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Category Archives: padam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 56, Chapter 18

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in 18.56, avaapnoti, avyayam, chapter 18 verse 56, kurvaanaha, madvyapaashrayaha, matprasaadaat, padam, sadaa, sarvakarmaani, shaashvatam

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sarvakarmaanyapi sadaa kurvaano madvyapaashrayaha |
matprasaadaadavaapnoti shaashvatam padamavyayam || 56 ||
 
Always engaging even in all actions, one who considers me as his refuge, through my grace attains that eternal, imperishable state.
 
sarvakarmaani : all actions
api : even
sadaa : always
kurvaanaha : engaging
madvyapaashrayaha : one to whom I am the refuge
matprasaadaat : through my grace
avaapnoti : attains
shaashvatam : eternal
padam : state
avyayam : imperishable
 
Arjuna, after having heard the final message of the Gita discourse, would probably have had felt quite dejected and sad, like many of us. Unless one gave up all actions, took up a life of a monk, lived in a secluded place and contemplated constantly upon the eternal essence, liberation is not possible. How many of us, who are currently quite entrenched in the world, can see ourselves taking up a path of monkhood? It is next to impossible. We may begin to think that the Gita is not for us.
 
Anticipating this frustration, Shri Krishna brought the discourse back to Arjuna’s level, as it were. Arjuna, like us, was not in a state to renounce his actions and retire to a state of monkhood. Shri Krishna reassured Arjuna that liberation is absolutely possible for such people. It is because of one key point. Whether one continues to act in this world, or takes up renunciation, liberation is entirely up to the grace of Ishvara. We can make all the preparations we want to fall asleep, but ultimately, whether or not we fall asleep is not in our hands.
 
So then, having known this, Arjuna, who had temporarily given up hope of attaining the shaashvata avyaya padam, the eternal and imperishable state of liberation, regained his interest in the discourse. Shri Krishna now began winding up the entire Gita, by summarizing its key aspects from a very practical standpoint. The simple practical advice given here is to continue performing our duty, not to worry too much if we inadvertently perform a prohibited action, and to consider Ishvara as the one and only one aashraya, the ultimate refuge.

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Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 15

10 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.5, adhyaatmanityaa, amoodhaahaa, avyayam, chapter 15 verse 5, dvandvaihi, gachhanti, jitasangadoshaa, nirmaanamohaa, padam, sukhaduhkhasangnaihi, vimuktaahaa, vinivrittakaamaahaa

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nirmaanamohaa jitasangadoshaa adhyaatmanityaa vinivrittakaamaahaa |
dvandvairvimuktaahaa sukhaduhkhasangnairgachhantyamoodhaahaa padamavyayam tat || 5 ||
 
Free from pride and delusion, with the defect of attachment conquered, always dwelling in the self, liberated from the pairs of opposites known as joy and sorrow, ignorance-free individuals attain that imperishable goal.
 
nirmaanamohaa : free from pride and delusion
jitasangadoshaa : conquered the defect of attachment
adhyaatmanityaa : always dwelling in the self
vinivrittakaamaahaa : abandoned all desires
dvandvaihi : from pairs of opposites
vimuktaahaa : liberated
sukhaduhkhasangnaihi : known as joy and sorrow
gachhanti : attain
amoodhaahaa : ignorance-free individuals
padam : goal
avyayam : imperishable
tat : that
 
If one has to seek refuge in Ishvara, per the previous shloka, what should be the qualifications of such a seeker? This complex and elaborate topic has been very nicely packed into one shloka by Shri Krishna. The first qualification of a seeker is the absence, or at least, reduction of the sense of I and mine. Candidates who are interviewing for a new position frequently pass off an entire team’s effort as their own. It is very easy to spot the inflated sense of pride in them. And even if they spent a few minutes contributing to a project, they still have the notion that it is their project, nobody else’s. Shri Krishna says that this I and mine notion, this pride and delusion has to go away in a seeker.
 
Once the I and mine notion has diminished to some extent, the seeker has to focus on where is he stuck, where is his attachment in this world. Some may be attached to their profession, some may be attached to their family, some may be perversely attached to their enemies also. But, if we slowly unwind the attachments towards their source, we will find that the seeker is attached to his body. The attachment to the body, and the consequent fear of death, is the toughest attachment for the seeker to tackle. A certain level of dispassion towards the body, accomplished through control of the mind and senses, is a prerequisite to worship of Ishvara. When this happens, desires that are a by product of attachment, also diminish.
 
So, two qualifications are covered so far: absence of I and mine notion, and conquering one’s attachments. Only then will we be able to focus on the main goal, which is daily absorption in the self, adhyaatma nitya. But how do we remain in this state constantly? By being vigilant of labelling the two pairs of opposites – likes and dislikes, joy and sorrow, praise and censure and so on and so forth. Even a whiff of wind on either side of a tightrope walker is sufficient to bring him down. Likes and dislikes have the ability to distract us from our goal. We should not pay too much attention to them, just observe them silently as they come and go. This is forbearance or titkshaa. This will enable us to completely remove ignorance of the true nature of our self, and to reach the abode of Ishvara, described in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 15

09 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.4, aadyam, bhooyaha, chapter 15 verse 4, gataaha, nivartanti, padam, parimaargatavyam, prapadye, prasritaa, pravrittihi, puraanee, purusham, tataha, yasmin, yataha

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tataha padam tatparimaargatavyam yasmingataa na nivartanti bhooyaha |
tameva chaadyam purusham prapadye yataha pravrittihi prasritaa puraanee || 4 ||
 
Then that goal should be sought, having attained which, none return again. I seek refuge in that original Purusha from which has sprung this ancient sprout.
 
tataha : then
padam : goal
tat : that
parimaargatavyam : sought
yasmin : by which
gataaha : having attained
na : not
nivartanti : return
bhooyaha : again
tam : that
eva : only
cha : and
aadyam : original
purusham : Purusha
prapadye : seek refuge
yataha : from whom
pravrittihi : sprung
prasritaa : sprout
puraanee : ancient
 
A family of tourists is driving around in a new city without the help of a map or a GPS device. A left turn here, a right turn there, and they are utterly lost. The wife asks the husband to stop the car and ask a shopkeeper for directions. The husband says no, and continues driving in circles for an hour. The wife yells at the husband who finally agrees to ask a shopkeeper for directions. This is an all too common occurrence. Unless the ego is surrendered, even material knowledge is far from reach.
 
Shri Krishna says : All of you are thoroughly lost in the cycle of action and reaction, the tree of samsaara. So take refuge in me. I am the original Purusha, the root from which this tree of samsaara has sprung up. I have created this universe like a magician creates his illusion. Don’t get lost in the branches of the tree which are fueled by the three gunas of Prakriti. Come straight to the source, which is me. I am giving you a hand to save you from drowning in samsaara. Hold it tightly and do not let it go. This is the meaning of the word prapatti, which had also come up in the seventh chapter.
 
This prapatti, this seeking of refuge in Ishvara will help us cultivate dispassion towards samsaara. But this dispassion will not come overnight, it will come gradually. First, karma yoga has to be practised as prescribed by Shri Krishna. We should reduce selfish actions, increase selfless actions, then drop our attitude of doership. We cannot have it both ways – we cannot love Ishvara and love the material world at the same time. If we cannot control our mind and senses, we have yet to cultivate real devotion for Ishvara. Devotion, coupled with dispassion towards the world, will result in our liberation, the goal from which we will not have to return back to the material world.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 8

08 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.11, aksharam, brahmacharyam, chapter 8 verse 11, charanti, ichchantaha, l sangrahena, padam, pravakshye, tat, te, vadanti, vedavidaha, veetaraagaahaa, vishanti, yat, yatayaha

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yadaksharam vedavido vadanti vishanti yadyatayo veetaraagaahaa |
yadichchanto brahmacharyam charanti tatte padam sangrahena pravakshye || 11 ||
 
That which is declared imperishable by the knowers of the Vedas, that which dispassionate sages enter, that whose desire leads them to engage in the study of brahman; for you, I shall speak of that goal, in summary.
 
yat : that which
aksharam : impersishable
vedavidaha : knowers of Vedas
vadanti : declared
vishanti : enter
yat : that which
yatayaha : sages
veetaraagaahaa : dispassionate
yat : that which
ichchantaha : desiring
brahmacharyam : study of brahman
charanti : engage
tat : that
te : for you
padam : goal
sangrahena : in summary
pravakshye : I shall speak
 
Having spoken of the technique of meditating upon Ishvara’s form, Shri Krishna now begins the topic of meditating upon Ishvara’s name. This shloka is written in the style of the Upanishads, and just like the previous shloka, is in a different meter.
 
Before the actual technique of meditation is described, Shri Krishna highlights the qualifications of the seeker who is about to perform this meditation. He should be free of selfish desires, likes and dislikes, indicated by the word “veetaraagaahaa”. We have already encountered this word under the topic of karma yoga. Strong passions or dislikes become obstacles in meditation as they push the mind to jump from one thought to the other. Only one who has managed to control the mind can perform such meditation.
 
The seeker should also possess a strong desire to inquire into the knowledge of the eternal essence, indicated by the word “brahmachaari”. The typical meaning of this word, celibacy, is not used here. It is used to indicate one who “moves around” or is preoccupied with the study of brahman or the eternal essence. Most of us, however, are preoccupied with actions. We are “karmachaaris”. Preoccupation with action will also become an obstacle in meditation, as we have already seen in the sixth chapter.
 
Endowed with these qualifications, the seeker is ready to meditate upon that which is considered as the ultimate goal: the imperishable Ishvara or “aksharam”. What is the process by which one can perform this meditation? This is taken up in the next two shlokas.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 51, Chapter 2

17 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in 2.51, anaamayam, buddhiyuktaha, chapter 2 verse 51, gacchanti, hi, janmabandhavinirmuktaahaa, karmajam, maneeshinaha, padam, phalam, tyaktvaa

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karmajam buddhiyukta hi phalam tyaktvaa maneeshinaha |
janmabandhavinirmuktaahaa padam gacchantyanaamayam || 51 ||

Thus, the wise individual who performs actions with equanimity is liberated from the entanglements of birth, and attains the immaculate state.

karmajam : of action
buddhiyuktaha : with equanimity
hi : thus
phalam : result
tyaktvaa : give up
maneeshinaha : wise individual
janmabandhavinirmuktaahaa : liberated from entanglements of birth
padam : state
gacchanti : attains
anaamayam : immaculate

With this shloka, Shri Krishna concludes the introduction to Karmayoga in this chapter. Here, he tells us that one who continually practices Karmayoga frees himself from the entanglements of birth. Let’s look at this in more detail.

Our experience tells us that desires are never ending. Most material desires, once fulfilled, give rise to new ones. For instance, most immigrants to a country such as the US usually arrive with modest means. They rent a flat till they know where they plan to settle long term. And then the desires begin to manifest.

In a few years they take out a loan to buy a house. A house usually has a lawn. So you need a lawnmover, a leafblower, fertilizer, sprinkler system and so on to take care of the lawn. In addition, you need a car to get around. In time, one car is not enough – you need two. And since the neighbour has a Mercedes, you need to get one as well. Similarly with a TV – you start with 32 inch, then 60 inch, then 3D capability, home theatre system etc. Each desire, once fulfilled, gives birth to a new one.

So the shloka here says that this endless cycle of desire after desire entangles us in the material world. And therefore, one uses the discipline of Karmayoga to break out of it so that you reach that state where there are no desires or blemishes in one’s personality – what is termed here as the immaculate state.

Let’s summarize the key points of Karmayoga that we have seen in this chapter. Karmayoga is the performance of actions with equanimity of mind. We also looked at a 3-step toolkit to implement Karmayoga in our lives:
1. Reduce unnecessary thoughts of material objects that do not pertain to our svadharma
2. Improve quality of necessary thoughts by removing extreme attachment and hatred
3. Perform actions focusing on the present moment, without attachment to the result of action