Gita Satsangh Chapter 13 Verses 24 through 26

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Dandavat pranams to all!Gita Satsangh Chapter 13 Verses 24 through 26To listen to Swami Brahmanananda of the Chinmaya Mission chanting this Chapter...

Ya evam vetti purusham prakritim cha gunaih saha; Sarvathaa vartamaano’pi na sa bhooyo’bhijaayate. (24)

24. He who thus knows Spirit and Matter, together with the qualities, in whatever condition he may be, he is not reborn.

Sankara Bhashya

(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

 

24. He who knows thus the Person and Nature along with the qualities will not be born again, in whatever way he may live.

Sah yah, he who; vetti, knows, in the manner described; the purusam, Person, that Self possessed of the characteristics stated above, as 'I myself (am That)'; and knows prakrtim, Nature as described above, which is characterized as ignorance; to have been eradicated by Knowledge, saha, along with; gunaih, the qualities which are its modifications; na abhijayate, will not be born; bhuyah, again-after the fall of this body of the man of realization, he does not become born again for (taking) another body, i.e. he does not take up another body; sarvatha api, in whatever way; vartamanah, he may live. From the word api it is understood that, it goes without saying that one who is firm in his own duty is not reborn.

 

Objection: Though it has been said that there is absence of rebirth after the dawn of Knowledge, still is it not illogical that actions done (in the present life) before the rise of Knowledge and those done subsequently, as also those done in the many past lives, should be destroyed without yielding their results? Hence there should be three births! For destruction of acquired merit is not logical, to the same extent as actions that have produced the present birth and are yielding their proper results (cannot be destroyed). Besides, it is not understood that actions have distinctions [since all actions arise from ignorance, they are on the same level so far so they are opposed to Knowledge; i.e., there can be no such distinction among actions as 'those which have started yielding results' and 'those that have not'.]. Therefore, the actions of the three kinds, without exception, will produce three births or they all collectively will produce one birth. Otherwise, if the acquired merits become destroyed, it will lead to loss of faith everywhere as well as to the purposelessness of scriptures. Therefore it has been illogical to say, 'he will not be born again.'Reply: No, for the burning away of all the actions of the man of knowledge has been stated in hundreds of Upanisadic texts such as:

'And all one's actions become dissipated' (Mu. 2.2.8);

'Anyone who knows (that supreme) Brahman, becomes Brahman' (op. cit. 3.2.9);

'For him the delay is for so long only (as he does not become freed)' (Ch. 6.14.2);

'As the fibres at the tip of a blade of reed (become completely burnt.....,' so) all actions 'get completely burnt' (op. cit. 5.24.3).

Here too the burning of all actions has been stated in, 'as a blazing fire reduces pieces of wood to ashes,....'etc. (4.37), and He will also say so (later) [see 18.66: 'I shall free you from all sins,' etc.-Tr.].

 

This accords with reason also. Verily, actions, which arise from the seed of evils [Klesas, evils-see note under 8.19-Tr.] like ignorance and desires, germinate the sprout of rebirth. Here also it has been said by the Lord in various places that actions which are associated with egoism and desire for results bear fruits, not the others. And there is also the verse: 'As seeds burnt by fire do not germinate, so also the Self does not acquire another body due to evils that have been burnt by Knowledge (cf. Mbh. Va. 199. 107).

 

Objection: It may be granted for the present that actions performed after the rise of Knowledge are burnt by Knowledge, since they coexist with Knowledge. But the burning away of actions done in this life prior to the rise of Knowledge and those done in the many past lives is not reasonable.

Reply: No, because of the qualification, 'all actions' (4.37).

Objection: May it not be that 'all actions' means those that are undertaken after Illumination?

Reply: No, for there is no reason for the restriction (of the meaning). On the other hand, as for the statement, 'just as actions that have produced the present birth and are already active in producing their results do not get dissipated even after Illumination, similarly it is not reasonable that actions which have not commenced producing their results should get dissipated,'-that is wrong.

 

Objection: Why?

Reply: Since they have already begun producing results, like an arrow that has been shot: As an arrow, freed earlier from a bow for hitting a target, even after piercing through the target comes to a stop only after falling down as a result of the dissipation of its initial momentum, similarly, actions that produced the (present) body verily continue, even after fulfilling the purpose of maintaining the body, to exist as before until the dissipation of their inherent tendencies. But, as that very arrow, when it has not acquired the momentum, needed for action, when it has not been shot even though fixed on the bow, can be withdrawn, similarly, actions which have not begun yielding their results may be rendered unproductive by Knowledge, even while existing in their receptacle. [The internal organ bearing the reflection of Consciousness.] Hence, it is established that , it has been reasonable to state that on the fall of the present body of an enlightened person, 'He is not born again.'

 

Here are being presented these meditation etc. which are the alternative means for the realization of the Self: [see 25 below]Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and Commentary

 

24. He who thus knows the PURUSHA and PRAKRITI together with the qualities, in whatsoever condition he may be, he is not born again. In the previous stanza, it was said that the identification of the Purusha with the "Field" is the cause for Its participation in the tragic destinies of matter. If there were no contact, indeed, the Purusha would have been a mere observer of the world-of-matter without undergoing any suffering or sorrow. But the Infinite plays the part of the miserable mortal because of Its delusory imagination that It is directly conditioned by the mental and intellectual reactions.

These vivid experiences in the world outside leave impressions, to fulfill which the Purusha is born again and again either in the higher wombs of enjoyment or to suffer among the lower manifestations.

But he who has realised in himself: (a) that which is the Matter; (b) that which is the Spirit; © how the Spirit, deluded by its own preoccupations, gets identified with Matter and behaves as "Knower-of-the-Field" and also (d) the mysteries of the gunas, under the influences of which, the equipments function --- he becomes a Man-of-Wisdom.

To know a thing we must stand apart from it, whereas, if we are ourselves involved in any situation, we cannot understand it fully. To realise at once the world-of-objects, the instruments of contact and their behaviour and qualities, is to stand apart from them all --- and in that state, the Spirit, the Substratum, is realised. Thus, to recognise our own nature to be the absolute, infinite, Pure Consciousness, is to end all misconceptions (avidya). To one who has thus ended all avidya, there is no more any reason to get completely identified thereafter with the "Field-of-Matter." Therefore, it is said, such an individual thereafter: "WHATEVER BE HIS CONDUCT, HE IS NOT BORN AGAIN" --- that is to say, no new vasanas can be created in him and the old vasanas functioning in the mind and intellect have dropped away from him, since, in him there is no more any false ego-centric contact with the world outside.

It is the Jiva that creates more and more vasanas in the mind, and through the mind, according to the vasanas, it projects different equipments and different worlds of experiences in order to eke out its desired quota of joy and pain. That, in such an individual of Self-realisation no vasanas are left over, that he will be in the embodiment only so long as this body exists, that the Knower of Brahman himself becomes the Infinite, and that all the accumulated reactions of his actions perish at the moment of Self-realisation --- are all truths declared by the Upanishads.

NOW THERE ARE SEVERAL 'PATHS' TO SELF KNOWLEDGE AND THEY ARE MENTIONED HERE AS FOLLOWS:

 

Dhyaanenaatmani pashyanti kechidaatmaanamaatmanaa; Anye saankhyena yogena karmayogena chaapare. (25)

25. Some by meditation behold the Self in the Self by the Self, others by the Yoga of knowledge, and others by the Yoga of action.

Sankara Bhashya

(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

 

 

25. Through meditation some realize the Self in (their) intellect with the help of the internal organ; others through Sankhya-yoga, and others through Karma-yoga.

Dhyanena, through meditation: Meditation means contemplation (on the Self) after withdrawing into the mind with concentration the organs of hearing etc. from the objects like sound etc., and then withdrawing the mind into the indwelling conscious Self. Thus, from the citation of such illustrations as, 'the crane meditates, as it were, 'the earth meditates, as it were; the mountains meditate, as it were' (Ch. 7.6.1), it follows that meditation is a constant and uninterrupted current of thought like a line of pouring oil. Through that meditation, kecit, some yogis; pasyanti, realize; the indwelling conscious atmanam, Self; atmani, in (their) intellect; atmana, with the help of the internal organ that has been purified by meditation.

 

Anye, others; sankhyena yogena, through Sankhya-yoga: Sankhya means thinking, 'These qualities, viz sattva, rajas and tamas, are objects of my perception; I am the Self, distinct from them, a witness of their functions, eternal and different from the qualities.' This Sankhya is Yoga. [by Sankhya is meant that knowledge which arises from the foregoing reflection. This knowledge is itself called Yoga (concentration of mind) inasmuch as it is similar to Yoga in leading to the realization of the Self.] Through that they realize the Self with the help of the internal organ. This is how it is to be construed.

 

And anye, others; karma-yogena, through Karma-yoga-action itself being the Yoga: Action performed with the idea of dedication to God is figuratively called Yoga since it leads to Yoga. (others realize) with the help of that (action), through purification of the mind and rise of Knowledge. [The best among the yogis are competent for meditation (dhyana); the modiocre for reflection (Sankhya); and the lowest for Karma-yoga.]

 

Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and Commentary

 

25. Some, by meditation, behold the Self in the Self by the Self; others by the "YOGA -of-Knowledge" (by SANKHYA YOGA) ; and others by KARMA YOGA.

This realisation of the Self in its pure nature, undressed of all its matter envelopments, is the final goal of spiritual seeking and there are more 'paths' than one, prescribed for this Divine Achievement. Integration of a human personality must start from the point where an individual finds himself to be at present. No education can be successful unless the students are given graded lessons.

A totally disintegrated individual must also be given a 'path' which he can easily follow with his restless equipment. Spiritual unfoldment cannot take place merely because of an intellectual appreciation of the theory of Perfection. Evolution actually takes place only when a corresponding change in the very subjective life is accomplished. Therefore, an active, intelligent and enthusiastic participation of the seeker in controlling, directing, and re-educating his thought-life is necessary --- hence the difficulty in accomplishing inward spiritual unfoldment in every individual.

The great spiritual scientists of the past, discovering ways of evolving the entire mankind, consisting of different types, evolved various "roads" --- all converging at the same goal. Each 'path' is the fittest for the one who is walking it. No 'path' can be said to be nobler than the other. In a pharmacy there are different medicines; each one serves a definite type of patient and the medicine prescribed for a given disease is the fittest medicine for that patient as long as his ailment continues.

The difference between the various seekers is the difference in their mental equanimity and intellectual equipoise. The lesser 'paths' are mainly meant for purifying the inner equipments, and when the mind becomes steady and concentrated, when the intellect is redeemed from its wasteful habits of wrong imaginations, then the equipments are ready for Higher flights through the "Path-of-Meditation."

BY MEDITATION SOME BEHOLD THE SELF --- MEDITATION CONSISTS IN "WITHDRAWING, BY CONCENTRATION, ALL THE SENSE ORGANS AWAY FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SENSE-OBJECTS INTO THE MIND, AND THEN WITHDRAWING THE MIND INTO THE INNER INTELLIGENCE, AND THEN CONTEMPLATING UPON THE HIGHEST." It is a continuous and unbroken thought-flow, like a stream of flowing oil. In order to pursue this path, naturally, the individual must have a dynamic head and heart --- both least disturbed by their own subjective defects.

To "behold" does not mean to see the Self as an object, which would then mean something against the very assertion of the scriptures. The Self is the "SUBJECT"; therefore, the term "behold" is used to mean only 'an inward experience of a total subjective re-discovery.' The experience is so vivid that it is comparable to our unshakable knowledge of anything after we have once objectively SEEN it ourselves.

BY THE SELF IN THE SELF --- The subjective experience of the very core of our personality is accomplished by the head in the pure heart. Shankara explains the portion: "By meditation, the Yogins behold the Self, the Pure consciousness, in the Self (Buddhi), by the Self --- by their own intelligence, that is, by the Antahkarana, refined by Dhyana." All sincere attempts at meditation with steady mind-and-intellect, and the steady mental-pool of thought, with its passions and vasanas subsided, and to an extent, even eliminated, provides a clear reflected surface in which the glory of the Self is seen reflected, and this is recognised intuitively.

One may wonder why the same term is used to indicate the instrument of recognition (Atmani), the subject recognising it (Atmana) and object recognised (Atmanam). The reason is, in the final realisation, it is experienced that the intellect, the mind, the seeker and the sought are all in fact nothing other than the One Self. The waves, the ripples, the foam are all nothing but the ocean. The dreamer, the dreamt, and the dream are all nothing but the waker's own mind. In this sense, in our scriptural lore, we often find the term "Atman" used to indicate even our outer-personalities brought about by our identifications with the matter-envelopments in us.

This 'path' of quietening the mind, steadying the intellect and with an integrated mind-and-intellect, contemplating steadily upon the transcendental Self, is not a 'path' that is available to all, as it calls forth certain mental and intellectual perfections which are not commonly seen in everyone. Those who have these qualifications are considered as the highest type of aspirants. The seekers of the best type --- who have developed in themselves a sufficient detachment (vairagya) from the sense objects, and a ready discrimination (viveka) to distinguish the permanent from the impermanent --- alone can steadily walk this Highest 'path'.

OTHERS BY THE 'PATH' OF SANKHYA YOGA the case of those who have not the required amount of steadiness in mind and intellect --- not because of any lack of aspiration but for want of right understanding of the Goal (viveka) --- their sense of detachment (vairagya) waxes and wanes. Naturally, sometimes they are good at meditation, and at other times, they experience a tremendous amount of restlessness and agitation. For such seekers, the only remedy is a more intelligent and enthusiastic study of the Shastras. The term 'Sankhya' means "the sequence of logical thought through which we reach a definite philosophical conclusion, unassailable by any doubts any more.

This deep study and reflection (vichara), since it provides the seeker with a better understanding of the text, and therefore, a deeper conviction of the goal, will discover for him a very healthy and steady self-application and a divine equipoise in his meditation. Since vichara can safely take us to the Yoga-of-Meditation, and help us to establish ourselves therein, the very study of the Shastra and reflections upon it (Sankhya) is here called as 'Yoga.' That which ultimately takes one to Yoga is called Yoga, just as a vehicle is often named by the destination to which it is proceeding. "9. 30 is Delhi departure time" does not mean that at that time the capital-city is packing off from our country and going to the Nicobar Islands! It only shows that a train will be leaving for Delhi at that scheduled time. The seekers, who are not fit for steadily following the 'path' of deep meditation, are advised to steam themselves up by the Sankhya Yoga: by the 'path' of deep study and reflection.

OTHERS AGAIN BY KARMA YOGA --- There is still another type of seekers for whom even study of the Shastra and effective reflections upon it becomes almost impossible because their inward personality is so much poisoned by the existing hosts of sensuous vasanas. They are in a state of mental agitation in which no dynamic and effective meditation is possible. The instrument is not fit for it, and therefore, the selfless activity in a spirit of Yajna is prescribed for them. When the "Path-of-Action" is pursued for a time, as contemplated in the Geeta (III-30), the existing vasanas exhaust themselves and more and more quietude and tranquillity are experienced by the seeker. A mind, thus steadied, is fit for delving into the deeper significances of the mantras, and when the conviction of the goal is intensified in the individual, as a result of these reflections, his meditation gathers a momentum and a dash which can take him to the Highest Peaks.

In short, seekers with the noblest Sattwic qualities need only practice meditation; seekers of a slight Sattwic temperament with a large share of agitations, must develop the "creative stillness" in themselves through the "Path-of-Perfection"; those who are suffering from the worst mental oscillations, created by the vasana-disturbances, must through Karma Yoga, develop Sattwic traits, nurture and nourish them through reflection, and thus gain enough Sattwic dynamism and steady meditation.

 

 

Anye twevamajaanantah shrutwaanyebhya upaasate; Te’pi chaatitarantyeva mrityum shrutiparaayanaah. (26)

26. Others also, not knowing thus, worship, having heard of it from others; they, too, cross beyond death, regarding what they have heard as the supreme refuge.

Sankara Bhashya(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

26. Others, again, who do not know thus, take to thinking after hearing from others; they, too, who are devoted to hearing, certainly overcome death.

Anye tu, others again; ajanantah, who do not know the Self as described above; evam, thus, even in one of these alternative ways; upasate, take to thinking, take to reflection, being imbued with faith; srutva, after hearing; anyebhyah, from others, from the teachers, having been told, 'Think only of this.' Te api ca, they, too; sruti-parayanah, who are devoted to hearing, to whom hearing is the supreme course, the best discipline for starting on the path to Liberation, i.e., those who, themselves lacking in discrimination, accept only others' advice as most authoritative; eva, certainly; ati-taranti, overcome; mrtyum, death, i.e. the mundane existence which is fraught with death.

The implication is; It goes without saying that those discriminating people who are independent in the application of the valid means of knowledge, cross over death.

That the knowledge of the identity of the Knower of the field and God leads to Liberation has been stated in, '....by realizing which one attains Immortality' (12). For what reason is it so? To point out that reason the (next) verse is begun: [27]

Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and CommentaryIN THAT CASE, WHAT 'PATH' IS PRESCRIBED FOR THOSE WHO ARE COMPLETELY STEEPED IN "TAMAS" --- MENTAL AND INTELLECTUAL INERTIA? THEY TOO ARE SERVED. LISTEN:

 

 

26. Others also, not knowing this, worship, having heard of it from others; they too, cross beyond death, if they would regard what they have heard as their Supreme Refuge. The previous verse defines the 'path' that is conducive to the best type of students (uttama adhikarins), and to the mediocres and weaklings (madhyama adhikarins). To the low class of aspirants too, the Geeta Acharya prescribes a 'path'.

HAVING HEARD FROM OTHERS --- There are some who are not capable of meditation. They have neither the intellectual capacity to follow the logical thoughts in any philosophy, nor the necessary inward equipoise to follow the "Path-of-Action." Even such people can evolve, though they are ignorant of the 'paths,' if only they worship the Principle of Truth on the strength of what they have heard from others.

THEY TOO GO BEYOND DEATH --- If such people are capable of constantly worshipping the Lord as they have been instructed by other devotees, they too can transcend the finite life of plurality and experience the Changeless. The term 'DEATH' here, should not be understood as meaning only the phenomenon of death that happens to a personality expressed in a body. The term is used in its all-embracing significance, indicating in its expanse of meaning, the total principle-of-change as experienced by any given human mind-and-intellect. As long as we identify with the body --- gross, subtle or causal --- the experiences can only be of the finite. To experience the Infinite, is to enter the status of Immortality, beyond the thraldom of death.

This verse, while explaining the efficacy of prayer and worship, even when unscientifically performed, is not recommending that all the methods are equally efficient, but it is only emphasizing the idea that, in the practice of worship, correct knowledge shall surely provide a better guarantee of success. If seekers can progress upon the authority of others' instructions, when they are themselves ignorant, Sankara exclaims: "How much more so then can they progress, who can independently appreciate the Shastra texts and discriminate?"

THROUGH THESE VARIOUS 'PATHS' AVAILABLE, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL TO BE REALISED? LISTEN: to be continued...

 

Hare Krishna!!!