Bhagavad Gita - Daily - II 2:52 II

March 29, 2009

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

|| 2-52 ||

yadaa te moha-kalilam, buddhir vyatitarisyati

tada gantasi nirvedam, srotavyasya srutasya ca || 52 ||

" When your intellect crosses the mire of delusion, you will then acquire

indifference to what has been heard and what is yet to be heard about the

enjoyments of this world and the next. "

Comment:

The objects and persons we come across, meet and part with, when we assume them

to be our own and for us, it is called Moha (delusion). Once the spiritual

seeker rids of this Moha, he develops dispassion with the world, with dispassion

there is a loss of attachment which results in the attainment of Yoga.

From " Gita Prabodhani " in Hindi, page 54 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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

Chapter 2, Verse 51 is as follows;

Yadaa = when

Te = your

Mohakalilam = mire of delusion

BuddhiH = intellect

VyatitariShyati = will cross / transcend

Tadaa = then

Gantaasi = you shall attain

Nirvedam = to indifference

Shrotavyasya = of what is to be heard / experienced

Shrutasya = of what has been heard / experienced

Cha = and

English translation:-

When your intellect will cross the mire of delusion, then you will grow

indifferent to things already heard or experienced as well as to those yet to be

heard or experienced.

Only after transcending the mire of delusion, a Yogi is able to understand and

comprehend subtle distinctions between PuruSha and Prakriti i.e. The Real and

the Unreal, the Being and the becoming.

When the intellect of a Yogi gets purer day by day, it loses the entire charm of

sensual experiences including exchange of pleasantries in the form of praise or

else rebuke. A Yogi becomes a recluse, who is not interested in name, fame and

riches.

The genesis of delusion is the veiling power of Prakriti called as `Maayaa'. As

electricity cannot be shown without its manifestations in the form of resultant

heat energy, light energy etc.; similarly `Maayaa' cannot be shown without its

manifestations in the form experiences via sensory organs, mind and intellect.

However `Maayaa' cannot enter in the domain and the range of the Self i.e. the

Aatman; where the Unreal ceases to exist and the Real can never ever be

destroyed.

Like a cover of fog or mist, a thick film of doubt, reservation and hesitation

at the intellectual exists in all of us. It blocks the proper understanding of

the Ultimate Spiritual Reality behind all the transactions in this Universe.

However, once the intellect pierces through such a thick film of ignorance, by

means of unwavering devotion through self-less Yoga, it lights up the Supreme

Self like a blazing mid-day Sun. This is precisely, " Teshaam Aadityavat Dnyaanam

Prakaashayati Tat Param " . Please refer verses 16 and 17 from chapter 5 in

Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta for further reinforcement of this idea.

A Sadhak who wants to transcend from his worldly entanglement to spiritual

enlightenment, he has to undergo three distinct states. The first state is of

`I, me and mine' wherein he is completely submerged in the sensual pleasures,

acquisition of material wealth and comforts. After having satisfied bulk of the

desires from his ever growing wish-list, he slowly develops disinterest in them

as he is unable to find any novelty or superiority of pleasures than what he has

already experienced. After having enjoyed `Chhappana Bhoga' i.e. fifty-six

enjoyments from seven-star hotel like comforts and conveniences, from being

extrovert he becomes introvert. Here he moves from the first state of `Markata'

i.e. monkey like behaviour to the second state of `Maanava' i.e. a human being

who has freedom of expression, thought and action and all of them are directed

towards the knowledge and discovery of the Divinity within himself. Upon deeper

contemplation and meditation, this leads him to the third state of `Maadhava'

i.e. a Self realised soul.

In this verse, the context of hearing encompasses all the five sensual

experiences of hearing by ears, seeing by eyes, smelling by nose, tasting by

tongue and touching by skin. In fact it also includes the emotions felt by the

mind and perception of thoughts and thought experiments by the intellect.

As a Yogi casts of his worldly desires and attains higher stages of perfection

in self-less actions, he becomes detached, dispassionate and indifferent towards

the day to day transactions and resultant motions and emotions of the mundane

world. Such indifference is the essential pre-requisite for transcendental

meditation, which will lead him to the third state of `Maadhava' i.e. a Self

realised soul.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi

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

|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

All Sadhaks can participate in discussion / clarification of the verses.

OTHER REQUESTS FROM SADHAKS -

Please feel free to take the lead in any of these areas so that all

sadhaks may benefit.

- Introduction to Chapters (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI)

- Chapter Summary - Principles and Laws emanating from it.(N.B. VYAS)

- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani " AS IS "

- Yes, Epilogue / Important Facts in each verse good to bring out.

- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation (MIKE)

- In-depth explanation of " Om Tat Saditi Srimadbhagavadgitaasu,

Upanishadsu..... " is a very good idea. (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK

SANJIVANI)

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram

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

March 29, 2009

|| Shree Hari ||Ram Ram|| 2-52 ||

Link: — In the next two verses, Lord Krishna explains the steps to attain the blissful supreme state, which is free from blemish.

yada te mohakalilarh buddhirvyatitarisyati

tada gantasi nirvedarh srotavyasya srutasya cha || 52 ||

When your intellect crosses the mire of delusion, you will at that very moment attain freedom from worldly desires, i.e. dispassion (vairaagya) towards what has been heard and what is yet to be heard (on worldly enjoyments and pleasures). 52

Comment:—

'Yadaa te mohakalilam buddhirvyatitarisyati'—Having sense of "I-ness" (egoism) and "mine-ness" (mamtaa, attachment) for the body, as well as, all bodily relations such as mother, father, brother, sister-in-law, wife, son, possessions, things etc. is called delusion (moha, ignorance). Actually, there is no egoism and attachment for this body, it has merely been assumed to be mine. Becoming happy on receiving favorable objects, things, individuals, situations etc. and becoming unhappy on receiving unfavorable objects, things, individuals, situations etc. and engaging in evils, such as partiality, hatred, envy and jealousy etc., in this life are a quagmire. When the intellect of a man gets entangled in this mire of delusion, he is perplexed, uncertain of what to do and cannot think properly.

He, himself being sentient, but due to feeling of "I-ness" and "Mine-ness" and accepting affinity with the insentient body and things etc., he identifies and establishes a relationship with them. But in reality, all those things that he establishes a relationship with, those things cannot remain with him forever, and they too cannot stay forever. But due to delusion, he does not look in this direction, rather he continues to establish new relations in this world and continues to get further entangled. Just like a traveler before he reaches his destination, on the way somewhere, squats and begins to jump and play, laugh and get engrossed in worldly pleasures, squanders away his time. Similarly man too is immersed in accumulation of impermanent things and engaged in seeking pleasure from them. This itself is called being entangled in the mire of delusion.

Are we to continue to stay here having "I-ness" and "Mine-ness" with body and family? Surely we are not? Certainly we do not want to continue to be entangled in the mire of delusion, distancing ourselves from our real progress (salvation, benediction), isn't it? Not getting entangled in this mire of delusion, we want to attain our salvation. Having a firm resolve, a single-pointed aim, is itself crossing (transcending) the mire of delusion. Because on having this firm resolve, the intellect (buddhi) will no longer be stalled by the worldly relations, it will no longer get stuck.

There are two methods to cross the swamp of delusion— discrimination "Vivek" (Gita 2:11-30) and selfless service. When the discrimination is sharp, it causes one to become disinclined (disinterested, distasteful, desire-less) towards unreal (impermanent) things. Mind becomes deeply engaged in thoughts of serving others, to give them happiness, then there comes the inner strength to give up one's own pleasure, happiness and comforts. The greater the sentiment to give happiness to others, to that extent personal pleasure and comfort will be sacrificed. Just like a disciple towards his preceptor, son towards his mother and father, servant towards his master – each one develops a desire for providing comforts and to give happiness to the other, thereafter his own desire for happiness and pleasure easily and automatically goes away. Similarly, a karma yogi develops the sentiments to serve all of humanity and thereafter his own desire for happiness automatically goes away.

Through discrimination and inquiry (vivek-vichaar) i.e. through Discipline of Knowledge, attempting to get rid of one's desire for personal pleasures, can be somewhat difficult. If the discrimination and inquiry (vivek-vichaar) is not firmly established, then it is only effective until an object of delight is not in front of them. When sense objects come in front of them, then the spiritual seeker deviates from his spiritual path and becomes inclined towards them. But an aspirant that has the sentiments of serving others, coming upon even the best of things, uses those things for the service of others, and thus his desire for pleasures and comforts goes away easily. Therefore, Lord Krsna has mentioned the Discipline of Selfless Service (disinterested action, Karmayog), as superior to and easier than the Discipline of Knowledge (Jnanayog) in Gita 5:2-3 and by it an aspirant quickly attains perfection (the Absolute) (Gita 5:6).

'Tada gantaasi nirvedam shrotavyasya shrutasya cha' — Here "shrutasya" includes all the pleasures that men have seen, enjoyed (experienced) and heard*. And "shrotavyasya" is inclusive of all the pleasures of heaven etc., which are yet to be heard of. Bhagwaan says that when the intellect crosses the mire of delusion then dispassion (vairaagya) develops towards all earthly and heavenly pleasures. The point being driven home here is that once the intellect crosses the mire of delusion, then acute discrimination is developed that the world is ephemeral, transient, constantly changing; whereas, I (Self) am as-is, unchanging, permanent. Therefore how can I (Self) gain peace and joy from the transient and ephemeral? How can my want be satisfied? Thereafter, on his own he becomes entirely dispassionate towards all heavenly and earthly sensual enjoyments (i.e. shrutasya and shrotavyasya). (partial)

From "The Bhagavadgita - Sadhak Sanjivani" in English, page 196-197 by SwamiRamsukhdasji----------------------|| Shree Hari ||Ram RamAll Sadhaks can and should contribute as well. Discussion / clarification isencouragedOTHER REQUESTS FROM SADHAKS -Please feel free to take the lead in any of these areas so that allsadhaks may benefit.- Introduction to Chapters (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI)- Chapter Summary - Principles and Laws emanating from it.(N.B. VYAS)- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani "AS IS"- Yes, Epilogue / Important Facts in each verse good to bring out.- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation (MIKE)- In-depth explanation of "Om Tat Saditi Srimadbhagavadgitaasu,Upanishadsu....." is a very good idea. (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAKSANJIVANI)From Gita Talk ModeratorsRam Ram-----------------------------