Category Archives: aashritya

Bhagavad Gita Verse 59, Chapter 18

17 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in 18.59, aashritya, ahankaaram, chapter 18 verse 59, esha, manyase, mithyaa, niyokshati, prakritihi, vyavasaayaha, yotsye

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yadahankaaramaashritya na yotsya iti manyase |
mithyaisha vyavasaayaste prakritistvaam niyokshati || 59 ||
 
Relying on that egoism, you think – I will not fight. This determination of yours is wrong. Your nature will compel you.
 
yat : that
ahankaaram : egoism
aashritya : relying
na : not
yotsye : fight
iti : in this manner
manyase : think
mithyaa : wrong
esha : this
vyavasaayaha : determination
te : your
prakritihi : nature
tvaam : you
niyokshati : compel
 
Right at the beginning of the Mahaabhaarata war, when Arjuna asked Shri Krishna whether to fight or not, Shri Krishna could have given the answer right away. But he decided to deliver the discourse of the Gita instead, not just for Arjuna’s benefit but for the benefit of all future seekers. Having done so, he now vehemently points out the flaw in Arjuna’s decision. He says, in crystal clear language, that the decision to not fight is wrong. It is purely ego-driven, and not in line with Arjuna’s duty as a warrior.
 
In our personal experience, we come across stories of children who were misfits in their families and communities simply because their prakriti, their nature, their samskaaraas, were completely different. A family of doctors cannot get along with their son because he wants to become a musician. A family of traders is upset because their daughter wants to join the government civil service. Such conflict is a cause of endless frustration for families across the board, and there is no easy solution, because it is hard to change one’s mental makeup.
 
Why do parents want to foist its career path onto their children? It is purely due to ego. Parents have a strong sense of mine-ness with regards to their children. They prefer not to think of their children as independent entities. The egos of parents derive strength from this sense of mine-ness, and insist that they have the power to reshape the destiny of their children. Similarly, Arjuna also assumed that he could override his nature as a warrior, and become a monk. Shri Krishna reminded him that his inherent nature as a warrior would compel him to fight, and that he should reconsider his decision.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 16

05 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in 16.10, aashritya, asadgraahaan, ashuchihi, chapter 16 verse 10, dambhaha, dushpooram, griheetvaa, kaamam, maanaha, madaanvitaahaa, mohaad, pravartante, vrataahaa

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kaamamaashritya dushpooram dambhamaanamadaanvitaahaa |
mohaad griheetvaasadgraahaanpravartanteshuchivrataahaa || 10 ||
 
Filled with insatiable desires, with pretentiousness, pride and arrogance, holding untrue views in delusion, they work with impure resolve.
 
kaamam : desires
aashritya : filled
dushpooram : insatiable
dambhaha : pretentiousness
maanaha : pride
madaanvitaahaa : with arrogance
mohaad : in delusion
griheetvaa : holding
asadgraahaan : untrue views
pravartante : work
ashuchihi : impure
vrataahaa : resolve
 
A major aspect of the materialistic world view is greed. Shri Krishna refers to this greed using the phrase duspooram kaamam, meaning selfish desires that can never be satisfied or fulfilled. People who follow the materialistic world view believe that one who is without selfish desires is as good as dead. They do not believe that selfless action, work that benefits someone other than themselves, is worth anything.
 
This greed propels them to dambhaha or pretentiousness. They do not see the harm in putting on a show in order to gain favours or get what they want. As they accumulate more wealth and power, they feed their superiority complex, resulting in maanaha or excessive pride. When their pride reaches greater and greater heights, they become drunk with their ill-gotten accomplishments and possessions. This is mada, intoxication.
 
We keep coming back to the theme of ignorance and delusion, of moha, when we analyze the materialistic world view. When one cannot tell right from wrong, one begins to develop views that are not based on truth or rationality, termed in the shloka as moha-asat. It is no surprise that the activities or undertakings of such people are impure, lawless, without any consideration of duty or the big picture. Defrauding others or destroying others property are illegal in the eyes of the law, but perfectly legal from their standpoint.