Category Archives: yogam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 10

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.18, aatmanaha, amritam, asti, bhooyaha, cha, chapter 10 verse 18, janaardana, kathaya, me, na, shrunavataha, truptihi, vibhootim, vistarena, yogam

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vistarenaatmano yogam vibhootim cha janaardana |
bhooyaha kathaya truptirhi shrunavato naasti memritam || 18 ||
 
Elaborately describe your yoga and expressions again, O Janaardana. I am not satisfied by listening to your nectar-like (words).
 
vistarena : elaborately
aatmanaha : your
yogam : yoga
vibhootim : expressions
cha : and
janaardana : O Janaardana
bhooyaha : again
kathaya : describe
truptihi : satisfied
shrunavataha : listening
na : not
asti : is
me : my
amritam : nectar-like
 
So far, Shri Krishna just gave a taste of Ishvara’s expressions. Arjuna clearly was relishing and enjoying hearing these expressions because he compared them to the sweetness of nectar. He wanted to hear them all over again. But this time, he would not be content with hearing so little. He requested Shri Krishna to give a detailed and elaborate description of Ishvara’s expressions as well as yoga, the power of maaya that creates many expressions of the one Ishvara.
 
Arjuna addressed Shri Krishna as “Janaardana” which has two meanings. “Arda” means one who moves, or makes others move. Jana means people, and therefore Janaardana means one who moves people to heaven or hell, in other words, dispenses justice to evildoers. Another meaning of Janaardana is one whom people ask for prosperity and well being. Arjuna understood that the true nature of Shri Krishna was Ishvara.
 
With this shloka, Shri Krishna concluded his statements and requests. Starting with the next shloka, Shri Krishna will provide a total of 72 vibhootis or expressions of Ishvara. Most of these are drawn from the Indian Vedic and Puraanic tradition since Arjuna would be easily able to identify with and connect with those examples. We can try to look for similarities in the present time so that we are also able to connect with those.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 10

06 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.7, atra, avikampena, cha, chapter 10 verse 7, etaam, mama, na, saha, samshayaha, tatvataha, vetti, vibhootim, yaha, yogam, yogena, yujyate

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etaam vibhootim yogam cha mama yo vetti tatvataha |
sovikampena yogena yujyate naatra samshayaha || 7 ||
 
He who understands this, my manifestation and yoga in its essence; he becomes engaged with unperturbed yoga, without a doubt.
 
etaam : this
vibhootim : manifestation
yogam : yoga
cha : and
mama : my
yaha : he who
vetti : understands
tatvataha : in essence
saha : he
avikampena : unperturbed
yogena : with yoga
yujyate : engages
na : not
atra : any
samshayaha : doubt
 
What is the result of hearing about Ishvara’s expressions? Shri Krishna says that one who is able to perceive Ishvara as manifesting through expressions becomes established in “avikampena yoga” or a constant, unshakeable connection with Ishvara.
 
Vibhooti refers to the multiple or pluralistic manifestation of Ishvara, the presence of Ishvara in all forms present in the universe. Yoga, also known as yoga-maaya, is the power that makes this pluralistic manifestation possible. Shri Krishna says that one who knows this vibhooti and yoga as arising from Ishvara is constantly united with Ishvara.
 
The key here is to develop a vision that goes into the essence of any object or person or situation instead of getting distracted by the form, just like a scrap metal dealer’s vision goes straight into the metal, and not the shape.
 
How do we develop this vision? Let us bring back the concept of material cause and intelligent cause that we saw earlier. A pot is created by two aspects: the material cause which is clay, and the intelligent cause which is the potter. So for instance, when Shri Krishna said that the seven sages were created by Ishvara, it means that Ishvara is both the “stuff” and the “sculptor”. He is both the material and intelligent cause of those sages. The Mundaka Upanishad illustrates this concept with the example of a spider who creates a web from his own body, using no other external raw material. The spider becomes the material cause and the intelligent cause of the web.
 
So if our thoughts are made of Ishvara, objects are made of Ishvara, situations are made of Ishvara, if we develop this vision, what will happen to us? We will get established in an unshakeable, unwavering connection with Ishvara. In other words, if we know that Ishvara is present in everything, we will never be disconnected from Ishvara, just like our cell phones are never disconnected from their network no matter which part of the country we visit. We will we able to encounter every situation in life with poise and equanimity, without being shaken up, because everything is ultimately Ishvara.
 
This state of unwavering yoga is elaborated upon in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 9

31 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.5, aatmaa, aishvaram, bhootaani, bhootabhaavanaha, bhootabhrit, bhootasthaha, cha, chapter 9 verse 5, mama, matsthaani, me, na, pashya, yogam

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na cha matsthaani bhootaani pashya me yogamaishvaram |
bhootabhrinna cha bhootastho mamaatmaa bhootabhaavanaha || 5 ||
 
But, neither do all beings reside in me. Behold my divine yoga! I am the sustainer and creator of all beings, but my self is not contained in (those) beings.
 
na : nor
cha : but
matsthaani : reside in me
bhootaani : all beings
pashya : behold
me : my
yogam : yoga
aishvaram : divine
bhootabhrit : sustainer of beings
na : not
cha : and
bhootasthaha : contained in beings
mama : my
aatmaa : self
bhootabhaavanaha : creator of beings
 
Shri Krishna takes the argument of the prior shloka one step further. He says that what we see through our eyes, hear through our nose, touch through our skin is just a series of names and forms. It is a divine power of Ishvara, just like the skill of a magician. These names and forms appear as if they are created, sustained and destroyed by Ishvara, but in reality, there is no such thing.
 
We notice that the first statement “all beings do not reside in me” contradicts the statement in the last shloka “all beings are based in me.” This is because each statement is made from a different perspective, based on our level of understanding.
 
If we think that the world of names and forms is real, then Ishvara says that all beings are based in him. It is like the little girl thinking that the foam and the waves in the ocean are real entities.
 
But, if we advance our understanding, if we know that the world of names and forms is a play of Ishvara, then he says that none of those beings, those names and forms, reside in him. The illusion of the magician does not reside in the magician, because an illusion cannot reside in something real. That is why Shri Krishna says that Ishvara’s self is not contained in all beings.
 
Now, even though we have this knowledge, will still see, hear, touch, feel and taste the world. Those forms in the world will be created, survive, and eventually dissolve. Our near and dear ones will prosper, but will also leave us one day. All of this is a play of Ishvara’s maayaa. To this end, he asserts that he is the creator and sustainer of these names and forms.
 
As an example, we look up at the sky and observe that it is blue in colour. We know that the blue colour is just an illusion caused by the scattering of light waves. However, even after we know this, our eyes still report the color of the sky as blue. Similarly, Shri Krishna urges us to recognize that Ishvara’s divine power of maayaa, his “home theatre system”, creates all the names and forms that our lives are made up of.
 
So then, what is the essence of these two key shlokas? Our senses will always report names and forms to our mind and intellect. If we know that they are all illusory names and forms, we will gain liberation. If we get sucked into thinking that they are real, we will be trapped in their apparent reality.
 
This teaching requires further elaboration. To that end, Shri Krishna provides an illustration in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 7

26 Saturday May 2012

Posted by in aasaktamanaaha, asamshayam, chapter 7 verse 1, jnyaasyasi, maam, madaashrayaha, mayi, paartha, samagram, shrunu, tat, yathaa, yogam, yunjan

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Shri Bhagavaan uvaacha:
mayyasaktamanaaha paartha yogam yunjanmadaashrayaha |
asamshayam samagram maam yathaa jnyaasyasi tachchrunu || 1 ||
 
Shri Bhagavaan said:
With mind attached to me, O Paartha, striving in yoga, taking refuge in me, without doubt, by which you will know me completely, listen to that.
 
mayi : to me
aasaktamanaaha : mind attached
paartha : O Paartha
yogam : yoga
yunjan : striving
madaashrayaha : taking refuge in me
asamshayam : without doubt
samagram : completely
maam : my
yathaa : by which
jnyaasyasi : knows
tat : that
shrunu : listen
 
Before we proceed to the seventh chapter, let’s recap what we have seen so far. Arjuna, overcome with sorrow in the battlefield, pleaded to Shri Krishna to give him proper guidance. Shri Krishna proceeded to give him the teaching of the eternal essence, which was the primary topic of the second chapter.
 
The first step in gaining this supreme knowledge is to purify the mind of selfish desires through karmayoga, which was the topic of the third and fourth chapters. As our desires slowly get purified, karmayoga morphs into karma sanyaasa, where our activities reduce to the bare minimum. The final step is the culmination of karmayoga into dhyaana yoga or meditation. In this manner, the first six chapters of the Gita focus on the individual and self effort.
 
We saw in the last chapter that Shri Krishna wanted us to meditate upon him as Ishvara. But for the most part, we do not know what Ishvara is, what is his role in the world, how do we access him and so on. Furthermore, if Ishvara truly represents the infinite eternal essence, how can the finite mind meditate on him? Chapters seven through twelve explain this technique. They reveal to us the nature of Ishvara as creator and controller of this universe. And just like we had to put forth effort to purify our mind in the prior six chapter, we need to apply a more demanding approach to understand Ishvara. It is the effort of surrender to Ishvara with bhakti or devotion.
 
Now, Shri Krishna introduces the seventh chapter with a powerful message. He says that he will reveal that by which we can come to know of Ishvara’s true nature completely and without any doubts. This will require us to develop attachment towards him, and to seek refuge in him.
 
Firstly, Shri Krishna wants us to understand his true nature “samagram” or completely, and without any doubts. For many of us, our image of Ishvara is based upon pictures we have seen in books or on television of Lord Narayana sleeping on the serpent, or of Shri Krishna playing in Vrindaavan. Shri Krishna says that there is nothing wrong with these images, but that is not the full story. He wants to reveal himself in such a manner to us that we will get a complete and comprehensive understanding of his real nature.
 
In the process of understanding Ishvara’s true nature, we will begin to develop a strong attachment towards him and become intent on him, indicated by the words “mai aasakta”. When we begin to develop an attachment to a higher ideal, the lower attachments to material things will automatically drop. There is no need for anything else as a source of joy when one develops an affinity for Ishvara.
 
Furthermore, we will seek his “aashraya”, which means support. Usually, when we are in distress, we take the support of our job, our wealth, our body, our friends and so on. But, none of these can guarantee their support. They could pull out any any minute, they are unreliable. As we begin to develop devotion towards Ishvara, we will realize that he is the only permanent support available. We will begin to rely on him solely, rather than on any other source of support.
 
So therefore, Shri Krishna asks Arjuna to pay attention to this message, as it is not going to be easy for everyone to develop such a connection to Ishvara. But this is the only way by which we can know Ishvara in his entirety. Shri Krishna speaks more about the nature of this knowledge in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 6

22 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in aatmanaha, chapter 6 verse 19, deepaha, ingate, na, nivaatasthataha, saa, smritaa, upamaa, yatachittasya, yathaa, yogam, yoginaha, yunjato

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yathaa deepo nivaatasthato nengate sopamaa smritaa |
yogino yatachittasya yunjato yogamaatmanaha || 19 ||
 
Just like a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, this state is comparable to the yogi, having controlled the mind, who engages his self in yoga.
 
yathaa : just like
deepaha : lamp
nivaatasthataha : in a windless place
na : does not
ingate : flicker
saa : this (state)
upamaa : comparison
smritaa : has been said
yoginaha : of the yogi
yatachittasya : who has controlled the mind
yunjato : engages
yogam : yoga
aatmanaha : with his self
 
The state of the meditator’s mind is beautifully explained with a classic illustration or “upamaa” by Shri Krishna in this shloka. He compares the mind of a meditator to the flame of a lamp that is burning in a windless room. Just like the flame is unwavering due to absence of wind, so too is the mind of a meditator steady due to absence of desire.
 
If we compare the focused mind to a steady flame, then we need to understand how to prevent to mind from succumbing to the winds of desire. If desires exist, we may be able to temporarily stabilize the mind, but it will eventually get destabilized due to a thought generated by a desire. Presence of desire indicates absence of detachment or vairagya. The only cure is to increase our level of detachment towards the world.
 
The intense level of detachment that is needed for meditation is not an alien concept. When people get extremely absorbed in watching TV, they temporarily develop detachment towards everything else. If we call them for dinner, or if the doorbell rings and so on, these external occurences do not even register in their minds. It again depends on what we give importance to.
 
Now let us examine another aspect of the lamp illustration. According to Vedaanta, seeing an inert object is a 2 step process. First, our mind creates a mental picture of the object. Next, the aatman or self shines a light on that picture, just like a torch does. Only when this light is shined do we come to know that “this is a mango” or “this is a car” and so on.
 
But when we meditate on the self, the second step does not happen because we are not focusing our attention on an inert object. We are focusing on the self, which illuminates itself. It is like shining a torch on the sun – the torch is useless. The self is like the candle since it does not require anything else to illumine it, to shine a light on it. This is another point made in the illustration of the flame.
 
So therefore, when our focus and concentration reaches its peak, and when the target of meditation becomes our own aatmaa or self, it is the culmination of meditation. It is the state of samaadhi. This state is further elaborated upon in the forthcoming shlokas.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 6

14 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by in aasane, aatma, chapter 6 verse 12, ekaagram, kritvaa, manaha, purification, tatra, upavishya, vishuddhaye, yatachittendriyakriyaha, yogam, yunjyaat

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tatrekaagram manaha kritvaa yatachittendriyakriyaha |
upavishyaasane yunjyaadyogamaatmavishuddhaye || 12 ||
 
Seated on that seat, making the mind single pointed, having subdued the activities of the mind and senses, engage in the yoga for purification of the self.
 
tatra : that
ekaagram : single-pointed
manaha : mind
kritvaa : making
yatachittendriyakriyaha : subduing activities of mind and senses
upavishya : seated
aasane : seat
yunjyaat : engage
yogam : yoga
aatma : self
vishuddhaye : purification
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna provides a comprehensive introduction to the process of meditation, and also points out the goal of meditation. He says that the goal of meditation is to purify the intellect. The process to do that is by sitting down, controlling the mind and senses, and focusing the mind, making it single pointed.
 
First let us examine the goal of meditation which is the purification of the intellect. The shloka says “aatma-vishuddhaye” meaning “self-purification”. Note that the word self means the intellect here. But what does purification of the intellect mean exactly? To understand that, we need to take a step back and examine where meditation is placed with respect to the topics in the Gita. Meditation is the culmination of the entire curriculum of the Gita which aims at removing the three main defects of our personality: mala, vikshepa and aavarana.
 
In the third chapter of the Gita, we encountered karmayoga. It enables us to purify the first impurity of the personality known as mala or dirt. Mala causes the mind to rush out into the world of sense objects due to a sense of finitude. In other words, it causes us to act in the world. As we have seen earlier, we use karmayoga to turn this defect against itself, just like a thorn removes another thorn. Next, devotion or bhakti is used to remove the second defect known as vikshepa, which the tendency of the mind to get distracted. Chapters 7 to 12 examine bhakti in great detail.
 
After dealing with mala and vikshepa, the Gita addresses the last defect known as aavarana or covering. This covering prevents us from fully getting established in the knowledge of the eternal essence. Having gone through shravanam (reading and listening to knowledge) and mananam (removal of doubts), meditation helps us achieve the last step which is nidhidhyaasa or internalization of this knowledge.
 
So the notion that “I am not this body, I am the eternal essence” needs to be fully internalized so that it becomes second nature to us. This is the goal of meditation.
 
The process to achieve this goal is also addressed in this shloka. Shri Krishna asks us to sit down on that seat that was described in the previous shloka. He then asks us to make the mind single-pointed or focused. But this is easier said than done. Whenever we close our eyes and sit in meditation, the thoughts of the world rush in.
 
Many techniques are given in other literature in order to make this happen, including concentrating attention on a point on the wall, on a flame and so on. But the prerequisite to all of this is that we have to subdue the mind and the senses.
 
Consider the example of the person that wants to remain seated inside a room. Either he will have thoughts of objects outside the room, or someone from the outside will want him to come out of the room. Similarly, when we sit for meditation, either the mind will generate thoughts of the world, or the sense organs will pick up a scent, a touch and so on that will drag the mind out. Therefore, we have to control the mind and senses before attempting meditation.
 
There also are some secondary benefits to meditation. If we meditate on a regular basis, we will never be reactive to situations. No matter what kind of situation comes up in front of us, we will always take time to pause and then decide. This is because the mind has already been trained to slow down the thinking process. We will then not lose our balance and not always work in a reactionary mode. We will take a good look at situation and slowly approach it
meditative person will have this advantage.
 
Next, Shri Krishna delves into the specifics of meditation.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 6

05 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in 6.3, aarurkshoho, chapter 6 verse 3, eva, kaaranam, munehe, shamah, tasya, uchayte, uchyate, yogam, yogaroodhasya

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aarurukshormuneryogam karma kaaranamuchyate |
yogaroodhasya tasyaiva shamah kaaranamuchyate || 3 ||

For that contemplative person who desires to ascend to yoga, action is said to be the means. For one who is established in yoga, tranquility is said to be the means.

aarurukshoho : one who desires to ascend
munehe : contemplative person
yogam : yoga
karma : action
kaaranam : means
uchyate : is said to be
yogaroodhasya : one who is established in yoga
tasya : that person
eva : only
shamah : tranquility
kaaranam : means
uchyate : is said to be

In the shlokas so far, Shri Krishna has pointed out the similarity between a karmayogi and a monk in regards to their suitability for practicing meditation. Now, he begins to go one level deeper and tell us where we stand, and how should we prepare ourselves for meditation.

Let’s first understand what is meant by a muni or a contemplative person. Most people in this world harbour the notion that worldly objects, people and situations yield happiness. The contemplative person is one who has spent enough time observing the world and understood that notion to be false. He need not have retreated to the forest to contemplate on this. He knows from his daily life experience that the world cannot give joy. Such a muni, who has the desire to go higher, ascend above the material world, is called “aarurkshoho”.

So for such a muni, there are two possibilities. One is that he is not established in dhyaana yoga or meditation. His mind still harbours desires. His proportion of sattva guna is lower compared to rajas and tamas. For such a seeker, the only means to get established in meditation is karmayoga. Diligent observance of karmayoga will develop the qualities of discrimination and dispassion (viveka and vairagya), which will ultimately purge desires from the mind.

The second possibility is the muni who has achieved a high level of viveka and vairagya. His mind does not harbour desires due to the predominance of sattva. He only performs the bare minimum of actions that are in line with his obligatory duties. Such a person is “aarudha” or elevated. For such a person, meditation will come naturally. All he has to is to follow the instructions given later in this chapter towards “shamaha”, which is quietening the mind.

Consider this illustration. When a child wants to ride a heavy bicycle, he usually cannot climb it directly. He has to put one foot on the pedal and kick the ground with the other foot till the bicycle gathers speed. Only then can he climb the bicycle. So in the initial stage, the child is “aarurkshoho” and has to kick the ground until the bike gathers speed. Then when he ascends the bicycle, he becomes “aarudha”.

Now, when exactly does the seeker become ready to meditate? This is tackled in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 6

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in 6.2, asannyasta, bhavati, chapter 6 verse 2, hi, iti, kashchana, na, paandava, praahuhu, sanyaasam, tam, viddhi, yam, yogam, yogi

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yam sannyaasamiti praahuryogam tam viddhi paandava |
na hyasannyastasankalpo yogi bhavati kashchana | |2||

In this manner, that which is called renunciation, know that to be the same as yoga, O Paandava. For without renunciation of desires, one cannot become a yogi.

yam : that which
sannyaasam : renunciation
iti : in this manner
praahuhu : call
yogam : yoga
tam : that same thing
viddhi : know that
paandava : O Paandava
na : not
hi : for
asannyasta : without renouncing
sankalpo : desires
yogi : yogi
bhavati : become
kashchana : cannot|

Shri Krishna further elaborates on the definition of a sannyaasi or a monk in this shlokla. He says that the karmayogi and sannyaasi are, at their core, one and the same. One need not renounce the world in order to become a dhyaana yogi or a meditator. All one needs to do is to follow the path of karmayoga diligently. Only when the tendency to create new desires or sankalpa goes away can one become a meditator.

How can the action-oriented karmayogi and the actionless-oriented monk be the same? Let us investigate. It is only when the mind of the seeker is free of sankalpa does he become ready for meditation. Meditation can occur only when the mind is tranquil. Tranquility only occurs when the mind is rid of all desires. Now the question arises that how do we know whether such tranquility exists? Have we experienced it? Yes we have. Once we finally get an object that we were craving for a long time, our mind experiences tranquility for a fraction of a second. This is caused due to a temporary cessation of desires, and ends when new desires start agitating the mind again.

If one has reached an advanced stage in the spiritual journey where desires have gone down to a minimum, one becomes actionless automatically. We saw this in the fifth chapter. But if one still harbours desires, karmayoga is the means to slowly diminish desires through renouncing the results of action. So what needs to be renounced is attachment to results of action, not action itself. This recurring message drives home the point that action-orientation and actionless-orientation are the same, as long as the attachment to results is renounced. They both have the same effect: tranquility of mind.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 5

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in 5.5, api, cha, chapter 5 verse 5, ekam, gamyate, pashyati, praapyate, saankhyaih, saankhyam, sah, sthaanam, tat, yah, yat, yogaih, yogam

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yatsaankhyaih praapyate sthaanam tadyogairapi gamyate |
ekam saankhyam cha yogam cha yah pashyati sah pashyati || 5 ||

One who obtains the state of bliss through knowledge, also reaches that same state through yoga. He who sees knowledge and yoga as one, that person sees (correctly).

yat : one who
saankhyaih : through knowledge
praapyate : obtains
sthaanam : state of bliss
tat : that
yogaih : through yoga
api : also
gamyate : reaches
ekam : as one
saankhyam : knowledge
cha : and
yogam : yoga
cha : also
yah : the person who
pashyati : sees
sah : that person
pashyati : sees

In this shloka, the words yoga and knowledge need further elaboration to get at the underlying meaning. In the context of this chapter, they mean yoga of action (karmayoga) and yoga of knowledge through renunciation (karma sannyaasa yoga) respectively. Having added this context, the shloka now reads as follows: one who obtains the state of bliss through the yoga of knowledge, also reaches that same state through the yoga of action. In the wise person’s view, both of these are one. It is like two passengers boarding a train from different stations. Both reach the same destination.

Let us dig deeper to understand what is common between renunciation and action. Imagine that two people are striving for self-realization. One person performs karma yoga, but does not think carefully about how he performs his actions. Without proper thought and discrimination, his actions become selfish and his vaasanaas increase. Ultimately, he does not attain his goal.

The other person decides that he prefers renunciation. He goes to an ashram to lead the life of a monk. But even thought he has renounced the material world, he keeps thinking about his life in the material world. He too, does not attain his goal, because his desires prevent him from properly absorbing his teacher’s teachings.

In both cases, renunciation and action do not work because they are missing the key ingredient – knowledge. Unless one uses discrimination while performing action, or maintains the knowledge that I am not the doer prior to renunciation, the goal is not attained by either person. Therefore, Shri Krishna urges wise people to keep discrimination in the picture while considering either stage of the path.

Having reassured Arjuna that both stages yield the same outcome, Shri Krishna next addresses why karma yoga is more appropriate for Arjuna.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 5

05 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in 5.1, broohi, cha, chapter 5 verse 1, ekam, etayoha, karmanaam, krishna, me, punah, sanyaasam, shansasi, shreya, sunischitam, tat, yat, yogam

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Arjuna uvaacha:
sannyaasam karmanaam krishna punaryogam cha shansasi |
yachchshreya etayorekam tanme broohi sunishchitam || 1 ||

First you speak about yoga, then you praise renunciation of action, O Krishna. Of the two, tell me which one, most assuredly, is beneficial for me.

sannyaasam : renunciation
karmanaam : action
krishna : O Krishna
punah : then
yogam : yoga
cha : and
shansasi : praise
yat : that
shreya : which is beneficial
etayoha : of the two
ekam : one
tat : which
me : for me
broohi : tell
sunishchitam : most assuredly

As he was concluding the previous chapter, Shri Krishna spoke about the renunciation of action through yoga in the second-last shloka. He was quite clear that renunciation of action does not mean running away from action. It means renouncing the agency, or the sense of doership behind the action.

Now, Arjuna still retained a desire to run away from the war against his relatives. So even though Shri Krishna was quite clear that one cannot run away from action, Arjuna was still looking for a way to quit fighting the war. So he interpreted the word “renunciation” to mean what most people think renunciation means: going away to a remote ashram, becoming a monk, and then contemplating upon the eternal essence, casting aside any other worldly responsibilities.

With this interpretation in mind, he wanted to know whether renunciation of action was better than karmayoga. If that were the case, he could run away from the war to a place of contemplation, and gain self-realization following that path. He wanted an unambiguous answer from Shri Krishna because he had already asked this question at the beginning of the third chapter.