to think over it. You have to reflect upon it. There may be so many doubts which may come. So you have to clear all those doubts. So what happens is this information which you have gathered becomes conviction. Conviction is nothing but doubt-free knowledge. And this happens only when you reflect more and more upon this this teachings which you have gained from the teacher. So constant reflection with total dedication. And then what? Then it is application of this knowledge with persistence.

46:21 You have to apply this knowledge. So once you are convinced that this is the knowledge of the scriptures, you are convinced about the teachings, now you have to put that teaching into practice. This is called as application. Constant application with tremendous persistence. Again and again, again and again, again and again you have to live this knowledge. You have to apply this knowledge in all situations in life. This has to be constantly done so that the right ways of thinking and behaving becomes your habit. So you are actually transforming a habit

47:06 in yourself. You are replacing the old habits with the new habits. You are replacing the erroneous notions of the past with the right understanding from the new teachings which you have got. So there is a replacement, and this can be done only through repeated practice. Repeated application of this knowledge. And then what happens is your knowledge becomes Tejasw. So see the number of steps involved. First, approaching the knowledge with faith. Second, listening to this knowledge with great attention.

47:52 Third, remembering this knowledge, considering it to be the highest. Fourth, reflecting upon this knowledge with great dedication. And fifth, application of this knowledge with total persistence. And then what is the result? The result is total transformation. The knowledge becomes Tejasw. Tejasw means bright and brilliant. Now what do you mean bright and brilliant knowledge? So one parameter of this knowledge becoming Tejasw is there is clarity,

48:38 there is peace, there is ease. So while handling the situation, you have to decide what is right, what is wrong, what I should do, what I should not do. While handling the situation, you have to make decisions. You have to discriminate. So while making decisions, there is clarity. Clarity at the intellect level. Intellect is not at all confused. Everything is black and white for you. This is something to be done, this need not be done, should not be done. There is a very clear understanding between what to be done and what not to be done.

49:26 This is one expression of bright and brilliant knowledge. So as far as decision-making is concerned, there is no confusion. This is first stage. The second stage is after deciding something, you have to execute it. So, if your knowledge is bright and brilliant, then there is ease of execution. So, there is a clarity with regard to decision making. Second, there is ease with regard to execution. Whatever you have decided, you have to live it. And while living, you have to use your body, your mind, your intellect, your

50:13 senses. You have to put it into practice. You have to execute it. While execution, if your mind is filled with raga dvesha, likes and dislikes, if the mind is filled with vasanas, various kinds of tendencies, then it will be very difficult for you to put it into practice. Decision making is easy, but execution will be very difficult because the mind will not allow. The mind which is filled with raga dveshas and vasanas, such a mind will not allow you to do what you know it to be right. So, such a struggle will happen if the knowledge has not become bright and brilliant tejasvi. So, what happens when that knowledge becomes bright and brilliant?

50:59 Decision making, there is an easiness because there is clarity. So, clarity in decision making and ease in execution. This is the second stage. You are easily able to execute because your mind, your senses, everything listens to you. You don't have to struggle with it. This also is a sign of knowledge. You don't struggle with your instruments in order to execute what you have already decided. This is the sign of tejasvita of knowledge. And the third, once you have executed, once the action has been done, there is peace.

51:45 So clarity ease, and peace. So, once action has been done, you have done the right action, so there is no guilty conscience. There is no conscience prick. In fact, there is only a sense of fulfillment that yes, you have done what you are supposed to do. So, there is peace. So, after action, there is peace. So, before action, while decision making, there is clarity. While performing action, there is ease. And after performing action, there is peace. So, clarity, ease, peace. This is what is tejasvita with respect to knowledge.

52:32 You are able to handle any situation easily. Because there is clear-cut thinking. And there is effortlessness in execution. And there is peace after execution. This is one parameter which can measure the brightness and brilliance of our knowledge. How easily we are handling the situations of the world. How easily and effortlessly and spontaneously we are responding to the situations of the world. So, before handling the situation, there is peace. While handling the situation, there is peace. And after handling the situation

53:18 also, there is peace. If the peace continues throughout, then understand that knowledge in that aspect has become tejasvi. So, this is one parameter. With respect to handling situations in life. So, within you are peaceful. And with the world, you are harmonious. So, there is peace and harmony. This is the sign that knowledge has become tejasvi. Another parameter is about one's own personality. What happens when a person grows in knowledge, evolves in knowledge? What happens? When a person evolves in spirituality,

54:04 what happens is his personality becomes a sweet personality. What do you mean a sweet personality? A personality in which the virtues of life are reflected. Such a personality is called a sweet personality. So, in that personality, you will find love, compassion straightforwardness humility, forgiveness. All those great virtues you can find in that person. There is a sweetness when you deal with that person. When you talk to that person. When you are with that person, there is a kind of sweetness. There is peace.

54:52 So, another parameter that this knowledge is becoming bright and brilliant in our personality is that our personality becomes a sweet personality. As Pujya Gurudev used to say, putting sugar in coffee alone will not do. You have to stir it. And what is the proof that the sugar has become one with the coffee? The coffee becomes sweet. In the same way, merely gathering information from the scriptures, from the teachers, that alone will not do. We will have to make We have to digest that knowledge into ourselves. The information has to become conviction. And that information has to become transformation in us. Only then can we say knowledge has become bright

55:40 and brilliant, tejasvi. Tejasvi no avadhitam astu. Whatever we learn, may that knowledge become tejasvi, bright and brilliant in us. And the last instruction, ma vidvishavahai. Oh lord, may we not hate each other. Now, this is also a very important instruction. The teacher and the taught, they are together. As far as human beings are concerned, we all have imperfections in us.

56:25 We all have imperfections. And the natural tendency of the mind is to focus upon the imperfections in others. This is a natural tendency of the mind. Why is the mind naturally inclined to find fault with others? To find defect in others. To find imperfection. Why is the mind naturally inclined to do that? The mind is naturally inclined to do because the generally mind is ruled by the ego. And the ego's job is to find fault with others. Because whenever I find fault in others, somewhere indirectly, I feel that I am superior to others. And when I find I am superior to others, there is a subtle

57:11 egoistic joy. So, in order to experience that subtle egoistic joy, the egoistic mind always revels in the imperfections of others. That's why we tend to gossip also, you So, there is a psychological reason behind. So, the tendency of the mind is to find fault with others. And what happens when you find fault with others? You start disliking them. You start hating them. Dislike, hatred, etc. comes when you see imperfections in others. So, the instruction here is, may you not hate each other. Oh lord, may we not hate each other.

57:57 Ma vidvishavahai. A teacher will have imperfection. Maybe his knowledge is not perfect. Or even if the knowledge is perfect, he is not able to teach it well, communicate it well. That can be an imperfection. Or it is possible that he has the knowledge also, and he is able to teach also, but he is not putting it into practice. This can be another imperfection. Or maybe he is partial to the students. This can be another So, there can be very many imperfections in the teacher. So, the instruction to the student is, don't pay attention to the imperfections in the teacher and spoil your own spiritual evolution. See the goodness in others. Meditate

58:44 upon the goodness in others and make use of that goodness for our own spiritual benefit. So, in the same way, students also may have lot of imperfection. There may be students who are not interested in studies. They are not able to concentrate. They are very much distracted. They are irregular in the class. That is also possible. So, such kind of students also we find. So, the instruction to the teacher is, not hate your students. Because all students cannot be of equal caliber. Some are highly evolved. Some are not very evolved. Some are medium. Some are inferior. All types of students will be there. Let not their imperfection lead you to hate them. This is the instruction to the teacher. So, there is an instruction to both of them.

59:30 Let the whole teaching happen in an environment of love, not hatred. Let there be harmony. Let there be mutual love, mutual acceptance. Doesn't matter if the teacher is not teaching well, keep loving him. Doesn't matter if the student is not studying well, doesn't matter. Doesn't matter even if the knowledge is not happening, they just doesn't matter even if that knowledge is not becoming Tejasvi. Let there be this relationship of love. Let that love remain constant. This is the instruction. Don't make your mind impure by hating

1:00:19 others. Because the most important thing in life is a pure mind. In fact, interestingly, we find that if a person has a pure mind, he will gain knowledge irrespective of the quality of the teacher. And if a person has an impure mind, he will not gain knowledge even if he's exposed to the greatest teacher. This we find in life. The best example is our Ekalavya. He was rejected by his teacher. But Ekalavya had tremendous amount of respect and reverence for the teacher. He made the murti of Dronacharya and

1:01:05 then he started practicing archery and what was the result? He became one step even greater than Dronacharya's most beloved disciple Arjuna. Ekalavya became even superior to Arjuna. This is what a pure mind does. If a person has a pure mind, even if the teacher rejects him, even if he gets an inferior teacher, doesn't matter, this man will get the highest knowledge. On the other hand, you may be in the company, in the association of the greatest teacher of the world, but if the mind is impure, then you are not going to gain anything in life.

1:01:53 That foreign lady who was with Mata Amritanandamayi, holy mother, I think she was there with mother for almost 10 to 20 years. She was very close to mother. She was doing lot of service, etc. But finally, what happened after some 10-20 years of living with so close to such a great spiritual personality, she comes out and writes a book. I think some holy hell or something like that, criticizing mother. You see? If the mind is impure, you see impurity everywhere. You see impurity even in your teacher, even in your guru. And finally, who is the loser? Not the guru,

1:02:39 but we ourselves. So therefore, the instruction is Ma vid vish avahai. May you not hate and make your mind impure. Oh lord, may we not hate each other and make our mind impure. So whatever be the condition, whatever be the situation, let us love each other. Let there be mutual love, mutual affection, mutual cooperation. Let the whole teaching happen in an environment of peace, love, and harmony. Ma vid vish avahai. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. So three times Shanti. Om, let there be peace. Let there be peace at the adhyatmika level. Let there be peace at

1:03:27 the adhibhautika level. Let there be peace at the adhidaivika level. Bhagwan, please remove all obstacles. Let there be peace at all levels and please bless us. Remove all obstructions as far as this learning is concerned. Bless us so that we are able to gain this knowledge. So this is the Shanti Mantra. Now we will enter into Katha Upanishad in the next class. Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha. Sarve Santu Niramaya. Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu.

1:04:16 Ma Kashchid Dukha Bhag Bhavet. Asato Ma Sadgamaya. Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya. Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. Harihi Om Shri Gurubhyo Namaha. Harihi Om. Purna Brahma Purushottama Punyanama Sitarama Purna Brahma.

1:05:04 Raghukulabdhe Purna Chandrama Raghukulabdhe Purna Chandrama Rajanichara Samara Bhima Aganita Gunagana Dhama Akhila Loka Kshema Dhama Akhila Loka Kshema Dhama Purna Brahma. Purushottama Punyanama Sitarama Purna Brahma.

1:05:52 Indranila Ghana Shyama. Indranila Ghana Shyama. Indira Manobhirama. Vrindaraka Muni Lalama Vrindaraka Muni Lalama Vandaniya Bhakta Prema Vandaniya Bhakta Prema Purna Brahma. Purushottama Punyanama Sitarama

1:06:39 Purna Brahma. Akshare Adya Apta Kama Akshare Adya Apta Kama. Sukshma Sthula Kruta Niyama. Akshare Adya Apta Kama Sukshma Sthula Kruta Niyama Lakshmi Narayana Sugama Lakshmanagraja Jayate

1:07:24 Namaha Purna Brahma. Purushottama Punyanama Sitarama Purna Brahma.