Geeta’s Teaching and Guidance to Humanity for salvation
(Compilation for a
discourse at by N.R.Srinivasan, August
2014)
The basic
spiritual truths are Revelations received and proclaimed by the ancient sages
thousands of years ago and consolidated by sage Vedavyaasa who is also a minor
incarnation of Vishnu. It is no surprise these basic spiritual truths found in
this earlier compilations of Vedas and Upanishads are echoed in Bhagavadgeeta
for which he is also the concealed author. The main Truths as reflected in
Bhagavadgeeta are briefly as follows:
1. There is
only one Supreme Spirit called Paramaatman who is the Reality or Truth behind
all that is seen and experienced in the Universe, who cannot be described by
anything we know of. He is called Brahman, Narayana, Akshara, Bhagawan
etc. Mandookya Upanishad says he is
invisible, incomprehensible, Om, peace, auspiciousness and without a second. He
is often described as Sat-Chit-Ananda--Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. Upanishads
address Brahman with the demonstrative
pronoun “That” (tad ekam) in neuter gender and not He or She though we often
address Brahman as “He” living in the
male chauvinistic society.
2. Out of
Brahman’s divine will called Maayaa, Nirguna Brahman (formless Brahman)
manifests in the form of Eeeswara and Sakti for the purpose of creation,
maintenance and final absorption of the universe into Brahman alone which is
projected from Brahman, with various
names and forms and qualities. Brahman also creates laws of nature and
orderliness harmony and rhythm and precision and will of God, coming out of Brahman
and being dissolved into Brahman. Everything in the world is but a part of
Brahman alone however minute or however big it may be.
3) Human
body with its perceived senses, mind and intelligence does not describe the individual completely. It is the soul or
Aaatman inside which gives the body personality, quality and capacity to
function. Even without functioning of the one or more sense organs humans do
function with this driving force called Aatman. At the so called death the
physical body perishes but the soul takes its journey and more often than not
returns to this world and passes on to another body. This goes on from life to
life and so we say the soul undergoes a cycle of births and deaths. The soul is
not affected by the actions of the body as it is an integral part of the
Supreme Being. Although the Aatman is
not affected by the actions of the body being the tiny portion of Brahman it has to go through the ordeal of births
and deaths as it associates itself with the body by the Supreme Will. Taittareeya
Upanishad says the Aatman which is sometimes called Jeevaatman is distressed by
associating with the human body and has a longing for joining its source, the
Supreme Soul or Paramaatman. This we call Liberation from its bondage with the
physical body.
4. The soul
which is of the same nature as the Supreme Being gets clouded by the bond of
three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) as
a result of Paramaatman’s own Maayaa
sakti, gets identified with the body creating the sense ego “I” or “Mine” and
for a while becomes ignorant of its own divine nature. If this cloud or
ignorance is removed it comes in direct contact with its source and identifies
itself with the Supreme Being and then after will be in Eternal Bliss thus
ending its long and winding journey.
5. Mere
learning and mastering of scriptures will not bring the knowledge of the soul
or Jnaana. Kathopanishad says Jnaana can
be acquired only by sincere devotion to Paramaatman and intuition which can be further helped by
purity of mind and thought, meditation and prayer (yoga practice).
6. Once a person realizes by the grace of
Paramaatman the only Reality is Brahman and that he is also a part and parcel
of Brahman, he will feel himself one
with Brahman. He will then after feel
the God is not only within himself but in everything he looks at. His journey for search for Eternal Bliss
comes to an end (Bhagavadgeetaa says; Yo maam pasyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi
pasyati—One who sees Me in everything
sees me alone in himself). What else can be the ultimate goal of life than
getting back to its source after wandering for long time through pain and
pleasurers!
Bhagavadgeetaa
while echoing the thoughts of Upanishads elaborates both on Bhakti Maarga, Path
of Knowledge and Jnaana Maarga, Path of Devotion. It strongly recommends Jnaana
co-ordinated with steadfast devotion as the only means to attain that Bliss as
expressed in Bhagawan’s last advice to Arjuna in the 18th chapter
before the commencement of War of Dharma.
Selected verses from Bhagavadgeetaa given below explain the nature of
soul and with proper explanation convey the message for Liberation for the guidance
of spiritually motivated devotees. Bhagavaan’s teachings and advice are given
belo:
Na
jaayatae mriyatae vaa kadaachin naayam bhootvaa
bhavitaa vaa na bhooya- h | Ajoe
nitya-h saasvata-h ayam puraanoe na
hanyate hanyamaane sareeray || (2-20)
The
soul is never born, nor dies, nor does it come into being at physical birth. It
is unborn, eternal, everlasting and ancient. Soul does not perish even when the
body perishes.
Jatasya
hi dhruvo mrityur dhruvam janma mritasya cha | (2- 27 )
For to one who is born, death is
certain, to one who dies, rebirth is certain.
Vaasaamsi
jeernaani yathaa vihaaya navaani grihnaani nara-h-aparaani |
tathaa
sareeraani vihaaya jeernaany-anyaani samyaati navaani dehee
|| (2-22)
Just as a
person gives up worn out clothes and puts on other new ones, even so does the
embodied Self gives up decrepit bodies and enter other new ones.
{This soul
is born and again and again and subjected to worldly temporary pleasures and
pains through an endless process. In order to avoid the same and attain
permanent bliss one has to follow the
divine advice as given in Geetaa.]
Mamaivaamso
mjeevaloke h jeevabhootah sanaatanah |
Manah
shashteenderyaani prakritisthaani karshati || 15-7 ||
The
Jeevaatman (the eternal individual soul) is My (Paramaatman’s) integral part
alone. It associates with the sensory faculties of perception and mind (six
Indriyas) and activates them. [Jeevaatman is the prime mover of all sense
organs. When Jeevaatman quits the body these sense organs do not function any
further.]
Lobah
pravittir aarambhah karmana asamah
sprihaa |
Rajasy-etaani
jaayante vivridhe bharatarshabha || 14-12 ||
When greed,
inactivity, undertaking of selfish works, restlessness, desire etc., prevail,
Rajoe-guna (passion; ego) predominates.
Aprakaaso
apravrittischa pramaado moha eva cha |
Tamasya
etaani jaayante vivriddhe kurunandana || 14-13 ||
When
darkness, inactivity, inadvertence, as also delusion prevail Tamoguna (inertia;
darkness) predominates.
Sarva
dwaareshu dehe asmin prakaasa upajaayate |
Jnaanam
yadaa vidyaad vivriddham sattvamityuta || 14-11 ||
When through
all the sense openings of the organs in the human body the Light of Knowledge
radiates, then one should know that Sattva (goodness; light) predominates. [Though endowed with all Sattvaguna one is not
ready yet to enter into Brahmaloka without having the complete knowledge of
Brahman. He enjoys the Swarga for some time and returns back to this world to exhaust even his
Sattvagunas, understands Brahman fully
and then proceeds to Brahmaloka direct
or through Chandraloka.]
Gunaan
etaan ateetya treen dehee dehasmudbhavaan |
Janmamrityu jaraadukhair vimukto amritam
asnute || 14-20||
Having transcended
these three Gunas, which are the cause of this body (reason for our births),
the embodied Self, bereft of birth, death, old age and misery, one attains
immortality.
Brahman
aadhaaya karmaai sangam tyaktvaa karoti
yah |
lipyate
na sa
papena padmapatramivaambhasa ||
5-10 ||
One who does
all good work as an offering to Lord abandoning selfish
attachment to the fruits of action remains untouched by the working of Karma or
sin like the lotus leaf which never gets wet by surrounding water.
Karmanyeva
adhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana |
To work alone you have the right,
but never claim its results.
Vihaaya
kaamaan yah sarvaan pumaans-charati nihsprihah |
nirmamo
nirahankaarah sa saantim adhigacchati || (2-71)
That person
who is giving up all sense-objects goes about unattached, devoid of the idea of
ownership and free from egoism attains the bliss or permanent peace.
Na
hi Jnaanena sadrisam | (4-38)
There is indeed nothing so
purifying here as knowledge (of Brahman). [The intense knowledge of Brahman
purifies and illuminates and leads one
to salvation]. Among Jnaanayoga, Karma
yoga and Bhakti Yoga, Jnaana Yoga which
culminates in devotion is the best.
Bahoonaam
janmanaam ante jnaanavaan maam prapadyate || 7-29 ||
After many births, the
enlightened one (one blessed with Jnaana) resorts to the Supreme Being by
realizing everything is indeed that Being only and its manifestation.
Abrahma
bhuvanaallokaah punraavartino Arjuna |
Maam
upetya tu kaunteya punarjanma na vidyate
|| 8- 16 ||
Even from the field of Brahman
and from all fields (sameepya; saalokya)
there is always a need to return to this world by rebirth; but having merged
with Brahman (saayujya) there is no
more need for any rebirth.
Aneka-chitaa-vibhraantaa
mohajaala samaavritaah |
Prasaktaah
kaambhogeshu patanti narake asuchau ||
16-16 ||
Misled by
all kinds of thoughts (self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride,
intoxication of wealth and showmanship with sacrifices with no regard to
scriptures) entangled in mental confusion as well as immersed in sensual
pleasures, they fall into filthy hell.
Trividham
narakasyedam dwaaram naasanam aatmajah |
kaamah krodhah tathaa lobhaan tasmaad etat trayam
tyajet || 16-21 ||
The doorway
to this hell is made up of three folds--greed, anger and covetousness, that lead to destruction of the
individual. Therefore one should abandon
these three.
Agnir
jyotir-ahah suklah shanmaasaa
uttaraayanam |
Tatra
prayaataa gacchanti brahma brahma
vido janaah || 8-24 ||
The knowers
of Brahman who depart during six months Uttarrayana (Northern solstice)
attain Brahman described as the path of fire, radiance, day and the bright half of
the month.
Suklakrishne
gatee hyete jagatah saasyate mate |
Ekayaa
yaaty-anaavritim anyaavartate punah || 8-25 ||
The yogis
who die during six months of dark half the months of Dakshinaayana (Southern
solstice) reach the light of the moon
and return to this world through the path described as smoky, night, and
the dark half. (No doubt they enjoy
Swarga because of their meritorious deeds but have to return back if they have not perfected
their thoughts in knowing Brahman).
[What
happens to a person like Bheeshma who know Brahman perfectly well but die in
Dakshinaayana. According to Upanishads they rest for a while in the Chandraloka
and then proceed onwards to Brahmaloka according to Mahaanaaraayana Upanishad.
Bheeshma completed Dakshinaayaana here itselfand proceeded direct to merge with
the Supreme. ]
Kaamais
taistair hritajnaanaah prapadyante
anyadevataah |
Tam
tam niyamam aasthaaya prakrtyaa niyataah svayaa || 7-20 ||
Deprived of discrimination by
specific desires, people worship other deities observing various rites and
rituals, being swayed away by their own Samskaaras (own nature).
Sa
tayaaa nsraddhaayaa yuktam tasyaaraadhanameehate |
Labhate
cha tatah kaamaan mayaiva vihitaan hi
taan || 7-22 ||
Endowed with
steady faith people worship other deities and get their desires fulfilled.
Those when granted are indeed
granted by Me only.
Antavat
tu phalam teshaam tad bhavyam
alpamedhasaam |
Devaan
devayajo yaanti madbhaktyaa yaanti maam api || 7-23 ||
But the
fruit of worship of these men of limited understanding has an end; the
worshipers of these devataas (divines) go to devatas only; but Mydevotees come
to me (desirous of Liberation)
[A
distinction has to be made between Devatas and the one and only Deva (Brahman)]
Yo
maam pasyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pasyati |
tasyaaham
na pranasyaami sa ch me na pranasyati ||
6-30 ||
He who sees
Me (Supreme Being) everywhere and sees all things abide in Me, does not lose
sight of Me, nor do I of him. [If you want to see, remember, and be with the
Lord at all times, then you must practice and learn to see the Lord in
everything and everywhere].
Sarvadwaaraani
samyamya mano hridi nirudhya cha |
moordhnyaadhaayaatmanah
praanaan aasthito yogadhaaranaam || 8-12 ||
Om
ity-ekaaksharm brahma vyaaharan maam anusmaran |
Yah
prayaaati tyajan
deham sa yaati parammam gatim ||
8-13||
When one
leaves the physical body by controlling all the senses, focusing the mind on
the Supreme, and Praana in the cerebrum; engaged in yogic practice; mediates on
Me, utters Om, the sacred monosyllable sound power of Eternal Being, that one
will attain the Supreme abode.
Traividyaa maam somapaah pootpaapaa yajnairishtva svargatim prarthayante |
Te
punyamaasaadya surendralokamasnaaati divyaandivi devabhogaan || 9-20 ||
Te
te bhuktvaa svargalokam visaalam ksheene punye martyalokam visanti |
evam
trayeedharmamanuprapanna gataagatam kaamakaamaa labhante || 9-21 ||
Ritualistic spiritualists
who attain the knowledge of the Vedas and purified from sins, drink the divine
Soma juice and worship Me with sacrifice and pray for access to Swargaloka
(heaven).They having reached the prestigious sphere of Indra, experience in heaven , celestial
enjoyments of the Gods. Having enjoyed
the extensive Swarga, when their virtuesgets exhausted, they enter again the
mortal world. Thus the sole ritualistic seekers of religion of the Vedas (who
have not known Me fully), desirous of enjoyment, go back and forth to Swarga
and this mortal world.
[Mastery of
scriptures and elaborate rituals alone are not enough to get Liberation. These
are the result of JnaanaYoga and Karmayoga. Jnana and Karma has to end in in Bhakti or devotion and dedication to the Supreme to
enjoy eternal Bliss]
Ananyaa- chintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate |
tesham
nityaabhiyuktaanaam yogakshemam Vahaamy-aham || 9-22 ||
Those
person, who think of nothing else and worship Me (Supreme Being or Paramaatman)
through meditation, I look after to the accession to and the maintenance of
such ever devout persons.
[Sri Rama said “I always take care of those
who worship Me with unswerving devotion as a mother takes care of a child”].
Manmanaa bhava madbhakto madyaajee maam
namaskuru= |
Maam evaishayaci yuktvaivam aatmaanam mat
paraayanah || 9-34 ||
Fix your
mind on Me, be My devotee, worship Me and bow down to Me; thus fixing the mind
on Me and having Me as the supreme goal, you will certainly attain Me.
Sreyo hi jnaanam abhyaasaaj jnaanaad dhyaanam
visishyate |
Dhyaanaat karmaphalatyaagas tyaagaac
chaantir anantaram || 12-12 ||
Knowledge of
scriptures is superior to mere practice; meditation is superior to knowledge; superior
to meditation is renunciation of the fruit of action; from renunciation results
peace.
Anapekshah suchir daksha udaaseeno
gatavyathah |
sarvaarambha parityaagee yo madbktha sa me
priyah || 12-16 ||
Independent,
clean dexterous, indifferent, untroubled, who has renounced the doer-ship in
all undertakings as his (who dedicates all his good doings to Supreme)—such a
devotee is dear to me.
Yah saastravidhim utsrijya vartate
kaamakaaratah |
na sa siddhim avaapnoti na sukham paraam
gatim ||
Tasmaat saastram pramaanam te kaaryaakarya vyavasthitau…. || 16-23, 24||
He, who
setting aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of
greed, attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal of Liberation;
So let the scriptures be your authority in ascertaining what ought to be done and
what ought not to be done.
[That is why
all Upanishads end with the saying; Ya evam veda and Ityupanishat
meaning this is the advice from
Vedas. Kathopanishad also says: Uttishthata jaagrata praapya varaannibodhata—Arise, Awake, Learn approaching superiors
(who have mastered Saastras).]
Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya
Prayacchati |
tad-aham bhakty-upahritam asnaami
prayataatmanah || 9-26 ||
Whoever
offers Me (Supreme Being) a leaf, a
flower, a fruit or little water with devotion I accept and enjoy the offering
of devotion by the pure-hearted and devoted.
[A dedicated
heart, not complicated rituals, is
needed to please God to obtain His grace or in other words attain Liberation].
Sarvadharmaan parityjya maamekam saranam
vraja |
Aham
tvaam sarva opaapebhyo mochayishyaami maa suchah || 18-66 ||
Giving up
all other religious and spiritual duties, take refuge in Me alone (Supreme
Being) [it is difficult for us to choose the right path, therefore it is best
to surrender to him completely with firm faith after acquiring Knowledge and acting wisely in loving contemplation].
Human mind
is always engaged and engrossed in pursuing worldly objectives such as
acquiring more and yet more of wealth, fame, and power. These will lead one ultimately to misery and
disappointments and will bring no one any permanent happiness in this life or
after. Bhagavad-geetaa gives special prominence to
Bhakti as the best of all Yogas. It says a true Bhakta (devotee)
is one who even while engaged in worldly activities, sees God in everything,
worships Him, dedicates all his actions to Him and finally surrenders to Him as
inferred from its concluding gospel.
REFERENCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
1. Ramanada Swarup, The Bhagavad-geetaa,
American Gita Society, Fremont, CA, USA.
2. Swami Vireswarananda, Srimad Bhagavad-gita,
Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.
3. Vrinda Nabar & Shanta Tumkur, The
Bhagavadgeetaa, Wordsworth Classics, Hertfordshire, UK.
4. Balakrishnan S, Sankara on Bhakti, Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, India.
[This discourse material is a compilation from the reference
above as well as other sources for a
prepared lecture for delivering at Vedanta Class of Sri Ganesha Temple,
Nashville, TN, USA, which is gratefully acknowledged. I do not claim anything
as original though I have included my explanations and comments elaborately
suitably editing. Anybody is free to download partly or fully this discourse,
modify and redistribute this as well as other
discourses from the blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com>
for spreading the wisdom of Vedas and scriptures further. These
lectures are posted on the blog
for the benefit of those who are not able to attend my lectures personally due
to personal reasons or due to not living in Nashville or able to go through the
various sources as I have done.]
No comments:
Post a Comment