Chapter 15 concludes...

Bg 15.18

yasmāt kṣaram atīto ’ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ

Bg 15.19

yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata

Bg 15.20

iti guhya-tamaṁ śāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛta-kṛtyaś ca bhārata

Om tat sat iti śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniśadsu 
brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasamvāde 
puruṣottamayogo nāma pañcadaśosdhyāyaha

Translation

18. As I transcend the perishable and I am even Higher than the Imperishable, I am declared as the PURUSHOTTAMA (the Highest -PURUSHA) in the world and in the VEDAS.

19. He who undeluded, thus knows Me, the Supreme PURUSHA , he, all-knowing, worships Me with his whole being, O Bharata.

20. Thus, this most secret science (teaching) , has been taught by Me, O sinless one. On knowing this (a man) becomes 'wise' , and all his duties are accomplished, O Bharata.

Commentary

SHOWING THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE VERY TERM, PURUSHOTTAMA, THE LORD SHOWS HOW HE IS REALLY THE SUPREME:

Explaining the very word Purushottama, Lord Krishna says that Pure Consciousness is HIGHER than both the 'Perishable 'and the 'Imperishable.' The Perishable can continue its processes of change only against the Imperishable Truth. It is a scientific fact that no change is perceptible without reference to a changeless factor. If two trains are both moving at the same speed no movement is recognised by perceivers in both the trains. If the changes in the world of Matter --- the body, the mind and the intellect are recognised, then there must be a steady principle that illumines all these different changes. This constant factor among the Perishing is called the Imperishable.

This illumining factor gathers its status as the "Imperishable" only with reference to the "Perishable" realms. Once the perishable realms are transcended, the Imperishable amidst them Itself comes to shine forth as the Pure Infinite, which is the Purushottama. Since the Truth, Purushottama, is experienced only on transcending both the 'Perishable' and the 'Imperishable,' It is known by the term the 'Highest-Spirit' --- Purushottama. This term is used to indicate the Supreme-most Self, both by the ancient sacred volumes (Vedas), and by the poets and writers of the world.

NOW THE LORD SPEAKS OF THE FRUITS GAINED BY ONE WHO REALISES THE SUPREME TRUTH AS DESCRIBED ABOVE:

'Undeluded' means, one who has totally detached oneself from one's wrong identifications with body, mind, and intellect, and therefore, also from the world of perceptions, feelings, and thoughts, which these vehicles provide.

THUS KNOWS ME --- To 'know' here is not a mere intellectual comprehension, but a deep subjective spiritual apprehension. That the undeluded one thus experiences in himself that he is the Purushottama-principle Itself, seems to be the suggestion here.

Such a man who has fully identified himself with the Infinite "Me" alone is a true devotee, who 'WORSHIPS ME WITH ALL HIS BEING'; such a one is the greatest of devotees, declares the Geetaacharya. Identification with the beloved is everywhere the measure of love; the greater the love, the greater is our identification with the object of our love. Therefore, arithmetically, total identification should be the maximum Love or devotion.

The Highest Spirit, Purushottama, being the Infinite Consciousness, it is the 'All-knower', inasmuch as whenever anything is known through perception, feeling, or thought, it is the Principle of Consciousness that illumines it. One who has transcended one's matter-equipments and has successfully sought and discovered one's spiritual nature as the Infinite Consciousness, that individual, as the Supreme Awareness, is indicated here as the "All-knower" (Sarvavit).

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE NATURE OF THE LORD IS THE THEME OF THIS CHAPTER AND THE FOLLOWING CONCLUDING VERSE KRISHNA EXTOLS THIS THEME, WHICH GIVES LIBERATION TO MAN FROM ALL HIS FLESH-BORN SORROWS, MIND-BORN AGITATIONS AND INTELLECT-BORN RESTLESS-NESS:

In this concluding verse Krishna says that He has taught in this chapter 'THE MOST SECRET SCIENCE.' The spiritual science (Brahma-vidya) is termed as 'secret,' not in the sense that it should not be given out to anybody, but that it is a knowledge which cannot, of its own accord come to anyone, unless one is initiated into it by a 'Knower of Reality.'

O SINLESS ONE --- 'Sin' means an act, a feeling or a thought, which having been perpetrated, entertained, or thought of, comes back after a time to agitate our bosom with its insulting taunts and helpless regrets. In short, SIN is the resultant of the past that comes to demean our self-estimate and creates in us a lot of mental storm and consequent dissipation. One who has thus an inner personality which carries disturbing memories of undignified acts and cruel schemes, has indeed, a bosom that is ever agitated and restless. Such a mind-intellect-equipment cannot consistently apply itself to any serious and deep investigation into the subtle realm of the Pure Awareness that lies beyond the frontiers of the intellect. Therefore, the term 'sinless' in the context here only means "O STEADY-MINDED, ALERT AND VIGILANT STUDENT."

He who has realised this PURUSHOTTAMA-STATE of Consciousness becomes 'wise,' for he cannot thereafter make any error of judgement in life and thereby create confusions and sorrows for himself and for others around him.

The second of the benefits accrued by entering the Purushottama State is the enjoyment of a complete sense of fulfilment (Krita-krityataa) --- a total and overwhelming joy that comes to a man when he realises that he has fully accomplished what is expected of him. This is promised here in this verse as the reward for the realisation of the Purushottama-stage.

Thus, in the UPANISHADS of the glorious Bhagawad-Geeta, in the Science of the Eternal, in the scripture of YOGA, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the fifteenth discourse ends entitled:
THE YOGA OF THE SUPREME SPIRIT

Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta

Introducing Purushottama Yoga - Chapter 15, the cornerstone of Gita

CHAPTER XV
The Supreme Spirit

In this section consisting of the concluding six chapters of the Geeta, there is, as all through the Geeta, a systematic development of ideas and a logical building up of the theory that the ever-changing, finite world of multiplicity is but a PROJECTION on the Infinite, and that the endless painful experiences are all caused by our own MIS-APPREHENSION OF REALITY. In the Thirteenth Chapter, the World-of-Matter and the Realm-of-Spirit were beautifully described and brought within our intellectual comprehension. The Field-of-Experience (Kshetra), and the Knower-of-the-Field (Kshetrajna) were clearly pictured and it was shown that the "Knower-of-the-Field" minus the "Field-of-Experience" is the Pure Awareness, at once Infinite and Permanent.
In this chapter the Geeta acharya discusses the nature of the Spirit in all its implications. In terms of the known alone can the unknown be indicated. The world of the known is the manifested objects of perception, emotions and thoughts. "No effect can be without a cause," and all effects sustain themselves in their own material cause. Basing his arguments upon this logical fact, the Divine Charioteer helps us lift our minds from the known phenomena to the unknown Noumenon.

With reference to the perishable, finite world of constant change, the Spirit is defined, in this chapter, as the Imperishable, Infinite, Changeless Factor, which is at once the substratum and the nourishment for the imperfect world-of-plurality. The Infinite is thus defined as the Imperishable (Akshara) with reference to the perishable (Kshara) equipments-of-Matter. After thus indicating the antithesis of change as changelessness, He will explain how the Experiencer of the changes, which are infinite in variety, is even something other than that which we know as the CHANGELESS. This Unconditional Eternal Factor, is called by the Geeta as the Purushottama.

In the concluding lines, Lord Krishna assures Arjuna that He has given out this greatest secret: "HE WHO WITHOUT CONFUSIONS, KNOWS ME THUS AS THE PERSON SUPREME, KNOWS ALL; AND WITH HIS WHOLE BEING DEVOTEDLY WORSHIPS ME." In short, this chapter is one of the rarest pieces of literature available in the world, that so directly indicates the Infinite. For the beauty and brevity of the stanzas in this chapter, no other portion even in the Geeta can stand a favourable comparison. In India, from the ancient days onwards, this chapter has been recited before taking food as a prayer by the Brahmins.

|| Chapter - 15 ||

Source: The Holy Geeta

Human Behaviour - A General Theory

In an expansive mood, I recently came up with a general theory of human actions, choices, aspirations and prayers.

I think my action always falls into one of three categories, at least as a dominant descriptor. So I am always either surviving, relating, or creating.

,When I walk on the road, I am in surviving mode, especially watching out for oncoming traffic, potholes and pits, garbage dumps and dogs.

Of course, at that time, if I am walking with a friend, especially someone I like very much and whose company I don't get much of, I am relating to him/her first and foremost. Then only comes surviving the travails of walking on the road.

When I am at a party, I am mostly relating. If I am called to introduce my friend to the audience, I go into the creating mode. I am not implying that I am making up tales, but that I am verbalising and communicating to the audience in a way that best describes my friend and our friendship, and there is an element of creativity in it.

So I am always primarily in one of three modes. But consciously, I am choosing my mode because I am actually experiencing "being". In other words, I can do any of these three only when I am consciously being.

What if I am thoughtlessly acting, sleepily passing time, and actually mindlessly moving about? Either by choice or by a kind of mental inertia, I am then choosing to be not in the "being" mode. Then this discussion is actually irrelevant.

As I grow and evolve, I start becoming better at each of these three actions, by a kind of conscious effort. I survive illness, hardship, emotional turmoil, and environmental challenges, better. I relate to people better, by being more centred in them and their welfare. I go beyond my immediate selfish ends and think and act for a larger social purpose.

I create better, too. I get trained, or become more efficient in doing what I like, as a creator.

I start enjoying in the next stage my being, in its essence, with an innate sense of well-being. My need to defend against perceived or non-existent threats goes down. I can relate even to strangers, and become a more vibrant, positive, member of the social circle. People start enjoying my company. It seems that my being is enriched by my relating.

Similarly, when I rest after joyfully creating something, it is less of an ego-trip and more of a sense of being a part of a beautiful whole.

Do you see where I come from?

In the next post, I will talk about my choices, aspirations, and even prayers in these three modes.

Concluding Chapter 14: February 23, 2017

Bg 14.26

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

Bg 14.27

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham amṛtasyāvyayasya ca
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca

Om tat sat iti śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniśadsu 
brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasamvāde 
guṇatrayavibhāgayogo nāma caturdaśosdhyāyaha

Translation

26. And he, serving Me with unswerving devotion, and crossing beyond the GUNAS, is fit to become BRAHMAN.

27. For I am the Abode of BRAHMAN, the Immortal and the Immutable, of everlasting DHARMA and of Absolute Bliss.

Commentary

Being a practical text-book of religion, the Geeta is never satisfied by giving mere philosophical discourses. Every discourse, after explaining a definite aspect of our philosophy, prescribes immediately a way of training by which the imperfect can aspire to be and ultimately achieve Perfection.

HE WHO SERVES ME WITH UNSWERVING DEVOTION --- Love for God is called "devotion." Our minds revel readily and with pleasure wherever there is love. Our entire nature is fed by our thoughts, and, as the thoughts, so the mind. To contemplate steadily upon the Infinite Nature of the Self is, ultimately, to become the Self, and thus end our limited, mortal ego.

Contemplation upon the nature of the Lord in all sincerity and intensity cannot be maintained effectively at all times. As we are today, we are not capable of maintaining the mind in a state of meditation all the time. Therefore, Krishna, knowing this weakness of man, advises a practical method of maintaining this thought for a longer period of time through the process of dedicated service (seva). That all work, if intelligently undertaken in a spirit of dedication and service, can be readily converted into a worship, has already been explained in Chapter-III. This clearly and evidently shows that mere devotion to the Lord is not enough. The Gita Acharya expects his devotees to bring religion from the Pooja-rooms and temples to the fields of their every-day-life of activities and in all their contacts with others around.

Such a practice of constant God-awareness and dedicated service removes the agitations of the mind and tunes up the inner instrument for a more efficient flight through meditation. Tamas and Rajas get more and more reduced, and thereby the proportion of Sattwa in the seeker's subtle constitution increases. And such a seeker "IS FIT TO BECOME BRAHMAN." Such an individual who has gained a wealth of Sattwa in his inward composition will discover in himself a greater ability and poise during his meditation. The re-awakening to the consciousness of the Self cannot then be very far off.

Here, it is said that the seeker is fit for becoming Brahman. To realise Brahman is to become Brahman, to realise the waker, is to become the waker.

HOW CAN THE SAGE HIMSELF BE BRAHMAN? LISTEN:

In describing the Yoga of Devotion and its ultimate goal, the Geeta has already indicated: (XII-8) "YOU SHALL NO DOUBT LIVE IN ME THEREAFTER"; and the devotee, under the inspiration of his love, will forget himself as a separate individual, and his mind will merge with his point-of-contemplation, the Lord. In the previous stanza, we were told, "HE WHO SERVES ME WITH UNSWERVING YOGA-OF-DEVOTION", will steadily transcend his identification with his Matter-envelopments. To the extent the ego dies, to that extent the experience of the Divine can manifest. To retire from waking is to enter the hall-of-sleep; and while one is dozing, one is walking further and further away from the realm-of-wakefulness and proportionately entering the peaceful abode-of-sleep.

To leave completely one plane-of-Consciousness, is to enter entirely into another plane of Consciousness. The waker himself totally becomes the DREAMER and the DREAMER knows no waking-state. The DREAMER ends his dream when he either wakes up to the world or slides into the joys of peaceful slumber. There is no transaction across the frontiers of these distinct planes-of-Consciousness.

FOR, I AM THE ABODE OF BRAHMAN --- The Self that vitalises the seeker's bosom is the Pure Consciousness, that is the same everywhere, "IMMORTAL and IMMUTABLE, ETERNAL and BLISSFUL." To realise the Self within, is to realise the Infinite Self. To taste a piece of cake is to taste all cakes of all times and for all times, because the KNOWLEDGE OF the taste of cake is ever the same. In the realm of experience, if a meditator apprehends the Self in him, he at once experiences the Omnipresence of the Self. As long as a pot exists, the pot-space is seen distinct from the space around. Once the pot is broken, the pot-space itself becomes the unbounded space in the Universe; similarly, when life's false identifications with the body, mind and intellect are broken down --- in short, when the ego is dead, the Awareness of the Infinitude rises up to flood the bosom with THE ETERNAL DHARMA AND THE UNFAILING BLISS.

Shri Shankara, in his extremely rational and analytical commentary, gives for this stanza three alternative interpretations, each one not contrary to the others, but each one elucidating more and more the philosophical contents of this verse. Shankara says "BRAHMAN IS PARAMATMAN, IMMORTAL AND INDESTRUCTIBLE. HE ABIDES IN ME WHO AM THE SELF (PRATYAG-ATMAN). THAT BEING THE SELF, ONE RECOGNISES, BY RIGHT KNOWLEDGE, THE IDENTITY OF THE SELF IN ONESELF AND THE SELF EVERYWHERE."

Shankara gives an alternative meaning to the verse: "IT IS THROUGH THE POWER (MAYA) INHERENT IN BRAHMAN, AS ISHWARA, THAT HE SHOWS GRACE TO HIS DEVOTEES. I AM THAT POWER IN MANIFESTATION, AND THEREFORE, BRAHMAN AM I."

Again, as another alternative interpretation, he suggests a third meaning which, as we said earlier, is not contrary to the former two suggestions, but, in fact, paints in greater detail, the beauty of the stanza and its contents. "BY BRAHMAN IS MEANT HERE THE 'CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN'; WHO ALONE CAN BE SPOKEN OF BY SUCH WORD AS 'BRAHMAN'... CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN ALONE CAN BE CONCEIVED OF IN THE FINITE INTELLECT, PERCEIVED BY THE MIND AND EXPRESSED THROUGH LANGUAGE AS A CONTRAST TO MATTER. Here the term Brahman only means Spirit as opposed in nature to inert Matter. Thus, Matter and Spirit, both factors conceived by the limited intellect, are limited and so finite objects of knowledge. But both are known by the Consciousness, the Supreme. Therefore "I, THE UNCONDITIONED AND THE UNUTTERABLE, AM THE ABODE OF THE CONDITIONED-BRAHMAN, WHO IS IMMORTAL AND INDESTRUCTIBLE."

The Illuminator is always different from the illumined. The "subject" is the knower, and the "object" is the known. Krishna, the Infinite, represents the Eternal Subject, and therefore, He is the Abode of all "objects," including the concept of the Self which is the Spirit that vitalises and gives a similitude of sentiency and appearance of activity to all the Matter-envelopments. The conditioned Brahman (sa-upadhika) rests upon the Consciousness that is aware of it, which is the Unconditioned (nir-upadhika) Brahman.

In the following chapter (XV-16, 17 and 18) it will be explained as the three Atmans: Anatman, Jivatman and Paramatman.

Thus, in the UPANISHADS of the glorious Bhagawad-Geeta, in the Science of the Eternal, in the scripture of YOGA , in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the fourteenth discourse ends entitled:
THE YOGA OF GUNAS
Om Om Om Om Om

Source: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta

Introduction to Chapter XIV

CHAPTER XIV
The Gunas-(THE THREE MOODS)

We have been told so far that the Spirit, functioning through Matter, brings forth the expression of an individual who lives his experiences in the world. It is very well known to students of science that the world-of-Matter is the same everywhere. The minerals, the liquids and the gases --- each true to its own properties, is the same everywhere. The spiritual teachers of all times have uniformly declared that the vitalising principle in Matter is the Spirit, and this Spirit is universally the same everywhere. It is all-pervading and eternally dynamic. In short, we are told that when the One Truth expresses through a world-of-Matter --- which is also homogeneously the same --- the varieties that constitute the Universe arise --- obviously, this contains in itself an uncompromising paradox.
The above idea, expounded exhaustively in the previous chapter, does not provide us with any explanation for the innumerable varieties that we meet with in the world. There are evident distinctions in nature between the kingdom of plant and that of animal, and the world of man. Even within each species we observe a variety of specimens; no two species express the same features, either physical or mental. There is no explanation for the endless varieties, if we accept the idea that the One Spirit, enveloped in the same Matter, could produce such a heterogeneous multiplicity.

The explanation for the observed variety of experiences in life, has been indicated in haste in the earlier chapter. (XIII-22). "The Purusha, seated in Matter, experiences the gunas born of Matter." This, no doubt, gives us a truly scientific explanation as to why the same Spirit, when expressed through Matter, manifests Itself differently from expression to expression.

When the same Ganges water is poured into a hundred different bottles, each one will look different from the other, not because the waters are different but because of the shape and colour of each bottle. They are but qualities of the bottles, belonging to the glass-material of the bottles, and when the same sacred water is seen through the coloured bottles, the properties of the bottles get super-imposed upon the contents: the blue-water, the yellow-water, the red-water, the green-water etc. Similarly, the One Eternal Principle expresses Itself in the various matter equipments as different individuals, even though the elements that constitute Matter are one and the same everywhere --- due to the "gunas born of Prakriti."

The term guna, used in the dialectics of the Geeta, indicates not the 'properties' of a material but the 'attitude' with which the mind functions. The psychological being in everyone of us comes under the influence of three different "climatic conditions" prevalent in our bosom. These three are called the gunas: Unactivity (sattwa), Activity (rajas) and Inactivity (tamas).

These three, in different proportions, influence the mental and the intellectual caliber of every individual and these influences provide the distinct flavour in each personality. All three are always present in every bosom, but from man to man their proportion slightly differs; hence the distinct aroma in the character, conduct and behaviour of each individual.

The Geeta, being a discourse upon the Science-of-Self-perfection, has to be extremely logical in the development of the theme. We have been watching how, from chapter to chapter, the theme has been evolving, very systematically. Ideas hinted at in a previous chapter are taken up one by one in the following chapters for a thorough treatment and an exhaustive investigation. Dozens of fresh, regulated ideas are supplied at the right time to facilitate perfect digestion and right assimilation for the student's understanding. In the context of the theme-development in Geeta, this is the most appropriate occasion when the seeker must know precisely what are the nature and behaviour of these gunas. In the exhaustive discussions in this chapter we are introduced to each one of these gunas.

The three gunas function within each one of us, and therefore, each seeker must know the art of subjectively diagnosing them in himself. Diagnosis is generally accomplished through the observation of symptoms manifest in the patient. Symptomatic treatment is one of the methods of medical treatment. In this chapter. certain symptoms are enumerated by the Geeta-acharya and they indicate the preponderance of one or the other of the gunas in an individual.

Thus, a careful study of the chapter provides us with the secret capacity of detecting within ourselves the most powerful tendency that rises up to rule our mental life at any given moment. A seeker, who is sensitive enough to recognise the various influences under which he is forced to function from time to time in the world outside, will be able to discard all wrong impulses, immoral tendencies, unethical urges and animal passions, and keep himself safely balanced in righteous living, in self-control and in serene purity.

This chapter is an exhaustive hand-book of instructions explaining the working of the subtle body and providing us with some tips as to how we can re-adjust ourselves when the inner mechanism gets choked up and starts misfiring. If a man, totally ignorant of the behaviour and nature of the machine under the bonnet, were to drive a car wishing to make a long pilgrimage, he may not have a very pleasant journey if and when the engine starts mis-behaving. On the other hand, if he be an experienced driver, knowing the nature and behaviour of the engine, he can immediately stop the car, open the bonnet, readjust the machine and drive on towards the goal.

Many a seeker ends his brilliant and promising spiritual career because, on his way to self-perfection, he develops "engine trouble," and, not knowing why his mind behaves in the peculiar fashion, he gets victimised by lust or passion and suffers from the sorrows of his spiritual fall. A knowledge of this chapter assures us of a steady progress on our path, as it introduces us to the secret methods of the mind on all occasions. This chapter is very important for all seekers.

|| Chapter - 14 ||

Source: The Holy Geeta

Gurudev introduces Chapter 13: kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga

CHAPTER XIII
The field and its Knower

This is one of the most famous chapters in the Geeta which gives the student a very direct explanation for, and almost a personal experience of, the Subject in him, the Self, free from his material equipments and their mis-interpretations --- the world-of-objects. Here we have an exhaustive exposition of how to meditate directly upon the Imperishable Formless Spirit.
The Geeta, being a philosophical poem --- however much it may try to hide its austere beauty behind an enchanting veil of its own lyricism, fragrant with the human touches provided by the Krishna-love and the Arjuna-weaknesses --- is a thunderous pronouncement of the wisdom of the Rishis. As such, the theme developed in this philosophical poem is unrelentingly logical and uncompromisingly scientific. And it has an unyielding frame-work in the very continuity of its systematic thought-development.

This chapter has its direct theme-parentage in the ideas discussed already in the chapter-VII entitled "KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE," and in the chapter-VIII entitled the "IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN." The intervening four chapters (IX, X, XI and XII) were occasioned due to Arjuna's intellectual hesitations and mental doubts. But the philosopher in Krishna never forgets the main theme that he has developed upon the "IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN." And when once he has consoled his disciple, and temporarily removed his doubts, he serenely goes back to take up the melody of his discussion.

The eighteen chapters of the Geeta fall into three distinct groups each of six chapters according to some reviewers of the Lord's Song. These three sections explain, according to them, the three sacred words in one of the great Vedantik maxims (Mahavakyas): "THAT THOU ART." The first section consisting of the first six chapters, explained the term "THOU"; the second section constituted of the next six chapters, explained the term "THAT"; and the last set of six chapters will explain the correlative verb "ART" in the sacred commandment, and so in this section we have an explanation of the term "ART."

Spirit functioning through matter-envelopments is the living organism. "THAT" dressed up in matter is the vainful "THOU." Therefore, man undressed of matter, is the Eternal and the Infinite Spirit.

To undress, and thereby to get rid of matter, we must have a precise knowledge of all that constitutes matter in us. This discrimination between the inert matter-equipments and the vibrant Spark-of-Life, the Spirit, is presented to us in this chapter which is rightly called the Field and the Knower-of-the-Field --- Kshetra-Kshetrajna Yoga.

The process of undressing is the process of meditation. The pose, the attitude, and the other technical secrets of meditation were all exhaustively explained earlier (in chapter V & VI). But having sat in meditation, what exactly has our integrated mind-and-intellect to do now? Can we draw ourselves from ourselves and seek our identity with the Infinite? These are exhaustively explained in this chapter.

The matter-equipments and their perceived worlds-of-objects together constitute the FIELD; and the Supreme Consciousness, illumining them, and therefore, seemingly functioning within the field, gathers to itself as a consequence, the status of the "KNOWER OF THE FIELD." One is a knower only as long as one is in the field-of-knowables.

A driver is one who is driving; a rider is one who is riding a horse; a swimmer is one who is swimming at the moment. Off the steering-wheel, off the saddle, away from the waters, the driver, the rider and the swimmer are but three individuals. While functioning in a given field, the subject gathers to itself a certain special status depending upon the nature of the field and the type of functions performed by him therein.

The Pure Consciousness, perceiving the world-of-plurality through Its own conditionings, becomes the "KNOWER-OF-THE-FIELD," and this knower thereby comes to experience joys and sorrows, successes and failures, peace and agitation, jealousies, fears and a million other wrecking storms and upheavals. The sorrows of Samsara are thus entirely the private wealth of the "KNOWER-OF-THE-FIELD" --- the Jiva.

If, through discrimination, the "Field" and its "Knower" are known separately, through meditation the student can detach himself from the matter-equipments, and therefore, get away from the "Field" of these sorrow-ridden experiences. Thereby the KNOWER-OF-THE-FIELD, who was the "experiencer" of the sorrows transforms himself to be the experiencer of Absolute Knowledge.

Mathematically, Knowledge in a field of known things and happenings, becomes the Knower which suffers the imperfections of the known. The knower minus the FIELD-OF-THE-KNOWN becomes Pure Knowledge, Itself ever perfect and joyous. A careful study of the chapter will open up enough secret windows on to the vast amphitheatre of spiritual insight within ourselves.

|| Chapter-13 ||

Bhakti Yoga conclusion: November 9, 2016

Bg 12.20

ye tu dharmyāmṛtam idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate
śraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ

Om tat sat iti śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniśadsu 
brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasamvāde 

bhaktiyogo nāma dvadaśodhyāyaha

Translation

20. They indeed, who follow this 'Immortal DHARMA' (Law of Life) as described above, endowed with faith, regarding Me as their Supreme Goal --- such devotees are exceedingly dear to Me.

Commentary

THIS IMMORTAL LAW PRESCRIBED ABOVE --- The Sanatana Dharma is summarised in the above lines. To realise the Self and live in that wisdom at all our personality levels --- physical, mental and intellectual --- is the fulfilment of the life of a Hindu. It is not sufficient that a Hindu understands this, or reads regularly his scriptures, or even explains them intelligently. He must be able to digest them properly, assimilate them fully, and become Perfect. Therefore, Bhagavan says that he must be "ENDOWED WITH FAITH" here the term 'faith' means "the necessary capacity to assimilate spiritual ideas into ourselves through subjective personal experience."

SUCH DEVOTEES ARE SUPREMELY DEAR TO ME --- This concluding stanza of the chapter constitutes the SIXTH SECTION adding no definite trait to the list of THIRTY-SIX QUALITIES already explained. But it forms a commandment, a divine reassurance to all spiritual seekers that when they accomplish these qualities in themselves they will gain the Supreme Love of the Lord.

Thus, in the UPANISHADS of the glorious Bhagawad-Geeta, in the Science of the Eternal, in the scripture of YOGA, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the twelfth discourse ends entitled:
THE YOGA OF DEVOTION

Though this chapter is styled as Bhakti Yoga, to read and assimilate it is to cherish true love for the Lord and cure ourselves of the various misconceptions that we have today in our practice of Devotion. The 'Path-of-Devotion' is not a mere sentimental explosion, or an excessive emotional display. It is not a mere frivolous hysteria. It is the blossoming of the human personality through the surrender of our limitations and by acquiring new vitality during the inspired moments of deep contemplation.

Om Om Om Om Om

Daily Shloka: November 2, 2016

Bg 12.12

śreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj jñānād dhyānaṁ viśiṣyate
dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas tyāgāc chāntir anantaram

Translation

12. 'Knowledge' is indeed better than 'practice' ; 'meditation' is better than 'knowledge' ; 'renunciation of the fruits-of-actions' is better than 'meditation' ; peace immediately follows 'renunciation.'

Commentary

When a divine philosopher gives a discourse for the benefit of a disciple who is confused and broken-down, it is not sufficient if he merely enumerates the dry philosophical truths; he must so beautifully arrange his ideas that the very scheme of the discourse must help the student to gather all the ideas together in a bunch. The stanza, now under review, gives us one of the typical examples in Krishna's discourse wherein he directly makes an attempt to systematise his theoretical disquisitions into a well-arranged pattern of thought.

Here we find a sequence of ideas, arranged in a descending order of importance. When once this ladder-of-ideas is brought completely within a seeker's comprehension and when he learns the art of moving up and down this ladder, he will master almost all the salient points so far expounded in this chapter.

BETTER INDEED IS KNOWLEDGE THAN PRACTICE --- Spiritual practices are not mere physical acts but are disciplines that should ultimately tune up our mental and intellectual levels. The inner personality cannot be persuaded to toe the line with the physical acts of devotion unless the practitioner has a correct grasp of what he is doing. An intellectual conversion is a pre-requisite to force the mind to act in the right spirit and to gain a perfect attunement with the physical act. A correct and exhaustive knowledge of what we are doing, and why we are doing it, is an unavoidable pre-condition for making our Yoga fruitful. Therefore, it is said here that a knowledge of the psychological, intellectual and spiritual implications of our practices is greater in importance than the very external Yogic acts, or 'devotional performances.'

MEDITATION IS SUPERIOR TO KNOWLEDGE --- More important than mere KNOWLEDGE is meditation upon the very 'knowledge' so gathered. The technical explanation --- of the why and the wherefore of religious practices --- can be more easily learnt than understood. To convert our learning into our understanding, there must be necessarily a process of intellectual assimilation and absorption. This cannot be accomplished by a mere factual learning of the word-meanings. The students will have to understand, in a hearty enthusiasm, the very meaning of the Shastra, and this is possible only through long, subjective, independent ponderings over the significant terms in the Shastra-declarations. The process of inward assimilation of knowledge can take place only through meditation. Hence, in the hierarchy of importance, "meditation" has been given a greater place than the "KNOWLEDGE OF THE TECHNIQUE."

BETTER THAN MEDITATION IS THE ABANDON-MENT OF FRUITS-OF-ACTION --- Meditation is an attempt of the intellect to fly from the fields of its present knowledge to a yonder destination of a better understanding. In this flight to a vaster field, the intellect must have the necessary energy and equipoise. Meditation can never be possible for an individual in whom all energies and steadiness of mind are shattered by the agitations created by his own ruinous imaginations of the future. In our discourses upon the previous stanza, we have already shown how our anxiety for the future generally depletes our vitality to face the present. All fruits-of-actions definitely belong to the FUTURE, and to be over-anxious about them is to invite a lot of idle agitations into our bosom. Stormed by these agitations, we lose all our equipoise and such an individual has no ability to meditate upon and thereby assimilate the silent significance of the great Shastras. Therefore, Krishna here gives a greater place of importance in his ladder-of-ideas to "THE RENUNCIATION OF THE FRUITS-OF-ACTION."

As a foot-note to his own declaration, he adds how renunciation of our anxiety for the future immediately brings about a healthy condition within ourselves. "PEACE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWS RENUNCIATION." In fact, in Hinduism, renunciation (Sannyasa) is nothing other than "giving up all our clinging attachments to the pleasures arising out of our contact with the external sense objects."

As a result of this renunciation, therefore, a dynamic quietude comes to pervade the bosom in which the intellect can meditate upon the knowledge of the Shastras, and thereby understand the ways of self-development as explained therein. And when, with this knowledge, one uses one's seat of meditation, one is assured of definite success and steady progress.

Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta

First Anniversary of Geeta Musings blog!

Chapter 12- Bhakti Yoga Introduction

CHAPTER XII
Path-of-Devotion

Knowing full well the essential temperament of Arjuna, the royal hero, Krishna had tickled his kingly ambition at the closing of the last chapter (XI-54). To a true king, the challenge of a greater glory is too strong to resist. Wherever a vaster field, a greater profit, a more glowing resplendency is recognised, he cannot resist the temptation to fight for it, to conquer it and bring it within his ruling hand, and thereby spread his unquestioned sway over the conquered domain. Expecting this reaction in his royal friend of endless heroism, Krishna had not only exhibited the divine glory of the Lord and His cosmic-form, but also declared to Arjuna that "THROUGH SINGLE-MINDED DEVOTION CAN THIS COSMIC-FORM BE KNOWN AND SEEN AND ENTERED INTO BY ANYONE." On hearing that this Infinite glory can be his through devotion, the Pandava Prince optimistically determines to make an attempt to conquer and bring to himself this spiritual glory.
Psychologically, Arjuna was already prepared to feel this heroic urge and he had the divine inspiration to make any sacrifice necessary and to put forth all the efforts needed for the conquest of the spiritual goal. We have found in the last two chapters how Arjuna, as an intelligent man, was hesitant to accept his charioteer as Divine. The Prince demanded an analytical explanation for the Lord's philosophical exposition. "I AM NOT IN THEM, THEY ARE IN ME." This was given out earlier (IX-4) but the scepticism in the intelligent Arjuna was still too deep to be totally annihilated by a mere verbal declaration of the glory of the Divine.

Naturally, the Prince demanded a physical demonstration of the same and the Lord showed the total Cosmic-Form. Once fully convinced by the double process of analysis and synthesis --- discussion and a demonstration of the same --- Arjuna's intellect surrenders totally with an aspiration to realise and become the Spirit.

Every individual wants to become and live what he is convinced of; as the thoughts, so the man. And, one who is convinced, is a greater seeker than a man of blind faith jogging along the thorny Path of time-worn habits.

It is a fact that the subtler personality can come to assert itself only when the grosser one is completely satisfied. As long as one is hungry, one's emotional nature goes on choking one's heart. When the stomach is full, the heart has the freedom to demand its emotional satisfaction of love and affection. The intellect can come to its full play only when the physical and the emotional aspects are at rest --- or, temporarily at least, satisfied. If there is an imperfection or incompleteness, either in the physical or in the emotional personality of man, he is not capable of invoking and directing the efficient play of his emotional and intellectual abilities.

In the same way, the spiritual urge for intuitive experience in a seeker expresses itself only when all earlier and outer demands are fully satisfied. This truth is beautifully brought out to us in the discussions contained in the chapter on the "PATH OF DEVOTION." When Arjuna is intellectually convinced and emotionally satisfied that the cowherd-boy is the Infinite's own playful manifestation, his scepticism as a soldier ends and he feels an urge to seek, to discover, to conquer, to possess and to rule over the kingdom of the Spirit.

In the Form-Terrible, Arjuna had observed the endless thraldom of the PAST, passing through the avenues of the PRESENT, to reach the courtyard of the FUTURE and meet the "Lord of Time" Krishna Himself there. Similarly, in the Lord, the Infinite, he saw "here" and "there" mingling with each other, and the farthest horizons nestling in the lap of the "here"! Naturally, Arjuna raised the question as to whether he should seek, love, and meditate upon the infinite form of the Formless, or upon the manifest divinity in the Cosmic-Form of Krishna.

The previous two chapters had completely satisfied the sceptic in Arjuna through 'discussion' (Ch.-X) and actual 'demonstration' (Ch.-XI) of the Lord's Cosmic-Form. The newly converted Royal Prince now feels an irresistible urge to conquer the Kingdom Divine within himself. The secret strategy for the sure conquerer was also indicated in the concluding stanza of the last chapter; devotion and consistency of self-application, free from all ego-centric attachment to the world-of-objects is the way charted out in the Geeta, and it is assured that thereby, "YOU SHALL ENTER INTO ME, O PANDAVA" (XI-55).

As a practical man-of-action, Arjuna is no idle philosopher, seeking a vain satisfaction in mere bookish erudition and profitless scholarship. He was not at all charmed by the theory as such. The warrior was impatient to enter the field of strife and bring under this sway the realm of glory demonstrated by his Charioteer. Therefore, the chapter starts rightly with a question that means business.

As a student of the Vedas, from his childhood, Arjuna was taught that the Absolute is Formless and Nameless and beyond the perceptions of the sense organs, feelings of the mind, and comprehensions of the intellect. But the Prince had a vivid first-hand experience of Krishna and His Cosmic-Form. Naturally, the doubt is raised by him as to whether it is more profitable to meditate upon the Truth as unmanifest or as manifest --- like the one shown by Sri Krishna.

The question raises a very moot point in religion. From time to time, Prophets and Masters had appeared to support, or to condemn, the worship of the God-Principle in and through a Divine-Form. Can the ocean be fully realised through the knowledge of the waves, or will the knowledge of the waves obstruct our comprehension of the ocean? In short, is idol-worship justified? Can it provide a helpful prop for the meditative mind to swing on and dive into the Infinite? If it can, what exactly is the technique? The entire chapter is dedicated to answer this question.

For its scientific thoroughness and for its wealth of details, the Geeta can always stand a good comparison with any of the modern text-books on secular sciences. Lord Krishna is ever conscious that He is talking to a man-of-action, Arjuna, a brainy sceptic.

|| Chapter-12 ||

Source: The Holy Geeta

Chapter 11 concludes: October 24, 2016

Bg 11.52

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

su-durdarśam idaṁ rūpaṁ dṛṣṭavān asi yan mama
devā apy asya rūpasya nityaṁ darśana-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Bg 11.53

nāhaṁ vedair na tapasā na dānena na cejyayā
śakya evaṁ-vidho draṣṭuṁ dṛṣṭavān asi māṁ yathā

Bg 11.54

bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya aham evaṁ-vidho ’rjuna
jñātuṁ draṣṭuṁ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṁ ca paran-tapa

Bg 11.55

mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava

Om tat sat iti śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniśadsu 
brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasamvāde 
viśvarūpadarśanayogo nāma ekādaśodhyāyaha

Translation

The Blessed Lord said: 52.   Very hard, indeed, it is to see this Form of Mine which you have seen. Even the gods are ever longing to behold this Form.

53. Neither by the VEDAS, nor by austerity, nor by gift, nor by sacrifices, can I be seen in this Form as you have seen Me (in your present mental condition).

54. But, by single-minded devotion, can I, of this Form, be 'known' and 'seen' in reality, and also 'entered' into, O Parantapa (O scorcher of your foes)!

55. He who does actions for Me, who looks upon Me as the Supreme, who is devoted to Me, who is free from attachment, who bears enmity towards none, he comes to Me, O Pandava.

Commentary

The Universal-Form of the Lord is no easy experience for anyone, and it can be gained neither by study of the Vedas, nor by austerities, nor by gifts, nor by a sacrifice. Even the gods, the denizens of heaven, with their ampler intellects, longer lives, and harder endeavours, are unable to behold this Universal-Form, and they keep on longing for this experience.

And yet, Krishna has shown this Form, mighty and wondrous, to His friend through His Grace, as He Himself admitted earlier.

We may wonder what makes the Lord shower His grace upon one, and not upon another. It CANNOT be a haphazard distribution of an Omnipotent, who does things as He likes, arbitrarily, without any rhyme or reason! For, in that case the Lord will be accused of partiality and arbitrariness.

HERE, IN THE FOLLOWING STANZA, WE GET THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF WHAT COMPELS THE LORD TO SHOWER HIS SPECIAL FAVOURS UPON SOMEONE SOMETIMES, AND NOT UPON ALL AT ALL TIMES:

Regarding devotion Shankara says: "No doubt, of the means available for liberating ourselves, the most substantial hardware is Bhakti; and identifying ourselves with the Self is called Bhakti."

Identification is the truest measure of Love. The devotee, forgetting his own individual existence and, in his love, identifying to become one with his beloved Lord, is the culmination of Divine Love. The Vedantic student who is the seeker of the Self, is spiritually obliged to renounced all his abject identification with his matter vestures and to discover his true nature to be the Self.

Only those who are thus capable of identifying themselves with the One unifying Truth that holds together, in its web-of-love, the plurality, can experience, "ME IN THIS FASHION" --- in my Cosmic Form.

The three stages in which realisation of Truth comes to man are indicated here when the Lord says, "TO KNOW, TO SEE, AND TO ENTER." A definite intellectual knowledge of the goal and the path is the beginning of a seeker's pilgrimage --- TO KNOW. Next comes the seeker's attempt to masticate the ideas intellectually understood through his own personal reflections upon the information which he has already gathered --- TO SEE. Having thus 'known' and 'seen' the goal, thereafter, the seeker, through a process of detachment from the false and attachment to the Real, comes to experience the Truth as no object other than himself --- TO ENTER. By the term 'entering,' it is also indicated that the fulfilled seeker becomes the very essence of the sought. The dreamer, suffering from the sorrows of the dream, ends it all, when he no more sees, but "enters" the waking-state, himself to become the waker.

HOW? ... I SHALL EXPLAIN, SAYS THE LORD AND ADDS:

When he heard that anyone can, through undivided devotion, not only recognise the cosmic might of the Lord but also experience that glory in himself, the Pandava Prince's face must have reflected an anxiety to acquire this status. As an answer to this unasked question from Arjuna, Krishna explains here how one can grow towards this great fulfilment in life.

The Krishna-plan, for finite man to gain the stature and strength of the Cosmic, seems to consist of five distinct schemes. This is clear from the conditions required of a seeker as given in this verse. They are: (1) whose work is all dedicated to the Lord, (2) whose goal is the Lord, (3) who is a devotee of the Lord, (4) who is free from all attachments, and (5) who is devoid of all sense of enmity towards everyone.

In these five schemes, we find the entire line of self-discipline summarised. Detachment from all activities, whether physical or mental or intellectual can take place only when one is constantly thinking of the Self. Enmity is possible only when one considers the other as separate from oneself. There cannot be enmity between my own right hand and my left hand. The awareness of the Oneness should be experienced through the vision of the same Self everywhere and then alone can the total avoidance of enmity with any creature be fully accomplished.

Total detachment is an impossibility at the mind-and-intellect level. The mind and intellect cannot live without attaching themselves to some thing or being. Therefore, the seeker, through God-dedicated activity, learns first to withdraw all his attachments from other things, and then to turn his mind with the fervour of devoted attachment to the Lord. In accomplishing this, all the schemes explained earlier are, indeed, very helpful.

Thus, when the whole scheme is re-evaluated, we can find in it a logic quite acceptable and perfectly psychological. Each subsequent item in the scheme is beautifully supported and nourished by the previous one. From the stanza, it is evident that the spiritual seeker's great pilgrimage starts with God-dedicated activities. Soon, that God-principle Itself becomes his very goal in life. He will develop, in himself, a consummate liking for this glorious goal. Naturally, all his other finite attachments with the world-of-objects will end, and at last, he will come to contact the Self. Having become the Self, he recognises himself everywhere, in everything, and so, in him there cannot be any sense of enmity at all.

LOVE FOR ALL AND HATRED FOR NONE can be considered the Geeta 'touch-stone' to know the quality of realisation and intensity of experience a seeker has gained through his Sadhana.

Thus, in the UPANISHADS of the glorious Bhagawad-Geeta, in the Science of the Eternal, in the scripture of YOGA, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the eleventh discourse ends titled:

THE YOGA OF THE VISION OF THE UNIVERSAL FORM

The Chapter is rightly named as the vision of the Universal-Form. In Sanskrit scriptural terminology, it is pointed out that the term Vishwa Roopa used here is actually the Virata Roopa. The Self, identifying itself with an 'individual physical body,' experiences the waking-state happenings, and in this condition the Self is called in Vedanta as Vishwa. When the same Self identifies Itself with the total-physical-gross-bodies of the Universe, in that condition the Self is called the Cosmic-Virata. Here the Lord showed His Cosmic-Form but the Chapter is titled as Vishwa-Roopa.

Om Om Om Om Om

Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta

Introducing Vishwaroopa: September 23, 2016

From The Holy Geeta:

CHAPTER XI
The Cosmic-Form Divine

IN THE GENERAL SCHEME of developing the theme, Lord Krishna had already explained His immanence in all subjects of the world (Vibhuti). This expansion of Himself in all objects and beings, as a perceptible Divine Presence, is exhaustively explained in the previous chapter entitled 'Vibhuti-yoga' --- the Divine Glories.

Studying this chapter, keeping in view this scheme of development in the Geeta, we detect here that a perfectly modern and scientific method of investigation is employed. An intellectual enquiry seeks, first of all, to GATHER ENOUGH DATA to support a theory, and thereafter, it demands an EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION of the same, without which, the theory cannot be established. If in the previous chapter, therefore, the Geeta has supplied us with enough data to prove that the Self is the substratum for the multiple world, in this chapter, the attempt is to supply Arjuna with a practical demonstration that everything does exist only in the Self.

The declaration that the mud is the essence of all pots, is established only when we prove, not only that all pots have mud in them, but also that the mud always potentially contains all pots of all shapes and dimensions. To see the mud in every pot, one has only to train one's eyes to detect the mud as separate from the pot-shapes, but to see all pots in the mud, no doubt, the observer needs a special 'eye.' He needs a sufficient sense of detachment and a scholarly amount of imagination without which it is impossible for him to detect the world-of-pots in any sample of mud.

Similarly, as was described in the last chapter, to see the Self peeping through the windows of finite objects is relatively an easy task; but it is hard, indeed, for a mortal to cognise at once the entire Universe in one Reality, the Self. And yet, this is possible with the 'eye' of knowledge, which knows so well the art of discrimination, and which has developed in itself a sufficient sense of detachment, so that the observer can forget, for the moment, all his attachments, and view on, in a spirit of hushed expectancy and thrilled wonderment.

What exactly makes the things of the world exist separately from one another? My physical structure is certainly separated from the form and substance of the book that I am reading, or the chair in which I sit, or the table that is in front of me. I am separated from all others, and everyone of them is separate from everything else. Scientifically viewed, the factor that determines the physical existence of all things in the world is the same. And yet, we do not feel the oneness --- they, being separated from each other, exist as individualised entities. What exactly are the factors that divide body from body, that separate object from object?

On a careful analysis, it will be quite clear to the thinker that it is the concept of space that divides the physical structures into independent islands. That which separates me from you, or me from my book, is the intervening space. Within my forearm, from the elbow to the wrist, there is certainly a sense of oneness, because, there is no intervening space present within the homogeneity of its entire length, while my fingers are separate, each being interleaved with space. If the concept of space is totally blotted out, it will be clear that all objects will immediately come together into a happy embrace, and will represent themselves as one congenial, homogeneous whole. And, in this mass of things, there must be all the shapes and forms of all the things of this world at one and the same place and time. This is the concept of the Cosmic-Man; the vision of the world, when viewed by a mind in which the concept of time and space has been dried up! Though, not totally.

Supposing a toy-maker makes out of wax hundreds of forms of animals, birds and creatures and stocks them in a cupboard. Viewed through its glass panes, no doubt, the monkey-doll is different from the cow-doll and both of them are separate from the baby-doll. But suppose the doll-maker changes his mind and he decides to destroy the whole lot and to make out of the stuff something more profitable. On the shelf of the cupboard, the same toys are separated from each other by the intervening space. Suppose the toy-maker decides to squeeze them into one ball of wax. In this act, the maker of the dolls has eliminated the spaces that were there, between the dolls, and in this bringing them together he created a huge ball-of-wax on the surface of which we could see the traces of almost all the dolls that were brought together: perhaps, the tail of the monkey, the face of the cow, the smile of the child, and the head of the dog!

Similarly, if Krishna could dry up "the concept of space" in the mind of Arjuna, the Prince would be able to see the whole Universe as though on his own palm. However, here we find that Arjuna's mind was given enough freedom to move above within the space-limit of Krishna's divine structure. Naturally, he sees in the Krishna-form the entire Universe compressed and packed.

This concept of the Cosmic-Man, and the actual vision of it in the Geeta, satisfies the demand for demonstration in any age of intellectual self-assertion. Having seen the form Arjuna gets completely converted both in his faith and in his understanding.

In this chapter, we find how the exquisite dramatist in Vyasa has squeezed the Sanskrit language dry to feed the beauty of his literary masterpiece. Apart from the chosen words and the mellifluous phrases, every metrical dexterity is being employed here, as an effective strategy to heighten the dramatic situation and to paint clearly the emotions of wonderment, amazement, fear, reverence, devotion, etc., in Arjuna. Altogether, in the dignity of concept, in the beauty of diction, in the artistry of its depiction and in its inner stream of drama, this chapter has been rightly upheld by all as one of the highest philosophical poems in the world's treasure-house of Sacred Books.

|| Chapter - 11 ||

End of Chapter Ten: September 21, 2016

Bg 10.40

nānto ’sti mama divyānāṁ vibhūtīnāṁ paran-tapa
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūter vistaro mayā

Bg 10.41

yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam

Bg 10.42

atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat

Om tat sat iti śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniśadsu 
brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasamvāde 

vibhūti yogo nāma daśamodhyāyaha

Translation

40. There is no end to My Divine Glories, O Parantapa; but, this is but a brief statement by Me of the particulars of My Divine Glories.

41. Whatever it is that is glorious, prosperous or powerful in any being, know that to be a manifestation of a part of My splendour.

42. But, of what avail to thee is the knowledge of all these details, O Arjuna? I exist, supporting this whole world by one part of Myself.

Thus, in the UPANISHADS of the glorious Bhagawad-Geeta, in the Science of the Eternal, in the scripture of YOGA , in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the tenth discourse ends entitled:
THE YOGA OF DIVINE GLORIES

Commentary

THERE IS NO END TO MY GLORIES --- These enumerations of the transcendental glories of the Eternal were actually started in this chapter, in a cry of intelligent despair at the magnitude of the task and at the frailty of language to express them all. And yet, out of sheer love for the disciple, the Eternal Master in Krishna took the job in hand and tried to make the best of a bad job. No pot-maker can ever indicate to an enquirer, the "mud essence" distinctly in each of the existing pots and congratulate himself in the end that he has exhausted all the pots that were, are, and shall ever be. It will be foolish vanity to hope to succeed in such a hopeless endeavour. And, in fact, it is not necessary also. If, in ten or twenty specimens, the Knower-of-the-Essence indicates to the seeker, the "Essential Stuff" in each distinctly, as separate from their names and forms and other attributes, it should be possible for the seeker to recognise for himself the Essence when he meets the next specimen.

In this chapter, the Lord has given to Arjuna and over his shoulders to the entire generations of Geeta-students who may listen to Him in the world, the above FIFTY-FOUR instances, wherein the play of the Infinite, as recognised through the apparent veils of matter, has been shown. By now, any student who has meditated sufficiently upon those instances, must have educated his mind fully to discover for himself the One Infinite behind the finite multiplicity.

In utter despair at not being able to exhaust the infinite varieties of the pluralistic phenomenal world, Krishna declares that "there is no end to the 'rays' of My glory when I, being resplendent in My Absolute Perfection, shine out in my self-effulgence."

If this knowledge was already with the Lord, why did He, as a spiritual teacher, bluff His disciples all along in a futile attempt to reveal Himself through the finite forms? Why this deception by the Divine? Why disappoint the students after straining them so long? Is this the general trait of all the religious teachers, prophets, seers and masters?

The answer to such accusations against the technique of religion is that --- "there is no other way"! A medical college student is asked to do a series of operations, upon a dead body, that has become cold last week-end!! This is no bluff; but, it is true, for all the careful and efficient surgery, the "patient" dead as he is, will not start his life again. Such training on the dumb objects is necessary to give the student the required experience before he can start his independent activities in the profession. Similarly, here too, the Lord provides Arjuna with some specific examples in order to teach him the ART OF SEEING THE UNSEEN THROUGH THE SEEN.

This intention in his heart is clear in his own confession in the second line: "BUT, BY BRIEF EXAMPLES ONLY HAVE I DECLARED MY DIVINE GLORY." The Lord has not exhausted Himself; but He chooses a few effective examples to educate the mind of His listeners. Those who have ardently meditated upon these examples, will learn to recognise the Infinite in all its unending resplendence enthroned in the bosom of every finite form.

IN SHORT, THE LORD SUMMARISES ALL THAT HE HAS SAID SO FAR:

The above examples have made a frail attempt to indicate the glories of the Lord, but in no sense can those descriptions be considered as having defined the Truth. However, we have been given an idea that the Divine, the Imperishable, can be detected in the realm of the undivine and the perishable, if we look for it with discriminative judgement. From the above examples it becomes clear that the Lord is present in all names and forms, revealing Himself as the glorious, or the great, or the mighty aspect in all things and beings.

Here, Krishna directly summarises what exactly constitutes the Divine Presence in the world of plurality, and provides Arjuna with an acid test in knowing it. Whatever is great, or glorious, or mighty is nothing but the expression of a ray of the Lord's own Infinite Splendour. This is no doubt, a wonderful summary of the above mentioned FIFTY-FOUR assorted items. Each one of these examples is a clear-cut instance, indicating the Lord, either as the Great one in the whole species, or as the noblest and the most glorious thing, or happening, or as the most mighty among all that is powerful.

This indication was given expressly to facilitate Arjuna's recognition of the IMMANENT glory of the Lord in the things of the world. It can be equally useful for us, students of the Geeta, in seeking and perceiving the play of the Infinite among the finite and the changing phenomena of names and forms.

IN THE END, PANTINGLY CONCLUDING THE ENUMERATIONS, THE LORD SAYS:

In an inspired surge of friendliness and love, though Krishna, in all haste, promised that He would explain "His expression in the individual" (Yoga) apart from the description of "His glory as the Cosmic man" (Vibhuti), He Himself realised, whilst trying to indicate Himself object by object, the impossibility of exhausting the treatment. Infinite are the total number of things and beings in the Universe, and it is never possible to exhaust all of them one by one. With a cry of despair, and yet in an attitude of extreme love for his disciple, Lord Krishna brilliantly summarises this chapter in this closing stanza.

WHAT WILL IT AVAIL THEE TO KNOW ALL THESE DIVERSITIES --- In fact it is useless to explain the presence of the Infinite in every finite form. It is impossible for a pot-maker to show the mud in all the existing pots in the world; nor can any one indicate the ocean-aspect in every wave in the sea. All that we can do is explain to the student the art of recognising the mud aspect in a few pots so that the student can independently come to recognise mud in all existing pots. It is never possible for a mathematics teacher to exhaust all the examples, but the student is taught the art of solving problems through a limited number of typical examples, and thereafter, the student, all by himself, gains the capacity to solve any similar problem independently.

I, WITH ONE PART OF MYSELF, SUPPORT THIS WHOLE UNIVERSE --- In philosophical usage, the term Jagat means "all the fields of experiences which man has, as a physical body, as a psychological being and as an intellectual entity." This would mean that the Jagat is the sum-total of the world perceived by my senses, plus the world of my emotions and sentiments, plus the world of my ideas and ideologies. The entire field that is comprehended by the sense organs, the mind and the intellect, is to be understood in its totality as Jagat. In short, this term conveniently embraces, in its meaning and import, the entire "realm of objects."

The declaration here in the last line, therefore means that the total world-of-objects is supported, tended and nourished by a quarter of --- meaning, a portion of --- the Subject, the Self. Krishna, as the Self, naturally declares here that the whole Jagat is supported by a portion of His glory. The statement has yet another philosophical implication, inasmuch as it declares that there are in the Truth vast portions which are uncontaminated by the disturbances which we call Jagat. No doubt, in the homogeneous Truth, there cannot be distinctly separate portions of different features; however, this is a kindly method of indicating a transcendental idea with the terrestrial words of finite language.

We have already explained the Term 'Vibhuti' during our discussions in this chapter. This becomes a Yoga inasmuch as students, earnestly following the path, would try to attune their mental perception and intellectual comprehensions so as to recognise the greatness, or the glory, or the might in the things and situations, and recognise them as a pencil of the Divine ray in themselves emerging from the glorious effulgence of the Self, to peep through the manifold finite embodiments.

Om Om Om Om Om

Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta

Gurudev introduces Chapter X- The Divine Glories

CHAPTER X
The Divine Glories

In any text-book of a systematic exposition of thought, later chapters will have their roots in earlier ones, and the continuity of narration in and the consistency of development of the themes are both unavoidable. Although these chapters are named separately, and therefore look almost completely independent of one another, there is an imperceptible matrix of ideas holding them all together. Viewed thus, this chapter may be traced back to some dozen different verses in different earlier chapters. Of them, the most predominant and striking source is the stanza in the seventh chapter (VII-6) wherein, after describing the Higher and the Lower Nature of the Eternal, the Lord concludes "I AM THE ORIGIN AND THE DISSOLUTION OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE"; and therefore, he adds, "BEYOND ME THERE IS NAUGHT. ALL THIS IS STRUNG IN ME, AS A ROW OF JEWELS IN A THREAD" (VII-6, 7).
Similarly, although Krishna, as the Self, Eternal and All-pervading, is the Source of all names and forms, He has to indicate to Arjuna His exact place and worth in the comity of things and beings in the Universe.

This chapter is called the Vibhuti yoga inasmuch as it describes (a) the Power or Lordship, and (b) the Pervasive-ness, or Immanence of the Self. The Self is the Essence in the world of plurality as described in this chapter; therefore, we find Krishna indicating Himself both as (1) the most prominent and Chief Factor in all classes of beings, and (2) as that Supreme Factor without which specimens belonging to each class cannot maintain themselves as existent beings. We shall notice these as we dissect the stanzas one by one to discover their individual contents.

In this chapter, we discover that Arjuna feels extremely inspired when he gets re-educated in his knowledge of the Vedas, through the sparkling words of Lord Krishna. The teacher in Krishna confesses that He Himself feels encouraged by Arjuna's happiness, and therefore, this chapter is added.

In this chapter Arjuna enquires of Krishna as to how one can constantly keep in touch with the Eternal aspect of Truth, even while one is perceiving the pluralistic world and transacting with its objects (X-17). As an answer to this particular question, the rest of the chapter is packed with indications of the joyous Infinite among the joyless finite objects.

However, the chapter concludes with a cry of despair on the part of Krishna which drives home to Arjuna, the impossibility of a teacher ever exhausting the analysis of all the things and beings in the world, and indicating in each the glorious spirit, both as separate and yet not separate from matter. No electrical engineer can ever hope to exhaust all the bulbs and fans and other electrical equipments in the world, one by one, to indicate to a student of Electrical Engineering what exactly constitutes, in each, the equipment as separate from the electrical current. The chapter concludes: "OF WHAT AVAIL IS IT TO YOU TO KNOW ALL THESE DIVERSITIES? I EXIST SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE BY A PORTION OF MYSELF."

In Vedanta, the Self, seemingly conditioned by, or reflected in, or functioning through, THE INDIVIDUAL MIND-AND-INTELLECT is the ego (Jiva), limited and thwarted by its own imperfections. While, the same Eternal Self, conditioned by, reflected in, or functioning through, THE TOTAL MIND-AND-INTELLECT is the God-principle (Ishwara), unlimited and ever a Master of its own Perfection. If once this idea of the Self, as seen through the individual-mind and the cosmic-mind, is understood properly, both the chapters X and XI become amply self-evident and self-explanatory.

In the tradition of democracy, the concept of a Government or the idea of a nation should give us a healthy analogy with which we can vaguely comprehend to a certain extent, the entire suggestiveness underlying this ancient Vedantic concept of the God-principle. In democracy with adult franchise, every grown-up member of society has his vote to express his will and he alone can come up to govern the country who represents, in himself, the will of the majority. Such an individual may be considered as one who has identified himself with the will of the largest number of the people in that nation during that particular period of its history. One, who has been thus elected to govern, will have to rule the nation according to the demands of the people. The Government is thus created out of the powers and rights surrendered to a central pool by each individual; yet, once a Government is formed, it is very well-known, how the Governors become mightier than those governed!

I, the Self, identifying with my limited intellect and mind, become the mortal ego, bound and conditioned on all sides; while I, the Self identifying with the Total-Mind-and-Intellect become the Mighty and Powerful, the Omnipotent and Omniscient God-principle, constituting in Myself the Creator (Brahma), the Sustainer (Vishnu), and the Annihilator (Maheshwara).

It is a matter of common experience that our world gets coloured by the condition of our minds. When we are happy, the world, to us, is a dance-hall of light and laughter, mirth and happiness, while the same world becomes a miserable dungeon of agony and tears when our mental conditions change. Also, in each one of us, our world of success and joy, or of misery and sorrow becomes completely and totally extinct whenever we are in the state of deep-sleep --- meaning, whenever our mind-intellect-equipment does not function. Classifying all these observations, it can be enunciated that "as the mind, so is the world, and where there is no mind, there is no world."

Thus, I create my world with my mind; you create your world with your mind; and he creates his world with his mind. No doubt, into the pool of my world, certain aspects and portions of the world of others creep in to overlap, for varying periods of time. Philosophically viewed, therefore, the total world of forms and beings is created, sustained, and destroyed by the number of minds totally available to cognize and to experience this whole Universe. This Total-mind includes, in itself, even the rudimentary perceptions of a 'mind' in the plant kingdom, the relatively better-developed minds and intellects of the animal kingdom, and also the well-developed mind of man. When the theory of the God-principle, as propounded by Vedanta, is understood completely, it appeals to the faculty of reasoning in all intelligent creatures.

The implications of this theory are vast. It not only proves and explains the omniscience and the omnipotence of God but it also lends a comprehensible import to the term generally employed in describing the Supreme as "The Lord of the Universe" (Sarva loka maheshwarah).

While listening to this discourse, Arjuna seems to have lost himself in an experience bordering upon the transcendental. This preparation, given to Arjuna, provides a necessary mental elevation in cosmic self-expansion, without which the special power of cognition to experience the concept of the Cosmic-Man as described in the following chapter would never have been possible.

|| Chapter-10 ||

Source: The Holy Geeta

End of Chapter 9: August 31, 2016

Bg 9.32

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

Bg 9.33

kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā
anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām

Bg 9.34

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

Om tat sat iti śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniśadsu 
brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasamvāde 
rājavidyā-rājaguha yogo nāma navamodhyāyaha

Translation

32. For, taking refuge in Me, they also, who O Partha, may be of a "sinful birth" --- WOMEN, VAISHYAS as well as SHUDRAS --- even they attain the Supreme Goal.

33. How much more (easily) then the holy BRAHMINS, and devoted Royal saints (attain the goal) . Having reached (obtained) this impermanent and joyless world, do worship Me devoutly.

34. Fix your mind on Me; be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me; having thus united your (whole) Self with Me, taking me as the Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me.

Thus, in the UPANISHADS of the glorious Bhagawad-Geeta, in the Science of the Eternal, in the scripture of YOGA, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the ninth discourse ends entitled:
THE YOGA OF ROYAL KNOWLEDGE AND ROYAL SECRET

Commentary

As an annotation and an explanatory appendix to the immediately preceding pair of stanzas, it is added that it is not only those who are placed under wrong influences and unfavourable external conditions who are redeemed by the constant remembrance of the Divine. Those who are victims of congenital maladjustments, both in their mental make-up and in their intellectual constitution, also can get their equipments readjusted and tuned up properly by the same process of constant remembrance of the Truth Eternal.

No doubt, there are expressions in the Vedas, in the Puranas, and in the Smritis, which seemingly fall in line with the language of this stanza. To condemn women, traders (Vaishyas) and workers (Shudras) as individuals of inferior births is equivalent to accepting that religion has an effective influence ONLY upon a mere handful of members of our society. This would be a denial of what Krishna had been hammering upon from the opening stanza onward. Therefore, we have to understand the true implications of His words as He uses them here.

Religion is not a technique for developing the physical body, nor is it an art to be fulfilled through the play of the physical body. The condition and status of the physical body have nothing to do with the evolutionary progress which religion aims at through all its preachings. The spiritual practices contribute to the integration of the mind and intellect and to their progressive unfoldment, until, in their ripeness, they shed themselves, leaving the Spirit naked in all its divine glory. Thus, these terms, as used in this stanza, are to be understood as indicating some special qualities of the human mind-and-intellect, manifested in varying degrees in different individuals, at different times.

The "feminine-minds" (Striyah) are those that have a larger share of deep affections and binding attachments. So too, there are people, who have a "commercial attitude" in all their thoughts and actions and who live in their mental life as traders (Vaishyas), ever calculating the profits that would accrue from all their psychological investments. Such a calculating mind, ever looking to the profits that could be raised, is not fit for easily evolving through the "Path-of-Meditation." To surrender all fruits of actions is the secret of holding the mind still, and of making it live vitally, the Infinite, that is the content of a single present-moment. Thus, when the Science of Spirit-development condemns the traders, it is only a denunciation of the particular commercial tendency of the mind. Those who fall under the group of 'traders' PSYCHOLOGICALLY cannot hope to progress on the Path Divine.

Lastly, mental attitudes of "slumber and slothfulness" are indicated by the term "Shudra" here.

When we have understood that these terms, familiar in that age, are borrowed by Krishna to indicate special types of mind-intellect-equipments, we have understood the stanza rightly, without pulling down the entire Geeta from its well-merited pedestal of dignity as a Scripture of Man.

The verse promises that, through constant remembrance of the Lord, not are only all men of evil ways redeemed, but even those who are not able to walk the "Path Divine," because of some psychological and intellectual debilities in them, will be cured and steadily strengthened to walk the "Path" efficiently, if they too, with single-pointed mind and sincere devotion, learn to remember continuously, and meditate daily upon the Divine Self.

BORN OUT OF THE WOMB OF SIN --- Sin, according to Vedanta, is a wrong tendency in the mind created out of the past unhealthy thought and negative living. These wrong channels of thought (vasanas), irresistibly drive man to live false values and bring about confusion and chaos into his life, as well as into the lives of others. It is these wrong tendencies, ploughed on the mental fields, that are the sources of the feminine nature of the mind (Stritvam), or the commercial attitude of the intellect (Vaishyatwam), or the general dullness and somnolent morbidity in one's inner life (Shudratwam). A dull-witted pundita alone will have the audacity to commit the folly of interpreting this stanza, adhering faithfully to the literal meaning, conveniently forgetting Sri Krishna's own definition of Varnashrama Dharma given previously in his discourses.

In short, when these wrong tendencies are in the mind, the Rishis have declared, in sheer kindness, that it is useless for that mind to undertake a study of the Vedas. Therefore, such minds were debarred from doing so. To attain the necessary qualification for a successful study of the sacred lore, the prescription is Sadhana. Of all the spiritual practices (Sadhana), the most efficient is the constant remembrance of the Lord with a heart overflowing with love and devotion (Upasana). It is the Vedantic declaration that through Upasana the mind gets purified --- purified of its debilities which are classified and indicated by the terms, "WOMEN, TRADERS AND WORKERS."

When once these negative qualities have been removed from a mind, it gains in its powers of achieving concentration, single-pointedness and balance for its flight to the very horizons of thought. When once the equipment is ready and rigged for the pilgrimage, the destination will soon be reached; and therefore, Krishna promises "EVEN THEY ATTAIN THE SUPREME GOAL."

KRISHNA GOADS ARJUNA TO WALK THE PATH OF SELF-REALISATION.

If the above-mentioned mental types are highly handicapped in the race for the divine, Krishna, by a self-answering question, very emphatically points out here, how easy and almost natural Self-realisation and godly life must be to those who have the mental purity of a brahmin, or the large heart and the clear head of a Rajarshi. A king who, having enjoyed intelligently his power and wealth, in his complete satiation arising out of his growing inner discrimination, comes to experience the inward peace of true contemplation upon the Self, is called a Rajarshi.

After describing all possible types of "heads-and-hearts" and after prescribing treatment for all of them to rediscover their own Divine Nature, the Lord, concluding the section, makes a general statement in the second line. "HAVING ATTAINED THIS TRANSIENT AND JOYLESS WORLD, WORSHIP ME DEVOUTLY." This instruction to Arjuna is an instruction for all, since, in the Geeta if Lord Krishna represents the Self, Arjuna represents the confused man standing impotent against the challenges of life.

Life is lived in a field always constituted of objects, instruments, and mental moods. These three are ever in a state of change. Naturally, the flickering joys that come to us in life prove to be transient. And the intervals between any two experiences of joy are only FULL OF PAIN.

In tune with the positive and energising philosophy of optimism which the Geeta preaches, here Krishna declares the world to be a mere pit of sorrows, or a ditch of despair, or a mire of disappointments, or a field of joylessness (Asukham).

HAVING REACHED THIS WORLD, IMPERMANENT AND JOYLESS, Krishna advises Arjuna, that he must occupy himself in the worship of the Self. In this spiritual activity, Arjuna has been well encouraged by the Lord with his statements that to a heart that has not the weakness natural to the lower evolute but has a wealth of poise and understanding which are the hall-marks of a higher evolute (brahmins and Rajarshis), success is easy and sure. Therefore "WORSHIP ME DEVOUTLY."

HOW THEN AM I TO WORSHIP YOU, MY LORD, WHEN I AM TO FACE MY ENEMIES AND FIGHT MY BATTLE?

This stanza is a beautiful summary of the entire chapter for it throws a flood of light upon many of the other stanzas. We may say that this stanza especially serves as a commentary to more than one verse in the chapter (Verses 14 and 27).

In all text-books of Vedanta (Brahma-Vidya), the technique of self-development and self-perfection through the "Paths of right-Knowledge and Meditation," has been defined as, "Contemplation on That, talks on That, mutual discussion on That --- and thus, to live ever mentally drowned in the Bliss-concept of the spiritual Reality, is called by the knowers of It, as the pursuit of Brahman." Keeping this classical definition in mind, Vyasa steadily delineates his aesthetic "Path of Devotion" in this stanza. The same idea has already been brought out earlier in the chapter on more than one occasion.

With "THE MIND EVER FILLED WITH ME, MY DEVOTEE MAKES ALL SACRIFICES, ALL SALUTATIONS TO ME," at all times, whatever be the type of work that engages him. In brief, the evolution of the mind is the very essence of all spiritual reformation in life. Neither the conditions in which we are, our circumstances and habits, nor the available ways of life, nor our past, nor our present --- none of these is a bar for evolving spiritually.

Constant awareness, maintained diligently, is the secret of success.

When thus "YOU TAKE ME AS THE SUPREME GOAL" Krishna promises Arjuna, "YOU SHALL COME TO ME." We are what we are because of our thoughts. If the thoughts are noble and divine, we become noble and divine.

This chapter has been rightly entitled as the chapter discussing the Royal Knowledge and the Royal Secret. These two terms have been already discussed at length. Earlier in the chapter (Verse 2) we find that, since Pure Consciousness is the Knowledge, in whose light all conditioned-knowledges are made possible, this Science, dealing with the Absolute, has been rightly called as the Royal-Knowledge. Elsewhere in the Upanishads, it has been termed as the "Knowledge of all Knowledges" because, "having known which there is nothing more to be known," declares Mundakopanishad.

Om Om Om Om Om

Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta

My Post in Faking News- Indiranagar Dog-Owners want Garbage Clearance!

Faking News Society
Indiranagar dog-lovers want garbage clearance
22, Jul 2016 By rsachi
     
Bangalore. The dog-owners of upmarket locality Indiranagar in the eastern part of Bangalore are up in arms, demanding that the BBMP remove mounds of garbage lying around, for the better health and mental peace of their beloved canines.

This protest is from not only the affluent dog-owners who cuddle, groom and medicate their expensive breeds but also those several residents who casually throw food to street dogs and demand that in turn the canines guard their houses and belongings round the clock. When last estimated, the number of canines- strays and domestics, in Indiranagar, was over 3000.

Readers need to know that garbage management in Indiranagar is a multipronged attempt of BBMP. They have noisy and over-laden garbage carts going around streets and being parked at street corners advertising the business of garbage collection. Then BBMP have alllowed local residents (mostly irresponsible newcomers and diehard locals) to throw mounds of garbage at strategic points in street corners and near major residential complexes. This is supposed to encourage a dialogue between aggrieved residents and enterprising BBMP staff for mutual “consideration”. There are also several mounds of sledge and garbage taken out by BWSSB from blocked drains and then dumped everywhere on the street in the hope that some godly act will make them disappear, at least back into the drains again during rains. Residents don’t seem to mind this menace, there being ample proof of the food carts parked near such dumps attracting young and old to their tasty fare.

Then there are innumerable pubs and restaurants rampant in the area round the clock creating vast amounts of garbage which finds its way to street corners and carts in an unpredictable manner.

The present protest of dog-owners is that their dogs, often used to roaming and sniffing at garbage, apart from dropping their own excreta a few times every day on any and every street, are distressed by the unpredictability and unsortability of the highly smelly garbage at street corners. The dogs dare not go and rummage in the rubbish as deadly diseases lurk there. The dogs are even afraid to chase intruders and bark at strangers because who knows, everyone looks like a potential garbage thrower or a garbage collector. Normally, expensive cars provide vantage points for dogs to mark their territory by raising a leg. But even these cars are now being parked randomly by valets from restaurants and bars and this causes a huge spatial disorientation for dogs.

Dog-lovers have traditionally not bothered about garbage on streets, being too busy with getting and spending when they aren’t attending to their dogs. But the disturbed biology and psychology of their canines has triggered this act of socially responsible protest. BBMP has stated that their hands are already too full of garbage and even more important issues and they may not attend to this problem till 2018.

Topics:#Dog-owners #garbage #Indiranagar
     

The central Shloka of the Gita: August 3, 2016

Bg 9.22

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

Translation

22. To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to those ever self-controlled, I secure for them that which is not already possessed (YOGA) by them, and preserve for them what they already possess (KSHEMA) .

Commentary

Here is a stanza which, with equal emphasis, discloses a secret by which glorious success can be assured for the spiritual as well as the material seekers. It is significant that this stanza is almost in the centre of the Geeta. We shall try to follow the implications, both spiritual as well as secular, of this stanza, one by one.

Those who, with a single-pointed mind, thus meditate upon Him as the One and the Only Reality behind the entire universe, Krishna promises here that "TO THEM EVER SELF-CONTROLLED, I BRING YOGA AND KSHEMA," meaning more and more spiritual vigour (Yoga) and the final experience of Beatitude (Kshema) which is liberation resulting from the fulfilled Yoga.

Now, considering it as a tip for the men in the market-place, sweating and toiling in the world, the very same stanza yields a code of secret instructions by which they can assure for themselves complete success in their worldly life. In any undertaking, if a man is capable of pouring out his self-willed thought (sankalpa) constantly and with a singleness-of-purpose, he is sure to succeed. But unfortunately, the ordinary man is not capable of successfully keeping his thoughts in one channel of thinking. Therefore, his goal seems to be ever receding and flickering. His determination to achieve a particular goal ever changes, since his goal itself seems to be ever-changing. To such a man of haphazard determination, no progress is ever possible in any line of undertaking.

The greatest tragedy of the age seems to be that we ignore the obvious fact that thoughts alone create. Activities gain a potency from the thought-power that feeds them. When the feeder behind is choked and dissipated, the execution-power in the external activities becomes feeble in strength and efficiency. Thoughts, from a single-pointed mind, must flow steadily in full inspiration, enthusiasm and vigour towards the determined goal which the individual has chosen for himself in life.

Mere thinking, in itself, is not sufficient. No doubt, actions are necessary. Many of the present-day youths, though capable of consistently maintaining a goal-of-life in their intellect, are not ready to get into the field and act as best as they can for its achievement. The term 'Upasana' means "worship." Through worship we invoke the deity, meaning "the profit potential in any given field" and the prefix Pari to this familiar term 'Upasana,' indicates a total-effort in which no stone is left unturned for carving out one's victories in one's field of endeavour.

So far, two main secret factors without which success in life will not be assured are revealed --- (a) CONSISTENCY OF WILLING AND THINKING, and (b) POURING OUT OURSELVES WITH A SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE in meeting the situation in its entirety. The third main factor that is essential in the constitution of one who is marked out for spectacular success and brilliant gains in life is (c) SELF-CONTROL.

As an aspiring individual, consistently maintaining his ambition in mind, walks out into his fields of activity to battle with the immediate problems, he will meet with many a tempting channel of more fascinating plans, through which he can dissipate himself and get exhausted, rendering himself incapable of conquering the highest success in his own field. To keep oneself SELF-CONTROLLED, so that one may not thus get derailed as one shoots forward to reach the temple of success, is the third great factor that is to be kept in mind and lived fully, in order that success in life be assured.

The terms 'Yoga' and 'Kshema' defined as "the power to gain (Yoga), and the power to guard (Kshema)" respectively, by Shankara in his commentary, are quite applicable in the context of our discussion. In life, all conflict and contests, all struggles and sorrows, whatever be the form in which they may appear, are always different from individual to individual, from place to place, and from time to time, and all of them distinctly fall into two groups, as (a) the struggles to gain, and (b) the efforts to guard what might have been gained. These two tensions tear into bits the joy and tranquillity of life. He who is without these two preoccupations is the luckiest, in the sense that he has gained all that is to be gained; and when these two factors are totally blotted out from one's life, one is dead to the world of sorrows --- and one awakens to the world of joy imperishable.

It is promised here by the Lord that to the one who is capable of maintaining the three factors described above, and pursuing them diligently, there need be NO ANXIETY TO GAIN, NOR WORRY TO GUARD, because these two responsibilities will be voluntarily undertaken by the 'Lord Himself.' Here the term Lord may be understood as the "Law" behind the world-of-plurality and all the happening therein. When water is let out from a height for purposes of irrigating the lower planes, we have only to allow it to flow in the right direction, to reach the required area --- and nature itself will carry it down, for, it is the 'law of nature' that water always flows from a higher to a lower level. Similarly here, to one who is working, fulfilling the three great laws pertaining to the physical, mental and intellectual disciplines, success SHALL dog the heels of such a careful ruler of circumstances.

Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta