Gita Satsangh Chapter 14, concluding Verses 26 & 27

[Guest guest]

Dandavat pranams to all!

 

Gita Satsangh Chapter 14, concluding Verses 26 & 27

 

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

 

 

Maam cha yo'vyabhichaarena bhaktiyogena sevate;

Sa gunaan samateetyaitaan brahmabhooyaaya kalpate.

26. And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, he, crossing beyond the

qualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.

 

 

Sankara Bhashya

(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

 

Now the Lord gives the reply to the question, 'And how does he transcend the

qualties?'

 

26. And he who serves Me through the unswerving Yoga of Devotion, he, having

gone beyond these qualities, qualifies for becoming Brahman.

 

And he-be he a monk or a man of action (rites and duties)-, yah, who; sevate,

serves; mam, Me, God, Narayana residing in the hearts of all beings;

avyabhicarena, through the unswerving-that which never wavers-; bhakti-yogena,

Yoga of Devotion-devotion [bhakti (devotion), supreme Love, through which one

becomes united (with God) is yoga.] itself being the Yoga-; sah, he; samatitya,

having transcended; etan, these; gunan, qualities as described; kalpate,

qualifies, i.e. becomes fit; brahma-bhuyaya,-bhuyah is the same as bhavanam-,

for becoming Brahman, for Liberation

 

Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and Commentary

 

 

26. And he, serving Me with unswerving devotion, and crossing beyond the GUNAS,

is fit to become BRAHMAN.

 

Being a practical text-book of religion, the Geeta is never satisfied by giving

mere philosophical discourses. Every discourse, after explaining a definite

aspect of our philosophy, prescribes immediately a way of training by which the

imperfect can aspire to be and ultimately achieve Perfection.

 

HE WHO SERVES ME WITH UNSWERVING DEVOTION --- Love for God is called " devotion. "

Our minds revel readily and with pleasure wherever there is love. Our entire

nature is fed by our thoughts, and, as the thoughts, so the mind. To contemplate

steadily upon the Infinite Nature of the Self is, ultimately, to become the

Self, and thus end our limited, mortal ego.

 

Contemplation upon the nature of the Lord in all sincerity and intensity cannot

be maintained effectively at all times. As we are today, we are not capable of

maintaining the mind in a state of meditation all the time. Therefore, Krishna,

knowing this weakness of man, advises a practical method of maintaining this

thought for a longer period of time through the process of dedicated service

(seva). That all work, if intelligently undertaken in a spirit of dedication and

service, can be readily converted into a worship, has already been explained in

Chapter-III. This clearly and evidently shows that mere devotion to the Lord is

not enough. The Gita Acharya expects his devotees to bring religion from the

Pooja-rooms and temples to the fields of their every-day-life of activities and

in all their contacts with others around.

 

Such a practice of constant God-awareness and dedicated service removes the

agitations of the mind and tunes up the inner instrument for a more efficient

flight through meditation. Tamas and Rajas get more and more reduced, and

thereby the proportion of Sattwa in the seeker's subtle constitution increases.

And such a seeker " IS FIT TO BECOME BRAHMAN. " Such an individual who has gained

a wealth of Sattwa in his inward composition will discover in himself a greater

ability and poise during his meditation. The re-awakening to the consciousness

of the Self cannot then be very far off.

 

Here, it is said that the seeker is fit for becoming Brahman. To realise Brahman

is to become Brahman, to realise the waker, is to become the waker.

 

HOW CAN THE SAGE HIMSELF BE BRAHMAN? LISTEN:

 

Brahmano hi pratishthaa'ham amritasyaavyayasya cha;

Shaashwatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikaantikasya cha.

27. For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal and the immutable, of

everlasting Dharma and of absolute bliss

 

Sankara Bhashya

(Swami Gambiranda's Translation and Commentary)

 

27. For I am the Abode of Brahman-the indestructible and immutable, the eternal,

the Dharma and absolute Bliss.

 

Hi, for; aham, I, the inmost Self; am the pratistha brahmanah, Abode-that in

which something abides is pratistha-of Brahman which is the supreme Self. Of

Brahman of what kind? Amrtasya, of that which is indestructible; avyayasya, of

that which is immutable; and sasvatasya, of that which is eternal; dharmasya,

of that which is the Dharma, realizable through the Yoga of Jnana which is

called dharma (virtue); and aikantikasya sukhasya, of that which is the

absolute, unfailing Bliss by nature.

 

Since the inmost Self is the abode of the supreme Self-which by nature is

immortal etc.-, therefore, through perfect Knowledge it (the former) is realized

with certainty to be the supreme Self. This has been stated in, 'he qualifies

for becoming Brahman'.

 

The purport is this: Indeed, that power of God through which Brahman sets out,

comes forth, for the purpose of favouring the devotees, etc., that power which

is Brahman Itself, am I. For, a power and the possesser of that power are

non-different. Or, brahman means the conditioned Brahman, since It (too,) is

referred to by that word. 'Of that Brahman, I Myself, the unconditioned

Brahman-and none else-am the Abode.'

 

(The abode of Brahman) of what qualities? Of that which is immortal; of that

which has the quality of deathlessness; of that which is immutable; so also, of

that which is the eternal; which is the dharma having the characteristics of

steadfastness in Knowledge; of that which is the absolute, unquestionably

certain Bliss born of that (steadfastness);-'I am the Abode' is understood.

 

Swami Chinmayananda's Translation and Commentary

 

27. For I am the Abode of BRAHMAN, the Immortal and the Immutable, of

everlasting DHARMA and of Absolute Bliss.

 

In describing the Yoga of Devotion and its ultimate goal, the Geeta has already

indicated: (XII-8) " YOU SHALL NO DOUBT LIVE IN ME THEREAFTER " ; and the devotee,

under the inspiration of his love, will forget himself as a separate individual,

and his mind will merge with his point-of-contemplation, the Lord. In the

previous stanza, we were told, " HE WHO SERVES ME WITH UNSWERVING

YOGA-OF-DEVOTION " , will steadily transcend his identification with his

Matter-envelopments. To the extent the ego dies, to that extent the experience

of the Divine can manifest. To retire from waking is to enter the hall-of-sleep;

and while one is dozing, one is walking further and further away from the

realm-of-wakefulness and proportionately entering the peaceful abode-of-sleep.

 

To leave completely one plane-of-Consciousness, is to enter entirely into

another plane of Consciousness. The waker himself totally becomes the DREAMER

and the DREAMER knows no waking-state. The DREAMER ends his dream when he either

wakes up to the world or slides into the joys of peaceful slumber. There is no

transaction across the frontiers of these distinct planes-of-Consciousness.

 

FOR, I AM THE ABODE OF BRAHMAN --- The Self that vitalises the seeker's bosom is

the Pure Consciousness, that is the same everywhere, " IMMORTAL and IMMUTABLE,

ETERNAL and BLISSFUL. " To realise the Self within, is to realise the Infinite

Self. To taste a piece of cake is to taste all cakes of all times and for all

times, because the KNOWLEDGE OF the taste of cake is ever the same. In the realm

of experience, if a meditator apprehends the Self in him, he at once experiences

the Omnipresence of the Self. As long as a pot exists, the pot-space is seen

distinct from the space around. Once the pot is broken, the pot-space itself

becomes the unbounded space in the Universe; similarly, when life's false

identifications with the body, mind and intellect are broken down --- in short,

when the ego is dead, the Awareness of the Infinitude rises up to flood the

bosom with THE ETERNAL DHARMA AND THE UNFAILING BLISS.

 

Shri Shankara, in his extremely rational and analytical commentary, gives for

this stanza three alternative interpretations, each one not contrary to the

others, but each one elucidating more and more the philosophical contents of

this verse. Shankara says " BRAHMAN IS PARAMATMAN, IMMORTAL AND INDESTRUCTIBLE.

HE ABIDES IN ME WHO AM THE SELF (PRATYAG-ATMAN). THAT BEING THE SELF, ONE

RECOGNISES, BY RIGHT KNOWLEDGE, THE IDENTITY OF THE SELF IN ONESELF AND THE SELF

EVERYWHERE. "

 

Shankara gives an alternative meaning to the verse: " IT IS THROUGH THE POWER

(MAYA) INHERENT IN BRAHMAN, AS ISHWARA, THAT HE SHOWS GRACE TO HIS DEVOTEES. I

AM THAT POWER IN MANIFESTATION, AND THEREFORE, BRAHMAN AM I. "

 

Again, as another alternative interpretation, he suggests a third meaning which,

as we said earlier, is not contrary to the former two suggestions, but, in fact,

paints in greater detail, the beauty of the stanza and its contents. " BY BRAHMAN

IS MEANT HERE THE 'CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN'; WHO ALONE CAN BE SPOKEN OF BY SUCH WORD

AS 'BRAHMAN'... CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN ALONE CAN BE CONCEIVED OF IN THE FINITE

INTELLECT, PERCEIVED BY THE MIND AND EXPRESSED THROUGH LANGUAGE AS A CONTRAST TO

MATTER. Here the term Brahman only means Spirit as opposed in nature to inert

Matter. Thus, Matter and Spirit, both factors conceived by the limited

intellect, are limited and so finite objects of knowledge. But both are known by

the Consciousness, the Supreme. Therefore " I, THE UNCONDITIONED AND THE

UNUTTERABLE, AM THE ABODE OF THE CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN, WHO IS IMMORTAL AND

INDESTRUCTIBLE. "

 

The Illuminator is always different from the illumined. The " subject " is the

knower, and the " object " is the known. Krishna, the Infinite, represents the

Eternal Subject, and therefore, He is the Abode of all " objects, " including the

concept of the Self which is the Spirit that vitalises and gives a similitude of

sentiency and appearance of activity to all the Matter-envelopments. The

conditioned Brahman (sa-upadhika) rests upon the Consciousness that is aware of

it, which is the Unconditioned (nir-upadhika) Brahman.

 

In the following chapter (XV-16, 17 and 18) it will be explained as the three

Atmans: Anatman, Jivatman and Paramatman.

 

 

Hari Om Tat Sat

 

Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu Brahmavidyaayaam

Yogashaastre Sri Krishnaarjunasamvaade

Gunatrayavibhaagayogo Naama Chaturdasho'dhyaayah

 

Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the

Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna,

ends the fourteenth discourse entitled:

" The Yoga of the Division Of the Three Gunas "

 

 

 

Hare Krishna!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Satsanghis,

 

Thanks to Smt. Radhe-ji for conducting this satsangh!

Here are a couple of points about these verses.

 

advaitin , " Radhe " <shaantih wrote:

 

maa.n cha yo.avyabhichaareNa bhaktiyogena sevate .

sa guNaansamatiityaitaanbrahmabhuuyaaya kalpate .. 14.26..

 

And he who serves Me through the unswerving Yoga of Devotion, he, having

gone beyond these qualities, qualifies for becoming Brahman. 14.26

 

This verse (14.26) has the only occurance of the word 'bhakti-yoga' in the

entire Gita, if we consider the fact that neither the chapter names, nor the

colophon are part of the original Mahabharatha text.

 

It is very beautiful to see that concluding these verses, in the middle of

what is considered to be a GYAna-shatkam, Lord Krishna uses the

word 'bhakti-yoga', thereby implying that a parA-bhakta is a GYAni.

 

Also, this conclusive statement in this verse by Lord Krishna about

'becoming brahman' also tallies with these verses of amaanitvaadi-guNa-s of

chapter 13:

 

mayi chaananyayogena bhaktiravyabhichaariNii .

viviktadeshasevitvamaratirjanasa.nsadi .. 13.11..

 

And unwavering devotion to Me with single-minded concentration; inclination

to repair into a clean place; lack of delight in a crowd of people; 13.11

 

adhyaatmaGYaananityatva.n tattvaGYaanaarthadarshanam.h .

etajGYaanamiti proktamaGYaanaM yadato.anyathaa .. 13.12..

 

Steadfastness in the knowledge of the Self, contemplation on the Goal of the

knowledge of Reality-this is spoken of as Knowledge. Ignorance is that

which is other than this. 13.12

 

Note that Lord Krishna Himself says in 13.12 that the qualities described in

chapter 13 is GYAna (etat-GYAnam)!!!

 

This repeating theme of sAdhana-verses in gIta makes it a timeless teaching.

As Sankara comments in a couple of places, " the natural characteristics of

the realized should be cultivated with determination by ones who have not " .

 

Also, these two sets of verses (in chapters 13 and 14) could be read in

conjunction with the concluding verses of chapter 12. The marked similarity

of verses in chapter 14 (which are said to describe a guNAtIta) with those

in chapter 12 (with the refrain 'yo madbhaktaH sa me priyaH' describing a

parA-bhakta) makes seekers like us wonder if all the differences between

bhakti and GYAna are only limitations of the finite mind!

 

praNAm-s to all Advaitins

Ramakrishna

[Guest guest]

Namaste Radheji and fellow Satsanghis:

 

Radheji has now successfully complete the posting of chapter 14 and she has done

a splendid job. Every Sunday, we had the opportunity to read two verses from

this important chapter with meaning and with detailed commentary. The formating

of the posting was very uniform and easy for reading and downloading for future

reading. She deserves lots of our appreciation and I want to thank her on behalf

of all the Satsanghis.

 

As many of you already know that Krishna Janmastami will be on the 14th of

August 2009 (Friday). Radheji will likely start posting verses from Chapter 15

on that day! Also she will continue to follow the current practice of posting 2

verses on every Sunday starting from 23rd of August 2009.

 

Since we have come to end of the 14th Chapter, let me provide an overview. The

fourteenth chapter deals with the three gunas and the transcendence of them,

moksa. Introducing this chapter, Sankara notes that anything that is created is

due to the connection between the ksetra and the ksetrajna. To show how this

connection accounts for what we call the creation, Lord Krishna begins the

fourteenth chapter. Sankara also takes an alternate way to address certain

questions raised by the thirteenth chapter, particularly verse 21. There it was

made clear that the ksetra and ksetrajna have the status of being the cause of

creation. Sankara also wants us to know that this understanding differs from the

views expressed by Sankhyas. For them there are many purusas, each one different

from the other and detached from prakrti which independently creates the world.

It has already been said that purusa, however, is not a remote because he always

obtains in the prakrti. The apparent connection of purusa to the gunas

comprising prakrti, which is due to avidya, is the cause for all of samsara

including various types of births. Here Sankara asks what are the gunas, how do

they bind, how is one to be released from them, and what are the characteristics

of the free person? These are the topics of the fourteenth chapter.

 

Lord Krishna now clarifies the characteristics and qualities of one who has

transcended the three gunas or modes of material nature. First He answers by

what symptoms does one transcend them? One who is neither repulsed by what is

unpleasant nor is attracted to that which is pleasant is prakasam or

illuminated, filled with the light of spiritual wisdom which arises from sattva

guna or the mode of goodness. Activity and endeavor arises from raja guna the

mode of passion and inertia and stupor arise from the mode of ignorance. By the

effects indicative of the three gunas all other qualities of them can be

accordingly determined when they are visibly appearing and even as mental

tendencies in the mind. So by this it can be seen that one who is free from

aversion and attraction is able to transcend.

 

Next Lord Krishna clarifies the question what is the behavior and conduct of one

who has transcended the three gunas? One who is perfectly focused on the atma or

immortal soul within is merely a witness to what transpires in the physical

body. Such a one does not involve themselves anywhere in anything because they

are unattached everything external and thus free from desire and repulsion which

arise from passion and ignorance. Such a one does not deviate from their firm

and steadfast establishment in the atma. Such a one is impervious to the desires

for happiness and the disdain for unhappiness, accepting whatever comes equally

and indifferently. They are free from bodily attachment and conceptions that the

physical body has any connection with the atma. Thus they understand that they

never engage in any actions. Such a one equally reacts to adversity and felicity

alike considering them both to be the same similarly with a clod of earth, a

precious jewel or a nugget of gold are just different manifestations of prakriti

or the material substratum pervading physical existence. In the same spirit one

is neutral when exposed to pleasant or unpleasant sense objects and is dhirah or

wise, not deviating from discriminative knowledge even if by chance one is

subjected to the effects of the three gunas due to circumstances. Such a one

views censure and praise, honor and infamy, friend and foe as alike as well and

is equal to all living entities because of being free from attachment to all

actions and due to perceiving the atma within all beings.

 

Here are some concluding points made by Swami Dayananda Saraswati:

============================

" This Brahman is amrtam, never dead (neither born!). Sankara says it is not

subject to destruction. Though it does not get destroyed, perhaps it is changing

all the time. As you recognize the same person though he continues to change

over the years, perhaps it is the same with Brahman. No. Brahman is avyayam, it

never undergoes any change.

 

Satvatam means it is always there tomorrow, that is, in the future and nityam

indicates there was not a time in the past when Brahman was not. And that

timeless Brahman is the one who has all knowledge of dharma. Dharma also has

another meaning - that which sustains everything.

 

Sankara adds it is that which can be obtained through jnanayoga.

Further, it is sukham. There is no object in the world called sukham and

therefore sukham is an excellent choice of words here. Its very nature, svarupa,

is sukham, that which is free from any sense of want or imperfection. Otherwise

called purnam and therefore glossed by Sankara as that whose nature is fullness,

anandarupam.

 

Ekantikam means that which is never negated because it is satyam and therefore

not subject to contradiction. Everything else is mere name and form, namarupa,

which, being mithya, will change. Satyam will not. That Brahman, as described

here, is to be understood as the nature of pratyagatma. This is the pratistha

here.

 

By being gunatha how can one be Brahman? Isvara is Brahman with the power of

maya. I am that Brahman which enjoys this power, Saktih, that is also

non-separate from Brahman, myself.. If Krishna is taken as Isvara, who is

nothing but paramatma and sakti, between the power, Sakti, and the one who has

the power, Saktiman, there is no difference.

 

Therefore, this Isvara who has the power has its basis, pratistha, only in the

atma . If Brahman is looked upon as the cause of the entire world, that Brahman

has its pratistha in the atma alone. That is called brahma-bhavanam, the

condition of being Brahman without the implication of any process of becoming.

You cannot become Brahman because you are the very basis. pratistha, of Brahman.

 

In the Bhagavadglta wherein the subject matter is brahmavidya and karmayoga, in

the dialogue that took place between Krishna, the teacher and Arjuna, the

student this is the fourteenth chapter the subject of which is the division of

three gunas, gunatrayavibhagayoga. "

========================

 

With my warm regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin , " Radhe " <shaantih wrote:

>

> Dandavat pranams to all!

>

> Gita Satsangh Chapter 14, concluding Verses 26 & 27

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

Recently, we had an interesting discussion led by Subbuji to find some common

ground between advaita (Sankara), Dvaita (Madhava) and Vistadavaita (Ramanuja).

We just completed this important chapter on the nature of the Jiva by

investigating the qualities measured through Gunas. One can raise the questions

– " How does the three systems of philosophies treat this chapter from the

philosophical point of view? Can we find some common ground?

 

The satsanghis are quite familiar with Sankara's advaita philosophy which

considers the Brahman as " Nirguna " where as the other two philosophies treats

the Brahman as " Saguna " or " Sarvaguna. " It is also true that in advaita the

description of the Gunas – Sattvik, Rajastik and Tamasik is appropriate only

with respect to Vyvaharika (relative) level of reality. At the Paramarthika

level, the jiva transcends these qualities and become the Nirguna Brahman. In

both Dvaita and Visistadvaita philosophies the question of two realities

(Vyavaharika and Paramarthika) do not exist. We have already discussed in

greater detail on the advaitic position with respect to transcending the

`Gunas. "

 

For both Dvaita and Visistadvaita, transcending the Gunas can be achieved only

with the Grace of Vishnu (Saguna Brahman – the All Powerful Supreme Soul).

Jivas are always at the mercy of the Supreme Lord and consequently those who

practice " unconditional single-minded Devotion to the Lord " will be blessed with

" Purushothama Qualities " as described through verses 24, 25 and 26. Madhava

further clarifies with the following additional observations:

 

The illumination that may be established in others is neither desired nor

detested by one who has transcended the influence of the three gunas. But

sometimes it has been seen that illumined beings seem to again succumb to subtle

desires by the subtle influence of raja guna and tama guna. This can be

perceived by anger or bewilderment; but as they are always in communion with the

Supreme Lord within their hearts even if they appear deluded they will still

always seek the association of the Supreme Lord Krishna alone. Even in the

absence of happiness or the darkest adversity the devotees of the Supreme Lord

remain balanced and are ever equipoised. They are never disturbed because of

lack of wealth, the death of dear ones, harassment by those who are inimical,

bewilderment or fright. In all situations there is never any decrease in their

devotion if anything here is an increase in devotion because the devotee is

humbly reflecting how the Supreme Lord is only allowing the minimum reaction to

past reactions. The word nengate means unwavering. The word udasinavat means

indifferent to the influences of three gunas both subtle and gross. Those who

completely relinquish all activities opposed to dharma or eternal righteousness

which is not pleasing to the Supreme Lord and His devotees will undoubtedly

attain Him. The words sarvarambha means abandonment of all endeavors unrelated

to the Supreme Lord Krishna. Being impassive does not mean being unconcerned or

uncommitted it means being only dedicated to the essential principles of bhakti

or exclusive loving devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna.

 

Ramanuja's commentary of Verse #26 on transcendence of gunas: The state of

transcendence of Gunas is not attained merely by reflecting on the difference

between the Prakrti and the self as declared in the text such as, 'When the seer

beholds no agent of action other than the Gunas, then he transcends the Gunas,

for it is liable then to be sublated by contrary subtle impressions (Vasanas)

which have continued from beginningless time. He who, with unswerving Bhakti

Yoga, namely, one-pointed Bhakti Yoga, serves Me of true-resolve, supremely

compassionate and the ocean of parental affection for supplicants --- such a man

crosses over the Gunas of Sattva etc., which are otherwise invincible. He

becomes worthy for brahmabhuya, the state of brahman i.e., he becomes qualified

for the state of brahman. The meaning is that he attains the self as It really

is, immortal and immutable.

 

The one common ground that I see is all the three acharyas clearly state that

the " transcendence of gunas " is achievable.

 

With my warm regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Here is a brief outline of Dvaita's position with respect to the nature of

Jivas:

" There are three categories of jivas viz. Sattvika, rajasa, and tamasa. These

distinctions are found in their nature, behaviour, food, speech activities and

even the purpose of their functions. Gita gives these in detail. Gita gives the

main features of good and evil tendencies in the form of Asuri sampat and Daivi

sampat and also Sattvika, rajasa, tamasa grouping in all aspects of life. Jivas

are distinct from God not only during samsara stage but even after liberation.

The jivas are different from each other also both during samsara and liberation.

These are different from achetana objects. Thus a five-fold distinction is the

corner stone of Gita metaphysics. These are: the difference between jiva and

jiva, jada and jada, jiva and jada, Jiva and paramatma, and jada and paramatma.

The entire metaphysics of Gita pre-supposes these distinctions. Good many

observations of Gita bring out the distinction between God and jivas, plurality

of jivas, and the other distinctions mentioned above. We may notice a few of

them:, asochyan anva sochah' (II-11) `natveva aham jatu nasam' (II-12)`

Punarjanma napnuvanti mahatmarah' (XVIII-61)' `gacchanti amudhah (XV-5). In all

these the plural employed clearly shows the difference among jivas both during

Samsara and liberation. Gita verses that bring out the supremacy of God are

already pointed out while describing the nature of God. We may notice a few more

here that bring out the distinction between God and jivas. `Tani aham veda

Sarvani na tvam vettha' (IV-5) `Na artavaptam avaptavyain' ( III-22 ) `mat

prasadat tariysati' `mattah sarvam pravartate' (X-8) `aham adirhi devanam' (X•2)

`aham bijapradah pita' ( XIV-27 ) and so on. These clearly show the supremacy of

God and the distinction of jivas from him. All these cannot be brushed aside

merely as vyavaharika positions. These are addressed to a spiritually progressed

soul and therefore cannot depict a false position. "

 

Source: " Essentials of GitaBhashya and Gitatatparya " by Prof. Panduranga,

Bangalore University.

 

 

advaitin , " Ram Chandran " <ramvchandran wrote:

[Guest guest]

Dear fellow satsanghis...

 

I would like to take this moment to thank those who are providing their insights

into the Holy Geeta postings, to supplement the commentaries we are studying as

well as to redirect us to focus upon them once more. As I reread some of the

postings, some thoughts come to my own limited mind. At the beginning of this

chapter, Shri Ramji asked us to consider the ways in which our understanding of

the gunas impacts upon our everyday life and how we deal with others in our

sphere of activities...call it all mithya if you will... but it is still there

on some empirical level of reality :-)

 

I am reminded that what we think and how we approach the world is very much an

influence upon which of the gunas will predominate in our everyday behavior and

this is where the teachings of the Gita can provide us with a dharmic framework

in which to operate in light rather than darkness of spirit. What we eat and why

is also a contributing factor to that balance in favor of sattvic tendencies.

Whether we know how to direct ourselves toward the light is also an important

contributing factor, which includes not only the way we think towards the world

around us, but how we temper our own behavior through sangha, meditation,

reading of the scriptures and yoga or some form of physical activity which

honors the body in a way grounded in nourishment rather than abuse. For myself,

singing and listening to bhajans always helps keep me in balance.

 

Does being sattvic mean being without emotions, reacting to nothing which

happens around us and to us? Perhaps we should focus on maintaining a balance

in our attitude such that we let go of our own fleeting behaviors as much as we

try to balance them. Whether we focus on feelings of anger or sadness or desire

or happiness or contentment, or instead try to let them all flow through us

knowing that we are but the witness to these moments is the true test of our

" balance " of the gunas operating upon our existence.

 

How do the gunas assert an influence upon the personality? Is it one's zodiac

sign that determines the personality, grounded in one's karmic account? If so,

does that mean someone like me, born with so many planets in Leo, is doomed to

roar her way through this life? Thank God my sun sign is in Virgo to provide

the much needed balance!!! So what to do? Shri Ramji wisely pointed out that

we can spend our time dissecting these influences and from whence they came, or

we can spend our time trying to attain a certain balance of peace with them,

working with the clay we were given and molding it the best we can to conform to

an attitude of sattva both towards our own actions and the actions of others.

May we all be gentle with ourselves in those efforts.

 

As pointed out so beautifully by Shri Ramakrishnaji in his recent post, Lord

Krishna reminds us yet again in this chapter, that devoted service to Him is the

path and the goal.

 

Maam cha yo'vyabhichaarena bhaktiyogena sevate;

Sa gunaan samateetyaitaan brahmabhooyaaya kalpate.

26. And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, he, crossing beyond the

qualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.

 

I also add the short article below authored by Swami Tejomayananda of the

Chinmaya Mission, which was posted on another list and which addresses how

nourishment of the sattvic vision within colors the way we view the world...

 

Shri Krishna Sharanam mama!!!

 

In His Service,

 

Radhe

 

--\

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

Unconditional Love Is the Ultimate Vision by Swami Tejomayananda

 

Life is a series of perceptions and responses to the external world. Our

response depends upon our vision and understanding of life and our value system.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna differentiates between the type of vision that

leads to happiness and freedom and the kind that leads to bondage.

 

The noblest or sattvic vision of life is one by which we see the one

indestructible reality in all beings irrespective of their names, qualities, and

characteristics. However, the world viewed through our senses appears totally

different; no two objects are identical. How is it possible to see the one Truth

or the oneness of all beings?

 

The mediocre or rajasic vision is one by which we see all things and beings as

different from each other. When your attention is focused on differences and

numerous dissimilarities are detected, it moulds your attitude towards other

religions, cultures and countries in a negative way. A vision of oneness brings

about integration and a vision of differences creates more and more divisions.

 

We see it happening all the time in our families and with people. It begins

gradually as a simple difference of opinion between husband and wife, two

friends or two communities. Two brothers clash for a greater share in the

property forgetting that they belong to the same family. Once the vision of

oneness is lost, differences are perceived which create conflicts generating

more and more likes and dislikes. Such a person neither lives in peace and joy

nor does he allow others to do so.

 

A tamasic vision is a low kind of vision in which the person gets fanatically

and exclusively attached to just one or some things, persons, experiences or

ideologies. This little finite attachment is taken for the 'whole'. Some people

are crazy and greedy over money, while others are fanatical about power or

pleasures in life. When people give exclusive importance to just one of the many

things of this world, even though they appear to be successful in that

particular field, their total life is miserable because everything else is

neglected. A person with a tamasic vision can never live in peace and happiness.

 

The life of a person with a sattvic vision is predominated by just one emotion;

the emotion of pure love. However, most people neither know what love is nor

understand the meaning of it. Love is a very different thing. Just take the

example of our body. Even though I see the many parts in the body, I have the

vision - " In all these parts there is one Truth, that is myself. I am present

everywhere in all of them. " Therefore, we have equal love for every part of the

body. There is no favouritism. We don't say, " I will only look after my head

when it is unwell, but if something happens to my foot, that's not my problem! "

 

A vision of oneness is a readiness to serve all and it creates an attitude of

forgiveness - kshama. When we hate someone, we actually hate ourselves, because

that someone else is really not different from us. All bodies are made of five

elements; hence the material cause of all is the same. At the same time, there

is the same life force that enlivens me as well as others. Where is the

difference? Therefore, who is hurting whom?

 

Just imagine the state of a person whose heart is filled with love, compassion,

forgiveness and kindness. What will be the state of his mind? Will he not be

totally happy and free?

 

(Swami Tejomayananda)

Chinmaya Mission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste...

 

I thought the article I just posted at this link has a

direct relationship to our discussion of the three

gunas and the importance of nurturing sattvic qualities,

 

" We need to challenge our age old habits and tradition

if they are in direct contrast to the principles of

non-violence and dharma laid down by Sri Krishna in Gita. "

 

 

call-of-the-conch-introduction

 

 

--\

-----

 

As pointed out so beautifully by Shri Ramakrishnaji in his recent post, Lord

Krishna reminds us yet again in this chapter, that devoted service to Him is

the path and the goal.

 

Maam cha yo'vyabhichaarena bhaktiyogena sevate;

Sa gunaan samateetyaitaan brahmabhooyaaya kalpate.

26. And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, he, crossing beyond the

qualities, is fit for becoming Brahman.

 

I also add the short article below authored by Swami Tejomayananda of the

Chinmaya Mission, which was posted on another list and which addresses how

nourishment of the sattvic vision within colors the way we view the world...

 

Shri Krishna Sharanam mama!!!

 

In His Service,

 

Radhe