Category Archives: lokaan

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 14

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by in 14.14, amalaan, chapter 14 verse 14, dehabhrita, lokaan, pralayam, pratipadyate, pravriddhe, sattve, tadaa, tu, uttamavidaan, yaati, yada

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yada sattve pravriddhe tu pralayam yaati dehabhrita |
tadottamavidaan lokaanamalaanpratipadyate || 14 ||
 
When sattva is predominant, and the body dweller reaches his end, then he attains the immaculate worlds of the knowers of the highest.
 
yada : when
sattve : sattva
pravriddhe : predominant
tu : and
pralayam : end
yaati : reaches
dehabhrita : body dweller
tadaa : then
uttamavidaan : knowers of the highest
lokaan : worlds
amalaan : immaculate
pratipadyate : attains
 
Now, Shri Krishna explains the effects of each gunaa from the perspective of reincarnation. He says that one whose mind is in a sattvic state during the time of death travels to realms that are subtler than the human world. These realms are termed as “Brahmaloka”, the abode of Lord Brahma. It is said that there is no room for any desire, sorrow or disease in such realms, given the complete absence of rajas or tamas. Such people, however, are still subject to the bondages caused by sattva, as discussed previously.
 
Let us revisit the example of the young child who has developed a strong identification with a television character played by the actor “ABC”. ABC’s run as an action hero in a popular TV show has ended. He has decided to play the role of a serious professor in his new TV series. The young child now has a choice. He can either continue to identify with ABC in his new role as a professor, or find another TV show with an action hero to identify with. The choice depends on the young child’s mental state. If it is heavily rajasic, he will find another action hero. If it has some sattva, he will follow ABC as a professor.
 
Similarly, our desires and thoughts, which are driven by the gunaas that influence us, will determine our fate after this physical body drops. The subtle body, which is nothing but our desires and thoughts, will attract another physical body that enables it to carry out those desires. It is almost similar to DNA shaping a body based on the programming it contains. Therefore, if our subtle body harbours sattvic thoughts, it will gain entry into a highly sattvic body after death. But if it continues to harbour rajasic or tamasic thoughts, it will obtain a different destination. This is explained in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 32, Chapter 11

15 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in 11.32, api, asmi, avasthitaahaa, bhavishyanti, chapter 11 verse 32, kaalaha, lokaan, lokakshayakrit, na, pratyaneekeshu, pravruddhaha, pravruttaha, rite, samaahartumiha, sarve, tvaam, ye, yodhaahaa

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Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
kaalosmi lokakshayakritpravruddho lokaansamaahartumiha pravruttaha |
ritepi tvaam na bhavishyanti sarve yevasthitaahaa pratyaneekeshu yodhaahaa || 32 ||

Shree Bhagavaan said:
I am time, the seasoned annihilator of the worlds, engaged in destroying all these people. Even without your (effort), all those hostile warriors will not exist in the future.

kaalaha : time
asmi : I am
lokakshayakrit : annihilator of the worlds
pravruddhaha : seasoned
lokaan : people
samaahartumiha : this destruction
pravruttaha : engaged
rite : without
api : even
tvaam : your
na : not
bhavishyanti : exist in the future
sarve : all
ye : those
avasthitaahaa : situated
pratyaneekeshu : hostile
yodhaahaa : warriors

After a long wait, Shri Krishna, as the cosmic form, spoke to Arjuna, revealing himself and his mission of destroying the universe and all the living beings residing in it. It is said that Robert Oppenheimer, creator of the atom bomb, uttered this shloka when he saw the power of his creation for the first time. Shri Krishna declared himself to be “kaala”, which means time as well as death. They mean the same thing because in time, everything dies. He also used the word “pravruddha” which means mature or seasoned, indicating that he was well versed in the task of destruction, that it wasn’t a one time thing.

Our mind works within the gamut of space and time, therefore it is difficult to comprehend what Arjuna saw. He probably saw the past, the present and the future happening in an instant, all at the same time. With this vision, Shri Krishna was able to show the future to Arjuna. The Mahaabhaarata war had ended, leaving few Kaurava warriors alive. In other words, Shri Krishna himself had determined that the war would be won by the Paandavas. They fought like any other army would, but the real work behind the scenes was done by Shri Krishna.

Many of us sometimes think, what will happen if I stop working one day? Lest we attach undue importance to our actions and puff up our ego, Shri Krishna gives us a lesson in humility. He reveals that ultimately, it is he who is running the show. If he wants to do something, he will do it with whatever means available, even if it means generating a thought in one person or in a million people.

Now, if we hear this, we may think, why should I do anything at all? I can retire right away since it is ultimately Ishvara who is doing everything. Arjuna probably had the same thought. He would have wondered what was the need for him to fight, reinforcing the argument he made in the first chapter when we wanted to run away from the war.

Anticipating this, Shri Krishna makes a bold statement in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 30, Chapter 11

13 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by in 11.30, apoorya, bhaasaha, chapter 11 verse 30, grasmaanaha, jagat, jvalabhdihi, lelihyaase, lokaan, prapanti, samagraan, samagram, samantaat, tava, tejobhihi, ugraahaa, vadanaihi :, vishno

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lelihyaase grasmaanaha samantaallokaansamagraanvadanairjvalabhdihi |
tejobhiraapoorya jagatsamagram bhaasastavograahaa prapanti vishno || 30 ||
 
Devouring everyone from all sides, through your fiery mouths, you are licking (your lips). Your terrible rays, filling the universe with brilliance, are burning everything, O Vishnu.
 
lelihyaase : licking
grasmaanaha : devouring
samantaat : from all sides
lokaan : people
samagraan : all
vadanaihi : through mouths
jvalabhdihi : fiery
tejobhihi : with brilliance
apoorya : filling
jagat : universe
samagram : everything
bhaasaha : rays
tava : your
ugraahaa : terrible
prapanti : burning
vishno : O Vishnu
 
When we are enjoying a particulary tasty meal, we cannot resist licking our fingers and lips. It is a sign that we would like to have more. Also in Indian culture, wasting of food is not allowed, so we lick our fingers to ensure that nothing goes to waste. In the same way, Ishvara in his cosmic form thoroughly enjoys the process of destruction. He also ensures that nothing is spared, nothing goes to waste. Everything and everyone ultimately is destroyed.
 
Now, we may ask, isn’t it cruel to derive pleasure from destruction? It may be true from a relative standpoint, but not from the absolute standpoint. If old trees and animals do not die in a jungle, new ones cannot be created. If old businesses aren’t allowed to fail, new startups cannot bring innovative products to the market. If no one dies, the earth is unable to sustain the needs of an infinitely growing population.
 
Destruction is a necessary part of life. If we think like an individual, destruction is painful. If we think like Ishvara, destruction is enjoyable. It also creates dispassion towards the miseries of our human body, since we know it will eb destroyed to create something new.
 
Arjuna continues to describe what he sees. He says that the rays of fire that are emitted by Shri Krishna are burning up the universe with their heat. He wants to take those fiery rays away. Since Shri Krishna has not yet listened to him, he asks him a question with the hope of gaining attention, and potentially, bringing back the form of Shri Krishna that he loves.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 16, Chapter 10

16 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.16, aatma, arhasi, asheshena, chapter 10 verse 16, divyaahaa, hi, imaan, lokaan, tishthasi, tvam, vaktum, vibhootayaha, vibhootibhihi, vyaapya, yaabhihi

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vaktumarhasyasheshena divyaa hyaatmavibhootayaha |
yaabhirvibhootibhirlokaanimaanstvam vyaapya tishthasi || 16 ||
 
Only you are capable of describing your divine expressions in totality. You are established in the universes by pervading them with these expressions.
 
vaktum : describing
arhasi : you are capable
asheshena : in totality
divyaahaa : divine
hi : only
aatma : your
vibhootayaha : expressions
yaabhihi : which
vibhootibhihi : by expressions
lokaan : universes
imaan : these
tvam : you
vyaapya : by pervading
tishthasi : established
 
Arjuna, eager to know the true nature of Ishvara, now understood that Ishvara is not some third party that creates and sustains the universe by standing outside of it. To that end, he acknowledges that Ishvara is part and parcel of the universe by saying that Ishvara has established himself by pervading the entire universe with his manifestations and expressions. It is like saying that the Internet, by pervading our every activity, has established itself in our
life.
 
With this realization, Arjuna begins to request Shri Krishna to give him a detailed understanding of Ishvara’s expressions. Since Ishvara is the origin, the first cause, only Ishvara in the form of Shri Krishna is capable or competent to reveal his true nature to Arjuna.
 
For example, only a really old person who was alive during the Indian freedom struggle can reveal details to us that we may never hear about or read about anywhere else. Similarly, only Ishvara can reveal his divine opulence and glories. It is said that the Vedas, also known as “shruti”, are the mouthpiece of Ishvara. The Gita has been derived from the Vedas.
 
Arjuna, having praised Ishvara, now begins asking his question in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 41, Chapter 6

18 Friday May 2012

Posted by in abhijaayate, chapter 6 verse 41, gehe, illustrious, lokaan, praapya, punyakritaam, samaaha, shaashvateeh, shreemataam, shucheenaam, ushitvaa, yogabrasht

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praapya punyakritaam lokaanushitvaa shaashvateeh samaaha |
hucheenaam shreemataam gehe yogabrashtobhijaayate || 41 ||
 
Obtaining those worlds destined for performers of virtuous deeds, and residing there for several years, that one who has fallen from yoga is born in the home of the pure and illustrious.
 
praapya : having obtained
punyakritaam : performers of virtuous deeds
lokaan : worlds of
ushitvaa : resided
shaashvateeh : several
samaaha : years
shucheenaam : pure
shreemataam : illustrious
gehe : home
yogabrasht : that one who has fallen from yoga
abhijaayate : is born
 
Shri Krishna continues to answer Arjuna’s question with regards to what happens to the unfulfilled meditator after death. He says that such a meditator attains heaven, and having stayed there for a long period of time, he is born into an illustrious family.
 
Many of us strive to perform meritorious acts or “punya” throughout our life, and at the same time try to avoid or minimize demerits or “paapa”. The difference between paapa and punya determines our fate after death. Those that have an excess of punya go to heaven after death, others go to hell. So Shri Krishna says that one who follows the path of meditation is automatically qualified to access the very same heaven that is attained by people who have performed immeasurable meritorious deeds. He does not have to worry about counting merits and demerits, he just has to continue meditating.
 
Now, no matter how much pleasure it gives, the stay in heaven is always temporary. Once the allotted time runs out, the unfulfilled meditator will have to come back into the world. But it will not be such a bad thing. He will attain an environment that is conducive for continuing his spiritual journey. Shri Krishna says that such a person will be born into an illustrious family, one that is endowed not only with material wealth but also spiritual prowess.
 
Why should such a family need to have material wealth? The primary reason for the meditator to remain unfulfilled is that he still carried around traced of material desire. The new family that he is born into will give him the opportunity to get those material desires out of his system. As we have seen earlier, perfect meditation is possible only when material desires are addressed holistically.
 
Many of us may not be able to digest the notion of heaven and rebirth. In any case, Shri Krishna wants to assure us that the very laws of nature that take care of the meditator while he is alive will ensure that he will be taken care of even after death.
 
Do all unfulfilled meditators attain this state? Shri Krishna goes into this topic next.