Let's expand our horizon w/Gitaji - how 2 b detached: mind-memory-intelligence-ego? (2 of 8 emails)

August 26, 2006

Loving Divine,

Pranam.

We have very good discussions going on with various questions asked in this group. Thanks to all for their participation and the Moderator for facilitation.

We all say and agree that we need to be detached but the key concern is 'HOW?', isn't it? To address various topics of detachment I have divided them into 8 emails so we can discuss them individually. I have also tried to provide Gita sloka or chapter or a term/word used that have addressed them but Gitaji has lot more to offer...!!! I am a strong believer that the RIGHT UNDERSTANDING is the ONLY way that can lead us to true and deeper level of detachment. So let's expand our horizon together with Gitaji and supportive examples where applicable. Let's pour out our understanding and experiences on how to be truly detached with love & compassion - true application of Gitaji in our life.

Prakriti has been discussed in various places such as Chapters 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, etc,

(Please note: provide related Gita Sloka 1st, support it with examples from other scriptures if needed)

Please discuss...

1) What is mind?

2) What is memory?

3) What is intelligence?

4) What is ego?

5) Is it mind, memory, intelligence or ego that goes through pain or pleasure?

6) do you think it is mind or ego truly the cause of attachment?

7) Us grown-ups think the life of a child is better as it carries the innocence and carefree life. It is the pure life. Is childhood worth attaching to?

8) Sometimes we think the life of a youth is better as it is free of responsibilities. Is youth worth attaching to?

9) Do you think really the old age is better - done with all responsibilities, free to chant God's name. Is old age worth attaching to?

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Love.

always at Thy Holly Feet

August 29, 2006

From : Krishnamurthy

Respected all,

I thought I would put forth my little understanding about the ego and detachment and how possibly can we understand the importance of the link between these, so that as a next step how can we dare to encourage the detachment within, with the above understanding.

In Bhagavathgeetha, following sloka is taking the position how thinking process about the objects COULD generate the attachment.

Dhyayato vishayanpumsah sangastesupajayatesangatsanjayate kamah kamatkrodho'bhijayate ||62 (Ch.II)krodhadbhavati sammohah sammohatsmrtivibhramahsmrtibhramsah buddhinaso buddhinasatpranasyati ||63 (Ch.II)

(62. A man thinking about the objects develops attachment for them, from attachment arises desire, from desire arises anger. 63. From anger arises delusion, from delusion confusion of memory, from confusion of memory loss of intellect, from loss of intellect he perishes)

Clearly, if we observe, there can not be any desire (atleast new desire) if thinking process halts ( Ofcourse, it is academical , atleast for now, since it is so hard not to be able to think). On the other hand, thinking is so important even for spiritual progress. Hence thinking can not be stopped at once. Then what is the way. Let us see about that little later.

In support of this sloka from BhagavathGeetha, there is a sloka in Kathopanishad as follows:

yada panchavathistanthe jnanani manasa sahbudhista na vichestathi thamahuh paramam gathim (Kathopanishad;3rd chapter, 9th sloka)

When the five senses cease and are at rest and the mind rests with them and the higher mind ceases from its workings, that is the highest state, say thinkers.

Meaning, even in highest state there can not be any existence of thinking process. Moment thinking process is established, then there is no more 'higher state'. This confirms that vehicle to bring in miseries(attachments) could be thinking process. On the contrary, without thinking process we can not make any spiritual progress and let's look at the mechanisms our sampradaya provided to carefully handle this situation.

Ego exists because of thinking process in association with memory. If this process is encouraged towards the worldly objects (vasanas could be responsible for this), then that could result in accumulation of miseries. If somehow this process is limited to nuetral activities which is not going after the worldly objects (in turn creating desires), then miseries may not result out of this thinking process. Hence the subh-karmas. Any action which would not create any desires (or trigger the emotions) could be called as 'Subh-Karma', like Puja, Dhyana, Japa, etc., This sadhana in conjunction with right knowledge alone would give the right results. Either knowledge alone or Sadhana alone would not give the best results.

This process of subh-karma would only arrest accumulation of new desires. To cleanse the existing desires, we need to surrender in all humbleness to the higher power (God) and this could be a seperate (long) topic to deal with.

This is what I know about how to deal with detachment.

Thanks every one. Hope this helps...

Pranams

"Manjula Patel" <manjumaa To: Let's expand our horizon w/Gitaji - how 2 b detached: mind-memory-intelligence-ego? (2 of 8 emails)Sun, 27 Aug 2006 00:57:46 -0400

Loving Divine,

Pranam.

We have very good discussions going on with various questions asked in this group. Thanks to all for their participation and the Moderator for facilitation.

We all say and agree that we need to be detached but the key concern is 'HOW?', isn't it? To address various topics of detachment I have divided them into 8 emails so we can discuss them individually. I have also tried to provide Gita sloka or chapter or a term/word used that have addressed them but Gitaji has lot more to offer...!!! I am a strong believer that the RIGHT UNDERSTANDING is the ONLY way that can lead us to true and deeper level of detachment. So let's expand our horizon together with Gitaji and supportive examples where applicable. Let's pour out our understanding and experiences on how to be truly detached with love & compassion - true application of Gitaji in our life.

Prakriti has been discussed in various places such as Chapters 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, etc,

(Please note: provide related Gita Sloka 1st, support it with examples from other scriptures if needed)

Please discuss...

1) What is mind?

2) What is memory?

3) What is intelligence?

4) What is ego?

5) Is it mind, memory, intelligence or ego that goes through pain or pleasure?

6) do you think it is mind or ego truly the cause of attachment?

7) Us grown-ups think the life of a child is better as it carries the innocence and carefree life. It is the pure life. Is childhood worth attaching to?

8) Sometimes we think the life of a youth is better as it is free of responsibilities. Is youth worth attaching to?

9) Do you think really the old age is better - done with all responsibilities, free to chant God's name. Is old age worth attaching to?

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Love.

always at Thy Holly Feet

September 27, 2006

Divine All,

Pranam.

Recently a sadhak asked me a couple of questions as follows:

What is GITA

What is I

MI KA MATLAB KIA HI

I think the recent email (Dharma - Taming of our wild mind) from Krishna Gopal Misraji gave nice explanation of Gita - love of God...! Gitaji is nothing but a song of teachings (updesha) from Lord Krishna (Supreme Soul - Parmaatmaa) to Arjun (Embodied Soul - Jivaatmaa) about various aspects of life and lifting his consciousness to the highest. It is a very personal teaching to free Arjun from all his attachments, bondage, misunderstanding, illusion, delusion, ignorance, etc. and take him to realize the highest truth, the reality and how to maintain equanimity in life!!! Lord teaches Arjun about emotions, kartavya, dharma, yoga (karma, saankhya, bhakti, raaj, Brahma), meditation, detachment, self-discipline, jyaan-vijyaan (self knowledge-science), divine glories, super consciousness, prakriti (body, mind, ego, intelluct, 5 senses of actions, 5 senses of knowledge), embodied soul (jiva), 3 qualities (sat, rajas, tamas), 3 types of donations, sacrifices/yagna, supreme being, characteristics of a realized being, moksh, importance of faith & surrender, etc., etc., etc. Towards the end Lord says that you don't have to worry about any of these if you only completely surrender to me, I will take care of you (BG 18:66) - this is the easiest & most worry free approach that Lord has suggested to Arjun. After acquiring the True knowledge, knowing the True Form of Lord, Arjun surrenders...(BG 18:73).

Shrimad Bhagwat Gita is composed by Maharshi Veda Vyaasa. It consists of 18 chapters and 700 slokas describing various subjects as listed above. These teachings took place the very first day of the Mahabharat war, on the battle field of kurukshetra. Lord himself is the teacher and His beloved friend Arjuna is the disciple (BG 2:7). Gita is the essence of all Holy Scriptures such as Upanishads which are the essence of Vedas. It is said that the Lord Krishna is the milkman milking the cows of Vedas & Upanishads and Arjun is the calf drinking this milk (sarvopnishdo gaao dogdhaa gopaalnandan...)!!!

Some mysticism is also involved in this song. Why would Lord teach Arjun about the yoga-meditation on the battlefield instead of warfare tactics? Because Gitaji is not truly the outer warfare song rather it addresses our inner battle, the battle we go through in our daily life between good & bad, the battle between our supreme state and lower nature, the battle between our biological and spiritual forces as represented by padavas (good side of us) and kauravas (evil or sinful side of us) - it is a great book of psychology!!!!! This song is composed by Maharshi Veda Vyaasa in great book of Mahabharata. With his grace Sanjay (witnessing without involving into anythings that's going on) gets the divine sight (opening of our ajnaa chakra) and communicates what happened on the battlefield to blind king Dhrutaraashtra (our blinded ego).

Hope this helps...

I have moved the second question - 'what is I' in the following email.

Thanks,

love,

always at Thy Divine Feet

On 8/27/06, Manjula Patel <manjumaa

> wrote:

Loving Divine,

Pranam.

We have very good discussions going on with various questions asked in this group. Thanks to all for their participation and the Moderator for facilitation.

We all say and agree that we need to be detached but the key concern is 'HOW?', isn't it? To address various topics of detachment I have divided them into 8 emails so we can discuss them individually. I have also tried to provide Gita sloka or chapter or a term/word used that have addressed them but Gitaji has lot more to offer...!!! I am a strong believer that the RIGHT UNDERSTANDING is the ONLY way that can lead us to true and deeper level of detachment. So let's expand our horizon together with Gitaji and supportive examples where applicable. Let's pour out our understanding and experiences on how to be truly detached with love & compassion - true application of Gitaji in our life.

Prakriti has been discussed in various places such as Chapters 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, etc,

(Please note: provide related Gita Sloka 1st, support it with examples from other scriptures if needed)

Please discuss...

1) What is mind?

2) What is memory?

3) What is intelligence?

4) What is ego?

What is I

MI KA MATLAB KIA HI

we will talk about this topic later so we don't make this email too long...

5) Is it mind, memory, intelligence or ego that goes through pain or pleasure?

6) do you think it is mind or ego truly the cause of attachment?

7) Us grown-ups think the life of a child is better as it carries the innocence and carefree life. It is the pure life. Is childhood worth attaching to?

8) Sometimes we think the life of a youth is better as it is free of responsibilities. Is youth worth attaching to?

9) Do you think really the old age is better - done with all responsibilities, free to chant God's name. Is old age worth attaching to?

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Love.

always at Thy Holly Feet