Glory of the Bhavathgita-Second chapter

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Dear members, I posted my comments on the story of chapter 2 and 3 by paramesvaan but it idoes not seem to have reached the group.May be I forgot to send it. Any way I will post again on the topic as I don't have a copy of the same. The second chapter the story goea as follows: My commnts are given at the end. THE STORY OF DEVASHARMA AND GOOD KARMAIn the village of Purandara in South India, lived Devasharma, a verypious person. He was renowned for his noble deeds. Still he was nothappy and peaceful. He visited many saints and holy men in search ofpeace of mind, but it still eluded him.A very famous saint happened to come to his village temple at thattime. Hearing about his greatness , Devasharma went to meethim. "Holy one, I surrender myself at thy feet, bless me with peaceof mind ".The saint thought for a while and told Devasharma ? "Dear one, in thedense

forest at Punyapura, there lives a shepherd called Mithravan.You can find him resting on the rocks. Approach him, he alone cangive you peace of mind"Immediately Devasharma started his journey to meet Mithravan. Hereached the forest and searched Mithravan for quite a long time.Finally he saw him resting on a rock holding a big stick. There wasradiance in his face and besides him tiger cubs and sheep wereplaying together.Devasharma bowed with respect before the shepherd ? " I come from theVillage of Purandara, I have come in search of peace of mind, kindlybless me ".Mithravan went in to deep meditation. His face started glowing.Devasharma was in awe seeing the radiance which surrounded Mitravan.After awakening from the meditation Mitravan told Devasharma ?" Long ago, I was also like you searching for peace of mind. By thebanks of Godavari, there lived a person called Durdhama, who was

verycruel and wicked. He was born as a Brahmin in his next birth and dueto his vasanas of previous birth he married a woman notorious for herbad character and excessive lust. After marriage, she had affairswith several men without the knowledge of her husband. A girl wasborn to her, after a few years the Brahmin came to know that he wasnot the father of the girl. He threw his wife out of the house andmarried her daughter, inspite of his old age and weak health.His wife who was thrown out of the house started roaming in theforest, causing trouble to many people who lived there. Her husbandalso soon followed her, after thrown out of the house by his youngwife. Both of them died in the forest . In the next birth the Brahminwas born as a tiger and his wife as a sheep in my herd. Once when atiger chased one of my sheep I ran behind them. When both of themreached the banks of the river, I saw remarkable changes in

theirbehaviour. I was stunned when the sheep started speaking to thetiger ? " You please eat me, you must be hungry", the tiger replied ?" No I have only love and compassion towards you, I'll not eat you"I reached beside them and asked ? " What is the reason behind youraffection for each other " . None among us knew the answer. SuddenlyI heard a voice " I know the reason". I turned back and saw a monkeylaughing at us from the branches of the tree. We three approachedthe monkey and told it " Please tell us the reason"The monkey started telling us ? "See the rocks over there, therelived a great soul named Sukarma. He treated his guests like God andwas famous for his hospitality. Once a holy guest who was mightypleased with Sukarma offered him a boon. Sukarma asked him for aboon ? " I always desire to give peace to others". The holy man waspleased on the truly selfless request of Sukarma.The monkey

continued ? "See what the holy man has given to Sukarma.On the rocks over there, he has inscribed the Second Chapter of theBhagavad Gita. Due to it's powerful effect, all beings living hereare unaffected by hunger, thirst, greed, lust, anger and enmity. Itis because of the blessings of Sukarma, the tiger and sheep havecompassion for each other. Though the tiger was born to take revengeon the sheep because of the vasanas of his past birth, this place hasreformed them."After hearing the words of the monkey, we started walking towards therocks and started reading the Second Chapter of Bhagavad Gitainscribed in it. The sheep and the tiger have already attainedliberation and I am patiently awaiting for it. If you want peace ofmind, Dear Devasharma , start reading the second chapter of BhagavadGita. "On hearing the noble words of Mithravan, Devasharma started readingthe second chapter of Bhagavad

Gita.HARE KRISHNA, The word Purandhara may mean an embodied being puram meaning sarira. Devasharma, coming from purandhara, that is, endowed with body mind and intellect, is the seeker like Arjuna and .Mithravan is the sthithaprajna detailed in the second chapter, could even be Krishna who guides the mind towards spititual path. Durdhama, a sensous man, hence an abodeof bad impulses,(durdhama) becomes ensnared by the senses in the form of the bad woman who has many paramours, sense objects being many.If man banishes one particular sensual impulse from his mind he gets entangled with another whcih is signified by the man marrying the daughter banishing the mother.age and disease drives man to the forest of despair and to death.When the man dies the senses do ie with him but not the impulses which he pursues even in next birth, which is why the tiger chases the sheep.This is the illustration of the sloka 'dhyAyatho vishayAn pumsah '

in second chapter which describes the downfall of man.The place where the tiger and sheep gives up their enmity is the sathsanga the vibrations of which transforms the texture of thoughts. that is why no one can entertain any negative thought in the presence of saintly souls.he monkey is the acharya who shp ows the right path. Sukarma stands fior good deeds. When the mind becomes free from bad impulses through good deeds it becomes the abode of of peace. The second chapter of Gita tells about the control of mind and to become a sthithaprajna. This chapter is very important ne xt perhaps to the 18th, and by knowing and understanding only these two chapters one can attain the knowledge of the supreme self. sarojaramanujam Dr. Saroja Ramanujam, M.A., Ph.D, Siromani in sanskrit. web address: http://www.geocities.com/sarojram18 http://freewebs.com/gitaclass

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