Essence of the Gita
Dear All,
It has been a
major journey, with 250 + posts on Bhagwad
Gita spread over a period of almost a year.
The author has
not taken up Gita as seriously and as
sincerely as he had taken up Upanishads,
all other related Vedanta treatise of Adi Sankara, Swami Sivananda, Swami Chinmayananda,
Swami Krishnananda, Sage Vidyaranya and many others.
As he started
writing commentary, it was as though all his study of all other Vedanta
treatise were given in an easier way in the Bhagwad
Gita.
It has been a joyous journey for him to refresh all Vedantic truth while writing 250+ posts on the
sacred Gita.
Also, Gita had many verses contradicting
each other apparently, though there can never be any contradiction in the song
divine, in real sense.
Gratitude to
all sages, all realized masters, all those whose commentary have been taken
wherever necessary for completing the commentary in the post, like Swami
Sivananda, Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Krishnananda.
Wherever
possible, Swami’s writings have also been taken, though not fully, as Swami has
not written / spoken verse by verse for all 18 chapters.
Hope the blog
posts would be of use for the present seekers as well as seekers in years / decades to
come.
With Humility
and reverence to all beings
Author
(A sincere
sadhaka)
Supreme Sage from Ananda Kutir writes,
"The Gita again and
again emphasises that one should cultivate an attitude of non-attachment or
detachment. It urges repeatedly that an individual should live in the world
like water on a lotus leaf. “He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is
not tainted by sin as a lotus leaf by water”—V.10.
Attachment is due to infatuation. It is the
offspring of the quality of Rajas.
Detachment is born of Sattwa. The
former is a demoniacal attribute, the latter a divine one.
Attachment is born of ignorance, selfishness
and passion and brings with it death; detachment is wisdom and brings with it
freedom. The practice of detachment is a rigorous discipline. You may stumble
like a baby who is just learning to walk, but you will have to rise up again with
a cheerful heart. Failures are not stumbling-blocks but stepping stones to
success.
Try to dwell always in your own Self. Abide
in your centre. Think of the Self constantly. Then all attachments will die
automatically. Attachment to the Lord is a potent antidote to annihilate all
worldly attachments. He who has no attachments can really love others, for his
love is pure and divine. “Therefore, without attachment do thou always perform
action which should be done; for, by performing action without attachment man
reaches the Supreme”—III.19.
A critic says: “In XV.7, the Lord says: ‘An
eternal portion of Myself, having become a living soul in the world of life,
draws to itself the five senses with the mind for the sixth, abiding in
Nature’. It is quite clear that the individual soul is a part of Brahman, the Absolute. How can we say
that it is identical with Brahman?
The doctrine of Advaita is therefore wrong”.
In VII.17, the Lord says: “Of them, the wise,
ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excels; for I am exceedingly dear to the
wise and he is dear to Me”. Here He speaks of identity. The doctrine of
non-dualism is quite correct. Non-dualism is the highest realisation. The Lord
gives instructions according to the aspirant’s qualification. Advaita philosophy
can be grasped only by a microscopic few. So, He speaks of other philosophical
doctrines in different places to suit different kinds of aspirants. From the
absolute point of view there is neither the individual soul nor
Self-realisation; Brahman alone exists. "
(Swami Sivananda)
Swami concludes Gita Vahini with the lines given below.
"The Mansion of Gita is the mansion of
truth and dharma, erected on the soil of India for the benefit of
the world. Study it with faith and devotion. Experience the curative and
restorative effects of its teachings by actual practice.
For people who do this, the Atma, so full of the spring of sweetness
and bliss (Atma-rama), will be
ever present as a reality. The Lord will shower His favours on such people in a
trice. Pray to the Lord, who has all the fourteen worlds in Him, and you can
certainly become master of the eight treasures that give happiness
here below and, what is even more desirable, liberation (kaivalya), which is the fountain of
eternal bliss, eternal truth, and eternal wisdom .
Why wander about for ghee when you have
butter with you? Acquire butter, that is to say, the grace of the Lord, by implicit
obedience to the rules of life laid down by Him.
When that grace is won, there is no need to
pray separately for liberation. He knows best what you should get and when. He
will confer what you deserve and what is beneficial. Yearn for Him, suffer anguish
for Him; then there is no need to yearn for moksha. If that is done with no
second thought, He will destroy all sin. Hold fast to Him; He can make you
immortal, like Arjuna.
Those who seek to escape from this cycle
of birth and death must obey the command of the Lord as laid down in the
Gita and surrender to Him. Then, they will be crowned with success in
every undertaking. They will achieve victory."
Love.
Supreme Sage from Ananda Kutir writes,
"The Gita again and
again emphasises that one should cultivate an attitude of non-attachment or
detachment. It urges repeatedly that an individual should live in the world
like water on a lotus leaf. “He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is
not tainted by sin as a lotus leaf by water”—V.10.
Attachment is due to infatuation. It is the
offspring of the quality of Rajas.
Detachment is born of Sattwa. The
former is a demoniacal attribute, the latter a divine one.
Attachment is born of ignorance, selfishness
and passion and brings with it death; detachment is wisdom and brings with it
freedom. The practice of detachment is a rigorous discipline. You may stumble
like a baby who is just learning to walk, but you will have to rise up again with
a cheerful heart. Failures are not stumbling-blocks but stepping stones to
success.
Try to dwell always in your own Self. Abide
in your centre. Think of the Self constantly. Then all attachments will die
automatically. Attachment to the Lord is a potent antidote to annihilate all
worldly attachments. He who has no attachments can really love others, for his
love is pure and divine. “Therefore, without attachment do thou always perform
action which should be done; for, by performing action without attachment man
reaches the Supreme”—III.19.
A critic says: “In XV.7, the Lord says: ‘An
eternal portion of Myself, having become a living soul in the world of life,
draws to itself the five senses with the mind for the sixth, abiding in
Nature’. It is quite clear that the individual soul is a part of Brahman, the Absolute. How can we say
that it is identical with Brahman?
The doctrine of Advaita is therefore wrong”.
In VII.17, the Lord says: “Of them, the wise,
ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excels; for I am exceedingly dear to the
wise and he is dear to Me”. Here He speaks of identity. The doctrine of
non-dualism is quite correct. Non-dualism is the highest realisation. The Lord
gives instructions according to the aspirant’s qualification. Advaita philosophy
can be grasped only by a microscopic few. So, He speaks of other philosophical
doctrines in different places to suit different kinds of aspirants. From the
absolute point of view there is neither the individual soul nor
Self-realisation; Brahman alone exists. "
(Swami Sivananda)
Swami concludes Gita Vahini with the lines given below.
"The Mansion of Gita is the mansion of
truth and dharma, erected on the soil of India for the benefit of
the world. Study it with faith and devotion. Experience the curative and
restorative effects of its teachings by actual practice.
For people who do this, the Atma, so full of the spring of sweetness
and bliss (Atma-rama), will be
ever present as a reality. The Lord will shower His favours on such people in a
trice. Pray to the Lord, who has all the fourteen worlds in Him, and you can
certainly become master of the eight treasures that give happiness
here below and, what is even more desirable, liberation (kaivalya), which is the fountain of
eternal bliss, eternal truth, and eternal wisdom .
Why wander about for ghee when you have
butter with you? Acquire butter, that is to say, the grace of the Lord, by implicit
obedience to the rules of life laid down by Him.
When that grace is won, there is no need to
pray separately for liberation. He knows best what you should get and when. He
will confer what you deserve and what is beneficial. Yearn for Him, suffer anguish
for Him; then there is no need to yearn for moksha. If that is done with no
second thought, He will destroy all sin. Hold fast to Him; He can make you
immortal, like Arjuna.
Those who seek to escape from this cycle
of birth and death must obey the command of the Lord as laid down in the
Gita and surrender to Him. Then, they will be crowned with success in
every undertaking. They will achieve victory."
