Bhagawad Gita Ch.4 Ver.30-36 [Swamy Chinmayananda]

[Guest guest]

IN THIS SERIES OF TECHNIQUES ENUMERATED BY KRISHNA, AS A LAST METHOD, WE

HAVE IN THE FOLLOWING STANZA THE TWELFTH METHOD DETAILED:

 

apare niyataahaaraaH praaNaanpraaNeshhu juhvati .

sarve.apyete yaGYavido yaGYakshapitakalmashhaaH .. 4\.30..

 

 

30. Others, with well-regulated diet, offer vital-airs in the Vital-Air. All

these are knowers of sacrifice, whose sins are destroyed by sacrifice.

 

There are some who, through systematic regulation of their diet, come to

gain a complete mastery over themselves and their appetites and passions.

Dieting is not at all a new technique in India. The ancient Rishis not only

knew the vitamin-contents and the caloric-values of the various food

materials, but also prescribed very scientific combinations of the available

vegetables and cereals to suit the temperament, function, and duties of

persons belonging to different levels of society. Not only this; they so

well perfected their knowledge that they even showed how, through regulated

dieting, a man's character and behaviour, and ultimately his very cultural

quality, can be purified and raised.

 

The verse adds that all these "KNOWERS OF Yajna," meaning all those who know

"the art of living these techniques," when they practice them in a spirit of

self-dedication and selfless enthusiasm, can fully come to profit by them.

These methods and techniques do not promise that they will, of themselves,

guide us or lead us to the Supreme. It is promised that all those who

practise all, or a few, or even one of them for a sufficiently long period,

can become "PURIFIED OF THEIR SINS."

 

Sin, we have already discussed, is but a wrong pattern of thought-channels

that is etched in a mind by devolutionary thoughts, entertained by a deluded

ego in its extreme misunderstanding and its consequent attachment with the

body and sense-objects. It is these sinful vasanas that make the ego act

like an animal and force it to commit low and vicious criminalities. The

above-mentioned practices not only wipe clean the existing wrong-vasanas but

cut out in their place new-channels-of-thoughts, more constructive and

evolutionary in their very nature.

 

Thus, it must be carefully noted that all practices, physical, mental, or

intellectual, that are generally known as divine and religious, are, without

exception, only techniques by which the mind-and-intellect equipment gets

adjusted for greater and more effective self-application in meditation.

Meditation is the "path" in which the ego learns to withdraw its false

evaluations of itself in particular, and of life in general, and comes to

the final experience of its own divine nature. We often find sincere seekers

getting so extremely attached to their own "path" of practice that they

constantly argue about it among themselves. Therefore, Arjuna has been

instructed here that all "paths," however noble and great they may be, are

all but means, and not an end in themselves.

 

IN ALL THE ABOVE-ENUMERATED TWELVE DIFFERENT "YAJNA-TECHNIQUES," SELF-EFFORT

IS A COMMON FACTOR, AND THEREFORE, THE LORD SAYS:

 

yaGYashishhTaamR^itabhujo yaanti brahma sanaatanam.h .

naayaM loko.astyayaGYasya kuto.anyaH kurusattama .. 4\.31..

 

31. The eaters of the nectar --- remnant of the sacrifice --- go to the

Eternal BRAHMAN. Even this world is not for the non-performer of sacrifice;

how then the other (world) , O best of the Kurus?

 

EATING THE SACRED REMNANT OF THE Yajna the ancient ritualism of

fire-sacrifices, things that were 'left over' in the pot from which the

offerings were made, were called the "sacred remains," and they were

considered by the devotees as divinely potent-remnants from the Lord's own

plates. This was generally eaten by the devotees with great reverence, and

it was considered that, thereby their minds would get purified.

 

In the metaphor used here, when we try to find its corresponding implication

in the subjective world, we must understand "the remnant that is left over"

to mean "the result of the above-mentioned twelve types of Yajnas." The

result of any one of the above 'Yajnas' is, as we know, a greater amount of

self-control and the consequent inner integration of the individual

personality. Those who have gained this have prepared themselves for the

greatest vocation in life called 'intense meditation.'

 

Such an integrated man can gain a greater inner poise in his meditation

through which he can easily come to experience the Infinite and the Eternal,

indicated by the term Brahman. The second line of the verse contains a

beautiful generalisation which clinches the main idea, that self-development

and inner growth cannot be had without investing continuous and sincere

self-effort. Inaction can never bring about any profit even in this world,

in any field whatsoever. Without self-dedicated and selfless activity, no

great and enduring profit can be achieved in this world, and therefore,

Krishna exclaims: "How could a seeker hope to achieve the Highest without

any conscious effort at gaining it?"

 

Two doubts can arise in the minds of ruthlessly intelligent students. It may

be doubted: "Can all these different 'paths' lead us to one and the same

goal, or do they lead to different goals?" It may also be doubted: "Are

these not mere intellectual theories propounded by Krishna himself as an

original contribution to Hindu thought?"

 

THE FOLLOWING EXPLAINS THESE TWO DOUBTS:

 

evaM bahuvidhaa yaGYaa vitataa brahmaNo mukhe .

karmajaanviddhi taansarvaanevaM GYaatvaa vimokshyase .. 4\.32..

 

32. Thus innumerable sacrifices lie spread out before BRAHMAN --- (literally

at the mouth or face of BRAHMAN ) --- Know them all as born of action, and

thus knowing, you shall be liberated.

 

In the world, no two different activities produce the same set of results.

The twelve different Yajnas described so far, are all conspicuously

different from one another, and so they must all be producing not an

identical result but a series of different effects. In order to show that

though the "paths" are different, all of them ultimately lead to the same

goal, it is said here: "Various Yajnas lie open, leading to the gate of

Brahman, the ETERNAL." Just as 'all roads lead to Rome,' all the

above-mentioned techniques of Yajna also ultimately lead to one and the same

goal.

 

KNOW THEM ALL TO BE BORN OF ACTION --- This timely reminder of the Lord has

more than one direct suggestion: (a) these "paths" prescribed in the Vedas

are all to be pursued through self-effort, and therefore, Arjuna is reminded

of the inevitability of right action, if he wants to move ahead in his

cultural self-development; and (b) it also suggests that all these "paths"

are only the means and not the end. Action is born of "desires," and,

therefore, as long as there is action there is no redemption from "desires."

The "State-of-Desirelessness" is the "State-of-Perfection," and therefore,

in the context of our understanding, these pregnant words of the verse ring

a note of warning that we should not misunderstand these Yajnas as the very

goal of life.

 

UNDERSTANDING THUS, YOU SHALL BE FREE --- Here the word "understanding" is

not a mere intellectual apprehension but a complete spiritual comprehension,

in a vivid subjective experience of Reality.

 

Right-Knowledge was represented as a "Knowledge-sacrifice" (IV-24). Then,

several sacrifices have been mentioned. Knowledge is now being extolled, as

compared with these latter kinds of sacrifices, which are all means of

attaining the Purushartha --- the inner integration.

 

shreyaandravyamayaadyaGYaajGYaanayaGYaH para.ntapa .

sarva.n karmaakhilaM paartha GYaane parisamaapyate .. 4\.33..

 

 

33. Superior is "knowledge-sacrifice" to "Sacrifice-with-objects, " O

Parantapa. All actions in their entirety, O Partha, culminate in Knowledge.

 

Krishna compares the Dravya-Yajna --- the sacrifice of material oblations

--- with Jnana-Yajna, and declares that, for cultural self-development,

Jnana-Yajna is any day nobler and diviner than mere formalistic ritualism

with material offerings (Dravya-Yajna).

 

In the second line of the verse the Lord explains how and why He considers

"the sacrifice of 'ignorance'in Knowledge" (Jnana-Yajna) as greater and

nobler than "the sacrifice of food and other materials in the sacred fire"

(Dravya-Yajna). Ritualistic Karmas produce results to enjoy which the

individual ego has to take up new manifestations, wherein again, he has yet

to undertake and perform more and more activities. Karma never ends Karma,

and therefore, action cannot be a complete fulfilment in itself.

 

On the other hand, Right-Knowledge (Jnana) ends all Karmas, once and for

all, inasmuch as the deluded-ego destroys itself in the

light-of-Self-Knowledge. We have already seen that 'ignorance'causes

'desires,' and desires are the seeds from which all actions arise. When this

'ignorance,' the primary source of all activities, ends at the dawn of

'Knowledge,' all actions naturally get fulfilled. Therefore, "ALL ACTION IN

ITS ENTIRETY, O PARTHA, ATTAINS ITS CONSUMMATION IN KNOWLEDGE."

 

IF THUS, BY 'KNOWLEDGE' ALONE WE CAN REALLY GAIN THE FULLEST SATISFACTION,

THEN HOW ARE WE TO GAIN THIS 'KNOWLEDGE' BY WHICH ALL ACTIONS CAN AT ONCE BE

BURNT UP AND EXHAUSTED?

 

tadviddhi praNipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa .

upadekshyanti te GYaanaM GYaaninastattvadarshinaH .. 4\.34..

 

34. Know that by long prostration, by question, and service, the "wise" who

have realised the Truth will instruct you in (that) 'Knowledge. '

 

The verse explains the qualities that are necessary in a teacher, who alone

can instruct us on the "Path-of-Knowledge" and guide us to the great

consummation in all life. It also explains the mental attitude and the

intellectual approach which a successful student must adopt, so that his

contact with the Guru may be fruitful.

 

PROSTRATING YOURSELF --- All that is meant here is that the student must

have an intellectual attitude of surrender and meekness, respect and

obedience, when he approaches the teacher who has to instruct him upon the

secret-of-life. Regarding the world within and the methods of its control,

ordinarily, the students are completely ignorant, and therefore, they must

approach the teacher with a readiness to understand, grasp and follow his

instructions.

 

Just as water flows always from a higher to a lower level, so too,

'knowledge' can flow only to a lower level. It is, therefore, necessary that

the student must have a "spirit of prostration" in him so that he may be

able to get himself surcharged with the 'Knowledge' that flows from the

teacher. Thus the prostration, as used here, essentially defines more, the

required mental and intellectual attitude of the student, than his physical

readiness to fall-flat on the ground at the feet of his Master.

 

BY QUESTIONS --- By raising doubts to the teacher we are opening up the

cistern of 'Knowledge' locked up in the Master's bosom. A perfect Guru

immediately detects from the questions, the false line of thinking in the

student, and while removing the very doubt, he imperceptibly orders and

reorganises the right-way of thinking in the inner thought-life of the

student. When this intellectual wrestling has been practised for a long

time, the fragrance of perfection in the teacher, as it were, gets

transferred to the student's life!

 

Therefore, it has been an immortal tradition among the Hindus to have open

discussions between the teacher and the taught, called Satsanga. This

privilege is not available in all religions of the world. In fact, Vedanta

alone thus dares to proclaim a perfect freedom for the intellect. It never

trades upon the blind faith of the seekers. In all other religions, faith is

a great power and force, and therefore, many of the intellectual

imperfections in their Scriptures cannot be completely answered; and the

priests therein must necessarily check the full freedom of the seekers to

question their

sacred texts.

 

BY SERVICE --- The offering of flowers and sweetmeats is not what

constitutes seva. These have been understood as the service of the teacher

only as a by-product of institutionalism and Ashrama organisation. A true

service of the teacher lies in the attempt of the student to attune himself

to the principles of life advocated and advised to him by the Master. To

live the life indicated by the Rishis is the greatest seva that an imperfect

mortal can offer to the Man-of-Perfection.

 

The two main qualifications essential for a fully useful teacher on the

spiritual path are: (a) a perfect knowledge of scriptural literature and (b)

a complete subjective experience of the Infinite Reality. These two factors

are indicated here. Each, without the other, is totally useless in guiding a

seeker. Mere knowledge of the Scriptures can make only a learned Pandita and

not a Perfect-Master. A man of intimate experience of Truth will, in

himself, become completely silent, because he will find it impossible to

explain and express his own transcendental experience to other seekers.

 

BY THIS THE LORD MEANS TO SAY THAT, THAT 'KNOWLEDGE' ALONE, WHICH IS

IMPARTED BY THOSE WHO HAVE REALISED THE TRUTH --- THAT 'KNOWLEDGE' ALONE AND

NO OTHER 'KNOWLEDGE' --- CAN PROVE EFFECTIVE. THEN THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT

HOLDS GOOD:

 

yajGYaatvaa na punarmohamevaM yaasyasi paaNDava .

yena bhuutaanyasheshhaaNi drakshyasyaatmanyatho mayi .. 4\.35..

 

35. Knowing that, you shall not, O Pandava, again get deluded like this; and

by that, you shall see all beings in your Self, and also in Me.

 

After all these painful troubles, it may chance that we may get 'Knowledge,'

but after one's death one may again fall back to 'ignorance'and come to

repeat the same process. Even in our own life-time there have been many

things learnt and experienced which we do not now remember. Similarly, this

'Knowledge' also may be lost to us in which case it will be indeed a great

loss.

This doubt is fully cleared here by an assertive, confident declaration that

after regaining this 'Knowledge,' "YOU SHALL NOT, O PANDAVA, AGAIN GET

DELUDED LIKE THIS." This declaration, rather fanatical in style, has to be,

for the time being, accepted by all seekers. All teachers unanimously

declare this idea and since they have no particular reason to deceive their

generation, it is but intelligent that we should accept the truth of this

declaration in good faith --- till we come to confirm it in our own personal

experience.

 

No doubt, an immature child can never understand the physical thrills of the

nuptial chamber, and thereby it cannot be said that the newly-weds are

always telling lies!! The little child has not matured enough even to feel

sympathetically the thrills explained. Similarly, we, living in delusion,

cannot UNDERSTAND the thrills of the transcendental, or EXPERIENCE its

Eternal Nature --- however vividly the teachers may explain, until we also

grow to the required inner maturity.

 

By this rediscovery of the Self, Krishna promises that the Pandava Prince

will thereafter be able to recognise the entire creation --- constituted of

the world of objects, emotions, and ideas --- as nothing other than the

Self, which is his own real Nature; which again is nothing other than 'Me',

Lord Krishna, the Paramatman. Having for once realised the ocean, all the

waves are recognised by the intelligent-eye as nothing but the ocean.

 

In this stanza, thus, tests of having realised "that Knowledge" ---

discussed in the previous stanzas, are given. It also indicates how long we

must hold on to the apron of a true Guru. As long as we have not realised

that the whole creation is nothing but our own Self, which is as divine and

omnipotent as the Lord of Dwarka Himself, so long we cannot afford to leave

our intimate relationship and complete dependence upon the Preceptor and

Guide, the Guru.

 

MOREOVER, SEE HOW EXCELLENT 'KNOWLEDGE' IS:

 

api chedasi paapebhyaH sarvebhyaH paapakR^ittamaH .

sarva.n GYaanap{}lavenaiva vR^ijinaM sa.ntarishhyasi .. 4\.36..

 

36. Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, yet you shall verily

cross all sins by the raft of 'Knowledge. '

 

While Arjuna was promised such a glorious transcendental experience, too

divine for him to believe, he felt a certain amount of lack of confidence in

himself, which was, perhaps, reflected, on his face. He had a feeling that

he was not fit for such a great inner experience. Such a feeling can come to

anyone of us, because there is none among the intelligent who is not

painfully conscious of his own shortcomings.

 

Vedanta is not a philosophy that heartlessly keeps the sinners out of its

halls of wisdom. It does not believe that there is any lost soul who will

ever wander among the heathens, and who can ONLY be redeemed IF he enters

the portals of the Church of Vedanta!! Tolerant to a fault, Vedanta declares

the Truth and nothing but the Truth. The All-pervading Divine manifests

everywhere and therefore, there is no sinner who cannot, through his

endeavour, come to claim his own heritage of Absolute Perfection.

 

The Geeta is a scripture of life written for man, and its universality is

unmistakably seen in the statement here. It assures man that "EVEN IF HE BE

THE MOST SINFUL AMONG THE SINFUL," he too can cross over his painful

destinies of the present and reach the shores that lie beyond finitude and

imperfections. Such a clear charter of man's right to the Divine has never

so far been written in any other existing scripture of the world!!

 

To rediscover that, in reality, the ego is nothing other than the Self in

us, and to live thereafter as the Self of all, is called true 'Wisdom'

(Jnana). Having thus awakened to our Real Nature, the dreamy cravings of the

flesh can no more enchant us away from our pristine glory and make us run

down the channels of sensuousness, to wreck ourselves on the stony bed of

sin and sorrow. This is indicated by a beautiful metaphor: "BY THE RAFT OF

'KNOWLEDGE' ALONE SHALL YOU GO ACROSS ALL SINS."

 

IN WHAT MANNER DOES THIS WISDOM DESTROY SIN?... HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:

 

[To be continued next Monday...]