Sthitaprajna - Some Additional Remarks

[Guest guest]

Greetings Advaitins:

 

I forgot to include the transliteration and english translation of

verses 54 and 55 and I have included them below. I request suggest

that we should take this opportunity to read the commentaries of

Shankara and Ramanuja (Shankarabhashya and Ramanujabhashya). It is also

a good idea to read commentaries of Swami Chinmayanandaji, Bal

Gangadhar Tilak and others. May I request the members who have access

to these commentaries to post them starting from today. I am confident

that we will get enough volunteers to take and complete this task.

Those who want to volunteer for this task, please send an email

indicating your preference.

 

I am looking forward to see those commentaries soon!

 

--

Ram Chandran

List Moderator

 

==========================================

 

Verse 54: arjuna uvaca

sthita-prajnasya ka bhasa samadhi-sthasya kesava

sthita-dhih kim prabhaseta kim asita vrajeta kim

 

Arjuna said: What, O Krishna, is the description of him who has steady

wisdom and is merged in the super-conscious state? How does one of

steady wisdom speak, how does he sit, how does he walk?

 

Verse 55: sri-bhagavan uvaca

prajahati yada kaman sarvan partha mano-gatan

atmany evatmana tustah.sthita-prajnas tadocyate

 

The blessed Lord said: When a man completely casts off, Oh Arjuna, all

the desires of the mind, and when his self is satisfied in the self,

then is he said to be one of steady wisdom.

[Guest guest]

>

> Ram Chandran [sMTP:chandran]

> Thursday, May 27, 1999 8:59 AM

> Advaitin List

> Sthitaprajna - Some Additional Remarks

>

> Ram Chandran <chandran

>

> Greetings Advaitins:

>

> that we should take this opportunity to read the commentaries of

> Shankara and Ramanuja (Shankarabhashya and Ramanujabhashya). It is also

> a good idea to read commentaries of Swami Chinmayanandaji, Bal

> Gangadhar Tilak and others. May I request the members who have access

[Madhava Replies:]

Dear Ramji,

 

Hari Om! Though I don't have access to the book at the moment, I

would like to remind you that Sri Vinoba Bhave's commentary on "Steadfast

Wisdom" is one of the best! When I visited Sri Vinoba's ashram at dattapur

(wardha), I came to know a very interesting story regarding this book. It

seems Sri Vinoba wrote this book taking Sri Gandhi as a role model....

 

Also, it is known to the world that Sri Vinoba is Gandhi's spiritual

disciple. There are many political disciples to Gandhiji but Vinoba is the

best among the few spiritual disciples.

 

Hari Om, Madhava

[Guest guest]

Hari Om Madhavji:

 

Thanks for bringing some interesting thoughts on Karma Yogi, Vinobaji. I

hope to see some articles on Vinobaji's commentaries on Gita. Shankara

in Vivekachudamani outlines the qualifications for spiritual seekers and

Gandhiji and Vinobaji would qualify as a great teacher and dedicated

disciple respectively.

 

Gandhiji and Vinobaji both taught the Indian masses the importance of

sarvodaya and satyagraha.

sarvodaya - spiritual well-being for all and individual discipline

(especially in such matters as consumption) as the underpinning of

national strength.

satyagraha - non-violent resistance (not passive resistance or

pacifism, but a principled rejection of violence from a position of

moral strength)

 

sarvodaya emphasizes Karma Yoga and satyagraha requires moral commitment

to truth seeking. A satyagrahi (the one performs the satyagraha) has the

greatest sense of DUTY.

 

Gandhiji once said of Vinbaji: "Even though I am older than him, but

spiritually speaking I am younger than him in knowledge and Wisdom."

When Gandhiji decided to have first satyagraha in India, he chose Vinoba

Bhave to take the lead. Somebody asked him why Vinoba? Gandhiji replied,

I want to put the first satyagrahi to be someone who does satyagraha

with a sense of duty and not with a sense of revenge. During Gandhiji's

times, satyagraha was quite effective because the satyagrahi were real

truth seekers!

 

"Madhava K. Turumella" wrote:

>

> "Madhava K. Turumella" <madhava

> Hari Om! Though I don't have access to the book at the moment, I

> would like to remind you that Sri Vinoba Bhave's commentary on "Steadfast

> Wisdom" is one of the best! When I visited Sri Vinoba's ashram at dattapur

> (wardha), I came to know a very interesting story regarding this book. It

> seems Sri Vinoba wrote this book taking Sri Gandhi as a role model....

>

> Also, it is known to the world that Sri Vinoba is Gandhi's spiritual

> disciple. There are many political disciples to Gandhiji but Vinoba is the

> best among the few spiritual disciples.

>

> Hari Om, Madhava

[Guest guest]

Ram Chandran wrote:

> Gandhiji once said of Vinbaji: "Even though

> I am older than him, but spiritually speaking

> I am younger than him in knowledge and Wisdom."

 

with all due respect, and from what i've seen,

i would agree with Ghandiji here, in terms of

knowledge (not necessarily wisdom, however).

 

although jnani-s are endowed, by definition,

with the same wisdom, their relative knowledge

in terms of being effective teachers, for example,

can vary considerably. in this case, Vinobaji

seems to be the better teacher--at least re jnana

....whereas, by sheer example, Gandhiji may in fact

be superior re karma and vikarmayog.

 

namaskaar.

[Guest guest]

Hari Om Frankji:

 

Your observation is quite accurate and thanks for those beautiful

thoughts. Let me take this opportunity to add the following additional

thoughts:

 

The combined effect of spirituality and science is always positive and

Sarvodoya (the spiritual welfare of all entities in nature) represents

the combined effect.

 

On the other hand, the combined effect of politics and science is not

always positive and can end up with the destruction of nature (eg.

creation and use of nuclear and nonnuclear weapons, etc.)

 

Also, the combined effect of politics and spirituality is not always

positive as shown by the history. History has shown that when politics

that endowed with "principles" yielded positive effects!

 

According Gandhiji, a Stithaprajna will avoid the following list of

prohibited items:

Wealth Without Work

Pleasure Without Conscience

Knowledge Without Character

Commerce Without Morality

Science Without Humanity

Worship Without Sacrifice

Politics Without Principle

 

Ram Chandran

 

"f. maiello" wrote:

>

> "f. maiello" <egodust