"Niyatam Kuru Karma......!!!"
Monday, May 31, 2010 4:02 PM
He is a superior man who exerts inner (rather than external) control over his senses, so that his mind is freed from passions, and who does his duty in a state of total desirelessness. Now, although we have known that work has to be done, the difficulty is that we do not yet understand the precise nature of this work.We often discuss about "Karma" but fail to understand what in fact this is in views of Sri Krishn which is key preaching of Gita.
Sri Krishn says in Bhagavad Gita:
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niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ,
śarīrayātrā’pi ca te na prasidhyed akarmaṇaḥ
"You ought to do your prescribed action as enjoined by scripture, for doing work is better than not doing any, and in the absence of it even the journey of your body may not be completed."
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Arjun is prompted to do prescribed action-the ordained task-which is distinct from all other kinds of work. Performance of this action is preferable to inaction, because if we do it and traverse even a small part of our way, it can rescue us from great fear of birth and death. Performance of one’s spiritual duty - the ordained action- is, therefore, the better course. By not doing it we cannot even complete journey of our Soul through different bodies.This journey is usually interpreted as "sustenance of the physical body." But what kind of sustenance is this? Are we a physical body?This Soul, the embodied Self, that we know by the name of Purush-what else has he been doing except making his physical journey through endless lives? When clothes are worn out, we change them and put on new ones. Just so, this whole world, from lowest creatures to most highly evolved, from Brahma to its most distant limits, is mutable. Through births, low and high, this Soul has been making his physical journey since an unknown beginning. Action is something that completes this journey. If there is yet to be another birth, the journey is still incomplete. The seeker is still on his way, traveling through bodies. A journey is complete only when the destination is reached.
After being dissolved in God, Self does not have to travel any further through physical births. The chain of the Self’s rejection of old bodies and assumption of new ones is now broken. So action is something that frees the Self, the Purush, from the necessity of journeying through bodies.Sri Krishn tells Arjun in the sixteenth verse of Chapter 4:"By this action you shall be freed from the evil that binds the world." So action, as used in the Gita, is something that liberates from the bondage of world.
However,the question of what this ordained action is still remains unresolved. Sri Krishn says in Chapter three of Bhagavad Gita:
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yajñārthāt karmaṇo’nyatra loko’yam karmabhandhanaḥ,
tadartham karma kaunteya muktasangaḥ samācara
"Since the conduct of yagya is the only action and all other business in which people are engaged are only forms of worldly bondage, O son of Kunti, be unattached and do your duty to God well.’’
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Contemplation of God is the only real action,the true Karma. That conduct is action which enables the mind to concentrate on God. It is a prescribed act and, according to Sri Krishn, tasks other than this are only forms of worldly bondage. Anything other than performance of this yagya is a form of slavery rather than action. It is important to remind ourselves once more of Sri Krishn’s injunction to Arjun that he shall be freed from evils of this world only by doing the one real work. The accomplishment of this work, of yagya, is action; and Arjun is urged to do it well in a spirit of detachment. It cannot be performed without disinterest in the world and its objects.
Before we proceed, let us recall what Sri Krishn has said of another aspect of action: that it is a prescribed ordained conduct and that what is usually done in its name is not true action.
The term "action" was first used in Chapter 2 in Gita.Its characteristic traits as well as the precautions needed for it were pointed out. But the nature of this action has remained unspecified. In Chapter 3,Sri Krishn has so far said that no one can live without action.Since man lives in nature, he must act. Nevertheless there are people who restrain their sense organs by use of force, but whose minds are still occupied with objects of the senses. Such people are arrogant and their efforts are vain. So Arjun is told to restrain his senses to perform the ordained action. But the question yet remains: what action should he perform? He is told that the accomplishment of yagya is action.But according to Sri Krishn, they simply are not what he means by action. Whatever other than yagya is done is only a form of worldly bondage, not true action.The performance of yagya is the only real action..True that yagya is action; but what is yagya?
A proper understanding of this definition of action is the key to our comprehension of the Gita. All men are engaged in some work or the other, but that is different from true action. Some of them do farming, while others are engaged in trade and commerce. Some hold positions of power, while others; are just servants. Some profess that they are intellectuals, while others earn their living by manual labour. Some take up social service, while others serve the country. And for all these activities people have also invented contexts of selfishness and selflessness. But according to Sri Krishn, they simply are not what he means by action. Whatever other than yagya is done is only a form of worldly bondage, not true action. The performance of yagya is the only real action which we will discuss in separate note.
Reference:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&suggest¬e_id=452296353031#!/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/entitled-only-to-the-performance-of-action-but-never-to-the-fruits-thereof/452296353031
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As expounded by most revered Gurudeo,my spiritual mentor.
Showing posts with label etc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label etc. Show all posts
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Bhagavad Gita Is A Sacred Writ Of The Whole Of Humanity!!!
Bhagavad Gita Is A Sacred Writ Of The Whole Of Humanity!!!
Monday, October 11, 2010 12:04 AM
Before the advent of Maharshi Ved Vyas, no text of any pedagogical discipline was available in the text form.Departing from this tradition of oral and perceiving words of wisdom and knowledge, he compiled the antecedent physical as well as spiritual knowledge in the textual form of four Vedas, Brahmasutra, Mahabharat, Bhagwad and Bhagavad Gita and proclaimed that, "Gopal Krishn has condensed the conclusion of all the Upanishad in Gita to enable the humanity to alleviate itself from pangs of sorrow." The Heart of all Vedas and the essence of all the Upanishad is Gita, which was elicited by Sri Krishn and provided sustenance to distraught humanity of reasoned doctrine and approach to perceive the Supreme Being. This has endowed the humanity of the ultimate means of Peace. The sage, from among all his works,earmarked Gita as the treatise of knowledge and remarked that, the Gita is suitable for being earnestly taken as the driving philosophy, of one’s activities of the life. When we have the treatise given to us which was uttered by Sri Krishn himself, why ever shall we need to store other scriptures ?The essence of Gita is explicitly clarified by the verse which means: There is only one holy writ which had been recited is by Lord Krishn, the son of Devaki. There is only one spiritual entity worth emulating and the truth which has been specified in that commentary is - the soul. There is nothing immortal other than the soul. What chant has been advised by that sage in Gita ? Om ! "Arjun, Om is the name of the eternal spiritual being. Chant Om and meditate upon me." There is only one Dharm-to serve the spiritual being described in Gita. Place him in your heart with reverence.Therefore, Gita has remained our own scripture.
Sri Krishn is the messenger of the holy sages who have described the divine creator as the Universal truth over the thousands years of age. Many sages have said that, one may express their corporeal as well as eternal desires from the God, be awed by the God and not to believe in other deities- has already been proclaimed by many sages, but only the Gita explicitly shows the way to atttain spirituality and fathom the distance on the way of attaining it. Gita not only gives spiritual peace, it also makes it easier to attain eternal and enduring alleviation.
Although Gita is universally acclaimed, it has not been able to take place of doctrine or literature of any religion or sect, because religious sects are always cinched by one or the other dictum or ordain. Bhagavad Gita is a legacy of the Universal Wisdom. It should be treated as seed scripture-an effort may be directed at alleviating the humanity from the pathos of the tradition of class discrimination, conflicts and altercation and accord peace.
So wherever Vishwamitr-an enlightened sage-is, the Ved abide there!!!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 4:24 PM
The great sage Vishwamitr, we are told, was absorbed in meditative penance. Pleased with this, Brahma appeared and-said to him, "From this day you are a sage (rishi)." But not satisfied with this, the hermit went on with his intent contemplation. After a while Brahma, now accompanied by other gods, returned and said,"From today you are a royal sage (rajarshi)." But since Vishwamitr’s wish was yet unfulfilled, he continued with his incessant penance.Attended upon by gods, virtuous impulses that constitute thetreasure of divinity, Brahma came back again and told Vishwamitrthat from that day he was a supreme sage (maharshi). Vishwamitr then said to the oldest of all gods,"No, I wish to be called a brahmarshi (Brahmin sage) who has conquered his senses." Brahma protested that it could not be because he had not yet subdued his senses. So Vishwamitr resumed his penance, so rigorously this time that the smoke of the fire of penance began to rise from his head. Gods then entreated Brahma and the Lord of creation once more appeared before Vishwamitr and said, "Now you are a brahmarshi." There upon Vishwamitr rejoined, "If I am a brahmarshi, let the Ved wed me." His prayer was granted and the Ved was awakened in his heart. The unknown essence-all the mysterious knowledge and wisdom of the Ved-now became known. This direct apprehension of truth rather than a book is Ved. So wherever Vishwamitr - an enlightened sage-is, the Ved abide there.
Action With Desire For The Fruits Thereof Is Far Inferior To The Path Of Discrimination!!!
Wednesday, August 04, 2010 7:29 PM
Covetous action is distant from and inferior to the Path of Discrimination. Those who yearn after praise are wretched men, vile and devoid of judgement. Seeker is, therefore, urged to find shelter in the even-minded Way of Knowledge.
Sri Krishn preaches in Chapter two of Bhagavad Gita:
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dūreṇa hy avaram karma buddhiyogād dhananjaya,
buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ
"Take refuge in the way of equanimity (yog), Dhananjay, because action with desire for the fruits thereof is far inferior to the path of discrimination, and they are indeed paupers who are motivated by lust (for rewards)."
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Even if the Soul is rewarded with what he desires, he will have to assume a body in order to enjoy it.So long as the process of coming and going, of birth and death, lasts, how can there be ultimate redemption? A seeker should not desire even absolution, for absolution is total freedom from passions.Thinking over the acquisition of rewards if he gets any, his worship is interrupted. Why should he now continue any further with the task of meditation on God? He goes astray. So yog should be observed with a perfectly even mind.
Sri Krishn describes the Way of Knowledge (Gyan-Karm-Sanyas Yog) as also the Buddhi-or Sankhya Yog. He suggests to Arjun that he has attempted to enlighten him on the nature of "discrimination" in its relation to the Way of Knowledge. In truth, the only difference between the two is that of attitude. In the one, one has to proceed only after making a proper examination of the constructive and negative aspects of the undertaking, while in the other, too, equanimity has to be preserved. So it is also called the Way of Equanimity and Discrimination (Samattwa-Buddhi Yog). Because of this and because men possessed of desire for rewards are reduced to miserable wretchedness, Arjun is advised to find shelter in the Way of Knowledge.
Sri Krishn further adds:
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buddhiyukto jahātī’ha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte,
tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam
"As the Soul endowed with a mind of equanimity renounces both meritorious and evil deeds in this world itself and the art of acting with equipoise is yog, the endeavour to master the way of equanimity of discrimination is Samattwa Yog."
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Stoic minds give up both the sacred and the sinful in this life itself. They adopt an attitude of detachment to both. So Arjun should strive for the equanimity of mind that is derived from the Way of Knowledge. Yog is the skill of acting with equipoise.Two attitudes towards action prevail in the world. If people do a work, they also wish for its fruits. If there are no rewards, they may not even like to work. But Yogeshwar Krishn regards such action as bondage and states that worship of the one God is the only worthwhile action. Till now he has only named action. Its definition we will discuss in next upcoming notes further. In the quoted verse, the skill of acting in freedom from worldly customs is that we should perform action and do it with dedication, but at the same time with voluntary renunciation of any right to its fruits.Where the fruits will go?No where..... And this is the right course of selfless action. The whole energy of the desireless worshipper is then directed to his action. The human body is meant for worship of God. At the same time, though, one would like to know whether one has just always to go on acting or whether the performed action will also produce some result.
Further Sri Krishn says:
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karmajam buddhiyuktā hiphalam tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ,
janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padam gacchanty anāmayam
"Renouncing all desire for the fruits of their action and (thus) freed from the bondage of birth, wise men who are skilled in the way of equanimity and discrimination achieve the pure, immortal state."
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Wise men endowed with the yog of discrimination renounce the fruits arising from their action and are liberated from the bondage of birth and death. They achieve the pure, immortal state of oneness with God. Application of intellect is categorized here into three kinds. Firstly by the way of descrimination. This yields two results : Divine riches and ultimate bliss. Secondly by the way of selfless Action which produces only one consequence-liberation from dire terror of repeated birth and death by attaining immaculate indestructible oneness with god. These are the only two ways described for the yog. The third type of application of intellect is done by the ignorants who are engaged in other endless modes of actions and who fall into the cycles of repeated birth and death according to their deeds. Arjun’s vision is limited only to acquisition of sovereignty over the three worlds and even over gods. But even for the sake of these he is not inclined to war. At this point,Sri Krishn reveals to him the truth that a man can attain to the immortal state through selfless action. The Way of Selfless Action also provides access to the state of being which death cannot break into. At what point, though, will a man be inclined to the performance of such action?
Sri Krishn says:
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yadā te mohakalilam buddhir vyatitariṣyati
tadā gantāsi nirvedam śrotavyasya śrutasya ca
"At the time when your mind has successfully made its way across the swamp of attachment, you will be capable of the renunciation which is worth hearing of and which you have heard."
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The very moment Arjun’s mind, indeed the mind of any worshipper, has steered safely across the marsh of attachment, and when it is completely free from yearning for either children or riches or honour, all its worldly ties are broken.It will then be receptive, not only to what is proper for hearing, but also to the idea of renunciation, making it an integral part of its action according to what it has learnt. At the present moment, however, Arjun is unprepared to listen to what is proper for hearing; and so the question of its influencing his conduct, of course, simply does not arise.
Sri Krishn concludes:
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śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā,
samādhāv acalā buddis tadā yogam avāpsyasi
"When your mind, now shaken by the conflicting precepts of the Ved, achieves a changeless and constant existence within the being of Supreme Spirit, you will then attain to immortal state through profound meditation."
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When Arjun’s mind, at present riven through and through by the contradictory teachings of the Ved, achieves the state of steady contemplation of God, it will become changeless and constant, and then he will master the skill of even minded discrimination. He will then achieve the perfect equilibrium which is the ultimate state of immortality. This is the crowning point of yog. The Ved undoubtedly instruct us; but as Sri Krishn points out, the contradictory injunctions of the Shruti confuse the mind. Precepts there are many, but it is unfortunate that people usually keep away from the knowledge that is fit for learning.
Arjun is told that he will reach the stage of immortality, the culmination of yog, when his agitated mind achieves constancy by meditation.
Previous references:
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1. http://www.facebook.com/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/niyatam-kuru-karma/451386768031
2. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&suggest¬e_id=452296353031#!/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/entitled-only-to-the-performance-of-action-but-never-to-the-fruits-thereof/452296353031
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As expounded by most revered Gurudeo,my spiritual mentor.
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"Entitled Only To The Performance Of Action But Never To The Fruits Thereof"........!!!
Wednesday, June 02, 2010 3:17 PM
Most popular,ever liked and much frequently quoted verse around the globe from Bhagavad Gita preached by Sri Krishn is about the true concept of the performance of action i.e " Karma" where HE says that seeker has the right to action but not to its results. So seeker should persuade himself that fruits of action simply do not exist. He should not covet these fruits and neither should he grow disillusioned with action.
Sri Krishn says in Chapter two of Bhagavad Gita:
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karmaṇy evā’dhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana,
mā karmaphalahetur bhūr māte sango’stv akarmaṇi
"Since you are entitled only to the performance of action but never to the fruits thereof, you should neither desire rewards of action nor be drawn to inaction."
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Sri Krishn has first used the term "action" (karma: meaning both action and its consequence) in the thirty-ninth verse of the chapter two, but he has not indicated what this karma is and how to perform it? He has, however, described its characteristic traits.
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(a) He has told Arjun that by the performance of action he will be freed from the bonds of action.
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(b) He has then said that the seed or initial impulse of action is indestructible. Once it is initiated, nature has no means to destroy it.
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(c) There is, Arjun has been told, not even the slightest flaw in this action, for it never abandons us while we are stranded amidst the temptations of celestial pleasures and worldly affluence.
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(d) Performance of this action, even in small proportions, can emancipate us from the great fear of birth and death.
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But, as it is evident from the summary above,Sri Krishn has not so far defined action. As for the way of doing it, he says in the forty-first verse of the same Chapter:
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vyavasayatmika buddhir
eke’ha kurunandana,
bahusakha hy anantasca
buddhayo’vyavasayinam
"On this auspicious path, O Kurunandan (Arjun), the resolute mind is one, but the minds of the ignorant are divided and many."
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The mind which is earnestly and firmly oriented to selfless action is unified. Selfless action is only one and its outcome is also one. Spiritual accomplishment is the only true achievement. The gradual realization of this attainment by fighting against forces of the material world is an enterprise. This enterprise and resolute action, with a single goal are also one and the same. Then what about those who propagate more than one mode of action? In Sri Krishn’s view they are not true worshippers. The minds of such men are endlessly divided and that is why they conjure up endless ways.
Explaining why it is so, he adds that the minds of men without discernment are riven by endless divisions, because of which they tend to invent and elaborate an unlimited number of rites and ceremonies. So they are not true worshippers. They use pretentious and ornate language to describe these rites and ceremonies. So that man’s mind is also poisoned who is lured by the charm of their words. The ordained action is, therefore, only one, although we have not yet been told what precisely it is.
In the forty-seventh verse of Chapter two, Sri Krishn has told Arjun that he has a right to action, but not to its fruits. So Arjun should not desire these fruits. At the same time he ought not to lose faith in the performance of action. In other words, he should be constantly and devotedly engaged in its performance. But Sri Krishn has not yet said what this action is?The verse is usually interpreted as meaning: Do whatever you wish, only do not desire its fruits. That is, say those who interpret the verse thus, what selfless action is all about. In fact, however,Sri Krishn has not so far told us what this action is that men are required to do. He has so far elaborated only its characteristics, what the gains from it are, and the precautions that have to be observed in the course of its performance. Yet the question of what exactly selfless action is has so far remained unanswered.This we will take up in a separate note while explaining about "Yagya".
Further Sri Krishn adds which is very important to understand in reference to the concept of Karma.He says:
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yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi sangam tyaktvā dhananjaya,
siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvam yoga ucyate
"The equipoise of mind that arises from profound absorption in the performance of action after renouncing attachment and being even-minded in respect of success and failure is, O Dhananjay (Arjun),given the name of yog."
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Resting in yog, renouncing infatuation for worldly ties, and looking at success and failure with an equal mind, Arjun should undertake action. But what action?
Sri Krishn’s pronouncement is that men should do selfless action. Equipoise of mind is what is called yog. The mind in which there is no unevenness is full of equanimity. Greed destroys its evenness, attachments make it unequal, and desire for the fruits of action destroy its serenity. That is why there should be no hankering after the fruits of action. At the same time, however, there should also be no diminishing of faith in the performance of action. Renouncing attachment to all things, seen as well as unseen, and giving up all concern about achievement and non-achievement, we should only keep our eyes fixed on yog, the discipline that joins the individual Soul with the Supreme Spirit, and lead a life of strenuous action.
Yog is thus the state of culmination. But it is also the initial stage. At the outset our eyes should be fixed on the goal. It is for this reason that we should act keeping our eyes on yog. Equanimity of mind is also named yog. When the mind cannot be shaken by failure and success, and nothing can destroy its evenness, it is said to be in the state of yog. It cannot then be moved by passion. Such a state of mind enables the Soul to identify himself with God.
This is another reason why this state is called Samattwa Yog, the discipline that makes the mind filled with equanimity.Since there is, in such a state of mind, complete renunciation of desire, it is also called the Way of Selfless Action (Nishkam Karm Yog). Since it requires us to perform action, it is also known as the Way of Action (Karm Yog) .Since it unites the Self with the Supreme Spirit, it is called yog. It is necessary to keep in mind that both success and failure should be viewed with equanimity, that there should be no sense of attachment, and that there is no desire for the rewards of action. It is thus that the Way of Selfless Action and the Way of Knowledge are the same.
Previous reference:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/niyatam-kuru-karma/451386768031
**********************************************************
As expounded by most revered Gurudeo,my spiritual mentor.
Monday, October 11, 2010 12:04 AM
Before the advent of Maharshi Ved Vyas, no text of any pedagogical discipline was available in the text form.Departing from this tradition of oral and perceiving words of wisdom and knowledge, he compiled the antecedent physical as well as spiritual knowledge in the textual form of four Vedas, Brahmasutra, Mahabharat, Bhagwad and Bhagavad Gita and proclaimed that, "Gopal Krishn has condensed the conclusion of all the Upanishad in Gita to enable the humanity to alleviate itself from pangs of sorrow." The Heart of all Vedas and the essence of all the Upanishad is Gita, which was elicited by Sri Krishn and provided sustenance to distraught humanity of reasoned doctrine and approach to perceive the Supreme Being. This has endowed the humanity of the ultimate means of Peace. The sage, from among all his works,earmarked Gita as the treatise of knowledge and remarked that, the Gita is suitable for being earnestly taken as the driving philosophy, of one’s activities of the life. When we have the treatise given to us which was uttered by Sri Krishn himself, why ever shall we need to store other scriptures ?The essence of Gita is explicitly clarified by the verse which means: There is only one holy writ which had been recited is by Lord Krishn, the son of Devaki. There is only one spiritual entity worth emulating and the truth which has been specified in that commentary is - the soul. There is nothing immortal other than the soul. What chant has been advised by that sage in Gita ? Om ! "Arjun, Om is the name of the eternal spiritual being. Chant Om and meditate upon me." There is only one Dharm-to serve the spiritual being described in Gita. Place him in your heart with reverence.Therefore, Gita has remained our own scripture.
Sri Krishn is the messenger of the holy sages who have described the divine creator as the Universal truth over the thousands years of age. Many sages have said that, one may express their corporeal as well as eternal desires from the God, be awed by the God and not to believe in other deities- has already been proclaimed by many sages, but only the Gita explicitly shows the way to atttain spirituality and fathom the distance on the way of attaining it. Gita not only gives spiritual peace, it also makes it easier to attain eternal and enduring alleviation.
Although Gita is universally acclaimed, it has not been able to take place of doctrine or literature of any religion or sect, because religious sects are always cinched by one or the other dictum or ordain. Bhagavad Gita is a legacy of the Universal Wisdom. It should be treated as seed scripture-an effort may be directed at alleviating the humanity from the pathos of the tradition of class discrimination, conflicts and altercation and accord peace.
So wherever Vishwamitr-an enlightened sage-is, the Ved abide there!!!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010 4:24 PM
The great sage Vishwamitr, we are told, was absorbed in meditative penance. Pleased with this, Brahma appeared and-said to him, "From this day you are a sage (rishi)." But not satisfied with this, the hermit went on with his intent contemplation. After a while Brahma, now accompanied by other gods, returned and said,"From today you are a royal sage (rajarshi)." But since Vishwamitr’s wish was yet unfulfilled, he continued with his incessant penance.Attended upon by gods, virtuous impulses that constitute thetreasure of divinity, Brahma came back again and told Vishwamitrthat from that day he was a supreme sage (maharshi). Vishwamitr then said to the oldest of all gods,"No, I wish to be called a brahmarshi (Brahmin sage) who has conquered his senses." Brahma protested that it could not be because he had not yet subdued his senses. So Vishwamitr resumed his penance, so rigorously this time that the smoke of the fire of penance began to rise from his head. Gods then entreated Brahma and the Lord of creation once more appeared before Vishwamitr and said, "Now you are a brahmarshi." There upon Vishwamitr rejoined, "If I am a brahmarshi, let the Ved wed me." His prayer was granted and the Ved was awakened in his heart. The unknown essence-all the mysterious knowledge and wisdom of the Ved-now became known. This direct apprehension of truth rather than a book is Ved. So wherever Vishwamitr - an enlightened sage-is, the Ved abide there.
Action With Desire For The Fruits Thereof Is Far Inferior To The Path Of Discrimination!!!
Wednesday, August 04, 2010 7:29 PM
Covetous action is distant from and inferior to the Path of Discrimination. Those who yearn after praise are wretched men, vile and devoid of judgement. Seeker is, therefore, urged to find shelter in the even-minded Way of Knowledge.
Sri Krishn preaches in Chapter two of Bhagavad Gita:
*
*
dūreṇa hy avaram karma buddhiyogād dhananjaya,
buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ
"Take refuge in the way of equanimity (yog), Dhananjay, because action with desire for the fruits thereof is far inferior to the path of discrimination, and they are indeed paupers who are motivated by lust (for rewards)."
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Even if the Soul is rewarded with what he desires, he will have to assume a body in order to enjoy it.So long as the process of coming and going, of birth and death, lasts, how can there be ultimate redemption? A seeker should not desire even absolution, for absolution is total freedom from passions.Thinking over the acquisition of rewards if he gets any, his worship is interrupted. Why should he now continue any further with the task of meditation on God? He goes astray. So yog should be observed with a perfectly even mind.
Sri Krishn describes the Way of Knowledge (Gyan-Karm-Sanyas Yog) as also the Buddhi-or Sankhya Yog. He suggests to Arjun that he has attempted to enlighten him on the nature of "discrimination" in its relation to the Way of Knowledge. In truth, the only difference between the two is that of attitude. In the one, one has to proceed only after making a proper examination of the constructive and negative aspects of the undertaking, while in the other, too, equanimity has to be preserved. So it is also called the Way of Equanimity and Discrimination (Samattwa-Buddhi Yog). Because of this and because men possessed of desire for rewards are reduced to miserable wretchedness, Arjun is advised to find shelter in the Way of Knowledge.
Sri Krishn further adds:
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*
buddhiyukto jahātī’ha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte,
tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam
"As the Soul endowed with a mind of equanimity renounces both meritorious and evil deeds in this world itself and the art of acting with equipoise is yog, the endeavour to master the way of equanimity of discrimination is Samattwa Yog."
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Stoic minds give up both the sacred and the sinful in this life itself. They adopt an attitude of detachment to both. So Arjun should strive for the equanimity of mind that is derived from the Way of Knowledge. Yog is the skill of acting with equipoise.Two attitudes towards action prevail in the world. If people do a work, they also wish for its fruits. If there are no rewards, they may not even like to work. But Yogeshwar Krishn regards such action as bondage and states that worship of the one God is the only worthwhile action. Till now he has only named action. Its definition we will discuss in next upcoming notes further. In the quoted verse, the skill of acting in freedom from worldly customs is that we should perform action and do it with dedication, but at the same time with voluntary renunciation of any right to its fruits.Where the fruits will go?No where..... And this is the right course of selfless action. The whole energy of the desireless worshipper is then directed to his action. The human body is meant for worship of God. At the same time, though, one would like to know whether one has just always to go on acting or whether the performed action will also produce some result.
Further Sri Krishn says:
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karmajam buddhiyuktā hiphalam tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ,
janmabandhavinirmuktāḥ padam gacchanty anāmayam
"Renouncing all desire for the fruits of their action and (thus) freed from the bondage of birth, wise men who are skilled in the way of equanimity and discrimination achieve the pure, immortal state."
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*
Wise men endowed with the yog of discrimination renounce the fruits arising from their action and are liberated from the bondage of birth and death. They achieve the pure, immortal state of oneness with God. Application of intellect is categorized here into three kinds. Firstly by the way of descrimination. This yields two results : Divine riches and ultimate bliss. Secondly by the way of selfless Action which produces only one consequence-liberation from dire terror of repeated birth and death by attaining immaculate indestructible oneness with god. These are the only two ways described for the yog. The third type of application of intellect is done by the ignorants who are engaged in other endless modes of actions and who fall into the cycles of repeated birth and death according to their deeds. Arjun’s vision is limited only to acquisition of sovereignty over the three worlds and even over gods. But even for the sake of these he is not inclined to war. At this point,Sri Krishn reveals to him the truth that a man can attain to the immortal state through selfless action. The Way of Selfless Action also provides access to the state of being which death cannot break into. At what point, though, will a man be inclined to the performance of such action?
Sri Krishn says:
*
*
yadā te mohakalilam buddhir vyatitariṣyati
tadā gantāsi nirvedam śrotavyasya śrutasya ca
"At the time when your mind has successfully made its way across the swamp of attachment, you will be capable of the renunciation which is worth hearing of and which you have heard."
*
*
The very moment Arjun’s mind, indeed the mind of any worshipper, has steered safely across the marsh of attachment, and when it is completely free from yearning for either children or riches or honour, all its worldly ties are broken.It will then be receptive, not only to what is proper for hearing, but also to the idea of renunciation, making it an integral part of its action according to what it has learnt. At the present moment, however, Arjun is unprepared to listen to what is proper for hearing; and so the question of its influencing his conduct, of course, simply does not arise.
Sri Krishn concludes:
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*
śrutivipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā,
samādhāv acalā buddis tadā yogam avāpsyasi
"When your mind, now shaken by the conflicting precepts of the Ved, achieves a changeless and constant existence within the being of Supreme Spirit, you will then attain to immortal state through profound meditation."
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When Arjun’s mind, at present riven through and through by the contradictory teachings of the Ved, achieves the state of steady contemplation of God, it will become changeless and constant, and then he will master the skill of even minded discrimination. He will then achieve the perfect equilibrium which is the ultimate state of immortality. This is the crowning point of yog. The Ved undoubtedly instruct us; but as Sri Krishn points out, the contradictory injunctions of the Shruti confuse the mind. Precepts there are many, but it is unfortunate that people usually keep away from the knowledge that is fit for learning.
Arjun is told that he will reach the stage of immortality, the culmination of yog, when his agitated mind achieves constancy by meditation.
Previous references:
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1. http://www.facebook.com/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/niyatam-kuru-karma/451386768031
2. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&suggest¬e_id=452296353031#!/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/entitled-only-to-the-performance-of-action-but-never-to-the-fruits-thereof/452296353031
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As expounded by most revered Gurudeo,my spiritual mentor.
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"Entitled Only To The Performance Of Action But Never To The Fruits Thereof"........!!!
Wednesday, June 02, 2010 3:17 PM
Most popular,ever liked and much frequently quoted verse around the globe from Bhagavad Gita preached by Sri Krishn is about the true concept of the performance of action i.e " Karma" where HE says that seeker has the right to action but not to its results. So seeker should persuade himself that fruits of action simply do not exist. He should not covet these fruits and neither should he grow disillusioned with action.
Sri Krishn says in Chapter two of Bhagavad Gita:
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karmaṇy evā’dhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana,
mā karmaphalahetur bhūr māte sango’stv akarmaṇi
"Since you are entitled only to the performance of action but never to the fruits thereof, you should neither desire rewards of action nor be drawn to inaction."
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Sri Krishn has first used the term "action" (karma: meaning both action and its consequence) in the thirty-ninth verse of the chapter two, but he has not indicated what this karma is and how to perform it? He has, however, described its characteristic traits.
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(a) He has told Arjun that by the performance of action he will be freed from the bonds of action.
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(b) He has then said that the seed or initial impulse of action is indestructible. Once it is initiated, nature has no means to destroy it.
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(c) There is, Arjun has been told, not even the slightest flaw in this action, for it never abandons us while we are stranded amidst the temptations of celestial pleasures and worldly affluence.
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(d) Performance of this action, even in small proportions, can emancipate us from the great fear of birth and death.
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But, as it is evident from the summary above,Sri Krishn has not so far defined action. As for the way of doing it, he says in the forty-first verse of the same Chapter:
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vyavasayatmika buddhir
eke’ha kurunandana,
bahusakha hy anantasca
buddhayo’vyavasayinam
"On this auspicious path, O Kurunandan (Arjun), the resolute mind is one, but the minds of the ignorant are divided and many."
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The mind which is earnestly and firmly oriented to selfless action is unified. Selfless action is only one and its outcome is also one. Spiritual accomplishment is the only true achievement. The gradual realization of this attainment by fighting against forces of the material world is an enterprise. This enterprise and resolute action, with a single goal are also one and the same. Then what about those who propagate more than one mode of action? In Sri Krishn’s view they are not true worshippers. The minds of such men are endlessly divided and that is why they conjure up endless ways.
Explaining why it is so, he adds that the minds of men without discernment are riven by endless divisions, because of which they tend to invent and elaborate an unlimited number of rites and ceremonies. So they are not true worshippers. They use pretentious and ornate language to describe these rites and ceremonies. So that man’s mind is also poisoned who is lured by the charm of their words. The ordained action is, therefore, only one, although we have not yet been told what precisely it is.
In the forty-seventh verse of Chapter two, Sri Krishn has told Arjun that he has a right to action, but not to its fruits. So Arjun should not desire these fruits. At the same time he ought not to lose faith in the performance of action. In other words, he should be constantly and devotedly engaged in its performance. But Sri Krishn has not yet said what this action is?The verse is usually interpreted as meaning: Do whatever you wish, only do not desire its fruits. That is, say those who interpret the verse thus, what selfless action is all about. In fact, however,Sri Krishn has not so far told us what this action is that men are required to do. He has so far elaborated only its characteristics, what the gains from it are, and the precautions that have to be observed in the course of its performance. Yet the question of what exactly selfless action is has so far remained unanswered.This we will take up in a separate note while explaining about "Yagya".
Further Sri Krishn adds which is very important to understand in reference to the concept of Karma.He says:
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yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi sangam tyaktvā dhananjaya,
siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvam yoga ucyate
"The equipoise of mind that arises from profound absorption in the performance of action after renouncing attachment and being even-minded in respect of success and failure is, O Dhananjay (Arjun),given the name of yog."
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Resting in yog, renouncing infatuation for worldly ties, and looking at success and failure with an equal mind, Arjun should undertake action. But what action?
Sri Krishn’s pronouncement is that men should do selfless action. Equipoise of mind is what is called yog. The mind in which there is no unevenness is full of equanimity. Greed destroys its evenness, attachments make it unequal, and desire for the fruits of action destroy its serenity. That is why there should be no hankering after the fruits of action. At the same time, however, there should also be no diminishing of faith in the performance of action. Renouncing attachment to all things, seen as well as unseen, and giving up all concern about achievement and non-achievement, we should only keep our eyes fixed on yog, the discipline that joins the individual Soul with the Supreme Spirit, and lead a life of strenuous action.
Yog is thus the state of culmination. But it is also the initial stage. At the outset our eyes should be fixed on the goal. It is for this reason that we should act keeping our eyes on yog. Equanimity of mind is also named yog. When the mind cannot be shaken by failure and success, and nothing can destroy its evenness, it is said to be in the state of yog. It cannot then be moved by passion. Such a state of mind enables the Soul to identify himself with God.
This is another reason why this state is called Samattwa Yog, the discipline that makes the mind filled with equanimity.Since there is, in such a state of mind, complete renunciation of desire, it is also called the Way of Selfless Action (Nishkam Karm Yog). Since it requires us to perform action, it is also known as the Way of Action (Karm Yog) .Since it unites the Self with the Supreme Spirit, it is called yog. It is necessary to keep in mind that both success and failure should be viewed with equanimity, that there should be no sense of attachment, and that there is no desire for the rewards of action. It is thus that the Way of Selfless Action and the Way of Knowledge are the same.
Previous reference:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/mrityunjayanand-jee/niyatam-kuru-karma/451386768031
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As expounded by most revered Gurudeo,my spiritual mentor.
the Bhagwad Gita......frm fb..posts by Mrityunjaya jee
Let Us Listen To The Flourish Of The Warriors’ Conches In Bhagavad Gita!!!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 10:25 PM
Conches are blown after the Kaurav have taken stock of their strength.The trumpeting of conches is a declaration of the intention,of each of the chiefs,of what he can offer after conquest.The mighty grandsire Bheeshm, the eldest of the Kaurav, blows his conch to produce a lion-like roar which gladdens Duryodhan’s heart.
Sings Bhagavad Gita:
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tasya samajnayan harṣamkuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ,
simhanādam vinadyo’ccaihśankham dadhmau pratāpavān
"To Duryodhan’s delight then, his mighty grandsire and the eldest of the Kaurav (Bheeshm) blew his conch to blare forth a lion-like roar."
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The lion represents the terrible,tooth-and-claw, aspect of nature.Our hair stands on end and our hearts beat violently when we hear the roar of a lion in a still,solitary forest even though we are miles away from the beast.Fear is a property of nature, not of God.
Bheeshm is the very image of delusion.If delusion prevails, it will enwrap the material world’s forest of fear which we inhabit in yet another shroud of fear to make the existing dread even more frightening.Delusion cannot offer anything else except this.So renunciation of the material world is the right step for one who quests for Self-realization.Worldly inclinations are like a mirage-a mere shadow of ignorance, and the Kaurav have nothing to declare against this.Numerous conches from their side are trumpeted simultaneously but they altogether inspire no other feeling except fear.Fear,although in varying degrees, is born out of each perversion.Similar is also the message of the conches of the other Kaurav chiefs.
Adds Bhagavad Gita:
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tatah śankhāś ca bheryaś ca panāvanakagomukhāh ̣
sahasai’ vā’ bhyahanyanta sa śabdas tumulo’bhavat
"Then there abruptly arose a tumult of conches and kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow-horns."
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After Bheeshm’s blowing of his conch,numerous other conches,drums, and trumpets are sounded together, and they make an awesome noise. The Kaurav have no message other than that of fear.Intoxicated with a sense of false success, the outward-looking impulses that offend and demean the human Soul render the bonds of infatuation yet stronger.
Now the Pandav, representing righteous impulses that are in harmony with the divine character of the Self, respond to the Kaurav challenge with their own declarations,the first of which is made by Yogeshwar Krishn himself.
Says Bhagavad Gita:
Krishnetataḥśvetair hayair yuktemahati syandane sthitau
mādhavạḥ pāṇḍavaś cai’vadivyau śankhau pradadhmatuḥ
"Then, too, Madhav (Krishn) and Pandu’s son (Arjun), seated in the magnificent chariot to which white steeds were yoked, blew their celestial conches."
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After the Kaurav, Sri Krishn and Arjun, riding in their magnificent, sacred chariot drawn by flawlessly white horses ("white" symbolizes purity), also blow their "celestial" conches. "Celestial" means beyond the material world.Yogeshwar Krishn’s transcendental message is a promise to render unto souls the most auspicious,unworldly existence that is beyond the worlds of both mortals and gods, and verily the whole universe (Brahmlok), which are all afflicted with the fear of birth and death.The chariot under his charge is not made of gold and silver and wood; everything about him is celestial, the chariot, the conch and, therefore, also his message. Beyond these worlds there is only the one unique and indescribable God.Sri Krishn’s message is of establishing a direct contact with this Supreme Being. But how will he effect this state?
Sings Bhagavad Gita:
pāñcajanyam hrṣīkeśodevadattam dhanamjayaḥ
pauṇḍram dadhmau mahāśankhambhīmakarmā-vṛ-a-kodaraḥ
"While Hrishikesh (Sri Krishn) blew his conch Panchjanya and Dhananjay (Arjun) the conch named Devdutt, the Vrikodar (Bheem) of awesome deeds blew the great conch Paundr."
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So Hrishikesh (lord of the senses), who knows all the mysteries of the human heart, blows the conch Panchjanya.This is a declaration of his intent to restrain the five organs of perception which correspond to word, touch, form, taste, and smell, and to transmute their inclinations into devotion. Exerting control on the wild senses and disciplining them into faithful servitors is the gift from an accomplished teacher; the gift, indeed, from the admired God.Sri Krishn is a yogi, an ideal teacher. As Arjun says in the Geeta, " Lord, I am thy disciple." It is only an accomplished teacher; who make us relinquish all objects of sensual pleasure, and to see and listen to and touch nothing except the coveted God.
Dhananjay (the victor of wealth) is the affectionate devotion that attains to the state of divine exaltation.This devotion is a feeling of tenderness for the desired object,which includes within itself all the experiences of devotees,even pangs of separation and occasional disenchantment and tears.There should be nothing for a devotee except the longed-for God. If the devotion to him is perfect, it embraces the virtues that provide access to the Supreme Spirit.Dhananjay is another name of this faculty.One kind of wealth is the external riches which are needed for physical sustenance,but that has nothing to do with the Self.The really lasting wealth of man, which he can truly call his own, is realization of his Self, the God within.
In the Brihadaranyak Upanishad,Yagnavalkya teaches the same to his wife Maitreyi when she asks him, "My lord, if this whole earth belonged to me with all its riches, should I through its possession attain immortality?" The sage replies, "No, your life would be like that of the wealthy. None can possibly hope to be immortal through wealth."
Bheem of awesome deeds blows his great conch Paundr, which denotes sentiment. The heart is the spring as well as the habitat of feeling. This is why Bheem is called Vrikodar, the large-hearted. You are attached to a child, but that attachment belongs essentially to your heart. It only manifests itself in the child. Sentiment is fathomless and mighty, and this sentiment is Bheem’s great conch that is now blown.The affection that he represents is embodied in sentiment.That is why Bheem blows the conch named Paundr. However, although sentiment is mighty, it can be so only through the medium of love.Goswami Tulsidas admits that he has known the omnipresence of God only through its manifestation in love.
Adds Bhagavad Gita:
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anantavijayam rājākuntīputro yudhisthirah,
nakulah sahadevaś casughosamanipuspakau
"King Yudhisthir, the son of Kunti, blew the conch Anantvijay,whereas Nakul and Sahdev blew their conches Sughosh and Manipushpak."
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King Yudhisthir blows the conch Anantvijay (endless conquest). Kunti is the very image of dutifulness; and Yudhisthir, the embodiment of dharm (natural piety). If one’s adherence to dharm is steady, Anantvijay will bring about the absorption of the Self in the boundless God. The one who is firm in battle is Yudhisthir: one who is unshaken by conflicts between Self and the material world-between the body and the transcendental Soul, and to whom the essence of the sphere of action has been revealed. He is enabled eventually,by God who alone is real, ceaseless, and immutable, to overcome all the contradictions.
Nakul, who is a symbol of restraint, blows the conch named Sughosh. As restraint grows firmer, evil is subdued and the dominance of righteousness is proclaimed. Sahdev, the adherer to truth, blows on the conch which bears the name of Manipushpak.Sages have described each breath as a precious ruby. "What a pity that we squander the jewels of our breath on idle gossip!" One kind of satsang is the moral discourse we hear from noble men, but the real spiritual discourse is internal. According to Krishn, Self alone is true and eternal. True satsang comes about when the mind reins itself in from all externals and dwells with the Self. This adherence to truth is cultivated by incessant reflection, meditation, and samadhi.
The more joy one feels in dwelling with the one reality, the more restraint one gains over each breath,the mind, and the instruments by which objects of sense affect the Self.The day they are totally restrained is the day when we are absorbed in the ultimate essence. Providing, like a good instrument, harmonious accompaniment to the song of the Self is true satsang.
The physical ruby is hard, but the jewel of breath is even more tender than a flower.Flowers fall and wither soon after they bloom, and we can never say that we shall live until the next breath. But if there is true adherence to the Self, it leads us to realize the highest goal through providing control over each breath.There is nothing to proclaim beyond this,although each device is helpful in traversing a certain stretch of the path of spiritual perfection.
Says Bhagavad Gita:
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kāśyaś ca paramesvāsahśikhandī ca mahārathah
dhrstadyumno virātaś ca sātyakiś cā’parājitah
drupado draupadeyāś casarvaśah prthivīpate
saubhadraś ca māhābahuhśankhān dadhmuh prthakprthak
"The King of Kashi, a great bowman, Shikhandi who dwells in the Supreme Spirit, the unvanquished Dhristdyumn, Virat and Satyaki, Drupad and the sons of Draupadi, and Subhadra’s son of powerful arms (Abhimanyu), all blew, O lord of the earth, their own conches."
The sacred city of Kashi is an emblem of the sacredness that resides in the physical body.When a man withdraws his mind and sense organs from all physical things and concentrates on the Self within his body,he is privileged to merge with and dwell within God.The body which is capable of such a union is Kashi.The Supreme Spirit dwells in and pervades every single body. So "parmeshwasah" here means dwelling in the Supreme Spirit rather than a "mighty warrior".
Shikhandi represents the rejection of shikha-sutr (sacred signs traditionally worn by Hindus). There are people who believe they have achieved renunciation just because they have got their heads shaved clean,cast away their sacred threads, and stopped lighting fire. But they are mistaken, for,as a matter of fact,shikha symbolizes a goal which has to be attained, and sutr the merits of action in a previous existence (sanskar).The chain of sanskar is intact so long as God has yet to be realized.How can there be true renunciation till the moment of that fulfillment?Till then we are only wayfarers. Delusion subsides only when the desired God is attained and the merits of previous deeds are reduced to nothing.
Dhristdyumn,the steadfast mind that treasures faith in the universal, immutable divinity,and Virat,capable of perceiving the omnipresence of the great God, are the main constituents of sacred excellence.Satyaki is truthfulness. There can never be a fall from piety as long as there is truthfulness or the desire to ponder over truth,it always protects us from being routed in the war between spirit and matter.
Drupad,representing the ideal of consistency and steadfastness in the performance of duty, the five sons of meditation-like Draupadi, symbols of compassion, tenderness, beauty, and spiritual repose, who are all great warriors providing assistance to the quest for the desired goal, and the long-armed Abhimanyu, all blow their separate conches."Arm" is a symbol of the sphere of action. When the mind is freed from fear, its reach is immensely enlarged.
So this is how the chiefs of the Pandav army have made their proclamations with their conches. Each one of them is a prerequisite of the skill of traversing a certain length of the way to spiritual emancipation.Their observance is necessary and that is why they are enumerated in detail. However, there is, after these preliminary stages, that stretch of the path which is beyond the perceiving mind and intellect.This is the length along which one is enabled to travel only by the blessedness of the great awakening within the Self. He stands up from the Self as vision and is self-evident.
And then sings Bhagavad Gita:
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sa ghoso dhārtarastrānāmhrdayāni vyadārayat
nabhaś ca prithivīm cai’vatumulo vyanunādayan
"The loud tumult, reverberating through heaven and earth, pierced the hearts of Dhritrashtr’s sons."
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The great tumult, echoing through heaven and earth, rends the hearts of Dhritrashtr’s sons. There is the Pandav army, too, but the hearts that are rent are only those of Dhritrashtr’s sons. When the manna of Panchjanya, made up of true knowledge, realization of the infinite, destruction of evil, and affirmation of piety, begins to flow, the Kaurav hearts with their unrighteous and outward-looking impulses cannot but be rent. Their power wanes by and by.And if the process meets with success,infatuation ceases to exist altogether.
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As expounded by my spiritual mentor,most revered Gurudeo.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 10:25 PM
Conches are blown after the Kaurav have taken stock of their strength.The trumpeting of conches is a declaration of the intention,of each of the chiefs,of what he can offer after conquest.The mighty grandsire Bheeshm, the eldest of the Kaurav, blows his conch to produce a lion-like roar which gladdens Duryodhan’s heart.
Sings Bhagavad Gita:
*
*
tasya samajnayan harṣamkuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ,
simhanādam vinadyo’ccaihśankham dadhmau pratāpavān
"To Duryodhan’s delight then, his mighty grandsire and the eldest of the Kaurav (Bheeshm) blew his conch to blare forth a lion-like roar."
*
*
The lion represents the terrible,tooth-and-claw, aspect of nature.Our hair stands on end and our hearts beat violently when we hear the roar of a lion in a still,solitary forest even though we are miles away from the beast.Fear is a property of nature, not of God.
Bheeshm is the very image of delusion.If delusion prevails, it will enwrap the material world’s forest of fear which we inhabit in yet another shroud of fear to make the existing dread even more frightening.Delusion cannot offer anything else except this.So renunciation of the material world is the right step for one who quests for Self-realization.Worldly inclinations are like a mirage-a mere shadow of ignorance, and the Kaurav have nothing to declare against this.Numerous conches from their side are trumpeted simultaneously but they altogether inspire no other feeling except fear.Fear,although in varying degrees, is born out of each perversion.Similar is also the message of the conches of the other Kaurav chiefs.
Adds Bhagavad Gita:
*
*
tatah śankhāś ca bheryaś ca panāvanakagomukhāh ̣
sahasai’ vā’ bhyahanyanta sa śabdas tumulo’bhavat
"Then there abruptly arose a tumult of conches and kettledrums, tabors, drums, and cow-horns."
*
*
After Bheeshm’s blowing of his conch,numerous other conches,drums, and trumpets are sounded together, and they make an awesome noise. The Kaurav have no message other than that of fear.Intoxicated with a sense of false success, the outward-looking impulses that offend and demean the human Soul render the bonds of infatuation yet stronger.
Now the Pandav, representing righteous impulses that are in harmony with the divine character of the Self, respond to the Kaurav challenge with their own declarations,the first of which is made by Yogeshwar Krishn himself.
Says Bhagavad Gita:
Krishnetataḥśvetair hayair yuktemahati syandane sthitau
mādhavạḥ pāṇḍavaś cai’vadivyau śankhau pradadhmatuḥ
"Then, too, Madhav (Krishn) and Pandu’s son (Arjun), seated in the magnificent chariot to which white steeds were yoked, blew their celestial conches."
*
*
After the Kaurav, Sri Krishn and Arjun, riding in their magnificent, sacred chariot drawn by flawlessly white horses ("white" symbolizes purity), also blow their "celestial" conches. "Celestial" means beyond the material world.Yogeshwar Krishn’s transcendental message is a promise to render unto souls the most auspicious,unworldly existence that is beyond the worlds of both mortals and gods, and verily the whole universe (Brahmlok), which are all afflicted with the fear of birth and death.The chariot under his charge is not made of gold and silver and wood; everything about him is celestial, the chariot, the conch and, therefore, also his message. Beyond these worlds there is only the one unique and indescribable God.Sri Krishn’s message is of establishing a direct contact with this Supreme Being. But how will he effect this state?
Sings Bhagavad Gita:
pāñcajanyam hrṣīkeśodevadattam dhanamjayaḥ
pauṇḍram dadhmau mahāśankhambhīmakarmā-vṛ-a-kodaraḥ
"While Hrishikesh (Sri Krishn) blew his conch Panchjanya and Dhananjay (Arjun) the conch named Devdutt, the Vrikodar (Bheem) of awesome deeds blew the great conch Paundr."
*
*
So Hrishikesh (lord of the senses), who knows all the mysteries of the human heart, blows the conch Panchjanya.This is a declaration of his intent to restrain the five organs of perception which correspond to word, touch, form, taste, and smell, and to transmute their inclinations into devotion. Exerting control on the wild senses and disciplining them into faithful servitors is the gift from an accomplished teacher; the gift, indeed, from the admired God.Sri Krishn is a yogi, an ideal teacher. As Arjun says in the Geeta, " Lord, I am thy disciple." It is only an accomplished teacher; who make us relinquish all objects of sensual pleasure, and to see and listen to and touch nothing except the coveted God.
Dhananjay (the victor of wealth) is the affectionate devotion that attains to the state of divine exaltation.This devotion is a feeling of tenderness for the desired object,which includes within itself all the experiences of devotees,even pangs of separation and occasional disenchantment and tears.There should be nothing for a devotee except the longed-for God. If the devotion to him is perfect, it embraces the virtues that provide access to the Supreme Spirit.Dhananjay is another name of this faculty.One kind of wealth is the external riches which are needed for physical sustenance,but that has nothing to do with the Self.The really lasting wealth of man, which he can truly call his own, is realization of his Self, the God within.
In the Brihadaranyak Upanishad,Yagnavalkya teaches the same to his wife Maitreyi when she asks him, "My lord, if this whole earth belonged to me with all its riches, should I through its possession attain immortality?" The sage replies, "No, your life would be like that of the wealthy. None can possibly hope to be immortal through wealth."
Bheem of awesome deeds blows his great conch Paundr, which denotes sentiment. The heart is the spring as well as the habitat of feeling. This is why Bheem is called Vrikodar, the large-hearted. You are attached to a child, but that attachment belongs essentially to your heart. It only manifests itself in the child. Sentiment is fathomless and mighty, and this sentiment is Bheem’s great conch that is now blown.The affection that he represents is embodied in sentiment.That is why Bheem blows the conch named Paundr. However, although sentiment is mighty, it can be so only through the medium of love.Goswami Tulsidas admits that he has known the omnipresence of God only through its manifestation in love.
Adds Bhagavad Gita:
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anantavijayam rājākuntīputro yudhisthirah,
nakulah sahadevaś casughosamanipuspakau
"King Yudhisthir, the son of Kunti, blew the conch Anantvijay,whereas Nakul and Sahdev blew their conches Sughosh and Manipushpak."
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King Yudhisthir blows the conch Anantvijay (endless conquest). Kunti is the very image of dutifulness; and Yudhisthir, the embodiment of dharm (natural piety). If one’s adherence to dharm is steady, Anantvijay will bring about the absorption of the Self in the boundless God. The one who is firm in battle is Yudhisthir: one who is unshaken by conflicts between Self and the material world-between the body and the transcendental Soul, and to whom the essence of the sphere of action has been revealed. He is enabled eventually,by God who alone is real, ceaseless, and immutable, to overcome all the contradictions.
Nakul, who is a symbol of restraint, blows the conch named Sughosh. As restraint grows firmer, evil is subdued and the dominance of righteousness is proclaimed. Sahdev, the adherer to truth, blows on the conch which bears the name of Manipushpak.Sages have described each breath as a precious ruby. "What a pity that we squander the jewels of our breath on idle gossip!" One kind of satsang is the moral discourse we hear from noble men, but the real spiritual discourse is internal. According to Krishn, Self alone is true and eternal. True satsang comes about when the mind reins itself in from all externals and dwells with the Self. This adherence to truth is cultivated by incessant reflection, meditation, and samadhi.
The more joy one feels in dwelling with the one reality, the more restraint one gains over each breath,the mind, and the instruments by which objects of sense affect the Self.The day they are totally restrained is the day when we are absorbed in the ultimate essence. Providing, like a good instrument, harmonious accompaniment to the song of the Self is true satsang.
The physical ruby is hard, but the jewel of breath is even more tender than a flower.Flowers fall and wither soon after they bloom, and we can never say that we shall live until the next breath. But if there is true adherence to the Self, it leads us to realize the highest goal through providing control over each breath.There is nothing to proclaim beyond this,although each device is helpful in traversing a certain stretch of the path of spiritual perfection.
Says Bhagavad Gita:
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kāśyaś ca paramesvāsahśikhandī ca mahārathah
dhrstadyumno virātaś ca sātyakiś cā’parājitah
drupado draupadeyāś casarvaśah prthivīpate
saubhadraś ca māhābahuhśankhān dadhmuh prthakprthak
"The King of Kashi, a great bowman, Shikhandi who dwells in the Supreme Spirit, the unvanquished Dhristdyumn, Virat and Satyaki, Drupad and the sons of Draupadi, and Subhadra’s son of powerful arms (Abhimanyu), all blew, O lord of the earth, their own conches."
The sacred city of Kashi is an emblem of the sacredness that resides in the physical body.When a man withdraws his mind and sense organs from all physical things and concentrates on the Self within his body,he is privileged to merge with and dwell within God.The body which is capable of such a union is Kashi.The Supreme Spirit dwells in and pervades every single body. So "parmeshwasah" here means dwelling in the Supreme Spirit rather than a "mighty warrior".
Shikhandi represents the rejection of shikha-sutr (sacred signs traditionally worn by Hindus). There are people who believe they have achieved renunciation just because they have got their heads shaved clean,cast away their sacred threads, and stopped lighting fire. But they are mistaken, for,as a matter of fact,shikha symbolizes a goal which has to be attained, and sutr the merits of action in a previous existence (sanskar).The chain of sanskar is intact so long as God has yet to be realized.How can there be true renunciation till the moment of that fulfillment?Till then we are only wayfarers. Delusion subsides only when the desired God is attained and the merits of previous deeds are reduced to nothing.
Dhristdyumn,the steadfast mind that treasures faith in the universal, immutable divinity,and Virat,capable of perceiving the omnipresence of the great God, are the main constituents of sacred excellence.Satyaki is truthfulness. There can never be a fall from piety as long as there is truthfulness or the desire to ponder over truth,it always protects us from being routed in the war between spirit and matter.
Drupad,representing the ideal of consistency and steadfastness in the performance of duty, the five sons of meditation-like Draupadi, symbols of compassion, tenderness, beauty, and spiritual repose, who are all great warriors providing assistance to the quest for the desired goal, and the long-armed Abhimanyu, all blow their separate conches."Arm" is a symbol of the sphere of action. When the mind is freed from fear, its reach is immensely enlarged.
So this is how the chiefs of the Pandav army have made their proclamations with their conches. Each one of them is a prerequisite of the skill of traversing a certain length of the way to spiritual emancipation.Their observance is necessary and that is why they are enumerated in detail. However, there is, after these preliminary stages, that stretch of the path which is beyond the perceiving mind and intellect.This is the length along which one is enabled to travel only by the blessedness of the great awakening within the Self. He stands up from the Self as vision and is self-evident.
And then sings Bhagavad Gita:
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sa ghoso dhārtarastrānāmhrdayāni vyadārayat
nabhaś ca prithivīm cai’vatumulo vyanunādayan
"The loud tumult, reverberating through heaven and earth, pierced the hearts of Dhritrashtr’s sons."
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The great tumult, echoing through heaven and earth, rends the hearts of Dhritrashtr’s sons. There is the Pandav army, too, but the hearts that are rent are only those of Dhritrashtr’s sons. When the manna of Panchjanya, made up of true knowledge, realization of the infinite, destruction of evil, and affirmation of piety, begins to flow, the Kaurav hearts with their unrighteous and outward-looking impulses cannot but be rent. Their power wanes by and by.And if the process meets with success,infatuation ceases to exist altogether.
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As expounded by my spiritual mentor,most revered Gurudeo.
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