Understanding the Gita: One Woman’s Quest PART V Conclusion By Krsna Priya (Sangeet Bird)

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Understanding the Gita: One Woman’s Quest PART V Conclusion By Krsna Priya (Sangeet Bird)* Sangeet Bird BA (Hons) Eng Lit. (Essex) Sangeet is an Om Kara Kriya Diploma graduate and a senior member with many years of experience teaching Yoga. Born in India she teaches in Colchester, Essex, UK. Sangeet offers classes and private tuition. Information regarding appointments and classschedules may be obtained at her Website:http://anandakapilagraduateteachers.weebly.com/sangeetbird.html Gnana-Yoga In the Gita the Gnani learns of his individual soul and Prakriti: the one changeless, permanent, indwelling the other before him manifest in the

material world while at the same time encasing ‘him’ in a body that is part of the manifest world. The two are quite distinct. Prakriti’s essence is by its very nature continual change: change on the outside and on the individual level of ‘my body’, ‘my senses’, ‘my mind’, ‘my intellect’. This is the kshetram within which events occur. Beyond these two is the third and higher principle of God: the Universal Intelligence, the Cosmic Order. This third is immanent in the soul as well as the material world, yet transcends them both. When this truth in its infinite complications is realised one may truly term such an intellectual a Gnani and masterful sage of the Yoga of Knowledge. Gnana may be seen as twofold: the minutiae of intellectual perfection being lower knowledge and Spiritual wisdom the higher. Albeit at two levels these are not discontinuous for we know that every science after its own fashion

reflects a higher wisdom, a facet of the immutable truth of which anything of any ‘reality’ incorporates. The scientific mode of discriminative knowledge is the building block for a higher understanding for each scientific truth is but a brick in the wall of the whole truth. Each brushstroke or scientific fact illumines a partial picture, and at the same time allows the mind to understand that there is much more to the full truth or picture. Step by step the darkness is dispelled, light is thrown upon that which we do know, and we gain a conception of that which we do not. In the Gita Krishna edges Arjuna towards the brink of the beauty of the whole, but in the end has to bestow him with divine sight to enable his comprehension, for it is beyond the abilities of his human vision. Similarly we are unable to comprehend the immenseness of Gnana from our puny intellectual strivings and it is only when through these struggles we develop spiritual wisdom

are we able to appreciate the fullness of knowledge which becomes wisdom. Along this path, as on the path of Karma Yoga, the Gnani or seeker needs must develop jijnasa or disinterested passion for knowledge: it is the attitude of mind once more that is seminal to development. It is this which lifts man out of his circumscribed conditions and limitations allowing him to subsume the individual self in the contemplation of the Universal principles of existence. Knowledge for the sake of power or fame eventually stumbles and falls. It is the selfless seeker who attains the pure spirit of the heights of Gnana. The Gita explores the philosophy of Samkhya in order to investigate principles of reality transcending those of any particular science and modifies it along the way. Samkhya speaks of the duality of Purusa (self) and Prakriti (not self). In the Gita they both become subordinate to God. Selves are many, remaining forever

disparate; it is the Self which is the permanent entity underlying all of the changes in conscious life. It is not the soul in the usual sense but the pure inactive, self luminous principle which is neither derived from, nor dependent upon, nor determined by the world, but is singular and at the same time integral to it all. We are not that self, but we posses that self and may become that self. Prakriti in itself is also a prime element which is in its initial form embryonic matter with all its components in perfect balance and hence avyakta or the unmanifested. The evolution of prakriti gives rise to the gross and the subtle in the manifest world: mental and material phenomena. It is said to be composed of rope like strands or gunas, three in number which become apparent in a variety of ratios resulting in a plethora of actual existence. They are termed sattva or lightness, movement or rajas and heaviness or tamas. In the subtle realm of mentation

they present as goodness, passion and dullness. It is when the soul understands it is not bound forever by Prakriti it finds freedom. In the Gita the duality of Purusha and Prakriti merge to present the True nature of the Highest Principle, God. Avidya or evil is caused by being ensnared in the gunas. The gunas are the shackles which hold the soul upon this material plane. Dependent upon the predominance of the guna the soul rises or falls, advances or descends. To know that the self is ensnared and then to be able to choose not to be fettered by the overwhelming desire to act accordingly is to find release from bondage. In everyday life we merely skim the surface of this knowledge as passions rage within us and without pause for thought we jump in, regretting ever after an action unprepared. The endeavour then is to achieve complete awareness of body, mind (thoughts/emotions) and actions so we may notice the discord within us

caused by the unequal presence of the gunas and work to achieve an harmonious balance before action. A tall order for generally we end up compromising and therefore subsuming some emotion which may surface later in an unguarded moment causing strife on more than one level. To be master of oneself is to be above temptation. How many of us may claim this beatific state. Certainly, not I. Arjuna in the Gita was subject to temptations. It is only in stillness that the soul finds peace and man gains insight. While encased in the human body (Prakriti or movement) such stillness is almost impossible. The Gita gives an instance of how one may come close to such stillness, by avoiding bodily excess, finding a place free from distractions, seeking a comfortable seat, regulating the breath and making the mind one pointed in order to become harmonised and a yukta – one in God. Such systematic practice may result in siddhis which are seen as

distractions on the path. To practice one-pointedness with such supernatural prowess as the aim is vanity for such antics are spiritually void. The Gita advocates inner evolvement and Lord Krishna as Yogeshwara aids us in life, guiding us along the spiritual path, helping us to find a way beyond the fetters of flesh and highlights it’s true relation to the problems of daily life. Bhakti Marga Devotion or Bhakti is the opening of the heart, a conscious and concentrated connection of love and trust with a personal God (Ishta Devata). To worship the unseen is not easy for ordinary human beings, yet the mass of Indians find this the most accessible path and in each home there is a puja room. Great warmth and emotion is poured into daily worship and so the soul expands. If the path of Gnana suits the intellectual, the path of Bhakti is open to all from the high to the low, from the educated to the illiterate from

the enlightened to the ignorant. For all those who come to me for shelter, however weakor humble or sinful they may be – women or Vaisyas orSudras – they all reach the Path supreme. 9.32AndNot by the Vedas or an austere life, or gifts to the poor,Or ritual offerings can I be seen as thou has seen me.Only by love can men see me, and know me, and comeunto me. 11.53,54Also consider the opening verses of Chapter 12. To sacrifice ones love is not as effortful as seeking to go beyond the limitations of the flesh through disciplined thinking, or ever-mindful dharmic action. In which ancient eon did Bhakti find its beginnings? How may one say? We find hymnals of praise and prayerful worship in the Rg Veda, the upasanas of the Upanishads and since then inner piety has been part of Indian culture. It runs seamlessly throughout the Gita for we have before

us not a distant, cold, unforgiving God unmoved by human passions, endeavours and quandaries but a caring concerned guide and mentor who receives and gives love in return. He assures us, ‘For this is my word of promise that he who loves me shall not perish.’ In the Gita Bhakti is pure bhakti, it does not include any yoga techniques, nor does it incorporate any intellectual contemplation or self analysis. Through love of Him the human soul cleaves to God. The devotee through remembrance of Him along every step of the life path dwells upon his wisdom, goodness and power with a devoted heart. He speaks of his qualities incessantly, swapping stories, relishing repeatedly tales of his birth, pranks, loves, life, and sayings. He sings bhajans in praise of Him, alone and with others. His life is an outpouring of pure love for his God. Everything he does is done in service of Him and humanity. The devotee’s entire life is

centred and directed around and towards God. Adoration becomes the rasa of the spiritual life. In return God says, ‘I abide not in heaven nor in the hearts of yogis; I dwell where My devotees sing My glory.’ There are innumerable tales of such devotion within Hinduism which stir young hearts and give them role models to follow, which is one reason India continues to produce saints across the social divide. Bhakti in its pure essence leads to Gnana or wisdom. Pure magic, this is the gift of their beloved Bhagavan. The Gita enlarges and embellishes the devotee’s path to Divinity for it is an utter giving of the self to the Self and nothing is held back. Bhakti is its own reward for at all times it carries with it the knowledge and energy of the perfect human being that ever dwelt. This pervades the soul to the extent the lover becomes one with his Beloved. Conclusion There are those who

are familiar with the Gita as part of the Mahabharata and those who are not; there are those who have read or heard it as part of the longer epic telling of the warring clans and Lord Krishna’s involvement and those who have not. There are many who have read the Gita lifted out of its setting and seen beauty, value and meaning in it. Read in isolation the Gita is a philosophical dialogue with a peripheral plot and no substantial story, yet it speaks to humanity across caste, creed and race. It is this that marks it out as a true classic over and above other philosophical dialogues and truly it is a song to the Adorable One. * Not only is the Bhagavad-Gita pre-Christian; but it is also pre-Buddhistic as well. That the Bhagavad-Gita is pre-Buddhistic can be determined by the fact that no where is there any reference to Buddhism. Whereas in the Buddhist scripture Niddesa written in 4 B.C. in the Pali Canon is

found reference to the worship of Vasudeva and Baladeva, who are Krishna and Balarama respectively. Although some scholars surmise that the mention of nirvana six times gives them reason to assume that this might be contrary. The word nirvana is always compounded with the word brahma as in brahma-nirvanam meaning identified with the Ultimate truth or with the word paramam as in nirvana-paramam meaning identified with the Supreme. In Buddhism the word nirvana is used to mean extinguished or dissolved in terms of loss of separate existence. As the word nirvana by itself is also used in the Mahabharata in the sense of extinction it can be determined that the Buddhists received this concept of nirvana from earlier Vedic scriptures. (http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:HHxD6x0ZXN4J:www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/intro.html+Krishna+mentioned+in+the+Niddesa & cd=4 & hl=en & ct=clnk) Mascaro Juan The Bhagavadgita Penguin Classics 1962Mascaro Juan Upanishads Penguin

Books 1965McArthur Tom Yoga and the Bhagavadgita The Aquarian Press 1986Radhakrishnan The Bhagavadgita George Allen and Unwin 1976http://www.vedah.com/org2/literature/rig_veda/gods_of_veda/bhaga_savitri.html#tophttp://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rGB5hTCTzZoC & pg=PA79 & lpg=PA79 & dq=Vaisnaviya+Tantrasara & source=bl & ots=4xNLk2FyED & sig=5afK7wPDCVuZubEmAeZMsZ-x5sA & hl=en & ei=Pxm-SvPjPN-hjAfl0PEl & sa=X & oi=book_result & ct=result & resnum=4#v=onepage & q=Vaisnaviya%20Tantrasara & f=falsehttp://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/vishnuparva/hv_2_019.htmlhttp://www.interfaith.org/hinduism/bhagavad_gita/bhagavad_gita_18.phphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavata_Puranahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gitahttp://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:oazorHdKSzQJ:www.ibiblio.org/sripedia//archives/srsvol/msg00127.html+Rg+Veda+4.26 & cd=5 & hl=en & ct=clnk & gl=uk & client=firefox-a>http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/vedic-upanisads/vedic-archeology.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER Hon General Secretary, Pondicherry Yogasana Association 25, 2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry, South India-605 013 Tel: +91-413 - 2622902 / +91-413 -3203314/+91-413 -2241561 Mobile: 9842311433 Website: www.icyer.com www.geocities.com/yognat2001/anandahttp://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=yognat2001 & p=r