Dear
All,
Before
moving to the next chapter, we will take the main essence of what Swami
has given in His discourses:
1. Arjuna,
the great hero, capable of great renunciation and of great wisdom, is deluded
by the awful needs of war, and his grief handicaps his activity too. He
confuses the body with the self; he starts identifying the two.
He
imposes on the Atma (the never-changing divine Self or Spirit)
the unreal and ephemeral nature
of the world and
takes this delusion as true.
He
believes that his worldly activities, according to that false identification,
are his Atmic nature (Atma-dharma)! This is the tragedy
not only of Arjuna but of all humanity! Therefore, the Gita is
of universal and eternal value.
The
last verse of the final eighteenth chapter speaks of Krishna “(yathra
yogeswarah Krishnah)”, and the phrase “Master of yoga”
sums up the dharma that
is taught. Thus, it is clear that the objective of the teaching in the Gita is
just this:
3. Jiva,
Body (of Jiva) and Guru / God
Jiva = Arjuna is the
individual
Body (of Jiva) = Chariot
Guru / God = Charioteer
(The
charioteer is the Lord, the inspirer of the intelligence, the Brahman that
prompts the intelligence, in answer to the prayer contained in the Gayatri
Mantra: “Awaken my discrimination, oh Lord, and guide me”.)
Divine nature = The Pandavas,
(In this conflict between opposing forces, Krishna (the divine Self, the Atma)
is always on the side of dharma —the reality that sustains, not the
delusion that undermines.
If
you seek to have the Lord on your side as your guide, equip yourself with divine
nature, the qualities of dharma. For the Lord is, where dharma is.)
4. You refer to it as “despondency”! But that “despondency” was very
beneficial; it was no ordinary “want of courage”. For it tested Arjuna’s
sincerity and steadfastness; it induced him to take unquestioning refuge in the
Lord.
That
is why it is dignified by the name yoga. The Gita begins
with the yoga of despondency (vishada) and ends with
the yoga of renunciation or detachment (sanyasa).
Despondency is the foundation; renunciation, the
superstructure. Despondency is the seed; renunciation, the fruit.
(Source-
Gita Vahini)
Arjuna
had to perform his duty on the battlefield. His calling was to be a warrior and
to combat evil and protect the good. But, when he saw his friends and relations
arrayed on both sides of the battlefield, he forgot his strong resolve to fight
for right, the fight for which he had been preparing for so long.
He
became full of attachments and delusion and threw down his bow. He abandoned
his duty and became miserable.
Krishna
taught Arjuna how to free himself from despair by adhering to his prescribed
duty. Krishna taught Arjuna the truth of the immortal self and showed him that
his duty was to follow the inner promptings of the Lord, who was enshrined in
his heart.
When
Krishna finished His teachings, he asked Arjuna, "Have your attachments
and delusions disappeared?"
Arjuna
picked up his bow and answered, "My despair has completely vanished. All
my delusion is now gone. I will do as You command!"
As
long as you have delusion you will be in a state of bondage. When you suffer
from delusion and infatuation, liberation is impossible.
Liberation
has nothing to do with worldly pleasures. It is the extinction of all
worldly attachments, the incineration of all selfish desires.
From now on, do your duty to perfection and become ideals for
mankind. Apply the teachings of the Gita in your daily life
and be blessed with grace.
Don't waste time. Time is God. Every day spend some time on
these holy teachings and contemplate their inner meaning.
Once
they are understood, put them into practice. Only in this way will you be able
to attain a sacred life, a life of purity and perfection, which is the mark of
a true human being.
(Source
- Sai Baba Gita, compilation of Discourses delivered by Bhagavan in Prashanti Nilayam
in Aug-Sep 1984 on Bhagwad Gita)
Love.
