Gita Satsang - Ch 5 - sa.nnyaasa-yogaH - cogitations

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

The key words in the first verse are: sa.nnyaasa, karma, and

yoga; perhaps the key words in the whole of Gita.

 

The words karma and yoga have appeared many times in Chapters

2, 3, and 4; Ch. 5 opens with a new word: sa.nnyaasa.

 

Thus, Arjuna's question [ one of only about 18 in the whole

text ] may perhaps be the the most critical one of all.

 

[i shall post the next batch of verses on Monday, Jan. 8, with

the format adopted for the first one, but without the commentaries. I

hope readers will not mind reading the commentary from the links

provided. Please do not hesitate to suggest changes that would meet

your needs better.]

 

Thank you.

 

Regards,

 

s.

[Guest guest]

Harih Om Sunderji:

 

Namaskar,

 

I like the format with the commentaries along with complete reference

information. This will certainly motivate the members to fully engage

in the Satsang. All the members may not have access to the referenced

materials, we should provide at least some basic commentary for quick

reading. However, it is up to you to decide how much to provide (Your

valuable time and convenience is equally important). I agree with your

assessment that the entire commentaries will be too long and a proper

balance is necessary. Let us get some feedback from other members and

I hope that members will send you feedback to you directly.

 

In every chapter, the first verse always has some special significance

and this first verse of chapter 5 is no exception. The root `krs'

from which the word `Krsna' is derived, means to attract or draw', and

the suffix `na' denotes bliss. The Lord is ever blissful and hence

attracts everybody towards Himself. This is the reason of his being

called `Krsna'. Here, by addressing the Lord as `Krsna, Arjuna seeks

to convey that being the omnipotent and omniscient Lord of the whole

creation, He alone is capable of answering his questions.

 

The pharase, `Samnvasam Karmanam' does not mean actual renunciation of

Karma. It is the renunciation of the feeling of doership with respect

to all actions that is being referred to. The word, `Karma samnyasa'

suggests the attitude of a Jnanayogi.It is this form of Jnanayoga that

has been praised in the fourth chapter and Arjuna's query, therefore,

relates to this.

 

Replying to Arjuna, the Lord speaks of `Samnyasa' and `Karmayoga' both

as leading to the highest good or final beatitude and naming this

`Samnyasa' as `Sankhya' in the fourth and fifth verses and reverting

to the word `Samnyasa' in the sixth, He makes it clear that by

`Karmasamnyasa'. He means Sankhyayoga or Jnanayoga and not the actual

renunciation of actions. Besides, according to the Lord, mere

renunciation of actions not only does not lead to supreme Bliss

(III.4), but is not practicable either (III. 5; XVIII.II). Therefore,

`Karmasamnyasa' here should be taken to mean Jnanayaga and not the

actual renunciation of actions.

 

At first sight it would appear that Arjuna was repeating here the same

question which he had already asked at the beginning of Chapter III.

But on careful examination it will be found that he did not refer

there to `Jnanayoga' and `Karmayoga' as such. The question that

troubled Arjuna's mind then was, If the Lord considered Jnana or

Knowledge as superior to Karma, why should He urge him to engage in a

terrible action like warfare? He was unable to make out the purport of

His words which appeared ambiguous; and therefore he wanted to know

His mind definitely on this point. The point at issue here is quite

different. At this place he neither regards Jnana as superior to Karma

or action nor considers the words of the Lord as ambiguous. He is

conscious of the fact that the Lord is praising both `Jnanayoga' and

`Karmayoga' (IV.32) and is treating them as separate (III.3). And

admitting this fact he seeks to know which of the two is the better

course for him. This proves that Arjuna is not repeating here his

question of the third chapter.

 

Hence he is quite justified in putting a question like this in order

to elicit the definite opinion of the Lord. He wants to know what

course he should adopt for attaining true wisdom, whether he should

follow the discipline of Knowledge by hearing and pondering over the

words of those possessed of real Knowledge, or should take to

Karmayoga by performing actions without attachment and in a

disinterested way and dedicating them to God?

 

Warmest regards,

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin , "sunder hattangadi" <sunderh@h...> wrote:

> Namaste,

>...........

> [i shall post the next batch of verses on Monday, Jan. 8,

with

> the format adopted for the first one, but without the commentaries.

I

> hope readers will not mind reading the commentary from the links

> provided. Please do not hesitate to suggest changes that would meet

> your needs better.]

>

> Thank you.

>

> Regards,

>

> s.

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ramji,

 

Thank you for your suggestions. I did have in mind posting

only the Shankara-bhashya sections. I would like to know if any

members have difficulty accessing the links, as they are all from the

advaitin list files only.

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

 

 

All the members may not have access to the referenced

> materials, we should provide at least some basic commentary for

quick

> reading.

I agree with your

> assessment that the entire commentaries will be too long and a

proper

> balance is necessary. Let us get some feedback from other members

and

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ramji,

 

You have highlighted one of the most contentious issues that

Gita interpreters have been struggling with!

 

A philosophical analysis of the problem, known as 'antinomy',

has been given by Gurudev Ranade in his book, "The BhagavadGita as a

Philosophy of God-Realisation", in the Chapter titled "The

Categorical Imperative, Activism and Its Limitations". [it runs to

almost 14 pages. [You had posted some other parts from his book last

year, and I would like to request you to post this chapter in small

parts again.]

 

I think Arjuna's question here is prompted by Krishna's use

of the phrase in 4:41, 'yoga-sa.nnyasta-karmaaNam'.

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

>

> The phrase, `Samnyasam Karmanam' does not mean actual renunciation

of

> Karma. It is the renunciation of the feeling of doership with

respect

> to all actions that is being referred to. The word, `Karma

samnyasa'

> suggests the attitude of a Jnanayogi.It is this form of Jnanayoga

that

> has been praised in the fourth chapter and Arjuna's query,

therefore,

> relates to this.

>

> Replying to Arjuna, the Lord speaks of `Samnyasa' and `Karmayoga'

both

> as leading to the highest good or final beatitude and naming this

> `Samnyasa' as `Sankhya' in the fourth and fifth verses and

reverting

> to the word `Samnyasa' in the sixth, He makes it clear that by

> `Karmasamnyasa'. He means Sankhyayoga or Jnanayoga and not the

actual

> renunciation of actions. Besides, according to the Lord, mere

> renunciation of actions not only does not lead to supreme Bliss

> (III.4), but is not practicable either (III. 5; XVIII.II).

Therefore,

> `Karmasamnyasa' here should be taken to mean Jnanayaga and not the

> actual renunciation of actions.

>

> At first sight it would appear that Arjuna was repeating here the

same

> question which he had already asked at the beginning of Chapter

III.

> But on careful examination it will be found that he did not refer

> there to `Jnanayoga' and `Karmayoga' as such. The question that

> troubled Arjuna's mind then was, If the Lord considered Jnana or

> Knowledge as superior to Karma, why should He urge him to engage in

a

> terrible action like warfare? He was unable to make out the purport

of

> His words which appeared ambiguous; and therefore he wanted to know

> His mind definitely on this point. The point at issue here is quite

> different. At this place he neither regards Jnana as superior to

Karma

> or action nor considers the words of the Lord as ambiguous. He is

> conscious of the fact that the Lord is praising both `Jnanayoga'

and

> `Karmayoga' (IV.32) and is treating them as separate (III.3). And

> admitting this fact he seeks to know which of the two is the better

> course for him. This proves that Arjuna is not repeating here his

> question of the third chapter.

>

> Hence he is quite justified in putting a question like this in

order

> to elicit the definite opinion of the Lord. He wants to know what

> course he should adopt for attaining true wisdom, whether he should

> follow the discipline of Knowledge by hearing and pondering over

the

> words of those possessed of real Knowledge, or should take to

> Karmayoga by performing actions without attachment and in a

> disinterested way and dedicating them to God?

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

One of the readers requested the ISBN no. for this book. [When

I responded, the mail was returned 'undeliverable'! So I am posting

the info here.]

 

The book has no ISBN no.! It is published by the Bharatiya Vidya

Bhavan, 3rd. ed. 1982, and is listed in the catalogue of their New

York City book-store.

 

http://www.bhavanus.com/store.htm#SCRIPTURES%20&%20BHAGAVADGITA

 

118 Bhagavadgita as a Philosophy of God Realization

R.D. Ranade $ 8.00

 

Ramji had posted extracts from a CD, Bhagavadgita-Multimedia Book, by

the Intl. Sanskrit Reseach Academy, Bangalore.

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

advaitin , "sunder hattangadi" <sunderh@h...> wrote:

>

> A philosophical analysis of the problem, known

as 'antinomy',

> has been given by Gurudev Ranade in his book, "The BhagavadGita as

a

> Philosophy of God-Realisation", in the Chapter titled "The

> Categorical Imperative, Activism and Its Limitations". [it runs to

> almost 14 pages. [You had posted some other parts from his book

last

> year, and I would like to request you to post this chapter in small

> parts again.]

>

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Parts of the commenatry on the Gita by Vinobha

Bhave and can be found at

http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/vinoba/gita.htm .

I am pasting the references to Sanyasa Yoga below.

 

Anand

 

 

Although both traditions lead to same result, the path

of action is preferred because it is safe. To my mind,

the reason why it is safe is that it can be practised

successfully from the humblest to the mightiest.

Indian History has many actual examples of men who got

the results of self-realisation in this way. Potters,

weavers, merchants and kings who reached

the goal in this way are illustrated in the book.

Explaining the beauty and spiritual purpose of action

Vinoba explains that external actions reveal the real

quality of our minds. He says a man becomes angry

because anger was within and external action created

circumstances by which it came out. If we do not act,

we cannot test our mind that it has anger, jealousy,

hatred etc. Our action talks. Our action is a mirror

which shows us our true form.

 

When we act and discover our own defects, we are

impelled to employ 'Vikarma' or inward action to

remove them. When actions do not distort the mind,

when it becomes natural and normal (sahaja), it

becomes 'Akarma' - action with

intense results.

 

Example of Sun is taken to illustrate this final

result - 'Akarma' - the goal of all spiritual

practices. It shines, gives life to the whole world.

As sun rises, people get ready for work, birds start

coming out of nest, but Sun is just shining, it is

normal and natural for Sun to shine. All activity is

inspired by his presence but still he is the witness.

Doing nothing though doing all things, to do all

things by doing nothing, both alike are 'Yoga'.

However to reach the goal of doing nothing by doing

all things - the path of Karma-Yoga - Yoga of Action

is to be preferred, because it is both the way and

the goal - where the path ends, goal is there.

 

There is room in Karma yoga for effort and practice.

Through this path of action, one can learn to control

the senses little by little. Ease in practice

distinguishes 'karma yoga ' or the path of action from

'sanyasa' path of renunciation but

in the state of perfection, both are the same. This is

'Akarma ' action without activity.

 

 

 

 

Photos - Share your holiday photos online!

 

[Guest guest]

Harih Om Sunderji:

 

Namaskar,

 

Your suggestion regarding Ranade's book is quite excellent. I will

certainly try to post the requested chapter in parts. In this post, I

want to share Ranade's commentary of Tilak's 'Gita Rahasya' (Secret

Message of Gita). I want to take this opportunity to request other

members to join the Satsang by expressing their view points. Such

exchanges of viewpoints can greatly enhance the purpose and goals of

this mailing list. Please respond with your feedback to Sunderji who

is eagerly waiting for ideas to motivaste greater participation.

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

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

Professor Ranade's book contains a chapter specially dedicated to

highlight the interpretations of Bhagavadgita Lokamanya Tilak and

Mahatma Gandhi. He calls Tilak's commentary as the philosophy of

activism and Gandhiji's commentary as the philosophy of detachment. I

am enclosing Prof. Ranade's selection of few outstanding points in

Tilak's Gita-Rahasya: (Bhagavadgita as a Philosophy of God

Realization, Prof. R. D. Ranade, published by the Bharatiya Vidya

Bhavan, 3rd. ed. 1982 , $8.00). I plan to post a parallel posting

highlighting the interpretation of Gandhiji. Both Lokamanya Tilak and

Mahatma Gandhi practiced the teachings of Gita during their life and

consequently they are more important and relevant to understand the

secret of the message of Bhagavadgita.

 

Prof. Ranade's Selection of outstanding points in Tilak's

Gita-Rahasya: :

(a) Jnana, Bhakti and Yoga in Relation to Karma. After having

considered the doctrines of the great moralists to whom Lokamanya

Tilak has referred in his work and after bringing out the relationship

in which Tilak stands to them; let us now proceed to consider a few

significant points in Tilak's original contribution to the

interpretation of the Bhagavadgita. In fact, this subject has been so

elaborately studied and commented on that it would now be hazardous or

impossible to add anything to what has been already said. Yet we feel

justified in bringing to the notice of our readers five points which

may be regarded as the great contribution of Tilak to the

interpretation of the Bhagavadgita. In fact, he wants to prove that

Karma Yoga is the essence of the Bhagavadgita. That is the pole star

of his teaching. All procedures of his interpretation are directed

towards that end. Jnana points to it, Bhakti points to it, (Dhyana)

Yoga points to it, so that all, these procedures of attainment point

to Karma as the ultimate goal of life. What lies at the bottom of this

assertion is that the intellectual scheme of one- ness, the devotional

scheme of love and the meditational scheme of mental equipoise are all

directed to the achievement of to ultimate end of human life, namely

action. Oneness, love and equanimity, in short, all point to activism

as being the goal of them all. After considering these, we, shall

proceed to no further points: (1) Tilak's admission of realization as

being of greater value than service and (2) the question of the

supreme criterion for the interpretation of the teaching of any great

work. As is well-known, there are six such criteria according to

philosophy but we shall stress in particular for our Purpose.

 

Jnana: Let us now proceed to Tilak's doctrine of Jnana, which

according to him, is a means to the achievement of Karma. In the first

place, Jnana may be looked at from two points of view, intellectual

and mystical. Very many people have mis- understood or not understood

at all this distinction, and by Jtlana they very often mean merely

philosophical or intellectual knowledge, But Jnana also means mystical

knowledge for example, it does not refer to mere intellectual

knowledge, it points to that mystical knowledge beyond which there is

nothing - else to be known. This fact must first be borne in mind.

Secondly, there is one very important controversy that has raged

between Sankara and Tilak and this particularly centers round two

points : (a) whether it is possible and (b) whether it is impossible.

According to Sankara, Karma after Jnana is an impossibility. In one

very significant remark he points out There is an end to all Karma

after Jnana. This is just the point which Lok. Tilak wants to

contradict. Karma must be done even after Jnana, says Tilak Secondly,

in regard to the combination of Jnana and Karma, Sankaracarya tells us

that it is impossible for us to combine the two. is impossible; says

Sankara. On the other hand, to Tilak is not only possible but

absolutely real. Of course, Karma in itself would be higher even than,

but if we descend to a little lower level, becomes very essential.

 

The two fundamental passages on which Tilak relies are all and which

tell us that it is essential that Jnana and Karma should be combined

together. We have considered this point in a later chapter; so, we do

not want to enter into it here. © We may, however, take the liberty

of suggesting the solution pointed out there, namely that this

controversy cannot be resolved except on the ground of temperamental

differences between men and men. "Ought has no meaning in such a

case," as Kant has said. Sankaracarya, who fought for the uniqueness

of Jnana, uncontaminated by Karma, was himself one of the greatest

intellectual activists the world has ever seen. fairing travelled

throughout the length and breadth of India, living established his

monasteries at different places and having devoted his life to the

fulfilment of his philosophical and spiritual mission, Sankaracarya

set himself on a pedestal to which people can only point, but which

they can scarcely reach. One has only to remember that it becomes the

mission of such a realizer to spread the gospel of God whenever and

wherever it becomes possible for him to do so. One God, One World,

One.

 

A recent writer has pointed out that even the great king Janaka about

whose activism the Bhagavadgita has spoken so much (III. 20) has

been described in the 'Santi Parva of the Mahabaratha as having taken

Samnyasa towards the end of his life in order that he might attain

liberation. He left off his kingdom, handed over to his sons, parted

with everything that he had got and took Samnyasa in order to attain

Jnana The same thing is repeated in another passage in Mahabarata,

(Santi Parva, Adhytiya 318, Sloka 94-95 p.108. Gita Marma-Darsna by

Khare ).

Humanity should be his maxim, theo-polity his doctrine. Whosoever

realize the unity or the presence of God can never but direct his life

in such a way that the greatness of God be- comes not merely

understood but also achievable. So far then about the true meaning of

Jnana.

 

Bhakti: What about Bhakti? Bhakti is also essential for the

achievement of any great Karma. (a) Tukarama and Purandaradasa devoted

their entire life to the spiritual upliftment of humanity. (b)

Ramanuja and Ekanatha gave them- selves over to social reform. ©

Political achievement redounded to the credit of two great devotes of

God, Nanaka and Ramadasa. (d) Finally, Jhanesvara and Kabira spent

their life in utilizing their devotional temperament for the mystical

upliftment of the world. In that way, the devotees of God might also

be regarded as greatly contributing to the life of action in this

world.

 

Yoga: Lok. Tilak makes a significant point in telling us that the

requirements of Patanjala Yoga as well as its achievements are all to

be utilized for the sake of Karma : (Gita-Rahasya, pp.136-137).

That, of course, is an extreme point of view. It cannot be said that

the only aim of Yoga is to maintain a moral equipoise for the

achievement of action. A point of greater significance would be the

realization of God Himself. Lok. Tilak, however, contends that the

utility of Patanjala Yoga, so far as at least the Bhagavadgita is

concerned, is for the achievement of that moral equipoise which is

essential for the accomplishment of any great work.

 

(b) Tilak's Admission of Superiority of Realization over Service:

After these three points we come to a very significant admission of

Lok. Tilak regarding realization as being higher than service. It

could be hardly expected from a great activist like Lok. Tilak that he

would recognise this value of self-realization, but that he has done

it is beyond doubt. He says Gita-Rahasya, p. 67 Tilak, therefore,

would prefer can or the realization of the Atman as - of higher

consequence than either or This, of course, is not the point of view

which he always maintains. We are glad that the sub-conscious in Lok.

Tilak has come out at least once.

© Apurvata. Finally, Lok. Tilak has devoted a great amount of

attention to pointing out the significance of the 'six- fold Mimamsa

criterion for the interpretation of the inner meaning of any great

work like the Bhagavadgita.

 

All these criteria, according to Lok. Tilak, point to the real meaning

of the Bhagavadgita as consisting in spreading the gospel of Karma

Yoga, Karma Yoga being the be-all and the end-all of its teaching.

With Karmayoga the Bhagavadgita begins, with Karmayoga the

Bhagavadgita ends, and it is Karmayoga which pervades the

Bhagavadgita. From our point of view, we do not stress this six-fold

criterion at all. We stress 'only one out of these, namely Apurvata .

Apurvata means novelty or originality. What is the novelty or the

original contribution of the Bhagavadgita? That ought to be our chief

question. It is not whether Arjuna has been advised to fight at the

beginning of the work or at the end of.the work, or whether the advice

is repeated from time 'to time, that constitutes its supreme teaching.

What is the novelty or the originality which the Bhagavadgita has to

offer to the world ? In our opinion, as the title of the present work

may show, God-realization constitutes the Apurvata, the novelty or the

supreme contribution of the Bhagavadgita. The Bhagavadgita is one of

the greatest works on mysticism that the world has ever seen and when

God-realization has been duly stressed, everything else will follow in

its wake.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

There are well over 700 commentaries on the Gita. Each of us

has likely read some of them, and agreed or disagreed with the

viewpoints of their authors.

 

I would like to request each reader to choose a text of their

choice, and post pertinent passages for discussion/cogitation.

 

Kindly let me know your choice of text. I thank Anandji and

Ramji for their initiative.

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

 

I want to take this opportunity to request other

> members to join the Satsang by expressing their view points.

[Guest guest]

The Uddhava Gita can be regarded as a commentary on

the Bhagavat Gita by Lord Shri Krshna. Therefore it is

the best commentary on the Bhagavat Gita.

In Uddhava Gita, When Uddhava claims He cannot bear

separation from the physical form of Sri Krshna , Shri

Krshna says that which is seen by the eye, heard by

the ears, smelt by the nose, perceived by the mind

cannot be real. He therefore asks Uddhava to go to

Badrika Ashrama and practise Tapas. Here he advises

Sanyasa, since Uddhava was already a ripe soul.

Here are some excerpts from Uddhava Gita by S.S.

Cohen.

This is found in the web site

http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/srimadb.htm.

 

What distinguishes the Bhagavata Purana from the other

monumental works which claim to be the workmanship of

Vyasadeva or Badarayana, and gives it the supreme

sanctity it possesses in the eyes of the pious Hindus,

is not only its exhaustive account of the life of the

Lord's fullest manifestation on earth as Sri Krishna

Avatara, but His fullest teaching to His beloved

disciple Uddhava on the eve of His withdrawal from the

world, which sometimes goes by the name of Uddhava

Gita. This teaching, not withstanding what the

historians say of its age and authorship, is regarded

by many as a development and an elucidation of the

instructions He had given to Arjuna on the battlefield

of Kurukshetra and form the celebrated Bhagavad Gita.

 

The difference in the teachings of those two

masterpieces does not actually exist save in the

charactersof the persons to whom they were

respectively addressed, the circumstances in which

they were delivered, and the developments of their

themes. Great seers, ancient and modern, did not fail

to recognise and extol the superiority of the

Bhagavata in this last respect, namely, in its lucid

expositions reiterated again and again in a variety of

forms, in different contexts, and from every possible

angle of vision, with or without illustrative

anecdotes, by a number of sages - Sukadeva, the Divine

Rishabha, his nine ascetic sons, Lord Kapila, the

celestial Narada and many others, - and, above all, by

the Supreme Teacher, Sri Krishna Himself, so that no

room is left for misinterpretation or partisan

interpretations, as is the case with the pithy,

distilled expositions of the Bhagavad Gita.

 

Uddhava declares that only two principles are involved

in the person who suffers transmigration, soul and

body, neither of which is capable of rebirth. The

latter, he argues, disintegrates at death, and stands

no

chance of revival; the former is deathless, and,

therefore, likewise cannot be reborn. Yet births and

deaths are real. Who is it, he asks Krishna, who

undergoes them (if neither the body nor the soul is

reborn)?

 

The Lord answers:

 

"Notwithstanding the fact that the phenomena do not

at all exist, yet so long as the contact between

the unillumined jiva and the senses continues,

transmigration does not cease. So long as the dreamer

continues to be deluded by the dream objects, he

continues to suffer dream sorrow, although this does

not exist (but as sensations in him), and ceases when

he becomes enlightened on waking. Grief, fear,

birth and death affect the deluded part of the

dreamer, the ego, and not his being or Self. True

knowledge consists in distinguishing the Self, which

is real, from the not Self, which is unreal. By the

means spoken of before and by the Grace of a perfect

Master, this distinction is clearly perceived, and the

body is completely rejected as the non-Self. Just as

space is not affected by the elements: fire, water,

earth, etc., of which it is the container, so is the

imperishable, all-containing Being not affected by the

gunas. Efforts must be made to shun the not-Self until

supreme bhakti cuts down rajas, the active qualities

which are responsible for the illusion. Just as the

disease that has not been radically cured is likely to

recur again and again and afflicts its sufferer, so

does the mind that teems with libidinous and karmic

propensities bring about the fall of him who has not

attained perfection in yoga (full Jnana). Imperfect

yogis who fall from the path due to relationship with

a family, disciples, etc., will in a future life,

resume their yogic efforts at the point of

interruption of their present endeavours, but will

never take again to action. The unregenerate perform

action till the last moment of their life, and are

paid back in transient pleasure and pain, but the

regenerate though seated in a body remain actionless,

their thirst for enjoyment having been slaked by the

bliss of Self-realisation. Being permanently

established in the Self, they take no heed of the

actions of the body, nor do they take for real the

objects that fall within the ranges of their

perception, no more than an awakened man concedes

reality to the objects he has perceived in a dream.

The body which has so far been identified with one's

own Self, dear Uddhava, and which is actually the

product of gunas and karma, now completely disappears

in the light of Self-knowledge: not so the Self which

can be neither perceived nor rejected (for the

repudiator would still be the sentient Self itself,

which remains as the absolute residuum). Just as the

light of the sun dispels the darkness from the eye and

reveals what has already been present but unseen, so

does the realisation of Me dispel the darkness of the

mind and reveal the Self, which has all along been

invisibly present as the source of all experiences,

the senses and speech, and which is

self-luminous, beyond the reach of reason, words,

births, time and space. The notion of difference in

the

absolute Self is entirely a delusion, for none exists

other than itself.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

There is a beautiful sloka of Lord Sri Krishna (you can sing it with a beautiful

tune as Lord Sri Krishna is Divine Musician)) which can be very well appreciated

by parents with young children.

 

 

Poorvam griheetam gunakarma chitram ajnanamatmanyaviviktamangam

 

 

nivartate tat punareekshaeva nagrihyate naapi visrijya atma

 

 

A child is sitting in your lap and watching the TV cartoons very intently.The

child suddenly gets frightened and says "Daddy daddy" or" mummy mummy".The child

saw something frightening and got frightened.You hug the child immeditely.The

child gets reassured,and again continues to watch the TV and enjoy it.This must

have happened to many parents.

 

 

We are all like children.This world is a drama of gunaas and actions.If we get

absorbed in it thinking that it is real and forget to turn to the Lord who is

always with us we get frightened,tempted or distracted.Once we realize the

Lord's constant presence with us and hold on to Him, we will enjoy the bliss and

beauty of His Divine Drama (which though not real is only for our education and

spiritual advancement.)

 

 

 

 

 

Anand Natarajan <harihara.geo wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

<P>There is a beautiful sloka of Lord Sri Krishna (you

can sing it with a beautiful tune) which can be very

well appreciated by parents:</P>

<P>Poorvam griheetam gunakarma chitram

ajnanamatmanyaviviktamangam</P>

<P>nivartate tat punareekshaeva nagrihyate naapi

visrijya atma</P>

<P>A child is sitting in your lap and watching the TV

cartoons very intently.The child suddenly gets

frightened and says "Daddy daddy" or" mummy mummy".The

child sees something frightening and gets extremely

frightened.You hug the child immediately.The child

gets reassured,and again continues to watch the TV and

enjoy it.The child got completely immersed in the TV

and thought that the cartoons are real and forgot that

you are sitting with him in your lap.

We are all like this.This world is a drama of gunaas

and actions.If we get absorbed in it thinking it is

real and forget that the Lord is always with us we get

frightened,tempted ,distracted.Once we realize the

Lord's constant presence with us, we will enjoy the

bliss and beauty of His Creation which is only for our

education and spiritual advancement.Remember that if

the mind creates this illusion of jagat,the mind also

is an instrument of God and therefore it has the power

to create maaya.Identifying the mind or any indriya as

ours is the basis for ignorance.

<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff solid 2px;

MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> </BLOCKQUOTE>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

In this context,let us examine the famous sloka from

Isopanishad:

 

Isaavasyamidam sarwam yatkincha jagatyaajagat

tena tyaktena bhunjeetha magridha kasya swigdhnam

 

Everything moving or unmoving here in this world is

pervaded and controlled by the Lord.Therefore donot

grab things that belong to someone else.

 

The above is crudely the popular meaning and does not

do justice the sublime thought contained in the sloka.

 

Here is a humble attempt to interpret this sublime

meaning :

 

idam also points out to our body with its moving and

unmoving indriyas or organs including the

mind,besides this world.

 

tyktena means releasing ourselves from our egoself's

identification of the mind and indriyaas as ours

 

bhunjeetha enjoy the bliss by releasing yourself from

the clutches of egoself

maagridha do not grab the mind and body and the world

like a vulture with your egoself

 

kasya swigthanam Someone else's (Lord's) treasure

which this world ,body and mind are.

 

The above is the real meaning of sannyasa and moksha

--releasing ourselves from the vulture like clutches

of the ego

Regards

Ananda Sagar

 

 

 

 

--- BTA SAGAR <btasagar wrote:

> <P>There is a beautiful sloka of Lord Sri Krishna

> (you

> can sing it with a beautiful tune) which can be very

> well appreciated by parents:</P>

> <P>Poorvam griheetam gunakarma chitram

> ajnanamatmanyaviviktamangam</P>

> <P>nivartate tat punareekshaeva nagrihyate naapi

> visrijya atma</P>

> <P>A child is sitting in your lap and watching the

> TV

> cartoons very intently.The child suddenly gets

> frightened and says "Daddy daddy" or" mummy

> mummy".The

> child sees something frightening and gets extremely

> frightened.You hug the child immediately.The child

> gets reassured,and again continues to watch the TV

> and

> enjoy it.The child got completely immersed in the TV

> and thought that the cartoons are real and forgot

> that

> you are sitting with him in your lap.

> We are all like this.This world is a drama of gunaas

> and actions.If we get absorbed in it thinking it is

> real and forget that the Lord is always with us we

> get

> frightened,tempted ,distracted.Once we realize the

> Lord's constant presence with us, we will enjoy the

> bliss and beauty of His Creation which is only for

> our

> education and spiritual advancement.Remember that if

>

> the mind creates this illusion of jagat,the mind

> also

> is an instrument of God and therefore it has the

> power

> to create maaya.Identifying the mind or any indriya

> as

> ours is the basis for ignorance.

> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff solid 2px;

> MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> </BLOCKQUOTE>

>

>

>

>

> Get personalized email addresses from Mail

> http://personal.mail./

>

> Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy

> of nonseparablity of Atman and Brahman.

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