Category Archives: sthiram

Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 12

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by in 12.9, aaptum, abhyaasayogena, atha, chapter 12 verse 9, chittam, dhananjaya, icchaa, maam, mayi, na, samaadhaatum, shaknoshi, sthiram, tataha

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atha chittam samaadhaatum na shaknoshi mayi sthiram |
abhyaasayogena tato maamicchaaptum dhananjaya || 9 ||
 
If you are unable to steadfastly establish your mind in me, then seek to attain me through the yoga of repeated practice, O Dhananjaya.
 
atha : if
chittam : mind
samaadhaatum : establish
na : not
shaknoshi : able
mayi : in me
sthiram : steadfastly
abhyaasayogena : yoga of repeated practice
tataha : then
maam : me
icchaa : seek
aaptum : attain
dhananjaya : O Dhananjaya
 
A student of music does not become a maestro overnight. While watching a concert, we may admire how easily he can handle complex passages on the piano, but we know that the prowess is a result of years, maybe even decades, of repeated practice. In his book “Outliers”, author Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes the “10,000 hour rule”. The key to success in any field is a matter of practising a task for 10,000 hours. Here, Shri Krishna says that if we are unable to constantly fix our mind in Ishvara, we should set aside some time daily and practice doing so.
 
In the sixth chapter, Arjuna admits to Shri Krishna that it is very difficult for someone to keep their mind in Ishvara all the time, and asks for a solution to this problem. There as well, Shri Krishna recommends the technique of “abhyaasa” or repeated practice. In this technique, we first choose an object of worship such as the image of a deity, a spiritual text or a mantra. Then, following the instructions in the sixth chapter, we set aside a fixed time and place every day to meditate upon the object of worship. Whenever our thoughts stray away, we gently bring them back so that we are only thinking about the object of worship. This yoga is known as raaja yoga, ashtaanga yoga or dhyaana yoga.
 
Note that abhyaasa is not possible without its counterpart vairaagya or dispassion towards the material world. Without reducing our stock of material desires, it is virtually impossible to sit in meditation. Each vaasanaa, each unfulfilled desire has the potential to produce a series of thoughts in our mind. When we sit for meditation, these unfulfilled desires start competing with each other to produce thoughts that distract us from the object of worship. Therefore, Shri Krishna advises us to follow abhyaasa and vairaagya together.
 
Now, with the practice of dhyaana yoga, we only think of Ishvara for a brief period of time each day. How should we continue our spiritual practice throughout the rest of the day? Or, our stock of desires may not even let us sit in one place. Then how should we worship Ishvara? Shri Krishna addresses this next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 6

13 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by in aasanam, aatmanaha, ajina, ati, chaila, chapter 6 verse 11, deshe, kusha, na, neecham, pratishthaapya, shuchau, sthiram, ucchritam, uttaram

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shuchau deshe pratishthaapya sthiramaasanamaatmanaha |
naatyucchritam naatineecham chailaajinakushottaram || 11 ||
 
In a clean place, establish your stable seat that is not too high or low, with cloth, deerskin and grass.
 
shuchau : clean
deshe : place
pratishthaapya : establish
sthiram : stable
aasanam : seat
aatmanaha : your
na : not
ati : too
ucchritam : high
neecham : low
chaila : cloth
ajina : deerskin
kusha : grass
uttaram : thereafter
 
Shri Krishna now describes the actual process of meditation. In this shloka, he talks about
how to sit down and where to sit down for meditation. He says that the seat of meditation should be in a clean and pure place, it should not be too high or too low, and should have sufficient insulation such as a cloth.
 
First let us look at what is meant by “shuchau deshe” or clean place. The seat of meditation should be placed in a clean and pure location. Some places are naturally clean and pure, and some can be cleaned through one’s effort. Anything that distracts us from meditation becomes an obstacle. If something is dirty, or we are afraid that some insects are around, we cannot do meditation. Preferably, it should be a room or an area of the house where we do not have strong associations. If we meditate in the kitchen, out of habit we will start thinking about food and so on. Therefore, without a clean and pure place, meditation is not possible for beginners.
 
There is a subtle point made here that merits attention. Why should we sit for meditation? Why cannot we stand or sleep in meditation? Meditation requires the cultivation of saattvic tendencies. It is not possible in sleeping which is a tamasic posture, or in standing which is a raajasic posture. That is why we need to sit. Sitting in one place without doing anything itself becomes difficult for many of us. Hence, that should be our first step.
 
Next, let’s look at the seat itself. Shri Krishna says that the height of the seat should not be too high so that we are scared of falling down, or too low that insects and other animals can bother us. It should be stable so that we are not distracted by the constant fear of falling down.
 
Finally, Shri Krishna asks us to put cloth, deer skin and kusha grass on the seat. What is meant here is that there should be a layer of insulation between our body and the seat. The seat could be very cold or hot, which could again become a distraction to the mind.
 
Having prepared oneself in a seating posture, what should come next? Shri Krishna covers this point in the next shloka.