Category Archives: prithvyaam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 40, Chapter 18

28 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.40, chapter 18 verse 40, deveshu, divi, ebhihi, gunaihe, muktam, prakritijaihi, prithvyaam, punaha, sattvam, syaat, tribhihi

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na tadasti prithvyaam vaa divi deveshu vaa punaha |
sattvam prakritijairmuktam yadebhihi syaattribhirgunaihe || 40 ||
 
There is no being on earth, or in heaven, or among the gods, or also in heaven, which can be free from the three gunaas born of Prakriti.
 
na : no
tat : that
asti : is
prithvyaam : on earth
vaa : or
divi : in heaven
deveshu : among gods
vaa : or
punaha : or also
sattvam : being
prakritijaihi : born of Prakriti
muktam : free
yat : which
ebhihi : these
syaat : there is
tribhihi : three
gunaihe : from gunaas
 
We are at the halfway mark of the eighteenth shloka, so let us recap what we have come across so far. The chapter began with Arjuna asking Shri Krishna about the difference between sanyaasa and tyaaga. Shri Krishna did not answer this question directly, but addressed the topic of karma yoga, which is the same as tyaaga. He ended this topic by declaring that the consequence or the fruit of action binds those who are attached to personal reward, and does not bind to those who are not attached. Next, he analyzed knowledge, action, agent, intellect, fortitude and happiness with the framework of the three gunaas, which is concluded with this shloka.
 
Shri Krishna summarizes this analysis by proclaiming the dominion of the three gunaas. He says that there is no being, object or entity, living or inert, that is beyond the influence of the gunaas. The gunaas work throughout the universe, and not just in a certain part of it, like the earth. We may be tempted to take this proclamation in a negative sense by accepting that there is no escape from the grip of Prakriti, no liberation. But that is not the case. The proclamation is meant to reinforce one of the central messages of the Gita, which is that Prakriti by itself is not the problem, it is our identification with Prakriti that is the problem we need to tackle.
 
The nature of this predicament was referenced in the fifteenth chapter through the illustration of the upside down tree which comprises the three gunaas. Only through the axe of detachment can this tree be destroyed. But, given that everything ultimately is under the influence of Prakriti, how can such a weapon be obtained? How can the identification with Prakriti be ended? Before this fundamental question is taken up, Shri Krishna spends a few shlokas on another preparatory topic next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 7

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in 7.9, asmi, bhooteshu, cha, gandhaha, jeevanam, prithvyaam, punyaha, sarva, tapaha, tapasvishu, tejaha, vibhaavasau

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punyo gandhaha prithvyaam cha tejashchaasmi vibhaavasau |
jeevanam sarvabhooteshu tapashchaasmi tapasvishu || 9 ||
 
I am the pleasant fragrance in earth and the brightness in fire. I am the life-force in all beings, and the austerity in the austere.
 
punyaha : pleasant
gandhaha : fragrance
prithvyaam : in the earth
cha : and
tejaha : brightness
cha : and
asmi : I am
vibhaavasau : in fire
jeevanam : life force
sarva : all
bhooteshu : in beings
tapaha : austerity
cha : and
asmi : I am
tapasvishu : austere
 
Earlier, Shri Krishna said that he is the taste in water, the light in the sun and moon, Om in the Vedas, sound in space, and valour in men. He now continues to list his glories or vibhootis in this shloka.
 
No fragrance can be compared to that which arises from the earth after the first shower in the monsoon season in India. You have to experience it yourself. Shri Krishna says that whenever we smell that pleasant fragrance, we should know that it is Ishvara in the form of that fragrance. Furthermore, Shri Shankaraachaarya in his commentary goes on to say that any fragrance is a product of prakriti or nature, and any odour is a product of ignorance or avidya.
 
Next, if we are asked to imagine that entity which contains the hottest fire, we immediately think of the sun. Even if we intellectually know that there are other stars that are much larger than the sun, we still think of the sun as the brightest and the hottest entity. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is the heat or brilliance in fire everywhere, including the sun and the stars. In other words, the brilliance of the sun is darkness compared to the brilliance of Ishvara.
 
We intuitively know that there is a life force or life principle that distinguishes inert objects from plants, animals and humans. Our heart becomes joyful when we see an abundance of this life force, especially in children. Shri Krishna says that it is Ishvara that is the life force or life principle present in all plants, animals and human beings.
 
Finally, Shri Krishna brings up the topic of tapas or austerity. What is tapas? It is the energy that builds up in our body when we check the movement of our senses and our mind. We notice that whenever we over-indulge in eating, drinking, watching too much TV or partying, we feel drained of all our energy. Conversely, when we control our senses and our mind, we will find an increase in our energy levels. This energy is tapas, and Shri Krishna says that this tapas is Ishvara.