Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 1:42 II

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II 1:42 II

 

sankaro narakaayaiva, kula-ghnaanaam kulasya cha

patanti pitaro hy-eshaam, lupta-pindodak-kriyaah (Gita 1:42)

 

Intermixture of varna (caste) leads the family and the destroyers of

the family to hell. Being deprived of the ritual offerings (to the

dead) of rice-balls and water (Shraddha – tarpan etc.), their

ancestors (manes of the family) also have a downfall.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 16 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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Chapter 1, Verse 42 is as follows;

 

SankaraH = confusion

Narakaaya = for the hell

Eva = also

Kula-ghnaanaam = of the slayers of the family

Kulasya = of the family

Cha = and

Patanti = fall

PitaraH = the forefathers

Hi = verily

EShaam = their

Lupta = deprived of

Pinda = rice balls

Udaka = water

KriyaaH = offerings of

 

English translation:-

 

Mixture of castes indeed, leads the destroyers-of-family and their

family to hell; verily their ancestors fall, deprived of the

offerings of rice-ball and water.

 

After the death of a human being, his departed soul is supposed to

be in a mode equivalent to `A suspended animation'; where in the

spirit i.e. enlivening energy is in a non-manifest form before it

assumes another birth.

 

A libation (spondee in Greek) is a ritual of pouring of a drink as

an offering to a god. It was common in the religions of antiquity,

including Judaism. The liquid that was used in libations varied;

most commonly it was wine or olive oil in the European and African

continents. However, in India it has been a practice to offer water

and rice balls.

 

Libations offered by descendents to such a departed soul i.e. the

enlivening energy have a toning effect and it facilitates a smooth

and safe passage to the next birth based on his / her accumulated

`Karmas' i.e. various actions performed with desires, in the

successive prior births. This is the basis of `PunaH Janma' i.e.

rebirths or reincarnations in another living form till all the

unfulfilled desires are completely exhausted.

 

Please refer to verse 6 in chapter 8. Lord Krishna has himself

explained that, " Whatever state of being, a man thinks of in the

last few moments prior to his death, that alone does he attain, O

Arjuna, being ever absorbed in the thought thereof " .

 

It is not a casual fancy of the last moment but the persistent

endeavour in his entire life that determines his future form of life

after the impending death in the current form of life. The soul goes

to that life form on which its mind is set during the last few

moments prior to death. What we think we become. Our past constant

prior thoughts have determined the present birth and our constant

present thoughts will determine our future births.

 

One will think of that `Paramam Purusham Divyam' i.e. the Supreme

Being in those few moments prior to death, if and only if one is

constantly devoted to Him in one's entire life span.

 

In India, the sages discovered and initiated a culture that is

spiritual and is based on religious practices. Each generation

passes down the torch of cultural light to the next generations so

as to preserve, tend and nourish that cultural torch and hand it

over to the successive generations.

 

It reminds me of a song from Hindi movie `Santa Dnyaaneshwara' sung

by late singer Mukesh;

 

" Jyota Se Jyota Jagaate Chalo, Premaki Ganga Bahaate Chalo " i.e. let

an unlit torch of light be lit by a previously lit torch of light.

Let the revered river of Ganges be full of love for one and all be

allowed to flow without any hindrances.

 

Arjuna fears that such cultural traditions will be lost forever

after the utter destruction of the royal battle.

 

Note: In response to the request of Shri Murthy, I am glad to offer

the 42nd verse in chapter 1 in the natural sentence form in Sanskrit

language called as `Anvaya'.

 

" SankaraH Kulagnaanaam Kulasya Cha Narakaaya Eva (Bhavati). Hi

EShaam PitaraH Lupt-Pindodaka-KriyaaH (SantaH) Patanti. "

 

My humble request to all Sadhakas is that let `Anvaya' be treated as

a part of individual study and I prefer not to bring in `Anvaya' as

another variable in the `daily one verse brief explanation'

exercise, as it may distract attention of those who are not well

versed with Sanskrit language. Of course, to those fortunate ones,

who had an opportunity in life to study Sanskrit language; the

original divine grace, majesty and profoundness implicit in the

proper recitation of Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta is beyond translation

in any other language.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi.

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OTHER SADHAK COMMENTS

 

Hari Om

 

Shrikantji ! I bow to you !! Please keep it up. By merely writing

these purports,

 

IF

 

-you dedicate the same to Krishna:

 

-don't have the feeling inside your heart to " impress " any one,

 

-you do the same to please all and not only yourself or any or some

particular group (say GT Group) ,

 

-while writing do not carry the feeling as to " how someone will

react to this word/sentence of ME/MINE " ,

 

-allow natural flow of thoughts to take shape of written words,

 

-do not write ever to reflect as to how good/great/knowledgeable you

are

 

-do write " honestly " without fear or favour and do not change the

purports /views borrowed by you from authentic others based on your

individuals likings and dislikings

 

and

 

- have the aim/object of " SARVE BHAVANTU SUKHINA " ( Let all in the

universe become happy -and get benefits of Gita translation)

 

And with not the aim/object that " people should recognise my name,

my knowledge, my expression, my style etc etc " or " x or y thing

would occur to me or I am doing Jnana Yagya , hence any result can

come to me " etc etc

 

THEN

 

you may realise Paramatma. Jnana Yagya is not some ordinary yagya.

 

May Krishna shower his most benevolent graces on You. Sir

 

Jai Shree Krishna

Vyas N B

-----------------------------

 

may be colleagues wish to reflect on this

 

thanks, Anil Gupta

 

TYPOLOGY of action, intention and consequences

Guna

Sattva, Rajasa Tama

 

ACTION WITH DESIRES

ACTION PROHIBITED

ACTION WITHOUT DESIRES

 

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Shree Hari

Ram Ram

Thank you Shri Shrikantji Joshi for taking the initiative to support

this divine work and to Mrs. K Asani for requesting shloka

explanation on a daily basis.

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram