Friday, March 20, 2020

Bhagwad Gita - Post 185



Continuing on the Aswatta tree....

Trunk


The tree sprouts from the Root in the form of the Unmanifest; it grows through the sturdiness of that very One and it has abundance of intelligence as its trunk. 

Leaves and flowers of the tree


Chandāsi yasya parāni: All the values of life, including the Vedas and all knowledge, are hanging, as it were, like the leaves and the flowers of this tree. The Veda is considered to be the highest knowledge, and it is given a place among the leaves—not the trunk or the root. 


Twigs of the tree


The twigs of the tree are considered to be the sense objects. By development of trees of the different modes of nature, we develop different senses,   and, by the senses we enjoy different varieties of sense objects. The source of the senses—the ears, the nose,  eyes etc.—is considered to be the upper twigs, tuned to the enjoyment of different sense objects. The leaves are sound, form, touch—the sense objects. 


The roots, which are subsidiary, are the by-products of different varieties of suffering and sense enjoyment. Thus we develop attachment and aversion. The tendencies toward piety and impiety are considered to be the secondary roots spreading in all directions.


Cutting down the tree


The peepul tree is so huge that it cannot be just pulled down, its growth cannot be curbed easily.


This signifies that the living entities are enjoying the twigs of sense enjoyment and depending on the branch they are, they have a different body and different senses. The tree is so huge that, it is impossible to get away from it. 


One must cut down the tree with an Axe of detachment and renunciation. The sharpening of the Axe needs to be done by knowledge and discrimination.


If this tree is not cut totally, i.e., if the ignorance of one’s real nature as unmanifest is not totally removed, then a human being is bound to keep adding Karma due to all actions born out of  desires which arise due to the ignorance of his divine nature.


This tree can be cut down with the strong weapon of detachment, consequent upon the realization of the identity of the self with Brahman, through hearing the Vedanta texts, contemplating upon their meaning, and profound meditation thereon.  

Author glanced through some important lessons from this verse written by someone and from that, 2 points are given below.


Vedas and knowing their purpose: The Banyan tree leaves are compared to Vedic hymns. The living entity is hopping from branch to branch, trying to taste the fruits called Dharma, Artha, Kama etc. 

One should not become bewildered by the leaves and fruits of enjoyment. One needs to understand the purpose of Vedas, as explained by the Lord himself that the purpose of vedas is to know him and he is the compiler of the Vedanta. 


Surrender to the Lord to return to the Spiritual World: Lord Krishna explains that the spiritual world is a blissful place, without any miseries and is self-illuminating, does not need any electricity, Sun or Moon.

One who comes there will never think of returning to this miserable material world, unless ordered by the Lord Himself.


Love.






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