Srimad Bhagavad Geeta Chapter 2 Part 5, by Sri Thirukallam Narasimha Raghavachariar

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Arjuna: "Vaasudeva! If karmas meant to fulfil one's desires are

prohibited then why did the Vedas and other Saastras, which are the

epitome of God's kindness, a thousand times more so than any mother or

father, instruct us to perform such karmas? How can one give the rites

prescribed as "must do" by the Vedas? If you tell us to give us such

karmas, then what is the authority by which the Saastras instruct us to

perform such karmas?"

 

Sri Bhagavaan: "On Son of Paandu! The Vedas in general apply to all

souls or living entities. The Saastras provide various methods to

fulfil each and every type of desire. The Vedas do prescribe the means

by which one can gain wealth and fulfil other carnal desires. (Here the

use of the word carnal is broad enough to encompass any desire not

connected with serving Sriman Narayana.). For those bent upon

fulfilling such desires, the relevant instructions in the Vedas are

valid. For example, water in a lake provides water for drinking and

bathing for the whole community surrounding its banks. A person

burning with thirst will take as much water from the lake, as is

necessary to quench his thirst. He will not empty the whole lake.

Similarly, only those rites in the Vedas that are the means for

liberation from the cycle of birth and death, should be performed by

those eager to attain liberation. Other than that, the rites for

material gain should be avoided."

 

Arjuna: "Hrishikesa! If you require us to give all those karmas not

directly connected with liberation, then we would be forced to give up

daily (nitya karma) and periodic (naimittika karma) rites, without a

clear perception of what should be performed and what should be

avoided."

 

Sri Bhagavaan: "Daily, periodic and rites for fulfillment of desires

have a few of the fruits of their performance mentioned in the Vedas

themselves. Only the performance of daily and periodic rites, ordained

by the Saastras as duties for those entitled to their performance, will

give one the right to perform other rites. These daily and periodic

rites destroy sins caused every moment by the mind and speech. The

fruit of performance of such rites is the fact that one does not accrue

the sin of non performance of these rites. Someone like you who desires

liberation, is entitled to perform the rites ordained by the Saastras.

You do not have the right to enjoy the other fruits of the performance

of such rites. Do not consider yourself the performer of these actions.

Do not therefore consider the fruits of these actions as your

possession. (We get paid for working in an office. Similarly, Sriman

Naaraayana is providing us with food, clothing, shelter, spouse,

children, all our other necessities and protection as well. These daily

and periodic rites are required to be performed by us, because He has

instructed us to do so.) In this way one should perform these daily and

periodic rites in a detached manner, without ever giving them up. You

(who is desirous of liberation), do not want to get involved in the

consequences of their non performance."

 

Arjuna: "Oh Madhusoodhana! On the one hand you say that one should not

perform rites which result in fulfillment of specified desires. On the

other hand, you say that we can perform such rites without desiring

their fruits. Is it possible for a single rite to give multiple

results?"

 

Sri Bhagavaan: "Oh Dhananjaya (winner of wealth)! Even though there is

no difference in the rites you perform, it will yield different fruits

depending upon the intentions with which you perform them. One who

performs the agnihotram sacrifice with a view to securing the fruits of

this sacrifice will go to heaven (svarga). The same sacrifice performed

with an intention to merely please God will get you liberation. The

difference in the intent with which two people perform the same rite

will lead to a difference in the fruits they experience."

 

Arjuna: "Oh Janaardana! What is the result that accrues to one who

performs Karmayoga along with buddhiyoga?"

 

Sri Bhagavaan: "Arjuna! When a person who has understood the nature of

the soul from the Saastras, performance Karmayoga, this performance

leads to steadiness of mind in the face of turbulence like pleasure and

pain. Such steadiness of mind leads to an experience of the soul."

 

Arjuna: "Kesava! How does one recognize a person who has steadied his

mind? How does he talk? What kind of actions does he perform?"

 

Sri Bhagavaan: "Arjuna! There are four stages for one who has obtained

steadiness in knowledge. The first stage is called yathmaana samjnya.

The second stage is called vyathireka samjnya. The third stage is

called Ekendriya samjnya. The fourth stage is called vachikaara

samjnya. This is the ripened stage in steadiness of mind by knowledge.

 

In the first stage the practitioner or yogi, stops his senses from

dictating terms in all transactions and makes his mind center on the

spiritual path.

 

If a desire is fulfilled by Sriman Narayana's grace, he does not become

overjoyed by it. If also be Sriman Narayana's grace, an unpleasant

situation were to occur, he does not get perturbed by it. One who has

neither craving for, nor hatred towards anything is a vyathireka

samjnya.

 

One who does not grieve when the prospect of a long cherished ambition

is whisked away from almost within one's grasp, or at the prospect of a

joyful moment being turned into a sorrowful moment; one who does not

rejoice at the prospect of a sorrowful moment being turned into a joyful

moment; such a one who has controlled passion, fear, anger etc and is

constantly meditating on the soul is called Ekendriya samjnyan.

 

Whoever manages to meditate ceaselessly on the soul without allowing his

mind to wander on to the thoughts of any other sense object, and is

satisfied with experiencing the soul, is called 'vachikaara samjnyan'."

 

Arjuna: "Madhusoodana! This seems to be leading into a catch 22

situation (anyonyaashraya dosham). Unless one controls desires, one

cannot experience the soul. Unless one experiences the soul, one cannot

control desires. How does one get out of this dilemma?"

 

Sri Bhagavaan: "Arjuna! Let me tell you the way by which one can

suppress desires prior to getting a vision of the soul. If you are

unable to withdraw your senses from external (unwanted) objects by your

own efforts, redirect your senses from their present attraction to My

all attractive divine deity form. Meditate on My divya mangala vigraham

or all auspicious deity form. By this process, sins will be burned

away. Then you will be able to suppress unwanted desires. You will

then be able to easily experience the soul."

 

Thus ends the essence of the second chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Geeta

with Sri Nammazhwar's grace whose thirunakshatram we will be celebrating

next week. Please celebrate our beloved Acharya's thirunakshatram by

supporting Sri Ranganatha Temple. His vigraham will arrive when the

temple is built. There are many temples being built in the country, but

never before have Srivaishnavas had an opportunity to build one that

will show the path to Moksham so clearly as this temple will do to

people fortunate to be associated with it.

 

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adiyen

jaganath.