Bhagwad Gita - Post 13

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.

2. The way it begins, and ends gives a clue to the subject that it expounds. The very first verse starts with the words “in the dharma-field, in the battle-field (dharma-kshethre, kuru-kshethre)”, with dharma (righteous action) being the leading word. 

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:

Remember dharma; practice dharma. 

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”.)

   Demonic nature = The Kaura­vas

   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.

Bhagwad Gita - Post 12

Dear All,

Today's post summarizes all the dilemma we undergo in our spiritual journey and how it can be related to the subject and content of first chapter.

It may be a little long post, but it is important to take in all the doubts in one go in this post.

DILEMMA OF SUBJECT-OBJECT

1) Pandavas facing the Kauravas is like a spiritual seeker facing the whole world. The objective sentiments are represented by the Kauravas, and the subjective sentiments are represented by the Pandavas.

It is difficult for the subject to face the object entirely on the assumption that it is an alien element that is outside, because the world is not an alien element. 

That is, only when we are able to discriminate between, we the subject and the world as an object, we will be able to fight / leave / transcend the object. 

We can speak of this subject - object but in reality, we are confused as we identify ourselves as both subject and object, similarly, we confuse the world also sometimes as subject and sometimes as object. 

(Those who have been listening to the sadan talks in Muscat can related to the Krishna's example explained in the talk where, 

Devotee = Subject

World   = Object

Initially, Krishna / God is also an object and we understood that first the world as object has to be transcended and only Krishna as object is perceived with single pointed devotion, then Krishna is brought nearer, then Krishna merges into us.

At this state of merger, all objects cease to exist and only we the subject, i.e. we the SELF, exist)

DILEMMA / FEAR OF FIGHTING OUR INTERNAL NATURE

2) Like the Arjuna feared war, spiritual seekers who are honest in their pursuit will begin to feel a sense of internal fear and tremor after years of spiritual practice, due to various questions that will arise which did not arise earlier because they had a wrong notion that the things they have to fight against are totally outside. 

The experience in spiritual meditation, living with Gurus, doing austerities in ashrams, etc., will slowly bring out the facts of the inner components of nature and  we stand exposed to our own internal shortcomings and a fright of an unknown nature will take possession of us.

Many seekers leave spiritual path at this juncture, when they (their inner defects) stand exposed. They do not want to recognize their  defects, hence, the easier way is to leave spiritual path and then "eat, drink and make merry, for, tomorrow, you may die" stand is taken!!!

DILEMMA OF IGNORING THE WELFARE OF  KITH AND KIN

3) A spiritual seeker develops various doubts of the following types.

Am I deserting the world in my enthusiasm for God?”

Have I not a duty towards people who are suffering?

 Am I to fly and reach to God individually, allowing my own brethren, kinsmen and humanity to wallow in the mire of ignorance? Is it not my duty to be of some assistance to these sufferers?” 

This is an extension of the logic of Arjuna’s feeling that the world is too much of a reality to be bypassed so easily with the feeling that it can be attacked, subjugated and destroyed, because of the fact that it has a relation of kinship with oneself. 

“They are me and, therefore, I have a duty towards them; and my duty is not to oppose them, but to feel for them.” This is one question. 

DILEMMA ABOUT GIVING UP THE (MY) WORLD

4) Arjuna was an epic representation of the internal chaos that one may have to face in the beginning of spiritual life. 

A spiritual seeker may feel, 

There is a great confusion,

I have lost everything, 

I have lost my father and mother,

I have no friends here, and nobody talks to me,

I am sick, 

I have achieved nothing,  

I have no guidance, no teachings. I will go crazy.” 

Whether to renounce the world or not renounce the world—who told us what is to be done? 

Has anybody told us that it is necessary to renounce the world? Is there a rational ground for our feeling that the world has to be renounced?  Is it because we want God? 

No scriptures will come to our rescue till the time we are filled with ignorance. 

Our own conscience can only come to our rescue and convey to us that the renunciation is only internal, we may not be required to leave everyone externally. 

DILEMMA / FEAR OF INCAPACITY

5) Arjuna’s difficulty is a spiritual difficulty; it is a spiritual crisis in which he found himself. 

 In an epic manner, Vyasa describes this chaos of the spiritual seeker who was   otherwise very adventurous and who went forward to face the battle of life, but who immediately became diffident and threw down his weapons. 

“No japa, no meditation, no book-reading helps. I am unable to do anything,” Arjuna said. 

GURU/GOD ONLY CAN RESCUE 

In this condition, our only resort is the Guru. Had his self-confidence continued and had he stuck to the wrong arguments that he put forth in the First Chapter, nothing would have come out of it. 

However, some satvic karma rose up, and he felt that it was necessary for him to know what was to be done. 

Arjuna asked Sri Krishna, “In this chaotic condition of my mind, what is my duty? I surrender myself to you, great Master. Please tell me.” 

The answer of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is, “You understand nothing. You draw conclusions without proper understanding of the structure of life and your relationship to people or things in general. This is a very sorry state. How can you draw conclusions without proper premises? If you draw a conclusion based on a wrong premise, the conclusion is also wrong. 

Therefore, all that you have been told up to this time is without any foundation because you do not know either yourself or the world.” 

(Relevant Extract for all spiritual seekers from commentary on Bhagwad Gita by Swami Krishnananda)

Love.

Bhagwad Gita - Post 11

Verse 46

Yadi maam aprateekaaram ashastram shastrapaanayah;

Dhaartaraashtraa rane hanyus tanme kshemataram bhavet.

If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand, should slay me in battle, unresisting and unarmed, that would be better for me.

Here, Arjuna declares his final opinion that, under the circumstances narrated during his long-drawn limping arguments, it is better for him to die in battle unresisting and unarmed, even if the Kauravas were to shoot him down, like a hunted deer, with a dozen arrows piercing his royal body.

In the previous verses, Arjuna mentions a number of evils that would come from the impending battle, but he was not able to see that evil would actually prevail if these wicked people were allowed to thrive in society. 

As often happens, people are unable to see their own mistakes and instead attribute them to situations and to others. 

Similarly, Arjuna felt that the sons of Dhritarashtra were motivated by greed, but he could not see that his outpouring of compassion was not a pure  sentiment, but a materialistic infatuation based on the ignorance of being the body. 

The problem with all of Arjuna’s arguments was that he was using them to justify his delusion that had been created from his bodily attachment, weakness of heart, and dereliction of duty. 

In practical life, when a person attends his first interview for job and he fails in the interview and he attends few more interviews and fails, he may end up taking a stand, “See, if I get a job, then I will be depriving another person of that job, so I shall not attend interview any more’. 

Thus, due to our weak heart, our fear of losing (fear of change, which is one of the manifestation of ego), we end up showing a kind, loving gesture, justifying our withdrawal from our dharma. 

The compassionate gesture thrown by Arjuna after seeing the strength of the warriors in the enemy side is not appreciable. If, before the war, he had taken this stand of non-violence and preparation to be killed by Dhritarashtra’s sons in the worst situation, then Arjuna can be adored as an epitome  of non-violence and compassion. 

Like the job seeker’s family needs his job salary, standing in the battlefield,  to say such lines as Arjuna says in this verse is a sheer sign of fear, ignorance and running away from one’s dharma as a Kshatriya.

It may be put forth that although Arjuna disregarding kshatriya ethics might refrain from battle out of deluded compassion for friends and kinsman; but as far as the enemy is concerned they will not refrain themselves from battle; but are determined to fight for dominion of the kingdom. Being fully intent on victory the sons of Dhritarashtra may slay you even if Arjuna  does not fight. Then what is the use of not fighting? 

For the answer to the above question, the expression "Kshema" used by Arjuna in this verse is worth observing.

Arjuna states that even if the sons of Dhritarashtra being devoid of wisdom and obsessed by greed would slay him unarmed and unresisting, this would still be more preferable (Kshema) than perpetuating sin by slaying friends and kinsman and permanently going to hell as a result. (as he would not get Moksha due to the sin committed of killing his kinsman)

Whereas, He should have considered the Moksha, the welfare of the entire society and should have plunged into the war!!!

Love.