Category Archives: tathaa

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 10

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.6, chapter 10 verse 6, chatvaaraha, imaahaa, jaataahaa, loke, maanasaaaha, madbhaavaahaa, maharshayaha, manavaha, poorve, prajaahaa, sapta, tathaa, yeshaam

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maharshayaha sapta poorve chatvaaro manavastathaa |
madbhaavaa maanasaa jaataa yeshaam loka imaahaa prajaahaa || 6 ||
 
The seven great sages and the four before them, and the Manus were contemplating me. They were born out of my mind, (they) of whom are the creatures in this world.
 
maharshayaha : great sages
sapta : seven
poorve : prior to that
chatvaaraha : the four
manavaha : the Manus
tathaa : as well as
madbhaavaahaa : comptemplating me
maanasaaaha : my mind
jaataahaa : born out of
yeshaam : of whom
loke : in this world
imaahaa : these
prajaahaa : creatures
 
Previously, Shri Krishna spoke about Ishvara as the cause of several subtle expressions including non-injury, penance and so on. He now enumerates Ishvara’s manifest, visible expressions. Per tradition, the entire universe was created by seven great sages and fourteen individuals known as “Manus”. Shri Krishna asserts that these sages and Manus, the creators of all living and inert beings in this universe, were themselves created by Ishvara through his mind.
 
The Srimad Bhagavatam described the creation of the universe in great detail. Ishvara first created Lord Brahma and entrusted him with the responsibility of creating the universe. Lord Brahma then created the four child-sages Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanaatana and Sanatkumaara. When he asked them to populate the world, they refused, because they did not want to get tangled in any material pursuits. They took the vow of celibacy and roamed the world, constantly contemplating upon Ishvara.
 
Next, Lord Brahma created the saptarishis or the seven great sages Bhrigu, Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratuhu and Vasishtha. He then created Manu was who was entrusted with further procreation and establishment of the moral code, which is known as Manusmriti. There are fourteen Manus that correspond to fourteen Manvantaras or periods of Manu.
 
Having enumerated the creators of his universe, Shri Krishna says that all those original individuals are expressions that were created from Ishvara’s mind, just like we create whole new worlds in our dreams in a matter of seconds without any external materials. This shloka is similar to the biblical verse “Let there be light”. The idea is the same – that Ishvara is the original cause of everything.
 
What is the result of knowing Ishvara’s vibhootis or expressions? This is given in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 33, Chapter 9

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.33, anityam, asukham, bhajasva, bhaktaahaa, braamhanaahaa, chapter 9 verse 33, imam, kim, lokam, maam, praapya, punaha, punyaahaa, raajarshayaha, tathaa

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kim punarbraamhanaahaa punyaa bhaktaa raajarshayastathaa |
anityamasukham lokamimam praapya bhajasva maam || 33 ||
 
What (to speak) again of pious brahmins and royal sages? Having obtained this impermanent world which is devoid of happiness, you should worship me.
 
kim : what
punaha : again
braamhanaahaa : brahmins
punyaahaa : pious
bhaktaahaa : devotees
raajarshayaha : king sages
tathaa : and
anityam : impermanent
asukham : devoid of happiness
lokam : world
imam : this
praapya : having obtained
bhajasva : worship
maam : me
 
Shri Krishna concludes the topic of the glory of devotion by asserting that everyone, including brahmins or sages who have renounced the world, as well as “raajarshis” or sages who have become kings. Having described the glory of devotion, he then instructs Arjuna to worship Ishvara.
 
In describing the glory of devotion, Shri Krishna highlighted three types of people. The worst kind of person is a sinner, who has such a high level of attachment to the material world that he is ready to harm others. A better type of person is a sinner who has a lower level of attachment to the material world such as a businessperson. Better than that person is someone like a sage who has the lowest level of attachment, which means that highest level of detachment or vairagya. It does not matter which kind of person wants to become a devotee. Everyone is eligible.
 
Shri Krishna also explains the reason for seeking the path of devotion. He says that the world in which we live in has two main defects. It is anityam or impermanent, and it is asukham or devoid of joy. We usually rush into worldly pursuits such as money, positions, wealth, fame, titles and so on. None of those are permanent or will give long-lasting happiness. We sometimes think that others who possess these things are happier than we are, but that is not true. Impermanence and sorrow is the nature of this world.
 
Therefore, Shri Krishna urges us to follow a single pursuit. How do we do it? He explains this in the next and concluding shloka in this chapter.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 32, Chapter 9

27 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.32, api, chapter 9 verse 32, gatim, hi, maam, paapayonayaha, paartha, paraam, shoodraaha, striyaha, syuhu, tathaa, te, vaishyaahaa, vyapaashritya, yaanti, ye

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maam hi paartha vyapaashritya yepi syuhu paapayonayaha |
striyo vaishyaastathaa shoodraastepi yaanti paraam gatim || 32 ||
 
Surely, O Paartha, even those who are born of sinful origin – women, traders, and also labourers, they attain the supreme state by taking refuge in me.
 
maam : me
hi : surely
paartha : O Paartha
vyapaashritya : taking refuge
ye : those
api : even
syuhu : who are
paapayonayaha : born of sinful origin
striyaha : women
vaishyaahaa : traders
tathaa : and also
shoodraaha : labourers
te : they
yaanti : attain
paraam : supreme
gatim : state
 
This is another shloka that has the potential to be misinterpreted if it is quoted out of context. Shri Krishna says that women, traders and labourers are born out of “paapa yoni” which literally means “sinful wombs”. He says that women, traders and labourers are also equally qualified to become liberated through the path of devotion. So to properly understand the meaning, let us look at the historical context and the symbolism that underpins this shloka.
 
As we have seen so far, the Gita attempts to remove misconceptions about spirituality that were prevalent when it came out. One prevalent misconception that was present throughout history was that only the brahmin and the kshatriya communities were solely qualified for liberation. Any other community was termed as “sinful”. Therefore, Shri Krishna vehemently refutes this misconception using the language that was prevalent at that time.
 
Now let’s look at the symbolism by focusing on the attributes of the communities mentioned, not by focusing on their birth-given caste or gender. A “sinful origin” or “sinful womb” per this shloka symbolically refers to a low level of sattva guna, and a high level of rajas and tamas which causes such attachment to worldly matters.
 
How does that manifest in people? The quality of being too attached to children and family is termed as “women” in this shloka. Similarly a “trader” is too attached to money and commerce, and a “labourer” is too attached to the fruits of his own efforts. Unlike other types of spiritual practice that require a high level of detachment, bhakti or devotion does not require such a qualification. Therefore, Shri Krishna praises the path of devotion because anyone who has such deep attachments to worldly matters can attain liberation through devotion.
 
So, when even those with a material attachments can attain liberation through devotion, how do people with a high level of detachment fare? This is covered next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 9

01 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.6, aakaashasthitaha, bhootaani, chapter 9 verse 6, iti, mahaan, matsthaani, nityam, sarvaani, sarvatragaha, tathaa, upadhaaraya, vaayuhu, yathaa

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yathaakaashasthito nityam vaayuhu sarvatrago mahaan |
tathaa sarvaani bhootaani matsthaaneetyupadhaaraya || 6 ||
 
Just like the mighty wind travels everywhere, established in space, so too, all beings reside in me, understand this.
 
yathaa : just like
aakaashasthitaha : established in space
nityam : eternally
vaayuhu : wind
sarvatragaha : travels everywhere
mahaan : mighty
tathaa : so do
sarvaani : all
bhootaani : beings
matsthaani : reside in me
iti : in this manner
upadhaaraya : understand this
 
The key teaching of the chapter is that Ishvara pervades everything, that all beings are sustained by Ishvara but Ishvara is not contained in any of them. To illustrate these statements, Shri Krishna compares Ishvara to space. He says that space enables everything to exist within it, like wind, for example. In the same way, all living and non-living entities dwell in Ishvara.
 
First, let us understand the nature of space. It is indivisible, which means that even if we try to divide it by building walls, we cannot do so. It does not get affected by what it contains. A flower generates fragrance when fresh and odour when it decays. But both those qualities do not get transferred to space, since space has no qualities. It also pervades everything. Over 99% of an atom is empty space. And it is infinite. No object can ever contain space.
 
Similarly, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is infinite, indivisible, pervades everything, and remains unaffected by what he sustains. How does this help us? Knowing that Ishvara is everywhere reduces our sorrow, delusion, fear, likes and dislikes. If everything is Ishvara, and if we also know that we are in Ishvara, there is nothing to fear or like or dislike. That is how we get liberated.
 
There is a story in the Ishvaavaasya Upanishad. The gods tried to have a race with Ishvara. But wherever they ended up, Ishvara was already there. Another interpretation of this story is that the senses also tried to outrun Ishvara, but could not. It is like trying to race with space. It is a futile effort, because space is all-pervading. So is Ishvara.
 
Now, just like we see the blue sky with our eyes, we also see things and people on this earth being created and destroyed. We know that the blue colour is an illusion, but do we really understand that creation and dissolution is an illusion as well? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 8

22 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in 8.25, chaandramasam, chapter 8 verse 25, dakshinaayanam, dhoomaha, jyotihi, krishnaha, nivartate, praapya, raatrihi, shanmaasaa, tathaa, tatra, yogi

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dhoomo raatristathaa krishnaha shanmaasaa dakshinaayanam |
tatra chaandramasam jyotiryogi praapya nivartate || 25 ||
 
Smoke, night, darkness and the southern movement comprising six months; the yogi (travels through) that path, attains the light of the moon, to return.
 
dhoomaha : smoke
raatrihi : night
tathaa : and
krishnaha : darkness
shanmaasaa : comprising six months
dakshinaayanam : southern movement
tatra : through that path
chaandramasam : of the moon
jyotihi : light
yogi : yogi
praapya : attains
nivartate : return
 
We saw earlier that jeevas who have practised single-pointed devotion travel on the path of light, attain the abode of Lord Brahma, and eventually achieve liberation. Now, Shri Krishna describes the path of the jeeva who has performed good deeds in its lifetime, but had not practiced devotion. This path is called the path of the moon or the lunar path.
 
The jeeva is guided on this path by the deities who preside over the smoke of the pyre, night, the dark lunar fortnight and the six months between summer and winter. Having travelled through the lunar path, these jeevas attain a lower realm called Chandraloka or the abode of the moon. In modern language, this is nothing but heaven. The jeeva enjoys heavenly pleasures, which are the fruits of its earthly actions. Unlike the jeeva in Lord Brahma’s abode, this jeeva returns to earth once the fruits of its good actions have depleted.
 
Both the dark lunar fortnight and the period between summer and winter are relatively less auspicious than their brighter counterparts. But many festivals including Maha Shivraatri and Krishna Janmaashtami are celebrated during the dark lunar fortnight.
 
Shri Krishna summarizes the difference between the two paths in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 7

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in 7.6, aham, bhootaani, chapter 7 verse 6, etat, iti, jagataha, kritsnasya, prabhavaha, pralayaha, sarvaani, tathaa, upadhaaraya, yoneeni

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etadyoneeni bhootaani sarvaaneetyupadhaaraya |
aham kritsnasya jagataha prabhavaha pralayastathaa || 6 ||
 
Both these are the wombs of all beings, understand this. I am the source as well as the dissolution of the entire universe.
 
etat : both these
yoneeni : wombs
bhootaani : beings
sarvaani : all
iti : this
upadhaaraya : understand
aham : I
kritsnasya : entire
jagataha : universe
prabhavaha : source
pralayaha : dissolution
tathaa : as well as
 
Having described both his lower and higher nature, Shri Krishna says both those natures combine to create everything in this universe. This creation is described poetically as the “womb” from which everything originates. The lower nature and higher nature are both needed to create this universe. Furthermore, everything that is created is also sustained and ultimately dissolved into Ishvara. In other words, Ishvara creates, maintains and dissolves the entire universe.
 
Let us now understand the deeper meaning of this shloka. But before we proceed, let us first understand what is meant by cause and effect. When we hold a piece of cloth, what do we see? We see its color, its texture, its shape and so on. But if were to go back in time, we would see that cloth come from cotton threads, which came from a cotton plant, which came from a cotton seed, which at some point came from the earth. So the cause of the cloth was the earth, and the effect is the cloth.
 
Unfortunately, our minds have been conditioned to focus on the effect, and not on the cause. We see the cloth and its attributes, but do not even think about the cause, because that requires our intellect to come into the picture. Most economic, social and political movements tend to fail because they only focus on the symptoms and not the cause. For example, imprisoning small-time drug dealers does not stop the drug trade, because the demand for drugs will push some other person into dealing drugs.
 
Now let us look at this shloka from the standpoint of cause and effect. If we were to trace the ultimate cause of anything in this universe, it eventually comes back to Ishvara’s lower and higher natures. Therefore, Shri Krishna is asserting the fact that Ishvara is everywhere. Even though our eyes cannot see the form of a deity in front of us, our intellect will tell us that the ultimate cause is Ishvara. Our eyes give us jnyaanam or knowledge of the effect, our intellect provides us with vijnyaanam, which is the vision of the cause.
 
In mythology, this intellectual vision is depicted as the “third eye” of Lord Shiva that turns everything into ashes. This eye is a metaphor for developing equanimity of vision. If we learn to behold Ishvara as the cause of every object that we see, we will automatically begin to see Ishvara everywhere. So therefore, this shloka urges us to exercise our intellect so that we can see Ishvara everywhere.
 
Seeing Ishvara in everything is a huge milestone in the spiritual path. What is the next milestone?

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 6

09 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in 6.7, apamaanayoho, chapter 6 verse 7, dukheshu, jitaatmanaha, maana, paramaatmaa, prashaantasya, samaahitaha, sheeta, sukha, tathaa, ushna

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jitaatmanaha prashaantasya paramaatmaa samaahitaha |
sheetoshnasukhadukheshu tathaa maanaapamaanayoho || 7 ||

One who has conquered himself, that serene person is steadfast in the supreme self, in cold and heat, in joy and sorrow, in praise and insult.

jitaatmanaha : one who has conquered himself
prashaantasya : serene person
paramaatmaa : supreme self
samaahitaha : steadfast
sheeta : cold
ushna : heat
sukha : joy
dukheshu : in sorrow
tathaa : and
maana : praise
apamaanayoho : in insult

In the following three shlokas, Shri Krishna paints a picture of one who has realized the eternal essence through meditation, specifically with his outlook towards situations, objects and people. In this shloka, Shri Krishna tackles the meditator’s outlook towards situations. He says that the meditator who has won over his senses and mind, won over his lower nature, his mind remains well established in the eternal essence all the time. No matter what situation he finds himself in, his mind remains even calm and peaceful – “prashaantaha”.

Now, what does it mean to remain same in all situations? Let us take each aspect of the shloka one by one. Remaining same in cold and heat refers to pleasant and unpleasant situations experienced at the physical body level. Joy and sorrow and experienced as emotions at the mind level. Praise and insult are experienced either as boosters or blows to the ego. They are experienced at the intellect level. The body, mind and intellect are part of nature or prakriti. They react to situational changes, which also happen in prakriti.

We have been conditioned to respond to some situations favourably and some situations unfavourably. Our normal response to an unfavourable situation is to impose our will upon it, to change it. But in most cases, it never works. It is like the story of the king wanting to put a carpet on top of his entire kingdom’s land, rather than wear a pair of slippers.

Moreover, two people respond to the same situation differently. A child may not take a scolding from his parents as an insult, because his ego is not fully developed yet. But a teenager will, because his ego is especially sensitive towards insults from his parents.

So therefore, one who knows that situations can only impact the body, mind and intellect, but not his self, he remains peaceful in all situations. If something good or bad happens to a person whom we have no connection with, do we feel any joy or sorrow? We do not. That is the kind of understanding a realized meditator has towards his own body, mind and intellect. He does not feel the need to enter the realm of prakriti to change anything. He remains a witness of all these changes.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 5

27 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in 5.24, adhigachchati, antahasukhaha, antaraaraamaha, antarjyotihi, brahma, brahmabhootaha, chapter 5 verse 24, eva, nirvaanam, saha, tathaa, yaha, yogi

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yontahasukhontaraaraamastathaantarjyotireva yaha |
sa yogi brahmanirvaanam brahmabhootodhigachchati || 24 ||

One who finds bliss in the self, who revels in his self, whose knowledge is the self; he is a yogi, and attains liberation through identification with the eternal essence.

yaha : one who
antahasukhaha : inner bliss
antaraaraamaha : revels in his inner self
tathaa : and
antarjyotihi : inner light (knowledge)
eva : only
yaha : he who
saha : that person
yogi : true seeker
brahma : eternal essence
nirvaanam : liberated
brahmabhootaha : identified with the eternal essence
adhigachchati : attains

Shri Krishna now starts describing how one who is established in the eternal essence eventually attains the eternal essence, in other words, is liberated. The word yogi here refers to a realized seeker. The entire personality of such a seeker is completely turned inward toward the eternal essence. This state is described by three words: antahasukhaha, antaraaraamaha and antarjyotihi.

The person who finds bliss within is called antahasukhaha. He does not expect anything from the outside world. The idea that something other than himself will make him happy, that idea has completely gone. To recap a point from the earlier shloka, he experience bliss by seeking positivity within him, it is not negating what is outside. It is like the sun reflected in water. The reflection will never match the brightness of the sun itself. Similarly the joy obtained through the senses is “reflected happiness”. But a yogi who has shifted attention to his inner self gets the real deal.

Typically, our mind needs to constantly come into contact with an object, person or situation. This  causes agitation in our minds. However, objects, people and situations keep changing. The economy changes, our friends change, our health changes and so on. But the realized seeker is antararaamaha. He revels in himself. Another way to look at this word is “antara-aarama”, which means that he rests in himself. He has eliminated all agitations and is completely at ease with himself. There is nothing that compels him to do anything, he just “is”.

Furthermore, the realized seeker stops looking towards more and more sources of knowledge. He is antarjyotihi. He knows that the eternal essence alone is the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate source of light. In most traditional temples, the only source of light is inside the central room where the deity is located. Symbolically, it depicts the internal light of the self.

In this manner, one who is happy in his own self, revels in his own self and finds knowledge in one’s own self, such a person is a true enlightened seeker. By such deep identification with the eternal essence, he becomes the eternal essence. In other words, he attains the ultimate liberation or “nirvaana”. Liberation is the destruction of all limitations and all notions of finitude. It is the realization that what is in oneself is the same as what is in everything else.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 37, Chapter 4

27 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.37, agnihi, arjuna, bhasmaat, chapter 4 verse 37, edhaamsi, jnyaana, kurute, samiddhaha, sarvakarmaani, tathaa, yathaa

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yathaidhaamsi samiddhognirbhasmasaatkuruterjuna |
jnyaanaagnihi sarvakarmaani bhasmasaatkurute tathaa || 37 ||

Just as a burning flame turns fuel into ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge turn all actions into ashes.

yathaa : just as
edhaamsi : fuel
samiddhaha : burning
agnihi : flame
bhasmasaat : ashes
kurute : turn into
arjuna : O Arjuna
jnyaana-agnihi : fire of knowledge
sarvakarmaani : all actions
bhasmasaat : ashes
kurute : turn into
tathaa : so does

Previously, Shri Krishna mentioned that having gained knowledge, we will be able to cross over all our sins. But does that mean that the sins remain hidden somewhere? In this shloka, he says that all sins or karmaas get destroyed with knowledge. Just as fire has the capability to burn fuel in the form of wood or coal into ashes, so does knowledge totally destroy karmaas.

Karmaas accumulate in our psyche due to ignorance of our true identity. Now, knowledge and ignorance are mutually exclusive. One cannot remain when the other is present. Take an example from early school. Once you what the addition symbol “+” does, you no longer get confused when you see a question on addition.

So when knowledge comes, ignorance is destroyed, as well as karmaas that were created a result of ignorance. And when the sense of doership and enjoyership vanishes, then situations do not cause joy or sorrow. No more karmaas are accumulated.

In this manner, Shri Krishna continues to praise knowledge in this shloka and the following two shlokas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 29, Chapter 4

19 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.29, apaanam, apaane, apare, chapter 4 verse 29, gati, juhvati, paraayanaaha, praanaayaam, praanam, praane, ruddhvaa, tathaa

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apaane juvhati praanam praanepaanam tathaapare |
praanaapaanagati ruddhvaa praanaayaamaparaayanaaha || 29 ||

Others offer the outward breath into the inward breath, and also the inward breath into the outward breath. Halting the movement of both these breaths, they constantly engage in praanaayaam.

apaane : outward breath
juvhati : offer
praanam : inward breath
praane : inward breath
apaanam : outward breath
tathaa : also
apare : others
praana-apaana-gati : movement of these breaths
ruddhvaa : halting
praanaayaam : praanaayaam
paraayanaaha : constantly engage in

In this shloka, Shri Krishna provides more detail around the use of praanaayaam as a form of yajnya. It is to be noted that it no practice of praanaayam should be undertaken without the supervision of a teacher, otherwise it can be harmful.

As we saw earlier, praanaas are the life energies within us that enable all our bodily functions including breathing, digestion, circulation and so on. Moreover, they function as the link between the mind and the body. We know that if our mind is upset all the time, our body develops psychosomatic illnesses due to the praanaas linking the mind and the body.

Since our mind and body are connected via the praanaas, we control the mind by controlling the praanaas. In praanaayaam, one regulates the breathing pattern (breathe in – retain – breathe out) as well as the time interval between each breath. This regulation has a direct impact on the mind. Even without studying pranaayaam, we can see that a few minutes of observing our normal breath helps to quieten the mind.

In this manner, Shri Krishna adds yet another yajnya to the list of yajnyas that one should pursue in order to gradually develop the ultimate vision that everything is the eternal essence.