Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam series: Posting 260/Desika Prabhandham : GeethArTa Sangraham : Part 20

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of Lord PaarTasArathy :

 

Today , we will study the FOURTEENTH Chapter of

SrImath Bhagvath GeethA .This chapter has

27 slOkams . This chapter is about Division

according to the Three guNAs .

 

Introduction to the Fourteenth Chapter:

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AchArya RaamAnujA's commentary as translated by

Swamy AdhidEvAnandha is as follows :

 

" It was shown in the 13th Chapter that by knowing

the truth concerning the nature of Prakruthi and

the Self , which are conjointed with one another ,

one is freed from a bondage by means of Jn~Ana

consisting of modesty etc., when favored by devotion

to the Lord. And it was also stated that the cause of

bondage consists in attachment to pleasure etc ., which

arises from prior linkage with GuNAs such as SatthvA

etc., on the authority of passage like " its attachment to

the guNAs is the cause of birth in good and evil wombs "

( GeethA: 13.21) . Now , it is proposed to describe how

the GuNAs become the cause of bondage and how their

hold can be removed " .

 

Swamy AlavanthAr's summary of the 14th chapter

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guNabhandha-vidha: tEshAm karthruthvam tannivathanam

gathithraya-svamoolathvam chathurdasa udheeryathE

--- --- 18th slOkam of GeethArTa Sangraham

 

(Meaning ): " In the fourteenth chapter are expalined

the various ways in which the guNAs bind the self

(JeevAthman), how they (guNAs) are the agents in respect of

all works and how the Supreme Person (ParamAthmA )

is the basis of all the three ends attainable , namely ,

heavenly sovereignity , the abidance in the pristine

state of the self , and dwelling in the Lord " .

 

There are FOUR key group of words that have been

chosen by Swamy AlavanthAr to summarize the core of

the 14th Chapter of GeethA :

 

1) GuNa-bhandha-vidhA , (2) tEshAm karthruthvam ,

(3) tannivartthanam , (4) Gathithraya -svamoolathvam .

 

Let us comment on them one by one following the way

chosen by ThirukkaLLam Swamy :

 

1) GuNa-bhandha-vidhA : This is the way in which the three

guNams-- Sathvam , Rajas and Tamas -- bind the jeevan

to SamsAram . Among the three , Satthvam promotes bonding

to Sukaham , Jn~Anam and facilitates the performance of

(puNya) KarmAs that binds the jeevan to samsAram. RajO

guNam creates desire for every (worldly ) thing other than

BhagavAn and leads the jeevan to perform karmAs that ends up

in the Jeevan swirling in SamsAric ocean . Tamas shackles

the jeevan very tightly to SamsAric jail and creates sleepiness ,

disinterest , procrastrination in doing things .These are

the prAkArams ( ways ) of GuNams which ties up the jeevan

to SamsAram (GuNa-bahndha-vidhA:).

 

2. tEshAm karthruthvam : Jeevan's acts based on desire , anger ,

sorrow ; attachment is caused by the operation of the three guNAs.

It is not jeevan's nature to have desire , anger etc. Water does not

scald one in its intrinsic form . Jalam however scalds due to

sambhandham with fire. Similarly , Jeevan's svaroopam ( intrinsic

nature ) is endowed with auspicious attributes(Sath guNams).

Jevan however through sambhnadham with Prakruthi made up

of three guNams ends up in egaging in activities , which are

inconsistent with its intrinsic nature. This is referred to by

the two words : " tEshAm Karthruthvam " .

 

3) Tannivartthanam : Those who elect the Lord as their ultimate

goal ( phalan , fruit of their efforts) and exhibit unwavering Bhakthi

to Him will not be influenced any longer by the three guNams .

They cross the MaayA of BhagavAn (Prakruthi) and attain a status ,

which equals the Lord's attributes in many areas ( Parabrahma Saamyam).

Such a person is a Parama SaathvIkan. He looks upon a lump of

earth with the same feeling of detatchment as he looks at a ball of gold.

These people , who have overcome the Bhagavann-MaayA are known as

" GuNAdheethar " . Unwavering Bhakthi to Me is the only route to cross

My maayA says the Lord . All the three goals -- -- Iswaryam ( worldly

wealth , Kaivalyam ( direct visualization of the Self) and Moksham

( freedom from the cycle of birth and death ) are granted by

the Lord and Lord alone .

 

4) Gathi-thraya-moolathvam: Our Lord (VaasudEvan) alone grants

the three purushArTams : Kaivalyam , Iswaryam and Moksham .

Gathi Thrayam refers to these three Phalans .

 

Swamy Desikan's summary of the 14th Chapter

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mukkuNamE uyir muRRavum kattida mooNDamayum

mukkuNamE anaitthum vinai koLLa muyanRamayum

mukkuNa mAyai kadatthalum mukkathi tanthaLippum

mukkuNam aRRa PirAn mozhinthAn mudiyOn tanakkE

 

--- 15th Paasuram of GethArTa sangraham of Swamy Desikan

 

(Meaning ): Jeevan by Svaroopam is not capable of doing

Paapa or PuNya Kaaryams . It is pristine pure and is of

Jn~Ana Svaroopam . Satthva , Raajasa and TamO guNams

( the triad making up Prakruthi) does these karmAs

and makes the Jeevan believe that it did these karmAs .

Satthva guNam creates the attachment for the Jeevan

in Sukham and knowledge and makes the jeevan

perform karmAs that are appropriate towards that goal. RajO

GuNam creates the desire for carnal pleasures between men

and women and pushes the jeevans to engage in karmAs

that bind them to samsAram . The TamO guNam creates

laziness , viparItha Jn~Anam and lack of focus in activities

and leads to Jeevan accumulating many Paapams that

shackle the Jeevan to SamsAric prison .

 

The Jeevan becomes a muktha jeevan by performing

its karmAs without expecting any Phalan , rejcting anya

devathA aaradhanam even by mind and pursuing bhakthi

yOgam firmly . That type of Jeevan crosses the Sambhandham

with Prakruthi made up of the three guNams and becomes

the Muktha Jeevan .

 

BhagavAn is the only omnipotent One , who can grant

the three PurushArTams ( Kaivalyam , Iswaryam and

Moksham). The Lord devoid of the three guNams described

these tatthvams to Arjuna in the 15th chapter .

 

Some key slOkams of the fourteenth chapter :

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sarva-yOnishu KounthEya Moorthaya: sambhavanthi yaa:

thAsAm Brahma mahathyOnir-- aham Bheejapradha: pithA

--- --- SlOkam : 4

 

(Meaning) : " Whatever forms are produced in any womb ,

Oh Arjuna, the Prakruthi is their great womb and I am

the sowing Father " . The Lord says that He is " the imbedder

of muliplex of conscient selves according to each one's

karmAs " .

 

Satthvam Rajas-tama ithi guNA prakruthi-sambhavA:

niBhadhnanthi MahAbhAhO dEhE dEhinamavyayam

--- --- SlOkam 5

 

(meaning ): " Satthva , Rajas and Tamas are the guNAs that

arise from the Prakruthi .They bind the immutable self in

the body , Oh ArjunA " .

 

Jeevan is not in its pristine state, when it is conjoined

with the three guNAs ( of Prakruthi). GuNAs bind the Jeevan ,

when the jeevan resides in the body . Sathtva guNam for instance

conjoined with the Jeevan binds latter through attachment to pleasure

(Sukham ) and knowledge ( Jn~Anam) . Rajas binds the embodied self

with attachment to work ( " Karma sangha dhvArENa , rajO

dEhinam niBhadhnAthi). Tamas arising from erroneous knowledge

deludes ( causes Mohanam ) all embodied souls .Tamas binds

the Jeevan with " negligence , indolence and sleep " ( aalasyam ,

anArambha svabhAva: and sthaBhdhathA ) .

 

KarmaNa: sukruthasyAhu: saathvikam nirmalam Phalam

rajasasthu phalam dukkham ajn~Anam tamas: phalam

--- --- SlOkam 16

 

(Meaning ): " The fruits of a good deed , they say , is pure

and is of the nature of SatthvA . But the fruit of rajas is

pain ; and the fruit of tamas is ignorance.

 

naanyam guNEbhya: karthAram yadhA dhrashtAnupasyathi

guNEbhasccha param vEtthi madhbhAvam sOadhigacchathi

--- --- SlOkam 19

 

(Meaning ) : " When the seer beholds no agent of action

other than the GuNAs , and knows what transcends the GuNAs ,

he attains to My state " .

 

One who stays in pure Saathvic state gets there by partaking

Saathvic food and the practise of asanchala (unwavering )

Bhakthi yOgam and through nishkAma karmAnushtAnam

(i-e)., He does every thing to please the Lord and does not seek

any phalans for his karmAs . This noble seer comprehends that

the guNAs are the agents of action and not the self. The pure-

natured self (pristine by inherent svaroopam) " gains agency

through various actions by contact (sambhandham) with

the guNAs springing from past karmAs . When one percieves

the self in this way , namely , that the self by itself is no agent

of actions and is of the nature of infinite knowledge (Jn~Anam) ,

then , that self attains to the likeness of the Lord ( Brahma saamyam) " .

That self attains immortality (vimukthO amrutham asnuthE).

That noble seer has the vision of the self being totally different

from the three guNAs . He rises above the guNAs . He becomes

qualified for the state of Brahman ( Sa: BrahmabhUyAya kalpathE).

through his unswerving , unshakable practise of Bhakthi yOgA .

That noble seer with the conviction that realizing " VaasudEva

is all " is a rare one and is a MahAthmA dear to the Lord ,

who is immortal( Saasvathan) , the embodiment of eternal

dharmA and the perfect sukham ( bliss principle) . By taking

refuge in the Lord , the Jn~Ani with one pointed mind

transcends the three guNAs to attain Braham saamyam state .

The concept of Prapatthi is introduced here as an angam (limb) of

Bhakthi Yogam . There is another point of view that holds

that Prapatthi by itself is an independent path (means) to

attain Moksham and Brahma Saamyam. Bhakthi yOgam is

not with in the reach of all .It is extremely difficult to practise.

Hence the act of Prapatthi that is open to all and is doable

in a trice ( short time) and does not take long to yield fruit

is considered by AchAryAs to be superior as the means for

Moksham .

 

Sarvam KrishNArpaNam asthu ,

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradachAri SadagOpan

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

SrivaNN Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: