Category Archives: bhootaani

Bhagavad Gita Verse 16, Chapter 15

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.16, aksharaha, bhootaani, chapter 15 verse 16, dvaau, imau, kootasthaha, ksharaha, loke, purushau, sarvaani, uchhyate

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dvaamimau purushau loke ksharaakshara eva cha |
ksharaha sarvaani bhootaani kootasthokshara uchhyate || 16 ||
 
There are two beings in this world, the perishable and the imperishable. All beings constitute the perishable, the Kootastha is called the imperishable.
 
dvaau : two
imau : these
purushau : beings
loke : in this world
ksharaha : perishable
aksharaha : imperishable
eva : also
cha : and
ksharaha : imperishable
sarvaani : all
bhootaani : beings
kootasthaha : Kootastha
kshara : perishable
uchhyate : is called
 
Computer programmers love to create video games that can put the player in a gigantic virtual world where they can blow up aliens. What is interesting is that the same computer game can create a different world each time, with different kinds of aliens in different place. In other words, the infinitely complex virtual worlds created by the game can change, but the computer game program remains the same. Our visible universe is quite similar.
 
Shri Krishna begins to summarize the teaching of this chapter by asserting that everything in the world can be classified into two category. The first category comprises the visible world, the tangible world which comprises all living and inert beings. The second category comprises the invisible entity called Maaya. Maaya is like the computer game program that is invisible, yet has the power to create infinitely complex universes over and over again. The first category is termed kshara or perishable, because the universe has a beginning and end. The second category is termed akshara or imperishable, because it outlives the perishable.
 
So therefore, let’s examine this teaching from two standpoints. From our standpoint, the standpoint of the “I” – the kshara, the perishable is our physical body. The akshara, the imperishable is the jeeva, as defined in the previous shlokas. From the standpoint of the world, the standpoint of the “that” – the kshara is the visible universe. The akshara refers to Maaya, the seed of infinite universes, present, past and future.
 
Let’s now look at some of the terms used in the shloka. Koota means illusion, and therefore kootastha means that which can create several illusions. Another clarification is around the imperishability of Maaya. If Maaya is imperishable, how can we get out of it? The answer is that Maaya is imperishable till we realize our true nature and attain liberation. Each category is called a Purusha or a being because both of them are limitations or upaadhis of Ishvara, as we shall see in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 15

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.13, aavishya, aushadheehee, bhootaani, bhootvaa, chapter 15 verse 13, dhaarayaami, gaam, ojasaa, pushnaami, rasaatmakaha, sarvaahaa, somaha

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gaamavishya cha bhootaani dhaarayaamyahamojasaa |
pushnaami chaushadheehee sarvaahaa somo bhootvaa rasaatmakaha || 13 ||
 
Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with my energy, and having become the nectar-giving Soma, I nourish all vegetation.
 
gaam : earth
aavishya : entering
cha : and
bhootaani : all beings
dhaarayaami : sustain
aham : I
ojasaa : energy
pushnaami : nourish
cha : and
aushadheehee : vegetation
sarvaahaa : all
somaha : Soma
bhootvaa : having become
rasaatmakaha : nectar-giving
 
Physicists devote entire careers to the study of forces. Despite several advances in the field, they are yet to find the grand theory that unifies the different understandings of gravity, electromagnetism, atomic forces and so on. Shri Krishna says that it is Ishvara that enters the earth and sustains every being, every atom in it through his force. Just like there is a force holding our body together, there is a force that holds the earth as one entity. So whenever we admire the granduer and majesty of earth’s natural wonders, we should not forget that the very same force holds our body together as one cohesive unit.
 
Energy requires a medium to travel from its source to its destination. In order to provide nourishment to all living beings, Ishvara resides in the form of nectar, the sap, the essence of all vegetation. A healthy plant-life in any ecosystem ensures the prosperity of animals, birds and humans that depend upon it. Many commentators including Shri Shankaraacharya have translated Soma to mean the moon. It is said that the moon’s light enhances the nutrional value of all plant life. This sap, this essence within the plants that gives energy to all life also gives us energy. Moreover, many herbs have medicinal value in additional to their nutritional value, providing yet another layer of benefits to all animals and humans.
 
In this manner, whether it is energy, nourishment or healing, Ishvara is pulsating through us in the very same manner that he is pulsating through the world. Now, this energy needs to be extracted from its source and absorbed into our bodies. We shall see how Ishvara makes this happen in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 9

20 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.25, api, bhootaani, bhootejyaahaa, chapter 9 verse 25, devaan, devavrataa, maam, mat, pitrun, pitruvrataahaa, yaajinaha, yaanti

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yaanti devavrataa devaan pitrunyaanti pitruvrataahaa |
bhootaani yaanti bhootejyaa yaanti madyaajinopi maam || 25 ||
 
Those who worship deities attain the deities, those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors, those who worship spirits attain the spirits, but those who worship me attain me.
 
yaanti : attain
devavrataa : deity worshippers
devaan : deities
pitrun : ancestors
pitruvrataahaa : ancestor worshippers
bhootaani : spirits
bhootejyaahaa : spirit worshippers
mat : my
yaajinaha : worshippers
api : but
maam : me
 
As we are exploring the topic of worship, we should not make the mistake of thinking that worship only happens in a temple in front of a deity. In many cases, worship of individuals is something that we take for granted. If we need a loan, we have to worship the loan officer to gain his favour. If we need a job, we have to worship someone in that firm so that they can do a referral. If we need admission into a school, we have to worship the admissions officer.
 
The eighteenth chapter of the Gita categorizes every action into three types: saatvic, raajasic and taamasic. Worship of a guru for knowledge is saatvic worship. Worship of a loan officer for a loan is raajasic worship. Worship of a gangster to kill someone is taamasic worship. But ultimately, any knowledge that comes under the realm of the three gunaas is finite.
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna gives examples of worship towards deities, ancestors and spirits that encompass most kinds of so-called spiritual worship performed today. However, as we saw earlier, the best that this kind worship can give us is a finite material result. Even if we get to go to heaven through such worship, we will have to come back to earth one day when our merits are exhausted.
 
The infinite Ishvara has ability to give us liberation. Instead of asking that, we ask finite things like exam success, job success and so on. It is like asking a millionaire for pennies. We do so because we have conditioned ourselves to accept very narrow materialistic definitions of success. If our definition of success is narrow, our definition of Ishvara somehow becomes narrow as well.
 
So therefore, we come to the conclusion that we have to learn the correct technique of worshipping Ishvara. How does that work? Is it something arcane and complex? Shri Krishna provides a beautiful answer to that question next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 9

01 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.6, aakaashasthitaha, bhootaani, chapter 9 verse 6, iti, mahaan, matsthaani, nityam, sarvaani, sarvatragaha, tathaa, upadhaaraya, vaayuhu, yathaa

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yathaakaashasthito nityam vaayuhu sarvatrago mahaan |
tathaa sarvaani bhootaani matsthaaneetyupadhaaraya || 6 ||
 
Just like the mighty wind travels everywhere, established in space, so too, all beings reside in me, understand this.
 
yathaa : just like
aakaashasthitaha : established in space
nityam : eternally
vaayuhu : wind
sarvatragaha : travels everywhere
mahaan : mighty
tathaa : so do
sarvaani : all
bhootaani : beings
matsthaani : reside in me
iti : in this manner
upadhaaraya : understand this
 
The key teaching of the chapter is that Ishvara pervades everything, that all beings are sustained by Ishvara but Ishvara is not contained in any of them. To illustrate these statements, Shri Krishna compares Ishvara to space. He says that space enables everything to exist within it, like wind, for example. In the same way, all living and non-living entities dwell in Ishvara.
 
First, let us understand the nature of space. It is indivisible, which means that even if we try to divide it by building walls, we cannot do so. It does not get affected by what it contains. A flower generates fragrance when fresh and odour when it decays. But both those qualities do not get transferred to space, since space has no qualities. It also pervades everything. Over 99% of an atom is empty space. And it is infinite. No object can ever contain space.
 
Similarly, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is infinite, indivisible, pervades everything, and remains unaffected by what he sustains. How does this help us? Knowing that Ishvara is everywhere reduces our sorrow, delusion, fear, likes and dislikes. If everything is Ishvara, and if we also know that we are in Ishvara, there is nothing to fear or like or dislike. That is how we get liberated.
 
There is a story in the Ishvaavaasya Upanishad. The gods tried to have a race with Ishvara. But wherever they ended up, Ishvara was already there. Another interpretation of this story is that the senses also tried to outrun Ishvara, but could not. It is like trying to race with space. It is a futile effort, because space is all-pervading. So is Ishvara.
 
Now, just like we see the blue sky with our eyes, we also see things and people on this earth being created and destroyed. We know that the blue colour is an illusion, but do we really understand that creation and dissolution is an illusion as well? This is taken up next.

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 22, Chapter 8

20 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.22, ananyayaa, antahasthaani, bhaktyaam, bhootaani, chapter 8 verse 22, idam, labhyaha, paartha, paraha, purushaha, saha, sarvam, tatam, yasya, yena

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purushaha sa paraha paartha bhaktyaa labhyastvananyayaa |
yasyaantahasthaani bhootaani yena sarvamidam tatam || 22 ||
 
That supreme person, in whom all beings are included, by whom all this is pervaded, O Paartha, is obtained through single-pointed devotion.
 
purushaha : person
saha : that
paraha : supreme
paartha : O Paartha
bhaktyaa : with devotion
labhyaha : obtained
ananyayaa : single pointed
yasya : in whom
antahasthaani : are included
bhootaani : all beings
yena : by whom
sarvam : all
idam : this
tatam : pervaded
 
With this shloka, Shri Krishna summarizes the topic of liberation. The detail around the creation and dissolution of the universe was meant to highlight the notion that only through liberation can we rise above that endless cycle. Shri Krishna gives us the means for liberation as well as the attributes of the goal which is Ishvara.
 
Shri Krishna says that liberation is obtained through single-pointed devotion to Ishvara. Single-pointed devotion was covered in chapter six. However, here it is meant to include not just devotion but also karma yoga. If the karma yoga aspect is missing, our vaasanaas or latent desires will remain unfulfilled, pulling us back into the cycle of rebirth so that they will be fulfilled.
 
Now, what is Ishvara’s connection to creation and dissolution? Ultimately, Ishvara is the cause of all creation. But he is not someone who stands outside his creation. The classic example referenced in this context is that of the potter and the pot. The potter creates the pot out of clay, but remains outside the pot, distinct from the pot. Ishvara is not like that. He is like the ocean that creates waves. The waves are pervaded by the ocean and are also included in the ocean. So is the case with Ishvara. Therefore, Ishvara is everywhere (beyond space) and
ever present (beyond time).
 
Having conclude the topic of liberation, Shri Krishna begins the last topic of this chapter in the next shloka. He describes the two paths that seekers have to travel through after they pass away.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 7

22 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in 7.26, aham, arjuna, bhavishyaani, bhootaani, cha, chapter 7 verse 26, kashchana, maam, na, samateetaani, tu, vartamaanaani, veda

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vedaaham samateetaani vartamaanaani chaarjuna |
bhavishyaani cha bhootaani maam tu veda na kashchana || 26 ||
 
I know those beings who used to exist, who exist now, and who will exist in the future, O Arjuna, but no one knows me.
 
veda : know
aham : I
samateetaani : those who have existed
vartamaanaani : those that exist
cha : and
arjuna : O Arjuna
bhavishyaani : those who will exist
cha : and
bhootaani : beings
maam : I
tu : but
veda : know
na : not
kashchana : anyone
 
In continuing the topic of maaya, Shri Krishna makes it very clear that maaya or the limitations of space and time do not have any impact on Ishvara. He says that Ishvara does not identify with any one form, therefore he has knowledge of all forms in the past, present or future. In other words, Ishvara transcends time.
 
Earlier, Shri Krishna had said that Ishvara is like a string that goes through all the beads in a necklace, which is a poetic way of saying that Ishvara is beyond space. So therefore, we can conclude that Ishvara is beyond space and time.
 
Looking at it differently, we who inhabit the world of three dimensions cannot understand the dimensionless Ishvara. When viewing a live broadcast, we are conscious of the time aspect because we cannot know how the broadcast will end. But if we are viewing a recorded program, we have the ability to go backwards and forwards in time and see all the events regardless of when they took place. Time as a concept ceases to exist if we have that ability.
 
Similarly, from Ishvara’s standpoint, there is no such thing as the past, present or future, because the concept of time does not exist for him. That is how he can have knowledge of everyone that was alive, is alive and will be alive.
 
What is the implication for us? The only way to know Ishvara completely is to surrender to him and take refuge in him. This means knowing that we do not have an independent existence or power apart from Ishvara. We need to lose our identity in Ishvara, become one with Ishvara.
 
Now, if we know that Ishvara alone is the truth, that alone is going to give infinite happiness, why don’t we really strive to know that Ishvara? Why is it that we get stuck here and there?This is answered in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 7

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in 7.6, aham, bhootaani, chapter 7 verse 6, etat, iti, jagataha, kritsnasya, prabhavaha, pralayaha, sarvaani, tathaa, upadhaaraya, yoneeni

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etadyoneeni bhootaani sarvaaneetyupadhaaraya |
aham kritsnasya jagataha prabhavaha pralayastathaa || 6 ||
 
Both these are the wombs of all beings, understand this. I am the source as well as the dissolution of the entire universe.
 
etat : both these
yoneeni : wombs
bhootaani : beings
sarvaani : all
iti : this
upadhaaraya : understand
aham : I
kritsnasya : entire
jagataha : universe
prabhavaha : source
pralayaha : dissolution
tathaa : as well as
 
Having described both his lower and higher nature, Shri Krishna says both those natures combine to create everything in this universe. This creation is described poetically as the “womb” from which everything originates. The lower nature and higher nature are both needed to create this universe. Furthermore, everything that is created is also sustained and ultimately dissolved into Ishvara. In other words, Ishvara creates, maintains and dissolves the entire universe.
 
Let us now understand the deeper meaning of this shloka. But before we proceed, let us first understand what is meant by cause and effect. When we hold a piece of cloth, what do we see? We see its color, its texture, its shape and so on. But if were to go back in time, we would see that cloth come from cotton threads, which came from a cotton plant, which came from a cotton seed, which at some point came from the earth. So the cause of the cloth was the earth, and the effect is the cloth.
 
Unfortunately, our minds have been conditioned to focus on the effect, and not on the cause. We see the cloth and its attributes, but do not even think about the cause, because that requires our intellect to come into the picture. Most economic, social and political movements tend to fail because they only focus on the symptoms and not the cause. For example, imprisoning small-time drug dealers does not stop the drug trade, because the demand for drugs will push some other person into dealing drugs.
 
Now let us look at this shloka from the standpoint of cause and effect. If we were to trace the ultimate cause of anything in this universe, it eventually comes back to Ishvara’s lower and higher natures. Therefore, Shri Krishna is asserting the fact that Ishvara is everywhere. Even though our eyes cannot see the form of a deity in front of us, our intellect will tell us that the ultimate cause is Ishvara. Our eyes give us jnyaanam or knowledge of the effect, our intellect provides us with vijnyaanam, which is the vision of the cause.
 
In mythology, this intellectual vision is depicted as the “third eye” of Lord Shiva that turns everything into ashes. This eye is a metaphor for developing equanimity of vision. If we learn to behold Ishvara as the cause of every object that we see, we will automatically begin to see Ishvara everywhere. So therefore, this shloka urges us to exercise our intellect so that we can see Ishvara everywhere.
 
Seeing Ishvara in everything is a huge milestone in the spiritual path. What is the next milestone?

Bhagavad Gita Verse 35, Chapter 4

25 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.35, aatmani, asheshena, atho, bhootaani, chapter 4 verse 35, drakshasi, evam, jnyaatvaa, mayi, moham, na, paandava, punar, yaasyasi, yat, yena

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yajnyaatvaa na punarmohamevam yaasyasi paandava |
yena bhootaanyasheshena drakshasyaatmanyatho mayi || 35 ||

Having realized that knowledge, never again will you be subjected to delusion in this manner, O Paandava. By that (knowledge), you will view all beings completely in you, and likewise, in me.

yat : that
jnyaatvaa : having realized
na : not
punar : again
moham : delusion
evam : in this manner
yaasyasi : subjected
paandava : O Paandava
yena : by that
bhootaani : all beings
asheshena : completely
drakshasi : view
aatmani : in you
atho : and likewise
mayi : in me

Having explained the method of acquiring knowledge from a teacher, Shri Krishna praises this knowledge in the following shlokas. In this shloka, he provides a test by which we know whether we have truly gained this knowledge or not. He says that this knowledge totally transforms our vision. It gives us whole new way to view the world.

Imagine we are at a social gathering. We are introduced to a new person, someone whom we have never met before. At that point, we try to size up that person and are not quite sure how the conversation will go. But when we find out that both of us went to the same school for 8 years, we instantly connect with that person. The sense of separation between us and that person diminishes just a little.

Now, take this destruction of separation to its logical extreme where we see all things – plants, rocks, animals, humans – as a part of our own self. Everything is connected to each other. Furthermore, we realize that in essence, distinct entities such as plants and animals are not really distinct. There is only one Ishvaraa but appearing as many forms. This is the grand vision after having obtained this knowledge.

So therefore, having gained this knowledge, our moha or delusion with regards to who we are, what is our correct relationship with the world, what are our duties, what is good and bad – all these questions are answered with this vision of the world. After having this vision, our actions in the wold continue, but they do not accumulate any further karmaas because we are in tune with the world.