Gita Satsang - Resumption: Chapter 2 Summary

[Guest guest]

Harih Aum:

 

Chapter 2 of Gita is a quick summary of all the eighteen chapters. Implicitly

this chapter describes the path of human liberation that consists of Karma,

Bhakti and Jnana. During our study group discussions, I have presented this

the essence of Gita focusing on self-realization. This is a delicate area and

the scriptures (Upanishads) have carefully stated the implications of making

the claim about Jnanihood. The Upanishads categorically rejects anyone making

a public claim that "I am a Jnani!"

 

Key verses of Gita in the eighteen chapters are selected to indicate the

stages that the seeker undergoes in his/her spiritual growth. These stages of

development are presented just for coherent reading and understanding of human

evolution. In reality, spiritual development is an experience and is not

achievement such getting a diploma or degree in an university. The spiritual

developments that are postulated in Gita are helpful tools to reach spiritual

maturity. The most important ingredient for Self-realization is the Grace of

God which is ever present to the true seeker! According to Hindu Scriptures

and beliefs, Grace is an essential element for human liberation. The

scriptures also stress the importance of "Sadhana" as the driving force for

Self-realization. According to Gita, the most important Sadhana is to conduct

our activities without paying attention to the fruits of our actions. This is

Karma Yoga. Karma yoga is impossible to perform without Bhakti and Bhakti is

an expression of infinite love for the Lord! Infinite devotion to the Lord

necessarily implies loving everyone around us! When we see everyone within us

and see us in everyone (nondual outlook) we express our True Bhakti. When we

conduct our duties with the Yagna spirit (Karma Yoga) spontaneously without

hesitation, we become Jnanis. The person who attains the wisdom to recognize

his/her True Divine Nature becomes the Jnani.

 

The concept of Vedanta in general and Advaita Vedanta in particular is fully

described in Chapter 2 in a summary format. The following key verses are

recommended to the Satsangis for further reading: 16 to 25, 31, 39, 42 to 46,

47, 48, 51, and from 54 to 72. With the divine presence and guidance,

Arjuna's intellectual mind undergoes the necessary transformations that are

described in chapters 1 to 18. The key verses indicated below focus on the

essential message of Gita.

 

Seizure of Human Mind by Emotion, Ego, Ignorance and Stupidity (1-47) The

human Arjun is overwhelmed by emotion and self-pity and collapses down on the

seat of his chariot. He throws down his bow, arrow and dignity. He momentarily

forgets his True Human Nature and desperately asks for outside help.

Instantaneously, ignorance, selfishness, self-centered ego, emotion and

stupidity takes charge of his personality. He separates himself from his true

human nature and neglects his obligation to fight the war. Fortunately, the

flash of light from his subconscious mind emerges to give all the necessary

guidance to fight his freedom from emotion, ego and ignorance and to save the

human soul.

 

The Key to Liberation ( 2 - 67 & 68) When the mind runs after rowing senses it

carries away intelligence, just as the wind carries away a ship on the waters.

By withdrawing our senses from objects we can firmly set our intelligence!

 

Importance of Senses, Mind, Intelligence and Consciousness: ( 3 - 41 & 42) The

rowing senses can destroy the wisdom and discriminating power and hence they

should be controlled. Knowledge of Self is greater than intelligence;

intelligence is greater than the mind and mind is greater than the senses.

Hence it is important for everyone to acquire the knowledge of SELF (Jnani)

through reading the scriptures, listening to teachers and through personal

experience.

 

SanyasaYoga and the Renunciation of Senses (4 - 26 & 27) Some follow the

sanyasa yoga by restraining the use of sense organs by meditating in caves,

mountains and forests. They sacrifice worldly life by falling into the fire of

yoga of self control.

 

What is Balanced Mind? (5 - 22 & 23) Those who realize that real happiness

does not born out of the pleasures from contacts with objects and who are able

to resist the rush of desire and anger will have a balanced mind.

 

What is Meditation? (6 - 18, 24, 25) Meditation is the liberation of mind from

all desires and the establishment of the mind on Self alone. Such a Yogi will

be self content and self-controlled with unshakable determination.

 

Goal of Human Life ( 7 - 10) God is the strength of the strong, devoid of

desire and passion. The desire for union with God is the only desire that will

fulfil the goal of having no desire and it will not be contrary to the Goal.

 

Practice of Yoga Sastraa to Control Body: (8 - 12) All the gates of the body

restrained, the mind confined within the heart, one's life force fixed in the

head, established in concentration by Yoga (The physical body is called the

nine-gated city!)

 

What is Yoga of Sovereign Mystery (Devotion)? (9 - 34) The way to rise out of

our ego-centered consciousness to the divine plane is through focusing of all

our energies, intellectual, emotional and volitional on God. Knowledge, love

and power get fused in supreme unification. Bliss through Total Surrender and

Complete Detachment from desires.

 

What is Buddhi Yoga? (10 - 9 & 10) The devotion of mind by which the disciple

gains the wisdom which sees the one in all the forms which change and pass. By

diverting the rowing mind on God the disciple controls the senses.

 

What is Devotion (Bhakti)? (11 - 55) The essence of Bhakti is to carry out the

duties, directing the spirit to God and with a complete detachment from all

interest in the things of the world and also free from enmity toward others.

 

Who is a True Devotee? (12 - 13 & 14) The person with no ill will to any

being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from egoism and self -sense,

even-minded in pain and pleasure, tolerant and self-controlled is a True

Devotee!

 

What is True Wisdom ? (13 - 13 & 14) Humility, integrity, nonviolence,

patience, uprightness, service of teacher, purity, steadfastness,

self-control, indifference to the objects of sense, self-effacement and the

perception of the evil of birth, death, old age, sickness and pain,

non-attachment to spouse, children, and other possessions, and a constant

equal-mindedness to all desirable and undesirable happenings.

 

The True Human Nature (Stithaprajna) (14 - 24 to 26) The person who regards

pain and pleasure alike, who dwells in own self, who looks upon a clod, a

stone, apiece of gold as of equal worth, who remains the same amidst the

pleasant and the unpleasant things, who is firm of mind, who regards both

blame and praise as one, who is the same in honor and dishonor, who treats

friends and foes same, who has given up all initiative of action and who

serves God with unfailing devotion of love is said to have risen above the

three modes.

 

What is Liberation? (15 - 5) Those who are freed from pride and delusion, who

have conquered the evil of attachment, who have frozen their desires, who are

ever devoted to the Supreme Spirit are liberated from the dualities known as

pleasure and pain and are undeluded, go to that eternal state of Brahman.

 

Divinity in Human Nature (16 - 2 & 3) The virtues that include Nonviolence,

truth, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to fault

finding, compassion to living beings, freedom from covetousness, gentleness,

modesty and steadiness, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from

malice and excessive pride belong to True Human nature unified with Divinity.

 

Qualities of a Perfect Human Being (17 - 14 to 16) Worship of the Gods, of the

twice-born, of teachers and of the wise, purity, uprightness, austerity and

nonviolence, the utterance of non-offensive speech, serenity of mind,

gentleness, silence and self-control are the necessary standard to become more

perfect.

 

Who is a Perfect Yogi? (18 - 51 to 53) A Yogi endowed with a pure

understanding, firmly restraining oneself, turning away from sound and other

objects of sense, casting aside attraction and aversion, dwelling in solitude,

controlling speech, body and mind, engaged in meditation and concentration,

free from self-sense, arrogance, violence, desire, anger, possession, ego-less

and with total peace of mind. In conclusion, Vedic spirituality is not

narrowly confined to any specific religion or belief. Divinity is always

present when a person lives a spiritual life. It hardly matters whether that

person believes in God. Belief in God is an inference and is not a statement!

If I live according to the rules defined by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Geeta, I

implicitly believe in Lord Krishna. It hardly matters whether I state I

believe in Lord Krishna or do not believe in Lord Krishna. Similarly if I

state that I believe in Lord Krishna and if all my actions contradict my

statement then by inference I am a nonbeliever. It is my opinion that the

subtle message of Bhagavad Geeta is: "Actions are inevitable and excuses are

indefensible."

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

[Guest guest]

Bhagavat Gita Chapter 2, verses 20 to 30: Discriminating Attributes of

Self and Non-Self (Summary of Study Group Discussion)

 

Bhagwan Sri Krishna explains Arjuna that why he shouldn't grieve over

the death of friends and relatives. Fundamentally, Gita separates the

live human being into two separate entities - Non-Self which includes

Body, mind and intellect and Self which is the Soul.

 

Bhagwan defines Self as follows: (Soul and Self can be interchanged in

the entire discussion).

 

Self is nether born nor does Self die at any time. Self is unborn,

eternal, permanent and primeval. Self is not slain when the body is

slain. According to Katha Upanishad (II, 18) na vadhenAsya hanyate -

It is everlasting as a Divine form and derives its existence from God.

 

Those who are aware that Self is indestructible and eternal can't slay

or cause anyone to slay. The embodied soul cast off worn-out bodies

and take on others that are new. It is common practice for snakes to

shred of old skin on a regular basis. According to Deepak Chopra (it

is a well known biological fact) that more 95% of human body is

refurbished within ninety days.

 

Self is untouchable by weapons, fire, water or wind. Self can't be

burnt by fire, wetted by water and dried by the wind. Self is

all-pervading, unchanging and immovable. Self remains the same for

ever.

 

After these explanations, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that he has

misplaced his grief because Self can't be slain. Bhagwan fully

understood what is in Arjuna's mind and He determine to explain Arjuna

that his grief is misplaced even if he believes otherwise. Reasoning

and persuasion are quite essential for any teacher to clear the doubts

of his students. Human being in the form of a coin has two sides -

Self and Non-Self and reasoning will be incomplete without

understanding both sides. Human beings are endowed with many believes

and each one's belief become responsible for his/her actions and

inactions. When we fail to understand the distinction, between Self

and Non-self, there is greater likelihood for mix-ups and consequently

we face unnecessary fear, pain and sufferings. Arjuna is exactly in

that situation and Sri Krishna continues his persuasive approach

forcefully.

 

Lord Krishna explains why Arjuna shouldn't Grieve over what is

Perishable. Suppose Self is perpetually born and perpetually dies,

even then Grieving doesn't make any sense. Krishna's logical

reasoning is similar to the mathematical logic known as - reductio ad

absurdum (disproof of a proposition by showing the absurdity of its

inevitable conclusion). If we agree that the one that is born, death

is ceratin then certain is birth for the one that has died. Suddenly,

Gita injects this scientific fact of cycle of birth and death of

everything in the nature. Both birth and death are inevitable and

they are parts of the nature and nothing is permanent and everything

is perishable. The beings are unmanifest in their beginnings,

manifest in the middles and unmanifest again at the ends.

 

The question, "Can we define the nature of Self?" is beautifully

answered in Verse 29. There are many speculations about the nature of

the Self: No marvelous descriptions using the sense organs can fully

comprehend the Self. Self is unknown and no one whatsoever knows the

Self!

 

In the final conclusion, what we can safely say is that the human

being consists of two parts: the unknown immortal Self and the known

mortal body. Every human being knowingly (in appearance) or

unknowingly preserves the Self. In reality, it is the Self that

preserves the Self!

The question, "Who Am I?" is being speculated and the rest of the Gita

will attempt to describe the answer using the subtler language. Swami

Dayanandaji points out that the entire Gita is about comprehending the

Mahavakya - tat tvam asi. The chapters 1 to 6 describe the `tvam,'

chapters 7 to 12 describe `tat' and the rest of the Gita describes why

tat = tvam.

 

regards,

 

Ram Chandran