Bhagavatgita a detailed study chapter13.The field and the knower

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24. Dhyaanena aathmani paSyanthi kechith

aathmaanam

aathmanaa

 

anye saankhyena yogena karmayogena cha apare

Some

perceive the Self in the self, through meditation, by the self. Others follow

the path of sankhya and still others follow karnayoga.

 

In

this and the next sloka Krishna, before elaborating on the perception of the

reality through the knowledge, briefly mentions the different means to attain

the highest knowledge of the Absolute Reality.

 

Those

who are endowed with the greatest self discipline attain the Supreme Self by

following the path of Dhyana as outlined in the chapter 6 in detail. To this

kind of seeker the inner control is already accomplished through viveka and

vairagya. He is at the last stage when the only thing that remains is the

Brhamasaakshaathkara, perception of reality.

 

aathmani paSyanthi aathaamaanam

aathmana- He sees the aathma, the

Self in his self(mind) by his self(intellect). Contemplating on the Lord

through the intellect purified by viveka and vairagya one sees the Lord in His

mind which is cleansed of all impurities by the fire of jnana.

 

anye saankhyena yogena- The sankhyayoga mentioned here is the jnanayoga

while the earlier one is Dhyanayoga. JNanayoga consists in the study of the

sasthras to acquire viveka and vairagya and aspire for the attainment of the

Supreme through the application of knowledge thus gained..

 

The

study of sastras gives one the knowledge that all that we gain in this world and the next that give us joy and sorrow are

transient and have to be given up. This is called iha amuthra phala viraaga.

 

As

a result of this knowledge a desire to be free from the cycle of birth and

death arises and this is mumukshuthvam,

the desire for freedom from bondage. Then by contemplation on the Supreme with

steadfast mind free from impurities of raga and dvesha one attains the goal

of realization.

 

Others

who lack the knowledge and power of self control follow the karmayoga by

offering all their actions mental and physical to the divine through which

their mind gets cleansed of the concept of `I' and `Mine,' after which they are

able to concentrate on the divine all the time what ever they do and wherever

they are and through this single-pointed contemplation attain mukthi.

 

25. anye thu evam ajaananathaH Sruthvaa

anyebhayaH

Upaasathe

 

the api athitharanthi eva mrthyum SruthiparaayaNaaH

 

 

Others,

not knowing thus, (as mentioned above) contemplate on the Divine. They too

attain immortality, faithfully following what they have heard.

 

To

follow the paths referred to above one requires a saathvik nature free from

thamas and with rajas only minimal. Rajas kindles the ego and thamas induces

inactivity. People with mind full of ragadhvesha could not follow any

discipline to control their mind. Similarly people full of thamas, do not have

the knowledge that they are ignorant or even if they do they are too indolent

to get out of the ignorance. Even these people if they have the good fortune to

hear about the real nature of the Self or about the glory of the Lord and come

to believe it to be true, they follow the advice given by the instructor and

follow them faithfully.

 

A typical example could be found in the

metamorphosis that came about in the case of Valmiki who was a hunter before he became a sage. Narada

advised him to chant Rama nama to free himself of his sins and he could not say it. Then Narada pointed out to a tree

and asked him its name .The hunter said

that it was maraa tree. Then Narada told

him to chant the name of the tree incessantly. The hunter had absolute faith in

the words of the sage and chanted mara mara and it sounded rama rama , without

even noticing an anthill, valmeeka, that was forming around him and he became

Vakmiki in course of time. So even without knowledge and necessary

qualifications to learn the sastras and to meditate one could attain

immortality through faith alone.