Gita Satsangh Chapter 15 Conclusion and Summary

[Guest guest]

Namaste dear all:

 

Happy Deepavali:

 

We are all grateful to Radheji for posting the Gita Verses with a nice format

and with commentaries of Sankara and notes from Swami Chainmayanandaji's and

Swami Gambiranandaji's books.

 

This chapter is known as the Purushothama Yoga or the Yoga of the Supreme

Spirit. In this chapter Bhagavan Sri Krishna discusses the nature of the Spirit

in all its implications. It is one

of the rarest pieces of literature available in the world that contains the

nature of the Spirit with great details. This chapter is quite brief but it

beautifully indicates the Infinite with precision. Lord Krishna assures, " those

who without confusions know Me as the Person Supreme, know their True Divine

Nature " . He extols this theme that gives liberation to all from sorrows,

agitations and restlessness. The Lord affirms that through this most secret

teaching the jiva will be able to gain the ultimate wisdom.

 

This chapter starts with the declaration that the Asvattha, the eternal sacred

tree grows with its roots above and its branches below, and the leaves of which

are the Vedas; He who knows this knows the Vedas. Its branches growing out of

the three qualities with the objects of sense as the lesser shoots, spread

forth, some above and some below; and those roots which ramify below in the

regions of mankind are the connecting bonds of action. Its form is not thus

understood; it has no beginning, nor can its present constitution be understood,

nor has it any end. When one cuts down with the strong axe of dispassion this

Asvattha tree with its deeply-imbedded roots, then that place is to be sought

after from which those who there take refuge never more return to rebirth. The

reason for this due to the fact that it is the Primeval Spirit from which flow

the never-ending stream of conditioned existence.

 

The liberation doesn't come automatic but one has strive for it and

Lord Krishna suggests the necessary accomplishments (only necessary but not

sufficient!)

those who are free from pride of self and

whose discrimination is perfect,

who have prevailed over the fault of attachment to action,

who are constantly employed in devotion to meditation upon the Supreme Spirit,

who have renounced desire and are free from the influence of the pair of

opposites

 

All those with the above virtues can become wise and reach the ultimate place of

no return, the self-illumed Supreme abode.

 

The Lord further declares: " It is even a portion of myself which, having assumed

life in this world of conditioned existence draw together the five senses and

the mind in order that it may obtain a body and may leave it again. " The world

is carried by the Sovereign Lord to and from whatever body He enters or quits,

even as the breeze bears the fragrance from the flower. Presiding over the eye,

the ear, the touch, the taste, and the power of smelling, and also over the mind

H experience the objects of sense. The deluded do not see the spirit when It

quiet or remains in the body, nor when, moved by the qualities, It has

experience in the world. But those who have the eye of wisdom perceive it, and

devotees who industriously strive to do so see it dwelling in their own hearts.

Those who have not overcome themselves, who are devoid of discrimination, see it

not even though they strive thereafter. Know that the brilliance of the sun

which illuminate the whole world, and the light which is in the moon and in the

fire, are the splendor of Myself. I enter the earth supporting all living things

by My power. Becoming the internal fire of the living, I associate with the

upward and downward breathing, and cause the four kinds of food to digest. I am

in the hearts of all, and from Me come memory, knowledge, and also the loss of

both. I am to be known by all the Vedas; I am He who is the author of the

Vedanta, and I alone am the interpreter of the Vedas. (These are brief

restatements of His Vibhuti presented in Chapter 10)

 

" There are two kinds of beings in the world, the one divisible, the other

indivisible; the divisible is all things and the creatures, the indivisible is

called Kutastha, or H who stands on high unaffected. But there is another spirit

designated as the Supreme Spirit -- Paramatma -- which permeates and sustains

the three worlds. As I am above the divisible and also superior to the

indivisible, therefore both in the world and in the Vedas am I known as the

Supreme Spirit. He who being not deluded know me thus as the Supreme Spirit,

knoweth all things and worships me under every form and condition.

 

" Thus, O sinless one, have I declared unto thee this most sacred science; he who

understands it, O son of Bharata, will be a wise man and the performer of all

that is to be done. "

 

This concludes chapter 15 and Radheji will be posting Chapter 16 verses starting

from 25th of October during the week of Deepavali Celebrations. The Sixteenth

Chapter of the Bhagavadgita tells us that it is our duty to work in co-operation

with the universal power of integration - the Divine (Daiva), and not the

(Devil) Asura. The Asura, or the devilish, the demonical power, is that which

pulls us out of ourselves, drives us away from the Self, takes us away from our

own Center, makes the Self the non-self, and converts us into objects while we

are the Subject in ourselves. This is the dark power that works in a mysterious

manner, moving earth and heaven, to transform everything into an object rather

than the subject with a status of its own. The soul within is the representative

of the Universal in us. Deepavali week is a great time to get rid of darkness

with the light of wisdom!

 

Happy Deepavali

 

Ram Chandran

[Guest guest]

Wonderful summary Ramchandranji and thanks to Radheji for the great work.

 

 

 

If any of the members are interested, you may wish to check out my Learn to

Chant Series for Chapter 15 at

<http://mantraaonline.com/learn-to-chant-gita-sanskrit-15/>

http://mantraaonline.com/learn-to-chant-gita-sanskrit-15/

 

 

 

It is also available with English and Tamil Text and for all 18 chapters of

the Gita.

 

 

 

Warm regards and Happy Deepavali

 

 

 

Sowmya

 

http://www.gitaaonline.com/

 

 

 

advaitin [advaitin ] On Behalf

Of Ram

12 October 2009 17:16

advaitin

Gita Satsangh Chapter 15 Conclusion and Summary

 

 

 

 

 

Namaste dear all:

 

Happy Deepavali:

 

We are all grateful to Radheji for posting the Gita Verses with a nice

format and with commentaries of Sankara and notes from Swami

Chainmayanandaji's and Swami Gambiranandaji's books.

 

This chapter is known as the Purushothama Yoga or the Yoga of the Supreme

Spirit. In this chapter Bhagavan Sri Krishna discusses the nature of the

Spirit in all its implications. It is one

of the rarest pieces of literature available in the world that contains the

nature of the Spirit with great details. This chapter is quite brief but it

beautifully indicates the Infinite with precision. Lord Krishna assures,

" those who without confusions know Me as the Person Supreme, know their True

Divine Nature " . He extols this theme that gives liberation to all from

sorrows, agitations and restlessness. The Lord affirms that through this

most secret teaching the jiva will be able to gain the ultimate wisdom.

 

This chapter starts with the declaration that the Asvattha, the eternal

sacred tree grows with its roots above and its branches below, and the

leaves of which are the Vedas; He who knows this knows the Vedas. Its

branches growing out of the three qualities with the objects of sense as the

lesser shoots, spread forth, some above and some below; and those roots

which ramify below in the regions of mankind are the connecting bonds of

action. Its form is not thus understood; it has no beginning, nor can its

present constitution be understood, nor has it any end. When one cuts down

with the strong axe of dispassion this Asvattha tree with its

deeply-imbedded roots, then that place is to be sought after from which

those who there take refuge never more return to rebirth. The reason for

this due to the fact that it is the Primeval Spirit from which flow the

never-ending stream of conditioned existence.

 

The liberation doesn't come automatic but one has strive for it and

Lord Krishna suggests the necessary accomplishments (only necessary but not

sufficient!)

those who are free from pride of self and

whose discrimination is perfect,

who have prevailed over the fault of attachment to action,

who are constantly employed in devotion to meditation upon the Supreme

Spirit,

who have renounced desire and are free from the influence of the pair of

opposites

 

All those with the above virtues can become wise and reach the ultimate

place of no return, the self-illumed Supreme abode.

 

The Lord further declares: " It is even a portion of myself which, having

assumed life in this world of conditioned existence draw together the five

senses and the mind in order that it may obtain a body and may leave it

again. " The world is carried by the Sovereign Lord to and from whatever body

He enters or quits, even as the breeze bears the fragrance from the flower.

Presiding over the eye, the ear, the touch, the taste, and the power of

smelling, and also over the mind H experience the objects of sense. The

deluded do not see the spirit when It quiet or remains in the body, nor

when, moved by the qualities, It has experience in the world. But those who

have the eye of wisdom perceive it, and devotees who industriously strive to

do so see it dwelling in their own hearts. Those who have not overcome

themselves, who are devoid of discrimination, see it not even though they

strive thereafter. Know that the brilliance of the sun which illuminate the

whole world, and the light which is in the moon and in the fire, are the

splendor of Myself. I enter the earth supporting all living things by My

power. Becoming the internal fire of the living, I associate with the upward

and downward breathing, and cause the four kinds of food to digest. I am in

the hearts of all, and from Me come memory, knowledge, and also the loss of

both. I am to be known by all the Vedas; I am He who is the author of the

Vedanta, and I alone am the interpreter of the Vedas. (These are brief

restatements of His Vibhuti presented in Chapter 10)

 

" There are two kinds of beings in the world, the one divisible, the other

indivisible; the divisible is all things and the creatures, the indivisible

is called Kutastha, or H who stands on high unaffected. But there is another

spirit designated as the Supreme Spirit -- Paramatma -- which permeates and

sustains the three worlds. As I am above the divisible and also superior to

the indivisible, therefore both in the world and in the Vedas am I known as

the Supreme Spirit. He who being not deluded know me thus as the Supreme

Spirit, knoweth all things and worships me under every form and condition.

 

" Thus, O sinless one, have I declared unto thee this most sacred science; he

who understands it, O son of Bharata, will be a wise man and the performer

of all that is to be done. "

 

This concludes chapter 15 and Radheji will be posting Chapter 16 verses

starting from 25th of October during the week of Deepavali Celebrations. The

Sixteenth Chapter of the Bhagavadgita tells us that it is our duty to work

in co-operation with the universal power of integration - the Divine

(Daiva), and not the (Devil) Asura. The Asura, or the devilish, the

demonical power, is that which pulls us out of ourselves, drives us away

from the Self, takes us away from our own Center, makes the Self the

non-self, and converts us into objects while we are the Subject in

ourselves. This is the dark power that works in a mysterious manner, moving

earth and heaven, to transform everything into an object rather than the

subject with a status of its own. The soul within is the representative of

the Universal in us. Deepavali week is a great time to get rid of darkness

with the light of wisdom!

 

Happy Deepavali

 

Ram Chandran