Category Archives: kuru

Bhagavad Gita Verse 63, Chapter 18

21 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in 18.63, aakhyaatam, asheshena, chapter 18 verse 63, guhyaat, guhyaataram, ichhasi, jnaanam, kuru, mayaa, tathaa, vimrishya, yatha

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iti te jnaanamaakhyaatam guhyaadruhyaataram mayaa |
vimrishyaitadasheshena yathechhasi tathaa kuru || 63 ||
 
In this manner, I have declared that knowledge to you which is most secret among all secrets. Reflect on this fully, then do as you desire.
 
iti : in this manner
te : to you
jnaanam : knowledge
aakhyaatam : declared
guhyaat : of the secret
guhyaataram : most secret
mayaa : I have
vimrishya : reflect
etat : this
asheshena : fully
yatha : what
ichhasi : desire
tathaa : that
kuru : do
 
We have come across the word “iti” several times in the Gita discourse. It is always used to conclude a chapter, and also to conclude a major theme or topic. Here, Shri Krishna uses this word to inform Arjuna that the Gita discourse has concluded with this shloka. We have to note that the Gita is but one portion of the Mahaabhaarata epic. So the shlokas that follow this one are used to summarize the main teaching, and to link back to the conversation between Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra.
 
Shri Krishna also emphasizes the most secret aspect of this text. We have to understand the implication of the word secret here carefully. The Gita is by no means an exclusive text. There are several commentaries, including this one, that are freely available on the web. Most people will not approach the Gita due to their preconceived notions. Some think it is outdated, some think it is impractical and so on. Only a few people are interested in the Gita, and of those, fewer still are willing to understand and change their approach to life based on it.
 
For any spiritual teaching to have an impact on our lives, it has to go through three steps. Shravana is actively listening to the text through a qualified teacher. Manana is reflection on the teaching, with a view to resolve all doubts or gaps in logic. Nidhidhyaasana is meditation and constant contemplation, with a view to assimilate that teaching completely. Many seekers are enthusiastic listeners, but they make the mistake of skipping the second step. In doing so, they are not able to see the value of the teaching in their own lives. Shri Krishna stresses the importance of reflection to Shri Krishna. He also gives Arjuna the freedom to apply the teaching based on this understanding born of out of reflection, instead of taking it at face value.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 12

20 Thursday Dec 2012

Posted by in 12.11, aashritaha, api, ashaktaha, asi, atha, chapter 12 verse 11, etat, kartum, kuru, madyogam, sarvakarmaphalatyaagam, yataatmavaan

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athaitadapyashaktosi kartum madyogamaashritaha |
sarvakarmaphalatyaagam tataha kuru yataatmavaan || 11 ||
 
If, even doing this is not possible, then take refuge in my yoga; cast off the fruits of all actions, with self control.
 
atha : if
etat : this
api : even
ashaktaha : not possible
asi : is
kartum : doing
madyogam : my yoga
aashritaha : take refuge
sarvakarmaphalatyaagam : cast off the fruits of all actions
tataha : then
kuru : do
yataatmavaan : self control
 
In explaining the law of karma or action, Shri Krishna uses the term “fruit” to denote the result of an action. We know from basic physics that every action must result in a reaction, it must give a result. This result can be material (money), emotional (joy) or intellectual (satisfaction). By calling it a fruit, Shri Krishna reminds us that every result contains the seed of a future action hidden within it. This seed can give rise to innumerable actions, which can give rise to innumerable seeds, and so on and so forth.
 
How does that seed germinate into an action? If we eat a delicacy for the first time, our tastebuds send a signal to our ego which says “this delicacy is tasty”. The ego then says “I like this delicacy, it makes me happy, therefore I shall have it again”. The delicacy contained the seed of desire, but the ego made the delicacy into a source of happiness, paving the way for future actions towards acquiring that delicacy.
 
This is the condition of a majority of seekers. We are so tied up in the material world that we find it difficult to go beyond the satisfaction of our ego. We cannot bring bhakti or devotion into our lives like Shri Krishna prescribed in the previous shloka. Our primary desires are material, not spiritual. For seekers in this condition, Shri Krishna gives two simple suggestions: submit the results of actions to him, and control the senses as much as possible.
 
So if we eat a delicacy for the first time, our taste buds will definitely say that it is tasty. But instead of letting the ego say “this delicacy is tasty”, we can say “I submit this lovely taste to Ishvara, may he enjoy it”. The ego does not get a chance to assert itself, and in this manner the seed of future action is destroyed on the spot. Conversely, if we are studying for an exam and are worried about the result, we can say “I submit the result of this exam to Ishvara, good or bad”. This will eliminate constant worrying and the consequent stress caused by it, leaving our mind free to study efficiently.
 
Shri Krishna also asks us to control our mind and our senses. Both our mind and our senses have a natural affinity for sense objects. If we leave them unchecked, they will start brooding over sense objects and develop an attachment towards them. The second chapter had explained how this happens in great detail. So therefore, checking our senses and our mind will reduce the inflow of selfish desires to a great extent, and submission of results to Ishvara will transfer our enjoyership from our ego to Ishvara. This is karma yoga, the most simple and basic spiritual technique that takes us one step closer to Ishvara.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 4

05 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.15, api, chapter 4 verse 14, eva, evam, jnaatvaa, karma, kritam, kuru, mumukshubhihi, poorvaih, poorvataram, tasmaat, tvam

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evam jnaatvaa kritam karma poorvairapi mumukshubhihi |
kuru karmaiva tasmaattvam poorvaih poorvataram kritam || 15 ||

Even seekers of freedom, having known this (path of karmayoga), performed actions since ancient times. Therefore, so do you perform actions like the ancients did.

evam : this manner
jnaatvaa : having known
kritam : performed
karma : actions
poorvaih : since ancient times
api : even
mumukshubhihi : seekers of freedom
kuru : perform
karma : actions
eva : those
tasmaat : therefore
tvam : you
poorvaih : ancestors
poorvataram : since ancient times
kritam : actions

Previously, Shri Krishna explained that one who knows him as distinct from performer and enjoyer of actions is not bound. Now, he reaffirms that teaching by informing Arjuna that many ancient seekers of freedom have followed the path of karmayoga.

These ancient seekers understood that the “I” is the eternal essence. It is not the doer and does not have anything to gain from results of actions. So they continued to perform actions, dedicating them to the highest ideal which is Ishvaraa, and purified their minds doing so.

Shri Krishna also re-emphasizes that this teaching did not deter the ancient seekers from performing actions, in other words, they did not abandon their duties and retire to the forest. They continued to work in the world but maintained the karmayoga attitude.

By pointing out the heritage of karmayoga, Shri Krishna constantly reminded Arjuna that this is not a brand new teaching, it always was a way of life but was lost due to the passage of time.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 3

16 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.8, akarmanaha, api, cha, chapter 3 verse 8, hi, jyaayah, karma, kuru, na, niyatam, prassidhyet, shareera, te, tvam, yaatra

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niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyaayo hyakarmanaha |
shareerayaatraapi cha te na prasiddhyedakarmanaha || 8 ||

You should perform prescribed actions, since action is superior to inaction. Also, even the journey of the body cannot be accomplished through inaction.

niyatam : prescribed
kuru : perform
karma : actions
tvam : you
karma : action
jyaayah : superior
hi : since
akarmanaha : inaction
shareera-yaatraa : journey of the body
api : even
cha : also
te : your
na prasiddhyet :  not accomplished by
akarmanaha : inaction

Having covered the topic of why one should perform action, Shri Krishna now speaks about what kind of action should be performed. He urges Arjuna to only perform “niyatam” or prescribed actions. What does this term mean?

Scriptures classify actions into several categories. Let us look at the two main ones: “niyatam” or prescribed actions, and “nishiddha” or forbidden actions . Prescribed actions are those that are enjoined in the Vedas. But in today’s context, we can interpret this as one’s duties. These include performing one’s svadharma, serving one’s parents, family, and nation etc. Forbidden actions are the “thou shalt not” actions such as killing another being, stealing, cheating and so on. So here, Shri Krishna urges Arjuna to perform prescribed actions, but without any trace of attachment to the action or to the fruit.

Now one may say “I like to watch a movie and enjoy a good meal. Those do not seem like prescribed duties. How should we think about those?”. Shri Krishna does not advocate repressing anything, as we saw earlier. But we should to define boundaries to any action, as well as minimize attachment or selfish motive. The best way to do so is to share.

If you want to watch TV, watch it collectively with your family and friends. Or share your meal with them. Doing so will ensure that our previously self-serving actions lose any trace of selfishness or ego. The best example here is a mom that always cooks what the family members like, and puts her preferences on a lower priority.

In addition, Shri Krishna reiterates the notion that one should never resort to inaction, He says that if one does not act, one cannot even perform maintenance of one’s body.

Our body is an important tool in our spiritual journey. Nowhere in the Gita has Shri Krishna asked us to neglect it. In fact, here he is saying that one should absolutely perform action to maintain the body, including bathing it, feeding it, keeping it strong and fit, and going to the doctor if it is not working properly. It is an extremely practical teaching.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 48, Chapter 2

14 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in 2.48, bhootvaa, chapter 2 verse 48, dhananjaya, karmaani, kuru, saatvam, samaha, sangam, siddyasiddhyoh, tyaktvaa, uchyate, yoga, yogasthaha

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yogasthaha kuru karmaani sangam tyaktvaa dhananjaya |
siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhootvaa samatvam yoga uchyate || 48 ||

Perform action, established in yoga, and discard attachment, O Dhananjaya. Remain balanced in success and failure. Yoga is defined as equanimity.

yogasthaha : established in yoga
kuru : perform
karmaani : action
sangam : attachment
tyaktvaa : discard
dhananjaya : O Dhananjaya
siddhyasiddhyoh : in success and failure
samaha : balanced
bhootvaa : remain
samatvam : equanimity
yoga : yoga
uchyate : defined

This shloka pushes further the teaching of Karmayoga by advising us to begin discarding our attachments to objects in the material world. Obviously, we will not be able to totally discard all our attachments in one day. This will take a long time. However, Shri Krishna asks us to slowly start treading on this path. Why is he asking us to do so? He wants us to diminish our hankering for the outcome of our actions, and the only way to do that is by reducing our attachments to the material world.

Consider a mother who takes care of her 5 year old child. She gets extremely attached to it and develops lots of expectations: my child will take care of me when it grows up, it will become a doctor etc. If those things don’t happen, she will generate lots of sorrow for herself. But a nanny taking care of a child will not be attached to it. She will perform her svadharma by taking good care of child. However, she will have zero expectations from the child, and therefore she will be able to maintain equanimity in action.

The only difference between the mother and the nanny is their attitude – one is attached, one is unattached. And the one that has attachments has expectations for the future, the other does not.

Now in this shloka we encounter Shri Krishna defining the term “yoga”. It has nothing to do with arcane rituals. It has nothing to do with complex physical postures. It is a surprisingly simple and practical definition: equanimity of mind during performance of action. It is how the nanny operated in the earlier example.

So what is the practical technique to cast off attachments? How do we actually do this? We have to rid ourself of all expectations and worries about the future, as well as memories of the past. If we eliminate constant thinking about past and future, we can channel all that energy into the present moment and into executing the task at hand.

We probably have experienced instances in our lives where we were so joyfully and blissfully immersed in our work that we forgot where we were and what time it was. But those experiences were few and far between. By going deeper into each and every task we perform, no matter how big or small the task, we will minimize past and future thinking, which will enable us to remain balanced regardless of success and failure. This is the true definition of yoga.

To recap, our toolkit contains 3 techniques: reducing unnecessary thoughts, improving quality of thought, and focusing on the task and hand. We can practice this teaching with mundane tasks, and move on to more complex ones. Next time we wash dishes, lets give each movement of the hand our single and undivided attention, and try to sustain it while washing each and every dish. Give it a shot, see what happens.

Footnotes

1. There are four kinds of attachment: attachment to result (I want a reward for singing this song), action (I will sing a song only in my way), doership (I will song the song, not anyone else), non-doership (I am the non-singer of this song).

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 1

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by in chapter 1 verse 12, dadhamau, harsham, kuru, naada, pitaamaha, prataapavaan, sanjayanan, shankham, simha, tasya, uchchaiha, vinadya, vriddhaha

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tasya sanjanayanharsham kuruvriddha pitaamaha |
simhanaada vinadyochchai shankamdadhamau prataapavaan || 12 ||
 
Then the valiant Bheeshma, elder of the Kuru dynasty, blew his conch loudly, a sound as mighty as the roar of a lion, delighting Duryodhana.
 
prataapavaan: valiant
kuru-vriddhaha pitaamaha: Bheeshma, an elder of the Kuru dynasty
simha-naada vinadya: roaring like a lion
shankham dadhamau: blew his conch
uchchaiha: very loudly
tasya harsham sanjayanan: increasing delight of the king
 
This is the first verse in a series of verses which indicate the beginning of the Mahabharata war. Traditionally, conches were blown to announce the start of the war. Bheeshma, sensing the fear in Duryodhana, blew his conch so that Duryodhana felt confident that his army was still on his side.
 
It also indicates the dependence of Duryodhana’s ego on external circumstances, such as the roar of conches, in order to strengthen itself, instead of an innate belief that his army was on his side.