Category Archives: samsiddhim

Bhagavad Gita Verse 45, Chapter 18

03 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in 18.45, abhirataha, chapter 18 verse 45, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, karmani, labhate, naraha, samsiddhim, shrunu, siddhim, svakarmanirataha, vindanti

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sve sve karmanyabhirataha samsiddhim labhate naraha |
svakarmanirataha siddhim yathaa vindanti tachhrunu || 45 ||
 
Engaged in his own duty, each person attains the foremost accomplishment. How one can attain this accomplishment by being content in his duty, that you hear from me.
 
sve : own
karmani : through duty
abhirataha : engaged
samsiddhim : foremost accomplishment
labhate : attains
naraha : person
svakarmanirataha : content in his duty
siddhim : accomplishment
yathaa : how
vindanti : attains
tat : that
shrunu : hear from me
 
The Vedas recognized the system of varna as a means for every individual to realize their potential. They enabled everyone to contribute to society as per their mental makeup and aptitude. Every action performed in accordance with one’s duty yielded a meritorious fruit or punya, and every, and every action that went against one’s duty yielded a demerit or a paapa. The net result of punyas and paapas decided the fate of every individual. One would gain a life that was better or worse than the current one based on their actions.
 
But there is more to the performance of duty than the cycle of action, reaction and rebirth. Shri Krishna says that performance of duty can become the gateway towards liberation. As we have seen earlier, the Gita enables each and every individual, regardless of their occupation or stage in life, to pursue the path of liberation. We do not have to renounce our actions and become sadhus or monks. We just have to keep doing our duty. The result of doing our duty is samsiddhi, perfection, the foremost accomplishment.
 
The ultimate goal of karma yoga is purification of the mind. It cleans the mind of all its impurities in the form of selfish desires created by raaga and dvesha, likes and dislikes. It is this purification of the mind that becomes the foremost accomplishment, samsiddhi, for one who is performing karma yoga. But mere performance of duty will not result in samsiddhi. There is something else needed, which Shri Krishna will reveal in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 8

12 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.15, aapnuvanti, ashaashvatam, chapter 8 verse 15, duhkhaalayam, gataaha, maam, mahaatmaanaha, na, paramaam, punarjanma, samsiddhim, upetya

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maamupetya punarjanma duhkhaalayamashaashvatam |
naapnuvanti mahaatmaanaha samsiddhim paramaam gataaha || 15 ||
 
Having obtained me, these esteemed do not attain rebirth, the transient abode of sorrow. They attain the goal of supreme success.
 
maam : me
upetya : having obtained
punarjanma : rebirth
duhkhaalayam : abode of sorrow
ashaashvatam : transient
na : do not
aapnuvanti : they attain
mahaatmaanaha : esteemed individuals
samsiddhim : success
paramaam : supreme
gataaha : goal
 
What happens if we diligently meditate upon Ishvara while performing our duties? Shri Krishna provides the answer in this shloka. He says that such people do not attain rebirth after they die. They attain something much higher – they attain Ishvara himself.
 
First, let us examine how Shri Krishna describes our present condition. Our worldly existence is transient, which means that there is no sense of permanence. Look at our body. It grows from a small baby all the way into adulthood and old age. There is not one moment where it is the same. Similarly, all aspects of our life are impermanent. Therefore, Shri Krishna summarizes our existence in one word “duhkhaalaya” or abode of sorrow. It is a constant quest for happiness through impermanence, which is like trying to hold on to a bubble.
 
Most people are well entrenched in this pursuit thinking that it is normal. But some have figured out the fallacy in this pursuit and begun their journey towards Ishvara. They are referred to as “mahaatmaas” or esteemed individuals in this shloka. Those who sincerely pursue this path attain the supreme goal : Ishvara himself. If we get Ishvara, we will not get revisit the world ever again. It is like waking up from a dream – we will not get to go back. So if we hold on to the world, we will never get Ishvara. It is an either/or situation.
 
So therefore, once we decide that our goal is Ishvara, and develop dispassion or vairagya towards the world, we should diligently pursue karma yoga combined with meditation as prescribed by Shri Krishna in the Gita. Here, Shri Krishna concludes the topic of attainment of Ishvara through meditation. The next topic around creation and dissolution of the universe is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 3

29 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.20, aasthitaa, api, arhasi, chapter 3 verse 20, eva, hi, janakaadayaha, karmanaa, kartum, lokasangraham, sampshyan, samsiddhim

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karmanaiva hi samsiddhimaasthitaa janakaadayaha |
lokasangrahamevaapi sampashyankartumarhasi || 20 ||

Only through action did many like king Janaka attain perfection. So, even from the viewpoint of societal welfare should you perform action.

karmanaa : through action
eva : only
hi : also
samsiddhim : perfection
aasthitaaha : attained
janakaadayaha : many like king Janaka
lokasangraham : welfare of society
eva : only
api : even
sampashyan : with a view
kartum : action
arhasi : perform

Having provided the rationale for karmayoga, Shri Krishna began to provide examples of individuals who gained liberation through karmayoga. He wanted to demonstrate that it indeed was the right path to follow. Providing an example would also eliminate any doubt in Arjuna’s mind that karmayoga was a proven methodology, not a new invention.

The first example that Shri Krishna provided was that of king Janaka, an apt example since he was a warrior just like Arjuna. Many of us familiar with the Ramayana epic would recognize the name Janaka as the father of Sita, and the king of the Videha kingdom. But the word Janaka here is a post or a title. It refers to any king that was appointed to the throne because of his non-attachment to all material objects, even to his body. This is apparent in the word meaning of Videha which is “one who has given up identification with his body”.

Why would a kingdom appoint a king that has given up attachments? It is because someone without any attachment would make the most fair, rational and unbiased decisions in favour of the kingdom. He would not come under the sway of emotion or prejudice of any kind. Such kings were known to be excellent administrators. In addition, they were also perfect karmayogis, i.e. they were “sthitha-prajna” or men of perfect wisdom.

With this example, Shri Krishna also assured Arjuna that it was perfectly possible to attain the ultimate goal of realization, yet be working in this world. Arjuna did not need to run away from the war or his responsibilities at all.