Concerns of a Vedantin -- Gita is the answer

[Guest guest]

Sir

 

And the esteemed community of scholars who congregate in this

electronic forum, please accept my greetings!

 

Dear Mr. Venkat Nagarajan

 

You have raised several important questions that are of interest to me.

We can discuss for years every one of them.

 

Gita is your answer to all your questions. Read and enjoy and discover

all the answers for your current questions and all other questions

that are bound to arise.

Pertinent to your questions chapters 6 slokas 31-47, chapter 7 slokas

1-4, 16-20, chapter 11 slokas 1-15.

Practicality - Chapter 6 slokas 31-47

Sloka leading upto 32, Krishna defines the characteristics of

those who are dear to Him and who shall be considered highest.

The essence is as follows:

"He who sees Krishna present in all beings and all beings existing

within Krishna , never loses sight of Krishna, and never does

Krishna lose sight of him". (30)

"He who looks on all as one, on the analogy of his own self, and

looks upon the joy and sorrow of all with a similar eye, - such a yogi

is deemed the highest of all"

 

In response to concerns raised by Arjuna, Lord Krishna advises the

ficklessness of our mind but to control it by repeated practice

and by exercise of dispassion in slokas 33-36.

 

Arjuna then poses the question as to what would happen who is unable

to take the ball to the end line in slokas 37-39.

 

In slokas 40-47,

The all compassionate Lord Krishna then affirms that there is NO

FALL for those. Once we start self redemption and God-realization

then there is no way back. This is a one way track. Due to the

degree of difficulty in attaining the highest order

many would falter and be born again. But the quest for

self-redemption and God Realization would follow them forever.

After paying for the "faults" they would continue on their

eternal journey towards self-redemption and God Realization.

 

Gita is timeless and every scenario is discussed. Nothing is

left for interpretation. Please find an English translation

and enjoy. It is as practical. lucid. All one needs is the

faith in Gita. Nothing else. It could easily be called

"Dummy's Book for Salvation". IMHO.

 

----Degree of Difficulty------------chapter 7

(Yoga of Knowledge)

 

7-3

Manusyanam sahasresu

kascid yatati siddhaye

yatatam api siddhanam

kascin mam vetti tattvatah.

 

Among (Krishna's) thousand (not our thousand)

there will be just one seeking spiritual perfection

and of those one perchance knows Krishna in truth.

 

In sloka 7-16, Lord Krishna defines the kinds of

people who seek Him and continues on to describe

who is His dearest.

 

----The Compassionate one---10-55, 11-slokas 1-20

Krishna having conceded that a very few can ever

attain the spiritual perfection, here in these

beautiful verses provides us "common folks" a

route to salvation. "Way of Devotion"

 

Mat-karma-krn mat-paramo

mad-bhaktah sanga-varjitah

nirvairah sarva-bhutesu

yah sa mam eti Pandava 10-55

Whoever works for Me, looking upon Me

as the Goal; Whoever is my devotee, free from

attachments and from antagonism to any

being- such a person, O son of Pandu,

shall enter into Me. 10-55.

in sloka 11-2

 

Mayy avesya mano ye mam

nitya-yukta upasate

sraddhaya paray'opetas

te me yukta-tama matah

--and through 11-4 defines those who Krishna

considers as perfect in Yoga.

In 11-5, Krishna again reminds not to expect

the unreal or to expect quick results with

these timeless words:

 

Kleso dhikataras tesam

avyakt asakta-cetasam

avyakta hi gatir duhkham

dehavadbhir avapyate

 

The obstacles facing those devoted

to the Impersonal Absolute are far greater;

for the way of any unclear ideal is difficult

for an embodied being (the body-centered person)

to understand or follow.

RK--> Note the pluratility on obstacles. Never

take Krishna's choice of words in vain. They are

loaded beyond our clearest and most logical moments.

 

In 11-6, Krishna, the compassionate one gives us

the ultimate promise, that He would lift us

from the ocean of death-bound worldly existence.

 

Most importantly in Slokas 11-7 through 11-11.

Lord Krishna enumerates step by step the requirements

Fix our mind unto to Lord Krishna.

in 11-9 Lord Krishna says (mind wavers so if you cannot do this) then

try to reach Him by systematic practice of concentration.

11-9

 

Atha cittam samadhatum

na saknosi mayi sthiram

abhyasa-yogena tato

mam icch aptum Dhananjaya

 

in 11-10 Lord Krishna gives those of us who cannot even take

to systematic practice of concentration, to work for Him

(consisting of external worship and discharge of

duties for Krishna's sake)

 

lastly those of us who cannot do this, in sloka 11-11,

Savior of all those who wanna be saved, says,

Ath'aitad apy asakto'si

kartum mad-yogam asritah

sarva-karma-phala-tyagam

tatah kuru yat'atmavan.

 

In simple terms in the Name of Lord Krishna, give up

the results of all your actions.

 

----

Therefore, Dear Mr. Venkat, Krishna did not place

hurdles for us. He knew that these times were coming.

Without a doubt and just for us He has enumerated

the different pathways.

 

----

You have mentioned advaita. What is advaita. Do we know.

Should we even try to know.

Ask a Ph.D in Physics about E=mC*C an equation by Einstein.

Ph. D can describe it .. use it in a Nuclear plant ..but

do they see what Einstein saw. Perhaps that is too much.

Same here. The one and only greatest of Philosophers saw

Advaita. No difference. It is all over the place in Gita.

Should we pretend to know "advaita".

Then comes Sri Ramanuja who sees the pain of mere mortals

like me. And gives us a break and reprieve, saying

"Surrender unto Lord". Ramanuja, next to no one in the

known and the unknown, did not call His Philosophy

Visishta Advaita in vain. Literally He meant a special

Advaita. Not a different one. But the access method

was one bhakti..something you can I can hope to practice.

Just the way Lord Krishna enunciates the degrees of

difficulty and different ways of reaching Him.

Therefore, IMHO, it is a waste of time to differentiate

Advaita or Vishista Advaita or to discuss which is better

And even less important is to discuss Adi Sankara and

Yati Raja. They are "different" chapters of Gita.

Who are we? It is upto Ramanuja and Sankara to

discuss these matters any further not me who is

commuting 4 hours a day to and from work.

But in these four hours I can read Gita, study

Baja Govindam (written by Sankara) and Ramanuja writing

and practice what I can towards that one goal "Lotus Feet

of Sriman Narayana". I am guaranteed that if not in birth

may be thousand births later..but they will come to pass

And there I will be at His Lotus Feet.

So mere mortals like mine do not have to waste time

differentiating Advaita and V/A. Instead select the best

and what is appealing from both. Apply it. We cannot lose.

 

I am told that in those days, Advaitinis and Vishita Advaitinis

lived happily together. I interpret it as follows: Advaitinis

pursued total detachment and pursuit of knowledge. Vishista

Advaitinis, did not preclude that but also provided equallyt

potent but less daunting approaches to Salvation.

As I grew up in a Tamil Vadakalai home, for whatever reason,

be design or not, I developed serious misconceptions about

Advaita, confusion regarding Hindu Triology, Vishnu/Siva/Brahma,

and every other difference one can make during our short and

trivial this one birth. Reading Baja Govindam I have come

to realism that Advaita declares Sriman Narayana to be the one

and only End point. Visiting Badrinath I have come to realize

first amongst Sriman Narayana bhaktas is no other than

Adi Sankara. I have no time nor the mental capacity to

debate Adi Sankara or Emberunmanar. I find peace and

truth in following both of them. Being a samsari, father, husband

and son, brother...different roles...the easiest route for

me is to take to Bhakti Marga, which in itself is quite

difficult. I see that Sri Ramanuja is not at odds with Adi Sankara.

but are presenting facts from different chapters of Gita.

I find it foolish and wasteful to discuss which chapter of

Gita is better. So it follows regarding Adi Sankara and Ramanuja.

They are the two eyes and two get a 3-D and sterophonic vision

of Sriman Narayana I need them both.

---Brhamin-- caste ..this is another waste of time IMHO

Gita is very clear about this...society requires work of all

nature. That is the end of it. Gita is also very clear about

perceving Sriman Narayana in all of us. There is no clause

here in this what we do. It does not matter what we do.

 

We all came from

 

Yatpurushena havisha

--Purusa Suktam

We all came from Sriman Narayana, The Purusha

(another common misconception, Purusha is all inclusive

male/female ...all forms of animals)

 

sa bhumim vishvata vritva (Purusa Suktam)

 

purusha evedagm sarvam (also from Purusa Suktam)

 

All endowments based on birth in a certain family

is in vain. Our actions alone define who we are, which labels

we can lay claim to.

--

We should seek unity, Advaitinis, Visihta Advaitinis, male,

female, and so many other classifications based on what we do,

in the name of god, consistent with

 

prajapatischarati garbhe anta: (Purusa Suktam)

 

Baja Govindam (Adi Sankara and His followers)

 

Satrau mitre putre bandhau

Ma Krur yatnam vigrahasandhau.

Bhava samacittah sarvatra tvam

Vancasyacirat yadi visnutvam.

 

Be not attached to friend or foe,

To son of kinsman, peace or war

If you aspire of Vishnu's realm

Look upon all things equally.

 

This new millenium should not go the way the previous millenium

went, amplifying the differences that no one ever understood.

But amplifying the "sameness" in everything.

 

I wear western clothes (it is cold man, here).. a dhoti would freeze

me the minute I step out..I work for money to support people

whom I have brought to this world and people who have helped

me in my life. I eat in restaurents which also serve products

of himsa. But I would not forsake my faith in Sriman Narayana,

Sri Ramanuja , Adi Sankara or Vedas or Gita or vegetarianism

for all the money in the world or anything else. Assuming this

is a true statement, in what way am I less pursuing then a

person who is lucky to be in Sri Rangam. I experience Sri Rangam

here everyday.

 

Is "Etavan asya mahima" false in USA or CA?

 

Would Ramanuja leave us for the birds if He were here today.

In those days Adi Sankara trekked to Badri to save those people

living there. Sri Ramanuja did. If Ramanuja were here today,

I am 100% sure He would take a flight and bless us all here.

He is all aware that He is infinite and a mere plane journey

with 400 others (who came out of the cosmic event

"yatpurushena havisha") would not reduce the infinity.

Infinity is infinity by division, multiplication, addition

and subtraction. Any other operators around?

 

So being in Canada you can do a lot. Start a study group.

Just read and exchange ideas without expectation or returns.

Naturally good things will follow. Buy the CDs advertised in this

mailing list... read the wealth over the internet and enjoy.

No one can stop you.

---

My understanding is limited to readership. I do not claim to

understand them fully. But most is drawn from books and what I

find appealing.

I am not qualified any more than a student who is asked to

write an essay in an exam. There are teachers who are qualified

to provide authoritative expositions. The very little

(infinitely little) allows me to be happy, content most of the

time notwithstanding all my desires, wants, differences and

limitations. My hope is that the undesirable elements will cease

over period of time (over numerous births to follow) and finally

the everlasting bliss shall begin at the Lotus Feet.

 

By asking these simple questions, I find that you have begun

a great journey toward self awareness. I wish you all the best.

In sharing my experience and thoughts, I hope I have brought

some positive light. There is nothing wrong or less where we

find ourselves at any point of time. But it is important to

contemplate where we want to go and how we pursue that path.

Anything good here I owe to those who have inspired me in life,

Sashi Deshmukh, Ranjana Deshmukh, Mr. Rao, Mr. Pradeep and others

in our local Gita Study group who have helped me reach this stage.

 

Make haste, please start one in your locality.

 

Finally, All things not acceptable in this writing, I am soley responsible.

I seek your tolerance, compassion, please forgive me for any

offence.

 

--

RK