November 22, 2017: Bhagavadgita

śrīmad bhagavadgītā - summum bonum

sarva-guhyatamaṃ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ

iṣṭo’si me dṛḍham iti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam    ||18.64 ||

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṃ namaskuru

mām evaiṣyasi satyaṃ te pratijāne priyo ’si me   ||18.65 ||

Re-ordered word-by-word meaning

bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ sarva-guhyatamaṃ - Again, listen to my ultimate instruction, which is the most secret of all; 

asi dṛḍham iṣṭaḥ me iti tataḥ - You are most dear to Me,   and therefore 

vakṣyāmi te hitam - I tell you what is the good and right course for you.

bhava - Become

man-manā - one with your mind fully absorbed in Me,

mad-bhaktaḥ - one full of devotion to Me, 

mad-yājī - one who is peforming all actions as an oblation to Me.

namaskuru māṃ - Bow down=Surrender to Me! Then

satyaṃ eṣyasi mām eva - You will truly, most definitely, surely, enter into Me alone.

pratijāne te - I assure you, promise to you, "swear"to you!

asi priyaḥ me  - as you are dear to Me!

These words are the penultimate instructions to Arjuna by Krishna before the charama shloka 18.66. I dare not interpret that one, but am happy to narrate the way these were explained by Pujya Swami Tejomayananda-ji on the day before yesterday. 

God, Bhagavan Krishna, completes the 18th Chapter, wherein He answers Arjuna about what is true Tyaga and true Sannyasa. Then he says these two verses. He has already explained how by purification of one's mind and actions, one foregoes the sense of doership and enjoyership, and reaches God. Now He is restating the same in a very personal way, and tells Arjuna how he can reach Him = Krishna Himself. Thus, the Bhagavadgita is the most unique dialogue between God Himself, and man. We don't need any other scripture or interlocutor!

The formula given here is simple. First immerse your mind fully in your goal. Then love your goal. Then do everything and 100% all your efforts for reaching that goal. So much so you will surrender to that goal. Naturally the result will be you will reach that goal.

When my mind, heart, hand and effort are all totally devoted and surrendered to my ideal, God assures me here that I shall surely reach it!

My sincere Pranams to Pujya Guruji. 

November 18, 2017: When work becomes worship

śrīmad bhagavadgītā: When work becomes worship

yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarvam idaṃ tatam |

sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ || 18.46 ||

Re-ordered word-by-word meaning

yataḥ bhūtānāṁ pravṛttiḥ - From whom all entities derive their tendencies and activities (through the gunas)

yena sarvam idaṃ tatam - by whom the entire creation is pervaded, 

abhyarcya tam sva-karmaṇā  - by worshipping Him, through one's work/actions, in accordance with one's true nature, 

mānavaḥ siddhiṃ vindati - one attains fulfilment=liberation.

This key shloka occupies an important place in the 18th chapter, as the Lord winds up his discourse while re-emphasizing the nature of one's duty, and how to to perform it.

Pujya Swami Tejomayananda-ji spoke about this shloka at length yesterday. He said that the sum total of all work that man can and will do is like gold ore mined from a gold field. By discovering one's true calling, in accordance with one's tendencies and samskaras, one purifies the work, like purifying the ore into a gold nugget. Then performing that nature-ordained work in a Sattvic way (cited before), one creates a great ornament out of this gold nugget. By offering all one's work as worship of the Lordis like offering the ornament to the deity in the temple, which will be the ornament's greatest application. 

Swamiji said that Hanuman represents the greatest example of this.

Why offer one's true work as worship? After all, all our tendencies, all physical beings, all resources, all abilities, all attitudes, and all fields of action, are all permeated by the Lord. He is the Creator, and He is living and breathing through all. By offering our work as worship, we are only doing what is due! 

Recall Purandara Dasa's famous line: 

ಕೆರೆಯ ನೀರನು ಕೆರೆಗೆ ಚೆಲ್ಲಿ ವರವ ಪಡೆದವರಂತೆ ಕಾಣಿರೋ 

ಹರಿಯ  ಕರುಣೆಯೊಳಾದ ಭಾಗ್ಯವ ಹರಿ ಸಮರ್ಪಣೆ ಮಾಡಿ ಬದುಕಿರೋ 

November 15, 2017: Types of Work

śrīmad bhagavadgītā - trividha karma

niyataṁ saṅga-rahitam arāga-dveṣataḥ kṛtam |

aphala-prepsunā karma yat tat sāttvikam ucyate || 18.23 ||

yat tu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ |

kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tad rājasam udāhṛtam || 18.24 ||

anubandhaṁ kṣayaṃ hiṃsām anapekṣya ca pauruṣam |

mohād ārabhyate karma yat tat tāmasam ucyate || 18.25 ||

Re-ordered word-by-word meaning

tat karma ucyate sāttvikam  - that work is called pure, balanced, 

yat kṛtam - which is performed

niyataṁ - as prescribed (as one's duty to self and mankind)

saṅga-rahitam - without attachment to the tasks or results. 

arāga-dveṣataḥ - without passion and hatred, (like and dislike*) 

aphala-prepsunā - without any incentive of personal gains.

tu yat karma kriyate kāmepsunā  -But that work done out of one's desires, 

sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ - or out of ego and self-aggrandisement, 

bahulāyāsaṃ - with much pomp and sweat, 

tad  udāhṛtam rājasam - that is held out as work done out of passion and desire.

tat karma ucyate tāmasam - (Finally) that work is called work done out of ignorance and mindlessness, 

yat anapekṣya anubandhaṁ - which is done without regard to consequences and side-effects, 

kṣayaṃ hiṃsām - without regard to damage done to things and people, irrespective of violence inflicted on others, 

ca pauruṣam - and without considering one's ability to perform the task undertaken, 

 ārabhyate mohād- and begun out of delusion or infatuation.

Swami Tejomayananda expounded these shlokas yesterday. He emphasized that since everyone has a bit of all the three gunas, and they influence our actions from time to time, this analysis will help us to see where we are going wrong, and what is happening around us.

PS:

We can see the Gandhian principle reflects the spirit of Bhagavan Krishna's advice with regard to work. '

A lot of political and business leaders can be seen to be busy with Rajasic and Tamasic work.

Finally the entire mankind can be seen heedlessly plunging the planet into ecological disaster out of a way of life and so-called development that is truly Tamasic.'

Note:  A study of the Gita would clarify that Arjuna was extolled to take up the righteous war as a Sattvic duty, and not with a Tamasic attitude.

*post edit, thanks to Sri. K V Chellappa).  

November 14, 2017: Bhagavadgita on Tyaga

śrīmadbhagavadgītā - What is tyāga?

yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat

yajño dānaṁ tapaścaiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām  ||18.05 ||

etānyapi tu karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalāni ca

kartavyānīti me pārtha niścitaṁ matam uttamam ||18.06 ||

Re-ordered word-by-word meaning

yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṁ - Acts of worship through work, acts of charity, and obeservance of austerity are not to be given up.

kāryam eva tat - that should be done without fail as,

yajño dānaṁ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām - these acts of worship, charity and austerity purify and uplift all mankind.

pārtha me niścitaṁ uttamam matam iti    - Oh Arjuna, my decided and supreme opinion is that, 

tu etāni api karmāṇi kartavyāni - even these acts should be performed

saṅgaṁ tyaktvā  phalāni ca - without attachment (ie without ego and likes and dislikes), and no attachment to the results or gains there from.

I am attending the 18th Chapter discourses by Pujya Swami Tejomayananda of Chinmaya Mission at NMKRV auditorium 11-21 November. Wonderful insights and the entire experience is very uplifting.

As Swamiji said, the 18th chapter is the summary or debrief of the entire Gita. In that the very first subject taken up is the idea of non-attachment or Tyaga. Swaimiji clarified that the trio of Tapas, Yagna and Dana mean as follows:

Tapas: bring your entire mind, senses, organs of action, ie the entire being, into a single pointed focus.

Yagna: Using that focus, perform your actions with a grand vision for the welfare of all.

Dana: Such a performance is bound to yield rich results, as is the law of nature. But these results or fruits, should be shared with all, with no attachment or possessiveness.

The ideal cited is that of the tree. It grows, and produces the best of fruits, only to be shared entirely with the world, holding nothing back for itself. 

November 3, 2017: Why Krishna asked Arjuna to fight

Srimad Bhagavadgita - Second Chapter

svadharmam api cāvekṣya na vikampitum arhasi | dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo’nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate 

|| 2-31||

atha cet tvam imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ na kariṣyasi | tataḥ svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi 

|| 2-33 ||

Re-ordered word-by-word meaning

ca avekṣya svadharmam api  -And looking at your own rightful, inborn tendency/vocation/aptitude, too,

arhasi na vikampitum - you should not vacillate.

kṣatriyasya na hi śreyaḥ vidyate  dharmyāt yuddhāt   - For a warrior, king of men, indeed nothing more suitable, which augurs well, is known than a righteous war.

atha cet tvam na kariṣyasi  imaṃ dharmyaṃ saṅgrāmaṃ - If at all you do not engage/enter into this righteous(/prescribed for you) war,

tataḥ hitvā svadharmaṃ kīrtiṃ ca avāpsyasi pāpam - then by abandoning your truly ordained calling, and reputation as a great warrior, you will incur sin.

In the large forest of Bhagavadgita's mystical wisdom, we are often lost and don't see the common sense advice that comes early in the second chapter itself, when Krishna commences his discourse. He advises Arjuna to do what comes rightfully and naturally to him, which is the prescribed duty for a warrior: never shirk a righteous war.

Now why was the Mahabharata war righteous? Pandavas, and Kauravas, as cousins in the famed Bharata dynasty (the mother lode for all kingdoms of India), both had right to rule. Pandavas rightfully claimed a portion, after several attempts on their lives in early childhood. As a diplomatic move, they were given by the old king, Khandavaprastha ( an uninhabitable deserted ravine) which they worked and converted into a heavenly kingdom. Duryodhana, the evil cousin, couldn't tolerate their new prosperity, so invited to Yudhisthira to a game of dice (something a king is supposed to always accept!) and cheated and won. as per the terms of the wager, the Pandavas had to spend 13 years in exile. When they came back to reclaim their kingdom, they were told to go to hell or to war. This was the war that was imminent. Between Pandavas, claiming their rightful share, and Kauravas, who had usurped them. 

How can Arjuna, the foremost warrior among Pandavas, and a symbol of valour and righteousness, abandon this war? That is not at all suitable to his nature. Hence Krishna's simple advice.

Just as Nature and Creation have corrective mechanisms for ecology, human kind according to Hindu wisdom has corrective mechanisms for inequity. The people who have to safeguard righteousness when force or war is unavoidable are the warriors. This is further explained in the 18th  chapter: 18.43. Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity, and also not fleeing from battle, generosity, lordliness --- these are the duties of the KSHATRIYAS, born of (their own) nature.

September 10, 2017: Bhagavadgita

śrīmadbhagavadgītā puruśottamayogaḥ

Bg 15.18

yasmāt kṣaram atīto ’ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ

ato ’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ

Bg 15.19

yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam

sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhāratā

yasmāt aham atītaḥ kṣaram   - Since I (=Bhagavan Krishna) am beyond the persihable material universe,

ca api uttamaḥ akṣarāt   - and also excelling the imperishable consciousness/soul elements of the universe,

ato ’smi prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ loke vede ca   -therefore am I declared as the Supreme Personality in the world and also in the scriptures(=Vedas).

bhāratā - Oh Arjuna,

yo asammūḍho jānāti mām evam puruṣottamam - the one who is not confused and knows me thus, as the Supreme Personality, 

saḥ sarvavit bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena - that man is all-knowing, and worships me through his entire being.

These two shlokas occur in the fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavadgita. In the entire Gita, this chapter has been clearly called as a "Shastra" (and no other chapter!) This means that this chapter represents the core message of God.

In this chapter, most eloquent in imagery and captivating in poetry, God conveys the meaning of this universe, and how He empowers everything. He also states that He is beyond material existence and individual souls which carry consciousness and impressions from birth to birth. Thus he is the supreme Lord and called God.

(photo taken in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, 15 Feb.2006).

September 8, 2017: Bhagavadgita defines divine qualities in men

śrīmadbhagavadgītā : daivāsurasampadvibhāgayoga

Bg 16.1-3

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ

dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

ahiṁsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam

dayā bhūteṣv aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīr acāpalam

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam adroho nāti-mānitā

bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata

śrīmadbhagavadgītā : daivāsurasampadvibhāgayoga

Re-ordered words with word-by-word meaning

śrī-bhagavān uvāca - The Lord (Krishna) said

bhārata - Oh Arjuna,

abhijātasya daivīm bhavanti sampadaṁ  - For the one born of divine tendencies, these will be the attributes (riches of tendencies):

abhayaṁ - fearlessness, sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ - purity of nature (uncorrupted), jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ - being established in the yoga of knowledge/wisdom,

dānaṁ damaḥ ca yajñaḥ - generosity, self-control and an attitude of making all work worshipful,

ca svādhyāyaḥ tapaḥ - and a process of self-study, and austerity,

ārjavam ahiṁsā satyam - an earnestness of learning, non-violence, and truthfulness,

akrodhaḥ tyāgaḥ śāntiḥ apaiśunam - freedom from hate, self-abnegation, peacefulness, and not carrying tales/gossip/speaking ill about others,

dayā bhūteṣu - compassion for all creatures,

aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ - no wantonness (in sense pleasures), a tenderness/sensitivity to everything,

hrīḥ - a sense of modesty,

acāpalam - no indulgences/weaknesses for sense pleasures,

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ - a radiance of self-clarity, forgiveness, and forbearance/fortitude against troubles,

 śaucam adrohaḥ nāti-mānitā - an overall cleanliness, nonbetrayal of friends, and not too much self-pride=self-aggrandisement.

As Krishna brings the teaching of Bhagavadgita towards its conclusion, he illustrates many qualities that an honest seeker should cultivate. These qualities lead one towards liberation and are described as such as "divine tendencies".

The list is rather comprehensive, and is entirely behavioural. Hence if someone wants to know if he has divine tendencies, he can use this template and study himself.

Krishna goes on to enumerate next the demonic tendencies. He humours Arjuna, who looks worried and caught in self-examination, that Arjuna need not be worried, for he is full of divine tendencies!😃😃😃

All the Bhagavadgita and Swami Chinmayananda's commentary are covered in http://geetamusings.blogspot.in

(Photo taken on 6th main, 6:49 AM, 4-4-2006).

August 19, 2017: Bhagavadgita

bhagavadgīta 2.14

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ

āgamāpāyino ’nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata

bhagavadgīta 5.22

ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ

Reordered word-by-word meaning

kaunteya  - Oh, son of Kunti! śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ - the causes of cold and heat, joy and sorrow tu mātrā-sparśāḥ - (arise) but from contact with the sense objects  

āgamāpāyinaḥ - and come and go (i.e. are transient) anityāḥ - and hence are impermanent. bhārata - Oh scion of the Bharata race,  titikṣasva  tāṁ - (therefore) bear/endure them.

ye saṁsparśa-jāḥ bhogāḥ hi - these pleasures indeed arise out of contact with the sense-objects ādy-antavantaḥ - they have a beginning and an end (i.e. are impermanent) duḥkha-yonayaḥ eva - (and therefore) are surely the cause of misery/sorrow (because as we experience such happiness we demand it to last for ever).

 kaunteya - (Hence) Oh son of Kunti! budhaḥ - the wise one teṣu - in such experiences na ramate - does not indulge/revel.

These shlokas describe the transitory nature of sense-experiences. On the one hand, suffering like heat/cold and joy/sorrow caused by contact with sense objects do not last. The mind ought to come to terms with their transitory nature and be able to endure them when they pass.instead of considering them permanent sources of misery.

On the other hand, sense pleasures also ultimately only frustrate the human desire for joy since man in fact is looking for ever-lasting joy or happiness and not transient experiences which bring through their termination unhappiness. 

The philosophical import is that one should, out of wisdom, not seek or give importance to contacts with sense objects.

These shlokas are discussed in the audio lecture series of Swami Dayananda Saraswati given in the Introduction to Vedanta course at Arsha Vidya Kendra in 1990. The photo of the peacock was taken on 7 August at the Anaikatti Arsha Vidya Kendra ashram at the Murugan temple.

August 18, 2017 : Bhagavadgita

bhagavadgīta 8.9

kaviṁ purāṇam anuśāsitāram aṇor aṇīyāṁsam anusmared yaḥ

sarvasya dhātāram acintya-rūpam āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt

bhagavadgīta 8.10

prayāṇa-kāle manasācalena bhaktyā yukto yoga-balena caiva

bhruvor madhye prāṇam āveśya samyak sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣam upaiti divyam

Reordered Word-by-word meaning

yaḥ - Who (i.e. the aspirant) kaviṁ purāṇam - (Him who is) the All-knowing, Ancient,

anuśāsitāram - the One who regulates aṇor aṇīyāṁsam - the One pervading all including smaller than the smallest atom, sarvasya dhātāram - the One who supports everything,

acintya-rūpam - the One of a form beyond thought, tamasaḥ parastāt - beyond all darkness, āditya-varṇaṁ - effulgent like the sun, anusmared - (the man who) constantly remembers (Him with the aforementioned attributes)

saḥ - he ( ie the man who remembers), prayāṇa-kāle - at the time of death, 

acalena manasā  - with unflappable mind,bhaktyā yukto - endowed with Bhakti,

yoga-balena ca eva - and (this) only through the Power of Yoga,

prāṇam - his Life-breath bhruvor madhye - at the centre between eyebrows(ajna chakra), samyak āveśya - having totally focussed,   taṁ paraṁ divyam puruṣam - Him, the ultimate, divine, Personality of Godhead upaiti - attains.

The Bhagavadgita, on a direct and unbiased reading, is a manual of yogic effort leading to enlightened devotion and surrender to the Personality of God-head. The entire code-formula of Bhagavadgita is stated in these two verses. Even a beginner like me can appreciate the clarity and emphasis of these two verses. The same idea runs through almost every chapter of the Gita in varying degrees with colourful restatements over and over again. 

Swami Chinmayananda is reported to have said that even if India were to lose its entire civilisation and cultural foundation owing to some cataclysm, but these two verses were miraculously to survive, we could very well reconstruct our entire civilisation with the building blocks of insight, method and goal stated here as a formula!

Hari Om!