Janmastami greetings WRT gita by Rama Chandran

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Happy Janmastami!

 

Let us celebrate the birth-day of Bhagwan Krishna by resuming the

Gita Satsangh with the Chapter 12. I believe that the theme of

chapter 12 †" Bhakti (Devotion) is very appropriate for the Janmastami

Celebration.

 

The twelfth discourse indicates that the path of devotion is easier

than the path of knowledge. In this path the aspirant worships God in

His Cosmic Form of the Supreme Personality. He develops a loving

relationship with Him, adores Him, remembers Him and chants His

glories and Name. He thus effects union with the Lord and attains not

only His formless aspect but also the Lord as the manifest universe.

The path of knowledge, whereby the aspirant meditates on the formless

Brahman, is more difficult as he has to give up his attachment to the

body from the very beginning. He has to have dispassion for the

things of the world.

 

How to practice devotion? Krishna asks Arjuna to fix his entire mind

on Him. As often as the mind wanders it should be brought back to the

Lord. If this process of concentration is difficult he should

dedicate all his actions to Him, feeling that it is His power that

activates everything. If this also is beyond his ability, he should

offer all his actions to the Lord, abandoning the desire for their

fruits. He should take complete refuge in Him. The devotee who

surrenders himself to the Lord attains perfect peace.

The Lord goes on to describe the qualities that a true devotee

possesses. He neither attaches himself to anything nor does he have

any aversion to things. He has a balanced mind under all

circumstances. He is not agitated by the happenings of the world, nor

does he himself cause any agitation in others. He is perfectly

desireless and rejoices in the Lord within. He sees equality

everywhere, being untouched by sorrow, fear, honor and dishonor. He

is perfectly content as he has surrendered his entire being to the

Lord.

 

The Chapter 12 is a continuation of the conversation and Arjuna's

question in verse 1 is with a specific reference to Lord Krishna's

explanation of the importance of Bhakti through the last verse of

Chapter 11. Since we stopped the chapter 11 Satsangh several months

before, the last verse, 55 is posted again to help us to recollect

our memory: Tomorrow, we will continue the Satsangh by posting

verses 1 and 2.

 

matkarmakft matparamo madbhaktah sangavarjitah

nirvairah sarvabhutesu yah sa mamets pandava (55)

 

55. O son of Pandu, he who works for Me, accepts Me as the supreme

Goal, is devoted to Me, is devoid of attachment and free from enmity

towards all beings-he attains Me.

 

sarva-bhutesu yah - among all people, the one who;

mat-karma-krt - does all action for my sake;

mat-paratnah - for whom I am paramount;

mad-bhaktah - who is devoted to me;

sanga-varjjtah - who is free from attachment;

nirvairah ~ who is free from enmity;

sa mam eti- he comes to me;

pandava †" Arjuna

 

Sankaracharya in his Bhasya (commentary of Gita) states that the

essence of entire Gita is summarized through verse # 55: Bhagwan Sri

Krishna in verse #53 poses the puzzle that through the study of

Vedas, austerity and rigorous sacrificial rites with gifts alone will

not qualify one to get God- realization. Then naturally the question

arises that what else will qualify the seeker to get God-

realization. He was expecting this question and He provides the

answer through verse #55. His answer is quite simple but very

profound. According to Lord Krishna, every seeker who practices

his/actions by acquiring three specific positive qualities and by

discarding two negative tendencies: The transformed personality is

characterized as:

 

(1) Matkarmakrt (Karma Yogi)

(2) Matparatnah (Jnana Yogi)

(3) Madbhaktah (Bhakti Yogi)

(4) Sangavarjitah (free from raga)

(5) Nirvairah (free from dwesha)

 

What is stated above is the Vedantic Menu for human liberation from

the bondage of Samsara (cycle of life and death). Though what has

been suggested above is quite simple, we seem to resist changing our

attitude while dealing with everything that we do and everyone that

we encounter in our life. The prescribed medicine is quite effective

for removing all our miseries. All that we need is to pledge to

become a matkarmakrt, matparatnah and madbhaktah and willing to

conduct our actions without raga (attachment) and dwesha (dislike or

enmity).

 

The matkarmakrt Yogi is a Karma Yogi who acts spontaneously without

any selfish desires. The madbhatah Yogi is a Bhakti Yogi with an

infinite love (ananyabhakti) for the Lord. The Matparatnah Yogi is

the Jnana Yogi who recognizes that Atman is the Supreme. This Karma-

Bhakti-Jnana Yogi is the PERFECT YOGI (Sthitaprajna) spelled out in

great details in chapter 2, verses 55 to 72.

 

Sankara in his Bhashya points out that a complete comprehension of

this verse requires thorough understanding of Advaita Vedanta

Philosophy.

 

This verse can be explained through a BMI Chart provided in the link

(http://www.chinmaya dc.org/BMI. htm) and outlined below with a

simple

chart::

 

Aum < ===== Vasanas ====> Body ---- Mind ---- Intellect

 

Aum represents the Atman (Brahman), Vasanas are the Egocentric

accumulated desires, and Body, Mind and Intellect represent the false

identity of the SELF.

 

Matkarmakrt conducts all physical actions with an attitude that such

actions to the benefit of the Lord (everyone in the universe).

Matparatnah intellectually recognizes that he/she is not the doer and

Self is the doer . Matbhaktah is totally emotionally filled his/her

mind with the Self without an iota of separation. In conduction all

actions the seeker has no raga (attachment) or dwesha (likes and

dislikes) and thereby free the egocentric desires. Such a seeker is

able to recognize his/her True Identity with the Atman (Self).

 

What I have provided a simple description of the transformation of a

Jiva to the Atman and any further explanation will bring more notions

and definitions and consequently more questions and confusions!

 

With my warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran