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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: yuktaatmaa

Bhagavad Gita Verse 28, Chapter 9

23 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in chapter 9 verse 28, evam, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, karmabandhanaihi, maam, mokshyase, phalaihi, sannyaasayoga, shubhaashubha, upaishyasi, vimuktaha, yuktaatmaa

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shubhaashubhaphalairevam mokshyase karmabandhanaihi |
sannyaasayogayuktaatmaa vimukto maamupaishyasi || 28 ||

 
In this manner, you will be free from the bonds of action and their auspicious and inauspicious results. Having engaged in this yoga of renunciation, you will be liberated and attain me.
 
shubhaashubha : auspicious and inauspicious
phalaihi : results
evam : in this manner
mokshyase : will be free
karmabandhanaihi : from bonds of action
sannyaasayoga : yoga of renunciation
yuktaatmaa : engaged in
vimuktaha : becoming liberated
maam : me
upaishyasi : you will attain
 
What happens when we incorporate worship into our life? Shri Krishna says that we shall be free of the results of action. Our actions give us results in the form of joy, sorrow, profit, loss, win, loss. Freedom from results leads to liberation and attainment of Ishvara. This is the ultimate result of living a worshipful life.
 
This shloka takes us back to the topic of renunciation. In an earlier portion of the Gita, Shri Krishna had redefined “sannyaasa” or renunciation as giving up of the attitude of doership, not the giving up of action and retiring to a hermitage. By submitting our actions and their results in Ishvara hands, we automatically attain renunciation because we have come to know that it is Ishvara who is doing and enjoying everything.
 
As an illustration, let’s consider our boss at work. If we do not have confidence in our boss’s authority and his ability to lead us, our job becomes complicated, heavy and burdensome. Before we begin a task, we are worried whether we are doing the right things, and also fear the consequences of making a mistake. But if we trust our boss’s authority and his ability to give us right direction, we work effortlessly and fearlessly knowing that we are carrying out the boss’s command, and that he will take care of us if something goes wrong.
 
Similarly, once we realize that it is the infinite Ishvara that is directing everything, our actions automatically become effortless and fearless. It is like working for the most powerful CEO or the most powerful President, it gives us that kind of a confidence and peace of mind. We know that Ishvara is making us do the right things, and that he will take responsibility for the results and the consequences.
 
Now, if Ishvara is running everything, does that mean that he is partial to those who surrender to him and those who do not? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 7

14 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 7.17, aasthitaha, aatmaa, anuttamaam, chapter 7 verse 18, eva, gatim, hi, ite, jnyaanee, maam, matam, me, saha, sarva, tu, udaaraaha, yuktaatmaa

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udaaraaha sarva evaite jnyaanee tvaatmaiva me matam |
aasthitaha sa hi yuktaatmaa maamevaanuttamaam gatim || 18 ||

 
All those are certainly sincere, but only the wise one is my own self, in my opinion. For, he engages to become established in me only as the ultimate goal.
 
udaaraaha : sincere
sarva : all
eva : certainly
ite : those
jnyaanee : the wise one
tu : but
aatmaa : self
eva : only
me : my
matam : opinion
aasthitaha : established
saha : he
hi : for
yuktaatmaa : he engages
maam : me
eva : only
anuttamaam : ultimate
gatim : goal
 
So far, Shri Krishna enumerated four types of devotees and singled out one of them, the wise one, as the most special type of devotee. This is because the wise devotee does not approach Ishvara for something else. He approaches Ishvara to gain only Ishvara and nothing else. Here, Shri Krishna adds another reason for singling out the wise devotee as special. The wise devotee considers Ishvara as his own self and not as another object.
 
First, let us look at the sense of oneness aspect. What is different between a good friend and an acquaintance? There is always a sense of “otherness” between ourselves and the acquaintance, but there is a sense of oneness with the good friend. We see this in a lot of proverbs: “a friend in need is a friend indeed”, “my house is your house” on so on. The ultimate closeness with a friend is when we do not see any difference between doing something for ourselves, and doing something for our friend. In other words, we see our friend as our own self.
 
Similarly, whenever we expect something from God, we are by definition treating him as someone different from our own self. Shri Krishna says that he prefers if we treat him as our own self. Such kind of devotion, where the seeker plants himself in Ishvara day in and day out, and melts his existence into Ishvara’s cosmic existence, is the greatest kind of devotion. This is also known as ekabhakti or advaita, where there is no duality between devotee and Ishvara.
 
However, the reality is different. Most of us consider Ishvara as different than ourselves. One colourful illustration of this is found in the Hindi phrase “bhee aur hee siddhanta” which means “also philosophy” vs “only philosophy”. In other words, we love material objects and Ishvara “also”. Shri Krishna says that we should love Ishvara “only” and not “also”.
 
Now, this does not mean that Ishvara gives second class treatment to the other three types of devotees. Shri Krishna says that those other devotees are “udaaraha” or sincere. Ishvara is affectionate towards all of them.
 
Having pointed out the unique aspects of the wise devotee, Shri Krishna highlights the scarcity of wise devotees in the next shloka.

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