A Special Note from Moderators

May 9, 2004

Greetings,

All of us would do well to study the following Gita verses, and make

a serious effort to put them into practice.

Those who enjoy polemics are welcome to continue them in private

correspondence, but not burden the list with repartees that do not

fit the descriptions below.

anudvegakaraM vaakya.n satyaM priyahita.n cha yat.h .

svaadhyaayaabhyasana.n chaiva vaaN^mayaM tapa uchyate .. 17\-15..

manaH prasaadaH saumyatvaM maunamaatmavinigrahaH .

bhaavasa.nshuddhirityetattapo maanasamuchyate .. 17\-16..

shraddhayaa parayaa tapta.n tapastattrividhaM naraiH .

aphalaakaaN^kShibhiryuktaiH saattvikaM parichakShate .. 17\-17..

satkaaramaanapuujaartha.n tapo dambhena chaiva yat.h .

kriyate tadiha prokta.n raajasa.n chalamadhruvam.h .. 17\-18..

muuDhagraaheNaatmano yatpiiDayaa kriyate tapaH .

parasyotsaadanaartha.n vaa tattaamasamudaahR^itam.h .. 17\-19..

15. That speech which causes no pain, which is true, agreeable and

beneficial; as well as the practice of study of the scriptures,-is

said to be austerity of speech.

Yat, that; vakyam, speech; anudvegakaram, which causes no pain, which

is not hurtful to creatures which is satyam, true; priya-hitam,

agreeable and beneficial with regard to facts seen or unseen-.

'Speech' is qualified by characteristics such as being not hurtful,

etc. The ca (and) is used for grouping together the qualifying

characteristics. When a sentence is used in order to make another

understand, if it happens to be avoid of one or two or three among

the qualities-truthfulness, agreeability, beneficialness, and non-

hurtfulness-, then it is not austerity of speech.

As in the case of a truthful utterance there would occur a want of

austerity of speech if it be lacking in one or two or three of the

others, so also in the case of an agreeable utterance there would be

no austerity of speech were it ot be without one or two or three of

the others; and similarly, there would be no austerity of speech even

in a beneficial utterance which is without one or two or three of the

others.

What, again, is that austerity (of speech)? That utterance which is

true as also not hurtful, and is agreeable and beneficial, is the

highest austerity of speech: As for example, the utterance, 'Be

calm, my boy. Practise study and yoga. Thereby you will gain the

highest.'

Svadhyaya-abhyasanam, the practice of the study of scriptures, as is

enjoined; ca eva, as well; ucyate, in said to be; tapah, austerity;

vanmayam, of speech.

16. Tranquillity of mind, gentleness, reticence, withdrawal of the

mind, purity of heart,-these are what is called mental austerity.

Manah-prasadah, tranquillity of mind, making the mind free from

anxiety; saumyatvam, gentleness-that which is called kindliness of

spirit, [Kindliness towards all, and also not entertaining any evil

thought towards anybody.] a certain condition of the mind resulting

in calmness of the face, etc.; maunam, reticence-since even the

control of speech follows from the control of mind, therefore the

cause is implied by the effect; so maunam means control of the mind;

[Or, maunam may mean thinking of the Self, the attitude of a

meditator. The context being of 'mental austerity', reticence is

explained as control of the mind with regard to speech.] atma-

vinigrahah, withdrawal of the mind-withdrawal of the mind in a

general way, from everything; maunam (control of the mind) is the

mind's withdrawal with regard to speech alone; this is the

distinction-; bhava-samsuddhih, purity of heart, absence of trickery

while dealing with others; iti etat, these are; what is ucyate,

called; manasam, mental; tapah, austerity.

How the above-described bodily, verbal and mental austerities

undertaken by poeple are divided into three classes-of sattva etc.-is

being stated:

17. When that threefold austerity is undertaken with supreme faith by

people who do not hanker after results and are self-controlled, they

speak of it as born of sattva.

When tat, that; trividham, threefold-based on three factors; tapah,

austerity, which is being discussed; is taptam, undertaken,

practised; paraya, with supreme, with the highest; sraddhaya, faith,

belief in God and the other world; naraih, by people, by its

performers; aphala-akanksibhih, who do not hanker after results,who

are devoid of desire for results; and yuktaih, who are self-

controlled;-that austerity which is of this kind, the noble people

paricaksate, speak of it; as sattvikam, born of sattva.

18. That austerity which is undertaken for earning a name, being

honoured and worshipped, and also ostentatiously,-that is spoken of

as born of rajas, belonging to this world, uncertain and transitory.

Yat, that; tapah, austerity; which is kriyate, undertaken; satkara-

mana-pujartham, for earning a name, being honoured and worshipped-for

earning a name, (i.e.) for being spoken of thus: 'This Brahmana, who

is given to austerity, is pious'; for being honoured by (others')

standing up respectfully, salutation, etc.; for being worshipped with

washing of feet, adoration, feeding, etc.; for these-; ca eva, and

also, (that) austerity which is performed dambhena, ostentatiously;

tat, that; proktam, is spoken of; as rajasam, born of rajas; iha,

belonging to this world; [i.e. yielding fruits only in this world.]

calam, uncertain-its result being unpredictable; and adhruvam,

transitory.

19. That austerity which is undertaken with a foolish intent, by

causing pain to oneself, or for the destruction of others-that is

said to be born of tamas.

Yat, that; tapah, austerity; which is kriyate, under-taken; mudha-

grahena, with a foolish intent, with a conviction arising out of non-

discriminating; pidaya, causing pain; atmanah, to oneself (to one's

body etc.); va, or; utsadanartham, for the destruction; parasya, of

another; tat, that; is udahrtam, said to be; an austerity tamasam,

born of tamas.

(Sw. Gambhirananda's tr. of Shankara Gita Bhasya).

Readers are always quick to question 'how to practise

Vedanta'! When opportunities stare us in the face, we miss them by

not recognizing them.

May we all seek Peace for others as well as ourselves!

Advaitin List Moderators

May 9, 2004

I like the following for its succinctness:

"If indeed you must be candid, be candid beautifully. "

Bill

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advaitins

advaitin

Sunday, May 09, 2004 12:27 PM