Monthly Archives: July 2012

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 9

31 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.5, aatmaa, aishvaram, bhootaani, bhootabhaavanaha, bhootabhrit, bhootasthaha, cha, chapter 9 verse 5, mama, matsthaani, me, na, pashya, yogam

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na cha matsthaani bhootaani pashya me yogamaishvaram |
bhootabhrinna cha bhootastho mamaatmaa bhootabhaavanaha || 5 ||
 
But, neither do all beings reside in me. Behold my divine yoga! I am the sustainer and creator of all beings, but my self is not contained in (those) beings.
 
na : nor
cha : but
matsthaani : reside in me
bhootaani : all beings
pashya : behold
me : my
yogam : yoga
aishvaram : divine
bhootabhrit : sustainer of beings
na : not
cha : and
bhootasthaha : contained in beings
mama : my
aatmaa : self
bhootabhaavanaha : creator of beings
 
Shri Krishna takes the argument of the prior shloka one step further. He says that what we see through our eyes, hear through our nose, touch through our skin is just a series of names and forms. It is a divine power of Ishvara, just like the skill of a magician. These names and forms appear as if they are created, sustained and destroyed by Ishvara, but in reality, there is no such thing.
 
We notice that the first statement “all beings do not reside in me” contradicts the statement in the last shloka “all beings are based in me.” This is because each statement is made from a different perspective, based on our level of understanding.
 
If we think that the world of names and forms is real, then Ishvara says that all beings are based in him. It is like the little girl thinking that the foam and the waves in the ocean are real entities.
 
But, if we advance our understanding, if we know that the world of names and forms is a play of Ishvara, then he says that none of those beings, those names and forms, reside in him. The illusion of the magician does not reside in the magician, because an illusion cannot reside in something real. That is why Shri Krishna says that Ishvara’s self is not contained in all beings.
 
Now, even though we have this knowledge, will still see, hear, touch, feel and taste the world. Those forms in the world will be created, survive, and eventually dissolve. Our near and dear ones will prosper, but will also leave us one day. All of this is a play of Ishvara’s maayaa. To this end, he asserts that he is the creator and sustainer of these names and forms.
 
As an example, we look up at the sky and observe that it is blue in colour. We know that the blue colour is just an illusion caused by the scattering of light waves. However, even after we know this, our eyes still report the color of the sky as blue. Similarly, Shri Krishna urges us to recognize that Ishvara’s divine power of maayaa, his “home theatre system”, creates all the names and forms that our lives are made up of.
 
So then, what is the essence of these two key shlokas? Our senses will always report names and forms to our mind and intellect. If we know that they are all illusory names and forms, we will gain liberation. If we get sucked into thinking that they are real, we will be trapped in their apparent reality.
 
This teaching requires further elaboration. To that end, Shri Krishna provides an illustration in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 9

30 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.4, aham, avasthitaha, avyakta, bhootaani, cha, chapter 9 verse 4, idam, jagat, matsthaani, mayaa, moortinaa, na, sarva, sarvam, tatam, teshu

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mayaa tatamidam sarvam jagadavyaktamoortinaa |
matsthaani sarva bhootaani na chaaham teshvavasthitaha || 4 ||
 
This entire universe is pervaded by my unmanifest state. All beings are based in me, I am not based in them.
 
mayaa : my
tatam : pervaded
idam : this
sarvam : entire
jagat : universe
avyakta : unmanifest
moortinaa : state
matsthaani : based in me
sarva : all
bhootaani : beings
na : not
cha : and
aham : I
teshu : in them
avasthitaha : based
 
This shloka and the next are the crux of the teaching in this chapter. Shri Krishna makes three core points: that the entire universe is pervaded by his unmanifest state, that all beings are based in him, and that he is not based in them. Let us first take a step back to understand the context of this teaching before we delve into these three points.
 
The eighth chapter described meditative techniques that we had to follow throughout our lives in order to attain Ishvara, so that we can be liberated from the cycle of creation and dissolution. Now, Shri Krishna reveals a secret that will enable us to immediately gain access to Ishvara 24/7. And unlike other techniques described so far, we do not have to do any action. We just have to know.
 
What is this secret knowledge? Let us start with the first point. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is present in every living and non-living being within this universe. If that’s the case, then we do not need to put in any extra effort. Once we train ourselves to view Ishvara in everything, we will gain access to him 24/7. We will not need to do any extra physical or mental activity to make that happen. But if it were that simple, why cannot we put it into practice immediately? It is because we have been preconditioned since time immemorial to see everything but Ishvara. Removing this preconditioning is the topic of the Gita.
 
The second point made by Shri Krishna is that all beings are based in him. Let us bring up the example of the ocean and the waves to understand this point. A five year old girl sitting on the beach will look at the waves, the foam and the ripples and conclude that they are independent things. But her mother knows that all of those shapes are created because of the ocean. Also, the girl who has to inquire about where these shapes come from. The mother does not have to do anything. She just knows that everything is nothing but water in the ocean. So the mother will tell her, “that’s just the ocean”.
 
Now, let’s say the girl sees a ripple in a lake instead of the ocean. She points to it and says “that’s the ocean”. The mother will now enhance her statement slightly by saying “that is not the ocean, that is a ripple. It is just a shape taken by water, which is in the ocean and in the lake”. Water is an abstract concept which a child slowly learns by example.
 
Similarly, we may begin to think that Ishvara is resident in an idol, or a saint, or a holy place. Like the ripple, they are names and forms. Even Arjuna would have found it hard to believe that Shri Krishna, who is in front of him, can pervade the entire universe. So therefore, Shri Krishna says that no visible entity can ever contain Ishvara who is beyond name and form. The true nature of Ishvara is formless. This is the third point in this shloka.
 
Still, a question remains. Just like we still see waves in the ocean even after knowing that they are water, we still come across thousands of names and forms everyday. Many of those names and forms are people that we interact with, speak with, work with and so on. Aren’t those people “real”? How do we reconcile this? Shri Krishna addresses this confusion in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 9

29 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.3, apraapya, ashradyadhaanaahaa, asya, chapter 9 verse 3, dharmasya, maam, mrityu, nivartante, parantapa, purushaa, samsaara, vartmani

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ashradyadhaanaahaa purushaa dharmasyaasya parantapa |
apraapya maam nivartante mrityusamsaaravartmani || 3 ||
 
People who do not have faith in this prescription, O scorcher of foes, do not attain me. They return to the path of the mortal world.
 
ashradyadhaanaahaa = not having faith in
purushaa = people
dharmasya = prescription
asya = this
parantapa = O scorcher of foes
apraapya = not attain
maam = me
nivartante = return
mrityu = mortal
samsaara = world
vartmani = path
 
Like any good teacher, Shri Krishna first glorifies the knowledge that he is about to teach, then points out the qualifications of the worthy student. Addressing Arjuna as the “scorcher of foes”, he says that they key qualification required to receive this teaching is that of faith. If we do not have faith, we continue following our old ways, only to be trapped in this endless cycle of creation and dissolution.
 
Why is there so much importance placed in faith? Without faith, we will not have the inclination to fully understand any teaching. Even in school or college, we will not take the extra effort to inquire, ask questions, read books and resolve our doubts unless we have faith in the subject and the teacher. It is even more important in this kind of knowledge.
 
So then, what happens to those that do not have faith? Shri Krishna says that such people do not attain Ishvara. They have faith in their sense organs and their corresponding sense pleasures. These people still think that feeding their senses with more food, entertainment as well as bodily and intellectual comforts will result in long-lasting happiness. This misplaced faith further ensnares them in the path of the mortal world, which that of birth, old age, disease and death, over and over again.
 
Having sufficiently introduced the chapter, Shri Krishna delivers the main message of this chapter in the following two shlokas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 9

28 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.2, avagamam, avyayam, chapter 9 verse 2, dharmyam, idam, kartum, pavitram, pratyaksha, raajaguhyam, raajavidya, susukham, uttamam

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raajavidya raajaguhyam pavitramidamuttamam |
pratyakshaavagamam dharmyam susukham kartumavyayam || 2 ||
 
This is royal knowledge, the royal secret, purifying, foremost, immediately perceived, righteous, effortless to perform, and imperishable.
 
raajavidya : royal knowledge
raajaguhyam : royal secret
pavitram : purifying
idam : this
uttamam : foremost
pratyaksha : immediate
avagamam : perception
dharmyam : righteousness
susukham : effortless
kartum : perform
avyayam : imperishable
 
Shri Krishna continues to glorify the theme of this chapter, which is the knowledge of Ishvara’s infinite nature. This shloka comprises a series of adjectives that highlight the extremely unique and special nature of the knowledge that he is about to reveal.
 
He begins by describing this knowledge as royal. It means that this knowledge is the king among any knowledge, it is foremost among all the other knowledge. As we saw in an earlier chapter, most knowledge we acquire in our life is “aparaa vidyaa”. It is related to something material and temporary. This chapter describes “paraa vidyaa”, knowledge of the absolute. Knowing this, we will ourselves become kings. We will never become subservient to anyone or anything, including our mind, body and senses.
 
This knowledge is the king of secrets. Ordinary secrets can give us happiness, wealth, power, a competitive advantage and so on, all of which are temporary and limited. But this secret yields eternal, infinite happiness.
 
Many scriptures described rituals that act as purifiers. They help us eliminate our sins. But this knowledge is the ultimate purifier because it eliminates the sinner, the root cause. As we have seen earlier, our ego creates the sense of doership and enjoyership, resulting in accumulation of merits and sins. But if our sense of doership is eliminated, all of our actions will be spontaneous and in tune with Ishvara’s will. The storehouse of our sins will be burnt away. Plus there will be no question of accumulating merits or sins.
 
Shri Krishna says that we will be able to immediately perceive or experience this knowledge. When we are a little hungry, we say “I think I am hungry”. But if we have not eaten for a while day, we automatically say “I am hungry” without any further thinking. This is what is meant by immediate and direct perception. There will be zero doubt in this knowledge.
 
This knowledge is aligned with dharma, the law that holds the universe together. Nowadays, many practices in the business world that were formerly legal are being deemed illegal and vice versa. This happens because they are based on ever-changing laws. But this knowledge is in accordance with the universal law. It holds true at any point in time, anywhere in the world. Moreover, it will always result in joy, never in sorrow.
 
Finally, this knowledge is easy to perform, it does not require any special attributes in the person other than dedication and faith. While most things that take little effort yield temporary results, this knowledge results in permanent, eternal happiness.
 
Having provided a detailed description of the characteristics of this royal knowledge, Shri Krishna describes the fate of people who do not follow this teaching.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 9

28 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.1, anasooyave, ashubhaat, chapter 9 verse 1, guhyatamam, idam, jnyaanam, jnyaatvaa, mokshayase, pravakshyaami, sahitam, te, tu, vijnyaana, yat

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Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
idam tu te guhyatamam pravakshyaamyanasooyave |
jnyaanam vijnyaanasahitam yajnyaatvaa mokshayaseshubhaat || 1 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
So, to you who is without fault, I will explain, this extremely secret knowledge along with wisdom, having known which, you will be liberated from the inauspicious.
 
idam : this
tu : so
te : to you
guhyatamam : extremely secret
pravakshyaami : I will explain
anasooyave : faultless
jnyaanam : knowledge
vijnyaana : wisdom
sahitam : along with
yat : which
jnyaatvaa : having known
mokshayase : you will be liberated
ashubhaat : inauspicious
 
Shri Krishna uses this chapter to progress the theme of the seventh chapter, which was the infinite nature of Ishvara and the finite nature of maaya. He begins the chapter by asserting that the knowledge of Ishvara’s infinite nature will result in liberation. He addresses Arjuna as “anasooya” which means without fault, doubt or prejudice, indicating that those who have begun the process of purification of their minds through karma yoga and devoted meditation will understand this knowledge completely.
 
First, let us understand the result of knowledge that Shri Krishna is glorifying in this shloka. It is going to give us freedom or liberation from the inauspicious. The word inauspicious in this shloka refers to samsaara or the endless cycle of creation and dissolution that all of us are trapped in.
 
Next, let us look at what makes this knowledge unique. Shri Krishna says that he is going to reveal not just knowledge, but also “vijnyana” or wisdom that we can internalize in our lives. Also, unlike other knowledge that requires action to give a result, this knowledge gives us the result of liberation all by itself. As an example, if we come to know that a mirage in a desert is false, we don’t have to do anything further.
 
What makes this knowledge even more special is that it is extremely subtle. It is hard for someone to figure out on their own. We need a competent teacher like Shri Krishna to reveal this knowledge to you. Shri Krishna, urging us to learn this knowledge in the right way through a teacher, calls it “secret knowledge”.
 
Shri Krishna further glorifies this special knowledge in the next shloka.

Summary of Chapter 8

26 Thursday Jul 2012

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In the seventh chapter, Shri Krishna gave a detailed description of Ishvara, and stressed the importance of recognizing the infinite aspect of Ishvara. The eight chapter took a bit of a detour from that topic. In the beginning of this chapter, Arjuna raised seven questions that Shri Krishna answered in this chapter. The key question was : “how does one attain Ishvara after death” which became the main topic of this chapter.
 
Shri Krishna began this topic by asserting that the thought of the time of death determines our fate. If that thought is of Ishvara, we will attain Ishvara. Since we will not know when our death occurs, he advised us to meditate upon our Ishvara throughout our life so it automatically becomes our final thought. To help us cultivate this thought, Shri Krishna elaborated upon three types of meditation.
 
The first type of meditation was on the cosmic form of Ishvara and the second type was on the name of Ishvara, which is Om. Both these meditation techniques also required us to exercise control of our praana or life forces. Since this is beyond most of our capabilities, Shri Krishna recommended the third type of meditation which was much simpler. He advised us to remember Ishvara in any form, but do so constantly throughout our life.
 
So then, what happens when we die? Shri Krishna said that the universe is like an infinite cycle of creation and dissolution, symbolically depicted as the day and night of Lord Brahma. Both day and night are each 4.32 billion years long. At the end of each day of Lord Brahma, all living and non-living beings become unmanifest. When the night of Lord Brahma ends, all those beings are manifest again. In other words, they are “frozen” at the end of the day and they “thaw” in the beginning of the day. This goes on infinitely.
 
Having known this, our state is pitiable. We are caught in this endless cycle of creation and dissolution. Only those beings who only put forth the effort come out of this endless cycle. They attain Ishvara transcends this cycle. So, urging us to take steps towards achieving liberation is the refrain of this chapter, and of the Gita as a whole.
 
Towards the end of the chapter, Shri Krishna enumerated the two paths that a jeeva or soul takes after death. The first path is the dark path which is attained by those who have performed good actions on this earth. They attain the abode of the moon (heaven). After exhausting the results of their actions, they return to this world and are reborn.
 
The second path is the bright path which is attained by those who have practised devoted meditation on Ishvara in addition to performing good actions. They attain the abode of Lord Brahma and remain there until its dissolution when they are eventually liberation. We are encouraged to take up this path.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 28, Chapter 8

25 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.28, aadyam, atyeti, cha, chapter 8 verse 28, daaneshu, eva, param, phalam, pradishtam, punya, sthaanam, tapahasu, upaiti, vedeshu, viditvaa, yajneshu, yat, yogee

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vedeshu yajneshu tapahasu chaiva daaneshu yatpunyaphalam pradishtam |
atyeti tatsarvamidam viditvaa yogee param sthaanamupaiti chaadyam || 28 ||
 
Whatever auspicious results have been indicated in the Vedas, rituals, austerities and also in charity, the yogi transcends all these having known this (knowledge), and attains the primal supreme state.
 
vedeshu : in Vedas
yajneshu : in rituals
tapahasu : in austerities
cha : and
eva : also
daaneshu : in charity
yat : whatever
punya : auspicious
phalam : results
pradishtam : have been indicated
atyeti : transcends
tat : these
sarvam : all
idam : this
viditvaa : having known
yogee : yogi
param : supreme
sthaanam : state
upaiti : attains
cha : and
aadyam : primal
 
Shri Krishna concludes the eighth chapter with this shloka. He tells us that he has spelled out an entire “flowchart for the afterlife”. With this knowledge, we have the means to achieve anything including heaven, rebirth and liberation. The outcome solely depends upon our behaviour while we are alive.
 
Traditionally, seekers used the instructions in the Vedas to perform rituals, austerities and charity. Many of them did so with the goal of attaining a better state in the afterlife. In our case, even though we may not perform rituals per se, our goal is similar. We try to do good actions and charity so that we can earn “punya” or merit for the afterlife. However, we know know that mere performance of good actions will get us to heaven, but we will eventually come back once our merits are exhausted.
 
Therefore, Shri Krishna recommends the bright path of devotion and action that leads us to the abode of Lord Brahma, and eventually into liberation. This path of graduated liberation, indicated by the phrase “supreme primal state” is also known as “krama mukti”. One who achieves this path transcends, or goes beyond the results of heaven, because he attains liberation which frees him from finitude.
 
Shri Krishna is not done yet. There is yet another path of liberation that is his personal favourite. We shall learn more in the coming chapters.
 
om tatsatiti shrimadbhagavadgitasu upanishadsu brahmavidyayaam yogashastre shrikrishnaarjunasamvade
aksharabrahmayogonaamo ashtamodhyaahaha || 8 |

Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 8

24 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.27, arjuna, bhava, chapter 8 verse 27, ete, jaanan, kaaleshu, kashchana, muhyati, na, paartha, sarveshu, srutee, tasmaat, yogayuktaha, yogee

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naite srutee paartha jaananyogee muhyati kashchana |
tasmaatsarveshu kaaleshu yogayukto bhavaarjuna || 27 ||
 
Knowing both these paths, any yogi is not deluded, O Paartha. Therefore, remain engaged in yoga at all times, O Arjuna.
 
na : not
ete : both
srutee : paths
paartha : O Paartha
jaanan : knower
yogee : yogi
muhyati : deluded
kashchana : any
tasmaat : therefore
sarveshu : at all
kaaleshu : times
yogayuktaha : engaged in yoga
bhava : remain
arjuna : O Arjuna
 
Shri Krishna starts to conclude the topic of the jeeva’s journey after death. He says that those who have knowledge of the fate of the jeeva after death is not deluded or misinformed. With this knowledge, we can change his behavior on earth in order to qualify for the right path after our death.
 
Of the two paths mentioned in this chapter, there was one that led to liberation. Shri Krishna advises us to follow the path of selfless action combined with single pointed devotion, in other words, karma yoga and bhakti yoga. This is indicated by the phrase “remain engaged in yoga” in this shloka.
 
All of this knowledge has already been explained to us. Karma yoga was the theme of the first six chapters, and bhakti yoga is the theme of chapters six through twelve. We have a choice. We can either read those chapters with an intellectual bent, or we can actually put the teachings to practice in our lives by remaining engaged in yoga “at all times”. The choice is up to us.
 
Shri Krishna summarizes and concludes this chapter in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 8

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.26, aavartate, anaavrittim, anyayaa, chapter 8 verse 26, ekayaa, ete, gatee, hi, jagataha, mate, punaha, shaashvate, shuklakrishne, yaati

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shuklakrishne gatee hyote jagataha shaashvate mate |
ekayaa yaatyanaavrittimanyayaavartate punaha || 26 ||
 
For, bright and dark, both these paths have been known since eternity. By one, the traveller does not have to return, by the other, he has to return again.
 
shuklakrishne : bright and dark
gatee : paths
hi : for
ete : both these
jagataha : worldly
shaashvate : eternal
mate : have been known
ekayaa : one of these
yaati : traveller
anaavrittim : does not have to return
anyayaa : the other
aavartate : has to return
punaha : again
 
Shri Krishna spoke about two paths that the jeeva takes after death: the “bright” path that goes to the abode of Lord Brahma, and the “dark” path that goes to the abode of the moon. He now reaffirms the difference between these two paths by saying that those who travel by the bright path are liberated, whereas those who take the dark path are born again after spending time in the abode of the moon. He also states that these paths have been established since time immemorial.
 
These two paths take care of two categories of people. One category is those who perform good actions as well as single pointed devotion – they attain the abode of Lord Brahma. The other is those who only perform good actions – they attain heaven. But absent from this list are those who perform negative actions that harm others and themselves. What happens to them?
 
Shri Krishna has omitted the path of such people, probably because he assumes that one who is interested in following the path of karma yoga is putting forth effort to eliminate negative and destructive actions from his life. More information on the path taken by such people is provided in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
 
So then, what is the significance of these two paths to us? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 8

22 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.25, chaandramasam, chapter 8 verse 25, dakshinaayanam, dhoomaha, jyotihi, krishnaha, nivartate, praapya, raatrihi, shanmaasaa, tathaa, tatra, yogi

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dhoomo raatristathaa krishnaha shanmaasaa dakshinaayanam |
tatra chaandramasam jyotiryogi praapya nivartate || 25 ||
 
Smoke, night, darkness and the southern movement comprising six months; the yogi (travels through) that path, attains the light of the moon, to return.
 
dhoomaha : smoke
raatrihi : night
tathaa : and
krishnaha : darkness
shanmaasaa : comprising six months
dakshinaayanam : southern movement
tatra : through that path
chaandramasam : of the moon
jyotihi : light
yogi : yogi
praapya : attains
nivartate : return
 
We saw earlier that jeevas who have practised single-pointed devotion travel on the path of light, attain the abode of Lord Brahma, and eventually achieve liberation. Now, Shri Krishna describes the path of the jeeva who has performed good deeds in its lifetime, but had not practiced devotion. This path is called the path of the moon or the lunar path.
 
The jeeva is guided on this path by the deities who preside over the smoke of the pyre, night, the dark lunar fortnight and the six months between summer and winter. Having travelled through the lunar path, these jeevas attain a lower realm called Chandraloka or the abode of the moon. In modern language, this is nothing but heaven. The jeeva enjoys heavenly pleasures, which are the fruits of its earthly actions. Unlike the jeeva in Lord Brahma’s abode, this jeeva returns to earth once the fruits of its good actions have depleted.
 
Both the dark lunar fortnight and the period between summer and winter are relatively less auspicious than their brighter counterparts. But many festivals including Maha Shivraatri and Krishna Janmaashtami are celebrated during the dark lunar fortnight.
 
Shri Krishna summarizes the difference between the two paths in the next shloka.