Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam series: Posting 261/Desika Prabhandham : GeethArTa Sangraham : Part 21

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear BhakthAs of Lord PaarTasArathy :

 

Today , we will study the FIFTEENTH Chapter of

SrImath Bhagvath GeethA .This chapter has

20 slOkams . This chapter is about " The Mystery

and gradeur of the Supreme Lord ( PurushOtthaman) " .

 

Introduction to the Fifteenth Chapter :

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AchArya RaamAnujA's commentary as translated by

Swamy AdhidEvAnandha is as follows :

 

" The THIRTEENTH Chapter dealt with the KshEtrA

(Field) and the KshEthjn~A ( the field knower ) ; it was

shown after an examination of the nature of Prakruthi

and self , that the beginningless conjunction of the pure

self consisting only of infinite knowledge, with the prakruthi ,

transformed into the forms of gods , humans , animals , birds

etc., causing the flow of attachment of the self

to the guNAs of the Prakruthi .

 

In the FOURTEENTH chapter , the following points

were treated : (1) the conjunction of the self

with the prakruthi in its two states of effect and cause

has attachment to the guNAs for its source and it is

determined by the Lord Himself; (2) The manner of (their)

attachment has been stated in detail; (3) The (re)attainment of

the true nature of the self preceded by the annihilation of

attachment to the GuNAs has devotion to the Lord as

its means . All these have been discussed.

 

Now in the FIFTEENTH chapter , SrI KrishNa begins to speak of

the adorable Lord as having the absolute control of the Universe

consisting of the perishable or bound selves (Kshara) and

the imperishable or freed selves(akshara) . He also states that

the Lord is the Supreme Person because of His unmatched greatness

in being antagonistic to all that is evil and in being endowed with

auspicious attributes , which are different in kind from both

the perishable and imperishable selves and which constitute

His glory . Then to elucidate the manifestation called Akshara

( freed souls) whose bondage has been cut off by the sword of

non-attachment , the Lord describes the modification of Kshara

or non-intelligent Prakruthi into the form of bondage that has

to be cut off . This modification of bondage-creating Prakruthi

is compared to the Aswattha tree ( Pipal tree) with its roots above

and branches below " .

 

Swamy AlavanthAr's summary of the 15th chapter

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achinmisrAdhvisuddhAccha chEtanAth PurushOtthama:

vyApanAth bharaNAth swAmyadhanya: panchadasOdhitha:

 

(Meaning): In the fifteenth chapter , the Supreme Person is

declared to be other than the self both in its state of conjunction

with non-conscient matter ( Prakruthi, the achEthanamm) and

in its state of pristine purity , because the Lord as PurushOtthaman

pervades , sustains and rules over them ( Prakruthi, ChEthyanam and

achEthanam). and the universe .

 

BhagavAn , the SarvEswaran ( Lord of all) is distinctly different from

both the chEhtanam with prakruthi sambhnadham (Bhaddha Jeevan) ,

and the pristinely pure ChEthanam ( Muktha Jeevan) without any

admixture of prakruthi and its three guNams ( PurushOtthama:

achinmisrAth chEthanAth cha anya This is so because He

is pervading both inside and outside ( vyApanAth) is supporting

all (BharaNaath) and is the Lord of all (SwAmyAth).

 

Vedam declares , " Sa: Utthama: Purusha: ( He is the Supreme

Pursushan " . VishNu purANam and SrImath RaamAyaNam

salute Him as PurushOtthaman .

 

The word " PurushOtthama: " can be defined in one of the three

ways: " PurushEbhya: Utthama: , PruushANAm utthama: and PurushEshu

Utthama: " . Srutha PrakAsikai , the commentary of Sudarsana

Soori on SrI BhAshyam and Swamy Desikan's commentary on

SthOthra Rathnam of Swamy AlavanthAr support all of these

three definitions .

 

Thus , the three chapters( 13th , 14th and 15th ) of the Lord's GeethA

elaborated on the three tatthvams ( Chith , achith and Iswaran)

in that order .

 

Swamy Desikan's summary of the 15th Chapter

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Moovettinum athin mOham adaintha uyirhaLinum

naa yettezhutthOdu nalveedu naNNina nambarinum

mEvu yettu vann guNa viNNOrhaLinum Visayanukku

thAvittu ulahaLanthA taLai vERenRu sARRinanE !

 

(Meaning ): The Lord who jumped to measure the worlds

as Thrivikraman (ThAvittu ulahaLanthAn) instructed

ArjunA that He is different from Prakruthi with its

24 sub-tatthvams ( mUvettinum vERu ) . He revealed

to ArjunA further that He is distinctly different again form

both the Bhaddha Jeevans ( Jeevan admixed with the three

guNams of Prakruthi) , which become Muktha Jeevans

through unceasing AshtAkshara manthra japam ( practise of

unwavering Bhakthi yOgam). Finally , the Lord explained that

He is also different from the eternally liberated souls ( Nithya Sooris)

as well , who are characterized by the 8 aathma guNams

( Daya to all jeevans , forbearance against offenses ,

lack of jealousy , Purity , lack of sorrow , thinking of

doing good to others , lack of greed and VairAgyam).

 

Some key slOkams of the fourteenth chapter :

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SlOkam 2 :

 

The branches of SamsAram ( called Asvattha tree)

spread out both above and below and are nurtured

by the three guNAs. Their tender shoots are sense

objects ( SabdhAthi vishaya PallavA: ) . Above , this tree's

branches and shoots manifest as GandharvAs , YakshAs ,

demi-gods/dEvAs etc and are nourished by the Satthva guNam;

down below the branches of this AswatthA tree spread as

bhaddha Jeevans ( products of their karmAs) in the form of

men , beast , bird , insect et al.

 

This AswatthA tree can be uprooted with the sharp axe of

detatchment form the sense objects constituted by the three

guNAs.Then the erroneous knowledge ( vipareetha Jn~Anam)

that the Jeevan is the same as SarIram is destroyed and

the agency ( karthruthvam) of the three guNams that held

the pristine Jeevan in bondage is understood , which in turn

leads the way to moksham.

 

SlOkam 6:

 

mamaivAmsO jeevalOkE jeevabhUtha: sanAthana:

mana: shashtAneeindhriyANi prakruthisTAni karshathi

 

(Meaning): " An everlasting part of Myself (SanAthanO

Mama amsa:) having become the bound self in the world of

life , attracts the senses , of which the mind is the sixth ,

and which abide in Prakruthi. " The ear ( sabdham: hearing sense) ,

the eye , the sense of touch (sparsam) , the nose ( gandham) ,

and the mind constitue the 6 senses.

 

The KarmAs attract the selves(Jeevans ) here and there

and transform them into bound jeevans . The individual

Jeevan is the Master of all senses and the mind ( the 6th sense)

in its embodied state and leads to the existence as Bhaddha

Jeevan . It becomes Karma vasyan and toils in SamsAram .

Whatever body the bhaddha jeevan takes as a result of its

karmAs , it takes with it the senses with their subtle elements ,

just as the wind carries/wafts the fragrances ( that it had

encounterd ) , wherever it moves .

 

SlOkam 15

 

Sarvasya chAham hrudhi sannivishtO

Mattha: smruthir-Jn~AnamapOhanam cha

vEdaisccha sarvairahmEva vEdhyO

vedAnthakruth-vEdavidhEva chAham

 

(Meaning): " And I am seated in the hearts of all.

From Me arise memory , knowledge and their removal

as well . Indeed I alone am to be known( as the indweller

of all chEthanams and achEthanams ) from all the vEdAs.

I bring about the fruition of the rituals of the VedAs

( GeethA slOkams 7.21-22 and 9.24) . I alone am

the knower of the VedAs ( I know the Veda that speaks

about Me) . "

 

SlOkam 16

 

There are two kinds of persons ( PurushAs) that SaasthrAs

refer to: (1) the Perishable (Kshara) and , (2) the imperishable

( akshara purushan , the unchanging kUtasthan ). From the lowly

blade of grass to the mighty Braham dEvan are Kasharaas.

They are conjoined with achEthana prakruthi and its three

guNams in different proportions . The akshara purushans are

the liberated Jeevans and are free from prakruthi-sambhandham.

 

SlOkam 17

 

Utthama: Purushasthvanya: ParamAthmEthyudhAhrudha:

yO lOkathrayamAvisya Bhibharthyavyaya Iswara:

 

(Meaning ) : " There is the Supreme Purushan other than

these two Purushans ( Ksharan and aksharan). That

Supreme One is named the Supreme Self ( ParamAthmA)

in all the VedAs. He , who , as the immutable One and

the Lord , entering the threefold world , supports it . "

 

The Supreme Purushan ( Iswaran) is " a category distinct

from the bound (kshara) and liberated (akshara) Purushans " .

He is their ruler and indweller and is celebrated by the smrithis

and the VedAs as the PurushOtthamn ( athOsmi lOkE vEdE cha

praTitha: PurushOtthama: ) .

 

SlOkam 19

 

yO MaamEvamasammUDO jAnAthi PurushOtthamam

Sa sarvavidh-bhajathi Maam SarvabhAvEna BhAratha

 

(Meaning ) : " He who , without delusion thus knows Me as

the Supreme Self , knows all , Oh ArjunA , and worships Me

in every way . "

 

SrI GeethAchAryan instructed ArjunA on His PurushOtthama--

prathipAdhanam ( PurushOtthama VidhyA) and described it as

the mysterious and esoteric doctrine that can be revealed

only to the right (Qualified ) adhikAri . Knowledge of

the PurushOtthama VidhyA will make the knower a truly

wise person and make him as the one , who has fulfilled

all his duties ( yEthath BhuddhvA BuddhimAn syAth ,

kruthakruthya: cha ) .

 

Sarvam KrishNArpaNam asthu ,

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil VaradachAri SadagOpan

Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka

SrivaNN Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: