• Get The Book
  • Home
  • About
  • Daily Prayer
  • Resources For Further Study

A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning

~ Gita Journey is a straightforward, modern, contemporary, basic explanation and commentary of the Bhagawat Gita, with Sanskrit to English word meanings. Each shloka (verse) is explained in detail. An introduction to the Bhagavad Gita along with study resources can also be found here. A summary of each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is also included. It does not matter whether you are a student, a retiree, a professional, a mom, a dad or a housewife – no prior knowledge is needed.

A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning

Category Archives: sankalpa

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 6

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in asheshataha, chapter 6 verse 24, indriyagraamam, kaamaan, manasaa, prabhavaan, samantataha, sankalpa, sarvaan, tyaktvaa, viniyamya

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 6

sankalpaprabhavaankaamaanstyaktvaa sarvaanasheshataha |
manasaivendriyagraamam viniyamya samantataha || 24 ||

 
Totally discarding all desires born out of thought projections, withdrawing the mind from sense objects everywhere.
 
sankalpa : thought projections
prabhavaan : born from
kaamaan : desires
tyaktvaa : discarding
sarvaan : all
asheshataha : totally
manasaa : mind
indriyagraamam : sense objects
viniyamya : withdrawing
samantataha : everywhere
 
In this and the next shloka, Shri Krishna gives us a method for dealing with one of the biggest challenges in meditation : uncontrolled desires. He says that in order to fulfill the goal of keeping the mind established in the self, we have to completely withdraw the mind from all sense objects and tackle desires at their root.
 
As we have seen in the “ladder of fall” in the second chapter, a thought is born as soon as we begin brooding or daydreaming over an object, person or situation towards which we have raaga (attraction) or dvesha (hatred). The more time we spend brooding on the object, the more force is gathered by the thought, just like a snowball gathering momentum.
 
It is this brooding over objects that we like or hate that has to be checked. Only this restraint will stop desires in their tracks. But to pull this off, we have to follow a multi-pronged approach. First, we have to be aware of our thinking process so that we can stop the brooding the instant it starts. It is just like stopping any phone calls or outside interference when we are in an important meeting. Next, we have to apply this technique to all types of brooding or daydreaming, not just to objects we hate. Finally, we have to constantly examine our likes and dislikes so that we can develop dispassion towards them.
 
Foremost around “desire-generators” are sense objects. Our sense organs are programmed to rush towards objects that they like, and rush away from things that they dislike. While they rush, they drag our mind along, causing distraction and agitation. That is why it is advised to meditate in a clean and quiet place so that the sense organs cannot come into contact with anything and distract us. Gradually, as we get more proficient in meditation, we should ensure that the sense organs do not take in strong impressions that can pop up later in meditation. For example, if we love oranges, then we should be careful not to eat an orange just before meditation, otherwise the mind will keep thinking about the orange.
 
Now, once the mind has been withdrawn from the senses, it will seek an outlet for the outward force that used to rush out towards sense objects. If this force is not provided with a suitable outlet, we will get into trouble. So what should we do with all the latent energy that is stored up? Shri Krishna discusses this point in the next shloka.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 6

06 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 6.3, anushajjate, chapter 6 verse 4, hi, indruyaartheshu, karmasu, na, sankalpa, sannyaasi, sarva, tadaa, uchyate, yada, yogaaroodha

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 6

yada hi nendriyaartheshu na karmasvanushajjate |
sarvasankalpasannyaasi yogaaroodhastadochyate || 4 ||

When one does not find attachment in sense objects and in actions, when one has renounced all projections, at that time one is said to have been established in yoga.

yada : when
hi : for
na : not
indriyaartheshu : in sense objects
na : not
karmasu : in actions
anushajjate : attached to
sarva : all
sankalpa : projections, urge to go outward
sannyaasi : one who has renounced
yogaaroodhaha : established in yoga
tadaa : at that time
uchyate : is called

Having introduced the qualification of a meditator to be “yogaaroodha”, Shri Krishna now explains what that term really means. He says that it refers to a person who no longer gets attracted or attached to sense objects and actions. This happens because that person finds contentment within himself and does not need to rush out into the world, in other words, he does not have sankalpas.

So far we have understood sankalpa to mean desire. Now, let us understand the deeper meaning of sankalpa. As we have seen throughout the Gita, ignorance of our true self is the root cause of all our sorrows. Ignorance makes us think that we are incomplete. It causes desires that push the mind to go outward to seek happiness. This outward projection is called sankalpa. Typically, sankalpa is seen in the urge to give undue importance to objects, and to actions.

No matter how much we want to deny it, each one of us has a weakness for certain material objects. We think that those objects will give us happiness, peace, security, stability and so on. But if we follow path of karmayoga diligently, the undue importance we place on objects slowly diminishes.

As an example, compare the experience of a child walking in a toystore to that of an adult doing the same thing. The minute the child enters into the store, each object pulls the child towards itself, as it were. The pull is so strong that the child thinks that he cannot live without these toys. A multitude of desires get generated in his mind. He gets excited and restless. But if an adult walks into the toy store, he may very well appreciate the toys, but there is no urge or force that compels him to get attached to any toy. Once our outlook towards all objects of the world is like that adult in a toy store, we are fit for meditation.

Similarly, we have a fascination towards performance of actions. But when we deeply examine our actions, we realize that most of these are performed due to a herd mentality, in other words, because everyone else is doing it, and because we think we will be left out of a group if we do not perform those actions. Many of us pursue educational and career paths by emulating what someone else had done.

Another reason that we perform actions is for strengthening our ego (asmita). Our ego puffs up when we say “I did this”. We forget that actions are part of nature, that they are happening of their own accord. For instance, we do not boast when we have taken a shower or when one of our hands puts a bandage on another hand. So it is only when we have a similar attitude towards all actions that we perform, that we become fit for meditation.

A child eventually stops putting his finger in the fire, having burned it each time. Similarly our sankalpa, our need to act for gaining objects diminishes as the wisdom gained through contemplation increases. When this wisdom dawns and we diminish our attachment to action and objects, we become yogaroodha or established in dhyaana yoga. In other words, we become qualified for meditation.

This journey to meditation seems arduous. How can we get some support? Who can help us? The next shloka goes into this topic.

New! Youtube Channel

Watch our YouTube videos!

All shokas (verses) available here:

Most Visited Verses

  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 3
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 14
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 1
  • Summary of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 14
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 3
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 13
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 49, Chapter 2
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 4
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 37, Chapter 10

Give Feedback

Email the author: gkmdisc at hotmail.com

Books By The Author

The entire Gita book written by the author of this blog, as well as shorter, easier to read versions of the Gita are available here.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning
    • Join 115 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar