[Fwd: Gita - Ch 6 44-47

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namaskaar,

 

Texts of discourses on Bhagvad Gita is available from

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5294/discourses.html

 

The discourses include detailed descriptions of each sloka, individual word

meanings, interpretations, practical examples and a dash of humor:), and

are updated weekly.

 

I am forwarding a copy of the discourse on chapter 6, verses 44-47.

 

dhanyavaad,

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Ramkumar <ramkumar

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Last week, we discussed Slokas 40 to 43. In these Slokas, the lord

consoled Arjuna and all of us that any person who does good deeds can

never have a bad fate. Nothing bad can ever happen to a person who does

good. He then said that those yogis whose minds deviate from thoughts

of God at the time of death, because of the uncontrolled desires, will

not have to worry that the spiritual efforts will be wasted. When a

person does any good deed, he gets a certain amount of puNya.

 

On the other hand, bad deeds have a way of taking care of themselves.

Once a man was accused of stealing a Mercedes Benz car. After a long

court case, finally the man was declared innocent and he was released.

The very next day, he came back to court and said that he wanted to sue

his lawyer. The judge told him, "Why do you want to sue your lawyer?

Only yesterday he won a case for you.". The man said, "That’s true your

honor. But I did not have the money to pay him, so he took the car that

I stole"!

 

As the yogis do a lot of good deeds they will accumulate a lot of punya

and hence, after death, they first move to the heavens, where they can

stay as long as their punya is not exhausted. In this time, they are

allowed to satisfy all their desires. If their puNya becomes exhausted,

but they still have some desires left in them, they are then born into a

house of wealthy but religious people - wealthy so that they will be

able to exhaust the remaining desires and religious so that, they will

be able to continue their spiritual efforts, once all their desires are

exhausted. In the time that they spend in the heavens, if they

completely exhaust all their desires, then they are born into a house of

enlightened yogis so that they will be in a suitable atmosphere to

pursue their spiritual efforts even from their childhood. However Such

births are extremely rare. But once the yogi is born in such a house,

not only is he thoroughly purified, because he is free of all desires,

but his knowledge is also left intact. Hence, he will be able to pursue

his spiritual quest and realize God, with renewed vigor.

 

The Lord then explains how the yogi is able to continue in the spiritual

path, in the next sloka.

 

puurvaabhyaasena tenaiva hriyate hyavasho.api saH .

jiGYaasurapi yogasya shabdabrahmaativartate .. 6\.44..

 

This yogi, even though under the influence of his senses, becomes drawn

towards God because of the force of habit of his previous births. Even

though he tries to seek knowledge only due to an intellectual

curiosity, he becomes able to understand even the inner meanings of the

scriptural texts.

 

Puurvaabhyaasena tena - by the force of these habits from his previous

births : eva - only : hriyate - feels drawn (towards God) : hi - verily

: avashaH api saH - even though he is under the sway of his senses :

jiGYaasu api - even though he is just a curious seeker : yogasya - of

yoga : shabdabrahma ativartate - he understands even the inner meanings

of the scriptures

 

When a yogi is born again, even in this new life, he becomes once more

attracted to the spiritual path, because of the force of habit from his

previous births. He might only be a jiGYaasu - a curious seeker of

knowledge, but even when he approaches the scriptural texts in a casual

manner, because of the knowledge that he has gained in his previous

births, he is able to understand even the inner meanings.

 

A person’s actions are largely dictated by the force of habit. Once a

group of fisherwomen were returning from the market place to their

village when they got stuck in a storm. They were hence forced to take

shelter in a cottage that belonged to a flower seller. They were given a

room to sleep in. In that room the flower seller had kept many baskets

of flowers that he was planning to sell the next day and so the room was

filled with fragrance of the flowers. But this atmosphere was too

oppressive for the fisherwomen who could not sleep at all and they

finally decided to open their fish baskets and sprinkle the foul

smelling water close to themselves and only then they were able to

sleep.

 

All actions are hence dictated by our habits. If a person is used to

pursuing material objects, he will find it difficult to go in the

spiritual path. At the same time, those yogis who spend their lives in a

noble manner and in thoughts of God, find that even in their next birth,

the influence of their habits helps them to realize God easily.

 

A man’s actions are a reflection of his habits. In this Sloka, the Lord

talks about that yogi who is born in the house of the rich and

religious. In this new birth, this yogi has not completely become free

of the influence of his senses or desires - "avashaH api saH". He still

has desires for material objects. But in spite of all these,

"puurvaabhyaasena tena" - due to the habits of his previous lives, he

finds himself being attracted "hriyate" towards God. He decides to find

out about what the scriptures say, only out of intellectual curiosity.

But he finds that he is able to understand, even the deeper meanings,

due to the spiritual efforts of previous lives. Some of us would have

had this experience. When we hear that somebody is going to give a

lecture on the Gita, we think, everybody is talking about Gita, let me

also go see what this Gita is. It will be useful to talk about it in

front of others so that I can seem knowledgeable. There is just an

intellectual curiosity to know about the Gita, nothing more. This

curiosity prompts us to go and listen to a lecture on the Gita. But when

we start listening to the lecture, we feel - "Aha! Is this not what I

have been thinking about all the time". These thoughts that are

expressed in the lectures don’t seem to be mere words, but something

more. Shabdhabrahma means scriptures. Brahman is the absolute reality or

God. shabdha brahman is the reality expressed in words. The scriptures

like the Gita, which talk about brahman can be called shabdhabrahman.

When this yogi reads or listens to the scriptural texts, because of his

knowledge from previous births, he is able to transcend what is said and

grasp even the inner meanings.

 

What about the yogi who is born in the house of enlightened yogis? The

Lord talks about him in the next sloka.

 

prayat{}naadyatamaanastu yogii sa.nshuddhakilbishhaH .

anekajanmasa.nsiddhastato yaati paraaM gatim.h .. 6\.45..

 

But the yogi who strives continuously, attains perfection in this very

life, because of the effect of all his previous births. He is thoroughly

purified and so he is able to reach God.

 

tu - but : prayatnaat.h - by constantly striving : yatamaanaH -

practicing : yogii - the yogi : anekajanmasaMsiddhaH - attaining

perfection in this life, due to the effects of previous births :

saMshuddhakilbishhaH - being thoroughly cleaned of sin : tataH - from

this : paraaM gatiM yaati - he attains the supreme state.

 

This yogi who strives continuously attains perfection in this very life,

due to the effects of his previous births. He is completely purified and

so he is able to achieve God realization.

 

The human birth is something that is extremely difficult. Once three men

were sitting in the maternity ward of a hospital. They were looking very

tense, like other expectant fathers would look. After a little while, a

nurse came and told the first man, "Congratulations, your wife has given

birth to twins." The man said, "Oh, What a coincidence. I am working for

Double mint chewing gum company". After a little while, the nurse came

out again and told the second man, "Congratulations, your wife has given

birth to triplets". This man said, "Can you believe this coincidence. I

work for the 3M company". Immediately, the third man got up and started

running away. The nurse asked why he was running and the second man

said, "Oh, he got worried. He works for 7 up"

 

Only after millions of births, a human birth is possible. Whatever we do

in this present birth, will form the vasanas or impressions for the next

birth. When a yogi who has deviated from yoga is born once again, then

all his knowledge has been left intact. So when a yogi has been

involved in spiritual actions, these are the impressions that will shape

his mind in the next birth. All such impressions of previous births,

help a yogi who is constantly striving to reach God. Moreover, all his

sins and negative qualities get eliminated in each birth and finally, he

is born in a house of yogis in a very pure state and in a position where

he will be able to pursue his spiritual efforts even from his childhood.

So, the Lord says that such a yogi, can definitely achieve God

realization in this birth itself, if he strives continuously.

 

In chemistry labs, there is a method of purification of water which is

called distillation. In this method, the contaminated water is heated so

that all the impurities are left behind and the steam is cooled to get

purified water. This process is repeated many times to get extremely

pure water. Every time the water is heated, it becomes a bit more pure.

The many births that a person goes through are like the distillation

process. Each birth is intended to make him a bit more pure. When the

yogi is born again into the house of yogis, he has reached the very last

stage of this process and therefore he is already in a highly pure

state. From this stage he is able to reach the ultimate goal of God

realization, by constantly striving in this path.

 

The Lord now talks about the superiority of this yogi who contemplates

on the lord.

 

tapasvibhyo.adhiko yogii GYaanibhyo.api mato.adhikaH .

karmibhyashchaadhiko yogii tasmaadyogii bhavaarjuna .. 6\.46..

 

This yogi who contemplates on God, is superior to an ascetic, to those

who have mastered the scriptures and even those who are involved in

actions, all of which are performed with a selfish interest. So Arjuna,

you should become a yogi.

 

Yogii - the yogi : tapasvibhyaH - to the ascetics : adhikaH - is

superior : GYaanibhyaH api - even to those who have mastered the

scriptures : adhikaH mataH - are held superior : cha - and :

kaarmibhyaH - those who perform actions with selfish motive : yogi -

this yogi : adhikaH - is superior : tasmaat.h - therefore : arjuna - O

Arjuna - yogii bhava - become a yogi.

 

In this Sloka the Lord refers to a tapasvi- these are people who

renounce worldly objects and undergo rigorous penance but with a selfish

motive. They want to do this penance for a particular purpose and are

subjecting themselves to such rigorous measures only for certain gains.

The yogi is superior to such ascetics who perform penance with a selfish

motive. The Gyaanis referred to here are those who have mastered the

scriptures but have only bookish knowledge. That knowledge which is not

applied only constitutes ego. Like Sriniji used to say, we have no ego

about the fact that we can walk or open a door because these are

examples of knowledge that we use all the time. But, if we have read

even a little of Gita or other scriptures and do not have any desire or

intent to put it in practice, then this knowledge just becomes ego - we

feel we know so much, only because we are not applying this knowledge.

The Gyaani who is referred to in this Sloka belongs to this category.

While knowing the scriptures is something that is very important, more

important is applying the knowledge that is gained from the scriptures.

So the lord says that a yogi is more superior to a Gyaani also. The last

category that is taken up is a Kaarmi. These are people who do noble

actions, but with a selfish motive. People who might donate to

charities, just for name and fame - or seeing their pictures in the

newspapers or TV, who will donate blood only in front of a camera etc

belong to this category. They do noble acts but with selfish motives and

a yogi is far superior to such kaarmis.

 

The Lord here stresses that however noble any act is, if it is done with

a selfish motive then it does not have any value. This is the first

time, that the Lord openly tells Arjuna that he should become a yogi and

that yoga is the best way to go close to God. Renouncing all objects and

practising rigorous penance, learning and mastering all the scriptures,

doing noble acts are all steps to the final stage. All these have to be

practiced to give a grounding, a base for reaching the final stage. But

practicing yoga with full concentration on God and God alone, with no

desire other than wanting to reach God is the only way that a person can

reach God.

 

Who is the best yogi? The Lord answers in the next sloka.

 

yoginaamapi sarveshhaaM madgatenaantaraatmanaa .

shraddhaavaanbhajate yo maa.n sa me yuk{}tatamo mataH .. 6\.47..

 

Of all the yogis, he who devoutly worships me with his mind focused on

me, is considered by me to be the best yogi.

 

SarveshhaaM yoginaaM - of all the yogis : api - too : yaH - that yogi

who : shraddhaavaan.h - full of respect and faith : madgatena

antaraatmaa - with his mind focussed on Me : maaM - Me : bhajate -

constantly worships : saH - he : me - by me : yuktatamaH - the best yogi

: mataH - considered.

 

The Lord says that the yogi who constantly thinks of the Lord with

supreme love and faith at all times is the most superior yogi. By

calling such a devotee "the greatest yogi", the Lord is glorifying his

loving devotee. He says that the man of noble action, an ascetic who

does penance as well as a man of knowledge are all dear to him, but even

better is that yogi who is engaged in spiritual practices leading to God

realization. But that devotee who offers his exclusive love to the Lord,

regards the Lord as his only goal and is always thinking about the Lord

is the most superior yogi.

 

We often say

kaayena vaacha manasa indriyairvaa buddhyaa aatmanaava prkR^iteH

svabhaavat.h

karomi yat.h yat.h sakalaM parasmai, naaraayanaayethi samarpayaami.

 

We say that we are dedicating to the Lord, every action of ours done by

our body, words, mind, intellect and even those that are part of our

nature. This is a great commitment by us, because if this were genuine

then there is no way that we can get anger or hate or jealousy or greed.

Even when we offer a fruit to the Lord, we make sure that it is cleaned

thoroughly. This should be a reminder to us in all our actions and when

we remember that all our actions are being offered to the Lord, then

automatically, we would like to cleanse them thoroughly and perform

actions only in the best way possible. Only when we remember God in each

and every action, in our waking moments as well as sleep, at every

moment of our lives, we can say that we are true devotees of the Lord

and when we are true devotees, the Lord says that we automatically

become extremely dear to Him.

 

Once there was a blind man who used to go to a temple every day and pray

to the Lord. The other devotees in the temple asked him, "Why do you

come to the temple when it is not possible for you to see the lord?".

The blind man replied, "It is true that I cannot see the lord. But, is

it also true that he cannot see me?"

 

The Lord once again reiterates in this sloka that devotion is not a one

way road. HE loves his devotees as much as they love Him. Earlier in

this chapter, while talking about the God realized yogis, the Lord said

that these yogis never lose sight of the Lord and the Lord also never

loses sight of them. Once again he says that the devotee who thinks of

Him with love at all times is extremely dear to Him.

 

In this context, I remember a poem called "Footprints in the sand". This

talks about a man who was an ardent devotee of the Lord. One day, he

dreamt that he was able to meet God and walk along with him. Across the

sky, he is able to see the scenes from his life. For each incident,

there are two sets of foot prints in the sand, one belonging to him and

one belonging to God. He noticed that many times along the path,

whenever he had had trouble or moments of grief, there were only one set

of footprints. This really bothers him and so he asks God, "Oh Lord, Do

tell me, Why are there only one set of footprints in all those moments

when I have had the greatest troubles? Did you desert me, whenever I

had my moments of trouble?". The Lord replies, "My precious Child, Those

moments when you had the greatest trouble and suffering, you can see

only one set of footprints because, those were the moments that I

carried you".

 

A true devotee of the Lord hence need not have any cause to worry

because the Lord will always take care of him whenever he has any

trouble or worries. God is always present to bail us out of all our

problems. The Lord considers his sincere devotee as extremely dear to

Him and it is because of this that He has accorded him the status of

the highest yogi.

 

 

 

 

 

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