So this class is a kind of an interim class because we finished studying the Kato Upanishad.

And then my plan is to go on to the Mundako Upanishad next.

However, in between there is an intervening period

in which I'll be traveling to India,

mainly to attend the centenary celebrations

of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Mumbai.

We are 100 years old and they are celebrating this year.

I'm going to give some talks there.

And some other places also I'm visiting. So there's going to be a gap. And instead of starting and immediately stopping the Mundo Kuponneshed, I thought let's do something else. We had three

classes, just three classes. So there was a demand for an

introduction to the Adhyasa Bhshya, which is a masterful introduction written by Shankaracharya to

his commentary on the Brahmasutras. I thought, let's do that. Let's just take a look. But I really wish I could take time and study this with all of you line by line. It's really worthwhile. But that would be a full course in itself, as you can not be, as you begin to see how deep everything is. And we'll see more of that today. So for the time being we'll just have to do

with this. These three classes as a introduction as a taste of what the Adhyasa Bhaashya is. In today's

class, I'll start off again by repeating what Adhhhhhasa is and tell us why and talk about why it's so

important. And then go on to the definition of adhyasa offered by Shankaracharya.

What is the definition of adhyasa and various issues which rise from that definition?

We'll get a taste of how deeply these things have been thought about by both monks and scholars in India for centuries, if not millennia.

And then, yes, I promised story time.

There are a lot of stories associated with this.

I'll share three stories at the end.

All right, let's start.

That's what's on our menu today.

...