[Collected and edited for Following Webinar Lectures by Jaya Row by N. R. Srinivasan, August 2021]
Smt. Jaya Row is one of the best
speakers on the Bhagavad Gita. She excels in presenting the Gita in a simple
manner which makes for easy understanding and application of its message. It is
therefore no surprise that Jayaji is one of the most sought after orators,
having been invited to prestigious institutions such as the World Economic
Forum, Davos, World Bank Washington DC, Young Presidents’ Organization
worldwide etc.
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The Bhagavad Gita has long been a
source of inspiration to generations of young Indians seeking Perfection. With
its help, they achieved excellence in every field of endeavor – be it surgery,
mathematics, art or music.
The Bhagavad Gita is the most
enchanting and comprehensive dissertation on how an ordinary mortal can rise
above petty, personal preoccupations to become the extraordinary immortal
Spirit. It draws from the sublime truths of the Upanishads and presents them as
a practical technique of living. The Gita has generated deep interest among
seekers of Truth worldwide and has been translated into almost every major
language. Yet it is enigmatic and eludes the grasp of most people.
The Bhagavad Gita is part of the great
epic Mahabharata. It forms the spiritual core of the Mahabharata. The stories
of the Mahabharata lend a charm to the philosophy. They convey the subtle
concepts by way of endearing narratives that are easier to understand and
remember. While the Mahabharata comprises 97,400 verses, the Gita is a mere 701
verses. Hence it is likened to a pendant on the necklace of the Mahabharata. It
was Adi Sankaracharya who extracted the Gita and gave it a special status.
The physical location of the
Mahabharata was Kurukshetra, a little north of Delhi. However, the spiritual
plane of inner conflict, emptiness and uncertainty is one we are all too
familiar with. Though the Gita was given out 5000 years ago it is as alive now
as on the day it was delivered. For its contents are eternal principles that
apply to all human beings, at all times, anywhere in the world.
The Gita is a dialogue between Krishna,
the guru, and Arjuna, his dear friend and commander-in-chief of the Pandava
army. The Gita begins at the edge of a battle between two sets of cousins – the
Pandavas and the Kauravas. Duryodhana, the Kaurava chief and evil son of the
blind king Dhrtarastra, usurps the Pandavas’ kingdom. When all attempts at
reconciliation fail and even Krsna is unable to get Duryodhana to see reason
the battle lines are drawn. At the zero hour, as the confrontation is about to
start, Arjuna asks his charioteer Krsna to drive him between the two armies for
a last minute reconnaissance. It is then that Arjuna is overcome with grief and
despair on seeing his very own ancestor Bhisma and revered guru Dronacarya in
the enemy camp. He views the entire situation from a narrow, personal
perspective and loses heart. He lays down his bow and arrow, refusing to engage
in combat. Krsna masterfully blends psychology with philosophy and in a short
span of eighteen chapters restores Arjuna to his original stature. He gives him
the clarity and commitment to fight the battle and win it.
We all have our battles to fight.
Battles between our own positive and negative tendencies. Between our higher
aspirations and lower indulgences. Between the intellect on the one hand and
the mind and senses on the other.
However, in the midst of these
challenges we need to stand between the two opposing forces and delve deep into
our inner being. Find our purpose, our mission, our inner calling. Then we will
get the answers and derive the strength to fight and overcome adversity. All
problems are self-created. Hence the solutions must also lie within. As long as
we look outward the situation will always appear insurmountable. Look within
and the problems vanish.
Just as Krsna spoke only when Arjuna
completely surrendered and asked for help, the Gita will come alive and speak
to us only when we set aside our arrogance and approach it with humility and a
desire to learn. As Krsna explains in the Gita, you must have the capacity to
surrender in areas where you are ignorant, pranipata, question when you fail to
understand, prasna, and cultivate an attitude of service and sacrifice, seva.
Then the guru who is jnanina, wise, and tattvadarsina, seer of Truth, will
instruct you.
The Bhagavad Gita literally means
‘Divine Song’. Krsna, the jagadguru or universal mentor, is an expert player of
the flute. The flute is a hollow reed with seven apertures. Krsna had mastered
the art of evoking melodious music from this humble instrument. The flute
represents our personality. The five senses, mind and intellect are the seven
windows to the world. Not having learnt and mastered the technique of living,
we bring out discordant notes in life. However, when we empty ourselves of
negativity, desire and ego, captivating music emerges from our personality. The
Bhagavad Gita imparts the art of operating in tune with the world by being in
unison with the Spirit.
The Bhagavad Gita draws its knowledge
from the Upanisads which in turn gained inspiration from the four Mahavakyas or
great aphorisms. An aphorism is a short maxim, brief statement or principle.
During the pre-Vedic times the human intellect was sharp and brilliant. The
student needed only a suggestion by way of the Mahavakyas. These were four
concise, potent statements of fact defining God, Brahman.
Prajnanam Brahma
‘Consciousness is Brahman’. This was called laksana
vakya or statement of indication. The guru merely gave out this statement
and the student pored over it, reflected upon it and struggled to arrive at the
Truth. When he was unable to succeed the guru further elaborated with the
second Mahavakya. Tat Tvam Asi or
‘That thou art’, you are God. This was the upadesa
vakya or statement of advice. It gives a distinct guideline on how to locate
God. The student went back and repeated the third Mahavakya –Ayam Atma Brahma or ‘This Atman is Brahman’. This was called abhyasa vakya or statement of practice.
Through consistent application the student finally attained Realisation and
declared –Aham Brahmasmi or ‘I am Brahman’. Referred to as the anubhava vakya or declaration of
experience, it came from the depth of his wisdom.
This method of teaching worked
successfully for centuries. Over time the human intellect deteriorated and the
student was unable to grasp the Truth. The Upanishads then came into being.
They were elucidations of the Mahavakyas and were useful in guiding students to
the Self. Much later, a further elaboration by way of the Bhagavad Gita came
into being which brought the pristine Upanishadic truths within reach of the
common person struggling with the everyday challenges of life. Then
commentaries on the Gita appeared and today we need interpretations of even the
commentaries!
The need of the hour is peace of mind.
A tranquil mind is the foundation on which the edifice of success, happiness
and growth can be built. The Gita gives the ability to remain peaceful in the
midst of noise and confusion around. It speaks of a dynamic peace where the
mind is at rest, intellect sharp and actions brilliant. A peace that cannot be
shattered by a changing, undependable world. A strong, resilient peace, not a
fragile equilibrium. The world pays homage to one who is at peace.
The theme of the Bhagavad Gita is that
you are God. You are not the finite, weak, vulnerable individual you imagine
yourself to be. You are the mighty Spirit that makes your heart pulsate, liver
and kidneys function meticulously, lungs transfer gases perfectly. You are the
Divine Power that lends life to every cell in the body, every emotion in the
mind and every thought that flutters through the intellect. You are the same
Force that guides the planets around the sun, the Milky Way galaxy in its
trajectory and every star and heavenly body in the universe. But for some
reason you do not know it. It is this ignorance of your identity that is the
root cause of all your troubles. The Gita introduces you to yourself and your
divine nature. With this knowledge all sorrows come to an end. You revel in the
bliss of your new-found Self.
The Gita zeroes in on desire which
stands between you and your Godhood. The formula is
Man – desires = God
The Gita helps deal with desires. The
first step is to manage desires with the intellect. The next stage is to
reduce, refine and re-direct them with the three pathways of Karma Yoga, Path
of Action, Bhakti Yoga, Path of Devotion and Jnana Yoga, Path of Knowledge.
Only a handful of desires then remain – desire to realize the Self, serve the
guru and engage in the service of humanity. These get eliminated through
meditation which is single pointed focus on a mantra or word-symbol under the
supervision of the intellect, not allowing the mind to meander to any other
thought. When the last trace of thought vanishes the individual merges with the
totality. You become God.
Studying the Gita and following its
wisdom is like having a practical guide to life at hand, all the time. It
teaches a person to exercise self-discipline and self-perfection, thereby
offering a solution to the problems in a person’s life. The Gita can be aptly
described in the Sanskrit Mahamantra
Tat-Twam-Asi, which means, ‘That thou
art!’
The first six chapters of the divine
gospel dwell on the Twam-the soul. The next six explains the Tat--God and the
last six teach union of the soul and God. In ordinary language, it conveys--I
am His! He is mine! He and I are one!
The aim of Gita doctrine is to lead to
tranquility, happiness and equanimity. No rituals are prescribed. The Gita says
that the world needs different religions, cults and deities to meet the vastly
different needs of individuals. “Don’t worry, be happy” may well be a modern
term but the secret of achieving this lies in the Gita. The Gita Doctrine is
beyond Religions and National boundaries.
GISTS OF VEDANTA VISION WEBINAR ON GITA BY JAYA ROW
Bhagavad Gita Chapter I
OVERVIEW
I Introduction 1-2
II Duryodhana Speaks 3-11
III Armies Blow Conches 12-19
IV Arjuna Ready for Battle 20-25
V Arjuna Succumbs to Emotion 26-30
VI Arjuna Reasons Wrongly 31-37
VII Arjuna Collapses 38-47
I.
The Bhagavad Gita begins with Dhritarastra, the blind monarch and father of the
Kauravas, asking Sanjaya, his minister, what his sons and their cousins, the
Pandavas, were doing in Kurukshetra. Sanjaya had been endowed with the power of
viewing the proceedings at Kuruksetra from Hastinapur, about 100 km away.
II.
Duryodhana, the eldest of
III.
Sensing Duryodhana’s diffidence Bhisma, the majestic patriarch, blows his conch
to cheer Duryodhana. Warriors from both armies follow suit. The combined noise
that ensues pervades the earth and sky, filling the hearts of the Kauravas with
fear.
IV.
The battle-ready Arjuna asks his charioteer, Krishna, to drive him between the
two armies so he may see those who had gathered there to please Duryodhana.
Krsna drives him in front of Bhisma and Dronacharya suggesting that Arjuna
should draw inspiration from these mighty warriors who were just doing their
duty. They were not fighting to pander to Duryodhana.
V.
Arjuna sees his own beloved grandfather Bhisma who had sacrificed the kingdom
for which they were fighting. He sees his guru Dronacarya who had taught him
archery. He sees relatives and friends on the other side, not warriors. He gets
overwhelmed with emotion and drops his bow Gandiva.
VI.
Emotion rules over his intellect and Arjuna reasons wrongly. He claims he has
no desire for victory, sovereignty or pleasure and concludes they would be
doing wrong by fighting their own people. He forgets that his mission was to
resurrect righteousness. He was fighting for justice, not for wealth or power.
It did not matter who the opponent was.
VII.
Confused, Arjuna concludes they would incur great sin by killing their own
relatives. He would rather have Dhritarastra’s sons kill him than commit this
sin. This was uncharacteristic of a mighty soldier like Arjuna. Grief-stricken,
he sinks into his seat and drops his bow and arrow. Arjuna, the great warrior
who had won many battles and brought great honor to his kingdom now crumbles
when faced with a personal problem. So are we great heroes as long as the
crisis is someone else’s. When it comes to our own issues we are unable to face
up to them.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter II
Gist of Chapter 2: It summarizes the contents
of GITA:
What does the Bhagavad Gita do for us
grief stricken? It talks about: 1) Nature of the World; 2) Who Am I; and 3) Go Up the Ladder
Krishna smiles. He
knows Arjuna is only going through a temporary setback and is confident of
dispelling his confusion. But he does not comfort Arjuna. He speaks the Truth –
uncompromising and forthright. This dries the tears and makes Arjuna take
notice. It knocks off the grief and despair and prepares Arjuna for the
philosophy that is to come.
Krishna’s opening
words are – Arjuna, you speak words of wisdom but you mourn for those that
should not be mourned for. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the
dead. Thus from verses 11 to 53 Krishna presents the highest knowledge – the
indestructibility of the Soul.
Atman, the real you,
never dies. Even the mind and intellect do not perish. All that happens at
death is that you leave behind the body and environment that no longer meet
with your needs and move to another body and circumstances that are more suited
to the fulfilment of your desires. Just as a man gives up tattered clothes to
don new ones.
Krishna says – There
was never a time when you and I did not exist nor will there ever come a time
when we shall cease to be. Everything around us changes. One who is not
troubled by these fluctuations and remains steady, equal to joy and sorrow, is
fit for Immortality.
In the midst of this
cycle of birth and death it is your duty to act. For a Kshatriya there is
nothing more sacred than a righteous cause. You are fortunate to have such an
opportunity that is a win-win situation. If victorious you will gain the vast
kingdom. If you die you will attain heaven.
We are all warriors
in the battle of life. Each one has obligations to perform. Do what you have to
do, without attachment. Your right is to action only, not to its fruit. If you
act thus you will be freed from the sorrow and bondage of birth and death. Then
through meditation you will transcend the mass of delusion and move to the
state of Godhood.
In verse 54 Arjuna
asks Krsna, “Who is a Perfect Person? What are the hallmarks of one who has
reached the state of Enlightenment? What is his inner nature and how does he
interact with the world of finitude?” Krishna answers in the next 18 verses
with masterstrokes to paint the picture of a Perfect Person. It serves as a
guide to humanity for all times.
Krishna defines a
Perfect Person as one who has completely abandoned all desires from the mind as
a result of being fulfilled in the Self by the Self. It is desire that takes
away your might and power. To regain Perfection you need
to drop desire. However, desire cannot just be wished away. You can only take
up a higher desire that is more gratifying and fulfilling. As a result, the
lower fascinations and temptations drop of their own accord. Go back to your
own life. As a child you were captivated with toys. Today you have no desire
for toys. How did the desire go away? Did you ever make a decision to give it
up? No. You just moved on to more satisfying things, as a result of which the
desire for toys dropped. The same principle works now. As a spiritual child you
are stuck with physical and material playthings. Move to emotional joys and the
material preoccupations no longer have a grip over you. Pick up an intellectual
ideal and even the emotional attachments lose their charm. Take the final
plunge to the Spirit and nothing will hold you back. All desires drop. You
regain your Immortal stature.
As you rise above
desire objects of desire come to you, unsought. The way to gain the world is to
escalate to higher realms. You will obtain the lower effortlessly. Thus you
become successful, happy and grow to your Divine potential.
Krishna emphasizes
the importance of sense control which requires a strong and alert intellect. He
then gives the formula for self-control. With a powerful intellect that keeps
the senses and mind subdued you take off into higher realms. He concludes with
the definition of happiness. We all seek happiness but are clueless about where
it lies or how to obtain it. Here is a clear indication that we can follow to
rise to higher levels of happiness until we attain infinite happiness.
Thereafter nothing in the world will impact on our Bliss. We will remain
untouched like the ocean that remains still in spite of all the rivers entering
it.
Krishna concludes by
saying, “This is the state of Brahman. Having attained it one is not deluded
again. Being established in it one attains union with Brahman even after
death”.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter III
Gist of Chapter 3
1.
Action is a must. All beings are driven to action.
2.
Identify your svadharma – your
talent, core interest.
3.
Fix a higher ideal in the area of your svadharma.
4.
Create energy – focus the intellect on the ideal, surrender to it and act
dedicatedly towards it.
5.
While acting do not allow the mind to slip into the unproductive avenues of the
past worry and future anxiety.
6.
Cultivate sattva,
refine rajas and
eliminate tamas.
7.
Understand that desire is the enemy and bring it under the control of the
intellect.
8.
Finally eliminate desire by picking up higher desires until the desire for
Liberation removes all desires.
The chapter opens
with Arjuna’s dilemma. He asks Krsna, “You maintain that knowledge is superior
to action. Then why do you ask me to engage in this terrible action? Tell me
one definite path that will take me to sreya, the highest spiritual
Goal.” Krsna answers that since ancient times there are two distinct paths for
humanity – the path of action for the active, and path of knowledge for the
contemplative. Those with many desires have to act while those with fewer
desires need to study and ponder. Arjuna is an active person and must do Karma
Yoga, the fascinating method by which you move Godward while mundane actions
get accomplished.
Action is fundamental
to life. The quality of action is determined by the attitude behind it, the
motivation backing it, and not by the action per se. Krsna appeals to
Arjuna to perform niyatam karma, obligatory actions. Keep away from kamya
karma, desire-driven actions, and nisiddha karma, actions prohibited
by your conscience. As long as you are focussed on obligations your mind is
calm and actions perfect. As desires mount the mind gets agitated and actions
become flawed. If desires are fuelled to such an extent that they outstrip your
resources you cross the line and perform actions that your conscience revolts against,
that you yourself consider as immoral and unethical.
Krsna emphasizes the
importance of yajna, actions dedicated to a higher ideal. He infuses the
age-old ritual of fire worship with a refreshingly new meaning. He says – When
the Creator made the human being He gave him the unique capacity of sacrifice, yajna,
and said, “With sacrifice may you prosper. Let it be the fulfiller of all
your desires.” The implication is that it is impossible to succeed if you do
not act in a spirit of service and sacrifice. Yet we are all trying to prosper
through selfish pursuits!
He then details three
distinct types of people. The lowest category, the tamasika person helps
himself to the benefits endowed by society without repaying. Krsna calls such a
one a thief. The rajasika one acts for selfish ends but the result is
stress and mental agitation. He cooks, says Krsna, but eats sin. The only one
who enjoys life as well as evolves to the highest goal of Enlightenment is the sattvika
person who works in a spirit of sacrifice for a higher ideal.
Krsna tops up this
brilliant dissertation on action with an emotional appeal to motivate Arjuna.
Often the intellectual plea alone is not enough to prompt you to action. You
need the backing of powerful emotional inspiration to get you off the mark.
The next 11 verses
feature the critical steps to action. Identify your svadharma, inner
calling, core interest. It is difficult to excel if you invest your energies in
a field alien to your nature. In the area of your svadharma fix a goal,
an ideal, that is beyond your selfish interests. The highlight of this portion
is verse 30 which gives the prescription for perfect action. You create energy
within by focussing all thoughts on the ideal, surrendering to the ideal, and
acting vigorously towards achieving the goal. The intellect directs all
thoughts to the chosen ideal, the mind feels for the goal and the body acts
dynamically. This creates energy which tends to dissipate into the unproductive
avenues of past worry, future anxiety and present frenzy. The intellect plugs
this wasteful dissipation by concentrating on the present action, not allowing
the mind to meander to the past and future. Those who follow this formula
achieve success, happiness and spiritual evolution. Those who ignore this
advice are neither successful nor happy. Spiritual growth is a far cry.
Arjuna asks – What is
it that takes me away from my chosen path and makes me do the things I ought
not to do? Krsna answers – It is desire, it is anger, born of the quality of rajas,
passion. The enemy is within. Not out there. Yet you waste precious time
and energy in trying to deal with external forces. Desire comes in three shades
– sattva purity, rajas passion and tamas ignorance. Blending
poetry with philosophy Krsna describes how these three kinds of desire shroud
Atman, the divine spark in you. Sattva is like smoke around fire. The
brilliance and splendour of Atman shines forth in a sattvika person. Rajas
covers Atman like dust on a mirror. Selfishness and ego blur the image of the
Self. You are unable to see Divinity in a rajasika person. Tamas
is like an embryo in the uterus. Not only does it completely cover Divinity but
it takes time for you to emerge out of lethargy and indolence.
Desire is your
greatest enemy, says Krsna. He uses four different words to describe desire as
enemy. It is a voracious devourer and causes a great deal of mental agitation
and stress. It is unquenchable, like fire. Trying to satisfy desire by
fulfilling it is like trying to extinguish fire by adding fuel to it. Moreover,
it mutates into other far more destructive forms like anger, greed, delusion,
envy and arrogance. Yet everyone is busy fanning desire – individuals,
organisations as well as nations.
Krsna then gives the
way out. Rise to a higher desire, the lower will lose its hold over you. He
concludes with a highly inspiring message – Kill the formidable enemy in the
form of desire by rising to the highest desire, that of Self Realization. The
warrior in Arjuna is provoked, and responds.
Bhagavad
Gita Chapter IV
I
Atman – the real Guru 1-8
II Atman and Action 9-17
III Actions do not Bind the Enlightened 18-23
IV The 12 Yajnas (sacrifices) 24-30
V Yajnas Culminate in Wisdom 31-37
VI Therefore Gain Wisdom 38-42
I. The only
qualification a teacher needs is spiritual development. You can communicate
only to the extent you have purified yourself and uncovered Atman. Atman
communicates itself. Krishna assures Arjuna that whenever there is a decline in
dharma righteousness and upsurge in Adharma unrighteousness He will come into
the world to protect the good, destroy evil and establish virtue.
II. Atman
enables all actions, material or spiritual, divine or bestal. Atman does not
act. Atman is not responsible for the quality of action. Nor is Atman affected
by the outcome of the action. Just as petrol enables all cars to move but
itself is immobile. And, it is not responsible for the quality of driving and
is unaffected by the result.
III. Actions backed
by desire bind you with more desire. Actions dedicated to a higher ideal,
performed in a spirit of service and sacrifice, liberate you from existing
desire. Action should arise from intellectual clarity and not from mere whims
and fancies of the mind. The mind should be content and intellect focused on
the higher goal. Find fulfillment in the action. Do not crave for the fruit of
action.
IV. Life consists of
three sections – receipt of stimuli from the world, reaction by the mind and
intellect, and response back into the world. This portion further divides them
into twelve and converts every segment into worship. These are the twelve Yajnas.
In every Yajna there is an offering and a kindling. Thus worship becomes a
constant awareness of Atman rather than an occasional ritual in the midst of
worldly activities.
V. When yajna is performed vasanas or desires
reduce. The highest yajna is jnana yajna by which you gain knowledge of Atman.
The preparatory practices are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Knowledge
destroys mental agitation and removes the delusion that the world is real. You
go about life’s activities objectively, without involvement.
VI. Knowledge is
gained by sense control, devotion, and sraddha.
Sraddha is the capacity of the
intellect to absorb knowledge, reflect upon it till you live it. Then you
attain supreme Peace. If not, you will not gain success in the world or even
happiness. Spiritual growth is a far cry! Therefore establish yourself in yoga,
union with Atman.
BHAGAVAD GITA CHAPTER
V
OVERVIEW
– THE YOGA OF RENUNCIATION OF ACTION
I Yogi, Sannyasi, Jnani 1-7
II Their Approach to Action 8-12
III Jnani Defined 13-15
Pathway to Enlightenment 16-21
V Prerequistes to Meditation 22-26
VI Meditation Introduced 27-29
I. Worldly,
materialistic people are termed Bhogis. They are, as the name suggests,
only interested in acquiring and enjoying the world. The three categories of
spiritual people are Yogi, Sannyasi and Jnani. The Yogi is the
spiritual novice who has turned inward but is still laden with desires. He has
to practice the path of action to reduce his vasanas. The Sannyasi
has divested his personality of desires and is only interested in Realisation.
He needs the path of knowledge to remove the last few vasanas. The Jnani
is the enlightened One with no vasanas.
II. The Jnani has
merged with Atman. Actions go on. He is the unaffected witness of his own
actions. The Sannyasi dedicates his actions to Brahman and acts like a
lotus leaf in water – untouched by the vagaries of the world. The Yogi acts
for self-purification.
III. The Jnani acts
dynamically, renouncing desire and anxiety for the fruit of action. He is
self-controlled and paripurna, totally fulfilled. He is not pressurized
to do anything or go anywhere. So he neither acts nor causes any activity.
IV. As you focus on
Atman and direct the body, mind and intellect to That, your vasanas gradually
go and you reach the state of non-return. The state of Realisation is one with
no vasanas or ignorance. You have equal vision towards all. You have no
more re-birth. You find happiness in the Self and obtain eternal Bliss, the
goal of all humans.
V. The wise one who
does not delight in sense contact, endures the force of desire, is happy
within, is free from desire and anger, and rejoices in the welfare of all,
gains total liberation.
VI. This portion is a
precursor to the sixth chapter which is titled Dhyana Yoga, the Yoga of
Meditation.
If you undertake a journey without the
correct destination or instructions, you end up having to turn back several
times. Life is the same. Watch this short clip by JAYA ROW to learn how the
Gita provides you with a life positioning system (LPS) so you do not have to
take U-turns. Discover more on the importance of the Gita in your life at the
Weekly Webinars on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 by Jaya Row.
BHAGAVAD GITA CHAPTER VI
Gist of Chapter 6
1.
Renunciation is not giving up action. It is renouncing the obstacles that stand
in the way of perfect action.
2.
The path of action is meant for the active people and path of renunciation for
the contemplative.
3.
Redeem yourself by yourself. Nobody else can help you.
4.
Moderation and regulation of life’s activities are a must for material or
spiritual progress.
5.
When the mind is in a scattered state there is no power. A gathered mind has
power, is calm and effective.
6.
The intellect has high penetrating power when developed. It enables effortless
excellence and takes you to Self-realization.
7.
Yoga is the separation of union with sorrow. Disconnect this union with sorrow.
Then you fill find happiness within yourself.
8.
All desires are born of imagination.
9.
The test of spiritual development is the ability to see yourself in others and
all beings in yourself.
10.
The doer of good never suffers. Selfish people will be destroyed.
Entitled
“The Yoga of Meditation”, chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita elucidates meditation
as the final gateway to Self-Realization. Meditation is more than just shutting
one’s eyes and repeating a mantra
or word symbol. It is the highest spiritual technique that needs to be
practiced diligently and devotedly by qualified practitioners. The essential
prerequisite for meditation is a calm mind. A mind burdened with desires and
attachments is unable to take off into subtler realms of concentration and
meditation.
Krishna
begins with the definition of a sanyasi,
a renounced person. Renunciation is associated with giving up,
abandoning one’s duties and escaping to a safe sanctuary. It is this
misunderstanding that has turned away genuine seekers and prevented them from
accessing the benefits of renunciation. Krishna describes a sanyasi as one who does
what one ought to do, fulfils one’s duties and responsibilities fully, without
depending on the fruit of action. A sanyasi
is not one without a higher ideal, nor is he an inactive person. Krishna then
gives a masterful description of the three stages of spiritual evolution. From
an active yogi
to a meditative sannyasi
and, finally, to the exalted state of a jnani,
the enlightened One. He describes the three stages in terms of mental states
rather than external appearances. Thus, one does not have to don ochre robes or
perform rituals or deny oneself worldly enjoyments to be spiritual. All that is
needed is a change in mindset.
Step
by step, Krishna takes us through the preparatory disciplines as well as
disqualifications for meditation. This is followed by the test of
Enlightenment. A realized Soul is one who feels one with everyone. He sees his
Self as the Self in all beings. In the end he worships God not in a temple,
church or mosque, but in every living being. Thereafter he lives in Atman,
whatever his lifestyle. It is pointless to declare love for God when you cannot
connect with His images everywhere.
Arjuna,
like us, is afraid of leaving the safe confines of his present existence to
discover the unknown realm of the Infinite. He asks Krishna what the fate is of
those who commit themselves to a spiritual life but die before Realization.
Krishna gives a fitting reply to reveal one of the most insightful laws of
life. He says, “One who is righteous will never come to grief. Either now or in
the future”. Your efforts will not go in vain. You will carry forward the
credits to your future life. A spiritually evolved person who falls short of Realization
will either be born in the home of the happy and wealthy or in the family of a
wise yogi. There, endowed with the wisdom acquired in previous lives, he will
strive even more to attain Enlightenment.
Thus
the Lord assures Arjuna, and all of us, that the way to lasting happiness is a
life of Truth.
Bhagavad Gita -
Chapter VII
INTRODUCTION
Krishna, after six chapters of inspired
oration, realizes that Arjuna has still not understood what He has been
teaching. While Arjuna has the requisite knowledge, he is unable to act because
he has not absorbed its wisdom. To stimulate Arjuna's thinking, Krishna now
presents the knowledge from a fresh perspective. Beginning with an analysis of
the world, Krishna details how Brahman permeates the universe. He emphasizes
the importance of choosing the eternal Spirit over the ephemeral world. He
describes the four types of spiritual seekers in the world and concludes the
chapter by saying only the wise who seek Brahman finds the lasting happiness of
Enlightenment.
ESSENCE
OF CHAPTER VII
In the first six chapters Krsna has
given all the knowledge required for a person to lift off from the material
realm to heights of Perfection. Arjuna, however, remains unmoved. He has not
assimilated the knowledge. He needs to ponder over it to transform it to
wisdom. This is the case with us all. There is a huge gap between knowing and
doing. Like Arjuna we speak words of wisdom. But we are unable to use the
knowledge to overcome the challenges of life and emerge victorious. This is
because we have not followed through the three phases of sravana, manana and
nidhidhyasana. Sravana is listening or reading, the intake of knowledge. Having
listened, we need to reflect and mull over it, contemplate on it, look at it
from different angles. Only then will the knowledge get integrated into our
system. This is called manana. When the knowledge is internalized we begin to
live it. Nidhidhyasana is meditation which leads to Realization, the last step
to gaining knowledge of Self.
Krishna bridges the knowing-doing gap in Chapter VII by enforced reflection. He
presents the knowledge from a fresh perspective and ignites original thinking.
He promises knowledge as well as wisdom by which we can attain the Highest. He
infuses devotion which helps convert theory to practice.
Krishna begins with an analysis of the world and shows how Brahman permeates
the universe. As humans we have the choice of staying with the world or
penetrating through to the Spirit. Pursue limited, myopic goals or rise above
the obvious and seek the Eternal. The choice is ours. Krishna supports us in
our chosen path and ensures we obtain what we strive for. All paths eventually
lead to Him. In the end everyone seeks happiness, infinite bliss. Some look for
it in the world, some through different religious practices. Krishna respects
all paths. In this lies the open-mindedness of the Indian tradition. Not only
do we respect all faiths but we accept even agnostics and atheists in our fold.
The onus is on us to figure out the
quickest and most effective path to the goal of total Fulfilment. The ignorant,
unaware of the higher, seek and obtain finite ends. A few people visualize that
which transcends the material plane and worship God. They belong to four
categories. Some turn to God only to enhance their wealth. They believe that
supplication to God will bestow riches on them. The distressed, who meet with
tragic circumstances and are agitated, seek solace. Others are curious and look
for answers to questions. But the Jnanis, the wise, excel. They see the
futility of worldly pursuits and abide in the Transcendental. They are not
carried away by the glitter of transitory joys. They seek permanent happiness.
They reach Enlightenment.
Brahman is hidden, un-manifest, shrouded by Maya illusion. We see the
manifestations and get carried away by them. The deluded world does not know Me
- the Unborn, the Imperishable - says Krishna. But the virtuous who have freed
themselves from the delusion of the pairs of opposites worship Me with
determination.
Bhagavad Gita,
Chapter VIII
When we operate out of bitterness,
things go wrong. When we operate out of love, everything becomes right. Let go
of malice and negativity.
Krishna
begins the chapter with precise definitions of Brahman, Atman and action. He
then goes on to highlight the power of thought. You are a product of your
thoughts. You sculpt your own future by guiding your thoughts towards your
goal. If the goal is worldly, you remain caught up in the vagaries of the
world. However, if you have invested your thoughts in the spiritual ideal, you
break free from the cycle of birth and death to merge with Brahman.
The spiritual journey
begins by redirecting your thoughts from material pursuits to spiritual
aspirations. Once this is done, make an effort to master the senses. Follow the
practices of Karma Yoga (Path of Action), Bhakti Yoga (Path
of Devotion) and Jnana Yoga (Path of Knowledge). It is through
these practices that the mind becomes calm and free from desire. With a steady
mind purified of desire practice meditation under intellectual supervision. You
will transcend the world and attain Self Realization.
As an individual’s
personality comes alive during the day and becomes dormant at night, the
universe also goes through the cycle of manifestation and folding back into the
un-manifest state. This macrocosmic cycle is referred to as the day and night
of Lord Brahma where the entire cosmos comes into creation during the day and
all creation goes back into the un-manifest form at
night. Brahma’s day lasts for 4.32 billion earthly years and his night is of
the same duration. Brahman is beyond this macrocosmic cycle.
Finally, Krishna offers
three options to humanity – the path of return, non-return and direct
liberation. If you perform desire-driven noble actions, you go to heaven after
death to enjoy the fruits. Once this punya (merit) is
exhausted, you return to the mortal world. This is the path of return. If you
aspire for Realization but stray into actions motivated by good desires while
performing the spiritual practices, you get liberation in phases. You go to
heaven, enjoy the heavenly pleasures that accrue to you and then proceed to the
fourth plane of Consciousness.
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter IX
Krishna refers to the
knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita as the royal secret. It is the highest and
noblest knowledge. The absolute Knowledge that illumines all other knowledge.
Hence it is referred to as royal. It is also unknown to all – secret. Atman is
so profound and subtle that it eludes the grasp of most people. Yet it pervades
the entire universe and exists beyond as well in It’s pristine glory.
You have the option of living as a plaything, puppet, going
through the cycle of birth and death at the mercy of the world, or acquiring
knowledge of Atman to opt out and gain freedom.
Ignorant of their potential the deluded ignore Atman and get
caught up with the world. Living in vain hopes, performing futile actions and
acquiring hollow, superficial knowledge, they are bereft of discrimination. The
mahatmas, great souls, anchored in the Divine, worship God single-pointedly.
They dedicate all actions to the Self – Karma Yoga. They sing the Lord’s name
always, redirecting their love towards God – Bhakti Yoga. They are firm in
resolve, determined in their pursuit till the Goal is attained – Jnana Yoga.
They align both the head and heart with Truth. Such great souls constantly
yearn for liberation. They gain knowledge of Atman as one (Advaita) or as
separate (Dvaita). In other words, all paths lead to the same goal. Thus
worship is a constant effort at union with Atman, not a casual, occasional
prayer or ritual.
Verse 22 is the central point of the Gita in which Krishna
assures all those who worship God with singular purpose, always seeking union,
of yoga (spiritual Enlightenment) as well as kshema (material success). The
Bhagavad Gita does not promise a vague, post mortem happiness. Its benefits can
be reaped here and now to gain material prosperity, happiness and spiritual
Enlightenment. The accent is on consistency of purpose and depth of feeling.
Pursue your goal constantly and devotedly and you will achieve it. Whatever
action you perform, whatever you perceive, whatever you offer, give or strive
for, do it as an arpanam, offering, to Me. Thus every mundane action is
converted to worship. You will be freed from the bondage of actions that yield
good and bad results.
Krsna accepts even the most wicked people, those who are
rajasika (passionate) and tamasika (lethargic) and offers them liberation.
Nobody is disqualified provided they choose the right path. Everyone has access
to the supreme Goal. The highly refined and spiritually evolved ones find it
much easier to get there. With a serene mind and sharp intellect they
understand the nature of the world as anitya impermanent and asukha, joyless.
They know they are heir to true and abiding Bliss. All they have to do is look
for it in the right place – within.
Krishna ends by encapsulating the entire spiritual path in one
verse. Fix your mind on Me – Jnana Yoga. The intellect fixes Realization as the
goal and constantly discriminates between the real and unreal, permanent and
passing, eternal and ephemeral. Be My devotee – Bhakti Yoga. Feel for the
ideal, pour your heart out to God. Be loyal to God. Surrender helps calm the
mind. It empowers you to go through the ordeals the world has in store for you.
Sacrifice to Me – Karma Yoga. Sweat, toil, work hard. Dedicate your actions to
the Goal. Prostrate to Me – dissolve your ego. Place your head and heart at the
feet of the Lord. Thus, with Me as the supreme Goal you shall come to Me.
Bhagvad Gita Chapter X
The Knowledge of Divine Glories (Vibhooti Yoga)
In Chapter 10 of Bhagavad
Gita Lord Krishna reveal his own exalted position as the cause of all causes.
Also specifying His special manifestations and opulence. Arjuna prays to the Lord to describe more of the opulence and the
Lord describes those which are most prominent. Thus this chapter is entitled:
The Knowledge of Divine Glories or Vibhooti Yoga.
·
Section-1 (Shloka 1-7)
o Fruits of knowing Glory of God and His power of yoga
·
Section-2 (Shloka 8-11)
o Bhakti yoga and its fruits
·
Section-3 (Shloka 12-18)
o Arjuna’s request for description of Glory of God and His power
of yoga
·
Section-4 (Shloka 19-42)
o Lord describes His Glory and His power of yoga
o
Krishna expands our minds to see God’s immanence in his
manifestations. The entire universe is only a minuscule, insignificant part of
the limitless expanse of Brahman.
Summary
Krishna continues to instruct Arjuna about his nature as the supreme manifestation of God.
Accordingly, all other gods and holy men are actually manifestations of
Krishna. He gives examples, such as the god of lightning, Indra, claiming that
he is Indra and Indra's lightning bolt. Krishna describes himself as both the
positive and negative attributes of the universe: both pleasure and pain,
courage and fear. A person who can conceive of Krishna as the source of all
manifestations will be freed from the cycle of rebirth. When a sage meditates,
he enters into the state of union with God. This, Krishna explains, is a form
of worship. The highest form of worship is to enter the state of divinity,
understanding that Krishna is the source of all things.
Analysis
This chapter is about the yoga of understanding. Arjuna wants to know more about Krishna's specific forms to be able to worship him properly. Arjuna
still doesn't quite understand that Krishna is all things everywhere. Krishna
has been trying to explain throughout the last two chapters that his current
manifestation, as Krishna in the chariot, is the best focus for worship of him.
However, Arjuna still desires to know about Krishna's other divine forms even
though Krishna has been trying to explain them as ultimately irrelevant.
In stunning terms, Krishna describes his might and magnificence
to Arjuna by reciting each place in the cosmos and on the earth where Krishna
is present. He describes himself as the god who is the vast ocean, the
letter A in the alphabet, and the swift toss of dice.
Krishna gives Arjuna a list of his limitless forms that continues through 21
verses to illustrate that he is at the core of all things. In the first of
these verses Krishna reminds Arjuna that one of his manifestations is the Self.
The Self, or soul, of each being is ultimately Krishna. This means that Krishna
is manifest in all beings. Arjuna wants to know where to place his focus, and
Krishna reminds him that by meditating on the Self, Arjuna worships Krishna.
Bhagavad Gita -Chapter 12
The Bhagavad Gita invites you to partake of the power of
devotion, bhakti. Modern life magnifies the boundaries that keep
you in a state of separateness. Vedanta draws you to experience a vitality
greater than your own by identifying with the whole rather than just your
little self. It takes you from a deeply entrenched position of antagonism to
one of concern, understanding and respect. With Vedanta you move from a feeling
of isolation to communication with others. And finally to communion with the
Divine. You become God.
What Bhakti is Not
- Bhakti is not praying for things you are unwilling to
work for. It is an acknowledgement of nature’s bounty. It is gratitude for
all that you have been blessed with.
- Bhakti is not murti puja, idol worship.
It is adoration of the murtis created by God Himself.
- Bhakti is not denouncement of anybody who does not
concur with your faith. It is acceptance of the diversity of viewpoints
that converge to Realisation.
- Bhakti is not assertion of your will against God’s. It
is alignment with and submission to God’s will.
- Bhakti is not exclusive allegiance to a particular deity
or prophet. It is an inclusive love for all beings.
In an orchestra you see the power of synergy. In the warm-up
session each artiste practices his piece separately. The result is cacophony,
not symphony. When the show begins the conductor draws sweet melody from the
same musicians. What was noise becomes exquisite music. Brought about by
performance in unison. Similarly we are all players in the orchestra of life.
Align with the Divine conductor and you bring out the melody of life. Without
this vision you only create noise.
Magic of Oneness
You admire yourself in different
mirrors because you see all images as reflections of yourself. A monkey, denied
this knowledge, feels threatened and attacks its own image. Similarly in the
mirror of life all beings are reflections of your very own Self. A bhakta sees
this and admires himself in all beings. Exults in their achievements. Shares in
their sorrow. Not understanding this you feel threatened by others and attack
them. The Gita says we are all one. If you see any demarcations it is because
of your delusion. The truth is there are no differences.
Isolation – Communication – Communion
When you are body-centric you see
maximum differences. You feel inimical towards others. You speak ill of one,
attack another, pull down a third. And succeed only in causing harm to
yourself. As you identify with the mind you begin to see unison within the
family. This gives you joy, strength and courage. A wonderful feeling of
oneness with the family members. When you identify with your intellect and have
a national ideal you feel harmonious with all Indians. You see a unifying
thread that binds people of diverse backgrounds, languages, customs and
religions. Finally when you identify with the Spirit you see all creatures as a
part of you, not apart from you. You see Divinity.
Love Heralds Success
Love fosters understanding. A mother
instinctively knows what her infant child needs even without verbal
communication. A doctor who feels for his patients develops the uncanny knack
of correctly diagnosing diseases. A marketer with genuine concern for his
customer knows exactly what the customer needs. Thus love makes for success.
Team Spirit
Love enables you to zero in on the
good and gloss over the bad. When you operate from goodness you contact the
good in others. You create a wonderful team of people, all of whom give of
their best and make up for each other’s deficiencies.
When there is no love among people
the bad qualities come into sharp focus. And the good is ignored. Everyone
functions from his lowest, vitiating the atmosphere and ensuring failure. So if
you focus on a person’s imperfections it only means you lack the oneness.
Change your feelings towards the person and miraculously you find that he is
not so bad after all!
Devotion Leads to Realization
Desire and ego block your vision of
Reality. Bind you to the world of finitude and limitation. When you align with
the Lord you get purified of both desire and ego. Your attention shifts from
thought-of-self to thought-of-God. God takes precedence over the individuality.
Desire and ego are no longer fed. They wane away. With constant focus on the
Lord you become meditative. Meditation removes the last traces of desire and
you merge with God.
Arjuna’s Dilemma
Arjuna is not sure which path to
follow – the Path of Devotion or the Path of Knowledge. Whether to worship a
form or the formless Reality. The chapter begins with Arjuna’s query to Krishna
– which of the two is superior? Krishna answers – both paths lead to
Realization. However form worship is best suited for emotional people like
Arjuna, while intellectuals take to formless worship.
Steps to Realization
Krishna offers a series of graded
options to practice. You pick the one that matches your level and slowly
graduate to the more difficult practices until you reach the state of
Enlightenment.
35 Qualities of a Bhakta
The chapter ends with a brilliant
enumeration of the 35 qualities of a devotee. A guide to all spiritual
aspirants. The test of spiritual development.
So explore the world of unity among
diversity. Realize the power of One that lies within you. And the world is
yours.
Bhagavad Gita --XIII
Children enjoy playing with masks. The more distorted and
grotesque the mask, the greater the thrill. The secret of
their amusement is the fact that they know the masks are different from them.
They are immune to the aberrations of the masks.
You are an amalgam of matter
and Spirit. Body, mind and intellect are matter. That which breathes life into
the inert matter is Spirit. The Spirit is the real You. Body, mind and
intellect make the mask. The word ‘personality’ comes from the Latin ‘persona’
which means mask.
Ignorant of your real nature you
wrongly attribute the distortions and limitations of the body, mind and
intellect to yourself and suffer. Being matter, body, mind and intellect are
susceptible to the influences of the world. But you are the Spirit. Nothing in
the world has the power to affect you. You command the world. Yet today you are
victimized by the world and are weak, powerless. Totally at the mercy of the
environment.
The Gita exhorts you to awaken
to your own glory. The mask of body, mind and intellect is provided only for
you to enjoy the playground of the world. Instead today it has become the
source of stress and distress, anguish and agony.
One who understands the
difference between matter and Spirit is empowered, happy and unaffected by the
fluctuations in the world. Krsna epitomizes this state. With the mask he was
endearing, charming, charismatic. Everyone adored him. Even the gopis,
exasperated by his mischief, forgot their anger when they saw his captivating
smile. Divested of the mask He was awesome, worshipful. Like when He showed the
Universal Form to Arjuna in chapter 11.
All you have to do is
understand the distinction between the mask and the real YOU. Then the
distortions inherent in the body, mind and intellect will only entertain you.
You will not agonize over them. Your interface with the world will be perfect,
evoking accolades and laurels. By yourself you will be a repository of grace,
happiness and power.
Chapter 13 begins with Arjuna
asking Krishna, “What is the difference between matter and Spirit, field and
Knower of the field, knowledge and That which is to be known?” You labor in the
field of matter, oblivious of your true nature as Knower of the field. Once you
know the distinction between the two you become the Knower of the field.
Krishna’s brilliant exposition
delineates the two so systematically that this chapter stands out in its
clarity and subtlety. He gives the analogy of the field and says – The body is
the kshetra, field. Know Me as the kshetrajna, Knower-of-field in all fields.
He divides the field, matter, into thirty-one segments. The Spirit is different
from them.
Verses 8 to 12 describe
knowledge as the twenty qualities of a jnani, person of knowledge. He says –
This is knowledge. All else is ignorance. That which is to be known, jneyam, is
Brahman, the supreme knowledge, the final Goal. Krishna gives a brilliant
description of Brahman, using paradoxical terms as Brahman is beyond the grasp
of the intellect.
Krishna gives the distinction
between prakrti, matter, and Purusa, Spirit. While Spirit is one, matter
undergoes changes and is born in good or bad homes according to the gunas or
qualities. Spirit expresses Itself differently in different types of people. In
the wrong-doer It is a mere witness. As one purifies oneself Spirit becomes
approver. Then It takes the role of protector and fulfils one’s endeavors when
one becomes more unselfish. Further It enables one to enjoy the world and wield
power. In the end when one removes all obstacles Spirit reveals Itself as the
supreme Self. Krishna assures us all that one who knows Purusa and prakrti as
well as the qualities is not born again, whatever be his lifestyle. He becomes
Spirit.
One gains moksha liberation by
divesting one’s desires through action. Subtler desires are sublimated through
knowledge and the last traces overcome by meditation. The ignorant ones
incapable of this path can still evolve and go beyond death by surrender to the
wise. One who sees the one unifying Force in the variety of things and beings
becomes Spirit.
The Spirit neither acts nor is
tainted by actions. It remains untouched like space and lights up all of
creation just as the sun illumines the world. Develop the jnanachakshu,
eye-of-wisdom, and you will perceive clearly the difference between Spirit and
matter and go to the supreme Self.
This Chapter explains why the same Spirit when expressed through
matter manifests itself in different ways. Although the same water is poured in
different bottles, it will look different not because of the water but because
of the color of the glass out of which the bottles were made. Similarly, the
one Eternal Principle expresses itself differently in various matter equipment
as different individuals even though the elements constituting matter are the
same. This is due to Gunas born of Prakriti.
Gunas indicate not
the properties of a material but the attitude with which the mind functions.
These attitudes are three in number viz. Sattva -
Unactivity, Rajas - Activity and Tamas -
Inactivity. These three qualities influence the mind and intellect of every
individual in different proportions at different times. Although all these
three Gunas are always present in everybody their proportions differ from
individual to individual. It is these diversities that differentiate one person
from the other in character, conduct and behavior etc.
The three Gunas
– sattva, rajas and tamas – together
constitute every human being. Sattva is stainless, pure and brilliant. When
this predominates over the other two Gunas, a person’s wisdom shines in his
expression. Rajas is of the nature of passion which creates a craving for what
you do not have and attachment to what you possess. When this Guna dominates
over the other two, the person develops greed, becomes involved in endless
activity and suffers from mental unrest. Tamas arises out of ignorance which
manifests as delusion, inertia and heedlessness. Sattva binds people through
attachment to knowledge, and happiness. Rajas binds through attachment to
action. Tamas binds through heedlessness, indolence and sleep.
This Chapter helps
us to find out for ourselves the powerful tendencies that rule our minds
(influences of Gunas) and take remedial measures wherever called for. A seeker
who recognizes the influences under which he is forced to function at different
times can take timely steps to arrest the wrong impulses, unethical urges and
animal tendencies in order to keep himself fully under self-control and
Equanimeous in all situations in life. The discussion is concluded with a
description of the person who has risen above the Gunas and realized God. As
this Chapter is entirely dealing with the nature and working of the Gunas as
also the methods to give up all connections with them, it is entitled as “Yoga
of the Division of the three Gunas”.
In the previous
Chapter the Lord stated that the attachment to the three Gunas alone was
responsible for one’s repeated birth in good and evil wombs (13.22). This
statement will raise questions about diverse characteristics of the Gunas, how
they bind the Jivatma to the body, the result of such attachment, the means of
ridding oneself of the three Gunas and the marks and conduct of the soul who
has given up such attachments. Krishna personifying Brahman elucidates all
these points. The Chapter concludes with a detailed exposition on the most
important philosophic concept of the embodied transcending the Gunas
and becoming Brahman.
Bhagawan Sri Krishna assures that a seeker can reach that
exalted state through unswerving yoga of devotion to Him, thereby crossing the
Gunas and reaching the Abode of the immortal, immutable Brahman. This is the
state of eternal righteousness, absolute bliss.
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter XV:
The Yoga of the Supreme Person
With imagery taken from the Katha Upanishad, Lord Krishna portrays
the entire universe as the Asvattha or pipal tree with roots above and branches
below. In this chapter Krishna urges you to cut apart this firmly rooted tree
of the material world with the weapon of detachment. Krishna expounds the
nature of Brahman and how it pervades the manifested world. He describes
Brahman as a trinity of kshara, akshara and Uttama Purusha -- perishable,
imperishable and the Supreme Spirit”--Jaya Row
Purushottama-Yoga
The vision revealed at the
express request of Arjuna in chapter xi was not meant to be one given to
philosophical insight. The essential content of the vision has now to be revised
and restated in a more finalized philosophical form. Having described the character
of aparabrahma (the immanent Absolute) in the previous
chapter, whatever one-sidedness might have been left by such a treatment, as
was necessary there, is here to be corrected. The chapters hollow deal with
very objective values in life in the ethical,
religious and other fields, which also makes it necessary to
have a revision of the notion of the Absolute generally.
Rightly, it is stated in Verses 10 and 11 that understanding is given only to those rare persons who are wisdom-eyed, and that even yogis cannot get it by mere effort, but must have intelligence that perfects Yoga.
recognition of the main subject of this chapter where the Supreme Spirit is
lifted high above both relativist and non-relativist levels.
Bhagavad
Gita--Chapter XVI
Divine &
Demonic
The Chapter enumerates 26 qualities of the divine and six
qualities of the demonic. Krishna assures you that you are born of the divine
temperament. If you follow your divine nature you live a life of success and
happiness and eventually transcend the world to attain Liberation. If you
succumb to the demonic traits you get caught in a web of desires and suffer the
consequences. You lead a stressful devoid of vitality, cheer and growth.
Ignorant of your divine birthright you go through the endless cycle of birth
and death. Often we follow the path of least resistance and give in to our own
worst traits. Tragically the best in us lies unknown, untapped, unacknowledged.
The Bhagavad Gita shows the way out of darkness and ignorance to the light of wisdom.
Bhagavad
Gita --Chapter XVII
Arjuna asks what is the fate of a
person who disregards the mandathe of the scriptures but worships with Sraddha?
Sraddha is the ability to conceive a a goal and work towards it until the
mission is accomplished. Sraddha is the most important determinant of success
in any field of endeavor, material or spiritual. Sraddha is of three kinds --
sattvika, rajasika and tamasika. Krishna then goes on to classify ahara food,
yajna sacrifice, tapa austerity and dana charity as sattva, rajas and tamas.
This helps get an idea of one's inner nature. Brahman, God, is indicated by the
three words Om Tat Sat. Om is the subtlest symbol of God. Tat is the supreme
state of Enlightenment. Sat means goodness, Reality. Sat also means steadfastness
in the pursuit of yajna sacrifice, tapa austerity and dana charity. Asat is
these practices performed without sraddha faith.
Bhagavad
Gita-- Chapter XVIII
The
eighteenth chapter is Krishna’s final message. It begins with Arjuna asking for
precise definitions of the two most important concepts in Vedanta – sannyasa renunciation
and tyaga resignation. Krishna quotes the wise sages of the
past. He clarifies that sannyasa is giving up of
desire-driven actions while tyaga is giving up the fruits of
action. Contrary to popular perception neither sannyasa nor tyaga implies
giving up action. Action continues, giving up the two things that come in the
way of excellence in action – desire from the past and anxiety for the fruit
which belongs to the future. Desire is necessary to initiate action. Without
desire no action will be undertaken. Similarly there is always a fruit in mind
before acting. However, while executing action 100% of the mind must be focused
on the action. If at this time the mind meanders into the dead past or unborn
future it is not concentrating on the present action. Action becomes faulty and
ineffective, leading to failure.
Krishna
goes on to say that some sages say that all action should be renounced as
flawed. While others maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance must
never be abandoned. The vast majority of people are laden with desire. They
need to perform acts of sacrifice, charity and penance to purify themselves.
For them action free from attachment and fruit is the pathway to spiritual
evolution. The rare one who is on the verge of Realization and is totally
absorbed in meditation needs to let go of the last thought, the mantra, which
is now an impediment. It prevents him from taking off into the exalted state of
Enlightenment. He needs to give up all action, vasanas, and the
last one being the desire for Realization.
Tyaga is
of three kinds – sattvika, rajasika and tamasika.
Abandoning obligatory action out of delusion is tamasika.
It is not tyaga at all. False or rajasika tyaga is
giving up action that is troublesome, fearing physical discomfort. True
or sattvika tyaga is performance of obligatory
action because it ought to be done, giving up attachment and fruit.
The
chapter then analyses the five distinct aspects of action – the body, the
actor, the various instruments – mind, intellect, ego, sense organs and
external instruments – their respective functions and the Divine, the fifth.
The Divine Self remains inactive but enlivens all the other entities and
enables them to function. If you identify with Atman and not the individuality,
action takes on a Divine dimension. Work becomes worship. Such action does not
bind you, not even the act of killing.
The
next portion gives a brilliant insight into our personality. The qualities
of sattva, rajas and tamas impact
on each aspect of our persona. No being is free from the influence of these
three gunas, traits. The various facets of our inner working are
knowledge, action, actor, intellect, consistency and happiness. We all have one
or two faults that pull us down. By understanding the manifestation of
the gunas in the different entities, we can identify the
weak spots and deal with them. Thus the whole personality gets a lift. For
example you may have sattvika knowledge but may
be tamasika in consistency. You may have the capacity to
see the larger picture and understand the oneness in and through the
superficial differences. But you may be undisciplined and inconsistent at work.
With a little effort in this area you will be able to knock off tamas and
make a huge difference in your performance.
Based
on this inner composition all human beings were categorized into four varnas or
castes. This distinction was not based on heredity but on one’s proportion
of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Each caste was then given a vocation that best suited their temperament. The
purpose was to facilitate the spiritual development of all and help them rise
to the highest level of Perfection. The varnas correspond to natural
archetypes that exist in all societies and act as a general guide to fulfilment
and growth in life. A mismatch of inner composition with external work can be
highly frustrating and prevent progress.
Brahmanas
who were predominantly sattvika and highly refined were role
models and led the other castes. They naturally took to academics – study,
research and teaching in the fields of science, medicine, engineering etc. They
were also stalwarts in soft skills like music, art, literature and philosophy.
They were the advisors to the other castes, particularly in the field of ethics
and morality. Thus ancient India was led by men and women of wisdom, not of
wealth. They guided the wealthy Kshatriyas and protected them from the
corruptive influence of wealth and power. The Kshatriyas – ruler and warrior
caste with administrative and management skills – were predominantly rajasika.
Vaishyas, traders and businessmen, had more tamas. The sudras,
labor class, were predominantly tamasika.
Krishna
encapsulates the entire spiritual path in verses 46 to 57 starting with the
three practices of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana
Yoga and ending with meditation. He cautions Arjuna, and all
of us, on the consequences of disregarding His advice. If you shift your focus
to the Self, Atman, you will overcome all obstacles. If you ignore the Divinity
and get lost in the material realms you will perish.
Krishna
then leaves us to do as we wish. The Bhagavad Gita is not a doctrine of adesa,
commandments, that must be accepted without question. It is upadesa,
advice based on a logical, scientific treatise on the human personality. You
need to reflect deeply on these principles, examine them from different angles,
experiment with them and draw your own conclusions. Exactly as you would with
Physics or Chemistry. Then you will automatically live them. You will
experience the truths laid down in the Gita and find Liberation while living in
the world. You will live like a king, think like a sannyasi. Command the
resources of the world but not depend on them.
APPENDIX
TAT -TWAM -ACI--THAT -GOD -IS
The theme of the Bhagavad Gita is that you are God. You are not the finite, weak, vulnerable individual you imagine yourself to be. You are the mighty Spirit that makes your heart pulsate, liver and kidneys function meticulously, lungs transfer gases perfectly. You are the Divine Power that lends life to every cell in the body, every emotion in the mind and every thought that flutters through the intellect. You are the same Force that guides the planets around the sun, the Milky Way galaxy in its trajectory and every star and heavenly body in the universe. But for some reason you do not know it. It is this ignorance of your identity that is the root cause of all your troubles. The Gita introduces you to yourself and your divine nature. With this knowledge all sorrows come to an end. You revel in the bliss of your new-found Self.
The Gita zeroes in, on desire which stands
between you and your Godhood. The formula is Man minus Desire is God
(man--desire=God)
The Gita helps deal with desires. The first step is to manage desires with the intellect. The next stage is to reduce, refine and re-direct them with the three pathways of Karma Yoga, Path of Action, Bhakti Yoga, Path of Devotion and Jnana Yoga, Path of Knowledge. Only a handful of desires then remain – desire to realize the Self, serve the guru and engage in the service of humanity. These get eliminated through meditation which is single pointed focus on a mantra or word-symbol under the supervision of the intellect, not allowing the mind to meander to any other thought. When the last trace of thought vanishes the individual merges with the totality. You become God.
Studying the Gita and following its wisdom is like having a practical guide to life at hand, all the time. It teaches a person to exercise self-discipline and self-perfection, thereby offering a solution to the problems in a person’s life. The Gita can be aptly described in the Sanskrit Mahamantra Tat-Twam-Aci, which means, ‘That thou art!’
The first six chapters of the divine gospel dwell on the Twam-the soul. The next six explains the Tat--God and the last six teach union of the soul and God. In ordinary language, it conveys--I am His! He is mine! He and I are one! In Chapter 9 GOD is in the midst.
The aim of Gita doctrine is to lead to tranquility, happiness and equanimity.
No rituals are prescribed. The Gita says that the world needs different
religions, cults and deities to meet the vastly different needs of individuals.
“Don’t worry, be happy” may well be a modern term but the secret of achieving;
this lies in the Gita. The Gita Doctrine is beyond Religions and National
boundaries.
Comments:
Beautiful explanation of Gita: 6 + 6 + 6 = 18,
based on Advaita.
--Prof. G. Nagarajan
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