Gita Satsang - Gita - Upanishad Correspondence (1)

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HariH Om,

 

The Bhagavad Gita is said to be an Upanishad, in fact

it is refered to as the milk of the Upanishads.

All this said, it is natural that we come across

Shlokas in the Gita which are very similar to Shlokas

in the Upanishads. One way in which I like to look at

this, is in a question and answer form. There are

certain Shlokas in the Gita which rise questions in

our minds. No doubt the Gita itself possesses answers

to that question, but a direct answer may be found in

the Upanishads. I would like to look at a few of

these. It would be nice if readers can chip in with

their experiences.

I begin with the verse from the second chapter,

"Krodhath Bhavathi Samoha, Samohath Smrithi

Vibrahamaha.

SmrithiBrahmshaath BuddhiNaassho , Buddhinaashhaath

Pranashyathi,"

"From anger proceeds delusion, from delusion loss of

memory. From loss of memory, the capacity to

discriminate (Buddhi) ceases and from loss of Buddhi,

the person perishes."

 

This Shloka has extreme psychological importance and

modern day psychologists will do well to study it.

The natural question is, this is the degrading

process, what then is the upgrading process?

Well, every chapter of the Gita provides a solution.

However, a very similar Shloka can be found in the

Chandogyo Upanishad which uses the same words as the

above Shloka but gives the upgrading phenomenon.

This states,

"Aahaara Shuddho Sattvashhudhihi, Sattva Shuddho

Dhruvo Smrithihi.

SmrithirLabhdhwa Sarvagrantheenam Vipramokshaha."

 

" When Aahaara is pure, the mind becomes pure. When

the mind is pure, the memory becomes steady. From

steady memory, all the knots of the heart are

destroyed and emancipation results."

 

The word Aahaara, is intrepreted in diverse ways. The

most common intrepretation is food. This means we have

to take Saattvic food. What is Saatvic food ? To

answer that question we go back to the Gita 17th

chapter which gives description of Sattvic food.

However, Adi Shankaracharya intreprets Aahaara in a

different way. Aahaara is that which is taken in,

i.e., the experience of sound, taste, sight etc.

Therefore when the cognition of objects is pure, which

means free from attachment and aversion, then the mind

becomes pure. This means Aahaara is food for the mind

and not for the body. Therefore everything that the

mind consumes must be pure. Take care therefore of

what we sense and the rest takes care of itself.

 

Anand

 

 

 

 

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