Verse 50
Verse 51
Verse 52
Verse 53
People generally speak of
Bhagavad Gita as a karma-sastra related to karma-yoga, and that alone. But the
very first words Krishna uttered, looking at Arjuna’s plight and hearing
his confession, refer to the inmost Soul, spelling out its unborn, undying and
all-fulfilling character.
He clearly emphasized right
then that by knowing this inner Soul alone, fear of death as well as questions
and problems of living, would be led to extinction. In
Self-knowledge alone lies a full redress and solution to all the torments of
the mind and puzzles of the intelligence.
Sankhya denotes Knowledge of the Soul. This is what he first
discussed in the second chapter.
The Self in oneself is only to
be known, realized. It is already present within oneself as the ‘I’. One does not
have to gain it or reach it. There is, in truth, no
distance-based journey or a time-bound effort. Nor is the Self something to be
produced as an outcome by the seeker. Its presence is all along there. All that
the seeker has to do is to know it in all its magnitude and magnificence, and
by dint of that knowledge, make the mind free.
For anyone who knows this Self
as unborn, undying, absolute and eternal, how can any questions like birth,
death, sin or virtue arise – emphasized Krishna, during the discussion.
Does this not clearly show that
the knowledge of the Self itself becomes a panacea for all questions, doubts
and problems of the mind and intelligence?
Here now in the 18th chapter,
Krishna says that detachment is the core of spiritual life. Armed with that
spirit, if one lives, moves and acts, his mind will be freed from the clutches
of desire and whatever activities desire motivates or instigates.
It is then that the seeker
feels inclined to take up the real jnana-nistha,
wherein he gets involved only with his mind and its vagaries, intelligence and
its quests with a view to clear them forever. Outer pursuit of any kind has no
place in such a state.
Disciplines
that lead to knowledge of Brahman
When one is purified by
knowledge, he keeps himself in the mode of goodness. Thus one becomes the
controller of the mind and is always in trance. Because he is not attached to
the objects of sense gratification, he does not eat more than what he requires,
and he controls the activities of his body and mind. He has no false ego
because he does not accept the body as himself. Nor has he a desire to make the
body fat and strong by accepting so many material things.
Because he has no bodily
concept of life, he is not falsely proud. He is satisfied with everything that
is offered to him by the grace of the Lord, and he is never angry in the
absence of sense gratification.
Nor does he endeavor to acquire
sense objects. Thus when he is completely free from false ego, he becomes
non-attached to all material things, and that is the stage of self-realization
of Brahman. When one is free from the material conception of life, he becomes
peaceful and cannot be agitated.
To facilitate this kind of
exclusive jnana-nistha, it is
desirable to take to a solitary place, which will naturally be free of varied
interactions (vivikta-sevi).
To learn to eat moderately is
the next discipline (laghvasi). The
need to eat more will be there only when one needs more energy for excessive
activities. Here, the activities being the minimum, such excess eating is not
called for.
Likewise, in speaking, physical
activity and also in thinking, control and moderation should be practised (yatavāk-kāya-mānasaḥ).
The only interest and practice
should be consistent meditation and inner absorption (dhyana-yoga-paro nityam). When no interactions are there to cause
mental distractions, when Nature with its abundance surrounds the seeker, the
mind will tend to plunge into its own inner depths. The effect of natural
surroundings is quite forceful.
The one factor that facilitates
this inner absorption is dispassion – intense and wholesome dispassion. Mind
should start reveling in dispassion.
Scriptural and similar texts
which discuss dispassion can be recited to inspire oneself. Earlier, the
objects and their impressions were working on the mind. But now, thoughts and
memories of dispassion-stimulating writings must have their sublime effect.
Egoism is a very subtle concept
the seeker has to grasp well. For that, he has to reflect deeply upon it.
Egoism is the feeling of ‘I’, as a separate entity, causing actions, inviting
results, and enjoying and suffering in the process.
The next trait to be detected
and renounced is the feeling of power (balam).
The seeker should not feel that seeking is itself a creditable means of
strength: “I am a seeker, and therefore, am distinct from the rest. I have
spiritual power.”
Any such note takes away the
purity and sublimity of seeking. It constricts the mind greatly. The seeker has
to scrupulously avoid it throughout. Strength is always known to subdue the
weak. Thus, the feeling of strength inevitably brings a note of superiority and
dominance.
For this reason it is
antagonistic to spiritual humility and dispassion. The seeker has to be
attentive to be free of any such notes. He must not have either superiority or
inferiority. His focus should be on even-mindedness.
Krishna adds that one must
search for the traces of desire, hatred and possessiveness and remove them
carefully with diligence.
The tendency to look for and
expect any kind of favour or help from others, even to ensure bodily upkeep,
should be carefully identified and renounced, says Krishna. Only thus can the
mind become sufficiently quiescent.
The outer world with its
glories is there, visible, no doubt. But the source that produces and displays
it reigns inward, hosting far greater splendor and magnitude. Thus, to take to
asceticism and austerity is a matter of loftier choice and benediction.
This kind of deep inner
sublimity and enrichment is the core of true spiritual life and pursuit. People
yearn for acquiring and amassing riches, fame and other resources only to make
the mind joyous and fulfilled. If the same joy and fulfillment can be had in a
more abundant manner by virtue of the inner jnana-nistha,
will not a rational human prefer to take to the inner path?
In fact, spirituality is no
other than getting into the mind’s complexities, understanding its problems and
pressures, and working the way out of these to realize the mystery of peace,
contentment and fulfillment.
Swami Sivananda describes such a
being, to conclude this verse,
“The aspirant even abandons the
things which are necessary for the bare maintenance of the body. He becomes a Paramahamsa Parivrajaka, a wandering or
itinerant ascetic.
He has no attachment to his
body. He knows that even the body does not belong to him. He is ever peaceful,
tranquil and serene.
Such an aspirant who has
devotion to Self-Knowledge and who is endowed with the above virtues is fit to
become Brahman”
Love.
