Part 4: A Roman sthitha-pragnya -- Marcus Aurelius AD 121-180

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

As students or adherents of Vedantic faith and

philosophy, we may often find ourselves asking the

question: is there anywhere in the " paurANic "

tradition -- i.e. in the wealth of stories and fables

therein -- can we find anywhere there a character or

characters who may be said to typify, one-hundred per

cent, the Ideal Man described as " sthitha-pragnya " in

the Bhagavath-Gita? Someone who is out-and-out,

un-adulterated, absolute personification of a

" sthitha-pragnya " ?

 

If we did find such a character perhaps then we may be

able to better understand and appreciate the

definitive description given in Gita Verses 54-72 of

the true " sthitha-pragnya " ?

 

********************

 

In the scriptural treatises and various exegetic

traditions of Vedanta in India, it is not often easy

to point out to a " paurAnic " character and say

definitively or categorically that he represents,

personifies or symbolizes a certain Vedantic concept,

ideal or principle -- such as saying, this character

is the quintessential " gnyAni " , typical " bhakta " , pr

archetypical " karma-yOgi " or that he is the perfect

" prapanna " .

 

Usually, in the story of the " itihAsa " or " purAna " , a

particular character may exhibit traits and

behaviour-patterns of more than one nature. The

characteristics of BhismAchArya in the Mahabharata,

for example, are several and various in nature. These

are demonstrated at several different points of time

in the dramatic sequence of the narrative flow of the

epic. In one situation Bhishma appears to conform to

the Vedantic mould of the true devotee i.e. the

" bhakta " . At other points of time in the story, he

seems to exhibit the characteristic behaviour of a

true and authentic " gnyAni " . And at yet other points

of time in the story --- especially in the terminal

moments of his life when he prepares to depart from

the world on the battle-field of Kurukshetra -- the

words and actions of Bhishma seem so touchingly

reflective of the ideal " prapanna " " surrendering all "

at the feet of the Almighty appearing before him in

the form of Lord Krishna.

 

Doctrinaire commentators of " paurAnic " tradition

however usually look at the major or predominant

behavioural pattern of Bhishma's character in the

" itihAsa " and are wont to hold it up as the perfect

illustration of the model (or rather " role-model " ) of

either an ideal " bhakta " or alternatively, as an ideal

" gnyAni " as alluded to in pure philosophical terms in

the " Bhagavath-gita " .

 

***************

 

The point of the matter is, few " paurANic " characters

may thus be said to be 100% " gnyAni " or 100%

" karma-yOgi " or 100% " prappana " etc. These separate

and individual " role-model " ideals are generally found

as a composite of elements collectively constituting

the overall character in the " itihAsa " or " purAna " ;

and this may well be what it ought to be, since human

behaviour-moulds, as we all know from common-sense, is

rarely, if ever, made up of any one single element. It

is always complex, it is always an amalgam of several

traits, of several motivational drives, of more than

one urge or aspiration.

 

So, the question still worth pursuing and examining is

this:

 

Where in the " paurANic " tradition -- i.e. in the

wealth of stories and fables therein -- can we find

the character or characters who typify the Ideal Man

described as " sthitha-pragnya " by the Bhagavath-Gita?

 

****************

(to be continued)

 

daasan sudarshan m.k.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm Regards,

Sudarshan

 

" A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth as much as

life " .

(Andre Malraux)

 

 

Chat on a cool, new interface. No download required. Go to

http://in.messenger./webmessengerpromo.php

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamin,

 

>>The Gita in verses 54-72 of the Gita deals with the

ideal of " sthitha-pragnya " in purely philosophical

terms i.e. of inquiry, examination and elucidation. <<

 

These are quite simple and straight forward verses.

Certainly do not need analysis paralysis.

It may be hard to follow (to put to practise),

but not difficult tounderstand!

Also that is not for all to adopt either.

 

We don't need any other shaastra to

understand the essential teachings of BG.

We need to cleanse BG- sort of liberate it

from the clutches of divisive Bhaashyams.

 

gI-tA su gI-tA ka-rta-vyAh

kim a-nyaih shA-stra vi-sta-raih?

 

dAsan

 

K.S. tAtAchAr