Category Archives: te

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 11

17 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in 11.3, aatmaanam, aattha, aishvaram, chapter 11 verse 3, drishtum, etat, evam, ichchaami, parameshavara, purushottamam, roopam, te, tvam, yathaa

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evametadyathaattha tvamaatmaanam parameshavara |
drishtumichchaami te roopamaishvaram purushottamam || 3 ||
 
As you have spoken about yourself, so is it, O supreme Ishvara. I wish to see your divine form, O supreme person.
 
evam : it is that
etat : this
yathaa : as
aattha : spoken
tvam : you
aatmaanam : yourself
parameshavara : supreme Ishvara
drishtum : to see
ichchaami : I wish
te : your
roopam : form
aishvaram : divine
purushottamam : O supreme person
 
When someone describes the plot and special effects of the latest Hollywood summer blockbuster to us, and our curiosity and interest for that movie increases, we reach a point when we say “I want to see that movie right now, and I want to see it on a large IMAX screen”. Why does that happen? Of the five sense organs, the organ of sight is the dearest to us. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
 
Similarly, Arjuna’s curiosity towards Shri Krishna had reached its peak at this point. That is why he asked Shri Krishna, who was the “avatar” or incarnation of Ishvara, to reveal his divine form that was described in the last shloka of the previous chapter. How magnificent would that form be, if this entire universe was sustained by only a fraction of Ishvara, and if all of the divine expressions were contained in Ishvara. In addition to the might and grandeur of this form, Arjuna also wanted to see how everything originated, existed and dissolved within Ishvara, and finally, how everything was Ishvara in essence.
 
We call something divine when it is endowed with the attributes of knowledge, lordship, power, prowess and brilliance. Arjuna put in a request to Shri Krishna to see that that form, where it is possible to have this vision of many in one. However, the sincere Arjuna did not order to command Shri Krishna to show that form. He qualified his request with a great deal of humility, which we see in the upcoming shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 10

19 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.19, aatma, antaha, asti, chapter 10 verse 19, divyaahaa, hanta, hi, kathayishyaami, kurushreshtha, me, na, praadhaanyataha, te, vibhootayaha, vistarasya

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Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
hanta te kathayishyaami divyaa hyaatmavibhootayaha |
praadhaanyataha kurushreshtha naastyanto vistarasya me || 19 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
Of course. I will tell you my most significant divine expressions, O best of the Kurus. For there is no end to the extent (of my expressions).
 
hanta : Of course
te : you
kathayishyaami : I will tell
divyaahaa : divine
hi : for
aatma : my
vibhootayaha : expressions
praadhaanyataha : significant
kurushreshtha : O best of the Kurus
na : no
asti : is
antaha : end
vistarasya : extent
me : my
 
So far, Arjuna expressed interest and enthusiasm for hearing Ishvara’s manifestations and expressions in detail. Shri Krishna, delighted with Arjuna’s request, replied by saying “hanta”. The word hanta has three meanings. It is used to express excitement, wonder or dejection. In this context, Shri Krishna was happy and eager to speak about Ishvara’s glories, so the meaning here is with regards to excitement.
 
Let us go back to our electricity example. There are thousands upon thousands of objects that use electricity. It is impossible to enumerate all of them. But it is possible to list those objects that are mighty, powerful, or have the capacity to elicit wonder and awe. Similarly, Shri Krishna admitted that though it would not be possible to list all of Ishvara’s glories and expressions because they are infinite. However, he would be able to list the most significant ones.
 
As we go through the list of Ishvara’s expressions in the upcoming shlokas, we may tend to get carried away by the richness of the stories, the mythology, the history and so on. While that is good and has its place, let us not forget the main point, which is to keep our mind established in the thought that “Ishvara is in everything”.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 10

14 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.14, bhagavan, chapter 10 verse 14, daanavaahaa, devaaha, etat, hi, keshava, maam, manye, na, ritam, sarvam, te, vadasi, viduhu, vyaktim, yat

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sarvametadritam manye yanmaam vadasi keshava |
na hi te bhagavanvyaktim vidurdevaa na daanavaahaa || 14 ||
 
What you are speaking to me, O Keshava, I acknowledge all this to be true. For O Lord, neither the deities nor the demons know your manifestation.
 
sarvam : all
etat : this
ritam : truth
manye : acknowledge
yat : whatever
maam : to me
vadasi : speak
keshava : O Keshava
na : neither
hi : for
te : to you
bhagavan : O Lord
vyaktim : manifestation
viduhu : know
devaaha : deities
na : nor
daanavaahaa : demons
 
Since the start of the Gita, we have seen Arjuna speak whenever he has a doubt or needs further clarification. With this shloka, Arjuna acknowledges that he has completely understood the true nature of Ishvara since the knowledge is coming from the source, from Ishvara himself.
 
It is interesting to note the use of the name “Keshava” to refer to Shri Krishna. “Ka” represents Lord Brahma and “Isha” represents Lord Shiva. So Keshava is the one who harmonizes the powers of creation and destruction. In other words, Ishvara creates, sustains and dissolves the universe of names and forms.
 
Since Ishvara is the origin of everything, Arjuna says that no deity, human or demon can claim to know Ishvara in totality because Ishvara came before any of them. Another interpretation of this statement is that no sense organ such as the eye or ear can claim to know Ishvara. Unlike worldly knowledge about objects, the knowledge of Ishvara can only be known as a subject. Tulsidas says this poetically in the Tulsi Ramayana : “Jaanat tumahi tumahi hui jaayi”. One who knows you becomes you. All sense of individuality, the sense of I, the subject, goes away when one merges into Ishvara.
 
So then, if no deity, human or demon can know Ishvara, who can? Arjuna gives the answer in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 10

09 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.10, bhajataam, buddhiyogam, chapter 10 verse 10, dadaami, maam, preetipoorvakam, satatayuktaanaam, tam, te, teshaam, upayaanti, yena

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teshaam satatayuktaanaam bhajataam preetipoorvakam |
dadaami buddhiyogam tam yena maamupayaanti te || 10 ||
 
Those who are constantly engaged (in me) and worship with devotion, I endow them with the yoga of intellect by which they attain me.
 
teshaam : those
satatayuktaanaam : constantly engaged
bhajataam : worship
preetipoorvakam : with devotion
dadaami : I endow
buddhiyogam : yoga of intellect
tam : that
yena : by which
maam : me
upayaanti : attain
te : they
 
Earlier we saw that dedicated, serious devotees of Ishvara find joy only in conversing and immersing themselves in Ishvara. Such a high degree of “preetipurvaka bhajan” or worship with joy and devotion can only yield a wonderful result. Those who display such ardent devotion as termed “sataya yuktaanam” by Shri Krishna because they are constantly connected to Ishvara. He says that Ishvara rewards such devotees with “buddhi yoga”, a superior form of intellect and understanding.
 
Typically, we would have expected Ishvara to reward his ardent devotees with material prosperity. This is a given, since we have already heard Shri Krishna say that Ishvara will carry the material burden of his devotees in the previous chapter. But that is a lower form of blessing or reward. The highest type of blessing that can be given to a devotee is not material, it is intellectual. No object, wealth, social status or possession can stand in front of the knowledge of the true nature of things.
 
What is the result of this intellectual understanding? It is the ability to see Ishvara in everything, and everything in Ishvara. If someone tells us that the necklace we had lost is actually around our neck, we do not have to do anything or go anywhere in order to find it. We know where to look for it. Similarly, this vision given to us by Ishvara enables us to see him everywhere and in everything. It is the vision of equanimity mentioned in the sixth chapter.
 
So then, what is the main obstacle that Ishvara removes with this knowledge? Shri Krishna explains in the next shloka.

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 29, Chapter 9

24 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.29, aham, api, bhajanti, bhaktyaa, cha, chapter 9 verse 29, dveshyaha, maam, mayi, me, na, priyaha, samaha, sarvabhooteshu, te, teshu, tu, ye

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samoham sarvabhooteshu na me dveshyati na priyaha |
ye bhajanti tu maam bhaktyaa mayi te teshu chaapyaham || 29 ||
 
I am the same to all beings, I do not hate nor favour any one. But, those who worship me faithfully, they are in me and I am in them.
 
samaha : same
aham : I am
sarvabhooteshu : to all beings
na : no one
me : my
dveshyaha : hate
na : nor
priyaha : favour
ye : one who
bhajanti : worships
tu : but
maam : me
bhaktyaa : faithfully
mayi : in me
te : those
teshu : in them
cha : and
api : also
 
Following the argument so far, one may have a doubt that Ishvara is somewhat partial to his devotees since he offers them liberation, not to others. Shri Krishna addresses this doubt by saying that he is absolutely impartial and that he does not hate or favour anyone. The difference in the result obtained is entirely up to the effort and qualification of the seeker.
 
Consider a mother who has to feed two sons. One is a wrestler, and one is an invalid. She will give a lot of heavy food to the wrestler, and easy to digest food to the invalid. She cannot be accused of favouring the wrestler because she is giving food based on his efforts and his constitution. Or consider the sun who provides the same heat and light to everyone. If you build a solar power plant, you can generate electricity. If you don’t, you will not be able to do so.
 
Similarly, Ishvara is same and equal to everyone. In the Mahabharata, Shri Krishna gave Arjuna and Duryodhana. They could either use him or his powerful army for the war. Arjuna chose Shri Krishna and Duryodhana chose the army. It is the person who makes the right or wrong choice. We can either put a plug in the electrical socket or our finger. Electricity does not care, but the results will be different.
 
Now, if we truly devoted to our family for example, we do not see any barrier, difference, separation between our family and ourselves. Whatever do for them, it is as if we do it for us. Whatever they do for us, they do it as if they were doing it for themselves. Similarly, if we are truly devoted to Ishvara, we see him in us, and he sees us in him.
 
Here, the topic of sakaama and nishkaama is concluded (desire-oriented and desireless devotion). The topic of the glory of devotion is taken up next.
 
Footnotes
1. Earlier Shri Krishna had said that Ishvara is not in anyone. This contradiction is resolved if we consider that each statement is made based on one’s perspective. If we are a devotee, Ishvara is in us and we are in Ishvara. If we a materialistic, Ishvara is not in us.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 9

19 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.24, abhijaananti, aham, ataha, bhoktaa, cha, chapter 9 verse 24, chyavanti, eva, hi, maam, na, prabhuhu, sarvayajnyaanaam, tattvena, te, tu

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aham hi sarvayajnyaanaam bhoktaa cha prabhureva cha |
na tu maamabhijaananti tattvenaatashchyavanti te || 24 ||
 
For I am the recipient and also the lord of all sacrificial rituals, but they do not know me in essence. That is why they fall.
 
aham : I
hi : for
sarvayajnyaanaam : all sacrificial rituals
bhoktaa : recipient
cha : and
prabhuhu : lord
eva : also
cha : and
na : not
tu : but
maam : me
abhijaananti : know
tattvena : in essence
ataha : that is why
chyavanti : fall
te : they
 
Earlier, Shri Krishna asserted that most people worship finite deities with the expectation of finite rewards, but ultimately, all their prayers reach the infinite Ishvara. This type of worship in itself is ok, but the result obtained through this worship can only be finite. Shri Krishna says that the reason most devotees commit this error because they do not recognize Ishvara in essence, they do not comprehend the real nature of Ishvara.
 
Imagine that people from a remote village visit a city. They may mistake a minister’s office for the nation’s government. They may mistake a computer for the Internet. They may mistake a power outlet for the electric grid. Just like such people will commit grave errors unless they understand the presence of the larger in the small, we also will commit errors in our worship unless we understand the real infinite nature of Ishvara.
 
So therefore, when we act in this world, we should always bear in mind that the recipient of any action is Ishvara. When we feed someone, care for someone, help someone in need, we should know that ultimately we are feeding, caring for and helping Ishvara. This will reduce our sense of ego or I-ness.
 
Furthermore, emotions such as pride, greed and jealousy are caused because we think we own something, or we covet something that others own. If we know that the ultimate owner of everything is Ishvara, it reduces our sense of attachment and “mine-ness”. Ego and attachment are great obstacles in the path of liberation, and this knowledge cuts them down.
 
What is the fate of such faulty worship? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 23, Chapter 9

18 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.23, anvitaahaa, anyadevataahaa, api, avidhipoorvakam, bhaktaahaa, chapter 9 verse 23, eva, kaunteya, maam, shraddhyaa, te, yajante, yajanti, ye

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yepyanyadevataa bhaktaa yajante shraddhyaanvitaahaa |
tepi maameva kaunteya yajantyavidhipoorvakam || 23 ||
 
Even those devotees who worship other deities, filled with faith, they also worship me only, O Kaunteya, (but) incorrectly.
 
ye : those
api : even
anyadevataahaa : other deities
bhaktaahaa : devotees
yajante : worship
shraddhyaa : faith
anvitaahaa : filled with
te : they
api : also
maam : me
eva : only
kaunteya : O Kaunterya
yajanti : worship
avidhipoorvakam : incorrectly
 
The recurring theme of this chapter is the removing misconceptions about the worship of Ishvara. Shri Krishna again invokes that theme in this shloka. He says that those devotees who worship deities other than the infinite Ishvara ultimately worship him, but do so in a wrong manner.
 
Many of us have been brought up in a tradition in which we worship a specific deity. As children, we are taught to invoke that deity during auspicious occasions, during periods of prosperity as well as periods of difficulty. We should be grateful to our parents for inculcalting these good sanskaaraas or habits in us at an early age. However, Shri Krishna says that as we grow older, it is important to have the correct knowledge of what we are worshipping, because in most cases, our knowledge is limited and incorrect.
 
What is this incorrect knowledge? Thinking that what we are worshipping is a finite deity in a certain form is incorrect knowledge. When we see a small government office, we do not make the mistake of thinking that a small office contains the government of an entire nation. Or when we look at a wave, we never imagine that the entire ocean is just that small wave.
 
Similarly, even though we worship a finite deity in our home or in a temple, we should never think that we are worshipping just that finite deity. If we think in that way, our worship will be incorrect, it will have a flaw.
 
So then, what is the right knowledge? It is knowing that we are worshipping Ishvara in his infinite nature. Just like we contact the entire Internet when we surf the web on our phone, we contact the infinite Ishvara when we worship a finite deity. Ishvara is the foundation of everything, therefore ultimately all prayers reach Ishvara.
 
Why do most devotees commit this error? This is explained next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 21, Chapter 9

16 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.21, anuprapannaahaa, bhuktvaa, chapter 9 verse 21, evam, gataagaam, kaamakaamaahaa, ksheene, labhante, martyalokam, punye, svargalokam, tam, te, trayeedharmam, vishaalam, vishanti

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te tam bhuktvaa svargalokam vishaalam ksheene punye martyalokam vishanti |
evam trayeedharmamanuprapannaa gataagaam kaamakaamaa labhante || 21 ||
 
Having enjoyed the (joys of) mighty heaven, they, with their merits exhausted, return to the mortal world. In this manner, those with selfish desires, who take refuge in the three-fold system, arrive and depart (repeatedly).
 
te : they
tam : that
bhuktvaa : enjoyed
svargalokam : heaven
vishaalam : mighty
ksheene : exhausted
punye : merits
martyalokam : mortal world
vishanti : come to
evam : in this manner
trayeedharmam : three-fold system
anuprapannaahaa : take refuge
gataagaam : arrival and departure
kaamakaamaahaa : those with selfish desires
labhante : attain
 
Shri Krishna continues the description of desire-oriented devotees (sakaam bhaktas) who worship Ishvara with a view to gain earthly and heavenly rewards and conforts. Shri Krishna says that their efforts will bear fruit on earth as well as in heaven. However, he says that their stay in heaven is temporary. After their stay ends, they once again come back to earth and get caught up in the endless cycle of birth and death.
 
As an example, consider the plight of those people who work hard, earn a good living but have trouble managing their spending. As soon as they get their salary, they instantly spend most of it on the first of the month, and barely manage to pay their bills for the remainder of the month. They somehow forget that fact that money, like anything else in this world, is finite.
 
Similarly, people who enjoy heavenly pleasures stay in heaven until their merits (punya) are depleted. Once that happens, they come back to earth and are born into a human form if they are lucky, or some other form if they are not.
 
Shri Krishna says that such people follow the “three-fold system”. This refers to Vedic knowledge comprising the three modes or gunaas. Since the gunaas themselves are finite and transient, the results attained by the followers of these gunaas will also be finite and transient.
 
So therefore, although the desire-oriented devotee is better than someone who has no room for devotion, he is still trapped in a pursuit of comfort in pleasure in this world as well as in other worlds. Unlike such a devotee, what we should truly desire is liberation or moksha.
 
What kind of devotee gets liberation? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 9

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.20, aasaadya, ashnanti, chapter 9 verse 20, devabhoogaan, divi, divyaan, gods, ishtvaa, maam, pootapaahaa, praarthayante, punyam, somapaahaa, surendralokam, svargatim, te, traividyaa, yajnaihi

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traividyaa maam somapaahaa pootapaa yajnairishtvaa svargatim praarthayante |
te punyamaasaadya surendralokamashnanti divyaandivi devabhoogaan || 20 ||
 
Those well-versed in the three Vedas, after worshipping me through sacrifices, and drinking nectar and purified of sin, they pray for attainment of heaven. Having obtained merits, they enjoy the divine pleasures of the gods in heaven.
 
traividyaa : those well versed in three Vedas
maam : me
somapaahaa : drinkers of nectar
pootapaahaa : purified of sin
yajnaihi : through sacrifices
ishtvaa : after worship
svargatim : to attain heaven
praarthayante : pray
te : they
punyam : merits
aasaadya : obtain
surendralokam : abode of Indra
ashnanti : enjoy
divyaan : divine
divi : heavenly world
devabhoogaan : pleasures of the gods
 
Having described the infinite nature of Ishvara, Shri Krishna now elaborates upon the topic of devotees or bhaktas. There are predominantly two types of devotees: desire-oriented (sakaama) and desireless (nishkaam). Desire-oriented devotees are described in these two shlokas. Note the change to a longer meter to emphasize a change in the topic.
 
Who is the desire-oriented bhakta? He is a devotee who worships Ishvara for a material gain. He either wants merits (punya), wealth (artha), earthly joy (sukha), heavenly joy (svaraga) or a combination of these four. In simple words he is looking for money, name and fame.
 
So for example, if someone wants to buy a car, they pray that it is the right price and that it is in stock. If someone has an exam, they pray that they pass in the exam. Vedas and rituals mentioned in this shloka refer to the efforts that we put into appeasing Ishvara. We may not perform elaborate rituals, but there always is a thought that “please God let this happen so that I can be happy”, which amounts to the same thing as the rituals mentioned here.
 
Now, when a child asks his parents for something insignificant, a parent feels frustrated because the parent has the capability to give much greater value, but cannot do so because the child insists on that insignificant thing. Similarly, Ishvara also may feel sometimes that the things we ask of him – wealth, heavenly pleasures and so on – are insignificant. Such people do not have a strong resolve towards liberation, they do not have the “vyavasaatmikaa buddhi” mentioned in chapter 2. Their focus is diverted away from Ishvara towards material pursuits.
 
Assuming they somehow accumulate merits and attain heaven, what happens next?