Category Archives: eva

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 15

12 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.7, anshaha, chapter 15 verse 7, eva, indriyaani, jeevabhootaha, jeevaloke, karshati, mama, manahashashthaani, prakritisthaani, sanaatanaha

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mamaivaansho jeevaloke jeevabhootaha sanaatanaha |
manahashashthaaneendriyaani prakritisthaani karshati || 7 ||
 
My eternal fragment, in this world of souls, becomes the individual soul. It draws itself to the mind and five senses, established in Prakriti.
 
mama : my
eva : only
anshaha : fragment
jeevaloke : in this world of souls
jeevabhootaha : becomes the individual soul
sanaatanaha : eternal
manahashashthaani : mind and five
indriyaani : senses
prakritisthaani : established in Prakriti
karshati : draws itself
 
So far, we saw the state of the select few individuals who strive for liberation. Now Shri Krishna summarizes the state of the jeevas, the individual souls who are stuck in the cycle of samsaara, of birth and death. The jeeva, ignorant of its true nature which is infinite, harbours selfish desires with the aim of removing its finitude. In order to do so, it needs to be able to contact and transact with Prakriti. The equipment needed to transact with Prakriti comprises the mind and the five senses. Therefore, the jeeva attracts or pulls these six aspects of Prakriti unto itself.
 
Before we proceed, we need to clarify one point here. The word fragment implies that the eternal essence, speaking as Ishvara, can be broken or divided into pieces. Yet, we know that the eternal essence is indivisible. To solve this confusion, we need to remind ourselves of the examples provided in the thirteenth chapter. We can try to divide space using walls, but space is indivisible. Also, we can lose the sun’s reflection when we break a pot filled with water, but nothing happens to the sun. There is no coming or going of space or of the sun. The limitations, the upaadhis such as walls and pots “as though” try to divide, but cannot do so in essence.
 
The Jnyaaneshwari provides yet another example. It describes an ascetic monk who has taken up a contemplative and solitary life in the jungle. One night he dreams that he is a householder with a wife and kids. In order to provide for his family, he has to work hard at his job to make ends meet. His job causes a great deal of stress to him. But when he wakes up from his dream, he remains the same monk, unaffected by the apparent ties of family life. The dream world is yet another upaadhi or limitation caused by ignorance of his real nature.
 
So then, the jeeva draws a mind and five senses in order to exhaust its desires. However, it still needs a physical body to transact with Prakriti. How does all this happen? We see this in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 23, Chapter 14

01 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in 14.23, aaseenaha, avatishthathi, chapter 14 verse 23, eva, gunaaha, gunaihi, ingate, iti, udaaseenavat, vartante, vichaalyate, yaha

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udaaseenavadaaseeno gunairyo na vichaalyate |
gunaa vartante ityeva yovatishthathi nengate || 23 ||
 
One who is sits like an indifferent person, is not agitated by the gunas, who, knowing that the gunas interact with each other, is firmly situated and does not move.
 
udaaseenavat : indifferent person
aaseenaha : seated
gunaihi : through gunaas
yaha : one who
na : not
vichaalyate : agitated
gunaaha : gunas
vartante : interact
iti : in this manner
eva : only
yaha : one who
avatishthathi : situated firmly
na : does not
ingate : move
 
Previously, Shri Krishna indicated the mental state of one who has transcended the gunas. He now addresses the second question – how does one who has gone beyond the gunas behave in this world. He says that such a person lives life with ease and grace. He is like the graceful elephant who walks on the road, unaffected by the horde of dogs that is barking at him. We have come across such people ourselves, who remain calm and unperturbed even when facing their darkest personal challenges.
 
What makes a person so calm? There are two factors. First, even though such a person may not look like a monk from the outside, he has a great deal of detachment towards the world. Second, such a person is seated on an unshakeable platform, his own self. Both factors are possible through the conviction and constant awareness that the entire world, including one’s own body, is a play of the three gunas. It is the difference between getting swept away by the waves or sitting calmly on the beach. It is the difference between participating in a street fight or observing the fight from a second floor balcony.
 
What does all this mean in practice? It means when our mind is agitated, we will not crave for a peaceful state. We will accept that a certain level of agitation, a certain level of rajas is part and parcel of daily life. We will simply watch that mental state arise, persist, and go away, only to be replaced by another state. We will view the whole world as the gunas interacting with the gunas. The “I” within us will be firmly seated in itself, with a healthy level of distance and detachment from the movement of those gunas. It will stop identifying, giving importance, giving reality to the play of gunas. The gunas will move, but the “I” within us will not.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 14

22 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by in 14.17, ajnyaanam, bhavataha, chapter 14 verse 17, eva, jnyaanam, lobha, pramaadamohau, rajasaha, sanjaayate, sattvaa, tamasaha

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sattvaatsanjaayate jnyaanam rajaso lobha eva cha |
pramaadamohau tamaso bhavatojnyaanameva cha || 17 ||
 
From sattva arises wisdom, and rajas from greed. Heedlessness, error as well as ignorance arise from tamas.
 
sattvaa : from sattva
sanjaayate : arises
jnyaanam : knowledge
rajasaha : rajas
lobha : greed
eva : also
cha : and
pramaadamohau : heedlessness and error
tamasaha : tamas
bhavataha : arises
ajnyaanam : ignorance
eva : also
cha : and
 
Previously, we took the example of people who make it a habit to go to the gym everyday, and eventually make it into an integral part of their lives. If we fast forward that example a few months further, we find that these people have lost weight, they are taking care of their body, they are eating healthy, avoiding smoking and so on. Their persistence in getting over the initial pain of going to the gym has paid off. They enjoy the state being healthy and being fit. Intelligent action has shaped their physical state, and consequently, the physical state gives its result.
 
Similarly, mental states that were shaped by intelligent actions give results as well. Shri Krishna says that sattvic mental state gives us access to material and spiritual knowledge, since our intellect improves its ability to think clearly and grasp information quickly. A rajasic mental state makes us act in the world to rush after objects. We want objects we do not have, and want more of objects that we already have. A tamasic mental state has the worst possible outcome. It keeps us steeped in ignorance of the material world, and of our true nature. We do not want to act at all, and even if we do, we perform furtile actions, or perform careless actions.
 
This shloka and the prior shloka point out the self reinforcing nature of actions and gunaas. If we consciously perform sattvic actions day after day, we will generate a greater proportion of sattva in our mind, which will further spur sattvic actions. This is the logic behind karma yoga. By urging us to perform selfless actions, Shri Krishna wants us to rise from our rajasic and tamasic existence to one of greater sattva.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 30, Chapter 13

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.30, anupashyati, bhootaprithagbhaavam, brahma, chapter 13 verse 30, ekastham, eva, sampadyate, tadaa, tataha, vistaaram, yadaa

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yadaa bhootaprithagbhaavamekasthamanupashyati |
tata eva cha vistaaram brahma sampadyate tadaa || 30 ||
 
When he realizes that the variety of beings is established in the one, and it is only an evolution of that (one), he then attains brahman.
 
yadaa : when
bhootaprithagbhaavam : variety of beings
ekastham : established in the one
anupashyati : realizes
tataha : from that
eva : only
cha : and
vistaaram : evolution
brahma : brahman
sampadyate : attains
tadaa : then
 
We came across the toddler who was fascinated by the phone ringing in the previous shloka’s discussion. Imagine that the same toddler sees a traffic signal for the first time. The signal turns bright red, then green, then orange. Sometimes, the orange light flashes for a few seconds. Sometimes it shows a left arrow, sometimes a right arrow. While the toddler is bewildered by the diversity of colours and lights generated by the traffic signal, we as adults are no longer fascinated by it. We know that the basis of the diversity is 3 bulbs, and some electronic circuit that switches these bulbs on and off.
 
Similarly, one who knows the workings of Prakriti knows that the whole universe is nothing but a play of the three gunaas or qualities of Prakriti. Inert substances have tamasic predominance. Movement is caused by rajasic predominance. Intelligence is caused by saatvic predominance. These three gunaas are the building blocks of the variety we see in the universe, and it is these three gunaas that have been evolving, changing, combining with each other throughout the timeline of the universe. This Prakriti, the three gunaas, is nothing but a power of Ishvara himself.
 
So then, how do we reduce our fascination for the three gunaas? Our attitude should be as follows. The variety of the universe, everything that I see, is a product of the three gunaas of Prakriti. This Prakriti is a machine, a mechanism that has been set in motion by Ishvara. But I also know that Ishvara in his purest form is infinite and all-pervading, and that he resides in everyone as the “I”, the self. Therefore, all of this variety and diversity is just an upaadhi, a conditioning of the self. When I see diversity, I am only seeing Ishvara, the self of all.
 
If we are able to develop this kind of attitude, this kind of knowledge, and stay rooted in it, we will shift our focus to Ishvara who is constant, and not the diversity of Prakriti that is ever changing. We will then attain unity with the eternal essence, with brahman, and achieve liberation.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 13

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.25, ajaanantaha, anye, anyebhyaha, atitaranti, chapter 13 verse 25, eva, evam, mrityum, shrutiparaayanaahaa, shrutvaa, te, upaasate

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anye tvevamajaanantaha shrutvaanyebhya upaasate |
tepi chaatitarantyeva mrityum shrutiparaayanaahaa || 25 ||
 
But others, not knowing this, worship what they hear from others. Those who follow what they have heard, they too overcome death.
 
anye : others
tu : but
evam : this
ajaanantaha : do not know
shrutvaa : hearing
anyebhyaha : from others
upaasate : worship
te : they
api : too
cha : and
atitaranti : overcome
eva : surely
mrityum : death
shrutiparaayanaahaa : those who follow what they hear
 
Whenever we want to learn something new, we do one of two things. We either listen to the advice of an expert, or read a book written by an expert. We study their teachings, we put their teachings into practice. Slowly, we begin to understand what they are talking about, and someday, become an expert ourselves. All this becomes possible only when we have faith in the teacher, and when we diligently follow their instructions. The forum in which we obtain knowledge through contact with knowers of that which is the ultimate reality, the “sanga” with the “sat”, is known as “satsanga”.
 
Shri Krishna says that if we are not qualified to follow any of the techniques mentioned in the previous shloka – dhyaana, saankhya or karma yoga – we need not worry. We can obtain the same result of those techniques if we find a competent guru and diligently follow the path prescribed by them. Just hearing the teaching is not enough. If the doctor gives you a list of foods to avoid eating, you will not improve your health unless you follow their instructions. Similarly, we must become “shruti paraayanaha”, uphold the teachings as the ultimate goal of our lives. Satsanga should become an integral part of our lives.
 
So then, what is the result of those who follow this path? They will be able to overcome death, in other words, they will achieve liberation. Death does not just refer to the loss of the physical body. Every time we get fascinated by the material world and rush to act with selfish desires, we forget our true nature and take on the role of a doer, an experiencer, a meritorious actor or “puntyaatmaa” or a sinner. Each time we forget our true nature as the blissful eternal essence to rush out into the world and eventually experience sorrow, we “die” as it were. So therefore, Shri Krishna says that one who simply follows the instructions of their guru diligently will overcome death.
 
In these two shlokas, Shri Krishna covered the types of spiritual techniques required to access the Purusha within. He now begins a new topic in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 13

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.8, anahankaara, chapter 13 verse 8, duhkhadoshaanudarshanam, eva, indriyaartheshu, janmamrityujaraavyaadhi, vairaagyam

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indriyaartheshu vairaagyamanahankaara eva cha |
janmamrityujaraavyaadhiduhkhadoshaanudarshanam || 8 ||
 
Dispassion towards sense objects, absence of ego, as well as constant perception of sorrow towards birth, death, old age and disease.
 
indriyaartheshu : sense objects
vairaagyam : dispassion
anahankaara : absence of ego
eva : also
cha : and
janmamrityujaraavyaadhi : birth, death, old age, disease
duhkhadoshaanudarshanam : constant perception of sorrow
 
Shri Krishna continues listing the attributes that help us reduce the importance of the kshetra or the field. Here he lists dispassion of sense objects, absence of ego and investigation into the modifications of the human body as three further attributes in addition to the nine mentioned in the previous shloka.
 
We have five sense organs that can contact the world and perceive objects. They have raaga (attraction), dvesha (hatred) or viraaga (indifference) towards objects. If we see a lump of clay, for example, we have neither attraction or hatred towards it. The mind is not disturbed when the senses remain free of the labelling of raaga or dvesha. When our senses develop indifference towards every object that they perceive, it is the state of vairagyam or dispassion towards sense objects. So, regardless of whether the object in question is in front of us or someone reminds us of that object, our mind remains unaffected by its presence.
 
Previously, we came across the term “abhimaan” which meant a sense of mine-ness towards external attributes such as wealth, power, position and so on. “Ahankaara” in this context is a stronger form of abhimaan where we develop a sense of mine-ness towards our own body, mind and intellect. If one has pride about a gold medal in mathematics, that is abhimaaan. But if one is proud about one’s intelligence, that is ahankaara. Anahankaara is the absence of such pride, and it is born out of constant dispassion or vairagya towards the body and its temporary nature. Moreover, even a simple bit of contemplation will reveal that for the majority of the population, there is always someone who will eventually overtake us with a better body, mind and intellect.
 
So far we came across pleasure derived out of sense objects, as well as pride in the functioning of the body, mind and intellect. Both these notions stem from the assumption that our body will remain healthy and fit eternally. But, even if we walk the corridor of any hospital for five minutes, we see the silliness in holding on to that assumption. “Dosha-anudarshanam” is the constant, repeated perception of sorrow in all of these states of the body, not just when we visit the hospital. Now, although we consider disease, old age and death as sorrowful, Shri Krishna adds birth to this list as well. It is full of suffering for both the child and the mother. In the Dasbodh of Swami Ramdas, as well as the Shiva Apraadha Stotram of Shankaraachaarya, there is an elaborate description of the painful process of birth.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 13

05 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.5, ahankaaraha, avyaktam, buddhihi, chapter 13 verse 5, dasha, ekam, eva, indriyaani, indriyagocharaahaa, mahaabhootaani, pancha

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mahaabhootaanyahankaaro buddhiravyaktameva cha |
indriyaani dashaikam cha pancha chendriyagocharaahaa || 5 ||
 
The great elements, the ego, the intellect, the unmanifest, and also the ten senses, and the one, and five objects of senses.
 
mahaabhootaani : great elements
ahankaaraha : ego
buddhihi : intellect
avyaktam : unmanifest
eva : also
cha : and
indriyaani : senses
dasha : ten
ekam : one
cha : and
pancha : five
cha : and
indriyagocharaahaa : objects of senses
 
Nowadays, most computers have the ability to go into sleep mode, where all the running programs are saved in a file on the disk in such a way that they are brought back to life as soon as the computer is switched on again. Similarly, when the universe comes into existence, its entire state is restored from avyaktam, the unmanifest “file” containing the sum total of every unfulfilled desire. We then begin to see faint outlines of the universe, just like the computer first draws the outlines of the windows on the screen. This state is known as buddhi. We finally see the universe in full colour, in all its glory, just like we see a fully painted screen on our computer. This state is known as ahankara. This fully painted screen is created by combining three colours – red, blue and green – in various ways.
 
Similarly, the entire universe is created by combining the five great elements – space, air, fire, water and earth – in various ways. As humans, we are also comprised of those same five great elements. But, each of us looks and behaves differently than the other due to the difference in our “programming” – the avyakta, also known as vaasanaas or unfulfilled desires. Also, there is something within us that give us the ability to think, feel and act, which we do not see in inert objects. This is the inner instrument or the antahakarana. It is comprised of the buddhi or intellect which plans and decides, the ahankaara or ego which creates a sense of agency or I-ness and the mind which thinks and feels, referred in the shloka as “ekam” or the one.
 
The mind receives stimuli from five sense organs – ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose which run after their objects – sound, touch, form, taste and smell, respectively. The mind also controls five organs of action – mouth, hands, legs, genitals and bowels. The five elements, the five sense organs, their five corresponding sense objects, the five organs of actions, the mind, the intellect, the ego and the unmanifest – these make up the twenty four categories of the universe mentioned in the Saamkhya school of philosophy.
 
In just one shloka, Shri Krishna has explained the entire process of cosmic creation and its building blocks, as well as the specific factors that enable humans to think, feel and act. Plants and animals are also made up of similar building blocks, although not as fully expressed as in humans. Whenever we develop anxiety or frustration that this world is becoming too complex to understand, we can refer to this shloka and understand that at its core, the world is quite simple. Also, whenever we develop the mistaken notion that we are independent and do not need anything from this world, this shloka shows us our oneness with the world. Now this shloka only provides a static view of the world. How do we account for all the dynamism, the movement, the give and take between one human being and the rest of the world? This is explained in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 13

04 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in 13.4, bahudhaa, brahmasootrapadaihi, cha, chandobhihi, chapter 13 verse 4, eva, geetam, hetumadbhihi, prithak, rishibhihi, vinishchitaihi, vividhaihi

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rishibhirbahudhaa geetam chandobhirvividhaihi prithak |
brahmasootrapadaishchaiva hetumadbhirvinishchitaihi || 4 ||
 
Sages have sung (about the field and its knower) in many ways, it has been stated in various Vedic chants and also in the logical and conclusive texts of the Brahma Sootras.
 
rishibhihi : by sages
bahudhaa : many ways
geetam : sung
chandobhihi : Vedic chants
vividhaihi : various
prithak : distinctly
brahmasootrapadaihi : Brahma Sootra texts
cha : and
eva : also
hetumadbhihi : logical
vinishchitaihi : conclusive
 
Shri Krishna glorifies the knowledge of the field and its knower in this shloka. He affirms that this very same knowledge was first revealed to the rishis or sages, and is not something that has been invented in the Gita. It was then documented in the four Vedas: the Rik, Saama, Yajur and Atharva. It is to be found in all three sections of each of these Vedas: the Samhitaa (hymns), Braahmanaa (theology) and Upanishads (discourses on divine knowledge). It is important to note that this knowledge was revealed to the sages in their meditations, and not authored as an original composition by anybody. Since this knowledge is beyond the realm of the senses and the mind, it could not have come from any one person’s mind. It had to come from direct experience arrived at through meditation.
 
Now, even if we are able to access this divine knowledge by studying the Vedas, we cannot assimilate this knowledge without the help of logic. We need something that can explain, step-by-step, what is revealed in the four Vedas. We also need logic to reconcile apparent contradictions that we as students come across while studying the Vedas. The Brahma Sootras, authored by Vyaasa, use logic and reason to present the knowledge of the Vedas in a precise, formula-like method. Each sootra in that text is hardly two or three words long, but is packed with so much information that commentators like Shankaraachaarya write pages and pages to explain just one sootra.
 
The Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and the Brahma Sootras are known as the “Prasthaana Traya”, and together provide a comprehensive compendium of knowledge about the field and its knower, as well as practical training on how to go about it. Of the three, the Bhagavad Gita is closest to the understanding of a common man. Shri Krishna instructs us to learn about the field and the knower in brief such that we can progress in our spiritual journey. But if we want to delve deeper into the details for academic reasons, we are more than welcome to read the Vedas and the Brahma Sootras. He now proceeds to talk about the field, the kshetra, in detail.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 12

17 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by in 12.8, aadhatsva, ataha, buddhim, chapter 12 verse 8, eva, manaha, mayi, na, nivasishyasi, niveshaya, oordhvam, sanshayaha

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mayyeva mana aadhatsva mayi buddhim niveshaya |
nivasishyasi mayyeva ata oordhvam na sanshayaha || 8 ||
 
Fix your mind only in me, place your intellect in me, thereafter you will dwell in me only, no doubt.
 
mayi : in me
eva : only
manaha : mind
aadhatsva : fix
mayi : in me
buddhim : intellect
niveshaya : place
nivasishyasi : you will dwell
mayi : in me
eva : only
ataha : this
oordhvam : after
na : no
sanshayaha : doubt
 
In this series of four shlokas, Shri Krishna prescribed four paths or yogas to attaining Ishvara, each one more easier than the previous one. This shloka describes the path of jnyaana yoga or the yoga of knowledge. Shri Krishna says that the seeker should fix both his intellect and mind in Ishvara constantly, without any interruption. When this happens, that attainment of Ishvara is guaranteed. There is no room for “sanshaya” or doubt of attaining Ishvara when one practices jnyaana yoga. But doing so is not easy.
 
As a new year approaches, many of us start making new year resolutions such as losing weight, giving up a bad habit, cleaning the house and so on. It is our buddhi or intellect that sets firm long-term goals, targets and resolutions. Ultimately all types of plans and resolutions stem from our desires to achieve something in this world. Now, Jnyaana yoga requires us to have just one resolution and nothing else: to merge with Ishvara. But as we have seen in the second chapter, our stock of desires influences our intellect to make innumerable resolutions. This multitude of resolutions makes jnyaana yoga difficult.
 
Furthermore, our condition is such that it is not just the intellect that has many resolutions. The mana, our faculty of mind, is fickle to begin with due to the distractions of the senses. Jnyaana yoga requires the fixing of both the intellect and the mind onto Ishvara. It is in rare instances that we can achieve intellectual and mental harmony, such as studying for an exam, where we know that the stakes are high. But even that happens for a few minutes or a few hours at most.
 
So clearly, jnyaaya yoga, the foremost type of yoga, is difficult for most of us, atleast at our current stage of spiritual evolution. Is there something easier? Shri Krishna answers next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 12

15 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by in 12.6, ananyena, chapter 12 verse 6, dhyaayanta, eva, karmaani, maam, matparaahaa, mayi, sanyasya, sarvaani, tu, upaasate, ye, yogena

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ye tu sarvaani karmaani mayi sanyasya matparaahaa |
ananyenaiva yogena maam dhyaayanta upaasate || 6 ||
 
But, those renounce all actions in me, intent upon me only, meditate upon me through the single-pointed yoga of worship..
 
ye : those
tu : but
sarvaani : all
karmaani : actions
mayi : me
sanyasya : renounce
matparaahaa : intent upon me
ananyena : single-pointed
eva : only
yogena : through yoga
maam : me
dhyaayanta : meditating
upaasate : worship
 
Previously, Shri Krishna compared seekers who worship the formless Ishvara to those who worship Ishvara with form, and concluded that the worshippers of the formless Ishvara have more difficulty. We used the example of a child helping his parents to understand the attitude of the formless worshipper and the example of the worker helping his CEO exemplifying the worshipper of Ishvara with form. Now Shri Krishna re-emphasizes the qualifications of the worshipper of Ishvara with form, which is the route that most of us will take.
 
First, we have to renounce all our actions to Ishvara, in other words, practice karma yoga. Typically, when we perform any actions, we are looking for a tangible material result (monetary profit), emotional result (happiness) or an intellectual result (satisfaction). If our actions don’t turn out as we anticipated, we may get opposite results in the form of loss, sorrow or dissatisfaction. When we perform actions for the sake of renunciation to Ishvara, we leave the outcome to Ishvara, whether it is favourable or not.
 
When we do this, our mind and intellect do not constantly get destabilized by life’s ups and downs, leaving them free to contemplate the higher goal of Ishvara. But this can only happen through the practice of single-pointed worship, “ananya yoga”, the yoga where there is no other goal but Ishvara. In this manner, when we constantly worship Ishvara through our body, mind and intellect, he takes care of us. How does he do that? Shri Krishna completes this thought in the next shloka.