Category Archives: purushottamam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 15

24 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.19, asammoodhaha, bhaarata, bhajati, chapter 15 verse 19, jaanaati, purushottamam, sarvabhaavena, sarvavit

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yo maamevamasammoodho jaanaati purushottamam |
sa sarvavidbhajati maam sarvabhaavena bhaarata || 19 ||
 
One who knows me in this manner, without delusion, knows me as the foremost person, he, knowing all, worships me from all viewpoints, O Bhaarata.
 
yaha : one who
maam : me
evam : in this manner
asammoodhaha : without delusion
jaanaati : knows
purushottamam : foremost person
saha : he
sarvavit : knowing all
bhajati : worship
maam : my
sarvabhaavena : from all viewpoints
bhaarata : O Bhaarata
 
It is said that once a travelling circus came to a village with a most unique attraction known as the tent of mirrors. Anyone who entered it would see a whole army of their own selves due to the mirrors reflecting back and forth indefinitely. A dog entered this tent, saw an infinite number of dogs that looked like him, was afraid and started barking in fear. A passerby went in to see what was going on. Now when he saw himself in those infinite reflections, he thought to himself – I see myself everywhere, how nice this is!
 
Shri Krishna says that when we see our “I” as no different from anyone or anything else, when we do not pay attention to the name and form but to the self or aatmaa that is the basis of all name and form, that is the correct way of knowing Purushottama, the foremost person. Any other way of conceptualizing Purushottama or the eternal essence will involve some degree of delusion, some trace of name and form involvement. Worship of Ishvara as a deity with name and form is an essential step in the direction of realizing the Purushottama who is beyond all name and form.
 
When one reaches this conclusion of one’s spiritual journey, there is nothing else left to be known in this world. Such a person becomes sarvavit, all knowing. He will develop sarvaatma bhaava, he will see himself in everything and everyone. So then, no matter the viewpoint, whatever angle, whatever pursuit he will undertake after this knowledge, it will be in worship of this Purushottama. This is the grand message of the Bhagavad Gita.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 11

17 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in 11.3, aatmaanam, aattha, aishvaram, chapter 11 verse 3, drishtum, etat, evam, ichchaami, parameshavara, purushottamam, roopam, te, tvam, yathaa

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evametadyathaattha tvamaatmaanam parameshavara |
drishtumichchaami te roopamaishvaram purushottamam || 3 ||
 
As you have spoken about yourself, so is it, O supreme Ishvara. I wish to see your divine form, O supreme person.
 
evam : it is that
etat : this
yathaa : as
aattha : spoken
tvam : you
aatmaanam : yourself
parameshavara : supreme Ishvara
drishtum : to see
ichchaami : I wish
te : your
roopam : form
aishvaram : divine
purushottamam : O supreme person
 
When someone describes the plot and special effects of the latest Hollywood summer blockbuster to us, and our curiosity and interest for that movie increases, we reach a point when we say “I want to see that movie right now, and I want to see it on a large IMAX screen”. Why does that happen? Of the five sense organs, the organ of sight is the dearest to us. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
 
Similarly, Arjuna’s curiosity towards Shri Krishna had reached its peak at this point. That is why he asked Shri Krishna, who was the “avatar” or incarnation of Ishvara, to reveal his divine form that was described in the last shloka of the previous chapter. How magnificent would that form be, if this entire universe was sustained by only a fraction of Ishvara, and if all of the divine expressions were contained in Ishvara. In addition to the might and grandeur of this form, Arjuna also wanted to see how everything originated, existed and dissolved within Ishvara, and finally, how everything was Ishvara in essence.
 
We call something divine when it is endowed with the attributes of knowledge, lordship, power, prowess and brilliance. Arjuna put in a request to Shri Krishna to see that that form, where it is possible to have this vision of many in one. However, the sincere Arjuna did not order to command Shri Krishna to show that form. He qualified his request with a great deal of humility, which we see in the upcoming shloka.