Category Archives: nigachhati

Bhagavad Gita Verse 36, Chapter 18

24 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.36, abhyaasaat, bharatarshabha, chapter 18 verse 36, duhkhaantam, idaaneem, nigachhati, ramate, shrunu, sukham, trividham, yatra

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sukham tvidaaneem trividham shrunu me bharatarshabha |
abhyaasaadramate yatra duhkhaantam cha nigachhati || 36 ||
 
Now, listen also to the three types of joy from me, O foremost among Bharatas, in which one enjoys its practice and attains the end of sorrow.
 
sukham : joy
tu : also
idaaneem : now
trividham : three types
shrunu : listen
me : from me
bharatarshabha : O foremost among Bharatas
abhyaasaat : practice
ramate : enjoys
yatra : in which
duhkhaantam : end of sorrow
cha : and
nigachhati : attains
 
At the end of the day, the end goal of any endeavour or action is to eliminate some type of sorrow, whether it is in the short term to remove hunger, or it is in the long term to prevent financial instability in our family. The lifecycle of an action begins with Vaasanaas. These Vaasanaas or deep rooted impressions create thoughts, some of these thoughts become desires, and consequently, desires become actions. When the action is complete and the target of the action is attained, the desire subsides, and the mind is free of desires for a split second. This stillness of the mind results in joy.
 
Shri Krishna says that even this joy obtained as the result of an action is in the realm of Prakrirti. Any by product of an action is in the realm of Prakriti since actions themselves are in Prakriti. So therefore, this joy can also be classified into three types, which are saattvic, raajasic and taamasic. This also mean that the type of joy obtained is closely related to the knowledge, doer and action behind obtaining that joy. A taamasic action will not result in saattvic joy.
 
Shri Krishna also adds that the complete end of sorrow is only obtained through saattvic joy. This is because the other two types of joy, raajasic and taamasic, are mixed and impure respectively. They either have a tinge of sattva, or none at all. Furthermore, saattvic joy is such that having tasted it even a little bit, one becomes so attracted to it that one delights in performing actions that result in sattvic joy. That is why, saattvic joy is described in detail in the next shloka.

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.