Category Archives: kshipram

Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 9

26 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.31, bhaktaha, bhavati, chapter 9 verse 31, dharmaatmaa, kaunteya, kshipram, me, na, nigachhati, pranashyati, pratijaanaahi, shaantim, shashvat

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kshipram bhavati dharmaatmaa shashvachhaantim nigachhati |
kaunteya pratijaanaahi na me bhaktaha pranashyati || 31 ||
 
He becomes virtuous instantly and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, declare that my devotee never perishes.
 
kshipram : instantly
bhavati : he becomes
dharmaatmaa : virtuous
shashvat : eternal
shaantim : peace
nigachhati : attains
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
pratijaanaahi : declare
na : not
me : my
bhaktaha : devotee
pranashyati : perish
 
Earlier we saw that the resolve towards devotion is most important. Shri Krishna further adds to that statement by saying that one who makes such a resolve attains eternal bliss and peace. He also urges Arjuna to make such a resolve towards devotion.
 
Many commentators explain the word “kshipram” by snapping their fingers. In other words, the amount of time it takes to snap your fingers is how long it takes to make a commitment, to make a resolve towards devotion of Ishvara. When this happens, Ishvara ensures that such a person becomes virtuous and attains everlasting happiness and peace.
 
As long as we harbour desires for worldly objects, we will never experience long-lasting happiness. But by performing actions in the worship of Ishvara, our notion of doership and enjoyership is destroyed because we are acting as agents of Ishvara. When doership and enjoyership is removed, desires are automatically eliminated, resulting in everlasting peace and bliss.
 
Now, there could be a situation where we work in the spirit of worship for while, but fall back into our old desire-prompted actions again. Shri Krishna says that as long as we have made a commitment to devotion, Ishvara will ensure that we do not fall, we do not perish. However, Shri Krishna is specific in his statement that the resolve has to come from the devotee, not from Ishvara. Ishvara may break a promise that he has made himself, but he will always stand by a resolve that is made by his devotee.
 
So therefore, a person who has the tendency to commit wrongdoing can also become a devotee. What other types of people can become devotees? We shall see next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 4

02 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.12, bhavati, chapter 4 verse 12, devataaha, hi, iha, kaankshantaha, karmajaa, karmanam, kshipram, loke, maanushe, siddhim, siddih, yajante

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kaankshantaha karmanaam siddhim yajanta iha devataaha |
kshipram hi maanushe loke siddhirbhavati karmajaa || 12 ||

Those who desire success in actions worship deities; for in this human world, results of action are obtained instantly.

kaankshantaha : desiring
karmanaam : through actions
siddhim : results
yajante : worship
iha : this
devataaha : deities
kshipram : instant
hi : for
maanushe : human
loke : world
siddhih : success
bhavati : obtained
karmajaa : through action

We saw in the previous shloka that Ishvaraa is like an impartial computer system. He responds in the same manner in which people seek him. So then the question arises? Why don’t people approach him for self-realization? Would they not get it if they ask him?

Shri Krishna says that most of us do not desire self-realization, we only desire material objects because they give us instant happiness. We have been conditioned to perform actions that get quick results. We make instant coffee and it gives us instant satisfaction. And when we want results that are beyond our immediate control, we approach and appease forces in nature that can grant us the result we need. These forces could be human beings – we may propitiate a local politician if we want to set up a business in a particular town.

But, not matter how satisfying the result is, it will only give us temporary happiness because we have approached a force of nature that is a subset of Ishvaraa. Ishvaraa is the ultimate force in nature. Only he can give us permanent happiness in the form of self-realization.

Moreover, this permanent happiness is not a result of any outward actions. Actions performed in the spirit of karmayoga will no doubt help purify our mind. But the ultimate goal of self-realization is not the result of any outward action, it is only through the removal of ignorance in the form of selfish desire.

If we recall, “samarpana buddhi” or the wisdom of dedicating actions is one of the five main aspects of karmayoga. So therefore, these shlokas deal with the topic of Ishvaraa so that he will become the ultimate ideal to whom we can dedicate all our actions to.