Bhagwad Gita
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Contents |
Overview
Overview I
The Times of India, Feb 20 2016
Janki Santoke
The Bhagwad Gita is a manual for life and living. The Gita presents the laws and principles on which life works. Well before there was any concept of `Hinduism', thousands of years ago, our ancestors called themselves the arya putra or noble race. Or Bharatas (bha light and rata revel), those revelling in the light of Consciousness. The result of this philosophy was prosperity , harmony and spiritual growth. The philosophy created a conducive environment for people to reflect on higher pursuits of life. The Gita was given to the skilled and noble Arjuna when he became despondent on the battlefield at Kurukshetra, unable to withstand the challenge of having to fight his own relatives, teachers and friends. The message of the Gita given by Krishna revived him despite the incapacitated state he was in.
The Gita can be divided into three parts of six chapters each. These three parts are said to represent the great upanishadic aphorism, Tat Tvam Asi, You Are That.
The first part talks about `tvam', you, the individual. You meet challenges and are overwhelmed by them. You need to understand the purpose of life and conduct yourself accordingly . Doing tha is your duty; it is karma yoga, path of action. Karma yoga is working for a higher cause in the spirit of cooperative endeavour. When a person functions thus his worldly desires wane away and he is prepared for meditation. Through meditation he realises his Self, the purpose of existence. The most famous verse in this section is probably karmanyevadhikaraste (II.47) your right is to action and not to its fruit.
The second part talks of `tat', that, the Supreme Reality , God. Krishna shows how Reality or God is in everything and everything is in God. He demonstrates this both by analyses and syntheses. He names individual things and says they are God and then puts it all together, synthesises them in the form of Vishwarupa, His cosmic form. In it, Arjuna sees how everything is part of Krishna or Reality , the good, the bad and the ugly . Whatever one sees is a manifestation of the Lord. With this vision one's mind expands in love and demonstrates the first quality of a bhakta, a devotee of God advesta sarva bhutanam, maitra, karuna eva cha. That is, no hatred towards any being, and to be friendly, compassionate (XII.13).
The third section talks about `asi', are, the relationship between the individual and God. He is the root and the world is the tree, the inverted ashvatha tree. Like any family tree, the parent is shown on top and the descendants below. The world is made up of the three gunas tamas, ignorance; rajas, activity; and sattva, poise. They bind us in different ways and keep us from recognition of Reality .Beings in the world are all different but different combinations of the three gunas. When one goes beyond the gunas one finds one's true Self.
The text ends with Arjuna overcoming the state of depression he was falling into and he is now ready to do his duty and fight a righteous war, Sanjaya tells us that where there is the skill of Arjuna and the yoga of Krishna these are values they symbolise there will be success, prosperity , victory and sound policy .
Overview II
The Times of India, Apr 19 2016
Vijay Krishna Misra
Edwin Arnold translated the Bhagwad Gita as `The Song Celestial' in English. Technically , Gita is part of the last major Sanskrit epic, The Mahabharata, written by Maharishi Veda Vyas. For the devout believer, the Gita is the word of God, teachings of Krishna imparted to Arjuna when he lost his nerve on the battlefield at Kurukshetra when he found himself facing his own kin. The Gita has come to be seen as a guide book worldwide, to analyse the conflicts in the human mind, social behaviour and philosophical nuances.
The father of the atomic bomb Oppenheimer, at the time of the first atomic test in the Nevada desert quoted Krishna from the Gita after seeing the nuclear mushroom cloud rise up.“Kaloasmi Lokkshyakrit Praviraddha“ I have become death.
The Gita is a scripture to be read, understood and internalised. It cannot be taught, though in the first instance it was a lecture. For the cognoscenti it is a treasure house of pearls of wisdom, for believers it is an article of faith, for the learned it is the ultimate in learning.But for sceptics it is just religious mumbo jumbo from the past, irrelevant to the modern world.
Whether the Gita is a religious scripture and should be taught in schools is a question which can be clearly and categorically answered by simply quoting some shlokas from the Gita itself.
It is clear that in different chapters the Gita defines, explains and expounds different forms of yogas, tapasya and yajnas, their practice, importance and effects. Above all, in the end, Krishna reveals himself to Arjuna in his virat swaroop celestial form and directs him to leave all dharmas and worship only Krishna.
In the last chapter he directs Arjuna: “Sarva dharma parityaga Mamakam Sharnam vraj.“ You should renounce (or discard) all other religions (dharmas) and seek refuge only in me.
In the concluding verse there is explicit prohibition from passing on the arcane teachings of Gita to four types of persons: atapaskaya, those who lack tapasya; abhaktaya, those who lack devotion; ashushruva, those who are not interested and abhyasuyati, those who find fault with it.
Therefore, any move to make the Gita a compulsory inclusion in school curriculum will expose it to some hostile and undeserving elements.
I had a very sad experience with such experiments a few decades ago in Los Angeles.The bhaktas and followers of the Hare Krishna Hare Rama movement, in their zeal to propagate the Gita's message among Mexicans in LA, got translations in Spanish printed and bound in a very attractive cover. Then they started distributing the copies free among the Mexicans of downtown areas in Los Angeles.
In the back alleys of Pershing Square I came across sidewalks littered with shining brand new unread copies of the Srimad Bhagwad Gita. Nonbelievers did not care for the sanctity of the scripture. As Jesus has said in the Bible, “Do not throw your pearls before swine lest they trample upon them.“
It will be in the best interest of a secular democracy to keep religion separate from day-to-day education, whether in science, humanities or vocational studies. Ralph W Emerson called the Gita “the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us“. Today also the new intelligentsia will listen to the old, for the rest, as the Bible says, why waste pearls by casting them... ?
What is the Gita?
A scientific handbook
The Times of India, Nov 20 2015
Jaya Row
The Bhagwad Gita as a scientific handbook
The Bhagwad Gita is a scientific handbook that takes you from spiritual infancy to heights of perfection. It resonates with everyone, because of its mind-stretching quality . If you think that to be assertive is the way to go, the Gita speaks of softness. If non-action seems to be the option, the Gita prescribes action. If grasping will help you acquire more of the world, it counsels you to let go lose it, to gain it. The Gita's first lesson is on impor tance of the intellect. You have two gifts choice of action and intellect. Choice is a given. Intellect has to be developed.Nobody understands the importance of the intellect and the need to strengthen it. Hence people are making choices with a weak intellect. The mind is the seat of emotion, impulse, like and dislike. Intellect discriminates, judges, discerns, weighs the pros and cons and arrives at a decision. Mind is irrational, intellect is rational. The purpose of life is to make the mind work for you and no against you. A mind not governed by the intellect is dangerous. It distracts, tricks and misleads you. The Gita helps you use your existing intellect and gives knowledge to fortify it.
The Gita bestows serenity, tranquillity and contentment. When the mind is calm, the intellect is sharp and you achieve success effortlessly . Across the world people are in varying degrees of agitation. The cause is unbridled desire. Ride on desire and you will be agitated.Rise above desire and you will be content. Shift from the attitude of grabbing to that of giving, sharing and contributing; from profiteering to offering. And you will be showered with prosperity. Grab and you lose; give and you gain. Think of yourself only and you will be discontent. Focus on others, you will be happy.
The Gita speaks of excellence in the world and beyond. It inspires you with a higher ideal. Move from mere physical delights to emotional motivation, intellectual stimulation and the highest the lure of the Infinite.With a higher ideal you tap into your potential, become creative and energetic, and transform from an ordinary mortal to an extraordinary immortal. The world does not need more brilliant or talented people. It needs ordinary people with extraordinary motivation. Chapter 3 of the Gita gives the ingredients of perfect action that help you gain the world and take you to the Transcendental.
The Gita extols the virtue of oneness vasudhaiva kutumbakam, the entire universe is one. Just as the one ray of white light refracts into seven distinct and different colours when passed through a prism, the one Brahmn is seen as the pluralistic, diverse world when seen through the prism of the body, mind and intellect. You are strongly entrenched in feelings of otherness. You imagine adversaries where there are benefactors. You see opponents, not partners.You create a hell for yourself. When you see yourself in others, you revel in their victory. Then you never encounter failure. Drudgery becomes revelry and you gain power. The sixth chapter of the Gita gives oneness as the test of spiritual development. Spiritual growth is not measured by the number of scriptures mastered or pilgrimages undertaken. It is measured by the extent of oneness you experience and live.
The Gita offers many more valuable principles of life that you can use to achieve success and happiness in the world. And it takes you to enlightenment.
An Estrogenic, Feminine Civilisation
The Times of India Dec 21 2015
K M Gupta
There can be any number of approaches to the spirit and substance of the world which in common parlance is called God. In the Vaishnava approach, Krishna or Vishnu in any name or form is the sole male, and all living souls, jivatmas, are emale. Union of the female with the ole male Paramatman is spiritualism.The rasa lila in Vrindavan is symbolic of he union of female jivatmas with the male Paramatman.
In Vaishnava tradition, spiritual eekers are required to ingest and nurse eminine qualities. The more feminine you are in nature, the closer you are to God. Sri Ramakrishna would dress and behave like a woman. It was not just a performance; to him, it was an incredible ransmutation. He virtually transformed nto a sweet woman; he called this sweetness madhura bhava. According to him madhura bhava is the sweetest and easiest way to God. When he was in madhura bhava, people often found it hard to accept that this was Sri Ramakrishna! Krishna means `one who attracts'.The point of Krishna having thousands of consorts and sweethearts is that he is the sole male attracting all females, jivatmas, to him. Not only this, but, in his presence, even males wished they were female. People think that in the Bhagwad Gita, Krishna is urging Arjuna to `manliness' when in fact Krishna is actuating Arjuna to `womanliness', to madhura bhava. Krishna asks him to `be engrossed in me and fight' and `let go of all pursuits and take shelter solely in me'. He is asking Arjuna to be a `female warrior' with madhura bhava an Amazon, a Semiramis of Nineveh, a Boudicca, a Queen Myrina, a Rani Jhansi, fighting w Myrina, a Rani Jhansi, fighting while still retaining the feminine madhura bhava. Observe how Arjuna conducted himself throughout the Mahabharata war. He was fighting with madhura bhava, without rancour. In all those 18 days, only once he lost his cool and that too with his own brother Yudhishtira, not with the opposite camp. Later in the Mahabharata, Arjuna once tells he has forgotten what Krishna taught him at Kuruskshetra. Arjuna forgot the text of Gita but retained its culture which is waging the war of life with madhura bhava.
Krishna wants Arjuna to be a woman fighter and fight for him (Krishna) and not himself (Arjuna). That is action for God, action without reference to fruits. For men, acting without reference to fruits is hard, but it comes naturally to women.
Krishna assures Arjuna he is endowed with godly qualities. He says daivi s liberate and evil qualities qualities liberate and evil qualities bind. He gives a long list of 26 godly qualities. These are feminine; daivi or godly qualities are estrogenic and asuri or demonic qualities are testosteronic.Indic culture has been striving to cast people in feminine (godly) qualities.That is why India is rooting for ahimsa, peace and compassion, all female qualities. Paths like Jainism and Buddhism can take birth only on Indic soil, producing a Mahavira or Buddha.All testosteronic civilisations worldwide fought their way to selfdestruction and mutual destruction.Estrogenic India is the only surviving civilisation among the ancient ones.
In Indic culture, God is female, Shakti, not male. Male is the polarity of female Shakti. The female polarises for the sake of Creation. As Shankara puts it in Soundarya Lahari, the male cannot even stir without being charged by the female. The female is perpetually regenerative. India is regenerative.The Bhagwad Gita is not about a testosteronic war but the estrogenic tyaga, renunciation. (December 21is Gita Day .)
Nishkam Karm
I
The Times of India, Apr 08 2016
The Gita Doctrine Of Nishkama Karma
B Shankar
Nishkama is not mere worklessness, external passivity or idleness. It is the state of establishment in the experience that one is the Atman, pure spirit, the uninvolved witness of passivity as well as activity of body-mind. Willful worklessness amounting to idleness is not the aim. When one's ego identifies itself with the body and feels `I am the body', he becomes an actor, one involved in works.On the other hand if he feels that `I am the Atman', he remains as spirit, the pure witness, this state is called `nishkama' or egoless passivity of the spirit.
Further, absolute passivity is impractical as living becomes impossible.
So what one is expected to do is to work, controlling the senses by the mind and doing his duty with utter dedication and submission to the Lord and without caring for the fruits.
Practice of nishkama karma is easier said than done. This is because an attitude of being a witness does not come unless one feels detached. This happens after he understands and appreciates about what one really owns in life as well as the glories of the Creator.
Nothing belongs to us. We came with nothing. Oxygen was provided to us and we are provided with food so that the body can last possibly a hundred years. Nature meets all our wants. Yes, the world is a well-endowed guesthouse.Thus mutually we can live, helping each other, according to Nature's design.
You cannot be an owner if you are not the author. The Creator is the material cause of Creation in addition to being the efficient cause.
You cannot say that you created a business empire, becau created a business empire, because you must exist to start with. And all that was needed by you, like the ground, building materials, human beings and other raw material, was already available.
Human ownership is only a notion! The individual will is only a distortion of the Divine Will by man's egoism.
When this distortion is overcome through devotion and submission to Divine will, complete peace and perfection is attained even in the midst of all work.
Once the relationship between man and God is reconciled, it will be easy to practice detachment, slowly graduating to the state of being a witness. One will begin to see and appreciate His manifestations all around with a sense of awe and wonder.
Creation and Time are he endless, being cyclic. The process of Creation has a purpose for the jiva or individual soul and that is to help him evolve to regain his full divine nature. Human birth is said to be precious as it is the only vehicle with potential to reach the goal. The worldly man needs only to change his attitude towards work.
One will be successful in doing nishkama karma when he can dwell in the state of a witness in discharging life's duties, without caring for results.This can happen in two stages, the first in which all fruits of action are resigned to God. This is called prasada buddhi, graceful acceptance as prasad, a Divine blessing.
The yogi has still the sense of agency, the feeling of doer-ship. At a higher level of perfection the sense of agency is also resigned, this is known as isvarararpana buddhi, offering of choice of action to the Divine. This attitude is based on an appreciation of the Divine even before you begin your action.
Thus it is bhakti that completes the Gita doctrine of dedicated and detached work and practice of nishkama karma leads one eventually to nishkama siddhi an interim stage before enlightenment.
Nishkâm Karm II
B Shankar, Nishkama Karma: Even-mindedness For Right Action, March 3, 2017: The Times of India
There are two defining sentences of the `Doctrine of dedicated work' Karma Yoga in the Bhagwad Gita. One, `samatvam yoga uchyate' means sameness of mind is yoga. The other, `karmasu kausalam', that the right choice in respect of action is yoga.
Samatvam, equanimity of mind, is possible with neutral response to the results of action. Prasada buddhi, glad acceptance, grants the attitude to have sameness of mind to various results of action.
The exact meaning of `kausalam' is skill, meaning skill in action. As per this definition, it can be interpreted that even a criminal action has to be done with skill. This is incorrect, for it is to be understood that the action should be dharmic and is to be done with a total sense of devotion and dedication. The Gita says, `You have choice only regarding action, not regarding the results thereof.' Karma yoga is performance of action with the attitude that all results are shaped by the Laws of Nature, they come from the Divine, to be gladly accepted.
The choice with reference to action is to go by what is right and wrong as said in scriptures even if the choice is against one's personal likes and dislikes.
In the Mahabharata, Vidura's advice to the Pandavas is relevant even today when he says, “Do unto others what you wish to be done to you.“
In Chapter 13, Krishna says In Chapter 13, Krishna says that Knowledge of the Self can be attained by cultivation of virtues absence of pride and vanity , non-injury, patience, perseverance, service of the teac perseverance, service of the teacher, self-control, resisting tempting objects of senses, reflection on the ephemerality of life, non-attachment, non-entanglement with family , imperturbability , intense devotion to the Divine, frequent solitude, steady pursuit of spiritual enquiry and strong aspiration for the Truth.Cultivation of these virtues leads one to knowledge of Self.
Further, describing divine and demonic types of humans, Krishna says that the cause of all degeneration in the individu al and society is the triple traits of sexuality, anger and greed which are described as factors leading to the destruction of man's spiritual nature. `Trivid ham narakasyedam dvaaram naasanam aatmanah,' meaning, the triad of lust, anger and greed leads to destruction of man's spiritual nature, the gateway to imals do exhibit these qualities hell. Animals do exhibit these qualities but they are limited to Nature's call, satiation of hunger or when in danger.When man does not exercise his inbuilt capacity to control, regulate and overcome his lower nature, he will lose his humanity and will not be able to progress spiritually . He is said to go down in the trans-migratory cycle.
In performing an action one will certainly look for a result and what is required is a change in attitude towards the result, whether or not the result meets with the expectation and glad acceptance thereof. This is samatvam, equanimity of the mind.
Adhering to virtuous living, discharging one's duty which is whatever one's lot is in life not for his own sake but for His sake to whom all and everything ultimately belongs and to be in spiritual communion with Him with total devotion and accepting the result of all actions as prasad given by Him will be the right road to salvation. Constant practice of such nishkama karma leads one to nishkama siddhi which is an interim stage before Enlightenment.
The teachings of the Gita
Why Should The Bhagwad Gita Be Studied?
Janki Santoke, Why Should The Bhagwad Gita Be Studied?, March 6, 2018: The Times of India
Most scriptures are thousands of years old. But we know that old things tend to lose their relevance – old computers, machines and clothes, for instance. Then why are old texts still revered? What could they possibly tell us that could be relevant today? Life has changed so much.
Many old values are not practical in today’s context.
A society needs periodically to discard its old values and get new, relevant ones. To place this in perspective, one needs to understand the concept of shruti and smriti. Shruti refers to what is heard. Shruti refers to those scriptures which contain sanatana dharma, eternal principles that are true for all people at all times. They are not dependent on time or space. They are eternal laws of life. Take for example the law of gravity. This is an example of an eternal law from science. It will always hold true. It doesn’t depend on who you are or where you are on earth.
Smriti is what is remembered. Smriti refers to those scriptures which are the opinions of sages and saints who gave out part of the shruti for the welfare of the people. If the knowledge gained from earning an MBBS can be compared to shruti, then smriti would be the prescription of the doctor for an individual. The doctor having the knowledge of medicine prescribes only what is immediately applicable to the patient. These opinions of the prophets were no doubt very useful for the people they spoke to. But to assume they will be relevant to all is akin to believing a good doctor’s prescription will be relevant to all sick persons. Smriti contains the dos and don’ts, the instructions the great men gave to benefit their particular people. These instructions may or may not be relevant to other people at other times or other places.
When Krishna tells Arjuna to fight, this is smriti. It is applicable to Arjuna at that particular time. It may or may not be applicable to the old granny at home! But when he tells Arjuna that ‘I am the kshetrajna, enlivening principle, in all kshetras, fields’, ‘I am the same Enlivener in all’, this is shruti. When Christ says if someone smotes thee on one cheek, lend him the other, this was relevant to the fishermen he spoke to. It might not have been applicable to others in a different situation. But when he says ‘The kingdom of heaven is within’, this is true for all people at all times.
So too all religions have this demarcation in all the scriptures. Humanity needs the sanatana dharma in all scriptures. The rest we can check for continued relevance. Some may or may not be relevant any more. But to discard the eternal principles would be like re-inventing the wheel. These principles are very useful to humanity. They function as the manual for life. They help us understand our world and ourselves in it. As for the Bhagwad Gita, it is very useful because Krishna takes the trouble of informing us clearly whenever he gives out statements of opinions. The rest can be taken as shruti. This useful tip helps us in understanding the relevance of all scriptures.
Bhakti Yoga
C.L. Kaloo , Bhagwat Gita explains Bhakti Yoga “India Today” 3/12/2017
GITA JAYANTI is celebrated every year with great enthusiasm and this pious day fell this year on 30th of November, 2017. According to the version given by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda- “The word ‘Gita’ means song, Bhagavad Gita signifies- song of the spirit. Various scriptural commentators have pointed out that phonetically, the syllables of Gita reversed, make the word “Ta-gi”- the renunciant (Tyagi). The main theme of the Gita is the renunciation by the soul of its incarnate wastful wanderings by conquering material and physical desires and so reclaiming its blessed home in spirit.” How this can be attained through surrendering process- that is through “Bhakti marg” (path) or “Bhakti yoga” as explained in the Holy Gita is outlined here for information of the spiritual aspirants in particular and readers in general.
Bhakti-yoga or union with God through devotion has been classified by the Lord Krishna in the Holy Gita in Adhaya 12th. A question is raised whether a spiritual aspirant or yogis should worship the un-manifest, or a personal God? In 12th Adhyaya- shloka 1 (12:1 B.G), Arjuna inquired:
“Evam satata- yuktaye- bhaktastvam paryupasate; Ye cappy aksaram avyaktam – tesam ke yoga – vittamah”
Means: which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in your devotional service or those who worship the unmanifest (impersonal Brahmen)?
We find here that Arjuna refers to the devotee as described in 11th Adhyaya which speaks of a devotee or a spiritual aspirant who thinks of God as the Cosmic- Bodied Lord immanent in all manifestations, and who, therefore, works for HIM without personal attachment to anything, without feeling enmity to anyone, enshrining God as his supreme goal; and to the devotee who worships God directly by devotional service (Bhakti) which is the easiest means for union with the divine. Thus, those who worship the Lord directly by “Bhakti-Marg” are called personalists. Those who engage themselves in meditation on the unmanifest (the impersonal Brahman) are called impersonalists. So, Arjuna here inquires which technique is better for uniting soul with the spirit- say union with God. It may be explained that factually there are two classes of Transcendentalists and in this context, Arjuna is trying to settle the question of which process or technique is easier and which of the paths are most perfect. In other words, he is clarifying his own position because he is attached to the personal form of Krishna. He is not attached to the impersonal Brahman. The impersonal manifestation, either in this material world or in the spiritual world, is a problem for meditation. Actually, one cannot perfectly conceive of the impersonal feature of the absolute truth.
Now after listening to his disciple, Arjuna, Sri Bhagavan said in Adhaya 12th- shloka 2 (12:2 B.G)
“May avesya manoyemam – nitya yukta upasate; Sraddeya parayopetas – teme yuktatama matah”
Means: those who fix their minds on my personal form and are always engaged in worshipping ME with great faith (transcendental) are considered by ME, to be most perfect.
Thus, in answer to Arjuna’s question, the Lord clearly says that he who concentrates upon HIS personal form and he who worships HIM with faith and devotion is to be considered most perfect in Yoga. Therefore, a pure devotee remains constantly engaged in Lord’s devotion. Sometimes, the chants, sometimes he hears songs in praise of HIS glory, reads books about the Lord and more so does other devotional services in temples or places of Pilgrimage; even serve the ailing humanity in one way or the other or according to his physical or economical capacity and through all this devotional service, he proceeds step by step to achieve the science of the union of soul and spirit (union with the God). Thus, this method of Bhakti yoga leads one to realization of God In and beyond creation. To dilate this scientific view point as given in the Holy Gita, all manifestations and activities in creation are the Lord’s cosmic yoga. HE is the singularity that evolves as these multi expressions and that unifies them in one cosmic consciousness of HIS ETERNAL BEING. The devotee who recognizes immanence (omnipresence) of God, and who follows the prescribed yogic steps to attain realization of Divinity, understands how the one becomes individualized and active in the many; and how, in a scientific way that descension from cosmic consciousness may be reversed in oneself into ascension or reunion with spirit. Even a yogi who attains the highest “Samadhi” (nirvikalpa) realizes God in duality as well as in unity. Thus, by following the scientific steps of “Bhakti-yoga”, he attains fixity of the mind on God and remains devoted to Him in intense “Bhakti”. While rising above all material allurements, he attains progressively spiritual elevation. Thus, the Lord tells Arjuna,” That a devotee who fixes his mind on ME, worship ME with supreme single hearted devotion,” realizes that God is the sole object and goal of life. It is, therefore, through “Bhakti – yoga” or through intense devotion that acquaints a devotee with the technique of uniting soul and spirit. The Lord further explains to Arjuna in Adhaya 12th Shloka 3&4 (12:3&4 B.G) that those who do not directly worship the God but who attempt to achieve the same goal by an indirect process also achieve the Lord. The Lord makes it clear from these two shlokas (3&4) about the type of worshiper who is devoted to the concept of God as the transcendent Supreme Being who is the creator and ruler of the universe. In deference to the supernal spirit, such a devotee leads a disciplined life of self control maintains even mindedness by faith in God, and behaves in a righteous, serviceful manner, but he follows no formal course of scientific yoga.
Thus, by various methods of concentration, he gradually detaches his ego from the senses and attaches his life force, mind and ego to the super conscious soul, and thereby he attains spectacle ecstasy (nirvikalpa). Now, further about paths of “Jnana-yoga” and “Bhakti-yoga”, the lord explains to Arjuna in Adhaya 12th- shloka- 5th, (12:5 B.G), as quoted here under:
“Kleso dikhatavas tesam – avyak tasakta-cetasam; Avyakta hi gatir duhkham – deharadbhir avapyate”
Means: those whose goal is the un-manifested increase the difficulties; uphill is the path to the absolute for embodied beings.
It may be stated here that the spiritual aspirants or earnest devotees who follow the path of un-imaginable, unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord are called “Jnana yogis”, and the aspirants who are engaged in devotional service to the Lord are called “Bhakti-yogis”. The process of “Jnana-yoga” is very troublesome, whereas the path for “Bhakti-yoga”(The process of being in direct service to the Lord) is easier and is natural for embodied beings (human beings). The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial, and it is very difficult for him to simply (theoretically) understand that he is not the body. There is no doubt that impersonalists are unnecessary taking a troublesome path with the risk of not realizing the absolute truth, at the ultimate end. But the personalists, without any risk, trouble and difficulty approach the Lord directly.
“Srimad- Bhagvatam” also states that one has ultimately to surrender into the Supreme and this surrendering process is called “Bhakti”
Thus, I conclude that “Bhakti yoga” or pure devotional service to God is the highest and most expedient means for attaining pure love for HIM and also the peak of spiritual existence. In this context, Lord Krishna says emphatically in Shloka 6&7- Adhaya 12th (12:6&7 B.G) “That those who venerate ME and worship ME whole heartedly, I become their Redeemer to bring them out of the sea of mortal births” (no longer to the cycle of births and deaths)
Everyday problems: solutions for
BK Brijmohan, Bhagwad Gita’s Guidance To Crises Today, January 23, 2018: The Times of India
TheBhagwad Gita is an unparalleled treatise on yoga that shows how everyone can lead a successful life while following the path of dharma.
It not only espouses the principles of righteous conduct; its teachings, taken in the appropriate context, could present solutions to current pressing problems.
Crimes against women, who make up roughly half of humanity, are now recognised as a major issue, and a violation of women’s human rights. Most of the violence to women is perpetrated by someone close to the women.
Awareness campaigns and laws cannot stop this; they have only slightly mitigated the problem. The solution is spiritual. Any crime or evil action begins in the mind, and it is there that the remedy must be applied. Crimes against women are rooted in lust and anger, both of which are characterised in the Gita as gates to hell.
The Gita says, “Given over to egoism, power, haughtiness, lust and anger, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and those of others.”
Anger, and greed, are also at the roots of two other major scourges of our lives: violence, including wars, and corruption.
Where wars erupt, suffering and hardship invariably follow. This is true of violence on a smaller scale as well. Even verbal or emotional violence robs one of peace of mind, and no man can know happiness without peace, the Gita says.
As for greed, it hollows one out, driving one to seek fulfilment in ever newer objects of desire. Avarice drives away contentment, and if one’s desires are not fulfilled, one becomes angry. Once angry, one’s ability to reason and think clearly is skewed, and from anger arises delusion. Delusion leads to loss of memory, or denial, and then one begins to lose conscious awareness of one’s own spirit, which the Gita calls the death of the spirit.
Lasting peace and happiness can be found only by freeing the self from vices, and the first step to doing that is to remember who we really are – that we are souls, not bodies.
The soul, in its original state, is an embodiment of purity, peace, love and truth. When we live with the awareness of being a soul, these qualities are manifested in our thoughts, words and actions. There is no scope for vices to influence the mind.
It is only with this awareness that the soul can connect with the Supreme Soul. The delusion of being a body acts as a barrier that prevents the soul from reaching God. When this delusion is removed, communion between the soul and its spiritual parent, the Supreme Soul, becomes possible.
This communion heals, comforts and nourishes the soul, as it experiences the love, peace and power of the Supreme.
The soul thus empowered is able to free itself from the influence of vices, and it is no longer guided by selfish motives. Consequently, it does not perform actions that cause sorrow, whether to the self or others.
Spiritual awareness is the most effective antidote for the ills afflicting humankind today. The remedy is subtle but powerful; all that is required to use it, is a paradigm shift in our consciousness from ‘body’ to ‘being’.
(The writer is chief spokesperson, Brahma Kumaris Organisation.)
How To Live In This World
Swami Tejomayananda, Nov 30, 2016: The Times of India
At a given time a person seems to be a slave to his habits, nature and addictions but has conditioned his mind to act in a particular way . It is as if he has taped a certain song on the cassette of his mind, which he keeps playing again and again. Instead, we need to change our thinking and change our attitude, thereby gradually leading to a change in our actions.Actions performed with the right attitude will eventually lead to a change in our nature.
Our problem is that we are under the sway of likes and dislikes and we always want to do things that we like and avoid things that we dislike. Thus, we are constantly under the control of our minds. Bhagavan says, `Do not come under their sway!' These two are the looters on the path to liberation when you act according to your likes and dislikes then you are easily swayed by joy and sorrow, happiness and unhappiness.
Therefore, remove these songs of likes and dislikes and sing the song of great devotion instead, which will take you on the path to liberation. Most of the time we feel helpless about our habits and addiction, saying, `I am helpless what can I do?' But Bhagavan says very practically that you have created this helplessness by coming under the sway of likes and dislikes; however, He does not tell you not to have likes and dislikes because that would be impossible.
If, for example, you overeat when you see some food that you like and then throw a tantrum when presented with food that spe you do not like such behaviour is called `acting under the influence of likes and dislikes'. You should eat in moderation and act in moderation as well. Even if you see one person whom you dislike and another whom you like, you should not develop intense hatred for one and intense love for the other you should be able to control your emotions.
Now the question is, how is it possible not to come under the sway of likes and dislikes. The answer is you should stay firm in the abi dance of your duties. While you firmly abide in your duty your Dharma you do exactly what you are supposed to do, and you perform actions irrespective of whether you like or dislike them. Once you do that, your life comes under your control and you are no king longer a slave to your mind.
Our problem is that we are e under the sway of desire. It is desire that makes us commit sin and prevents us from doing our duty , thus making our undesirable nature stronger and stronger. A typical example is an addiction to something harmful, such as smoking or drugs. We start this initially out of curiosity as a joy or pleasure but after a while this habit becomes so strong that we are unable to let go of it even though we try .
Eventually the whole chemistry of the body changes and it starts to demand that object; then, even though we know that it is harmful, we feel helplessly unable to stop, we ourselves have created these addictions and we are the only ones who can release ourselves from them.
Just like addiction at the physical level, there is also addiction at the mental level, such as when we feel compelled by our nature to become angry , jealous or greedy . But we can change our nature and our behaviour with the right thinking, steadfastness in duty , devotion, the right attitude and the right vision.
Krishn asked Arjun to discard dharm
Kishor Kulkarni, Yes, Krishna Exhorts Arjuna To Discard Dharma, June 19, 2018: The Times of India
Does the Bhagwad Gita present some contradictory concepts? For example, in verse 4:7, Krishna says that whenever dharma decays, he reincarnates for getting rid of adharma and for re-establishing dharma. However, in verse 18:66, he exhorts Arjuna to discard all dharmas – ‘sarva dharman parityajya’ – and surrender to him alone and then he will liberate Arjuna from all sins. Now, this does appear contradictory because in the former verse, dharma is glorified while in the latter, it is almost dismissed out of hand.
But this is not a contradiction and here is why. The Gita is a spiritual philosophy addressed to all and we know that there are all kinds of people, each kind differing quite significantly from the other. Hence the Gita offers different advice to different kinds of people so that it suits their nature and situation. In the context of the above-referred two verses, dharma is regarded as necessary for the well-being of individuals and society in which the individuals have to peacefully coexist as a collective. So dharma is basically a code of conduct to serve this objective.
But, human nature being what it is, dharma will tend to gradually deteriorate over a period of time, causing human life to degrade. That is when the Lord will have to reincarnate to re-establish dharma. So dharma is important and essential for human societies.
The exhortation to discard all dharma is not meant for all people, but only for a few sincere seekers of liberation. For them, Krishna is giving a simpler and more effective means, namely, surrendering completely to him. This surrender is basically dissolution of the limited bodily identity and merging with him by remaining god conscious always. For such a seeker, worldly dharmas are of no relevance. That is what is meant by discarding all dharmas.
Some are ignorant of this aspect of the Gita’s philosophy while some others are so attached to the idea of dharma that they cannot accept the exhortation to discard all dharma. In the process, they often twist the meaning of the words so that it suits their line of argument. For example, one school of thought argues that the word “dharman” in the verse 18:66 should actually be understood as “karman” meaning that Krishna is exhorting Arjuna not to discard dharma, but rather karma! For this, they have to present many different interpretations of the word dharma and show how it leads to karmas.
But then it raises the question as to why the word “karman” couldn’t be used and why was “dharman” used in verse 18:66. Besides, they also argue that the Gita should not be interpreted in bits and pieces, but rather “as a whole”.
But what they mean by this is that they will accept the concept at one place that agrees with their beliefs and reject the contradictory one at another place because they have understood the Gita as a whole! That is neither necessary nor justifiable.
Arjuna expresses confusion after hearing Krishna talking about Jnana Marga and Karma Marga to attain liberation and requests him to recommend one. Then Krishna makes it clear in verses 3:1 to 3:3 that there are different paths and they suit different people. But their destination is the same.
Sambhavami Yuge Yuge
B Shankar, The Gita Verse, ‘Sambhavami Yuge Yuge’, May 26, 2018: The Times of India
The scene is the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where opposing armies of the Kauravas and Pandavas are arrayed in battle formation. Arjuna is seated in his chariot driven by Krishna. Looking at kith and kin and teachers and grandfathers, Arjuna feels depressed and decides to lay down his arms.
At this juncture, Krishna reveals to Arjuna and through him to entire humanity, what came to be known as the Bhagwad Gita. After speaking at length, Krishna takes a pause and tells Arjuna that he has revealed this spiritual knowledge in different ages for the benefit of man. He says he imparted this immortal yoga before to Vivasvan, Vivasvan to Manu and Manu to Ikshvaku. This confuses Arjuna who questions Krishna: When Arjuna and Krishna are contemporaries how is it possible for him to have taught those venerable men who lived long ago?
To this Krishna replies that he and Arjuna have passed through many births but while he is aware of this, Arjuna is not. He further says that though birth-less and deathless and also being the Lord of all beings, yet, Krishna takes birth at will, employing the pure sattva aspect of his material Nature. He declares that he is born from age to age for protection of the good, for destruction of evil and for establishment of dharma.
How to recognise God in human form? The natural state of God is said to be Un-manifest and if so, how can He who is also the One who is omnipotent, be present in a human body with limitations? This is a legitimate question. One can understand the mystery when one contemplates on the drama of Creation – where the Supreme Being manifests Himself as the Universe (the material cause),without in any way affecting or diminishing His Un-manifest condition. Surely, He can choose to come into a human frame in the same manner!
Recognising the problem of comprehending God in human form, Krishna offers those who have deep faith, who understand the truth of his embodiment and watch his deeds, that they will never be reborn again.
There is a vast difference between Krishna’s birth and Arjuna’s. The birth of humans including Arjuna’s follows the karmic principle. The body of the incarnate is not subject to karma and is born out of Divine Will full of the sattva aspect.
Every incarnation is meant to serve a cosmic and not individual purpose. The purpose of a Divine Incarnation is said to be reestablishment of dharma, righteousness, destruction of evil and protection of the good. Hence Krishna says in the Gita, “Sambhavami Yuge Yuge” – I will appear again and again to help humanity redeem itself.
The Ramayana and the Bhagavatam bring forth the glory of Rama and Krishna and have formed the centre of devotional life for countless generations.
The scope of dharma today can be widened to recognise the lives of many great men like Kapila, Vyasa, Buddha, Adi Shankara and more recent sages and saints. They were great teachers and their lives and teachings have far-reaching effects on human life. In this way, we can say that they have established dharma, a scheme of life which has man’s spiritual elevation as its ultimate goal. In today’s age when evil and wicked situations are all around us, only spiritual kindling and awareness can be the way forward.
Shaucham (cleanliness)
Neema Majmudar, Shaucham - Cleanliness Inside And Outside, Mar 23, 2017: The Times of India
The Bhagwad Gita in Chapter 13 talks about `shaucham,' cleanliness, as one of the values to be cultivated if a person wants to evolve. It refers to both internal and external cleanliness.
Internal cleanliness means ensuring that our perceptions, opinions and decisions are not an outcome of our distorted view of things, but based on realities. This may sound easy , but in practice requires us to be rigorous in examining the validity of our ideas and thoughts, ensuring that we look at situations in their entirety, without getting carried away with our partial or erroneous perceptions and opinions which, in turn, lead to misguided actions.
Outside or external cleanliness is more tangible and is reflected by the extent to which we keep our surroundings our room, home, neighbourhood and nation clean.
I regularly walk on Carmichael Road, a posh neighbourhood in Mumbai. Every day i notice that BMC workers strive to keep the road clean as it houses a number of wealthy VIPs and top bureaucrats. In spite of their commendable effort, to my distress, i regularly see dogs defecate both on the road as well as on sidewalks, as dog owners send their pets for a walk and the walkers do not bother cleaning up behind them. What is more disturbing is that the remains attract flies, mosquitoes and make the road smelly and unpleasant.
These are often the very people who complain and blame the government for not doing its job. We convince ourselves that the system is not efficient and is corrupt. However, we fail to see that an unclean road is the outcome of a dereliction of duty on our part rather than inefficient BMC workers. I asked myself, is it not part of inner `shaucham' for us to accept our role in a problem rather than constantly blaming others for it? If we are to evolve as human beings, we need to invest time and effort to see the real picture beyond our immediate perception, address our distorted conclusions and act more responsibly .
I thought to myself that one of the reasons for people being oblivious to their role in crea ting a mess on the roads could be that they never walk on these roads as they travel in the comfort of air-conditioned cars that zoom past. However, ignorance is certainly not bliss. The Gita reminds us that we live in an interconnected and interdependent world.The complex web of things is organised in a way that our actions not only affect others but eventually come back to ourselves. Last summer, many across the city suffered from dengue. The residents of this road were also not spared in spite of their well-insulated, air-conditioned homes and cars.
I am convinced that nobody can escape the consequences of actions.There are seemingly imperceptible connections between our actions and their consequences. I believe that we have a choice either to continue to violate the value of both inner and outer `shaucham' or to be more responsible.
The Gita reminds us that ignoring such values comes with its own cost that is detrimental to everyone's well-being.We should aim to follow enlightened self-interest. This is just one issue, but the idea of `shaucham' can apply to every perception, decision and action we perform in our lives.
‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ – managing the mind
Abhimanyu Pati, Begin Training Your Mind To Listen To You, December 15, 2017: The Times of India
Spirituality is the science of understanding and managing the human mind. Bhagwad Gita, the essence of all Upanishads, has dealt with the human mind vividly. Krishna says, ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ – One who has acquired skills to manage his mind is capable of executing any other worldly activity in a most efficient manner.
In chapter six, verse 34 of the Gita, Arjuna expresses his doubt to Krishna about mind control. He says the mind is so restless and powerful that it is impossible to control it. However, in the very next verse, Krishna explains that while it is definitely difficult to control the mind, one can achieve control through abhyasa, continuous practice, and with a sense of vairagya, detachment.
Mind is perceived as a continuous flow of thoughts. Reportedly, an average of 80,000 thoughts are generated in a day. These thoughts are pertaining to our past experiences or future dreams. When we attach ourselves to a specific thought, we stay attached to it till we realise and become aware of the situation. This implies that a person who remains alert and observant of the thought process, does not get easily attached to any thought. This is what Krishna means when he says, be an observer of mind and remain always detached. This process of alertness sublimates the flow of intensity of thoughts and the mind becomes less overpowering.
As human beings, we may entertain some thoughts that indicate kama, desire. There is absolutely nothing wrong in it. But, there are possibilities of success and failure in fulfilling these desires. Depending on the outcome, we become angry in case of failure, and become fearful of losing acquisitions in case of success. These emotions, emanating from desires, create turbulence and agitation in our mind, and consequently, we lose mental peace.
In the Gita, Krishna advises Arjuna to create mental vastness like an ocean (2:70). He explains that an ocean remains unmoved and unperturbed when river water gushes inside it because of its vastness. Similarly, human beings should create a mental vastness so that worldly desires fail to create emotional agitations and we achieve a state of inner silence and peace.
The Gita recommends the practice of Karma Sanyasa, an attitude of selfless, dedicated actions without desire for the fruits of these actions, which will eventually help the practitioner to achieve an expansive state of mind.
Mind works like a pendulum, oscillating between two extremes of dualities. Consequently, our life experiences also oscillate between dualities of happiness-sorrow; love-hate, etc. While we do have little control over the external happenings, we can definitely control our emotional outcomes due to the external triggers, provided we have control over our mind. When our mind becomes subordinate to us, we achieve a state of middle path or Sthitaprajna, which has been explained by Krishna in 2:56 of the Bhagwad Gita.
The mind is a tool to achieve higher levels of consciousness, wisdom and bliss. But, the mind is also a doubleedged sword, which could lead to low levels of human suffering, if not used properly. Hence, there is a need to understand the functioning of mind, the process to control it and make it subservient. A person who succeeds in controlling the mind and creating a state of inner silence gets access to sat-chit-ananda, the field of universal truth, wisdom and bliss.
The arrangement of ideas
The climax
Jaya Row, The Dramatic Climax In The Bhagwad Gita, November 22, 2017: The Times of India
The side effects of spiritual life are prosperity and happiness. The Gita is an invaluable guide not only for spiritual aspirants but for also corporate executives, sportspersons, musicians, academicians, everybody! As counsellor, the Gita helps nurture fulfilling relationships, too.
The Gita does not advocate giving up on life and retiring to forests. The Gita enables you to enjoy life to the fullest while focussing on inner enrichment.
The 18th chapter summarises the entire Gita. It deals with the transformation of the individual from a finite, powerless victim into the infinite, omnipotent victor.
You are Spirit, not matter. Matter only clothes the Spirit that is the same in all. Matter varies and consists of three distinct gunas, traits called sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva is pure, free from desire and ego. Rajas is passion, characterised by frenetic, desire-driven activity. Tamas is inertia, indifference and inactivity that stem from ignorance. Every human has all three gunas. It is their proportion that makes the difference. The purpose of life is to eliminate tamas, refine rajas and promote sattva. You can excel only when you operate out of sattva.
Based on this, human beings were categorised into four varnas or castes. This was not based on heredity but on the blend of sattva, rajas and tamas. Each caste was given a vocation best suited for their nature. The purpose was to help everyone rise to highest perfection. The varnas correspond to natural archetypes that exist in all societies.
Brahmanas were predominantly sattvika, highly refined individuals – leaders and visionaries. They naturally took to study, research and teaching in the fields of science, medicine, engineering and so on. They excelled in soft skills like music, art, literature and philosophy. They were advisors to members of other castes, particularly in the field of ethics and morality. Ancient India was led by the wise, not the wealthy. The wise guided the wealthy kshatriyas and protected them from the corruptive influence of wealth and power. The kshatriyas, the warrior caste with administrative and management skills, were predominantly rajasika. Vaishyas, traders and businessmen, had more tamas and less sattva. The shudras, labour class, were predominantly tamasika. These categories were not based on heredity; they were as per a person’s proclivities.
Krishna encapsulates the entire spiritual path starting with Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Yogas and concludes with meditation. Karma Yoga is acting with the attitude of giving, not taking. Bhakti Yoga is inclusive love, not exclusive attachment. Jnana Yoga is distilling the permanent from the transient aspects of life. If you maintain your focus on Atman you will overcome all obstacles. When you are free of the bulk of desires you are fit for meditation. In the intense heat of meditation the last traces of desire vanish and you become God!
Krishna then leaves you to do as you wish. The Gita is not a doctrine of adesha, commandments, to be accepted without question. It is upadesha, advice based on logical, scientific exposition on the human personality. Reflect on these, experiment with them and draw your own conclusions – just as you would in physics or chemistry. Then you will experience the truths laid down in the Gita and find liberation while living in the world.
