Gita Satsangh Chapter 14 Verses 24 & 25

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Dandavat pranams to all!

 

Gita Satsangh Chapter 14 Verses 24 & 25

 

To listen to Swami Brahmanananda of the Chinmaya Mission

chanting this Chapter...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn3Hro5Ib4U & feature=channel_page

 

To listen to Meena Mahadevan of KailashMusic

chanting this Chapter...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9FyEwbZAOs

 

Samaduhkhasukhah swasthah samaloshtaashmakaanchanah;

Tulyapriyaapriyo dheeras tulyanindaatma samstutih.

24. Alike in pleasure and pain, who dwells in the Self, to whom a clod of earth,

stone and gold are alike, to whom the dear and the unfriendly are alike, firm,

the same in censure and praise,

 

 

Sankara Bhashya

(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

 

24. He to whom sorrow and happiness are alike, who is established in his own

Self, to whom a lump of earth, iron and gold are the same, to whom the agreeable

and the disagreeable are the same, who is wise, to whom censure and his own

praise are the same;

 

Moreover, sama-duhkha-sukhah, he to whom sorrow and happiness are

alike;svasthah, who is established in his own Self, tranquil;

sama-losta-asma-kancanah, to whom a lump of earth, iron and gold are the same;

tulya-priya-apriyah, to whom the agreeable and the disagreeable are the same;

dhirah, who is wise; tulya-ninda-atma-samstutih, to whom, to which monk, censure

and his own praise are the same-.

 

 

Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and Commentary

 

 

24. Alike in pleasure and pain; who dwells in the Self; to whom a clod of earth,

a precious stone and gold are alike; to whom the dear and the not-dear are the

same; firm; the same in censure and self-praise. . . .

 

The equanimity and balance of personality which are observed in a Perfect Man,

in the midst of the changing vicissitudes of life, are brought out in this

stanza. One who has gone beyond the tyrannies of the three gunas lives in a

kingdom of his own, wherein neither the thrills of Sattwa, nor the noisy

clamours of Rajas, nor the weariness of Tamas have any admission at all.

Serenely self-composed, he dwells in the Self, far away from the sweat and

agitations of base appetites, low impulses and selfish passions.

 

To the average man, this state of equipoise may look like complete death. And,

no doubt, it is so; it is the death of the limited, finite life of relative

experiences, lived by the baser ego. Spirit, conditioned by Matter, behaves like

a reed upon the tumultuous surface of an ever-agitated mind. Always disturbed by

the constant storms of love and hate, likes and dislikes, this unhappy

sense-on-individuality suffers its shattering agitations and endless sorrows.

 

To withdraw, therefore, from this chaotic field of desires and attachments into

the shelter of the Self, is to release the diviner possibilities in ourselves.

The dreamer dies to be reborn as the waker; the individual sense of the ego dies

to release the infinite glories of the Self.

 

Having awakened from the dream, what would be the waker's relationship with his

dream-world, is the question that Arjuna asks Krishna! One who has gone beyond

the shackles of the three gunas, has awakened from all the misconceptions of the

world, fed by one's 'I'-ness and 'my'-ness. In that state of godly awakening,

there cannot be any deep and sincere relationship with the experiences of the

lower world, whether it be joy or sorrow, things dear or not-dear, blame or

praise. In all the experiences, he is a balanced, unattached witness.

 

WHO DWELLS IN THE SELF (Svasthah) --- One who has transcended the gunas that

rule the tendencies of the mind, becomes the Self, just as one who has crossed

the frontiers of a dream, discovers himself to be waker. What would be the

relationship of one who dwells in the Self, with the things around him, and what

would be his attitude to things happening around him, is being answered here.

Established as he is in Supreme Wisdom, the world that is contacted from the

levels of the body, the mind and the intellect does not touch him. He lives in a

world of his own, far above the plane of Matter.

 

ALIKE IN PLEASURE AND IN PAIN --- To come in contact with the outside world

through sense-perceptions, to evaluate them in terms of similar experiences in

the past, and to experience pleasure or pain, is a trick of our individual

personality. The worlds of stimuli march into us and we respond to them and

these intelligent responses can fall under two categories: pleasure and pain.

That which is pleasurable to one is bound to be painful to another. If the

things of the world were in their own nature either pleasurable or painful, they

would have certainly caused the same uniform reactions in all of us.

 

It is the nature of the Sun to be hot, and therefore, the heat of the Sun is

common to us all. But the things of the world do not produce reactions in

everyone in the same way, and therefore, it is an interpretation of our mind and

intellect, which is coloured by our own past experiences. He who is not looking

at the world through these coloured goggles of the mind and intellect will be

alike in pleasure and pain.

 

REGARDING A CLOD OF EARTH, A PRECIOUS STONE AND GOLD ALIKE --- Possession of

things is another appetite which the majority of living creatures have. People

like to possess and hoard precious-stones or gold, but do not care for a clod of

mud. But to an awakened Man-of-Wisdom, all these possessions are one and the

same and from his estimation none of them has any real value.

 

Children collect peacock feathers, shells, marbles, broken glass-bangles, old

stamps, shapely stones, etc., from the roadside or from waste-paper baskets, and

with extreme possessiveness, they keep them as their precious possessions. But

as they grow, without a regret, they throw them away and the younger ones in the

family accept them with gratitude as a precious inheritance from their elders.

Similarly, a man living his ego-centric life of desires for possessions, may

value gold and precious stones; but to the Awakened Soul, in his sense of

Infinitude, these limited possessions, hugged on to by lesser minds, have no

charm at all.

 

THE SAME TOWARDS THINGS DEAR AND THINGS NOT-DEAR our relationship with

others, where there is an agreeable nature, we come to love it dearly, while,

wherever there is a disagreeable nature, we hate it. Love and hate, dear and

not-dear, are all our reactions to the agreeable and disagreeable natures of

things or situations. These reactions are, no doubt, from the levels of the

mind. One who is standing on windy shores wearing a thick coat will not feel the

cold that another must feel, when, in his nakedness, he is dipping in the sea.

the cold waters come in contact with the skin of the naked man and he

experiences the discomforts, while the man on the shore, comfortably warm in his

coat, knows no cold.

 

The average man, plunged in identification with his own mind and intellect,

suffers the world and interprets it as agreeable or disagreeable, and brings

down upon himself a lot of confusions and problems. The man of Steady Wisdom is

he, whose equilibrium is not disturbed by the onslaught of things and

circumstances of the world, whether they be dear or not dear.

 

SAME IN CENSURE AND IN PRAISE --- A Man-of-Perfection is the same in censure and

praise. The experience of a dream cannot contribute either joy or sorrow to one

who has " awakened, " he might have been a beggar insulted by the entire society

in the dream-world or might have been an adored Raja ruling a vast empire in his

dream. But when he wakes up, neither the PRAISE he received as a Raja, nor the

CENSURE he suffered as a beggar can leave any reactions upon him. Awakened from

the " dream " , the Man-of-Wisdom evaluates the blame and praise of the world

outside and finds them both utterly insignificant.

 

In the above four beautiful, chosen phrases, Vyasa has indicated some of the

main conditions of life in which the ordinary man comes to eke out his joys and

sorrows. Pleasure and pain, good and bad possessions, agreeable and disagreeable

experiences, joys and sorrows provided by praise and censure, are some of the

conditions of life by which we get entangled in a web of agitations and sorrows.

 

MOREOVER:

 

Maanaapamaanayostulyas tulyo mitraaripakshayoh;

Sarvaarambhaparityaagee gunaateetah sa uchyate.

25. The same in honour and dishonour, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all

undertakings-he is said to have crossed the qualities.

 

Sankara Bhashya

(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

 

25. He who is the same under honour and dishonour, who is equally disposed both

towards the side of the friend and of the foe, who has renounced all

enterprise,-he is said to have gone beyond the qualities.

 

Further, tulyah, he who is the same, unperturbed; mana-apamanayoh, under honour

and dishonour; tulyah, who is equally disposed; mitra-ari-paksayoh, both towards

the side of the friend and of the foe-although from their own standpoint some

may be unattached, still, in others' view they may appear to be siding either

with friends or foes; hence it is said, 'equally disposed both towards the side

of the friend and of the foe'; sarva-arambha-parityagi, who has renounced all

enterprise (-those which are undertaken are arambhah, actions intended for seen

or unseen results-), i.e. who is apt to give up all undertakings, who has given

up all actions other than those needed merely for the maintenance of the body;

sah, he; ucyate, is said to have; gunatitah, gone beyond the qualities.

 

The disciplines leading to the state of transcendence of the qualities, which

have been stated (in the verses) beginning from 'he who, sitting like one

indifferent,' and ending with 'he is said to have gone beyond the qualities,'

have to be practised by a monk, a seeker of Liberation, so long as they are to

be achieved through effort. But when they become firmly ingrained, they become

the indications, perceivable to himself, of a monk who has transcended the

qualities.

 

Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and Commentary

 

 

25. The same in honour and dishonour; the same to friend and foe; abandoning all

undertakings --- he is said to have crossed beyond the GUNAS.

 

If the above has drawn a flat picture of the Man-of-Perfection, herein we have

added strokes that shade the outlines and give them a rounded beauty to depict

them vividly for our keener observation and closer vision.

 

THE SAME IN HONOUR AND DIS-HONOUR --- The sense of equanimity in honour and

dis-honour is described here as one of the definite signs of perfection

attained. Rooted in his own lived experiences of divinity, a man of Vision is

not afraid of life and its rewards, because, such a Perfect One looks at things

and happenings from his own special angle. The egoistic evaluation of life tends

to respect honour and shun dishonour.

 

Even in ordinary life, we have found martyrs courting what others consider as

dishonour. They energetically love and serve their generation in spite of the

insults and disgrace piled upon them by ignorant people. For Archimedes, running

along the streets naked from his bath-tub crying " Eureka, " " Eureka, " might have

been a dishonour on any other day except on that day of his discovery! Honour

and dishonour are the evaluations of the intellect that change from time to

time, from place to place. To one who has transcended the ordinary planes of

egoism and vanity, both are the same; a crown of thorns is as welcome as a crown

of roses!!

 

THE SAME TO FRIEND AND FOE --- To one who treads the Path of Wisdom and has

risen above the gunas, there is no foe in the world; nor is he attached to

anyone in earthy friendships. My right hand is never a foe to me; nor is it

merely a friend; it is myself. Another, other than myself, alone can claim

enmity or friendship with me. When I have realised the ONENESS of my spiritual

nature, Infinite and All-pervading, as the Spirit, I have no relationship with

the world outside; I live my vivid personal experience: " THEY ARE I. "

 

ABANDONING ALL UNDERTAKINGS --- The man of tranquillity, living in

God-consciousness, has no more ego in him, nor is he pestered by the endless

ego-centric desires which are the sorrows of life. Desire-motivated activities,

undertaken with an anxiety to earn and to acquire, to possess and to hoard, to

aggrandise and to claim ownership are indicated by the term " undertaking. " All

these are possible only when the ego is there. When the limited ego-sense has

volatilised in the realisation of the Infinite, all ego-motivated activities

also end. Thereafter, he, the God-inspired, works in the world as a God-man.

 

HE IS SAID TO HAVE GONE BEYOND THE GUNAS --- The above three stanzas together

paint the complete picture of one who has transcended the gunas. These three

stanzas answer Arjuna's second question.

 

[stanza 23 reposted below ... for commentary, go to

advaitin/message/46003

 

Udaaseenavadaaseeno gunairyo na vichaalyate;

Gunaa vartanta ityeva yo'vatishthati nengate.

23. He who, seated like one unconcerned, is not moved by the qualities, and who,

knowing that the qualities are active, is self-centred and moves not, ]

 

Shankara recognises in these three stanzas " A RULE OF CONDUCT LAID DOWN FOR THE

SAMNYASIN WHO SEEKS MOKSHA. " These qualities are to be cultivated by every

SEEKER who is trying to live the Hindu-culture. Once the seeker has gained inner

freedom, these become the characteristic features of his nature. They form the

essential marks that indicate one who has risen above the gunas.

 

THE LORD PROCEEDS NEXT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION " HOW DOES ONE TRANSCEND THE

GUNAS? "

 

to be continued...

 

Hare Krishna!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

Here are some additional observations on verses 24 and 25 which are currently

under discussion. The verses 22 to 25 provide us a list of virtues that are

essential for liberation or salvation. Gitacharya calls the person who

transcends the Gunas as Gunatita. The subtle message is that Gunatita is none

other than the perfect yogi (Stithaprajna explained by Gitacharya in chapter 2).

Arjuna's original question to Lord Krishna is an explanation for the

characteristics of the Stithaprajna. These verses indeed provide more

explanation for the original question.

 

The person who is established in the SELF is called the `Svastha.' The use of

this word is intended to convey that only a realized person alone can remain

balanced in joy and sorrow. The common public as a general rule centered in one

or other of the three bodies - physical, astral and causal-all of which are

evolved from `Prakrti' or Matter. Therefore they are centered in `Prakrti'

(Prakrtistha) and not in the Self. Consequently they are bound by Gunas or modes

of Prakrti (chapter 13.21); hence they cannot take joy and sorrow alike. Those

who have transcended the Gunas cease to have any connection whatsoever with

Prakrti and its evolutes. That is how they transcend to `Svastha' (established

in the Self) and realize the Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. Therefore, even

though joys and sorrows continue to appear and disappear in the body; senses and

mind of the person who has risen above the Gunas and has accordingly ceased to

have any connection with them. They do not identify themselves with those joys

and sorrows and they remain ever balanced.

 

A `Gunatita' makes no distinction between the objects of the world which people

classify them as superb, second-rate or ordinary. The Gunatitas view all objects

as illusory like water in a mirage; they have no bias for or against any

particular object.

 

A man of wisdom (perfect yogi or Stithaprajna i.e. with the stable of mind) is

called `Dhira'. Those who have transcended the Gunas never lose the balance of

mind even in the face of the greatest joy and sorrow (Chapter 6, verses 21 &

22). Their reasoning ever remains steadfast.

 

For those with worldly view, that which is agreeable to the body, senses, mind

and intellect, and which strengthens, helps and soothes them is said to be

`pleasant.' For them that which is disagreeable and hostile to them, which wears

them away and mortifies them, is considered `unpleasant.' In spite of the

contact of the body, senses and mind with multifarious objects and beings of

both these types, those who have no bias for or against any of those objects is

said to `receive the agreeable and the disagreeable with the same spirit'.

 

Honor and ignominy are mainly related to the body. Therefore, those worldly

minded people who look upon the body as their selves have a liking for honor,

and an aversion for ignominy. Consequently, honor brings them delight, while

dishonor fills them with grief; and they love those who honor them and are even

inimically disposed towards those who insult them. The Gunatita neither feels

delighted when the latter is honored, nor feels grief while facing insults. They

don't pay attention to the object of honor and dishonor, the agent who is

responsible for such treatment, as well as the acts as illusory like a dream.

 

Gunatita entertains no feeling of friendship or enmity towards any creature for

their acts, and they treat everyone equal. Whereas ordinary men of the world

identify themselves with, and extend their love to, those who are on friendly

terms with them, as well as to their relatives and well-wishers, and help them

even by sacrificing their own interests. The worldly persons also hate those who

are inimically disposed towards them as well as their relatives and

well-wishers, wish harm to them and employ their energy in actually harming

them. The Gunatitas maintain an attitude of impartiality towards both the

friends and foes. They habitually engaged in doing good to all alike. They harm

none; have no bias for or against anyone.

 

The concluding words of this verse, viz., `Gunatitah sa ucyate'-`Gunatita is

said to have risen above the three Gunas'; sum up the Lord's reply to two of

Arjuna's three questions. That is to say, a Gunatita is one who is endowed with

all the virtues described in verses 22, 23, 24 and 25; it is these which

constitute the distinguishing marks and these again which typify the conduct and

behavior of a Gunatita.

 

In modern times political leaders often talk of unity in the diversity but

achieving the unity will only become possible when the citizens of the world get

transformed as Gunatitas. As long as we did not acquire the virtues described in

verses 22 to 25, we will not be able to see the unity in the diversity!

 

Subbuji in a recent post # 46068 posed the following question: " Do you think

that at least now, in the 21st century, we can get the real picture out of the

three systems with no disputes remaining at all? " My answer would be that only a

Gunatita will be able to get the real picture out of the three systems without

any disputes!

 

With my warm regards,

 

Ram Chandran