Category Archives: asheshataha

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 18

30 Thursday May 2013

Posted by in 18.1, abhidheeyate, asheshataha, chapter 18 verse 11, dehabhritaa, karmaani, karmaphalatyaagee, shakyam, tyaagee, tyaktum

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na hi dehabhritaa shakyam tyaktum karmaanyasheshataha |
yastu karmaphalatyaagee sa tyaageetyabhidheeyate || 11 ||
 
For, it is not possible for an embodied person to completely give up actions. That is why one who has given up the reward of action is called a tyaagee.
 
na : not
hi : for
dehabhritaa : embodied person
shakyam : possible
tyaktum : give up
karmaani : actions
asheshataha : completely
yaha : who
tu : that is why
karmaphalatyaagee : given up reward of action
saha : he
tyaagee : tyaagee
iti : in this manner
abhidheeyate : is called
 
This chapter began with Arjuna asking the question : what is the difference between a sanyaasi and a tyaagi. Shri Krishna used this question as an opportunity to recap the topic of karma yoga. After pointing out some popular notions on the topic, he then asserted that karma yoga refers to performance of duties while giving up attachment to their reward. This is the saattvic type of renunciation or tyaaga. He also explained the raajasic and the taamasic types of tyaaga.
 
Now, Shri Krishna adds another bit of context to the topic of karma yoga. He asserts that one who has a strong sense of identification to his body cannot completely give up action. He uses the term deha-bhrit, which is similar to the term dehi from the second chapter. As long as we identify with a sports team, for instance, we will be happy or say whenever they win or lose. As long as we think we are Mr. or Ms. so-and-so who has a job and a family and a house and so on, we have a strong sense of identification with our body. We cannot fully give up actions since the body has to act in order to live in this world.
 
With this additional context, we can now understand the definition of tyaagi. The ordinary meaning of this word refers to one who has renounced, who has given up all actions. Shri Krishna redefines it to mean someone who has given up all attachment to the reward of action, not given up action itself. If we are true karma yogis, we are tyaagis per this definition. We still need to deal with the issue of our strong identification to the body. This topic is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 7

27 Sunday May 2012

Posted by in aham.savijnyaanam, anyat, asheshataha, avashishyate, bhooyaha, chapter 7 verse 2, idam, iha, jnyaanam, jnyaatavyyam, jnyaatvaa, na, te, vakshyaami, yat

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jnyaanam teham savijnyaanamidam vakshyaamyasheshataha |
yajnyaatvaa neha bhooyonyajnyaatavyyamavashishyate || 2 ||
 
Knowledge with wisdom, I shall tell you this completely, having known that, there will be nothing else left to know.
 
jnyaanam : knowledge
te : to you
aham : I shall
savijnyaanam : with wisdom
idam : this
vakshyaami : I will tell
asheshataha : completely
yat : that which
jnyaatvaa : having known
na : not
iha : this
bhooyaha : again
anyat : anything else
jnyaatavyyam : to be known
avashishyate : left
 
Shri Krishna had begun a new topic in this chapter, which is the technique by which we can know him as Ishvara in his entirety. Here, Shri Krishna says that he will reveal not just this knowledge, but also impart us wisdom. The wisdom is such that once we know it, there will be nothing else remaining to be known.
 
We spend our lives acquiring knowledge about new things. With the pace of change in the world today, we would not be able to know everything, even if we were to spend thousands of lifetimes gaining PhDs in all the sciences, arts, humanities and so on. Shri Krishna says that the wisdom or “vijnyaana” that he is going to impart will be such that once we know it, nothing else will remain to be known.
 
Let us see how this will be possible. We had seen the example of a goldsmith earlier who is not fascinated by the artwork or shape of the gold bangles, bracelets, necklaces and other ornaments that he comes across. All he cares about is the quantity of gold that is in each ornament. In other words, because he knows the cause as gold, he knows that the effect as the ornament, may differ in shape, but is gold in its essence. Knowledge is the shape of the different ornaments, wisdom is knowledge of their essential nature.
 
What will happen once I know this? Shri Krishna says that having known this, nothing else will remain to be known. It will be knowledge that is all inclusive. Also, it is knowledge that makes up complete, unlike worldly knowledge that reveals further holes as we study it more.
 
But if this is the case, why doesn’t everyone pursue this knowledge? This is taken up next.
 
Footnotes
 
1. The second half of the shloka is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad where the question is asked “Tell me that knowledge, knowing which, nothing else will remain to be known.”

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 6

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in asheshataha, chapter 6 verse 24, indriyagraamam, kaamaan, manasaa, prabhavaan, samantataha, sankalpa, sarvaan, tyaktvaa, viniyamya

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sankalpaprabhavaankaamaanstyaktvaa sarvaanasheshataha |
manasaivendriyagraamam viniyamya samantataha || 24 ||
 
Totally discarding all desires born out of thought projections, withdrawing the mind from sense objects everywhere.
 
sankalpa : thought projections
prabhavaan : born from
kaamaan : desires
tyaktvaa : discarding
sarvaan : all
asheshataha : totally
manasaa : mind
indriyagraamam : sense objects
viniyamya : withdrawing
samantataha : everywhere
 
In this and the next shloka, Shri Krishna gives us a method for dealing with one of the biggest challenges in meditation : uncontrolled desires. He says that in order to fulfill the goal of keeping the mind established in the self, we have to completely withdraw the mind from all sense objects and tackle desires at their root.
 
As we have seen in the “ladder of fall” in the second chapter, a thought is born as soon as we begin brooding or daydreaming over an object, person or situation towards which we have raaga (attraction) or dvesha (hatred). The more time we spend brooding on the object, the more force is gathered by the thought, just like a snowball gathering momentum.
 
It is this brooding over objects that we like or hate that has to be checked. Only this restraint will stop desires in their tracks. But to pull this off, we have to follow a multi-pronged approach. First, we have to be aware of our thinking process so that we can stop the brooding the instant it starts. It is just like stopping any phone calls or outside interference when we are in an important meeting. Next, we have to apply this technique to all types of brooding or daydreaming, not just to objects we hate. Finally, we have to constantly examine our likes and dislikes so that we can develop dispassion towards them.
 
Foremost around “desire-generators” are sense objects. Our sense organs are programmed to rush towards objects that they like, and rush away from things that they dislike. While they rush, they drag our mind along, causing distraction and agitation. That is why it is advised to meditate in a clean and quiet place so that the sense organs cannot come into contact with anything and distract us. Gradually, as we get more proficient in meditation, we should ensure that the sense organs do not take in strong impressions that can pop up later in meditation. For example, if we love oranges, then we should be careful not to eat an orange just before meditation, otherwise the mind will keep thinking about the orange.
 
Now, once the mind has been withdrawn from the senses, it will seek an outlet for the outward force that used to rush out towards sense objects. If this force is not provided with a suitable outlet, we will get into trouble. So what should we do with all the latent energy that is stored up? Shri Krishna discusses this point in the next shloka.