Category Archives: vijnyaana

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 9

28 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.1, anasooyave, ashubhaat, chapter 9 verse 1, guhyatamam, idam, jnyaanam, jnyaatvaa, mokshayase, pravakshyaami, sahitam, te, tu, vijnyaana, yat

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Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
idam tu te guhyatamam pravakshyaamyanasooyave |
jnyaanam vijnyaanasahitam yajnyaatvaa mokshayaseshubhaat || 1 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
So, to you who is without fault, I will explain, this extremely secret knowledge along with wisdom, having known which, you will be liberated from the inauspicious.
 
idam : this
tu : so
te : to you
guhyatamam : extremely secret
pravakshyaami : I will explain
anasooyave : faultless
jnyaanam : knowledge
vijnyaana : wisdom
sahitam : along with
yat : which
jnyaatvaa : having known
mokshayase : you will be liberated
ashubhaat : inauspicious
 
Shri Krishna uses this chapter to progress the theme of the seventh chapter, which was the infinite nature of Ishvara and the finite nature of maaya. He begins the chapter by asserting that the knowledge of Ishvara’s infinite nature will result in liberation. He addresses Arjuna as “anasooya” which means without fault, doubt or prejudice, indicating that those who have begun the process of purification of their minds through karma yoga and devoted meditation will understand this knowledge completely.
 
First, let us understand the result of knowledge that Shri Krishna is glorifying in this shloka. It is going to give us freedom or liberation from the inauspicious. The word inauspicious in this shloka refers to samsaara or the endless cycle of creation and dissolution that all of us are trapped in.
 
Next, let us look at what makes this knowledge unique. Shri Krishna says that he is going to reveal not just knowledge, but also “vijnyana” or wisdom that we can internalize in our lives. Also, unlike other knowledge that requires action to give a result, this knowledge gives us the result of liberation all by itself. As an example, if we come to know that a mirage in a desert is false, we don’t have to do anything further.
 
What makes this knowledge even more special is that it is extremely subtle. It is hard for someone to figure out on their own. We need a competent teacher like Shri Krishna to reveal this knowledge to you. Shri Krishna, urging us to learn this knowledge in the right way through a teacher, calls it “secret knowledge”.
 
Shri Krishna further glorifies this special knowledge in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 41, Chapter 3

18 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.41, adau, bharatarshabha, chapter 3 verse 41, enam, hi, indriyaani, jnyaana, miyamya, naashanam, paapmaanam, prajahi, tasmaat, tvam, vijnyaana

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tasmaattvamindriyaanyaadau niyamya bharatarshabha |
paapmaanam prajahi hyonam jnyaanavijnyaananaashanam || 41 ||

Therefore, first control the senses, O excellent among Bharataas, and with force, definitely kill this destroyer of knowledge and wisdom.

tasmaat : therefore
tvam : you
indriyaani : senses
adau : first
niyamya : control
bharatarshabha : excellent among Bharataas
paapmaanam : mighty sinner (desires)
prajahi : kill with force
hi : definitely
enam : this
jnyaana : knowledge
vijnyaana : wisdom
naashanam : destroyer

Having revealed the location of desire, Shri Krishna now provides a method of taming desire. He advises Arjuna to first control desire at the level of the senses. Desires originate in the likes and dislikes present in the senses, and therefore, that is where we should go after them.

This requires us to be constantly aware and alert of our likes and dislikes, and not to get overpowered by them once we see them arise. For example, we can detect anger towards someone we dislike arise in our mind. We may try to suppress angry thoughts, but that is not feasible. Therefore we should first learn to control anger at level of the tongue by not speaking any harsh words towards that person.

How do we remain alert? There are several techniques to make us alert and bring us to the present moment. The simplest technique is to take a few breaths and just focus attention on the inhaling and exhaling. This will immediately stop all mental “chatter”.

Shri Krishna also mentions here that desire not only destroys knowledge but also wisdom. So let us correctly understand what is meant by wisdom here. Essentially, knowledge + experience = wisdom. If we read something in a book, then it is knowledge. But if we experience something on our own, then we own it and it becomes wisdom.

With this shloka, Shri Krishna answered the question raised by Arjuna, which was in regards to obstacles to karma yoga. He also provided a simple technique that only begins to address the obstacles, but does not completely eradicate them. In the next two verses, he concludes the topic of karmayoga by providing the advanced technique of removing these obstacles.