Divine Qualities-jnaanayogavyavasthitih

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Dandavat pranams to all!

 

 

 

Chapter 16- Verse 1...the divine qualities.

 

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha: Abhayam sattwasamshuddhih jnaanayogavyavasthitih; Daanam damashcha yajnashcha swaadhyaayastapa aarjavam. (BG 16.1)[Declaring the first attributes of the list of the divine qualities, ] The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in Yoga and knowledge, alms-giving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity and straightforwardness,

The first three qualities form a divine triangle within which all the others orbit. Just as Lord Krishna encapsulates the three gates to hell in verse 20 (BG 16.20), advaitin/message/47351 , so too, He encapsulates the three gates to moksha (liberation) in the first verse to this chapter.

 

As we have noted earlier, in his post on abhayam (fearlessness), Shri Shyamji noted that fearlessness came first in the list and examined the reason behind that. Sattwasamshuddhih (or purity of mind/heart) came next encompassing the divine qualities so as to be the final jump off Samsara Mountain into surrender's fearless leap. How do we get to the top of the mountain but with persistence and determination, a burning desire for Divine union? The third enumerated quality...jnaanayogavyavasthitih, which denotes steadfastness in Yoga and knowledge.

 

By this yoga, we refer to the union with Divinity or Brahman (viewing things from a vyAvahArika standpoint. See advaitin/message/37512 , for an earlier post by Shri Sastriji on the meaning of this term) How can there be union with that which one already is? The perception of "union" occurs upon the realization that there never was separation in the first place. But this realization can only occur with the descent of Divine Grace, lifting the veil of maya.

It is so stated in the Mukanda Upanishad 3.2.3:

 

nÄyam ÄtmÄ pravacanena labhyona medhayÄ, na bahunÄ Å›rutena,yam evaiá¹£a vṛṇute tena labhyastasyaiá¹£a ÄtmÄ vivṛṇute tanÅ«á¹ svÄm.(Mukanda Upanishad 3.2.3)

This Self cannot be realized by studying the scriptures, nor through the use of reason, nor from the words of others–no matter what they say. By the grace of the Self the Self is known; the Self reveals itself.

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Throught the Holy Gita, our Blessed Lord gives us guidance and instruction in what is needed on our part:

 

abhyaasa yOga yuktEna cEtasaa naanyagaaminaa, paramam pursham divyam yaati paarthaanucintayan. (BG 8.8)With the mind not moving towards any other thing, made steadfast by the method of habitual meditation, and constantly meditating, one goes to the Supreme Person, the Resplendent, O Arjuna! (BG 8.8)

 

To expand upon this verse, I have reproduced Swami Gambiranda's translation and commentary below:

 

O son of Prtha, by meditating with a mind which is engaged in the yoga of practice and which does not stray away to anything else, one reaches the supreme Person existing in the effulgent region.

"Partha, O son of Prtha; anu-cintayan, by meditating, i.e. contemplating in accordance with (anu) the instruction of teachers and scriptures; cestasa, with a mind; abhyasa-yogayuktena, engaged in the yoga of practice-abhyasa, practice, consists in the repetition of the same kind of thought, uninterupted by any contrary idea, with regard to Me who am the object of concentration of the mind; that practice itself is yoga; the mind of a yogi is engrossed (yuktam) in that itself; with a mind that is such, and na anya-gamina, which does not stray away to anything else which is not inclined to go away to any other object; yati, one reaches; the paramam, supreme, unsurpassed; purusam, Person; divyam, existing in the effulgent region (divi), in the Solar Orb."

As Sri Ramana Maharshi has said... "You may go on reading any number of books on Vedanta. They can only tell you ‘Realize the Self’. The Self cannot be found in books. You have to find it for yourself in yourself." Real knowledge, or jnana, is not found in books or discourses...it is found in the Heart, where the Lord Himself resides, in each of us.

That does not mean that books are not an important part of understanding and knowledge. In fact, the study of the scriptures is mentioned in the list in verse 16.1. The scriptures are a source of profound knowledge and guidance, but they are indeed the finger pointing to the moon. You will not find it short of Grace. You can write about it. You can talk about it. And you can sound very convincing that you know what it is. But jnana is not to be found in clever arguments or scholarly dissertations, for it exists pure and untainted by the material world as we know it.

 

Sometimes the Lord's Grace falls upon the most unsuspecting, and from all appearances to the observer and the recipient, the most undeserving of persons. Better not to question why, as the observer or the receiver! But for certain, there is a why in the promise He makes in the verse below, and the means to that end...jnaanayogavyavasthitih.

 

Manmanaa bhava madbhakto madyaajee maam namaskuru;Maamevaishyasi satyam te pratijaane priyo’si me. (BG 18.65)

Fix thy mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me. Thou shalt come even to Me; truly do I promise unto thee, (for) thou art dear to Me.

 

Swami Gambiranda's translation and commentary:

Have your mind fixed on Me, be My devotee, be a sacrificer to Me and bow down to Me. (Thus) you will come to Me alone. (This) truth do I pormise to you. (For) you are dear to Me.

 

 

 

Bhava manmana, have your mind fixed on Me; be mad-bhaktah, My devotee; be a madyaji,sacrificer to Me, be engaged in sacrifices to Me; namaskuru, bow down; mam, to Me. Offer ever your salutations to Me alone. Continuing thus in them, by surrendering all ends, means and needs to Vasudeva only, esyasi, you will come; mam, to Me; eva, alone. (This) satyam, truth: do I pratijane, promise; te, to you, i.e. in this matter I make this true promise. For, asi, you are; priyah, dear; me, to Me.

 

Hare Krishna!!!