Gita Satsangh: Chapter 8 Verses 11 to 15 -Jnaneshvari

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advaitin, "ramvchandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

> The Yoga of the Imperishable Absolute.

> Chapter 8 : Verses 11-15

 

Namaste,

 

http://www.bvpune.org/

 

That which the Veda-knowers call Imperishable, which the self-

controlled enter free from passion, and desiring which they practice

continence that goal I shall declare to you briefly.

 

Those who are a mine of wisdom, which is the consummation of all

knowledge, call it the imperishable with full understanding (96-100).

The sky is not blown away by a tempest unlike the cloud. Had it been

a cloud, would it have withstood the tempest? That which is known and

measured by the intellect is perishable and that which is beyond

comprehension is Imperishable. This which the knowers of Vedas call

the Imperishable is the Supreme self and it is beyond the prakriti.

Then those who abandon the sense-objects like poison, purify the

senses and remaining unattached in the body and full of dispassion

wait for Him, whom even the desireless wish to attain (101-105), In

order to attain that state, they do not mind taking the difficult vow

of celibacy, restraining the senses with severity. I shall tell you

again about that state, which those who depart in its way attain,

which is fathomless and difficult to reach and in the shallow waters

of which the Vedas could take only a dip. Then Arjuna said. "O Lord,

I was on the point of asking you this, but you granted me this favor.

So please tell me, but make it very simple for me." Then said the

light of the three worlds. "Don't I know you well? I shall tell you

all this in brief, listen (106-110). Therefore, controlling the

natural habit of the mind to wander outside, ensure that it remains

confined inside your hart.

 

 

Closing all the doors of the senses, confining the mind in the heart,

fixing the prana within the head, resorting to yogic concentration,

 

This will happen only when the doors of the senses are shut with the

lock of restraint. When the mind is so confined, it remains stay put

in the heart, just as a cripple does not leave the precincts of his

home. When the mind comes to rest, then you should control the breath

meditating on Om and then take the prana gradually to the recess of

the heart and hold it through concentration so that it stops short of

merging in akasha, until the three syllabic feet of Om sink in its

half (111-115). He should hold the Prana in the chidakasha and when

the syllable Om unites with it, it remains at peace in the chidakasha.

 

 

Whoever departs, relinquishing his body, thinking of me and uttering

the sacred syllable Om, attains to the highest goal.

 

Then the remembrance of Om stops and the prana also become merged in

it and then only the blissful Brahman remains at the end of Om.

Therefore, Om is my only name, nay it is Brahman in the form of one

letter. He, who remembering this supreme nature of mine abandons his

body, positively attains to me. Then there remains nothing else

beyond me for him to attain. But, Arjuna, a doubt may arise in your

mind, as to how a person could bring himself to remember me at the

time of death (116-120). When the senses become sluggish, the

pleasure in living is lost and the signs of death become manifest

both within and without, then who can assume a posture, restrain his

senses and meditate on Om and with whose mind? you should not

entertain this doubt in your mind. If you render service to me at all

times, I shall be your servant at the time of your death.

 

 

He who constantly thinks of me, without thought for another, I am

easy to attain, O Partha, for that ever controlled yogi.

 

 

After reaching me, the great souls do not get rebirth, the abode of

impermanence and pain; (for) they have reached the highest perfection.

 

Those who have renounced sensual pleasures and restrained their

senses, they keep Me in their heart and enjoy bliss. While enjoying

this bliss, they do not feel hunger and thirst, then who cares for

the poor senses such as the eyes (121-125)? If even those who have

become ever united with me, heart and soul, and worship me after

becoming one with me, have to remember me at the time of death for me

to go to their help, then of what use is their worship? O Partha,

When a needy person in danger invokes me for help, don't I feel

distressed and hasten to give him relief? And, if I give my devotees

the same treatment, who will hanker after me? Therefore, do not

entertain this doubt in your mind. if I were to run to them only when

they remember me, I will not able to endure the obligation, which I

owe to them (126-130). In order to repay the debt due to them, I wait

upon them at the time of their death. In order that my delicate

devotees should not suffer the pangs of separation from the body, I

keep them in the cell of self-knowledge. I keep them in the cool and

quiet shade of my remembrance, so that their mind will always remain

concentrated on me. Therefore the peril of death does not affect my

devotees and I bring them to myself safe and sound. Divesting them of

the covering of their body and shedding the dust of their false pride

and keeping intact their pure desires, I gather them to me (131-135).

And since the devotees are not identified with the body, they too do

not feel pain at the separation of the body. Since they have already

attained to me, they do not expect me to meet them at the time of

death and draw them to me. Truly speaking, their existence is a mere

reflection in the body, just as the moonlight, though reflected in

water, remains in the moon. So I am easy to attain for those who are

constantly absorbed in yoga, and they become one with me without

doubt after death.

 

This body, O Partha, is a bower of trees in the form of afflictions.

It is the pan of live coals in the form of three kinds of miseries.

It is an oblation offered to the crow in the form of death (136-140).

It sustains misery, enhances fear of death and is a store - house of

all kinds of unhappiness. It is the source of wicked thoughts, the

fruit of bad actions and the perfect embodiment of delusion. It is

the basis of transmigration, the garden of passions, and the dish

served for all diseases. It is the leftover food for death, or the

beaten track of birth and death. It is the embodiment of delusion

cast in the stuff of fancies and is, as it were, a cellar full of

scorpions (141-145). It is the den of a tiger, friendship of a whore,

the means of sensual enjoyment acceptable to all. It is like the

sympathy of a female goblin, like the cooled drink of poison, have

like feigned friendship of a polished thief. it is like the embrace

of a leper, like the softness of a deadly serpent, or like the music

played by a hunter to ensnare birds and animals. It is like the

hospitality of an enemy, like the (outward) respect shown by wicked

men, in short, the sea of all calamities. It is like a dream seen in

sleep, like a forest grown on mirage water, or the sky fashioned out

of particles of smoke (146-150). Those who have attained my infinite

nature, will never be united with this body.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder