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Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 4

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.27, aatmasaiyam, apare, cha, chapter 4 verse 27, deepite, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, indriya, junvhati, karmaani, praana, sarvaani, yogaagnau

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sarvaaneendriyakarmaani praanakarmaani chaapare |
aatmasaiyamyogaagnau juvhati jnyaanadeepite || 27 |

Others offer the activities of the senses and the activities of the life force into the flame of the discipline of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge.

sarvaani : all
indriya-karmaani : activities of the senses
praana-karmaani : activities of the life force
cha : and
apare : others
aatmasaiyam : self-restraint
yogaagnau : flame in the form of discipline
juvhati : offer
jnyaana : knowledge
deepite : kindled by

In prior shlokas, Shri Krishna gave us a variety of techniques to practice yajnya, from worship of a deity to more advanced techniques such as contemplation of the eternal essence, restraining movement of senses, and dissolving the notion of external objects altogether. In this shloka, he describes a technique for more advanced seekers where one not just restrains the senses, but also restrains the life forces or praana within our body. This discipline is the raaja yoga of Patanjali. It begins with the three limbs of yama, niyama and aasana that we saw in the previous sholka. Let us examine one key aspect of this technique, which is understanding of praana.

Praanaas are energy systems within our body that sustain physiological processes. There are five types of praana : praana, apaana, udaana, vayaana and samaana. Just like restraining the senses conserves energy that can be redirected towards advancing spiritually, so too can restraining the praanaas lead to the same outcome. However, this technique requires the guidance of a teacher and is not recommended for self-experimentation.

The senses and the praanaas are like rays of the sun emanating from our self. So as the yogi progresses in this yajnya, he regulates the praanaas using praanaayaam, the fifth limb of the raaja yoga technique which is described a later shloka. He then withdraws attention from senses and from the praanas, and redirects the energy towards concentration or dhyaana on the eternal essence, which is the sixth limb of Patanjali yoga. He then progresses to uninterrupted concentration or dhaarana, the seventh limb. Eventually, he attains direct perception of the eternal essence. This ultimate state is known as samaadhi, the eight and final limb of Patanjali yoga.

Knowing fully well that most of us need more basic techniques, Shri Krishna gives us a whole range of options in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 3

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.19, aacharan, aapnoti, asakthah, Chapter 3 Verse 19, hi, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, kaaryam, karma, param, purushaha, satatam, tasmaat

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tasmaadasaktah satatam kaaryam karma samaachara |
asakto hyaacharan karma paramaapnoti purushaha || 19 ||

Therefore, always perform prescribed actions diligently without attachment; for, by performing action without attachment, an individual attains the supreme.

tasmaat : therefore
asaktah : without attachment
satatam : always
kaaryam : prescribed
karma : actions
samaachara : diligently
asaktah : without attachment
hi : because
aacharan : perform
karma : action
param : highest
aapnoti : attain
purushaha : an individual

In this shloka, Shri Krishna concludes his answer to Arjuna’s question from the first verse in this chapter. Arjuna had asked Shri Krishna as to why he should commit the act of war, which in his opinion was a ghastly act. Let us recap Shri Krishna’s answer.

Shri Krishna replied by explaining that no one can flee from action, that one should perform selfless rather than selfish actions, that selfless actions in the service of a higher ideal do not create bondage, and that performance of selfless action or yajna is the key to participating in the evolution of oneself and of the universe.

Another point emphasized in this shloka is that karmayoga should not be something that is restricted to only a few aspects of life. The karmayoga mindset should eventually become second nature, in other words, it should be embedded in each and every action that we perform. So therefore, in each and every action that we perform, from writing an email to eating our meals, we should remember to derive joy from the action itself rather than in the result. Only then will we begin to drop attachment to the action and to the result.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 3

14 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.6, aaste, chapter 3 verse 6, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, indriyaarthaan, manasaa, mithyaachaarah, sah, saiyamya, smaran, uchchyate, vimoodhaatmaa, yah

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karmendriyaani saiyamya ya aaste manasaa smaran |
indriyaarthaanvimoodhaatmaa mithyaachaarah sa ucchchyate || 6 ||

One who sits, forcibly restraining his organs of action, yet keeps thinking about objects, that foolish individual is known as a hypocrite.

karmendriyaani : (sense and action oriented) organs
saiyamya : forcibly restrain
yah : one who
aaste : sits
manasaa : in the mind
smaran : thinks
indriyaarthaan : (sense) objects
vimoodhaatmaa : foolish individual
mithyaachaarah : hypocrite
sah : that
ucchchyate : known as

The second chapter of the Gita informed us that the way to achieve the ultimate spiritual goal is by eliminating our vaasanaas, because they are the source of selfish desires. But this message has the potential to be dangerous if it is misinterpreted.

Under the banner of becoming more spiritual, some people put their bodies through extreme fasting, while some forcibly repress their urges. We see a milder version of this behaviour when individuals are trying to rid themselves of addictions by simply cutting off the supply or going “cold-turkey”.

For example, if one has an addiction to alcohol, one tries not to keep alcohol in the house to avoid temptation. That may work in the short term, but an addiction is not in the body, it is in the mind. It is like any other vasanaa and will come up as a desire when one sees alcohol the next time.

So in this shloka, Shri Krishna issues a strong warning to anyone who thinks that they can advance on the spiritual path through extreme repression of the body or of the mind. He uses a strong term to admonish such individuals by calling them hypocrites.

Let’s connect this shloka to the previous one. It informed us that the body, mind and intellect comprise the three gunaas. These gunaas born of prakriti will always compel us to perform actions. But the current shloka tells us that repression of action will not lead to elimination of desires. We have no choice but to perform action, yet we need clear up our desires and vasanaas.

So what’s the conclusion? We have to find a way to eliminate vasanaas WHILE we are performing actions. That technique is karma yoga.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 60, Chapter 2

27 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by in api, chapter 2 verse 60, haranti, hi, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, indriyaani, kaunteya, manaha, pramaatheeni, prasabham, purushasya, vipaschitaha

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yatato hyaapi kaunteya purushasya vipaschitaha |
indriyaani pramaatheeni haranti prasabham manaha || 60 ||
 
For the senses are so turbulent, O Kaunteya, that they forcibly seize the mind of a even a wise individual who perseveres.
 
yatatah : persevere
hi : for
api : even
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
purushasya : individual
vipaschitaha : wise
indriyaani : senses
pramaatheeni : turbulent
haranti : seize
prasabham : forcibly
manaha : mind
 
Earlier, we saw that if we have predispositions to objects, they will result in thoughts popping up in our mind. This will be true even if we are not near those objects. Some of us may raise an objection to this statement. We may ask: “As long as I control my actions, what difference does it make if I think about an object such as a chocolate cake? It won’t matter because I won’t eat it, Correct?”
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna responds to the objection. He says that thoughts can catch us at a time of weakness, when we are least alert, and undo all of our self control. These thoughts are generated by our predispositions or vasanaas.
 
Vasanaas are like dormant embers of coal that burn stronger when the senses add fuel to their fire. They are the seeds of thoughts, or “thought generators”. This means that self control of actions is effective, but only to a certain extent, because self control does not tackle vasanaas. It is like trimming a weed instead of uprooting it completely.
 
Another aspect is pointed out here. One may practice conquering one’s senses for a long time. That person can become an advanced practitioner through years of diligence and perseverance. He may come to the conclusion that all of his desires and vasanaas have been vanquished. But the senses and the mind are extremely clever; they will wait for months, even years, and then generate a thought that can destabilize his equanimity in a second.
 
In summary, it is not enough to control our actions in order to maintain equanimity, we have to remain alert and watch our thoughts as well.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 59, Chapter 2

26 Saturday Nov 2011

Posted by in 2.59, api, asya, chapter 2 verse 59, dehinaha, drishtvaa, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, niraahaarasya, nivartate, param, rasah, vinivartante, vishayaah

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vishayaa vinivartante niraahaarasya dehinaha |
rasavarjam rasopyasya param drishtvaa nivartate || 59 ||

Objects turn away from the fasting individual, but their taste remains. For the individual who has realized the absolute, the taste also turns away.

vishayaah : objects (of the senses)
vinivartante : turn away
niraahaarasya : fasting
dehinaha : individual
rasavarjam : except taste
rasah : taste
api : also
asya : for this individual
param : absolute
drishtvaa : realized
nivartate : turn away

In the last shloka, we encountered the “tortoise technique” which taught us how to guard ourselves when we encounter factors that can cause us agitation. It does work assuming we remain aware and alert about our thoughts. But if we have strong predispositions or vaasanaas towards any object, person or situation, the memory or “taste” of that factor will keep popping up in our mind. So in this shloka, Shri Krishna provides an overview of how one begins to address the removal of deep rooted predispositions, which is one of the primary goals of any spiritual teaching.

Let’s go back to the black forest chocolate cake example from last time. You saw a piece of cake, you realized that you may succumb to it, and you took a few steps back. But a little later, the taste of that cake from a prior experience will pop up in your mind and begin to torment you. All you can think of for a while will be cake. This is what makes dieting difficult. Our mind keeps pushing us towards food each time we try to restrain ourselves.

So what is the solution? In the shloka, Shri Krishna says that the taste also turns away when we “realize the absolute”. What he means is that we need to set our goal on something higher than ourselves, and hold on to that goal throughout our life. The higher the goal, the greater chance that we will get rid of our predispositions.

When we begin any diet, we typically set a goal, e.g. “I have to lose 2 kg in 3 weeks”. Now, with this shloka in mind, we could try to set a higher goal, which could be “I need to lose this weight so that I can stay healthy to take care of my family”. Or it could be “I need to lose this weight so that I can fulfill my svadharma in the best possible manner”.

In later chapters, the Gita goes into great detail as to how we can gradually set higher and higher goals and ultimately set the highest goal, the “absolute” goal mentioned in this shloka, so that we can burn away all of our predispositions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 1

26 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by in aanaka, abhavat, abhyahanyamta, bheryascha, chapter 1 verse 13, go, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, panava, sahasaa, shabdaha, tataha, tulumala

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tataha shankashcha bheryascha panavaanakagomukhaahaa |
sahasaivaabhyahanyanta sa shabda tumulobhavat ||13 ||
 
Immediately thereafter, several conches, bugles, trumpets, kettle-horns and cow-horns resounded simultaneously, growing into a tumultuous sound.
 
tataha: thereafter
shankha: conches
cha: and
bherya: bugles
panava-aanaka: trumpets and kettedrums
go-mukhaha: cow-horns
sahasaa eva abhyahanyanta: resounded suddenly and simultaneously
shabdaha: sound
abhavat: became
tumulaha: tumultuous
 
This is another verse in the sequence of verses that brings us closer to the start of the war. It also suggests that the Kaurava army was happy that their commander Bheeshma was eager to begin the war.
 
As we progress through this verse into some of the later verses, we cannot help but paint a picture of that battlefield, since the words used in these verses are so evocative. For some of us that grew up in India, we probably tend to dig up memories of watching the Mahabharata on Sunday morning, and maybe those memories are recalled. With this verse, we now have another dimension that adds depth to the picture – that of sound.
 
The author of these verses clearly intends to paint a rich picture of the battlefield, and the Kaurava army in particular. We shall see why shortly.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4-6, Chapter 1

20 Saturday Aug 2011

Posted by in chapter 1 verse 4-6, eva, family, friends, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, mahaarathaha, maheshvaasaa, relationships, sarva, shooraha, veeryavan, yudhi

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atra shoora maheshvaasaa bheemarjunasamaa yudhi |
yuyudhaano viraatashcha drupadashcha mahaarathaha || 4 ||

dhrishtaketushchekitaanah kaashirajascha veeryavan |
purujitkuntibhojashcha shaibyascha narapungvaha || 5 ||

yudhamanyushcha vikraanta uttamaujaashcha veeryavan |
saubhadro draupadeyashcha sarva eva mahaarathaaha || 6 ||

This army has mighty archers such as Yuyudhaana, King Viraata and Drupada who are equal to Bheema and Arjuna in battle. Other powerful warriors include Dhrishtaketu, Chekitaana, the gallant king of Kashi, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, Yuyudhaana, Uttamauja, Abhimanyu and all the sons of Draupadi.

atra: here
shooraha: brave
maheshavaasaa: (mah + ishvaasaa) with giant bows
cha: and
yudhi: in battle
bheemarjunasamaaha: equal to Bheem and Arjuna
yuyudhaanaha: Yuyudhaana
viraataha: King Viraata
mahaarathaha: mighty warriors
drupadaha: Drupad (also)

dhrishtaketu: Dhrishtaketu
chekitaanaha: Chekitaana
purujitaha: Purujit
kuntibhoja: Kuntibhoja
shaibya: Shaibya
kaashiraajaha: King of Kashi

veeryavaan: gallant
yudhmanya: Yudhamanyu
uttamaujaaha: Uttamaujaaha
saubhadraha: son of Subhadra – Abhimanyu
draupadeyaaha: sons of Draupadi
sarva, eva: everyone
maharaathaaha: mighty warriors

Duryodhana continued his attempt to incite Drona to fight aggresively against the opposing army by calling out the mighty warriors on the other side. He chose each name carefully to elicit a reaction from Drona, since each of these warriors had a history with Drona.

Yuyudhaana was Arjuna’s top student, and Duryodhana wanted to point out that although Arjuna’s top student was fighting on his teacher’s side, Drona’s top student Arjuna was fighting against his teacher. Drupada also was someone that Drona disliked, as was pointed out earlier. Dhristaketu’s father had been killed by Krishna, yet he was on the side of the Pandavas. Chekitaana was the only Yadava warrior not taking the side of the Kauravas.

The king of Kashi was an exceptionally gallant warrior, and took the side of the Pandavas. Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja were exceptional warriors from the Paanchaala kingdom. Purujit and Kuntibhoja were Kunti’s maternal brothers who were also related to the Kauravas, but chose the side of the Pandavas. Shaibya was Yudhishtira’s father-in-law, similarly related to the Kauravas. Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son, was well versed in the art of breaking military formations. Duryodhana disliked Draupadi immensely, so her sons were pointed out as well.

We begin to see how interrelated the warring parties were. Some were friends who turned into enemies, some were relatives who chose sides, and some like Drona were equally loving to both sides, but had to choose one based on their duty to the throne and the kingdom.

It is a reminder that nothing in our lives stays the same. A relationship that gives you lot of joy today, could in a matter of seconds turn into a sorrowful relationship at some point.