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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: spruhaa

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 14

17 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 14.12, araarambhaha, ashamaha, bharatarshabha, chapter 14 verse 12, etaani, jaayante, karmanaam, lobhaha, pravrittihi, rajasi, spruhaa, vivriddhe

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lobhaha pravrittiraarambhaha karmanaamashamaha spruhaa |
rajasyetaani jaayante vivriddhe bharatarshabha || 12 ||

 
Greed, activity, commencement of actions, unrest, desire. These arise when rajas is predominant, o foremost among the Bharataas.
 
lobhaha : greed
pravrittihi : activity
araarambhaha : commencement
karmanaam : actions
ashamaha : unrest
spruhaa : desire
rajasi : of rajas
etaani : these
jaayante : arise
vivriddhe : predominance
bharatarshabha : O foremost among the Bharataas
 
Shri Krishna addressed Arjuna as “bharatarshabha”, the foremost scion of the Bharata dynasty, and enumerates the marks of a person who is under the influence of raajas. He says that whenever our mind generates thoughts of greed, selfish activity, commencement of action, unrest or uneasiness, and desire for even trivial things, we should realize that we are under the sway of rajas. In fact, we consider this to be our natural state of mind, especially during the waking hours of the day.
 
If we look at the first half of the shloka in reverse order, we start with spruha, which is a selfish desire for objects that have nothing to do with our duties, like a gold watch. Frequent thoughts for acquiring the gold watch lead to ashama or restlessness, where we are not satisfied with our present situation and want to do something else. We then begin to act, karmanaam aarambha, so that we can acquire this gold watch. Our plans may lead us to do another part time job or withdraw from our savings, which is pravritti, engaging in selfish action. Even after we acquire the gold watch, we are not satisfied and want another one. That is lobha, greed, the height of rajasic influence on our mind.
 
It is not easy to detect whether our actions are prompted by selfishness or not. Only a pure mind that has been cleansed of selfishness through karma yoga, with the aid of a guru, can recognize the subtle difference between sattvic and rajasic actions. Karma yoga teaches us to analyze our qualification and proclivity for selecting an appropriate vocation. If we are trained to become an actor, and are also passionately interested in acting, then that becomes our vocation. There is a baseline level of rajas needed to perform actions towards fulfilling the duties of our vocation, which is perfectly fine. Shri Krishna says that we need to watch for signs where rajas increases beyond that baseline level, where selfishness creeps into our actions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 4

04 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 4.14, abhijaanaati, badhyate, chapter 4 verse 14, iti, karmaani, karmabhih, karmaphale, limpanti, ma, maam, na, na sah, spruhaa, yo

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na maam karmaani limpanti na ma karmaphale spruhaa |
iti maam yo bhijaanaati karmabhirna sa badhyate || 14 ||

Actions do not stain me, nor do I covet fruits of action. One who knows me in this manner is never bound by actions.

na : do not
maam : me
karmaani : action
limpanti : stain
na : not
ma : I
karmaphale : fruits of action
spruhaa : covet
iti : in this manner
maam : me
yo : one who
abhijaanaati : knows in essence
karmabhih : with actions
na : not
sah : he
badhyate : bound

So far, Shri Krishna clarified and elaborated upon key topics within karmayoga. First he gave the paramparaa or tradition of the teaching. He then revealed his nature as Ishvaraa, and explained the method by which he manifests as an avataara. Finally, he explained how he responds in the exact manner that one approaches him.

As we get further into karmayoga, we slowly begin to lost our attachment to the fruits of our action, which is the first stage in karmayoga. In this chapter, Shri Krishna urges us to move to the next stage in this journey where we begin to lose the notion of doership.To highlight this point, Shri Krishna says that as Ishvaraa, even he knows that actions are happening in prakriti, and therefore he is not the doer of those actions, but he is beyond all action. He puts this poetically by saying that actions do not “stain” him.

Why is Ishvara beyond all action? At its core, any action happens when there is an imbalance or vacuum. Wind travels from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. Electric current moves when there is a difference in voltage. The mind creates a thought because of our vaasanaas. But Ishvara is all-complete and self-sufficient. Therefore, he does not need to act. He is only a witness.

If there is a reflection of the sun in a pond, and if dirt is thrown on the pond, the sun is not stained by that dirt. Similarly, since actions are performed by prakriti, there is no impact to Ishvaraa. In this and other shlokas of this chapter, Shri Krishna reminds us that just like he knows that he is not the doer or enjoyer of actions, so should we have the exact same conviction.

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