Category Archives: asya

Bhagavad Gita Verse 21, Chapter 13

22 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.21, asya, bhungkte, chapter 13 verse 21, gunaan, gunasangaha, kaaranam, prakritijaan, prakritisthaha, purushaha, sadasadyonihijanmasu

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purushaha prakritistho hi bhungkte prakritijaangunaan |
kaaranam gunasangosya sadasadyonijanmasu || 21 ||
 
Purusha, when seated in Prakriti, experiences the qualities born of Prakriti. Attachment to these qualities is the cause of his birth in good and evil wombs.
 
purushaha : Purusha
prakritisthaha : seated in Prakriti
hi : only
bhungkte : experiences
prakritijaan : born of Prakriti
gunaan : qualities
kaaranam : cause
gunasangaha : attachment to qualities
asya : his
sadasadyonihijanmasu : birth in good and evil wombs
 
Imagine that two young brothers and their grandmother are watching a boxing match on TV. One brother is a huge fan of boxer A, and the other brother of boxer B. The two brothers get so involved in the match that they feel they themselves are in the boxing ring. The brothers start throwing punches in the air, mimicking the actions of the boxers. Also, when boxer A punches boxer B, the first brother feels exhilaration whereas the second brother feels pain. All this time, their grandmother is watching the match without any of these reactions.
 
This involvement with the boxers doesn’t end with the match. Boxer A always likes to wear a headband, so the first brother starts to wear headbands in the house. Boxer B always snaps his fingers at the end of every sentence, so the second brother begins to do that as well, much to the annoyance of his parents. Both the brothers have become so infatuated with their boxers that they take on their likes and dislikes. We may think that such behaviour only happens with children and teenagers, but something similar has happened to all of us, causing us to get trapped in samsaara.
 
We are stuck twice in samsaaraa. First, Shri Krishna says that the eternal essence has mistakenly identified itself with one body due to avidyaa or ignorance, just like the brother identified himself with boxer A. Instead of watching the IMAX movie of the universe like the grandmother, we get stuck to one character in that movie. When the eternal essence as though gets deluded with ignorance, it becomes the Purusha, and becomes “seated in Prakriti”. It forgets it real nature as infinite, indivisible and blissful. It assumes the properties of our body and thinks itself to be finite, divisible and sorrowful.
 
Second, having identified with a finite body, having taken the “upaadhi” or conditioning of a body, we get attached to the play of Prakriti, the play of the three gunaas or qualities. We get so attached to the forms of Prakriti that we generate selfish desires in order to repeatedly contact these forms, which are nothing but objects and people. Seeking a shinier car is a mistaken attempt to find joy in the car instead of understanding our true nature as joy itself. We become the brother who starts wearing a headband to feel happy, just because boxer A does so, when the brother was happy even before he know what boxing was.
 
So then, how do we get out of this two step problem of samsaara which causes us to “take birth in good and evil wombs”? We solve step one – attachment to gunaas – through vairaagya or dispassion, we learn to slowly wean ourselves off the influence of the three gunaas. We then solve step two – ignorance of our true nature – through jnyaana or knowlege, when we learn of our real nature as the eternal essence and internalize it through meditation.
 
An illustration of Purusha getting entangled in Prakriti is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 38, Chapter 11

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by in 11.28, aadidevaha, anantaroopam, asi, asya, chapter 11 verse 38, dhaama, nidhaanam, param, puraanaaha, purushaha, tatam, tvam, tvayaa, vedyam, vettaa, vishvam, vishvasya

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tvam aadidevaha purushaha puraanastvamasya vishvasya param nidhaanam |
vettaasi vedyam cha param cha dhaama tvayaa tatam vishvamanantaroopam || 38 ||
 
You are the primal lord, the ancient person. This universe is your supreme abode. You are the knower, the knowable and the supreme abode. By you is this universe pervaded, O one with infinite forms.
 
tvam : you
aadidevaha : primal lord
purushaha : person
puraanaaha : ancient
tvam : you
asya : this
vishvasya : universe
param : supreme
nidhaanam : abode
vettaa : knower
asi : are
vedyam : knowable
cha : and
param : supreme
cha : and
dhaama : abode
tvayaa : by you
tatam : pervaded
vishvam : universe
anantaroopam : having infinite forms
 
Arjuna’s understanding of Ishvara becomes clearer and clearer as this chapter unfolds. He acknowledges Ishvara’s creative power by addressing him as “aadideva”, the primal or first lord, the one who created Brahmaa, the creator. He also acknowledges that Ishvara has the power to create “anantaroopam”, an infinite number of forms, which is what we experience as “vishwam”, this magnificent universe. The first name of Ishvara in the Vishnu Sahasranaama, the thousand names of Vishnu, is vishwam.
 
Ishvara has not created the universe and stepped aside from it. He dwells in it as the ancient “purusha” or person, just like we dwell as the person in our body, the “city of nine gates” from the fifth chapter. Also, Ishvara is not located in just one specific area or corner of this universe. He is present everywhere. He is the “tatam” in the phrase “yenam sarvam idam tatam” from the second chapter. He pervades this entire creation, just like water pervades all ocean waves.
 
We know that even an inert object like a TV screen can conjure up an infinite number of names and forms. But Ishvara is far from inert. He is of the nature of awareness, of knowledge. He is the knower of everything that is to be known, all the forms that he has created. And when all these forms are dissolved, they end up in him, the final resting place, the “parama dhaama” or supreme abode.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 11

01 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in 18.11, aksharam, asya, avyayaha, chapter 18 verse 11, goptaa, mataha, me, nidhaanam, param, paramam, purushaha, sanaatana, shaashvatadharma, tvam, veditavyam, vishwasya

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tvamaksharam paramam veditavyam tvamasya vishvasya param nidhaanam |
tvamavyayaha shaashvatadharmagoptaa sanaatanastvam purusho mato me || 18 ||
 
You are the imperishable, supreme (being) to be known. You are the supreme foundation of this universe. You are indivisible, the protector of the eternal law. In my opinion, you are the indivisible person.
 
tvam : you
aksharam : imperishable
paramam : supreme
veditavyam : to be known
tvam : you
asya : this
vishwasya : of this universe
param : supreme
nidhaanam : foundation
tvam : you
avyayaha : indivisible
shaashvatadharma : eternal law
goptaa : protector
sanaatana : eternal
tvam : you
purushaha : person
mataha : opinion
me : my
 
This shloka is a beautiful blend of upasaana (worship) and jnyaana (knowledge). Arjuna praises Ishvara’s cosmic form, and also reveals his understanding of the relationship between Ishvara and the eternal essence. It is similar to the relationship between the ocean and water that we have seen several times before.
 
The ocean is the foundation in which several waves are created, sustained and destroyed. Each of those waves thinks that it is separate from the ocean, and is also aware of its mortality. But the water in the ocean and the water in the wave is the same. It is indivisible, eternal, infinite and imperishable. All waves are subject to the universal laws of gravity – whatever goes up, must come down.
 
Similarly, Ishvara is the foundation which creates, sustains and dissolves this universe of names and forms. Each being thinks that it is separate from Ishvara, and is trapped in sorrow because of its finitude. It does not realize that it is the dweller or the Purusha, made up of the very same eternal essence that Ishvara is, like the ocean and the wave are made up of water. Also, all beings are subject to the universal law of karma, of actions generating results. Ishvara is praised as the protector of this law.
 
The Gita repeatedly urges us to discard all sectarian notions we have of Ishvara. Next time, when we prostrate in front of Ishvara in the form of a deity, we should try to think of Ishvara in the form that is described here.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 9

12 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.17, aham, asya, cha, chapter 9 verse 17, dhaataa, eva, jagataha, maataa, omkaara, pavitram, pitaa, pitaamaha, rik, saam, vedyam, yajur

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pitaahamasya jagato maataa dhaataa pitaamaha |
vedyam pavitramomkaara riksaam yajureva cha || 17 ||
 
I am the father, mother, support and grandfather of this universe. I am the knowable, the purifier, the syllable Om, and the Rig, Saama and Yajur also.
 
pitaa : father
aham : I am
asya : this
jagataha : universe
maataa : mother
dhaataa : support
pitaamaha : grandfather
vedyam : knowable
pavitram : purifier
omkaara : Om syllable
rik : Rig
saam : Saama
yajur : Yajur
eva : also
cha : and
 
Shri Krishna further elaborates on Ishvara’s infinite all-pervading nature by asserting that he is the father, mother and grandfather of this universe. A father’s nature is to protect the child and to push it to grow. A mother embodies the quality of nurture and impartiality, she will care for even the most misbehaved child. A grandfather is extremely attached to his grandchild and takes great pleasure in demonstrating affection towards the child, whereas the father may sometimes not show affection openly. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara treats every being in the universe like a caring family would.
 
Symbolically, Ishvara as father represents the intelligence behind the creation of the universe. Ishvara as mother represents the substance that creates the universe. Ishvara as grandfather refers to the source of intelligence and substance. It is said that Lord Shiva, when asked for his great grandfather’s name, replied “Shiva”. There is no further cause of this universe other than Ishvara.
 
Another pointer to Ishvara is “dhaata” or sustainer. As we have seen earlier, it is Ishvara in his infinite nature that holds the universe together in a state of harmony, where everything is in its place. Ishvara is also the three Vedas which are ultimate source of knowledge in the universe, the only knowledge that needs to be known. Their essence is captured in the syllable “Om”, which is considered the utmost purifier. In other words, once we see Ishvara in everything, everything becomes pure.
 
The next shloka contains a series of pointers to Ishvara which are considered the foundation of bhakti or devotion.

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 17, Chapter 6

19 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in aahaara, asya, avabodhasya, bhavati, chapter 6 verse 17, duhkha, haa, karmasu, svapna, vihaara, yogaha, yukta, yuktacheshtasya

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yuktaahaaravihaarasya yuktacheshtasya karmasu |
yuktasvapnaavabodhasya yogo bhavati duhkhahaa || 17 ||
 
One who has regulated his intake and movements, his conduct in action, his sleep and wakefulness, his sorrows are eliminated through yoga.
 
yukta : regulated
aahaara : intake
vihaara : movement
asya : one who conducts
yuktacheshtasya : one who is well behaved
karmasu : in actions
yukta : regulated
svapna : sleep
avabodhasya : one who is awake
yogaha : yoga
bhavati : are
duhkha : sorrow
haa : eliminate
 
In several places within the Gita, Shri Krishna explains a point by highlighting both its positive and negative aspects. Previously, he advised the seeker against pursuing extensive austerities using the body. In this shloka, he urges us to lead a well balanced and regulated life so that our body can support our spiritual endeavours. He says that one who has a well regulated diet, exercise, conduct and sleep is fit to become a meditator. Meditation destroys sorrow when one leads a regulated life, but it can very well cause sorrow if one does not.
 
As we saw earlier, Shri Krishna advises us to monitor the quantity and quality of our food intake. We should be constantly aware of what we are eating, how often we are eating it, what will be the impact on our meditation and so on. On similar lines, the level of daily activity conducted by our body should be appropriate with regards to our health, job and so on. If we lead mostly sedentary lives, then we should undertake the right level of exercise so that meditation does not make the body less active. If we lead very active lives, then we need to ensure that our body is calm and rested when we attempt to meditate.
 
Furthermore, the quality of our actions also determines success in meditation. If we have the habit of getting into fights with people, we will not be able to meditate properly because the fight will pop up during meditation. Similarly, if we watch a lot of tv or read a lot just before meditation, those inputs will manifest as thoughts and disrupt the meditation. The need to have the appropriate amount of sleep is also re-emphasized.
 
Broadly speaking, we have to decide what takes priority in our life. If material pursuits take priority, then there always will be excuses and reasons why our meditation cannot happen properly. But if meditation becomes the primary priority, then not only will we progress on the spiritual path, but the well-regulated life that results out of the discipline the we gain becomes a welcome addition.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 40, Chapter 3

17 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.40, aavritya, adhisthaanam, asya, buddih, chapter 3 verse 40, dehinam, eshah, etaih, indriyaani, jnyaanam, manah, uchayte, vimohayati

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indriyaani mano buddhirasyaadhishthaanamuchyate |
etairvimohayatyesha jnyaanamaavritya dehinam || 40 ||

The senses, mind and intellect are said to be its residence. Through them, this (desire) covers the body-dweller’s wisdom.

indriyaani : senses
manah : mind
buddhih : intellect
asya : this
adhishthaanam : residence
uchyate: it is said
etaih : these
vimohayati : delude
eshah : this (desire)
jnyaanam : wisdom
aavritya : cover
dehinam : body-dweller

Like a military strategist reveals the location of the enemy to the warrior, Shri Krishna in this shloka reveals the location of the karmayogi’s enemy. The enemy in the form of desire has three residences. The first residence is the senses, the second is the mind, and the third is the intellect. Note that he uses the term “body-dweller” to remind us that the body, mind and intellect are separate than the eternal essence.

In the senses, desire and anger manifest as likes and dislikes, as we have seen before. Now, each sense organ has its own likes and dislikes. For example, the ear may find some sounds pleasing and others harsh. These likes and dislikes come from our natural tendencies or prakriti. You can see likes and dislikes in animals as well. Your pet dog may prefer one kind of food over another.

There is not much that we can do about our natural tendencies. We just need to ensure that they do not obstruct us from our goals. But when we feed them by giving them time and attention, they get charged by our emotions and take residence in our mind. Our mind is the faculty that gathers data from the senses and creates a coherent picture of what is being senses. It also generates thoughts based on current and past impressions.

Our language will give us an indication of whether a like is residing in our senses or in our mind. If we say, “I like to eat fries” or “I prefer fries”, it is still at the level of senses. But if we say, “I absolutely love fries, I cannot do without them”, it means that the like has now gone into the mind.

There is another indication that a desire has penetrated into the mind. A desire can be active even if the object of the desire is not perceived by the senses. If we dislike a person only when we meet him, then that dislike is at the level of the senses. But if we keep thinking “I hate that person” even when he is not in front of us, then that dislike has become hatred and has penetrated our mind.

The last and most dangerous place for a desire to reside is in our intellect, which is the faculty that takes decisions based on analysis and rationality. If we begin to justify and rationalize our loves and hates, it means that the desire has penetrated into our intellect. It is extremely difficult to tackle such desires, because they have completely taken hold of us: our senses, our mind and our intellect. Someone who resorts to violence and is utterly convinced of his position will even quote from scriptures to justify his actions, for instance.

So therefore, Shri Krishna provided Arjuna with the location and nature of the enemy that he needed to tackle. He explains the technique of tacking the enemy in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 34, Chapter 3

11 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.34, aagacchet, arthe, asya, chapter 3 verse 34, dveshau, hi, indriyasya, na, paripanthinau, raaga, tau, tayoh, vasham, vyavasthitau

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indriyasyendriyasyaarthe raagadveshau vyavasthitau |
tayorna vashamaagacchettau hyaasya paripanthinau || 34 ||

Likes and dislikes for sense objects reside in the senses. One should not come under their sway, for they are highway robbers.

indriyasya : in the sense organs
indriyasya : in each and every
arthe : for the sense objects
raaga-dveshau : like and dislike
vyavasthitau : lie, reside, situated
tayoh : both
na : should not
vasham : under their control
aagacchet : one should not come
tau : both of them
hi : for
asya : in this
paripanthinau : highway robbers

Having explained that our inherent tendencies are the biggest obstacle in karmayoga, Shri Krishna points out their precise location. He says that the tendencies manifest as likes and dislikes for material objects. These tendencies reside in our senses: the eyes, ears, skin, tongue and nose.

First let’s look at likes and dislikes. The only way we can truly understand the shape of our inherent tendencies is through a deep examination of our likes and dislikes. Every human being harbours likes and dislikes. It is so strange that two children having grown up in the exact same home and family environment reveal such different likes and dislikes, even as toddlers.

So where are the likes and dislikes stored? They reside in our sense organs. The tongue is attracted to the taste of fries, and is repelled by the taste of spinach. The eye likes a certain kind of form and is repelled by another and so on. In his commentary on the Gita, Sant Jnyaneshwar compares the sense organs to dangerous animals and asks : does one befriend a snake, or maintain the company of tigers?

So therefore, what is the solution? We should not come under the sway of likes and dislikes by being aware of them especially when they strike, by using our intellect to guide us, and by continually reminding ourself of the higher ideal we have set for ourselves in karmayoga. We should not let them create a roadblock in our path. Like an elephant that moves on its path even though dogs bark at it, we should keep likes and dislikes at bay and never lose sight of our path and goal.

The first chapter of the Gita provides the best example for this shloka. Arjuna loved warfare, but he did not like the Mahabhaarata war simply because his relatives were on the other side. Shri Krishna, representing the intellect, guided him towards the right path. Another example is when a doctor prescribes us bitter medicine – we may not like but we take it nevertheless.

Shri Krishna compares likes and dislikes to highway robbers who target travellers that are unprepared and not alert. The robbers will come out of nowhere, and distract travellers from their path. Similarly, the likes make us run towards them and dislikes make us run away, but ultimately both take us away from our path. By being constantly alert that likes and dislikes can arise, we can reduce their influence.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 3

27 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.18, akruten, apaashrayah, arthaha, arthavya, asya, cha, chapter 3 verse 18, eva, iha, kashchana, kashchit, kruten, na, sarvabhootehsu, tasya

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naiva tasya krutenaartho naakruteneha kashchana |
na chaasya sarvabhooteshu kashchidarthavyapaashrayah || 18 ||

For that (realized individual), there is nothing to be gained by action or inaction here. Also, he does not have even the slightest dependency on anyone for any object.

na : not
eva : only
tasya : that realized individual
kruten : from action
arthaha : gained
na : not
akruten : from inaction
iha : here
kashchana: any
na : not
cha : also
asya : for him
sarvabhooteshu : with anyone
kashchit : slight/even a little
arthavya : object
apaashrayah : dependency

In the last shloka, Shri Krishna explained that one who has found delight solely in the eternal essence loses all sense of doership. In other words, all his actions become selfless and spontaneous, like an artist who cares only about creating paintings without any expectation (art for art’s sake).

Shri Krishna further elaborates that point in this shloka. He says that for such a person, the concept of gain or loss does not exist, nor does the notion of dependency or support from anyone or anything.

To better understand this shloka, let us imagine a situation where one is at the end of a critical chapter in one’s life, e.g. imagine that a person has submitted his resignation and is in the last week of his job. What will be his mindset? He will suddenly become the nicest guy in the office, and the most fun guy to hang out with. Why is that? Everyone knows that he has no agenda with anyone anymore, since it does not really matter. And he can surf the web all day long, because it does not really matter whether he works or doesn’t work.

Another example could be a person who at age 65 has just retired. He has made a decent fortune with his savings, and can live comfortably till his last day. In addition, he is quite healthy and can still work if needed. But just like in the earlier example, it does not matter whether he performs any action or doesn’t. Moreover, since he does not have any dependency on anyone, his savings make him self sufficient. Therefore, for the individual that has realized the worth of the eternal essence “treasure”, any other material gain or loss does not hold any meaning.

Ultimately, these 2 shlokas reveal the state of a realized person, who by losing all sense of doership, renounces all action. Renouncing doership is renouncing action. The topic of renunciation is covered in detail in the forthcoming chapters.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 67, Chapter 2

02 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by in 2.67, anuvidheeyate, asya, charataam, harati, hi, indriyaanaam, ivam ambhasi, manah, naavam, prajnyaaam, tat, vaayuh, verse 2 chapter 67, yat

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indriyaanaam hi charataam yanmanuvidheeyate |
tadasya harati prajnyaam vaayurnaavamivaambhasi || 67 ||

For, even one of the wandering senses overpowers the mind and steals away wisdom, like wind affects a ship in water.

indriyaanaam : among the senses
hi : for
charataam : wandering
yat : the one that
manah : mind
anuvidheeyate : submitted
tat : that
asya : this
harati : steals
prajnyaam : wisdom
vaayuh : wind
naavam : ship
iva : like
ambhasi : water

A picture is worth a thousand words. So here, just like Shri Krishna painted a picture of the tortoise earlier, he uses another picture to portay an important point – that just one sense organ has the ability to destroy us. He gives us the example of a rudderless ship at sea. It will go wherever the wind takes it, and in time, eventually be destroyed.

In the same way, just one sense organ – the eye seeing something tempting, the ear hearing some gossip, the tongue tasting alcohol –  one sense organ can bring the mind under submission. In doing so, it can take away the intellect’s capacity to function. And worse still, this whole chain of events can happen in a fraction of a second, and we won’t even know it has happened unless we are eternally aware and alert.

We are nearing the end of the section on the signs of the individual of steady wisdom, and are a few shlokas away from concluding the second chapter.