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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: vishishyate

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 12

21 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 12.12, abhyaasaat, anantaram, chapter 12 verse 12, dhyaanaat, dhyaanam, hi, jnyaanaat, jnyaanam, karmaphalatyaagaha, shantihi, shreyaha, tyaagaat, vishishyate

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shreyo hi jnyaanamabhyaasaanjnyaanaaddhyaanam vishishyate |
dhyaanaatkarmaphalatyaagastyaagaacchaantiranantaram || 12 ||

 
Knowledge is superior to practice, meditation is superior to knowledge, and renunciation of fruits of actions is superior to meditation, for peace immediately follows renunciation.
 
shreyaha : superior
hi : for
jnyaanam : knowledge
abhyaasaat : practice
jnyaanaat : knowledge
dhyaanam : meditation
vishishyate : superior
dhyaanaat : meditation
karmaphalatyaagaha : renunciation of fruits of action
tyaagaat : renunciation
shantihi : peace
anantaram : immeditately follows
 
The last four shlokas laid out a series of stages that enable us to access Ishvara based on our qualifications. They were laid out in descending order, addressing the most qualified to the least qualified. Jnyaana yoga was prescribed for those who have given up attachment to the body, abhyaasa yoga for those who can sit for meditation, bhakti yoga for those who can perform every action for Ishvara, and karma yoga for those who can dedicate the results of their actions to Ishvara.
 
Here, Shri Krishna provides a recap of those four shlokas as well as providing some additional insights into the nuances of each stage. He first says that knowledge is superior to practice. Here, practice refers to mere mechanical chanting of japas without the involvement of the mind or the intellect. Such inert practice will not lead us anywhere. Shri Krishna cautions us against jumping into meditative practice without the knowledge of what we are doing, how to do it, what is the goal and so on.
 
Next, he says that meditation is superior to knowledge. Here, the word meditation is used in the sense of a higher kind of knowledge, one that does not create a distinction between the knower and the known, one that is a direct, intuitive understanding of Ishvara. This higher kind of knowledge is superior than dry, academic knowledge gained through a cursory reading of the scriptures without the guidance of a guru, and without the perfect internalization of that knowledge through a pure mind and intellect. In this sense, meditation or higher knowledge is superior to purely academic knowledge.
 
Now to get to these two stages, we have to take stock of our qualifications. Shri Krishna knew that the majority of people would have a great sense of attachment to the body, as well as a large stock of selfish desires that prompt them to selfish actions. They need a technique that is appropriate for their qualifications, and that will bring them to a stage where they can eventually practice meditation. For such individuals, renunciation of the fruits of actions, or karma yoga, is superior than meditation. Only renunciation will bring short term peace through reduction of worry for the future, and long term peace by making us qualified for meditation.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 7

13 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 7.17, aham, atyartham, cha, chapter 7 verse 17, ekabhaktihi, hi, jnyaanee, jnyaaninaha, mama, nityayuktaha, priyaha, saha, teshaam, vishishyate

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teshaam jnyaanee nityayukta ekabhaktirvishishyate |
priyo hi jnyaaninotyarthamaham sa cha mama priyaha || 17 ||

 
Among those, the wise one who is constantly connected with single-pointed devotion is special, for I am dear to him, and he is dear to me.
 
teshaam : among those
jnyaanee : the wise one
nityayuktaha : constantly connected
ekabhaktihi : single-pointed devotion
vishishyate : is special
priyaha : dear
hi : for
jnyaaninaha : wise
atyartham : extremely
aham : I am
saha : he
cha : and
mama : me
priyaha : dear
 
Previously, Shri Krishna enumerated the four types of devotees that seek Ishvara’s refuge. Now, Shri Krishna says that the wise devotee is special among the four types of devotees. The wise devotee is always striving to be connected with him. Shri Krishna gives the reason for the special nature of this devotee in this and the next shloka.
 
A wise devotee has gone through a lot of ups and downs in life like anyone else. But he has taken the time to accurately analyze his situation. He has come to the conclusion that no matter what he gains – a new job, new house, investments and so on – he is still left with a sense of incompleteness. Unlike the other three types of devotees that seek something finite, he wants to go beyond finite things. In other words, he is seeking infinitude.
 
Having come to this conclusion, his search for infinitude has culminated in Ishvara. He intuitively knows that it is Ishvara that is going to give him infinitude. He then takes to the path of spirituality from the very early stages: karmayoga for purification of the mind, followed by meditation for single-pointedness of mind, hoping eventually to culminate in attainment of the infinite Ishvara.
 
There is another reason for the special nature of the wise devotee, which we shall see next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 6

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 6.9, api, ari, bandhushu, cha, chapter 6 verse 9, dveshya, madhyastha, mitra, paapeshu, saadhushu, samabuddhihi, suhrida, udaaseena, vishishyate

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suhrinmitraaryudaaseenamadhyasthadveshyabandhushu |
saadhushvapi cha paapeshu samabuddhirvishishyate || 9 ||

Well-wishers, friends, enemies, the unbiased, mediators, irritators, relatives, and also saints and sinners; one who views these as same is superior.

suhrida : well-wisher
mitra : friend
ari : enemy
udaaseena : unbiased
madhyastha : mediator
dveshya : irritators
bandhushu : relative
saadhushu : saint
api : also
cha : and
paapeshu : sinner
samabuddhihi : same vision
vishishyate : superior

In this shloka, the last shloka within the series of shlokas about the realized meditator’s vision, Shri Krishna speaks about how such a person views people. He says that regardless of how other people are connected to this person – they could be friends, enemies and so on – he views them as alike. Now, having this kind of attitude towards people is far difficult than maintaining such an attitude with objects and situations. So for that reason, Shri Krishna calls such a person “superior”.

There is diversity of individuals in this world, most of whom we do not deal with, but some of whom we do. By themselves, they are perfectly fine. But when we transact with them, we tend to categorize them through the lens of roles. A wide variety of such roles are provided here by Shri Krishna.

A “suhrida” is well wisher who does not expect anything in return from us, but is intent on doing actions that benefit us. Such people are rare. They do not keep a mental account of the good deeds that they have done, so that we can one day pay them back.

A “mitra” is friend, someone who cares for us. If we call him at midnight and ask for help, he will be there to help us. There is no doubt in our minds about whether or not he will help us. Consequently, we have raaga or desire towards that person.

An “ari” is our enemy. For reasons that are justified or even unjustified, we think that such a person wants to trouble us without any reason. We have dvesha or hatred towards this person. This becomes especially troublesome in meditation, because what we hate will come out as thoughts that disturb us in our meditation, not what we love.

“Udaaseena” literally means one who has lifted himself higher. He is indifferent and unbiased towards us and others. We have a neutral attitude towards such a person.

A “madhyastha” is a mediator. If there are two sets of people, he cares for both parties that could either have something in common, or are even opposed to each other. Such people are known to arrange weddings between two families, or even resolve disputes.

A “dveshya” is a person who we cannot stand. It is not necessary that such a person is our enemy or wishes ill of us. It is someone who irritates us for no reason. Either we wants to pick a fight with us, or we want to pick a fight with them.

A “bandhu” is a relative. It is someone who, whether we like it or not, has a relationship with us due to a familial tie. In fact this word is derived from the word “bandhan” which means tie or knot.

A saadhu is a totally pious and noble person whom we have utmost respect for. The opposite of such a person is a “paapi” or a sinner, one who has committed great crime.

So therefore, Shri Krishna says that the person whose mental state remains same whenever he thinks of or encounters any of these types of people, he is superior. But to get to this stage first requires a more basic level of sameness when we perform actions. That can only be achieved through karma yoga. Unless the mind is steady while performing actions, we cannot rise to the level of sameness mentioned in this shloka. Our thinking has to change from the ground up.

How does our thinking have to change? Our outlook towards people is usually in terms of gains and losses. We tend to evaluate people by the notion “what can they do for me?”. But one who has truly understood law of karma will know that whatever is happening in their life is nothing but a product of their actions. Another way of looking at people is “why does not he or she behave like I want?” But that is like asking “why is fire hot” or “why is salt salty”. People have in-built behaviour that is hard to change.

So, when someone upgrades himself to the karmayoga vision and submits all actions to Ishvara, he leaves all results to Ishvara also. He then begins to view the workings of world as Ishvara’s plan. Regardless of whether he encounters a good or bad situation, person or object, he will say “this is Ishvara’s plan” or “this is nature working through its laws”.

Once he has taken himself out of the picture, there no need to hold grudge against any one person, no room for complaint. It makes us become unperturbed and gradually, free of any worries caused by the world. This is how we develop the vision of sameness towards people.

So here, Shri Krishna concludes the topic of the realized meditator’s vision of the world. Next, he introduces the main topic of meditation.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 3

15 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by skr_2011 in 3.7, aarabhate, arjuna, asaktah, chapter 3 verse 7, indriyaani, karmayogam, karmendriyaih, manasaa, niyamya, sa, tu, vishishyate, yah

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yastvindriyaani manasaa niyamyaarabhaterjuna |
karmendriyaih karmayogamasaktah sa vishishyate || 7 ||

But one who controls his senses by his mind, O Arjuna, and performs karmayoga with his organs-of-action without attachment – that individual is superior.

yah : that
tu : but
indriyaani : senses
manasaa : by mind
niyamya : controls
aarabhate : follows
arjuna : O Arjuna
karmendriyaih : through organs-of-action
karmayogam : karma yoga
asaktah : without attachment
sa : that individual
vishishyate : is superior

In the previous shloka, we saw that repressing our urges and giving up actions does not work. A different approach is needed to clean our vasanaas and selfish desires. In this shloka, Shri Krishna says that we should not give up actions – instead, we should give up attachment.

Giving up attachment is a technique unto itself, and this chapter goes into a lot of detail on that topic. To begin with, this shloka informs us that we need to arm ourselves with two weapons: discrimination or “viveka”, and dispassion or “vairagya”.

Let first look at discrimination. If we have followed the teaching so far, we know that material objects are are temporary and are not the true sources of happiness. But it is extremely easy to forget this teaching, especially if we have strong vasanaas and desires.

Therefore, we have to constantly arm ourselves with the weapon of discrimination by being always aware and alert about our thoughts and emotions. And we have to be especially alert when we are around objects that we are attached to. For a simple example take food: it could be chocolates for the sweet tooth person, fried food for the obese person etc.

Next comes dispassion. If we constantly practice discrimination, dispassion will happen automatically. Objects, people and situations will begin to lose their hold on us. Dispassion will prevent our energy from rushing out into the world of material objects through our senses. This is what the shloka means by the phrase “one who controls his senses by his mind.”

Finally, once the mind has gained back control over the senses, then the energy that once rushed out through our senses can be channeled into performing karmayoga. The next shloka will go deeper into what Shri Krishna means by karmayoga.

Footnotes
1. Verse 375 of Shankarachaarya’s Vivekachoodamani speaks of dispassion and discrimination as “two wings of a bird” that lift the seeker into realization.

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