Bhagavad Geeta is a practical guide. It teaches the art of living this life in harmony with the spiritual one. It teaches the art of self-discipline and self-perfection. Man is a synthesis of Matter and Spirit and nobody can afford to ignore the one in order to perfect the other. We have to blend them in proper proportions, assigning their due importance to both. Geeta is really a treasure-house of the most precious pearls of wisdom. It offers a solution to all our personal problems, though they vary in nature from individual to individual. There lies the simple beauty of the Bhagavad Geeta.
Lord's Song Divine is in the form of a dialogue, between two characters, Arjuna and Krishna - Nara and Narayana - wherein Nara symbolises man and Narayana represents the Refuge of man, God. The God directs and guides the dejected, depressed, helpless and erring man along the right path. This struggle in man between himself and the Lord of his Heart and ultimately the Lord coming to his rescue when he surrenders to Him are quite common in our everyday life. But generally we fail to notice the play of God in our day-to-day activities.
Geeta is a poem in eighteen chapters, containing 701 stanzas. The philosophy preached in these lyrical stanzas constitutes the Bharat culture, the time-honoured culture of our forefathers, the very glory of our nation. The Kurukshetra war was fought for 18 days. 18 divisions of soldiers (Askhauhinis) took part in it, 11 on the side of the Kouravas and 7 on that of the Pandavas. One Askhauhini contains soldiers in chariot, on horseback, on elephants and on foot and the number in each is a mutiple of 18. Besides this, Mahabharata itself contains 18 books (Parvas). The Puranas also are 18 in number. Thus the number eighteen seems to be a favorite number of our ancients.
The marvelous advices in the Bhagavad Geeta, which gives in a nut shell, the essence of the vast and deep learning enshrined in the scriptures was obviously given by Krishna to Arjuna in a battle-field. But it is not in any sense narrow in its scope. It is a universal guide, meant for the entire humanity, in all climes, for all times, irrespective of age, sex, caste and creed. It was applicable in the age of the Puranas, i.e. Dwapara Yuga in Bharata Varsha in the case of Arjuna at the Kurukshetra war. It is equally applicable in the Kali Yuga, in any place on the globe, now and for ever, to evry individual young or old, man or woman.
We are a dual personality of good and bad. We must conquer the evil and cultivate the good in us. Starve the demon and feed the God. How? For instance, if you are angry and want to smash the nose and break the chin of your friend, you may raise your hand....but...paus...a....moment...and remember what Geeta says....make a rapid review of the Geeta and then proceed. You shall find it easier and wiser to smash his entire being more effectively and with less effort and procure him as a slave till death, by shaking hand with him. patience, forgiveness, friendship that is what Geeta teaches us. So don't do anything rashly and in haste. Then you may come to suffer and regret. Always see first whether Geeta offers any solution. Follow Geeta-instructions.
The duty of Arjuna, a Kshatriya prince is to conquer his enemies. The duty of students is to study, acquire pure faultless learning. The duty of a cobbler is to mend shoes well and of a butcher to supply meat to the needy. Well, Geeta teaches us to discharge our duties, to put our whole heart into them, regardless of the outcome. Evidently then there would be no such word as "failure" in our life.
The 18 chapters in the Geeta are:
- The Dejection of Arjuna
- Samkhya Yoga (Philosophy of Wisdom)
- Karma Yoga (The Path of Action)
- Gnyana Karma Sanyasa Yoga (The Path of Inspired, Self-less Action)
- Karma Sanyasa Yoga (The path of 'Renunciation' of 'Action')
- Dhyana Yoga (The Yoga of Meditation)
- Gnyana Vignyana Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom)
- Akshara Para Brahma Yoga (The March to the Imperishable Brahman)
- Raja Vidya Yoga (The Path of Kingly knowledge)
- Vibhooti Yoga (Glory of the supreme Lord)
- Viswaroopa Sandarsana Yoga (The vision of the Cosmic Form)
- Bhakti Yoga (The Path of Devotion)
- Kshetra Kshtrajna Vibhaga Yoga (The Field and the Knower of the Field)
- Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga
- The Supreme Self
- The Three Guna - Types
- Divine and Undivine Types
- The Path of Renunciation
- The Dejection of Arjuna - Arjuna feels sad at the prospect of fighting against his kith and kin. When you feel that an injustice has been done against you, and you know that tyrant and want to hit back, but you realise you have not the strength to avenge; the consequent feeling of helpless impotency under which you come to lose your balance is called dejection. His recurring thoughts, Killing one's relatives cannot give one, in the end any happiness. It is to such a Partha that Lord Krishna advises the entire Geeta.
- Samkhya Yoga (Philosophy of Wisdom) - Krishna so far a silent listener, now spoke to Arjuna, to cheer him up and to revive his spirts, This chapter is said to contain all the essential teachings of the whole of Geeta - The Perishable body - The Imperishable soul - Cycle of life (Childhood, youth, old - Births, deaths and rebirths like changing cloths ) Importance of discharging one's duty - Selfless action - Man of perfect wisdom. All marvel at the nature of spirt but none really understand it. The scope of Vedas is limited to the three temperaments (Gunas) : Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, You must transcend these. Be ever-pure and free from the effects of the opposite, look at them with same attitude - joy and sorrow, health and disease, success and failure, honour and disgrace, praise and censure - the relative experiences. You must also be free from the thought of acquisition and aggrandizement. This balanced state of mind, unaffected by opposites is called yoga. With single minded determination do your duty, don't abstain or work with a motive to gain something. One must train one's mind not to covet the perishable earthly objects. As long as there is a clinging desire for earthly objects, there can never come True Knowledge. When a man thinks of ojbjects, attachment for them arises, from attachment desire is born, from desire arise anger, from anger comes delusion, from delusion loss of memory, from loss of memory the destruction of discrimination, form destruction of discrimination he perishes. For the mind which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, carries away his discrimination, as the wind carries away a boat on the water.
- Karma Yoga (The Path of Action) - Dedicated action - meaning of scarifice (Yajna) - the Vasanas that are gathered by us as we live our life here, and their tyranny upon us for years to come. The path of action and path of knowledge are complementary to each other. A real seeker of wisdom, conquers his organs of perception (Gyana Indriyas) by his mind but launches his organs-of-action (Karma Indriyas) in the selfless discharge of his duty. Never remain idle it breeds indiscipline. Action cannot be abandoned entirely, but he who relinquishes the fruit of action is called the Tyagi, relinquished. What we are bound to do, do well, for the good of all, in a spirit of cooperation. Do not become slave of your own senses, it will hurl you headlong into the hell of suffering. Every person has good and bad in us - dual personality. Ignorance breeds desire, which in their wake create anger. There is a vicious circle. Desire is at the root of all evils and is our greatest enemy. Checking and controling senses, will help control desire. Wise should act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world. Better one's own duty, though devoid of merit than the duty of another well-discharged. Better is death in one's own duty, the duty of another is fraught with fear. You will get to know yourself, or the science of perfection. It teaches concentration and meditation. You become sanyasin, sins washed off, and free from any disturbance of opposites.
- Gnyana Karma Sanyasa Yoga (The Path of Inspired, Self-less Action) - All path lead to the same destination. Based on peoples tendencies (Vasanas) and actions (karma), people are classifed into Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra. People should take up duties suited to their nature, to be performed by them to perfect themselves. Serenity, Self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness and also uprightness, knowledge, realization and belief in God, are the duties of the Brahmanas, born of their own nature; Prowess, splendour, firmness, desterity and also not fleeing from battle, generosity, lordliness - these are the duties of the Kshatriyas, born of their own nature, Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of the Vaisyas, born of their own nature; and service is the duty of sudras born of their own nature. Brahmanas, the meditative type are the best suited to study and to teach; Kshatriyas physically stong and very active, to fight and to rule; Vaisyas to carry on trade and Sudras to serve others. All over the world we can see these types always - the thinkers (Brahmanas), the leaders (Kshatrriyas), the employers or commercial men (Vaisyas) and the employee-class (Sudras). They are classifed according to thoughts and actions., differentiation of Guna and karma. The question of karma has three aspects : (1) Performance of right action(karma) (2) Abstention from all action (Akarma) and (3) Performance of forbidden action (Vikrama). - Vikarma is definitely destructive destroying peace and poise. The wise man is deaf and blind to the external world and o all its superficial attactions as they are temporary. So he seeks the abiding happiness in self-less service in the constant remembrance of God. Once a person is on the Path of Knowledge, he is literally at the very door of reality. Teachers cannot hand over knowledge, he can only point out the way to acquire it. Know that by obedience, by discussions and by service, the wise who have realised the Truth will instruct thee in knowledge.
- Karma Sanyasa Yoga (The path of 'Renunciation' of 'Action') - Both paths are the same - that of action and renunciation. Renunciation is not a mere giving up at the body-level. Real renunciation comes when one renounces at the mental level also, never harboring any desire for the thing renounced. This is born out of intellectual conviction based on discrimination. The pure infinite self, is not interested in the finite actions and in the resulting imperfect joys of the ego (Jiva). This is the relationship between the self (Atma) and the ego (Jiva). We are not the physical body, equipped with mind and intellect. The spirit of equality and oneness alone is the boat to cross the Samsara - The final experience of a Sanyasin and a Karma-Yogin are the same. There should be perfect, loving, harmonious cooperation among the three aspects of personality, the body, the mind and the intellect. Body is knit together with perception and action, we need to detach mind from desires, fear and anger, and direct the intellect to concentrate on the supreme Goal.
- Dhyana Yoga (The Yoga of Meditation) - Acquisition of Supreme Knowledge - Absolute by the pursuit of the Path-of-Meditation - the art of mastery of the mind - Here we meet with all the technical know-how on how to unfold ourselves through meditation. We should not renounce our duties, secular and sacred, but have to grow out of it. Its escapism. Sanyasa means renunciation of all 'ego' and this is achieved through Tyaga - relinquishing the rewards of action. To them word itself is worship - the service done is itself their reward and joy. A sanyasi is also a yogi, both of them are free from wishful thinking and useless fancying. Without renunciation of the 'ego' (Sanyasa) to a certain extent, relinquishment of the anxieties to enjoy the fruits of action (Yoga) is not possible. The renunciation of the fruit (Tyaga) also requires renunciation of the ego . We can bring about our own downfall, by refusing to cast off our weaknesses, by refusing to improve ourselves by steady cutivatin of the potential goodness in us. We must make an honest attempt to conquer the evil instincts by the good one. He alone gains the power of meditation, who can direct all his energies intelligently to reach the noble Ideal set before him. The mind is difficult to be control and is restless; but by practice, O son of Kunti, and by dispassion it is restrained. (6-35)
- Gnyana Vignyana Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom) -Knowledge and Wisdom - meaning the Intellectual understanding and Intimate Experience. The knowledge acquired through theoretical studies, and the knowledge acquired through personal experiences, the former is raw knowledge, and the later is true knowledge. Among thousands of people, you may find just one, who seeks Spiritual Knowledge. Among thousands of such seekers, there may be just one who see. There are two aspects, Lower Nature (Apara Prakriti) and higher nature ( Para Prakriti). Lover Nature appears in 8 forms viz.Earth (Prithvi); Water (aap); Fire (Tejas); Air (Vayu); Space (Akasa or Kham); Mind (Manas); Intellect (Buddi) and Egoism (Ahamkara). The higher and pure natur eis, concisely speaking, the fundamental factor, the foundation, the substratum, the very life-breath, the very essence of everything - the Atman, the self. Lower can be called matter (Prakriti) and the higher as spirit (purusha). This Universe has sprung from these two Natures only. In all beings, we find in varying proportins, the three Gunas - Pure- attitude (Sattva), Active-attitude (Rajas) and Inert-attitude (Tamas). These together constitute Ignorance (Avidya). So due to the three gunas, the whole world is deluded and ignorant. Due to this delusion or total Ignorance (Maya) men fail to recognise the Eternal, Imperishable Spirit as distinct from the gross base Matter. Sincere seeker can see. He is one who do not become discouraged or desperate. What you think, so you become.
- Akshara Para Brahma Yoga (The March to the Imperishable Brahman) - The man of Wisdom (Jnani) is able to distinguish between the Higher and lower Natures of the Lord, and to identify himself with the higher. He also moves at will in the fields of his lower manifestations. He never makes any wrong contact with the outside word and never invites sufferings. He is quite at home and contented wherever he is and in whatever situation he find himself in. His wisdom can fully comprehend that from the Highest and the Most Dynamic Lord to the lowest inert stone all are the expressions of the Divine Light - the pure consciousness - in every one of us. The final release from the agonies of worldly existence, necessary for the purification and sublimation of his intellect, so that he can fix it on the Lord within, can be effected only by the withdrawal of all the sense-organs from the objects of the outside world. Karma is the creative strength behind every active intellect, fulfilling itself in Creation. Supreme Pursha, called the Highest Self, is distinct, the indestructible Lord, who pervading the thre worlds (walking, dream and deep-sleep) sustains them. Uttering the one-syllabled OM- (the symbol of Brahman) - and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme Goal.
- Raja Vidya Yoga (The Path of Kingly knowledge) - The release from worldly bondage can be obtained by considering one's work as an act of worship of the Lord, offered with the Right Knowledge that he is everywhere and everything and yet, he is, at the same time, distinct from it all always. The path of knowledge and the path of ignorance. To those who worship ever self - controlled, will have that is not already possesed (Yoga) and preserve what they already posses (Kshema)
- Vibhooti Yoga (Glory of the supreme Lord) - The Indweller (Jivatman) of all beings is the Supreme Self (Paramatma). Whatever is glorious, auspicious or prominent in anything, that is a shadow, a sign of His splendor only. He is the supreme and the Essential Factor, common in all objects and beings, without which no specimen of any species can remain as they do. The Lord enlightens Arjuna on how best he can keep in touch with this Eternal Aspect of the Truth even when he is perceiving the pluralistic world. Spirit is the divine life spark, in all beings. The creator, the protector and the destroyer of all beings. The Essential principle, running through all objects without which principle, the object ceases to exist as that object. The changeless seed of all, without which neither the movable or the immovable can exist. Entire universe is supported by a part of self.
- Viswaroopa Sandarsana Yoga (The vision of the Cosmic Form) -The Universe of endless form is pervaded by Parmatman and yet - it is invisible to the ordinary eyes and incomprehensible to the ordinary intellect. This can be observed or inwardly experienced with the eyes of Faith and Knowledge. Arjuna blessed by Krishna with the 'Subtle Divine Eyes' (Divya Cakshus) was shown the real form (Viswaroopa - The Destroyer) of Sree krishna Parmatman, serving as the very substratum for the entire universe. This included 12 Adityas, eleven Rudras, Two Asvini Devas, Seven maruts and many other divine forms of different shapes and colours, as also many other marvels. Do your duty, for I will do my part. You are a mere instrument. You can enjoy the fame and the unrivalled kingdom. Then he gets back to his mild human Vaishnava - Form.
- Bhakti Yoga (The Path of Devotion) - The Science of Devotion to the Lord - Devotion is the devotee's identification with the Lord-of-his-heart. To meditate upon the Unmanifest Formless God is very difficult, even though that is the Superior Path. But those who worship the manifest God with intense love by dedicating all their activities to Him get salvation comparatively easily. The first and the best, but the most difficult is to fix the mind on God firmly and keep it there (Dhayana), This may be almost impossible, because the mind wanders away from God. Then by sheer self-effort bring the mind again and again back to him (abhyasa). If constant attempts at repetition (abhyasa) in concentration also fail, dedicate all the daily activities unto Me. Dedicate the all-I-do mentality of your ego unto Me (Dhyanam), it this also seems impossible, as you cannot conquer your ego, which is necessary for such a total sense of dedication in all activities, alright, you continue your activities, but renounce the 'fruits' thereof unto Me - stop worrying over the 'fruits' (Karma-Phala-Tyaga). Knowledge is surely better than Practice; but meditation is better than 'knowledge', Renunciation of the fruit-of-action is still better than 'meditation' because peace immediately follows such a 'renunciation' of your clinging expectations for reward.
- Kshetra Kshtrajna Vibhaga Yoga (The Field and the Knower of the Field) - The Prakriti and the Purusha, or the Body and the soul are two aspects of the Paramatman. Knowledge about these three (Prakriti, Purusha and Parmatman) and of their relationship to each other is the Highest Knowledge. Higher form of Para and lower form of Apara was explained in previous chapters. The former is otherwise known a Purusha or kshetrajna and the latter as Prakriti and the kshetra. Since I am Eternal and Beginning less, My Two Natures are also Eternal and Beginningless (relatively). Purusha remains Ever- changeless whereas all the modifications and experiences, such as pain and pleasure, spring from My Prakriti only. It is Prakriti that produced the world-of-Matter consisting of the 24 effects, such as the five-elements the ten-sense-organs, the mind, the intellect and the ego-ism, the unmanifest and the five sense of objects. But the Purusha, (the Jivatma or the kshetrajna) residing in the body seems to exprerience pain and pleasure. Thus the destiny of the Purusha in the body seems to be decided by the condition of the Prakriti. This is the mystery the Ever-pure Purusha comes to play as the Jivatma in us and apparently undergoes various births and sufferings as determined by the past actions of the Prakriti-aspects in each one of us. The Jivatma, in an individuals body is a manifestation of the Paramatman. The former seems to be affected and conditioned by the good and evil actions performed by the body whereas the latter (paramatman) stands unperturbed and untouched. Correctly speaking, the Jivatman also is not at all affected by the body's experience. He is just an onlooker, but dur to its identifications with Prakriti, it comes to experience the imperfections of the matter clothing around it. Karma, Jnana and Dhyana will help reach Paramatman. The Samsara, this world f animate and inanimate beings, is the offspring of the union between the Prakriti and the Purusha. Prakriti (body) is perishable. The Purusha residing in the body (Jivatman) appears to undergo changes, but the Paramatman is changeless and Deathless.
- Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga - The entire humanity can be broadly classified into three types: based on the preponderance in them of the qualities of Sattva (Perfect Purity), Rajas (Passion) or Tamas (Inertia) - The idea that the Prakriti seems to decide the destiny of the Purusha is made clearer. The behavior of a person is indicated by the proportion of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas in personality. When one learns that he is the self within, ever a spectator alone of the behaviors of the body, and not the body itself, and so does not throw his lot with that of the body, there is nothing more to learn. Prakriti is the Active Mother, and The supreme Purusha, is the unactive father. The entire Universe of animate and inanimate beings is born to the Divine Father and mother. Children generally inherits the qualities of parents. A sattvic man would love solitude and seek knowledge while a Rajasic one would love to act for material gains. A Tamasic person, however, would wait for happiness to reach him, without any effort on his part; ' minimum work and maximum gains' is his false and stupid philosophy. But a Gunateeta is above all these. Gunateeta is a Sthitaprajna who know changes are inevitable and are due to the working of the three Gunas and apply only to the Matter-vehicles. In his spiritual experience he has become the spirit in essence. Stopping all selfish activity, serving with Love in thought, word and deed transcends the limitations of Gunas.
- The Supreme Self - One who knows the Paramatma, the Purushottama is higher than the perishable and the imperishable purushas , is the wisest. This world is perishable, changing, false unreal and imperfect in every way. A mortal, being a mixture of imperfect Matter and perfect spirit has evil as well as good instincts. In the world you see two forms: The Kshara (the perishable, the matter), and 2. The Akshara (the imperishable; the spirit). The supreme is distinct from these two and is called Paramatma, who pervades and supports all the three worlds - the three fields-of experiences; the walking, dream and dreamless-sleep. (This chapter is generally gung by Hindus before they take their food)
- The Three Guna - Types - This chapter gives a detailed description of two types of personalities: The sattvic, the Daivic, the godly, the heavenly; (2) The Rajasic, the Asuric, the devilish, earthly. It mentions the three great vices - (1) Desire (Kama), (2) Anger (Krodha) and (3) Greed (Lobha) - Which are to be conquered. It concludes with an advice to follow the rules laid down in the scriptures. Liberate self from the three gates to darkness, practice what is good.
- Divine and Undivine Types - One of the most exhaustive and powerful chapters of Geeta. Here we get an exhaustive explanation of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas as influencing men in the choice of their Goal-in-life, food, sacrifices and self-control. Jeevatma is said to gather impressions of action, in its progress from birth. A mortal cannot all of a sudden take up the study of the scriptures. It has to be developed slowly and gradually. Faith (Sraddha) is the fruit of the Vasanas thus developed through births. It can be of three kinds: Sattvic (heavenly), the Rajasa (earthly) and the Tamasa (hellish), 'A man is as his faith is: nay, man is but his faith. There are three types of ascetics practicing different types of Tapas. They are : physical (shareera), verbal (Vaangmaya) and Mental (Maanasa). When energy gathered from food is poured out in Yagna to reach the Faith, and thus with a personality disciplined with Tapas, we come to belss not only ourselves but also others around us. This is Dan (gift). OM is the name of the Lord in his Trancendental Form: TAT is lord in his universal form: SAT is Lord when he expresses his divinity thro man's noble intentions and heroic actions. OM TAT SAT means, Lord Almighty is the only reality. Sacrifice, charity and penance without a pure motive and faith are fruitless. They do not fetch any result. Have a firm faith in a noble ideal and thus act tirelessly to achieve it in a spirit of dedication and love. To one who works thus, success is sure.
- The Path of Renunciation - A revision of all the instructions given. Here the Lord presses out his entire discourse divine and serves us the Nectar of Wisdom. Sanyasa is the Renunciation of Ego and its desire-prompted Activities while Tyaga is the abandonment of all anxieties to enjoy the furits-of-action). A tyagi is one who performs his duties, without worrying over the fruits that might spring from it. He who is very active in the world but really inactive in spirit, is a man growing to reach Perfection. He becomes really fit to approach the God-state. The essence of teaching is: Fix your mind , have firm faith, dedicate all your action and make total surrender, you will reach. Study of Geeta is Gyana yagna - as the student offers his ignorance to be burnt up in the Fire of knowledge so kindled in him through sincere study f the Geeta these and practice of its techniques.
A one minute answer from Bhagavad Geeta to few relevant questions:
Some thought provoking write ups as received - not sure who wrote this:
1) Why am I here?
I am here because of my past actions (karma). My current actions decide my future karma.
2) Why do I suffer in life?
Suffering is cause by attachment to the external world because I mistakenly believe it is the source of my happiness.
3) How can I be happy?
By understanding my true nature and my relationship to God.
4) Who am I, really?
I am not my body or mind, I am the eternal Atma, without brith or death.
5) Who is God?
God is the intelligent and material cause of the universe.
6) Where can I find God?
God is everywhere, pervading the entire Universe.
7) How do I reach God?
I just need to realize that God is in me and everyone else.
8) What should I do?
I should perform the right action with the right attitude, without being attached to the results.
Om Tat Sat!
Chapter 1 - Wrong thinking is the only problem in life .
Chapter 2 - Right knowledge is the ultimate solution to all our problems .
Chapter 3 - Selflessness is the only way to progress and prosperity .
Chapter 4 - Every act can be an act of prayer .
Chapter 5 - Renounce the ego of individuality and rejoice the bliss of infinity .
Chapter 6 - Connect to the higher consciousness daily.
Chapter 7 - Live what you learn .
Chapter 8 - Never give up on yourself .
Chapter 9 - Value your blessings .
Chapter 10 - See divinity all around .
Chapter 11 - Have enough surrender to see the truth as it is.
Chapter 12 - Absorb your mind in the higher.
Chapter 13 - Detach from Maya and attach to divine .
Chapter 14 - Live a life- style that matches your vision.
Chapter 15 - Give priority to Divinity .
Chapter 16 - Being good is a reward in itself .
Chapter 17 - Choosing the right over the pleasant is a sign of power .
Chapter 18 - Let go, let us move to union with God .
( Introspect on each one of this principle)
|| ॐ तत्सत् ||
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