Guest guest Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 II 1:45 II aho bata mahat paapam, kartum vyavasitaa vayam yad raajya-sukha-lobhena, hantum sva-janam udyataah (Gita 1:45) It is very surprising and depressing that we have resolved to commit a grave sin, that out of greed for pleasure and for kingdom we have become prepared to slay our kinsmen. From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 16-17 by Swami Ramsukhdasji --------------------------- Chapter 1, Verse 45 is as follows; Aho Bata = alas Mahat = great Paapam = sin Kartum = to do VyavasitaaH = prepared Vayam = we Yat = that Rajya-Sukha-Lobhen = by the greed of kingdom pleasure Hantum = to kill Svajanam = kinsmen UdyataaH = prepared English translation:- Alas! What a great sin have we resolved to commit, while striving to slay our own people, by our greed, for the pleasures of acquiring kingdom. Under the complete control of mental agonies, Arjuna, in his new avatar of a `Pacifist', has started passing his own value judgements as universal truths. The word `Aho' expresses utter surprise. Arjuna argues that, " It is indeed surprising that goaded by the lust for throne and enjoyment of the supreme authorities for running the Kuru kingdom, we are bent on perpetrating the most heinous crime of genocide of our own people. What is the rationale behind such animal like behaviour? " The word `Bata' expresses deep sorrow. Arjuna seems to argue that, " It is indeed a matter of utter shame and great sorrow that we are going after the unending cycle of constant acquisitions and worldly enjoyments, when we are fully aware of the basic fact that all such pleasures are transient in nature. " This is classic case of how individual theories and value judgements, which are in total disregard of our ancient collective wisdom, can possibly destroy the social fabric of a community and a nation. If everybody starts thinking about `I, me and mine', then only utter confusion and chaos will prevail in any community, which will ultimately result in total destruction of all the constituents of any community as well as any nation. There is a saying in Marathi language: " Mana chintee te, Vairee Na Chintee " which means 'Only our own mind imagines and worries about all ills, which even our enemies cannot think of. " What a pity that such a brave and righteous warrior like Arjuna has been reduced to shambles! In the verse 36 of chapter 3, Arjuna asks, " O Lord Krishna, but dragged on by what instrument, a man commits sin even though against his wishes, constrained as if were by an unknown force? " In Physics, as per Newton's first law of motion, " Any physical body continues to be at its inertial state of rest, as long as it is in a state of equilibrium of external forces. " Here in the case of Arjuna, there were no external forces for his reduction to the pitiable state of Inertia. It is interesting to note that in the case of Arjuna, there are no external environmental forces to guide him. However, the internal forces those are yet unknown to Arjuna, which are propelling his fickle mind and compelling him to dance to the tune of vagaries of his own mind. In the verse 37 of chapter 3, Lord Krishna immediately clarifies that, " It is the desire (Kaama) and the wrath (Krodha) begotten by the Rajo-Guna, which is all consuming, all sinful and O Arjuna; you better know this as your real enemy here in this mortal world. " In the verse 72 of chapter 18, Lord Krishna finally asks Arjuna, " Have you carefully heard My solemn advice with devotion and single-pointed concentration of your mind? Has your delusion of mind, due to your ignorance of the true knowledge of the Self, been finally completely wiped out? " In the contemporary language: Ready? Steady? Now just go and get it. In the verse 73 of chapter 18, Arjuna immediately responds, " I am firm and all my doubts have been melted away. I have gained RE- COGNITION of my Real Nature. My delusion has been completely destroyed by your grace, O Lord Krishna! Now I am fully aware of my obligatory duties as a true warrior. I am ready to rise to the occasion and I will fight this battle in accordance with your solemn advice. " I sincerely wish that all Sadhakas will aim for a revival within and a rediscovery of one's divine personality by means of daily study of Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta, preferably during the `Brahma Muhurta' i.e. a time period between 4 am to 7 am. Thanks & Best Regards, Shrikant Joshi ------------------------- OTHER SADHAK COMMENTS Dear Shrikantji Joshi, I enjoy you comments on the shlokas, because they stimulate deep introspective thought. In this last post, you touched on something, that has been on the edge of my awareness for quite some time, I have with respect pasted in some of your comments: 'Based on my understanding - I support the strand of `Narake Aniyatam VaasaH' as it gives hope to a person in any state that there exists a chance for self-improvement to move up the ladder from the Hell to the mortal Earth to the Heaven subject to performance of righteous duties.' The best way I can put it is that very statement you made is in fact, a rung of the ladder to heaven as it were, the very fact that one desires all to achieve salvation, moksha, heaven whatever one calls it, reflects back upon one. Also the desire to do right by all, not through fear but through love, goes beyond all dogmas and rituals. With Respect and Divine Love, Mike Keenor ------------------------- PREVIOUS SHLOKA II 1:44 II utsanna-kula-dharmaanaam, manushyaanaam janaardana narake'niyatam vaaso, bhavatity anususruma (Gita 1:44) We have heard, O Janardana that men who have lost their family traditions, dwell in hell, for an indefinite period of time. From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 16 by Swami Ramsukhdasji -------------------------- Chapter 1, Verse 44 is as follows; Utsann = destroyed Kula-DharmaaNaam = family religious rites ManuShyaaNaam = of the men Janaardana = O Krishna! Narake = in hell Aniyatam = for unknown period VaasaH = dwelling Bhavati = is Iti = thus Anushushrum = we have heard English translation:- We have heard, O Krishna, that hell is verily the long lasting abode for an indefinite period of time of the men whose family religious practices have been lapsed. `Naraka' i.e. the Hell is an exact mirror image of `Swarga' i.e. the Heaven. They are `Exclusive OR' to each other in terms of the mathematical language. Our existence in this mortal world is indeed a borderline existence. If one follows the practice of `Adharma' i.e. unrighteousness, then one is destined to the Hell. On the contrary, if one follows the practice of `Dharma' i.e. righteousness, then one is destined to the Heaven. In different religions, there are further different interpretations of such basic concepts of the Hell and the Heaven. In the verse 16 of chapter 16, Lord Krishna has said, " Bewildered by many ill-thoughts, entangled in the meshes of delusion and addicted to the instant gratification of desires, they fall into the foul Hell " . In the verse 18 chapter 16, Lord Krishna has said, " Having taken refuge under the attributes of self-conceit, brutal force, egoism, lust and wrath; these malicious people despise Me (the Atman, a fraction of the superset the Brahman which is personified as Lord Krishna) dwelling in the bodies of themselves and others " . In the verse 19 chapter 16, Lord Krishna has also said, " These cruel haters, the worst of men, I constantly hurl such evil-doers into the wombs of demons resulting into the cycle of births and deaths. " They do have a chance to improve their status only if they abandon `Adharma' and turn to `Dharma'. An eloquent example is of price Prahlaada, who was born in the family of the king of demons called as HiraNya-Kashyapa. In the verse 20 of chapter 9, Lord Krishna has said, " The knowers of the three Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda and Saamaveda excluding the fourth Atharvaveda as it induces desires of monetary considerations in all spheres of activities), those who drink invigorating juice of `Soma Vanaspati', those who are cleansed of all their sins, those who worship Me with sacrifices, pray for their onward march to the Heaven. They eventually reach the holy world of Lord Indra and enjoy the heavenly pleasures of the gods " . In the verse 21 of chapter 9, Lord Krishna has said, " Having enjoyed the spacious world of the Heaven, they return to the world of mortals, when their merit is exhausted; thus conforming to the doctrine enjoined in the three Vedas and desirous of missing worldly enjoyments, they obtain the constantly changeable state represented by cycle of births and deaths. " Thus in summary, in the parlance of Vedanta philosophy, if one does not perform his obligatory duties of `VarNa Dharma', `Jaati Dharma' and `Kula Dharma', `Rashtra Dharma' and `Manushya Dharma' then one is destined to the Hell, otherwise either to the mortal Earth or to the Heaven. It is my understanding that - - In Christianity, there is a doctrine that, there is only one birth given to every human being and one has to perform his duties as if it is the Last Offer. In a way it is likely to induce fear and orient every believer in Christianity to perform his solemn duties. - In Islam, there is a concept that one has to perform supreme sacrifice of `Kurbaani' i.e. voluntary death for the protection of Islam, in the name of the Supreme Being named `the Allah'. The current human mortal existence is similar to the status of a transit passenger waiting for onward journey to the `Jannat' i.e. the heavenly abode where one will be rewarded with all his unfulfilled pleasures. In a way this too is likely to induce fear and orient every believer in Islam to perform his solemn duties. - In Buddhism, there is a concept of `NirvaaNa' which is a derivative of `Brahma-NirvaaNa' in Vedanta philosophy. Buddhism stresses `Nivruttim' i.e. the concept of retirement from human pleasures as against `Pravruttim' in Vedanta philosophy which encourages pleasures with moderation and self-regulation. Please note that I am not criticising any religion or faith, I am just stating my humble understandings, which are open to be challenged by every Sadhak. The reason for such an elaboration is `Patha-Bheda' of Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta i.e. two off-shoots of interpretation in the words namely `Narake Niyatam VaasaH' versus `Narake Aniyatam VaasaH'. Based on my understanding - I support the strand of `Narake Aniyatam VaasaH' as it gives hope to person in any state that there exists a chance for self-improvement to move up the ladder from the Hell to the mortal Earth to the Heaven subject to performance of righteous duties. I do not support the strand of `Narake Niyatam VaasaH' as it gives a false impression that once you attain the Hell then you are permanently consigned to the Hell. This destroys the very hope that there exists a chance for self-correction even release from the Hell. Arjuna is worried that if he participates in the gruesome epic battle then he might be consigned to the Hell forever and therefore his argument is that, " It is not the question of my abilities or my whole-hearted willingness to fight the battle; but why to invite a trouble in the first place when you have the intelligence with the grace of God, to prevent your own downfall " . Thanks & Regards, Shrikant Joshi ----------------------------- 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.