Category Archives: bharatarshabha

Bhagavad Gita Verse 36, Chapter 18

24 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.36, abhyaasaat, bharatarshabha, chapter 18 verse 36, duhkhaantam, idaaneem, nigachhati, ramate, shrunu, sukham, trividham, yatra

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sukham tvidaaneem trividham shrunu me bharatarshabha |
abhyaasaadramate yatra duhkhaantam cha nigachhati || 36 ||
 
Now, listen also to the three types of joy from me, O foremost among Bharatas, in which one enjoys its practice and attains the end of sorrow.
 
sukham : joy
tu : also
idaaneem : now
trividham : three types
shrunu : listen
me : from me
bharatarshabha : O foremost among Bharatas
abhyaasaat : practice
ramate : enjoys
yatra : in which
duhkhaantam : end of sorrow
cha : and
nigachhati : attains
 
At the end of the day, the end goal of any endeavour or action is to eliminate some type of sorrow, whether it is in the short term to remove hunger, or it is in the long term to prevent financial instability in our family. The lifecycle of an action begins with Vaasanaas. These Vaasanaas or deep rooted impressions create thoughts, some of these thoughts become desires, and consequently, desires become actions. When the action is complete and the target of the action is attained, the desire subsides, and the mind is free of desires for a split second. This stillness of the mind results in joy.
 
Shri Krishna says that even this joy obtained as the result of an action is in the realm of Prakrirti. Any by product of an action is in the realm of Prakriti since actions themselves are in Prakriti. So therefore, this joy can also be classified into three types, which are saattvic, raajasic and taamasic. This also mean that the type of joy obtained is closely related to the knowledge, doer and action behind obtaining that joy. A taamasic action will not result in saattvic joy.
 
Shri Krishna also adds that the complete end of sorrow is only obtained through saattvic joy. This is because the other two types of joy, raajasic and taamasic, are mixed and impure respectively. They either have a tinge of sattva, or none at all. Furthermore, saattvic joy is such that having tasted it even a little bit, one becomes so attracted to it that one delights in performing actions that result in sattvic joy. That is why, saattvic joy is described in detail in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 14

17 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in 14.12, araarambhaha, ashamaha, bharatarshabha, chapter 14 verse 12, etaani, jaayante, karmanaam, lobhaha, pravrittihi, rajasi, spruhaa, vivriddhe

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lobhaha pravrittiraarambhaha karmanaamashamaha spruhaa |
rajasyetaani jaayante vivriddhe bharatarshabha || 12 ||
 
Greed, activity, commencement of actions, unrest, desire. These arise when rajas is predominant, o foremost among the Bharataas.
 
lobhaha : greed
pravrittihi : activity
araarambhaha : commencement
karmanaam : actions
ashamaha : unrest
spruhaa : desire
rajasi : of rajas
etaani : these
jaayante : arise
vivriddhe : predominance
bharatarshabha : O foremost among the Bharataas
 
Shri Krishna addressed Arjuna as “bharatarshabha”, the foremost scion of the Bharata dynasty, and enumerates the marks of a person who is under the influence of raajas. He says that whenever our mind generates thoughts of greed, selfish activity, commencement of action, unrest or uneasiness, and desire for even trivial things, we should realize that we are under the sway of rajas. In fact, we consider this to be our natural state of mind, especially during the waking hours of the day.
 
If we look at the first half of the shloka in reverse order, we start with spruha, which is a selfish desire for objects that have nothing to do with our duties, like a gold watch. Frequent thoughts for acquiring the gold watch lead to ashama or restlessness, where we are not satisfied with our present situation and want to do something else. We then begin to act, karmanaam aarambha, so that we can acquire this gold watch. Our plans may lead us to do another part time job or withdraw from our savings, which is pravritti, engaging in selfish action. Even after we acquire the gold watch, we are not satisfied and want another one. That is lobha, greed, the height of rajasic influence on our mind.
 
It is not easy to detect whether our actions are prompted by selfishness or not. Only a pure mind that has been cleansed of selfishness through karma yoga, with the aid of a guru, can recognize the subtle difference between sattvic and rajasic actions. Karma yoga teaches us to analyze our qualification and proclivity for selecting an appropriate vocation. If we are trained to become an actor, and are also passionately interested in acting, then that becomes our vocation. There is a baseline level of rajas needed to perform actions towards fulfilling the duties of our vocation, which is perfectly fine. Shri Krishna says that we need to watch for signs where rajas increases beyond that baseline level, where selfishness creeps into our actions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 13

27 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.26, bharatarshabha, chapter 13 verse 26, jangamam, kinchit, kshetrakshetrajnyasamyogaat, sanjaayate, sattvam, sthaavaraha, tat, viddhi, yaavat

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yaavatsanjaayate kinchitsattvam sthaavarjangamam |
kshetrakshetrajnyasamyogaattadviddhi bharatarshabha || 26 ||
 
Whatever being is born, inert or moving, know that to have come from the union of kshetra and kshetrajnya, O foremost among the Bharatas.
 
yaavat : whatever
sanjaayate : born
kinchit : any
sattvam : being
sthaavaraha : inert
jangamam : moving
kshetrakshetrajnyasamyogaat : union of kshetra and kshetrajnya
tat : that
viddhi : know
bharatarshabha : O foremost among the Bharatas
 
We now shift our attention from the nature of the “I” to the nature of the world. We may be able to experience our true nature as the saakshi, the witness, in deep meditation. But most of us still have to transact in this world, still deal with our friends, our relatives, our co-workers and so on. How should our attitude be towards the world after we have understood, at least in theory, what our true nature is? We cannot, and should not, think of ourselves as something special, and as everyone else as useless forms on an IMAX screen, per the illustration used in previous shlokas. Now, in this sequence of shlokas, we learn to develop the right attitude, the right vision towards the world.
 
Shri Krishna begins this topic by asserting that every other being in the universe has come into existence just like we have. The kshetrajnya, the higher aspect of Prakriti, has identified itself with the kshetra, the lower aspect of Prakriti. Each such erroneous identification creates the Purusha, also known as the jeeva, the individual soul. Subsequently, each Purusha has developed attachment to the qualities of Prakriti, accumulating selfish desires or karmas in the process. Billions of Purushas live out their lives in this world trying to exhaust their karmas, but in most cases, end up accumulating more karmas, and therefore, take birth again.
 
We have spoken of this erroneous identification several times, but have not delved into it deeply. The classic example to explain this erroneous identification is that of a burning hot iron ball. The iron ball has taken on heat, which is the property of fire. On the other hand, fire which is normally without shape, has taken on the property of the iron ball, which is round. Two things taking on each other’s properties is known as “anyonya adhyaasa” or mutual superimposition. The Purusha’s real nature is infinite, full of knowledge and bliss. Prakriti’s nature is finite, inert and sorrowful. Erroneous identification results in them exchanging their properties, as it were. This is how the Purusha assumes inertness of the body.
 
So our daily life is nothing but a Purusha interacting with several other Purushas, all of which are under the effect of this erroneous identification. There should be no hint of any arrogance that causes us to treat others differently just because we think that we have acquired more knowledge than them. In fact, whenever we emphasize differences between one another rather than similarities, even in worldly matters, we slip further away from liberation. But, developing an attitude of sameness towards everyone becomes difficult, especially when our minds are conditioned to differentiate rather than unify. Keeping this in mind, we learn to develop the correct attitude towards the world in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 23, Chapter 8

20 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.23, aavrittim, anaavrittim, bharatarshabha, cha, chapter 8 verse 23, eva, kaalam, kaale, prayaataa, tam, tu, vakshyaami, yaanti, yatra, yoginaha

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yatra kaale tvanaavrittimaavrittim chaiva yoginaha |
prayaataa yaanti tam kaalam vakshyaami bharatarshabha || 23 ||
 
But, (there exists) the path of no return for a yogi who is leaving his body, and also the path of return, I shall speak about those, O scion of the Bharatas.
 
yatra : which
kaale : path
tu : but
anaavrittim : no return
aavrittim : return
cha : and
eva : also
yoginaha : a yogi
prayaataa : one who is leaving the body
yaanti : obtains
tam : that
kaalam : path
vakshyaami : I will speak
bharatarshabha : O scion of the Bharatas
 
With this shloka, Shri Krishna commences a new topic. He provides details around the journey of the jeeva after death.
 
As we have seen earlier, that journey differs from person to person. It is determined solely by two things : how we have acted and how we have thought. In other words, our actions and our thoughts in this life decide what happens in our next life. In this chapter, Shri Krishna has spoken about two kinds of people.
 
The first category of people are those who perform good actions in their lives. The second category of people are those who are solely devoted to Ishvara, in addition to performing good actions. This is Shri Krishna speaks about two paths in this shloka. Each category travels on a different path after death.
 
In the next two shlokas, each of these paths is explained in further detail. One path leads to liberation, which means that those who attain this path do not come back, they are not born again. The other path leads to rebirth or return.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 16, Chapter 7

12 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in 7.16, aartaha, arjuna, arthaarthee, bhajante, bharatarshabha, cha, chapter 7 verse 16, chaturvidhaaha, janaaha, jignyaasuhi, jnyaanee, maam, sukritinaha

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chaturvidhaa bhajante maam janaaha sukritinorjuna |
aarto jignyaasurarthaarthee jnyaanee cha bharatarshabha || 16 ||
 
Four types of people who perform good actions worship me, O Arjuna – the distressed, the inquisitive, the profit-minded and the wise, O scion of the Bharataas.
 
chaturvidhaaha : four types
bhajante : worship
maam : me
janaaha : people
sukritinaha : who perform good actions
arjuna : O Arjuna
aartaha : those who are in distress
jignyaasuhi : the inquisitive
arthaarthee : profit-minded
jnyaanee : wise
cha : and
bharatarshabha : O scion of the Bharataas
 
Shri Krishna is a methodical teacher. He loves to categorize and classify knowledge. In the previous shloka, he defined people who are blinded by maaya as “dushkritinaha” – those who commit wrong or evil actions. Such people cannot contact Ishvara. In this shloka, he adds the second category of people – those who perform good actions, “sukritinaha”. He then further classifies these devotees of Ishvara into four types.
 
The first type of devotee is the “aarta” or the distressed. When such devotees are in trouble, when they have a health condition, when they have a monetary problem, when they are anxious about the result of the final exam, when there is nowhere else to go, they approach Ishvara for help. Usually, such devotees would not have remembered Ishvara if they were well off, if they had no source of affliction. Regardless, Ishvara accepts them as his devotees.
 
The second type of devotee is the “jignyaasu” or the inquisitive. Such people are seeking knowledge in all of its various aspects: economic knowledge, scientific knowledge, artistic knowledge and even spiritual knowledge. They worship Saraswati as the goddess of knowledge.
 
The third type of devotee is the “arthaarthee”. Many commentators interpret this word as one who is desirous of “artha”, which is profit or material gains. However, if we assume that the four types of devotees are arranged in order of importance, then “artha” could mean “purushaartha” which comprises dharma, artha, kaama (desire) and moksha (liberation). In other words, such a devotee has realized that he needs to use all his time and resources on this world to attain liberation.
 
Finally, the fourth type of devotee is the “jnyaani” or the wise one. He is the one who realized that there is nothing other than god. He sees god in everything. Therefore, he does not want god for some other purpose. He wants god and nothing else. There are no other desires or ulterior motives in such a devotee.
 
Are all four devotees alike? Or is there one in particular that Shri Krishna prefers?

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 7

07 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in 7.11, aham, asmi, aviruddhaha, baalvataam, balam, bharatarshabha, bhooteshu, cha, chapter 7 verse 11, dharma, kaama, kaamaha, raaga, vivarjitam

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balam baalvataam chaaham kaamaraagaavivarjitam |
dharmaaviruddho bhooteshu kaamosmi bharatarshabha || 11 ||
 
I am strength in the strong that is free from desire and attachment, and I am desire in beings that is consistent with duty, O scion of the Bharataas.
 
balam : strength
baalvataam : in the strong
cha : and
aham : I am
kaama : desire
raaga : attachment
vivarjitam : free from
dharma : duty
aviruddhaha : consistent with
bhooteshu : beings
kaamaha : desire
asmi : I am
bharatarshabha : O scion of the Bharatas
 
Shri Krishna further adds to the list of Ishvara’s vibhootis in this shloka. He says that Ishvara is the strength that is free of selfishness and attachment, and the desire that is selfless.
 
What exactly are desire and attachment? Desire is craving for something that we do not have, and attachment is holding on to something that we already have. Selfish actions generate attachment which binds us to the material world. The more selfishly we act, the further we move away from Ishvara acting through us. Only when we act selflessly does Ishvara act through us. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is that desire which is not selfish, or which is consistent with one’s duty.
 
Now, when we begin to act in a selfless manner, we develop an inner strength. Conversely, whenever we act out of selfish desire and attachment, we become weak. In the Mahabharata, the Pandavaas knew that they could not target Drona directly because he was too powerful. Instead, they targeted someone whom he was deeply attached to – his son Ashwaththaamaa. The more we turn towards Ishvara, the less we get attached to people and worldly objects.
 
It is our choice whether we act selfishly for our personal gains, or selflessly with a view to benefit a higher ideal. Any action that harmonizes or integrates brings with it the power of the entire universe. Therefore, Shri Krishna says that he is the strength that is free from selfish desire and attachment.
 
Shri Krishna concludes the topic of his vibhootis with this shloka. A much more in-depth discussion on this topic is found in chapter ten of the Gita.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 41, Chapter 3

18 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.41, adau, bharatarshabha, chapter 3 verse 41, enam, hi, indriyaani, jnyaana, miyamya, naashanam, paapmaanam, prajahi, tasmaat, tvam, vijnyaana

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tasmaattvamindriyaanyaadau niyamya bharatarshabha |
paapmaanam prajahi hyonam jnyaanavijnyaananaashanam || 41 ||

Therefore, first control the senses, O excellent among Bharataas, and with force, definitely kill this destroyer of knowledge and wisdom.

tasmaat : therefore
tvam : you
indriyaani : senses
adau : first
niyamya : control
bharatarshabha : excellent among Bharataas
paapmaanam : mighty sinner (desires)
prajahi : kill with force
hi : definitely
enam : this
jnyaana : knowledge
vijnyaana : wisdom
naashanam : destroyer

Having revealed the location of desire, Shri Krishna now provides a method of taming desire. He advises Arjuna to first control desire at the level of the senses. Desires originate in the likes and dislikes present in the senses, and therefore, that is where we should go after them.

This requires us to be constantly aware and alert of our likes and dislikes, and not to get overpowered by them once we see them arise. For example, we can detect anger towards someone we dislike arise in our mind. We may try to suppress angry thoughts, but that is not feasible. Therefore we should first learn to control anger at level of the tongue by not speaking any harsh words towards that person.

How do we remain alert? There are several techniques to make us alert and bring us to the present moment. The simplest technique is to take a few breaths and just focus attention on the inhaling and exhaling. This will immediately stop all mental “chatter”.

Shri Krishna also mentions here that desire not only destroys knowledge but also wisdom. So let us correctly understand what is meant by wisdom here. Essentially, knowledge + experience = wisdom. If we read something in a book, then it is knowledge. But if we experience something on our own, then we own it and it becomes wisdom.

With this shloka, Shri Krishna answered the question raised by Arjuna, which was in regards to obstacles to karma yoga. He also provided a simple technique that only begins to address the obstacles, but does not completely eradicate them. In the next two verses, he concludes the topic of karmayoga by providing the advanced technique of removing these obstacles.