Category Archives: divi

Bhagavad Gita Verse 40, Chapter 18

28 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.40, chapter 18 verse 40, deveshu, divi, ebhihi, gunaihe, muktam, prakritijaihi, prithvyaam, punaha, sattvam, syaat, tribhihi

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na tadasti prithvyaam vaa divi deveshu vaa punaha |
sattvam prakritijairmuktam yadebhihi syaattribhirgunaihe || 40 ||
 
There is no being on earth, or in heaven, or among the gods, or also in heaven, which can be free from the three gunaas born of Prakriti.
 
na : no
tat : that
asti : is
prithvyaam : on earth
vaa : or
divi : in heaven
deveshu : among gods
vaa : or
punaha : or also
sattvam : being
prakritijaihi : born of Prakriti
muktam : free
yat : which
ebhihi : these
syaat : there is
tribhihi : three
gunaihe : from gunaas
 
We are at the halfway mark of the eighteenth shloka, so let us recap what we have come across so far. The chapter began with Arjuna asking Shri Krishna about the difference between sanyaasa and tyaaga. Shri Krishna did not answer this question directly, but addressed the topic of karma yoga, which is the same as tyaaga. He ended this topic by declaring that the consequence or the fruit of action binds those who are attached to personal reward, and does not bind to those who are not attached. Next, he analyzed knowledge, action, agent, intellect, fortitude and happiness with the framework of the three gunaas, which is concluded with this shloka.
 
Shri Krishna summarizes this analysis by proclaiming the dominion of the three gunaas. He says that there is no being, object or entity, living or inert, that is beyond the influence of the gunaas. The gunaas work throughout the universe, and not just in a certain part of it, like the earth. We may be tempted to take this proclamation in a negative sense by accepting that there is no escape from the grip of Prakriti, no liberation. But that is not the case. The proclamation is meant to reinforce one of the central messages of the Gita, which is that Prakriti by itself is not the problem, it is our identification with Prakriti that is the problem we need to tackle.
 
The nature of this predicament was referenced in the fifteenth chapter through the illustration of the upside down tree which comprises the three gunaas. Only through the axe of detachment can this tree be destroyed. But, given that everything ultimately is under the influence of Prakriti, how can such a weapon be obtained? How can the identification with Prakriti be ended? Before this fundamental question is taken up, Shri Krishna spends a few shlokas on another preparatory topic next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 11

26 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by in 11.12, bhaahaa, bhaasaha, bhavet, chapter 11 verse 12, divi, mahaatmanaha, saa, sadrishee, sooryasahastrasya, syaat, tasya, utthitaa, yadi, yugapat

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divi sooryasahastrasya bhavedyugapadutthitaa |
yadi bhaahaa sadrishee saa syaadbhaasastasya mahaatmanaha || 12 ||
 
Should thousands of suns happen to rise in the sky simultaneously, their blaze would resemble the light of that magnificent one.
 
divi : in the sky
sooryasahastrasya : thousands of suns
bhavet : happen
yugapat : simultaneously
utthitaa : rise
yadi : should
bhaahaa : light
sadrishee : resemble
saa : those
syaat : happen
bhaasaha : blaze
tasya : of that
mahaatmanaha : magnificent one
 
To better give us an idea of the level of cosmic form’s brightness, Sanjaya compares to the radiance emitted by an infinite number of suns rising at the same time. Note that “sahasra” means infinite and not the literal meaning, which is thousand. Some scientists who have witnessed nuclear explosions have also used similar language to describe something that is bright beyond comparison.
 
So where does this radiance come from? Let us investigate. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is one of the primary texts that discusses topics regarding the eternal essence. In one instance, it uses the phrase “effulgent infinite being” to describe the eternal essence. This is the source of the radiance. We never get to experience it because it is covered up by the material world. In this case, Shri Krishna enabled Arjuna to see the infinite light and radiance of the eternal essence in its pristine form.
 
We also have to remember that the comparison made by Sanjaya is helpful, but compares two things that are difficult to compare. Even the brilliance of infinite suns is still a brilliance of the material world, whereas Ishvara’s brilliance is divine, far superior that any material brilliance.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 9

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.20, aasaadya, ashnanti, chapter 9 verse 20, devabhoogaan, divi, divyaan, gods, ishtvaa, maam, pootapaahaa, praarthayante, punyam, somapaahaa, surendralokam, svargatim, te, traividyaa, yajnaihi

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traividyaa maam somapaahaa pootapaa yajnairishtvaa svargatim praarthayante |
te punyamaasaadya surendralokamashnanti divyaandivi devabhoogaan || 20 ||
 
Those well-versed in the three Vedas, after worshipping me through sacrifices, and drinking nectar and purified of sin, they pray for attainment of heaven. Having obtained merits, they enjoy the divine pleasures of the gods in heaven.
 
traividyaa : those well versed in three Vedas
maam : me
somapaahaa : drinkers of nectar
pootapaahaa : purified of sin
yajnaihi : through sacrifices
ishtvaa : after worship
svargatim : to attain heaven
praarthayante : pray
te : they
punyam : merits
aasaadya : obtain
surendralokam : abode of Indra
ashnanti : enjoy
divyaan : divine
divi : heavenly world
devabhoogaan : pleasures of the gods
 
Having described the infinite nature of Ishvara, Shri Krishna now elaborates upon the topic of devotees or bhaktas. There are predominantly two types of devotees: desire-oriented (sakaama) and desireless (nishkaam). Desire-oriented devotees are described in these two shlokas. Note the change to a longer meter to emphasize a change in the topic.
 
Who is the desire-oriented bhakta? He is a devotee who worships Ishvara for a material gain. He either wants merits (punya), wealth (artha), earthly joy (sukha), heavenly joy (svaraga) or a combination of these four. In simple words he is looking for money, name and fame.
 
So for example, if someone wants to buy a car, they pray that it is the right price and that it is in stock. If someone has an exam, they pray that they pass in the exam. Vedas and rituals mentioned in this shloka refer to the efforts that we put into appeasing Ishvara. We may not perform elaborate rituals, but there always is a thought that “please God let this happen so that I can be happy”, which amounts to the same thing as the rituals mentioned here.
 
Now, when a child asks his parents for something insignificant, a parent feels frustrated because the parent has the capability to give much greater value, but cannot do so because the child insists on that insignificant thing. Similarly, Ishvara also may feel sometimes that the things we ask of him – wealth, heavenly pleasures and so on – are insignificant. Such people do not have a strong resolve towards liberation, they do not have the “vyavasaatmikaa buddhi” mentioned in chapter 2. Their focus is diverted away from Ishvara towards material pursuits.
 
Assuming they somehow accumulate merits and attain heaven, what happens next?